Birth Pangs (3)

Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”  Genesis 1:6 NASB Expanse – Remember this?  “. . . the Ishmaelian reading of experience is, like all logical readings, subject to refutation and falsification,” while “Akiva’s esoteric reading of experience is, like all…

Birth Pangs (2)

Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”  Genesis 1:6 NASB Expanse – Birth is painful.  If you’re the mother, I don’t have to tell you that, but I’m not talking about birthing.  I’m talking about being born.  It’s a blessing that…

Birth Pangs (1)

Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”  Genesis 1:6 NASB Expanse – Genesis chapter 1 is undoubtedly the least understood and most misunderstood chapter in all the Bible.  Oh, it’s so familiar to us that we think we know what…

Akiva’s Solution

“Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?  Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?”  Exodus 15:11  NASB Who is like You – I’m sure you noticed that Moses’ question implies multiple gods.  “Who is like You among the gods?” isn’t the way we would ask.  We live in a “one God” universe. …

I Deserve It

The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.  Psalm 18:20  NASB According to – I don’t know many who could have written these words: The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord,…

A Psalm of Wishful Thinking

Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.  Psalm 37:1-2  NASB Wither quickly – Stop!  Before you read my homily on Psalm 37:1-2, read the entire psalm.  It will only take a minute or so.  I’ll wait. Ready?  What was your…

Savings Account

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  2 Timothy 3:16  NASB Profitable – When Paul writes that the Tanakh is profitable, what does he mean?  Before we take a run at this question, we should probably remind ourselves of a few obvious things: (1) in this…

The Feeling God

“Speak this word to them: ‘Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the Virgin Daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.’” Jeremiah 14:17 NIV Without ceasing – Theology has a deep, intrinsic problem.  The Bible doesn’t have this problem because the Bible isn’t theology.  Theology is the…

Reading Without Vowels

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  Exodus 14:30  NASB Saved – A language without vowels is a language in a state of constant interpretation.  Every time it is read, vowels must be inserted.  That means every act of reading is a personal…