For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 NASB Without excuse – Consider an implication of Paul’s opening declaration. No, not the usual one about how everyone should know…
I, Wisdom, dwell in shrewdness, and cunning knowledge I find. Fear of the LORD is hating evil. Proverbs 8:12-13a Robert Alter Hating evil – Doing good isn’t quite enough. It matters, of course. Micah makes that clear: “He has told you, mortal one, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and…
Listen to instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Proverbs 8:33 NASB Listen – “The strength of the yetzer ha-ra is precisely in convincing us that we do not need these words or instruction because we are above believing in such simple notions as reward and punishment.”[1] How’s your spiritual IQ? Pretty good, right? …
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psalm 34:11 NASB Fear – There are basically two kinds of ethical systems in the world. They both have long histories. The first is the one we are most familiar with in the modern world, although it is not the most ancient…
Then God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:9-10 NASB Seas – The ancient fear of chaos. The…
For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I admit my guilt; I am full of anxiety because of my sin. Psalm 38:17-18 NASB Anxiety – At last we come to the real problem. “I’m afraid.” The Hebrew word is dĕʾāgâ. “The root dāʾag signifies anxiety, with a shading toward the meaning of fear…
How blessed is the man who fears always, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity. Proverbs 28:14 NASB Fear always – How can a man be blessed if he is always afraid? This just doesn’t seem to make any sense. If perfect love casts out fear, and we are exhorted to enter…
He does not slander with his tongue, nor do evil to his neighbor, nor bring shame on his friend; Psalm 15:3 NASB Slander – The Hebrew word here is rāgal. Once you know that, you might be shocked at this translation. You see, only one time in twenty-four occurrences is it translated “slander.” In the other twenty-three instances…
So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, Genesis 33:16-17a NIV However – Take a moment to read Genesis 33, Jacob’s reunion with Esau. You’ll find something odd about Jacob’s protests. Again and again, Esau shows no animosity, no hidden agenda of revenge, but Jacob turns away…
For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Philemon 1:7 NASB 1995 Refreshed – Paul has an agenda. It’s obvious and simple. He wants Philemon to accept Onesimus not as a slave but as a brother in the Messiah. Like…
