Paul says some amazing things about Jesus towards the end of Ephesians 1. He tells us about how God has “raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms far above” any and every power and authority in the heavenly realms (v. 20-21, see also 6:12ff). Furthermore, HeContinue reading “Rescued!”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
Ephesians and the “Heavenly Realms” (1)
“Heavenly realms” or “heavenly places” (ESV) is a phrase unique to Ephesians. It is comes from the Greek word, epouraniois. This word is found in other places in the NT, but only in Ephesians is it translated this way. Paul uses it five times in Ephesians, so it’s an important term to understand if weContinue reading “Ephesians and the “Heavenly Realms” (1)”
Ephesians and the “Heavenly Realms” (2)
4. The heavenly realms are as real as the earthly realms. Of course, they aren’t perceived the same way. We know about the earthly realms through our physical senses. We know about the spiritual realms because God has revealed it to us through His word. Because God’s word is true, they are every bit as realContinue reading “Ephesians and the “Heavenly Realms” (2)”
The Good News of God’s Reign
Daniel has a dream in the first year of Belshazzar (7:1). The dream is an expansion of the one he interpreted for Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two. Instead of a statue with four parts representing four kingdoms, his dream has four creatures representing four kingdoms (v. 23). As in Daniel 2, these creatures also represent theContinue reading “The Good News of God’s Reign”
Pulling Back the Curtain
We’ve seen some amazing things in Daniel: These incidents provide us with windows through which we get glimpses of the world beyond ours. After all, these things don’t “naturally” occur in our world—so they point us to the reality of a world beyond ours. These glimpses (and the larger truths they embody) are made knownContinue reading “Pulling Back the Curtain”
Days of the Future Passed (1)
Chapter 9 of Daniel takes place sometime between the defeat of the Babylonians by the Medo-Persians (539 BC) but apparently before Cyrus has given his decree allowing the Jewish people to return to their homeland (Ezra 1:1 538 BC). One of the primary concerns of Daniel’s prayer in this chapter is the restoration of the sanctuaryContinue reading “Days of the Future Passed (1)”
Days of the Future Passed (2)
But Gabriel’s response to Daniel isn’t all good news. God uses the occasion to reveal not just what Daniel had inquired about (the immediate future), but God’s complete plan for the city and the sanctuary. This has to do with Jerusalem’s more distant future. Cyrus issued his decree in 538 BC and the people returnedContinue reading “Days of the Future Passed (2)”
The Little Horn of Daniel 8
Daniel receives the vision of chapter eight in 550 BC. In the vision, he is in the “citadel of Susa” –the capital of the Medo-Persian kingdom (see Esther 1:1-3). He sees a ram with two horns—with one longer than the other. He is told later the ram represents the kingdom of Medo-Persia (v. 20). TheContinue reading “The Little Horn of Daniel 8”
Where Hope Is
Three times in Daniel 8 we’re told that rise and reign of horror under Antiochus is fueled by sin: We’re certainly not surprised by this. In light of the atrocities Antiochus was responsible for in his persecution of God’s people and his desecration of the temple—we’d be surprised if it wasn’t connected to sin. But IContinue reading “Where Hope Is”
Leaving the Consequences to God
In chapter 6, the Medo-Persians have taken over after defeating Belshazzar and the Babylonians. Daniel (who had to feel like this was déjà vu all over again), lands on his feet. Darius the Mede (probably a governor/subordinate king—something like Herod was to the Romans) appoints him as one of three administrators over Babylon. Perhaps wordContinue reading “Leaving the Consequences to God”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 