Cherubic Furniture

Last updated on: September 12, 2011 at 6:30 am By Peter Leithart

Further reflections drawn from/inspired by Jordan’s essay on orientation in Revelation. Jordan matches the faces of the cherubim with the furnishings of the sanctuary, and particularly of the heavenly sanctuary. John enters heaven through an eastern door, looking west (we infer this from the fact that he sees the eastern cherub face, the lion face, first, and we draw the orientation of the cherub faces from Ezekiel 1). He sees three items in the heavenly sanctuary: the throne, the lamp,... Read more

Becoming Man

Last updated on: September 12, 2011 at 6:09 am By Peter Leithart

Jesus appears as glorified Man in the opening chapter of Revelation, and as glorified Man He sends messages to the seven churches. But when the next vision opens in Revelation 4-5, Jesus the man is absent. He is not present in heaven at all at the beginning of chapter 5, since no one is found to open the book. When He does appear, He appears as Lamb and Lion, which suggests associations with the cherubim/living creatures surrounding the throne, which... Read more

Baptismal meditation

Last updated on: September 11, 2011 at 6:03 am By Peter Leithart

Isaiah 22:22: The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open. One steward of the Davidic house falls, and another takes his place. Yahweh elevates Eliakim – whose name means “God raises up” – to be steward of the house of David. He has the authority of the keys, the authority to open and shut doors, to let... Read more

Jenson on Apocalytic

Last updated on: September 10, 2011 at 1:17 pm By Peter Leithart

Wow. Robert Jenson knows how to write a review. In the latest Pro Ecclesia , he presents his “three complaints” against Nathan Kerr’s Christ, History and Apocalyptic: The Politics of Christian Mission (Theopolitical Visions) , which he describes as “important,” “rich” and “profound.” His first complaint is stylistic: “If there is a way to lay out a sentence so as to hide its import, [Kerr] often finds it.” Ouch, and wow again. Kerr’s book takes aim at historicism, not only... Read more

Doves and Eagles

Last updated on: September 10, 2011 at 6:12 am By Peter Leithart

The Spirit is a dove. So is the Bride in the Song, since she is her Lover’s inspiration and since she is formed by the Dove into the image of the Dove, so that the Bride and the Dove can moan with one voice of longing for the Lover’s return. Jonah’s name means “dove,” and he flutters over Nineveh like Noah’s dove over the waters of the new world. The Spirit is also the glory-eagle that carries (Exodus 19:4) hovers... Read more

Peg

Last updated on: September 10, 2011 at 4:20 am By Peter Leithart

My colleague Toby Sumpter suggests that Isaiah 22 ends with an image of the cross. Eliakim is compared to a peg on which hangs the glory of his father’s house, but the peg “gives way” and “breaks off” and is cut off. This is perhaps an image of the cross. The “burden” that is cut off is the burden of the judgment again Jerusalem (Toby points out that massa introduces the oracle in 22:1 and also ends the oracle). That... Read more

God is Still Back

Last updated on: September 9, 2011 at 5:32 am By Peter Leithart

I offer my reflections on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 at www.firstthings.com/ . Read more

Ruling Lights

Last updated on: September 8, 2011 at 1:46 pm By Peter Leithart

In Genesis 1:16, the sun and moon are set in the firmament as rulers of the day and night. The word “ruler” or “dominion” is taken from the verb mashal , memshalah . Stars are called “rulers” of night in Psalm 136:9. The LXX of Genesis 1:16 translates memshalah as archas ., the very word Paul uses to refer to the “principalities” over which Jesus has triumphed (Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Colossians 1:16; 2:10). The old covenant was ruled by... Read more

Shebna’s sin

Last updated on: September 8, 2011 at 1:01 pm By Peter Leithart

Shebna is rebuked for wanting to carve a tomb in Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:16). What could be wrong with that? Plenty. The repeated questions of Isaiah 22:16, and the emphatic locative (“what are you here ? Why are you here ? You hew a tomb here “) indicate that Shebna is presuming a higher position that he holds. He is planning a tomb among the tombs of the kings, but he is only a steward. But his arrogance is deeper even... Read more

Shebna’s sin

Last updated on: September 8, 2011 at 1:01 pm By Peter Leithart