Category Archives: Old Testament Studies

The Word Was God

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The Gospel of John is a unique book. It stands apart from the other gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) in that it covers details of Jesus’ life which the others do not. The events in John mostly take place in Judea, whereas the other gospels focus on Galilee. John is also different in how it begins. John immediately starts with the divinity of Jesus Christ.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

The “Word” is John’s designation for Jesus. This is consistent throughout his New Testament writings (1-3 John and Revelation). It emphasizes Jesus as the incarnate Word of God. And when Jesus speaks, it is literally God speaking.

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Sermon Shorts from Spurgeon – Sermon 1: The Immutability of God

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Remember God is the same, whatever is removed. Your friends may be disaffected, your ministers may be taken away, every thing may change, but God does not. Your brethren may change and cast out your name as vile: but God will love you still. Let your station in life change, and your property be gone; let your whole life be shaken, and you become weak and sickly; let everything flee away—there is one place where change cannot put his finger; there is one name on which mutability can never be written; there is one heart which never can alter; that heart is God’s—that name Love.

“Trust him, he will ne’er deceive you. Though you hardly of him deem; He will never, never leave you, Nor will let you quite leave him.”

From the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 1, Sermon 1 by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

https://ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons01/sermons01.i.html

Smoke and Mirrors Exposition

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I am sensitive to politicians who misuse Scripture. (Please note that a lot of politicians do this, regardless of political affiliation.  I fault any who do this, regardless of what letter they have after their name.)  Today I read a news article where a presidential candidate used a verse inappropriately.  I’m going to call this particular error “Smoke and Mirrors Exposition” which I define as taking a verse out of context to support an issue in which the verse has no bearing on the issue at hand.  With this particular error, oftentimes the same issue supported by the politician is clearly condemned by other passages of Scripture. Continue reading →

Usury: Does the Bible Explicitly Prohibit It?

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One of my pet peeves is politicians misusing Scripture.  I don’t care what letter they have after their name or what their political persuasion is.  Here the topic is usury in the Bible as it relates to U.S. interest rates.  (Relating these two things is a stretch anyway, since the biblical text’s statements about usury were between individuals, but here we go.)

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-religious-right_n_5cde4ba3e4b00e035b8d3c38

usury interest

usury

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Impossible Rocks Are a Mystery to Scientists

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Here’s a brief, but interesting article on how scientists have yet again been bamboozled by something appearing where it shouldn’t.  Their preconceived notions about how and when these “impossible rocks” form is the cause of their confusion.

https://www.sciencealert.com/impossible-rocks-on-this-remote-volcanic-island-are-a-massive-geological-mystery

The “impossible rocks” are massive quartzite rocks.  They state that much of this island, including large portions of a mountain, is made of quartzite. This shouldn’t be because it is a volcanic island.  One of the scientists (towards the end of the article) came up with a creative explanation for how this could have occurred, “millions of years ago”.  I always love these explanations, which are neither observable or historical.  Therefore, the explanation falls outside of the scientific method. Continue reading →