An Excerpt

Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. Genesis 27:5 In the next few weeks I will publish a book on the story of Jacob. This is an excerpt from one of the chapters. Isaac’s life is one of spiritual weakness. In the face of God, Isaac wilts. He is powerless. He doesn’t…

Worldly Ethics

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 NASB What is good – Want to know how to live in this world? The prophet Micah provides YHVH’s answer. Just three…

Why Not?

As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.  Psalm 90:10  NASB Pride – “For if there is no meaning inherent in the world, on what basis can we determine the value…

Pillars of Heaven: The Ethical Dilemma of Religion without Torah

In a recent conversation I challenged someone to provide either a theological or historical foundation for the claim that Christians need to be “good” people.  The topic arose because my friend remarked that her church taught that being saved and going to heaven was the true goal of Man’s spiritual quest.  Once salvation was assured,…

Instructions for Angels

Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.  Deuteronomy 4:1  NASB To perform – “The Torah was not given to angels. …

Cause and Effect

You shall let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long.  Deuteronomy 22:7  ESV Live long – What is the relationship between sparing the life of a mother bird and how long I live?  The Torah tells me that…

Death by Divine Edict

In the towns of the latter peoples, however, which the LORD your God is giving you as a heritage, you shall not let a soul remain alive.  Deuteronomy 20:16  JPS Remain – “Kill them all.  Every man, woman and child.  Even the animals.”  Does that sound like a compassionate God to you?  Commands like this…

Selective Ethics

 and now Israel, what does the LORD require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, . . .   Deuteronomy 10:12  ESV Israel – One of the principal differences between…

God of Vengeance

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both men…