The Rule of Compassion

but you shall fully open your hand to him, and generously lend him enough for his need in whatever he lacks.  Deuteronomy 15:8  NASB Fully open –  Today is Yom Kippur, a day to reflect on God’s forgiveness.  It’s easy to recall our obvious faults, those behaviors that pulled us away from God in this last year, but…

Sons of Men

For He looked down from His holy height; from heaven the Lord looked upon the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to set free those who were doomed to death,  Psalm 102:19-20 NASB Those who were doomed – There’s a little footnote next to these words in the NASB.  Read it!  Why?  Because the Hebrew text is not “those…

Divine Rape

O Lord, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed.  I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. Jeremiah 20:7  NASB Deceived/overcome – Sometimes the translator’s morality gets in the way of communicating the crass and deliberately offensive speech of the Bible’s prophets.  Of course, since…

Spiritual Assault

O YHWH, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed.  I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. Jeremiah 20:7 Overcome – Jeremiah employs extraordinary imagery in his description of God’s claim on his life.  This is the man who pleaded with God not to choose…