Next Month I will be writing a novel in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I will still be blogging every day but all my extra writing time will be devoted to getting a 50k word novel finished in 30 days. If i don't respond to a comment right away do not be alarmed or angered I am just busy. My hope is this year i will finish nad it will get me started in an actual writing career of some sort. I figure if I can write one book to completion I will find it easier to write more.
Blessings
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Book of Revelation -- Part 10 -- Interlude and 144,000 sealed.
The Vision of the Lamb opening the Seals is interrupted because the final seal on the scroll will usher in a great woe and there is a need for a few actions to take place first. Nothing is to be harmed until the chosen of God are sealed.
The next thing that happens is the sealing of 144,000 Jews -- note to you Jehovah's witnesses it says those of the tribes of Israel not of the Jehovah's witnesses. One weird thing -- the half tribe of Manasseh (part of the line of Joseph) is listed but Ephraim is not but replaced with the tribe of Joseph. I wonder if John considered them the same. The other weird thing -- the tribe of Dan is completely missing. The purpose of the sealing of these Jews is protection from the wrath of God to follow.
To the original readers it would have indicated that god has not forgotten his people and that he would protect them.
Next: The Great Multitude
The next thing that happens is the sealing of 144,000 Jews -- note to you Jehovah's witnesses it says those of the tribes of Israel not of the Jehovah's witnesses. One weird thing -- the half tribe of Manasseh (part of the line of Joseph) is listed but Ephraim is not but replaced with the tribe of Joseph. I wonder if John considered them the same. The other weird thing -- the tribe of Dan is completely missing. The purpose of the sealing of these Jews is protection from the wrath of God to follow.
To the original readers it would have indicated that god has not forgotten his people and that he would protect them.
Next: The Great Multitude
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Bible and Nakedness -- Part 6 -- Bathsheda's Bath.
This is Biblical illustration of what I have been talking about. Bathsheba is taking a bath -- back then this is usually accomplished by doing in the courtyard of the house -- from street level totally secluded. or on the roof that also had walls so it was secluded fro the street but open air to the sky. In short, Bathsheba was bathing and not suspecting that anyone would see her. Maybe she glanced up at the palace -- the one place she could be observed -- but then again in this culture and according to the law you need to bathe so you bathe. What I am saying is that she was not trying to look sensual or seduce the king.
David sees her bathing. now if we were to do the normal thing people do --"she should know better" or "what was she thinking bathing without clothes on" or something similarly stupid. But even the Bible places the blame where it belongs -- not on Bathsheba for taking a bath but on David for committing adultery, lying and murder. David's lust was the problem, not Bathsheba's nakedness.
Next: Women's Breasts.
David sees her bathing. now if we were to do the normal thing people do --"she should know better" or "what was she thinking bathing without clothes on" or something similarly stupid. But even the Bible places the blame where it belongs -- not on Bathsheba for taking a bath but on David for committing adultery, lying and murder. David's lust was the problem, not Bathsheba's nakedness.
Next: Women's Breasts.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Where I am going from here.
The fact is that some days I ma busy and others I am not -- what this means for blogging has always concerned me but recently with a lot of other things happening I have still managed to get a post in -- sometimes brief -- every day.
That said, I will continue on but I am making some changes. I am basically going to write three series of posts at the same time -- altering them. Right now they are actually four of them:
1. The Bible and Nakedness
2. The Book of Revelation
3. Is Hell Justified?
4. I am also going to continue my look at Christian apologetics.
I have temporarily dropped the one on the Constitution.
By doing things this way I may finish more in a shorter time and drop the little useless posts. I also want to spend some time cleaning up my labels. Enjoy.
That said, I will continue on but I am making some changes. I am basically going to write three series of posts at the same time -- altering them. Right now they are actually four of them:
1. The Bible and Nakedness
2. The Book of Revelation
3. Is Hell Justified?
4. I am also going to continue my look at Christian apologetics.
I have temporarily dropped the one on the Constitution.
By doing things this way I may finish more in a shorter time and drop the little useless posts. I also want to spend some time cleaning up my labels. Enjoy.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Is Hell Justified? -- Part 1 -- The Main Questions.
On problem that people often work on in dealing with the problem of evil is hell. Now there are at least two major ways to look at hell -- punishment or annihilation. Either way though -- is hell justified? I mean how do we say God is just if God inflicts hell -- an eternal punishment -- for what we do here on earth -- temporal action?
Questions this Series Will Consider:
1. What is the nature of Hell?
2. What is Hell's Purpose?
3. How does God Relate to Hell?
4. Is Hell Justified?
I will be engaging Greg Boyd and his video series on the topic as well.
Questions this Series Will Consider:
1. What is the nature of Hell?
2. What is Hell's Purpose?
3. How does God Relate to Hell?
4. Is Hell Justified?
I will be engaging Greg Boyd and his video series on the topic as well.
