Bob Russell tells about a time when he was driving with his wife Judy, and she insisted they should get off the highway at a certain exit. Bob disagreed and kept going, only to discover soon afterward that she was right after all. He admits, “I kept driving quite a while, trying to figure out […]
The Beatitudes of Jesus are some of the most memorable statements in all of the Gospels. Each one begins with a simple formula: “blessed are those who.” Then they tell you what you must do if you want to be blessed. It obviously sounds good and inviting. But what exactly does it mean to be […]
A Sunday school children’s song contains the lyrics, “Every promise in the book is mine, every chapter, every verse, every line.” Cute song. Bad hermeneutics. The fact is that we participate in the promise that God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and we experience its blessings (Galatians 3:9). But the promise itself was unique […]
Do you know that Fig Newtons got their name from the city of Newton, Massachusetts? Other than eating one of those cookies once in a while, I seldom think about figs, so it’s hard to appreciate what fig trees meant in the ancient Middle East. There weren’t many ways to satisfy a sweet tooth back […]
Headings matter. The New International Version titles this text, “Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away.” The English Standard Version titles this text, “God Protects Hagar and Ishmael.” The first heading emphasizes Abraham’s duty. The latter heading emphasizes God’s care. In this text we see both severity and grace in God’s choices. God cares for the outcast […]
