Is God Safe?

“But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:” Deuteronomy 28:15 NASB Curses – You’re cursed. Maybe you didn’t know it, but that doesn’t matter….

Coping Skills

But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.” Genesis 27:13 NASB Your curse – “Listen to me,” she said. Actually, it’s more like, “Listen to the sound of my making.” She continues, “If anything disastrous happens, then let it affect me. I will…

It’s in Your Hand

“And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Genesis 12:3 NASB Bless/curse – On my last trip to Israel, I was delighted to meet Roi Ziv, a native Israelite who lives near Nof Ginnosar…

What’s Left Out

He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Genesis 9:21-22 NASB Uncovered himself – A story within a story. What’s really happening in this cryptic account? First, the obvious. Noah naked in…

Living Curses

“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker– An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’”? Isaiah 45:9 NASB Quarrels – Have you argued with God lately? Watch out! According to some…

Mirrors

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.  Psalm 34:6  NASB That Blessed Curse   When did I discover I was falsely made? The day I first noticed no one knew That underneath my skin I grew Some other way   When did I uncover my…

Purpose Interrupted

The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.  Genesis 8:21 NASB Curse – Time to put…

Indelible Ink

Be gracious to me, O God, according to your loving kindness; according to the multitude of your mercies blot out my transgressions.  Psalm 51:3  Hebrew World Blot out – Technology has changed our conception of forgiveness.  In a world where we can simply backspace or press the spell-check button, we don’t think of any word…

The Last Shall Be First

He that oppresses the poor blasphemes his maker, but he who is gracious unto the needy honors Him. Proverbs 14:31 (translation A. Heschel) Blasphemes – What would you think of someone who curses God?  You might be shocked, dismayed or disturbed.  Who would do such a thing?  You might understand the circumstances that would lead…

Vowel Problems

To the woman He said, “I will greatly increase your sorrow and your conception – bring forth children in pain. And your desire is for your husband, and he does rule over you.” Genesis 3:16 (SRI) Greatly Increase – Perhaps we have become so numb to this story that we just don’t ask any questions…