Water from the rock (Exod 17:1-7)
Exod 17:1-7 A friend of mine likes to travel but she was reminded some years ago what a difference it makes when she has her husband with her to take care of the details, book the airport shuttle, ensure that…
Natural or supernatural event?
In several of the biblical stories, we modern readers, want to know whether an event was a natural or supernatural one. For many, if they can find a ‘natural’ explanation, it allows them to dismiss the Bible’s claim that God…
A jar of manna (Exod 16:31-36)
Exod 16:31-36 Whenever a friend of mine travels to another place, she likes to buy a small but useful item such as a scarf, so that it can remind her of her holiday. Someone else tends to do the same…
Manna and the Sabbath (Exod 16:22-30)
Exod 16:22-30 During New Zealand’s recent COVID-19 lockdown, some people experienced a period of enforced inactivity. At the same time, I suspect that this did not stop anxieties especially when it came to questions about the security of one’s job…
Manna gathered not hoarded (Exod 16:16-21)
Exod 16:16-21 A woman in a former church I attended did not take out home insurance because she felt it would be against trusting the Lord for her needs. When a fire broke out in the apartment next to hers,…
Quails and manna (Exod 16:13-15)
Exod 16:13-15 As we continue the story of the manna, we learn more about the nature of God’s provision. God graciously gives to all who cry to Him for help, but He especially looks after those who find themselves in…
If only we had died in Egypt! (Exod 16:1-12)
Exod 16:1-12 When the Communist regime fell apart in Hungary, there was widespread celebration and high hopes for a different future where people could talk freely, travel where they wished, become affluent and have more control over their lives in…
Interpretation and the art of telling a story
This post was originally written as part of an explanation on Exod 15:22-27 (Healing bitter waters), which can be found here. I apply some general principles of storytelling to this incident, so it is helpful for readers to refer back…
Healing bitter waters (Exod 15:22-27)
Exod 15:22-27 When I was a child, my Dad and I were swimming in the Indian Ocean and with a twinkle in his eyes Dad said, ‘Shall we swim across?’. Looking at the vast stretch of water as far as…
The Song of the Sea II (Exod 15:13-21)
Exod 15:13-21 When my husband and I go on holiday, we usually let our neighbours know that we’ll be away and sometimes ask them to put our bins out on the appropriate day. Their response is always, ‘Consider it done!’…