Think Wink.

Zondervan’s Koinonia blog has put up a quiz for people to test their view on how the NT authors used the OT texts. This is to coincide with the new Three Views book they are to release later. I’ll provide my results, quiz, and a link to the Koinonia page so that you can look into the book a bit more. Read more

The Second Coming Debate

Prayer for a new church

How Many, How Many?

In this post we come to Habakkuk’s second complaint, responding to God’s solution to the problem of injustice in Habakkuk 1:5-11. As you read this passage, I hope that you will see a close connection between Habakkuk and two other Old Covenant prophets: Jeremiah and Jonah. Let us turn to the text now and begin the third post in introducing the context of Habakkuk 2:4. Read more

What does it mean to be “called”?

Interview with Dr. Mark Futato

Redemptive-Historical Preaching and Charles Dennison

Okay so the introductory material is going to take a lot longer than I anticipated. Here’s the reason why: there is a lot of good stuff in there to just pass up. I really love Habakkuk, my favorite minor prophet. I love the dialogue format of the book and I love some of the themes developed there. I love Habakkuk 3, especially Habakkuk 3:17-19. That chapter, and its concluding verses, are just amazing poetry to me. i love it. Anyways back to the series at hand. We just covered the opening complaint or prayer. Now we turn to God’s response and something we as Christians can take away, as we work towards our target of Habakkuk 2:4. Read more

Redemptive-Historical Preaching and Charles Dennison

Habakkuk 2:4 Part 5–Righteous by Faith

“In his image” and Aramaisms

Yesterday on the Dividing Line, James White had an interesting show. First he addressed fellow Calvinists like myself and called us to present our theology (Reformed theology) with grace. It was a very impassioned plea that included an apology from Dr. White himself. Then he spent about 30 minutes talking with a chap from London who is an Arminian/Open Theist. That was a very interesting exchange, including Dr. White walking through the Greek of John 6:37-45 (I have a page here at Think Wink where you can follow along; open a new tab or window and click on the Greek New Testament link at the top of the blog). Then he concludes the show addressing charges of false prophecy in Ezekiel and biblical inerrancy. I love it.

A Text Critical Look at Luke 23:34

James White on Steve Gregg

James White and Molinism

This is the third post on Mark 1:11 and its three sources of Genesis 22LXX; Psalm 2:7 LXX; and Isaiah 42:1 LXX. This post will conclude our examination of how Jesus is God’s Son (Genesis 22), Son (Psalm 2:7) and Servant (Isaiah 42:1). Let us get the scene of Mark 1:9-11 in front of us from the NET,

9 Now in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 10 And just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight.”

Again let us see the Greek text of Mark 1:11 and Isaiah 42:1 before us so that we can see the parallels.

Mark 1:11 — καὶ φωνὴ ἐγένετο ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός ἐν σοὶ εὐδόκησα
Isaiah 42:1 LXX — Ιακωβ ὁ παῖς μου ἀντιλήμψομαι αὐτοῦ Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν ἡ ψυχή μου ἔδωκα τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπ αὐτόν κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐξοίσει
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Son, Son, or Servant and Mark 1:11 Part 1

Son, Son, Or Servant and Mark 1:11 Part 2

“Son of Man” and Jesus

We come to the second possible source text of Mark 1:11 and looking at how Jesus fills the image of that source, or why that text is applied to Jesus in this pronouncement. Let us get Mark 1:11 NET and also the Greek before us,

And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight.”–NET

καὶ φωνὴ ἐγένετο ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός ἐν σοὶ εὐδόκησα–Zhubert.com/

The second text is Psalm 2:7 LXX which reads, διαγγέλλων τὸ πρόσταγμα κυρίου κύριος εἶπεν πρός με υἱός μου εἶ σύ ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. (Psalm 2:7 NETS (New English Translation Septuagint; see pg. 7) translates this passage as, “By proclaiming the Lord’s ordinance: The Lord said to me, ‘My son you are; today I have begotten you.’”). It is easy to see the parallel between Psalm 2:7 and Mark 1:11. Yahweh tells the king–most likely David–that he is Yahweh’s son and that day Yahweh became his father. In Mark, the voice from heaven declares Jesus to be his beloved Son. Thus I want us to see how Jesus is the Son that Yahweh pronounces the Davidic king to be. To do so, we must look at Psalm 2 and then come back to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
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Son, Son, Or Servant and Mark 1:11 Part 3

