Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | October 13, 2014
OK, it bothers me. It’s not there and should be. Have you ever felt that way about a Bible story; that something essential is missing? It is recorded about lesser kings; even mostly evil ones. It is recorded about equally great kings; even emphasized. So why is it missing in Josiah’s story? Maybe it isn’t. […]
PHall | October 9, 2014
Evil. “He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight” (2 Chronicles 33.2). No other word better describes Manasseh; but there are plenty of unworthy contenders. Disappointing. Following one of Judah’s greatest kings, Manasseh reversed his father’s restoration. “He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had torn down” (33.3). Unfaithful. He imitated “the detestable […]
PHall | October 3, 2014
So you think you are something, a big shot, someone special? Now, you would never vocalize that out loud, you’re too “humble;” and never even think you think that…at least not consciously. Nonetheless, facts are facts. Pride can manifest itself in many ways: blowhard boasting, walking with an arrogant air, or looking down with disdain […]
PHall | October 2, 2014
“After these faithful deeds, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities and intended to break into them” (2 Chronicles 32.1-2). The Assyrians were a war-machine to be feared. Sennacherib describes his trap: “As for Hezekiah, the Judean who did not submit to my yoke, I surrounded and […]
PHall | September 30, 2014
Unity is a joy; worship a privilege. Ending religious division takes work, often ending in partial success. Restoring right ways takes work, of the hands and heart; often the heart heals faster than the hands can work. Becoming king, Hezekiah sends couriers north, inviting apostates passed over in the Assyrian deportation. Despite their spiritually rebellious […]
PHall | July 23, 2014
Three kings in a row, three generations, three battles, and three prayers. If this pattern had held true for every king, in every situation, then Judah would not have been exiled into a foreign abyss. Abijah, Asa, and now Jehoshaphat all rely upon God during times of national distress. A later king, Hezekiah, will do […]
PHall | July 18, 2014
If you could have any super-power, what would you choose? Let me suggest an unusual one; that once a lesson is learned, you never forget it. Gone would be the days of parents asking, “How many times have I told you?!” The answer would be “Only once!” More importantly, we would never forget God’s lessons. […]
PHall | July 15, 2014
Good-hearted people sometimes suggest after a sermon, “The next time you preach that, you need to include….” Sometimes I do; sometimes I had already excluded it due to time restriction – could you really sit through a sermon that included everything the Bible says on every topic? There is, however, another reason not to include […]
PHall | June 12, 2014
What does God do more than anything else? Maybe the answer is tied to another question. What does man do more than anything else? Like any other man, Solomon’s greatest accomplishment is connected to God. All great things are connected to God. David’s son finishes what David began. He built a temple for Yahweh. His […]
PHall | June 10, 2014
Imagine getting a job where you have had no previous experience. Nervous? Plus, you are the youngest person in the office, and yet you have been chosen to be the boss. More nervous? The owner of the company tells you, you have his full support and that you can have anything you need, including naming […]