Tag Archives: Moses

Background on Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy is the final book written by Moses and a fitting conclusion to the Pentateuch (the first five books of Scripture). Genesis is the book of beginnings. Exodus advances the story from Egypt to the wilderness and ends with the construction of the tabernacle. Leviticus furnishes Israel with laws concerning the tabernacle and sacrificial system.Continue reading “Background on Deuteronomy”

Christ And His Outrageous Claims

Knowing what we do about the context of Hebrews (i.e., that it’s written to Jewish Christians who are under pressure from family, friends, and enemies to go back to simply being Jewish), imagine the following conversation in the marketplace between a Jewish Christian (Jonathan) and his non-Christian brother (Micah) in light of what we hearContinue reading “Christ And His Outrageous Claims”

Going Viral (Contagion)

The movie Contagion reminds us where the phrase going viral comes from. Set in the present, it tells the story of two organizations (the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization), trying to control the rapid spread of an unknown virus.  But it’s not a sensationalistic, techno-thriller, with a single storyline of man vs. mutating virus.  Instead, it’s severalContinue reading “Going Viral (Contagion)”

Learning From a Bush

Moses is eighty years old when God speaks to Him at the burning bush.  But his eighty is not like our eighty. It’s a “new” eighty. After all, he has a tan, works out in the desert, and is going to live forty more years. And even at one hundred and twenty, Deuteronomy 34:7 assures us that he wasn’t feeble. EightyContinue reading “Learning From a Bush”

Letters and Life

Moses comes to the forefront of Paul’s thoughts in chapter 3. He’s already present in 2:14-17 to a limited degree in the triumphal procession and then to a greater measure in the aroma of life and death (Numbers 16). Still, both of those are more subtle than chapter 3 where he rises above the waterContinue reading “Letters and Life”

Counting on God

A name like Numbers scares a lot of people off. To them, it is suggestive of repetitive lists, irrelevant facts, and boring details. That’s too bad, because the book of Numbers, though not without its challenges, is as enriching as it is enlightening. Numbers is a critical part of the Pentateuch narrative. It picks up the storyContinue reading “Counting on God”