In a previous article, I once examined a particularly horrifying prophecy that was proclaimed by the prophet Ezekiel in the fifth chapter of the book that bears his name. It is a promise that can be described as perhaps the most nightmare-inducing vow ever made by the LORD to His chosen people, and because of its intensity, I am convinced that it merits further reflection. Let’s take a look at that passage once again to see what other eternal truths... Read more
Can you imagine a more unsettling command? That one would be directed, by God, to give up their beloved son to be offered as a ritual sacrifice. Or worse yet, that a father would be the one to perform the sacrificial ceremony, to slaughter and set ablaze his own flesh and blood. Although brutal, such a command does not exist solely in the realm of hypothetical fiction, but actually represents history; this seemingly bleak directive was given to the father... Read more
I believe that after ten events and three years, The Church in Dialogue has already begun to accumulate the raw materials for an interesting story. And should these materials ever be ordered in such a way so as to tell an entertaining yarn, it would be a tale propelled not simply by conflict and resolution, but largely by questions. Before an event series like this could even be brought to the drawing board, certain questions had to be explored. Some... Read more
In “A Tale of Two He-Goats Pt. 1,” I provided the beginning of a homily that sought to unpack the relevance of Leviticus 16:7-10 for today’s orthodox Christian. With the words that follow, I will conclude that project by describing exactly what the goat ritual of chapter sixteen teaches us about ourselves, as well as our Lord, Jesus Christ. For those of you who missed part one, be sure to go back and read that post. There you will find... Read more
What on earth do the temple sacrifices of Ancient Israel have to do with the modern Christian? This is a valid question because the laws governing Israel’s sacrificial system are found in Scripture, and Scripture, as we know, is the inspired word of God—but not only this. We also know that this very same Scripture is without error and is, as we read in 2 Timothy “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” The Bible... Read more
A severe and startling promise was once made to the covenant people of Israel. Should they disobey their liberator, a most despicable sin would overtake them. They would invert humanity’s duty to multiply and fill the earth; they would eat their own children. It sounds unreal, but despite its nightmarish quality, Moses records this promise of the Lord in the Pentateuch: “If…you will not listen to me,” God uttered, “but walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary to you in... Read more
A few months ago I was fortuitously tasked with giving a brief lecture on some of the similarities that are shared by two of the most captivating texts in all of Scripture. This presentation, which revolved around the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, was intended to be one of two introductory lectures that set up a new comprehensive Bible study on John’s Apocalypse that would soon take place at the church in which I serve, Cedar Grove Baptist. My task... Read more
All who dip their toes into the world of ecumenical thought should immediately recognize the relevance of John 17:21 to the project of Christian unity; it is an excerpt from an earnest prayer spoken by the Son of God that directly pertains to, and asserts, the necessity of oneness among the members of His Body. Because Christ prayed that it would be, oneness is indeed necessary. But contemplating the notion of unity betwixt Christians brings along with it some very... Read more
In my last post, I argued for the study of the Scriptures in their original languages as a means of detecting the significance of linguistic nuance, and how such nuance can inform allegorical and homiletical interpretations of the Biblical text (see pt. 1 here). This entry will conclude my written thoughts (for now) on that topic; in what follows, specific examples of what I have dubbed “etymological allegory” shall be provided as I attempt to show how crucial the original... Read more
What do you believe is enclosed within the words of the Holy Bible? Is a literal interpretation of Scripture all that is advocated by its heavenly author, or are layers of meaning lying in waiting within the Bible’s spiritually adorned letters? If you gravitate toward the latter notion, that there is much to be uncovered within the Biblical text beyond its plain interpretation, perhaps the following declaration will strike you as significant: By reading the Bible exclusively in English, one... Read more
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