Tag: Biblical Theology

Sent to the city Where are you in the story?

What do you think of the church?  How do you think we are doing when you think of Christians, whether that’s the church all around the world.  What about the local church, our own church here.  How do you think you are doing as a Christian? I’ve tended to hear Nehemiah preached as being about… Continue reading Sent to the city Where are you in the story?

Cultural Mandate or Great Commission?

One of the things you may have heard talked about in the Brephos podcast I have been engaging with was “the cultural mandate.”  This was used as a primary reason for why we should be in the business of social justice and specifically campaigning against abortion using the strategy and tactics of CBR UK and… Continue reading Cultural Mandate or Great Commission?

Building work: Applying the post exile books  to us today

I believe that a crucial principle when applying God’s word to our lives today is that wherever we are in the Bible, we make the application in and through Christ.  The temptation, especially with Old Testament literature is to take what happens with God’s people, what God says to them and what they do and… Continue reading Building work: Applying the post exile books  to us today

Post exile Biblical Theology

I suspect that the post exile Bible literature is  up there/ or rather down there with the least attended to of the books of the Bible.  It’s not helped by the fact that out of those books, it’s Nehemiah that is most likely to be chosen for preaching on but then it’s likely to be… Continue reading Post exile Biblical Theology

Servitude

The popular version of the Joseph story runs that Jacob spoils his son and is at fault for the brother’s jealousy.  This is exacerbated by Joseph’s arrogant boasting about his dreams.  However, being sold into slavery changes Joseph making him good, wise and just.  Is that a fair rendition? Well, there have been clues along… Continue reading Servitude

Signposts to home

We are moving to the end of the book of Genesis, the foundation of the whole Bible story of God’s redemptive plan. This also means that w are moving towards the end of Jacob’s life story.  Remember that whilst our focus has been on Joseph, this is really the story of “what became of Jacob… Continue reading Signposts to home

Biblical Critical Theory

Every so often, a book comes along that is greatly lauded and heavily promoted.  Biblical Critical Theory is one such book.  With a forward by the late Timothy Keller and four pages of endorsements from the great and good of evangelical apologetics such as Kevin Vanhoozer, Daniel Strange and Glen Scrivener, Christopher Watkin’s book was… Continue reading Biblical Critical Theory

Typical? When our old testament heroes prove flawed

The other day I wrote responding to an article arguing that Abraham didn’t really lie when he passed  Sarah off as just his sister.  The reality is that when we read through the lives of people in Scripture we discover lots of things that would leave us deeply uncomfortable, horrified even about their behaviour.  Our… Continue reading Typical? When our old testament heroes prove flawed

A still small voice?  Learning the wrong lessons from Elijah’s encounter

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah has fled for his life from Ahab and Jezebel.  God meets with him, gives him rest and food, then he tells him to go and stand in his presence, to prepare for the covenant Lord, Yahweh to pass by.  We are then told: “Then a great and powerful wind tore the… Continue reading A still small voice?  Learning the wrong lessons from Elijah’s encounter