Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | December 15, 2013
2 Samuel 11-12; 13-14 – Same Story; Different Characters – Reap What We Sow Lust over Beautiful Woman: David with Bathsheba (11:2); Amnon with Tamar (13:1) Plan Made: David with innocent advisors (11:3); Amnon with guilty Jonadab (13:5) Woman Sent for: David with Bathsheba (11:4); Amnon via David with Tamar (13:6-7) Unlawful Sex: David and […]
PHall | November 21, 2013
Certain texts confuse, confound, make us scratch our heads, and become bewildered. Real life though, is just like that; existing in a state of uncertain knowledge, while surviving in a state of certain acceptance in the Divine. Certainty is not always certain in what we know, but in Who we trust. “The LORD’s anger burned […]
PHall | November 19, 2013
“Grant stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was drunk, and now we stand by each other.” Grant is Ulysses S. Grant. And the speaker is William T. Sherman. This statement is believed to have been said when there was a political push to promote Sherman over Grant […]
PHall | November 14, 2013
David had enemies who should have been friends. One was Saul. Today’s Praying through the Bible is a reflective, prayerful song of thanksgiving for being rescued from Saul. It is too long to include it all. Below are some of the highlights. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my […]
PHall | November 14, 2013
During the reign of Saul, he hid, afraid of the giant. There were no giant killers in his army. Then young David slew the giant. During the reign of David, Abishai, Bibecai, Elhanan, and Jonhathan all killed giants (2 Sam.21:15-22). One giant killer succeeded creating other giant killers. Are we fearful like Saul, producing followers […]
PHall | November 12, 2013
“I hope he fails.” Rush Limbaugh famously, or infamously, said that about then President-elect Obama’s policies. Excoriated by the political left, and shunned by some on the right, the brash statement became an oft repeated political mantra sparking another debate. How could one patriotically hope an elected official would fail? How could anyone morally hope […]
PHall | November 7, 2013
Governmental protectionism, religious zeal, national identity, political affiliation, church affiliation, family and personal pride; all these can lead to unintentional consequences caused by good intentions or even those bad. Somehow we have gotten to the diseased conclusion that what we do is no one’s business; that hurting others can only be felt directly; that zeal, […]
PHall | November 5, 2013
“I’ll pray for you,” so easy to say. Could it be an excuse to do nothing? “I’ll pray for you,” too many say. But is it a cold, empty statement hiding our hurt? “I’ll pray for you” but I won’t talk to you. “I’ll pray for you,” but don’t ask me to forgive you. “I’ll […]
PHall | November 1, 2013
Seeing David and Bathsheba as simply a story of adultery misses the lex taliones reprisals. Notice “I will take your wives and give them to another before your very eyes, and he will sleep with them publicly” (2Sam.12.16) and the fulfillment, “Sleep with your father’s concubines he left to take care of the palace. When […]
PHall | November 1, 2013
Compare the two halves of the narrative:• David sends for Bathsheba and abuses his power over her.• David sends for Uriah and abuses his power over him.To have Bathsheba provoking David and willingly committing adultery destroys the symmetry and has David as the victim in the first half.