Now there was a day when the [b]sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and [c]Satan also came among them. Job 1:6 NASB Satan – A few footnotes tells you that the phrase “sons of God” and the noun “Satan” are modern interpretations of the ancient ambiguous Hebrew text. A lot of milage has been…
When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send word to them and consecrate them, getting up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job did so continually. Job 1:5 NASB Continually – Literally, “all the…
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Job 1:1 NASB Blameless – Job certainly must be fiction. How else could we possibly understand the description of a man who is blameless, upright, and God-fearing? Does such a man really exist? The…
“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.” Matthew 12:31 NASB Woe to those who call evil, good; and good, evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20…
The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I will diligently consider Your testimonies. Psalm 119:95 NASB Diligently consider – Do you feel safe? I mean really safe, like not a care at all because no one can do you harm. Totally protected. Bulletproof all around. No chance of disaster, ruin, robbery, assault, collapse, surprise? Most…
I know, Lord, that Your judgments are righteous, and that You have afflicted me in faithfulness. Psalm 119:75 NASB You have afflicted me – So you want to be a witness for the Lord. You want people to see you and recognize a person whose life reflects the Creator. You want your actions to speak louder than your…
Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked, who abandon Your Law. Psalm 119:53 NASB Burning indignation – Once more the poet finds a rarely used word to arrest our attention. zalʿāpâ shows up only here and in Lamentations 5:10. It’s about heat, lots of heat. In Lamentations it describes the results of famine. Here it…
This will probably get me banned, but it needs to be said. The Solution There is a biblical solution to the inhumanity of Hamas—although no one will talk about it and no politician has the fortitude to enact it. But before we actually voice the biblical solution, we must acknowledge some facts that are also…
How long the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked exult? Psalm 94:3 Robert Alter How long – It’s the question of every age. It’s the critical question of all theology. It’s the torturing question of every good man and woman. How long? How long will the wicked get away with it? How long…
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; I will not endure one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart. Psalm 101:5 NASB Destroy – This psalm makes an incredible claim. God will totally eliminate those who slander others in secret. It’s hard to miss the audacity of this statement. The Hebrew verb, ṣāmat, used…
