“What hath God wrought” was the first message Samuel Morse ever tapped out on his new invention. And it’s almost certainly that fact (more than its original appearance in Scripture) that lies behind its fame. Interestingly, today if it’s said at all, it tends not to refer to great discoveries as much as terrible tragedies. […]
When we say “I fell flat on my face” we’re usually speaking figuratively. e.g. “I tried to impress the girl with my scant knowledge of Italian arias. Turns out, she’s a classical soprano. I fell flat on my face!” We use the phrase to indicate embarrassment. But in the bible, falling on one’s face is […]
Some people have only two uses for the name of God. Either to carelessly curse, or to carelessly bless. In either case the speaker knows not what they do! In its biblical setting, “God bless” was never said lightly. In fact it was a distinct privilege of the priests. In particular, the High Priest, Aaron. […]
When we think of a “peace offering” we think of guilty husbands hastily purchasing flowers. Or meek penitents bringing gifts to their fuming friends. The one giving the peace offering is feeling dreadful. The one to whom the offering is made is tapping their foot saying “This better be good.” And maybe, just maybe, they […]
Federico Fellini has been called the High Priest of Italian Cinema. Bill Hicks the High Priest of Stand-up Comedy. And Prince, the High Priest of Funk, Soul and Rock n Roll. It’s the idea of being an authority. One who mediates the genre out into the world. They are the go-to person when it comes […]
Children love “staring competitions” with their parents. But we all know the “competition” is a front. We know what the child wants, we know what the parent wants. Face to face. Or think of the long-distance relationship. Lovers who are sick of letters and phone-calls. They want face to face. Or the misunderstandings of work […]
It’s interesting to read modern alternatives to the Ten Commandments. Their silence on the subject of God is deafening. Few people today see God as having anything to do with the “Good Life.” Maybe that’s not surprising. But what’s also consistently absent are expectations about family commitments. In fact committed relationships of any kind are […]
Protestors will often march carrying placards: “Not in my name.” They are incensed that their government would act in ways completely at odds with their own ethos. At Mount Sinai, the Father is similarly concerned. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him […]
It’s right there in the midst of the ten words from Mount Sinai: “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5) What a horrible idea, we might think, a jealous God!? What kind of a God gets jealous? Well Mount Sinai is no unguarded moment of candour. The LORD is very open […]
Where do we look for strength, for comfort, for help, for love, acceptance and joy? Where do we look for life? According to the bible, the answer is: all the wrong places. We are inveterate idolaters. That is to say, our hearts are forever being set on idols: things that are not God. The human […]
