“In every place where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee” Exodus 20:24b The historical event, to which this text is related, years later was recalled in David’s psalm of praise to Jehovah the God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary. We read in Psalm 68:7,8, – “O God, when […]
Struggle is one of the chief characteristics of the church in all ages. This is not so much the struggle for survival, since we have the promise, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world [ages]” (Matthew 28:20). It is rather the struggle for purity of doctrine and life within […]
We must hurry. Time is too short for all the necessary holiday preparations that must be made. But let’s take a moment out of our hurry and scurry to ask ourselves if Christmas has not become for as merely a night so dark and so long ago. If it has, something is lacking. Like Mary, we must […]
In this mathematically minded age we should analyze our feelings of thankfulness in terms of a fraction. Let the top ( the numerator) represent the multitude of blessings each one of us can count. But our gratitude does not depend only on the number of our blessings. There is another factor that is just as […]
For Jacobus Revius the Word of God was the chief source of poetic inspiration. In that revealed Word it was especially the Word made flesh—Christ Jesus himself who inspired the poet’s finest lyrics. The supreme significance of Christ in the Scriptures so informs Revius’ poetic sensibility that the Savior becomes the key image to which all […]
“O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid; O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in thy wrath remember mercy.” Habakkuk 3:2 Prophets use a special language and that makes it difficult for us to understand them. Habakkuk saw and heard more by […]
And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark places until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. II Peter 1:19 (RSV) Please note that Peter uses here the expression, “the prophetic word made more sure,” instead of just […]
Text: “keep yourselves in the love of God;” June: 21a It cannot be said that this is an unknown or especially misunderstood text from holy Scripture. Yet I doubt whether the deep riches it contains is readily recognized and open to every faithful Bible reader. Maybe this could be classified among the not sufficiently-understood words of […]
Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land in unfruitful.” He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So, they brought it to him. The he went to the spring […]
“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” James 4:5 (AV) Let us sit quietly for a few moments to ponder this profound and wonderful text from God’s Word! Apparently it, too, belongs to a long series of well-nigh forgotten and neglected passages. It seems to us as […]