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Bible and Nakedness -- Part 5 -- Saul and David: Naked in Public
Not doing apologetics today as a I catch up some back posts. Today this subject gets fun because of two interesting cases -- Saul and David get naked in public and in both cases God is involved.
1 Samuel 19:23-24 Chronicles Saul trying to find David but as he gets near his destination he get filled withe Spirit of God -- it has two effects: He prophesies and he strips off his clothes and lays naked all day -- notice this is what the Spirit of God causes him to do.
2 Samuel 6:12-23: This incident is a little more controversial but based on what Micah said -- in dancing before the Lord David uncovered himself. That is he showed himself. I would also note that David whore only the ephod so it is completely possible. Many modern interpreters say that in twirling around David showed his undergarments but that would not explain Micah's anger. What is puzzling is the fact that God sides with David. Micah is the one who pays by being barren the rest of her life for her outburst.
Both incidents are men naked in public -- one because of God and the other in praise to God. In the first we have God causing someone to be naked -- if getting naked in front of others nakedness is a sin in and of itself, then God just caused someone to sin. Clearly in nakedness and shame there is something else going on here. in the second, a person is exposing themselves to God and others but bears no shame.
Both actually represent something positive, the nakedness is symbolic of openness and vulnerability before God. In both cases God approved. There is some food for thought.
Next: Bathsheba's Bath
1 Samuel 19:23-24 Chronicles Saul trying to find David but as he gets near his destination he get filled withe Spirit of God -- it has two effects: He prophesies and he strips off his clothes and lays naked all day -- notice this is what the Spirit of God causes him to do.
2 Samuel 6:12-23: This incident is a little more controversial but based on what Micah said -- in dancing before the Lord David uncovered himself. That is he showed himself. I would also note that David whore only the ephod so it is completely possible. Many modern interpreters say that in twirling around David showed his undergarments but that would not explain Micah's anger. What is puzzling is the fact that God sides with David. Micah is the one who pays by being barren the rest of her life for her outburst.
Both incidents are men naked in public -- one because of God and the other in praise to God. In the first we have God causing someone to be naked -- if getting naked in front of others nakedness is a sin in and of itself, then God just caused someone to sin. Clearly in nakedness and shame there is something else going on here. in the second, a person is exposing themselves to God and others but bears no shame.
Both actually represent something positive, the nakedness is symbolic of openness and vulnerability before God. In both cases God approved. There is some food for thought.
Next: Bathsheba's Bath
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Religious Pefection vs. Passion for God
Revelation 2:1-7
The church at Ephesus had a problem. They didn't know they had a problem but they had one anyway. Jesus himself pointed out that they were truly the masters of the truth. The knew the truth, they practiced the truth and they even discovered those who presented falsehood and showed them false. But one thing cause Christ to tell them that if they didn't repent they would lose their place before him -- they had left their first love.
Ephesus was a church that had it all right -- they were religiously perfect. Their failure was the simple fact that the passion for Christ had over time wained. Jesus exhorted them to return to what they did at first. To have the same passion they did at the beginning.
There is a point we sometimes cross -- it is the point when we are doing things out of religious habit and not out of love for Christ. The change is subtle and slow to come upon us. We often do not notice it coming upon us and then all of a sudden we know there is something wrong.
It is like the married couple that does everything right but somewhere they lose their way. The communicate, they are in agreement on their direction in life, they even spend regular time together. But one night, they are sitting alone together and realize the painful distance that has developed between them. That is what Jesus is talking about -- that feeling of distance brought upon by the pursuit of religious perfection instead passion for God.
May we all learn a lesson from this -- passion for God is primary -- it is the love of God with all our strength, with all our mind, with all our soul, with all of our heart that is more important than all else.
The church at Ephesus had a problem. They didn't know they had a problem but they had one anyway. Jesus himself pointed out that they were truly the masters of the truth. The knew the truth, they practiced the truth and they even discovered those who presented falsehood and showed them false. But one thing cause Christ to tell them that if they didn't repent they would lose their place before him -- they had left their first love.
Ephesus was a church that had it all right -- they were religiously perfect. Their failure was the simple fact that the passion for Christ had over time wained. Jesus exhorted them to return to what they did at first. To have the same passion they did at the beginning.
There is a point we sometimes cross -- it is the point when we are doing things out of religious habit and not out of love for Christ. The change is subtle and slow to come upon us. We often do not notice it coming upon us and then all of a sudden we know there is something wrong.
It is like the married couple that does everything right but somewhere they lose their way. The communicate, they are in agreement on their direction in life, they even spend regular time together. But one night, they are sitting alone together and realize the painful distance that has developed between them. That is what Jesus is talking about -- that feeling of distance brought upon by the pursuit of religious perfection instead passion for God.
May we all learn a lesson from this -- passion for God is primary -- it is the love of God with all our strength, with all our mind, with all our soul, with all of our heart that is more important than all else.
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