Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You are greatly despised. The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, Obadiah 1:2-3a NASB Arrogance – In a conversation with the Rabbi here in Parma, the topic of political arrogance came up. He directed me to the smallest of the prophetic books, Obadiah. The book is purportedly…
He has turned His attention to the prayer of the destitute and has not despised their prayer. Psalm 102:17 NASB He has turned His attention to – Isn’t it nice that Hebrew can communicate so many English words in a single verb and paint a tactile picture for us at the same time? One word, pānāh, incorporates…
Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the Lord speaks, “Sons I have reared and brought up, but they have revolted against Me. “An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.” Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord,…
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17 NASB Broken and contrite – How would you recognize a broken and contrite heart? Is this just some kind of inner psychological state, a feeling you experience? Is it spiritual depression or humility?…
Behold, the rulers of Israel, each according to his power, have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood. They have treated father and mother lightly within you. The alien they have oppressed in your midst; the fatherless and the widow they have wronged in you. You have despised My holy things and profaned…
As a dream when one awakes, so O Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image. Psalm 73:20 Hebrew World translation Dream – Ah, so you didn’t realize that Frank Herbert[1] employed Hebrew thinking, did you? Well, maybe it was just an accident (really?). The Hebrew word halom (dream) has a decidedly different use…
“And you shall remember there your ways and all your deeds by which you have been defiled in them. And you will hate yourselves to your faces for all your evils which you have done.” Ezekiel 20:43 Hate – In a world governed by mantras of self-esteem, Ezekiel would probably be fired. Actually, he was. …
