Christian Life

The magicians and the plagues

Sat, 21/10/2006 - 22:19 -- James Oakley

I love the fact that the Egyptian magicians think it is clever to copy the first few plagues. (They run out of steam when it gets to the gnats).

The Egyptians "grow weary of drinking water from the Nile" (7:18 - !), because it is turned to blood. So the Egyptians produce... more blood.

Pharaoh is pleading (not very dignified for a king of Egypt, 8:8) with Moses and Aaron to take away the frogs. But that's alright - his magicians can produce... more frogs.

I mean: What use is more blood and more frogs?! The one thing they cannot copy is Yahweh's ability to take away the plagues. Thus it's clear, even from plague 1, that Yahweh is without rival in Egypt.

There are many temporal expressions of God's anger in today's world. The false gods we all serve to varying degree can replicate many of these expressions of anger. But there is no god in the world, except the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who can take away the anger of God.

Blog Category: 
Exodus

Long live King Joash!

Fri, 20/10/2006 - 09:43 -- James Oakley

I like the story of King Joash / Jehoash (1 Kings 11-12).

When he was just born (under a year old, comparing 11:3 and 11:21), the person who thought they ruled Judah (Athaliah) killed all the kings sons. Why such ruthlessness? She wanted to rule, and felt threatened that a new heir to the throne had been born.

Blog Category: 
Kings

"The Father's Love Letter"

Mon, 16/10/2006 - 16:15 -- James Oakley

Someone recently pointed me to this poem, where each line is associated with a verse of Scripture, entitled The Father’s Love Letter.

One of the things I like about it is (even allowing for several / many misappropriations of Bible verses) that it is a heart-warming exposition of the love of God for his people. God’s love for his people is part of his glorious character, and it is good to see facets of it laid out.

But I have to admit to not being too keen on it as a piece of writing.

Blog Category: 
Theology

Peter Enns on Exodus

Sat, 14/10/2006 - 18:28 -- James Oakley

I’m enjoying Peter Enns, NIV Application Commentary, Exodus more than I expected to. He has clearly spent a lot of time with the Hebrew text of the book, and has a lot of helpful observations to make.

For example, the word for “worship” in 4:23 is of the same root as the word for “work” in 5:9. (‘bd). The conflict between Yahweh and Pharaoh is being seen in yet one more respect – which king will successfully command the work/worship of the Hebrews.

Blog Category: 
Exodus

A new blog is borne

Wed, 11/10/2006 - 17:02 -- James Oakley

I'd like to welcome my friend James Gould to the blogosphere.

James has just started a degree in Biblical Studies at Sheffield, having done a youth-work year-out with us last year. He's concerned to end his degree loving God more than when he began.

So, rather than e-mail all his friends separately with every issue his course raises, he thought he'd start a blog and ask his questions where we can all find them. To start with, they're a bunch of OT questions, often Pentateuch ones.

Welcome, James. And if any readers of this blog ever fancy peaking at his and posting him the odd comment by way of reply - I know he'd be grateful.

Blog Category: 
Theology

Beware of Advent Books

Mon, 02/10/2006 - 16:18 -- James Oakley
Seventh Day Adventists

One of the members of our church gave me an A5 piece of paper a few weeks ago. A copy of this had gone through the letter box of every house on his estate, and he wanted to know more about it.

The sheet came from an organisation called “Advent Books”, and invited the reader to send off for a free book entitled The Great Controversy and/or to sign up for a free postal Bible course.

The Great Controversy

Blog Category: 
Theology

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