Isaiah 37 In common parlance, ideas “take root” or cultural movements “take root”. But in the bible it’s people who “take root.” In fact there is a whole theme of “uprooting” and “taking root” that bears examination. In Deuteronomy, Moses warned the people, even before they entered the promised land, that they faced exile for disobedience. And this […]
Isaiah 11 This phrase has evolved from its biblical origins. Isaiah wrote about “the wolf dwelling with the lamb while the leopard lies down with the kid… and the young lion” (Isaiah 11:6). Yet, as with a phrase like “Pride goeth before a fall”, it’s the abbreviation that has survived the test of time: the […]
Isaiah 9 I grew up with Summer Christmasses. Mangoes for breakfast. Cold meats for lunch. Backyard cricket. Swims and BBQs. I loved them: but biblically speaking, a summer Christmas is a contradiction in terms. Christmas is not a celebration of our sunny circumstances. Christmas dawns in the darkness. That’s what Isaiah prophesied in chapter 9. It’s a […]
Isaiah 7 A man begs for change. Some throw him coins. Most pass on by. Now imagine a true philanthropist (meaning “lover of man”). This man doesn’t just reach into his pocket for some change. He stoops down and sits in the gutter with the beggar. He reaches an arm around the man and says “Friend, […]
Isaiah 6 What does a spiritual experience look like? Warm feelings? Good vibes? Not according to Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter 6, the prophet has the ultimate spiritual experience. He meets the LORD: “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train [i.e. […]
Isaiah 2 The comedian, Bill Hicks, used to joke: “A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. You think when Jesus comes back he’s gonna want to see a cross?” It’s not an original point. The incongruity is obvious: a method of extreme torture and humiliating execution has become the most prominent religious symbol in […]
Isaiah 2 Here’s a lovely piece of over-translation from the KJB. Six English words are used to render a single Hebrew verb. They might have simply said “It shall be”. In fact many times they might have left it entirely untranslated (as many modern translations do). But we would have missed a beautiful turn of phrase. […]
Isaiah 1 “She’s pure as New York snow” goes the song. That’s to say – not pure at all. New York snow is quickly sullied by the city’s grit and grime. But, for the first hour or so, a white blanket covers over a multitude of sins. Isaiah the prophet knew that his people’s spiritual condition […]
Song of Songs 1-3 The bible begins and ends with a wedding (Genesis 2; Revelation 19). In the middle Christ comes as Bridegroom to win His bride. Throughout, the LORD is described as “jealous” and his people as either “faithful” or “adulterous.” It’s no surprise then, that when Solomon turns from his exercise in spiritual doubt (Ecclesiastes) to pen the “Song […]
Ecclesiastes 12 With the threat of electronic media, some traditional publishers may be relieved at this verse: “of making many books there is no end” And students can particularly identify with the second half: “and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) Even wise king Solomon sees the weariness of books and […]
