“Come near,” Yahweh invites Israel (Isaiah 48:16). The verb is qarab , a liturgically charged term used frequently in Leviticus. Especially in Leviticus 1, various forms of the word describe what worship is for (drawing near, qarab ), what Israel does with its offerings (a different form of the verb), and the offerings they bring ( qorban ). Come near to . . . what? From Leviticus, we might expect “offer sacrifice” or “bring your gift.” That is biblical language.... Read more
When Yahweh urges Israel to “go forth from Babylon” and “flee from the Chaldeans,” He also exhorts them sing and shout (Isaiah 48:20). The songs of deliverance are not merely expressions of joy, though they are obviously that. They are also declarations of Yahweh’s redemption. The text uses three verbs to describe what the singing is to accomplish: By singing, Israel is to announce ( nagad ), “cause to hear” (hiphil of shama ), and “cause to go forth” (hiphil... Read more
I have some thoughts on how we non-martyrs share in the work of martyrs at www.firstthings.com . Read more
On three different occasions I have had the privilege of sitting under Jim Jordan and Peter Leithart as they have lectured for the annual Biblical Horizons conference in Florida. Each time I have come away from these conferences with new insight into the teaching of God’s word, and rejoicing in the unity and coherence of the program of redemption revealed therein. Consequently I am thrilled now to learn about the founding of the Trinity Institute for Biblical, Liturgical, and Cultural... Read more
The year I spent in Dr. Leithart’s classroom was rich, challenging, and formative. Although I was firmly grounded in the truth of Scripture before, I had grown blind to its beauty. It was Dr. Leithart’s emphasis on reading the Bible as a story—paying attention to its themes, motifs, and type-scenes—that rekindled my appreciation of Scripture. Dr. Leithart’s love for the Bible is infectious, and I walked away from each lecture with a greater understanding of the glory of the Bible’s... Read more
Yahweh does many things for the sake of His Name, to maintain a good reputation. This might sound self-focused, as if Yahweh were a particularly large version of the ancient hero. I think something like the opposite is the case. Yahweh shows mercy to Israel, refrains from judging them with a final judgment, “for His name’s sake” (e.g., Isaiah 48:9). Yahweh is concerned about His reputation, but the underlying point is that His reputation is so bound up with Israel... Read more
Yahweh addresses Israel as the “house of Jacob” who is “named Israel” (Isaiah 48:1). They have Yahweh’s name in their mouths in oaths and commemorations (v. 1), but not in truth and righteousness. They have in fact become stiff-necked like the Hebrews who were brought from Egypt; they turn to their idols instead of Yahweh (v. 5). They have become un-Jacob, a fact that is underlined in verse 4: “Your neck has an iron sinew (Heb. giyd ).” This alludes... Read more
INTRODUCTION Isaiah 48 closes out a section of the prophecy that began in chapter 40. It ends with the warning that “there is no peace for the wicked” (48:22), a warning echoed in 57:1 and again at the end of the book (66:22-24). THE TEXT “Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of... Read more
The genealogy of Levi is at the chiastic center of the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1-9, and at the center of the genealogy of Levi is the description of the Levitical singers (1 Chronicles 6:31-32). Prior to this point, the genealogies move forward in time, from Levi to his sons all the way down to Elkanah, Samuel, and his son Joel (6:272-28). After verses 31-32, the genealogies run backwards. The genealogies on either side of these verses don’t match in... Read more
In What Is Called Thinking? (14-15) Heidegger asks what it is that an apprentice cabinet maker learns from his master. He learns skills, but not only that. He gains useful information, but not only that either. Fundamentally, Heidegger says, the apprentice is supposed to learn to think , which means in this context to attend responsively to what his materials give him to thing about. Heidegger puts it this way: “If he is to become a true cabinetmaker, he makes... Read more
Leithart
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