In today’s sermon text, Isaiah delivers a cryptic oracle to Edom, the sons of Esau and inhabitants of Mount Seir. But Edom is not called Edom. It is called “Dumah,” a pun on Edom that means “silence.” That pun summarizes the oracle. A voice asks a night watchman the hour of night. He says only that morning will come but also the night, but that’s hardly new information. Everyone knows that. Yahweh warns Edom that He will fall silent. When... Read more
Mann again. He points out that US aid is not typically spent for development purposes but for strategic purposes. Hence, a good deal of it goes to a small number of countries in the Middle East: “A third goes to one of the 20 riches countries in the world – Israel. A fifth goes to Egypt, which is effectively being paid not to attack Israel. Tiny Jordan, also paid not to attack Israel, rivals massive India and Russia as the... Read more
In his 2005 Incoherent Empire , UCLA sociology Michael Mann notes that US tariffs are on average only 4%, “low by historic standards.” But a closer look shows that this openness to foreign goods is selective, and allied to a form of protectionism-by-subsidy. Mann observes that “the most protected US sectors are those in which poorer countries specialize.” In particular, “Agriculture is the most protected. US farmers get direct subsidies and cheap insurance if they export.” Food aid also assists... Read more
When saints first appear in heaven, they are beneath the altar (Revelation 6:9-11). The great multitude that is caught up to heaven “stands” around the throne (7:11). They have moved up, from a place beneath the altar to a place before the throne. But that is not the end of their progression. They stand before teh throne as priests, but they are destined not only to be priests but to be kings. That’s why Jesus died (1:6), and that is... Read more
The list “lightning, sounds, thunder” frames the “seal” section of Revelation, occurring in both 4:5 and in 8:5. Plus, there is a reference to fire in both 4:5 and 8:5. Though the phrase is repeated here, there is also a progression. In 4:5, the lightning, voices, and thunder is from the throne, and is evident only in heaven. But in 8:5, the angel throws fire from the heavenly altar onto the earth, and the thunder, voices, lightning occur on earth,... Read more
The Bible’s first kiss occurs when disguised Jacob receives a blessing from his father Isaac. Isaac is suspicious, and wants Jacob to come closer so he asks for a kiss (27:26-27). From that point on, the book of Genesis uses the word “kiss” about ten times. Men kiss men (Genesis 29:13; cf. 1 Samuel 20:41), fathers kiss sons (Genesis 27:26-27; 31:28; 50:1; cf. Exodus 18:7; 2 Samuel 14:33); cousins kiss (Genesis 29:11). All these kisses are gestures of welcome, greeting,... Read more
The Bible’s first kiss occurs when disguised Jacob receives a blessing from his father Isaac. Isaac is suspicious, and wants Jacob to come closer so he asks for a kiss (27:26-27). From that point on, the book of Genesis uses the word “kiss” about ten times. Men kiss men (Genesis 29:13; cf. 1 Samuel 20:41), fathers kiss sons (Genesis 27:26-27; 31:28; 50:1; cf. Exodus 18:7; 2 Samuel 14:33); cousins kiss (Genesis 29:11). All these kisses are gestures of welcome, greeting,... Read more
Jesus promises the saints at Sardis white garments (Revelation 3:4), and also puts white garments on sale at Laodicea (3:18). But how does one overcome so as to receive the white robe? Revelation 4-7 (the seal section) tells us. The section opens with John’s ascent into heaven to see twenty-four elders on thrones wearing white robes and crowns (4:4). After the seals have been opened, the horsemen unleashed, and the 144,000 sealed, John sees a great multitude before the throne,... Read more
To the right, you will see a picture of a newly published Festscrift for James B. Jordan, edited by John Barach and me. It’s not yet available from Amazon, but is available from the publisher, Wipf & Stock. If you don’t know James Jordan, shame, shame, shame on you. But don’t trust me. In the Foreword, First Things editor Rusty Reno says that Jim is “one of the most important Christian intellectuals of our day.” Read more
The Hebrew word mippeney is rarely translated with its root in mind ( pan , face). Instead of “from the face of,” it is translated simply as “from before.” In Isaiah 21:15, it seems important to bring out the root meaning more deliberately. Isaiah envisions fugitives fleeing from swords, from dawn swords, from bent bows, from battle. Each “from” could be rendered “from the face of,” and that personalizes the scene dramatically. It also suggests a link between the “four... Read more
Leithart
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In