Twice a Priest

In reading Exodus again I noticed that not only was Moses the Deliverer of Israel a descendant of the priestly tribe of Levi, but he married into the family of Jethro, who was himself a Midianite priest.  So in a sense Moses was by destiny a priest twice over, representing and pleading in intercession for the children … Continue reading →

A Salamander’s Suggestion

The axolotl, the Mexican salamander that keeps tadpole traits throughout its life,  has been used as a symbol of the fear of growth and maturation.   Maybe that is missing most of the point, though, of what this creature was designed to teach us.  Might it rather be primarily a reminder to us to maintain or … Continue reading →

Colliding With Love

Reading the parable of the prodigial again in Luke 15, I am struck as before by the father forgetting his dignity in public (rare in that culture)  and, after glimpsing him in the distance, running to meet his long lost son and showering him with “fervent” kisses as the Amplified Bible has it.  Then to … Continue reading →

The Eighth Person

Why does the apostle Peter refer to protecting Noah from the great flood, the preacher of righteousness, as the “eighth person?”  I propose it’s for the same simple reason that Abraham gave his nephew first choice in selecting the land in Genesis 13 v.8-12.  Noah was putting his seven other family members first the same way … Continue reading →

Evil On A Leash

It is good to review the “negotiations” regarding Job, the one with whom God was so pleased,  in the first chapter of that book and be reminded in verse 12 that it was God after all who was dictating to the devil.  God remained in the driver’s seat throughout, so to speak,  and had the final … Continue reading →

Dual Names Dual Natures

There is good reason why the Old Testament of the Bible seems to interchange or alternate referring to the Hebrew nation as Jacob and then as Israel.  The meaning of the name Jacob is “supplanter”or “deceiver” and the meaning of Israel is “Prince with God” or “God fights.”  These names clearly reflect two different natures, … Continue reading →

Thankfulness Sets A Tone

There is a pattern in the epistles of the apostle Paul that when he mentions someone in prayer he often likes to precede his specific  requests with thanksgiving to God for those mentioned.  (Ephesians 1 v 16, Romans 1 v8, 2Thessalonians 2 v16)  Even and maybe especially when praying  for kings and all those in authority we … Continue reading →

Enveloped in Shadows

One translation of Isaiah 9 v2 speaks of a people “enveloped” in darkness upon whom a light will shine.  All of us who believe in our Messiah were once so enveloped, and He broke the seal,  reached in and drew us out into the Light. Now we are living out the precious contents of those … Continue reading →

Addressing The Drift

The New Living Translation of the Bible has a revealing way of rendering the prayer in the 4th verse of Psalm 141: “Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. ”  Sometimes we find ourselves tainted by evil without our having deliberately chosen for it to be so.  Rather we … Continue reading →

Walking On Air

When I hear of someone walking on air I think of someone in utter ecstasy.  That is the picture presented in 1Thessalonians chapter 4 of the New Testament when the believers on earth are caught up to meet their returning Savior in the air as a bride meeting Jesus her heavenly Bridegroom.  Even as Peter … Continue reading →