Son, Son, or Servant and Mark 1:11 Part 1

“Son of Man” and Jesus

In my Prophetic Lit. class we are on our second day of Jeremiah tonight.  I have read Jeremiah 1-25 and I am quite taken by this prophet’s ministry and message.  Last night I read Jeremiah 8:17-25:38, okay I read 8:17-19:15 but that’s pretty much eleven chapters with a Greek quiz to study for also and there is still the sixty pages of commentary I had to read for the class on Jeremiah 8:17-25:38.  It’s crazy.  But I have been captivated by this man’s ministry and what he has to say.  It really hit me last night as I read Jeremiah 18 and the parable of the potter’s house.  That’s the parable that many scholars erroneously point to when interpreting Romans 9:19-21 (the text there that is most influencing Paul is Isaiah 29:16) as the sole influence on Paul.  But there are three verses that I feel I must discuss in this chapter and one in Jeremiah 20:7-9.

The first verse is Jeremiah 18:12, where Jeremiah records that Judah will follow after their own stubborn evil hearts.   Jeremiah has a very critical and negative opinion of man’s heart in his ministry.  I did a word search of “heart” and I found that seven times Jeremiah uses this phrasiology (3:17; 5:23; 7:24; 9:14; 11:8; 13:10; 23:17).  Jeremiah 16:12 substitutes the word “will” for “heart.”  Going on a survey of Jeremiah 1-25 I am shocked by his condemnation of the human heart.  In Jeremiah 4:4 God pleads with Israel to circumsise their hearts.  Again in 9:26 Jeremiah prophecies that although unlike the Gentiles the body of Judah is circumcised, their hearts were not.  I find that interesting in light of Deuteronomy 30:6.  In Jeremiah 4:14 God pleads that Judah would wash away the evil in their hearts.  In 9:8 Jeremiah says that even though man is peaceful in speech, in his heart he plans “an ambush.”  In 12:2 Jeremiah says that the mouths of men are near to God but their hearts are far away.  Jeremiah 17 is the strongest statement against my heart that I have read thus far.  Sin is engraved onto and into the heart (v. 1).  In v. 9 the heart is said to be deceitful “above all things” and that it is “desperately sick.”  In Jeremiah 22:17 man only has a heart for dishonest gain.  This is indeed a dreadful indictment against the heart of man!  To follow this survey of the heart in Jeremiah 6:15 and 8:12 say that Israel and Judah doesn’t even blush at the sight and thought of her sins!  The most saddest part of Jeremiah’s indictment is found 13:23, man cannot change his evil heart.  All he knows is evil and that is all he will do unless someone else changes it for him.

Also in Jeremiah says that God’s heart has been broken!  Jeremiah 18:15 says that Judah has forgotten the LORD!  In Jeremiah 2:5, God wants to know what he did to have them turn from him!  He says in 2:11 that no other nation has turned away from their God, yet Israel and Judah have done just that.  In 2:20-25, God says that even though he rescued his people from Egypt they abandoned him and worshiped every tree on the hills.  He likens her to one who the nations’ gods need not ”weary” themselves to find her for she is like donkey in heat looking for them!  In Jeremiah 3 we see the anguish of God’s heart.  In v. 1-3 God likens them to a woman who has whored herself out to the foreign gods.  Now compare that to Deuteronomy 24:1-4 where by his own law he cannot take his prostitute wife back!  Look down in Jeremiah 3 to vv. 6-10.  The LORD had hoped that by Judah and Israel would return.  God is shocked and appalled by the fact that after God destroyed Israel for her idolatrous unfaithfulness that Judah still refused to return.  In v. 19ff God calls Israel and Judah his children but they would not make him their Father.  He called them his bride but they would not call him Husband.  Jeremiah 3:21 says that they have forgotten God!  In Jeremiah 5:7-9 the LORD says he has no choice but to punish Judah because despite all he did for them, the whored themselves out to other gods.

