This chapter was rather bizarre to read. In it, Isaiah walks around naked for 3 years to symbolically represent what God would let happen to Egypt and Ethiopia. First off – what an insane way to live! How many people could have lived according to this command of God? It is moments like this one …
The prophecy given to Egypt about its downfall is increasingly enlightening to me. The sorts of pronouncements on the nation are quite common in Biblical accounts; especially from the prophets towards wayward nations. The general gist of the passage suggest that God is going to create fear, confusion and fruitlessness in Egypt. It states that …
James chapter 5 covers quite a few different topics: money, employment, suffering, forgiveness, patience, oaths, commitments. However, for those of us who live in the U.S., the first several verses (1-6) are the most important. The tension in America about wages is extremely high. Recently – in the last month or so – the U.S. …
The sting in James’ letter is clear here. This section begins by asking a series of questions: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” (4:1). These questions are followed with serious accusations regarding the listeners intentions and desires. These …
The United States of America as a nation is having an internal crisis. This crisis has recognizable symptoms: domestic violence, feminist protests, gender vs. genderless rights, religious tensions, the “old gods” revival, intellectual blackmailing and “fake news.” Every night, the media—both television and YouTube—are contributing more fuel to the flames. The traditionalists and the progressives …
This chapter is quite short and continues the thoughts of chapter 2 regarding a believer’s actions and speech. James has already made the case that actions precede from the beliefs held by the individual. Chapter 3 is a Segway for that thought into chapter 4 but regarding the contents of the heart made manifest by …
An introduction note: I wrote this several months ago but never published it. These thoughts are most certainly incomplete as this idea of a balanced walk in following the Spirit has matured significantly. I hope you are blessed either way by reading my thoughts and journey in understanding the Bible. There has been a great …
My Place in the Rise and Fall of Nations In examining the nations surrounding Israel, Cush is the next to fall under Isaiah’s inspection. According to most consensus, Cush ranges from southern Egypt, cross parts of Sudan and into Ethiopia. While there could be interesting information in dissecting the specific words for Cush as a …
Isaiah 18: My Place in the Rise and Fall of Nations Read More »
Favoritism; what a double-edged sword to strike giver and receiver. While the carnal mind of the favored individual loves the attention, the carnal mind also hates favoring those they deem unworthy of the gift. James strikes both down by reminding us: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (vs. 8). It is extremely easy to be blinded …
While reading through James chapter 1, it became abundantly clear these passages could not be sectioned off chapter by chapter due to the density of the content. James makes extremely clear and concise statements throughout his letter that demand intense attention to fully extrapolate the details he desired his listeners and readers to grasp. One …