Topical
How to recognise God’s voice (Jeremiah 28)
Jer 28:1-17 A month or two after I started my first job, a colleague from another department visited our office. It was the first time I met him, and he said to me that he saw a great opportunity in…
How could a loving God demand child sacrifice? (Genesis 22)
Gen 22:1-19 A question that is particularly difficult for modern readers in the story of Genesis 22 is how God could demand human sacrifice and a child’s at that. Isn’t this the kind of thing that gives the OT and…
The chosen and the unchosen – is God unfair?
Gen 21:15-21; Deut 9:1-7 A prominent question in Genesis is election or who is chosen by God. Throughout the book, some like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are chosen, others like Ishmael and Esau are not. This is not unique to…
- Bible reading notes, Gen 12-25 (Abraham), Genesis, Reckoning Abraham righteousness (Gen 15:6), Topical
What does reckoning righteousness to Abraham mean (Gen 15:6)?
Gen 15:6 It is often said in the context of studying the Bible that we should ask first what a passage meant in its own context before applying it to our lives. For Christians, however, it is almost impossible to…
The significance of Melchizedek
Gen 14:18-20; Ps 110:1-7; Heb 5:5-10; 7:1-28 In my last post, I focused on the incident with Melchizedek within Abraham’s story (see my post Becoming people above reproach (Genesis 14)). This is important, I believe, because far too often we…
Learning about God’s justice in the world II (Jer 25:15-38)
Jer 25:15-38 Today we continue our reflections on God’s justice (see my last post Learning about God’s justice in the world I.). Tragedy and difficulties in life can shake our faith in God. It is as if the Lord had…
Learning about God’s justice in the world I. (Jer 25:1-14)
Jer 25:1-14 Judgment is not a popular topic, and many feel a tension between God’s love and grace and the idea that He might judge. At the same time, it is interesting how much the concept of justice has gained…
How to discern true prophecy from false? (Jer 23:23-40)
Jer 23:23-40 In my last post, I focused on the person who speaks for God (see How to tell false prophets from true ones?), today I will look at the messages spoken. Although this section on false prophets (Jer 23:9-40)…
How to tell true prophets from false ones? (Jer 23:9-22)
Jer 23:9-22 At one point as an Old Testament lecturer, I taught in a charismatic Bible college where chapel services included open times of sharing words from God. Strikingly, neither there nor in other contexts have I heard a prophecy…
Does God ever change His mind? (Jeremiah 18)
Jer 18:1-23 The old TV series, Open All Hours, is about a local shopkeeper’s comic machinations to sell rubbish to customers like the indecisive Mavis. When asked if she wants a tin of beans or a tin of lentils, she…