“Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “Futility of futilities! All is futility.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB Futility – “Ecclesiastes is a strange and disquieting book. It gives voice to an experience not usually thought of as religious: the pain and frustration engendered by an unblinking gaze at life’s absurdities and injustices.”[1] The Preacher (Teacher) Qohelet writes…
“Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “Futility of futilities! All is futility.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB Futility – Vanity of vanities. You probably know this verse with the KJV rendering of the Hebrew hebel. “Futility” is much better. Qohelet isn’t decrying pride. He’s exasperated about life’s purposelessness. In the end, it all turns to rot. As…
How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. Proverbs 16:16 NASB Wisdom – Proverbs commends obtaining wisdom. What it doesn’t tell you is that there is a price to pay. You have to learn the hard way. Others who have chosen this path offer…
“Moses My servant is dead; so now arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.” Joshua 1:2 NASB This – There’s something very odd hidden in this verse, something you will never see in translation. The two nouns, “Jordan” and “people” have…
Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, Joshua 1:1 NASB It came about – Once more I ask you recall that odd Hebrew verb tense called the waw-conversive. You remember the discussion from Genesis 3:10 where Adam says (in…
As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30 NIV The Lord’s word – My apologies. This edition is a bit academic, but it needs to be since the issues surrounding the canon and the Bible require scholarly investigation. For those who read the Bible…
As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30 NIV Flawless – Yes, that’s right. The title of this little investigation is not “the Bible.” It is “the Bibles.” Why? Because there is no such thing as the Bible. Hold on! Take a deep breath—and…
As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30 NIV Perfect – Perfection is one of God’s attributes listed by Thomas Aquinas. The list also includes omniscience, omnipotence, eternal, immutable, etc. I’m sure you’re familiar with the ideas even if you don’t know the theological…
Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Daniel 4:29-30 NIV By my mighty power – “Life is not as fate designs,…
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 (translation SRI) Greatly increase – It’s been several years since I published my book about the Hebrew view of woman…
