Christians sometimes assume that animals were sort of an optional extra in the biblical story of God and humanity. Maybe created for fun, or for our benefit – so we could have an interesting environment to live in, filled with useful and beautiful creatures, to name, eat, swat, watch, keep as pets, or use for […]
God and the Animals Read More »
Here’s a radical idea; fasten your seat belt. Will there be death in the new creation? ‘Of course not’ (we think), and our minds instantly turn to Rev 21:4, ‘there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’. Hmm… Are we perhaps taking
Life & Death(?) in the New Creation Read More »
The Greek word erchomenos is a strange one. It means both ‘coming’ and ‘going’. You only know which meaning is in view by its context. Was Jesus coming to Jericho or going from Jericho when he healed blind Bartimaeus? Jericho had two sections, an old section, and a new administrative zone (built by Herod) a
The Already… and the Not Yet Read More »
So, how does the story of the Bible end? It’s best to think back to the beginning…. In the beginning, God creates… and in the end, he’s still creating! See, ‘I am making everything new!’ (Rev 21:5). The story of the Bible isn’t the story of humanity (although we feature throughout), and it’s not the
10) The Future: Where Are We Heading? Read More »
The story of Israel takes a dramatic turn after Jesus’ resurrection. For those who believe, their worldview shifts from centripetal (Israel at the centre) to centrifugal (spreading the message outward to the world). Jesus’ resurrection demonstrated the power of God, the truth of Jesus’ message of salvation, and validated the claims of his identity: Messiah,
9) Messages of Love & Truth Read More »
In the Old Testament, we met Judges, Kings, Prophets, Priests and a Temple at the centre of Israel’s religious life. In the New Testament we suddenly encounter Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Teachers of the Law, and Synagogues (not to mention Romans). It’s difficult to understand the connections until we realize how drastically the Exile changed Israel’s
8) Christianity Spreads its Wings Read More »
Easy question. What connects the Old and the New Testaments? Jesus of course. Where do we find Jesus? In the Gospels. So what’s the difference between the gospel and the Gospels? The word gospel means very simply – good news. It could have been any good news, but the NT authors meant specifically the good
7) Good News: Hope on the Horizon Read More »
England has had 42 kings & queens since 1066 – some good, some bad, some ugly, but who’s to say? History is the judge. Not so for Israel. God was the judge – and Israel’s kings fared badly in God’s eyes. After the glory days of David and Solomon, the kingdom split in two. ALL
6) Decline, Disaster, & Dominion: Israel in Exile Read More »
When we think of the Bible as a story – of God’s interaction with his people over many centuries – ‘wisdom literature’ doesn’t feature. It isn’t history, and it doesn’t tell a story, so we don’t know where it fits. It simply gets left out. This is deeply ironic because Hebrew poetry and wisdom literature
5) Wisdom, Longing & Despair: Israel’s Poetry Read More »
When we think of ancient Israel, we usually think of it as a nation – with borders, trade, a cultural heritage, and a governing authority. But Israel had none of these. Nearly 1,000 years had passed since God’s covenant with Abraham and the promise of: People, Land, Nation, a great Name, Blessing. But Israel was
4) Kings, Priests & Prophets Read More »
