“Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly!” Isaiah 1:4 NASB Weighed down – What burdens do you carry? Debt? Past mistakes? Children from divorce? Broken contracts? Public shame? Write them down, as painful as it might be. See what a long list you have to carry. Then…
My youth’s offenses and my crimes recall not. In your kindness, recall me—You; for the sake of Your goodness, O LORD. Psalm 25:7 Robert Alter translation Recall me—You – Offenses of our younger days. Crimes we committed but did not get caught. At the heart of every man is the ability to become a despot,…
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5 NASB Redeem – “It is not enough to have met a word in…
for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26 ESV The end of the ages – If you read this verse by…
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, Isaiah 1:16 ESV Wash yourselves – In the days of Isaiah the prophet, Israel was an idolatrous nation, filled with disobedience and bound for chastisement. YHWH sent a message to His people, warning them that if…
And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:2 ESV Who sinned – “Blaming others for our suffering is the world’s most tragic mistake. One who blames another – no matter who – not only blemishes emuna, but forfeits the Divine intervention that he…
Then King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came into the king’s presence. 1 Kings 1:32 NASB Prophet, Priest, King – There are only a few verses in the Bible that include all three words “prophet,” priest,” and “king.” In fact, more…
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:2 NASB Law of sin and death – It should be no surprise by now that Paul uses the Greek word nomos in a variety of ways. Sometimes he uses it…
Parents shall not be put to death for children, nor children be put to death for parents: a person shall be put to death only for his own crime. Deuteronomy 24:16 JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy Only – Does God punish people for the sins of their ancestors? Well, if you read Exodus 20:5-6, Exodus 34:6-7,…
“And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” Acts 2:24 NASB End – In the end, the ultimate question of life is death. In fact, every human philosophy and religion must deal with the ubiquity of death. …
