Matthew 4:16, “…and to the ones sitting in the region and shadow of death, on them light shone.” If Death is associated with “shadow,” then what can it mean that a light has shone into that shadow? When you shine light into a region of shadow, what happens? The shadow disappears. Shadow cannot exist […]
Rev. 5:6, “…I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…” I’m not even going to try to delve into the richness of John’s Lamb imagery in such a short post (I’ll get into that during the live Q&A tomorrow). Rather, I’m just going to take a few moments to explain why
1 John 5:1: “Everyone believing that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God…” Here John says that everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Notice that verse 4 of this chapter explains that everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. Therefore, we can
2 Corinthians 1:8-9, “…we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had receive the sentence of death. But this was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” Disciples of Jesus are not promised an easy time
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2 Chronicles 5:13, “…when the song was raised…‘For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever,’ the house—the house of YHWH—was filled with a cloud…” YHWH’s goodness and steadfast love (covenant faithfulness) are on full display in this passage. What is the Lord’s goodness but His giving of Himself to His people? And
Isaiah 16:10-11, “I have but an end to the shouting. Therefore my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab, and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth.” Consider the complexity of what we might analogically call God’s “emotional life.” In perfect and holy freedom He acts only in accordance with His will and rejoices in
In Matthew 27:29, we see the Roman soldiers scoff at the claim that Jesus is the King of the Jews by placing a crown of thorns on his head and putting a reed in his hand as a mock scepter. However, their attempts to malign Christ are, for those with eyes to see, transfigured
Isaiah 10:5, 15, “Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury…As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood.” In context, these verses present the invading Assyrian army as a tool of judgment
John 21:15-17, “Do you love me?…Feed my lambs…tend my sheep…feed my sheep…” These words were spoken specifically to Peter and the “feeding” etc. in view refers to Peter’s leadership in the Church. However, the same words can be received and applied by those who are not called to a ministry of teaching / leading.
1 John 4:14-15, “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God.” John is here saying the same thing in two complimentary ways. To confess Jesus
Isaiah 6:3, “And one called to another and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is YHWH of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’” In Scripture, holiness is often associated with otherness and separateness (a holy vessel is separate from common vessels etc.), so we might assume that the perfect (threefold) holiness of YHWH
1 Chronicles 29:14. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given to you.” This is part of David’s prayer after the collection for the building of the temple, and the implication
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Revelation 4:6, “And around the throne…are four living creatures…” In the central vision of Revelation (ch. 4-5), John stands before the throne of God. Four “living creatures” surround the throne and ceaselessly sing the praises of the one seated thereon. To this point, John’s vision of the divine throne room largely agrees with other
Psalm 62:5-7, “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.” When David says “For God ALONE…” and
Ecclesiastes 7:4, “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” First off, for those who care about such things, this seems very likely to be a source for Tolkien’s statement that Olorin learned wisdom in the halls of Nienna. Secondly,
Zechariah 9:11, “As for you also, because of my blood of the covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.” Most immediately, this refers to the rescue of the exiles from Babylon because of the covenant God has made with His people—the Abrahamic Covenant, as it was currently
Psalm 30:5, For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:11, You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness… Divine anger, weeping, night,
Psalm 30:5, “Weeping may last for the night…” As we arrive at the last day of 2019, I wanted to share a pair of images derived from Psalm 30:5….Today is the first, tomorrow I’ll share part 2. All of our nights of weeping are imaged by and experienced in the Night of our Lord on
Proverbs 30:5, “Every word of God proves true; He is a shield for those who take refuge in Him.” How does one take refuge in the Lord? What does that look like? He is not a physical fortress to whom we can literally run….He is not a charm or magic stone which we can
Ezekiel 37:27, “My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” In Ezekiel 1, we find an overwhelming vision of the cosmic Chariot-Throne of God. YHWH Himself rides on a throne of light above a firmament of crystal, supported on the wings of four
