PHall | January 17, 2020
I’ll confess. I like studying the book of Judges for the same reason I liked studying the Tudor-Stuart monarchy – horrible characters are never boring! When during the Judges, “Everyone did what was right their own eyes” is the philosophy of life, there is no telling what is creeping out of people’s heart. And yet….During […]
Category: Judges, Ruth, I Samuel |
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PHall | December 28, 2019
The word “redeem” is not used in Judges, but it might help us better understand redemption than we know. That is because the opposite action is found several times: “And he sold them into the hands” (Judges 2:14; 3:8; 4:2; 1:7). Sin, Suffering, Solicitation, Salvation are the four stages Israel continues to find itself in […]
Category: Judges |
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PHall | December 21, 2019
The story, or stories, are true and familiar; one is an echo of the other.1. Each narrative comes at the beginning (Genesis 1-2; Matthew 1-2).2. Each is a story about a genealogy (Genesis 2:4; Matthew1:1).3. At the beginning there is a focus on a light that was not the sun (Genesis 1:3; Matthew 2:2,7-10; Luke […]
Category: Matthew, Bible, Genesis |
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PHall | December 19, 2019
How Do We Understand God’s Violence in the OT? Reading Joshua, specifically the conquest of Canaan, and it is disarming (which is the opposite of the armies!) and disquieting (and battles are not quiet!). There are various ways to handle this, one of which is far more appealing to me, and I hope to you. […]
Category: Bible, Joshua |
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Tags: Genocide
PHall | December 17, 2019
Jesus is found in the most unexpected places!Joshua 10:26-27 (NASB) 26) So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening. 27) It came about at sunset that Joshua gave a command, and they took them down from the trees […]
Category: Joshua |
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PHall | December 17, 2019
Two men went to a prostitute. There’s only one reason why. In fact they didn’t want anyone to know they were there. Again, there’s only one reason why. Your imagination does not need much imagination on this, does it? Except these two men were the spies that hid in Rahab’s house. Lesson? Don’t go by […]
Category: Joshua |
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PHall | December 17, 2019
3 Reasons to be Strong and CourageousI. TO PERSEVERE UNTIL GOD’S PROMISES ARE RECEIVED AND SHARED““Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.II. TO OBEY GOD WHOLLY AND NOT CHANGE GOD’S WORD“Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the […]
Category: Joshua |
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PHall | December 17, 2019
Why is the creation story, the first week, told the way it is? It is because of the last week of Jesus.Beginning of Old Creation –On the 6th day God breathed into man the breath of life and Adam lived (Genesis 2:7).Beginning of New Creation –On the 6th day The God/Man breathed out the breath […]
Category: Genesis |
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Tags: Typology
PHall | November 13, 2019
Leaders need to listen…but not always or else they become followers and not leaders. There are numerous examples in the Bible – and in life – that show the various balances, when it is successful, when it fails. If I were to ask, “Why did the Israelites wander for 40 years?” A correct answer would […]
Category: Deuteronony |
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Tags: Leadership
PHall | November 9, 2019
Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do good things happen to bad people? “Free will” is one very good answer; but that is an answer which has God backing away, necessarily, in order for free will to exist. God is not Deistic, because He is both immanent and transcendent. Free will hinges […]
Category: Matthew, Numbers |
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Tags: Free Will, Problem of Evil, Suffering