Now I have noticed something about Jeremiah in chapter 18, he has abandoned Israel.  In Jeremiah 18:19-23 Jeremiah says in effect, “Hey God, do you remember how I used to pray that you would spare Israel and Judah?  How I thought it was too much to bear the thought of them being destroyed by your wrath?  Well they have tried to kill me and so I am not going to be interceding on their behalf.  In fact I am praying for you wrath to come and consume them, everyone of them.  Take them all, men, women, and children.  It doesn’t matter to me any more!”  That’s a tricky prayer to deal with because I am told to never pray for the damnation of anyone but rather the salvation of everyone!  Oh that struck me hard lastnight when I read that passage.

As you can no doubt tell, Jeremiah is not afraid to where his emotions on his sleeves.  I really like Jeremiah 20:7-9 because of some of the language he uses.  It is brutally honest.  This text is an exchange between Jeremiah and God.  He says that God has “decieved” him and forced him into this minstry.  He has to give this word and Jeremiah doesn’t like it.  He is the one man in all of Judah that is being laughed at and mocked and rejected and dismissed.  In Jeremiah 4, Jeremiah asks how long he has to know that this judgment is coming.  Imagine trying to tell everyone in the WTC that the planes were coming and no one listened to you.  Imagine telling everyone in Southeast Asia that the tsunami  two years ago was coming and they needed to leave and you were laughed at.  That’s Jeremiah.  In fact, in Jeremiah 16, God forbids him to marry because the sons and daughters of Judah and Jerusalem will be destroyed.

I have fallen in love with this book of prophecy.  I am learning that to be a great preacher means you don’t preach what people think they need to hear.  They have corrupt hearts and need to be regenerated by the Spirit of God.  I have to preach what God tells me to preach.  I pray that I will be like Jeremiah.  I want to have such a deep relationship that I can almost see the tears on my LORD’s face when his heart is broken.  I want a burden like Jeremiah had to just preach the word because I am sick if I don’t.  I pray that God will use my preaching like he promised Jeremiah (1:5-19).  I pray that my life reflects Jeremiah 17:7-8 and that my trust is in God alone to see me through it.

I feel the world needs more Jeremiah’s.  The world and the church need people who will ruffle some feathers with the truth of God’s word.  We need people to stand up and defend the truth and fight for souls in the world.  The glory of God must be displayed for all the world to see.  We need people who will preach even if they hate the message themselves because God has placed such a burden upon their heart to get the message out.  I pray for that.  I pray for those who will become the next Jeremiah.

Something to Chew On

What does it mean to be “called”?

How Long Oh Lord

In my class on the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel), two observations were made that I think preachers need to home in on when they preach from a prophetic text. First, to understand Isaiah’s prophecy, you must first understand Isaiah. You can substitute any prophet in for Isaiah but the point is the same. Isaiah, or any prophet, is a point of view upon what is recorded for us. We must put ourselves in that context that Isaiah is in. The prophets dealt with the kings of Judah and Israel and so we must become familiar with Kings and Chronicles to understand that setting of the prophet. The prophet has a deep and bottomless relationship with God that moves them to radical action. We must understand that. We must empathize and step in the prophet’s shoes to understand their sermons.

Secondly, prophecy is the divine exegesis of present reality. It is God’s message to a particular experience. Therefore, and I am sure most preachers know this, prophecy is primarily forthtelling and not foretelling. Prophets are speaking forth the word of God. They are primarily predicters of the future but explaining present circumstance. Isaiah wasn’t primarily giving us details of the millennial kingdom but rather trying to speak to the eight century Hebrew kingdoms about what is happening and their results.

I feel this must also apply to Revelation if we call it a prophecy book. This means that we cannot place its events in the 21st century but it must be looked at in light of the first century. Therefore a primarily futuristic approach to the book does not meet the demands of biblical prophecy. To look at the book from a primarily preterist approach keeps the book in its original context of John’s day, no matter if you early date or late date the visions. When preaching prophetic literature, learn as much about that time period in which it is written and aviod putting it some distant generation.

All of the Bible

Newspaper Eschatology

Calvin and Original Sin: Part 7