When Moses is in the wilderness, he spots a bush on fire, the famous burning bush. However, it’s not the fact that a bush is on fire that gets his attention. This may well have been a normal sight for him. What really is the miracle there? It’s the fact that the bush itself is… Continue reading What isn’t consumed
Tag: Moses
New Exodus
After his baptism, Jesus goes into the wilderness or desert region around the Jordan river. He spends forty days there, fasting and experiencing temptation from Satan. Mark sums this up in a few lines: 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[g] by Satan. He was with… Continue reading New Exodus
The Redemption of Moses
AS Moses stood facing the Red Sea and God told him to stretch out his staff over the water, how did he know that he could trust God at that point? I want to suggest that it was in part because he’d sort of been there already before. He was about to take the people… Continue reading The Redemption of Moses
Zeal and righteousness
In Galatians 1:14, Paul describes his extreme zeal with regards to the Law (both written and oral traditions). Commentators associate this idea of zeal with a fascinating incident from the Old Testament.[1] The incident is referred to in Psalm 106:30-31 and described in Numbers 25:1-9. In Numbers 24, a prophet called Balaam had attempted to… Continue reading Zeal and righteousness
What do you need to see? (Mark 8:8-12)
Yesterday we saw Jesus willingness to repeat a sign to help his disciples get the point. Today, we find him refusing to play the Pharisee’s game and meet their demands for a sign. Are those two things in tension? Do they contradict each other? On the one hand, we’ve just said that Christ is more… Continue reading What do you need to see? (Mark 8:8-12)
“He meant to pass by them” (Mark 6:45-51)
I just want to pick up two specific phrase in the account of Jesus walking on water. The disciples have set off back across the lake from the site of the miraculous feeding. Jesus stays behind to talk to his Father but he can see that they are struggling against the wind. He walks out… Continue reading “He meant to pass by them” (Mark 6:45-51)
The Shepherd King who feeds his people
If Herod is the pretend king who throws a feast for himself where food is brought to him, food resulting from death, then Jesus is a different kind of king altogether. Jesus is the true king who calls a feast in order to feed his people with life giving bread. The Feeding of the Five… Continue reading The Shepherd King who feeds his people
Does God allow lies sometimes?
I remember an ethics lecturer arguing that it could be okay to lie in particular circumstances. The obvious ethical dilemma is the situation that people hiding Jews in the Second World War might have faced. Do they tell the truth when questioned and risk the lives of those in their care? Or do they tell… Continue reading Does God allow lies sometimes?
The Challenge (Genesis 3)
At this point, all looks well. God has created a good creation, fit for purpose. Humans live in that Creation, enjoying a garden paradise under God’s rule and blessing. They are responsible for caring for and ruling over creation. Then things start to go wrong The Enemy The Serpent’s cunning (v1). The snake is introduced… Continue reading The Challenge (Genesis 3)
The Garden (Genesis 2:4-25)
Introduction We now get what many scholars take to be a second and possibly contradictory creation account.[1] By the way, I think it is unlikely that someone would just stick two contradictory accounts side by side: common sense tells me that. There are also good reasons found in the text itself for rejecting that suggestion… Continue reading The Garden (Genesis 2:4-25)
Faithroots 