From time to time, I have had my differences with The Gospel Coalition. Most of the differences have been adjectival, but they have been real nonetheless. But with that said, I do want to take an occasion that has recently presented itself to make a point that underscores how much we are on the same …
Surveying the Text: Kings
Introduction We begin by noting that our books entitled 1 and 2 Kings were originally one book, just as we saw with the Book of Samuel. The reason for this is plain enough—the break happened with the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, and the Hebrews didn’t write down their vowels until 600 …
Savior of the World #4
Introduction: Many Christians want to avoid millennial wrangles, and in an important sense, they are quite right. It makes little sense to fight with one another about when the divine peace will come. But other Christians want to avoid debate on the subject because they believe it to be unimportant. “After all, is not ‘the …
Hors d’Oeuvres of the Eschaton.
At the end of human history, at the end of time as we know it, the Lord Jesus teaches us to anticipate the great marriage Supper. God has chosen and identified the bride that He desires for His Son, the engagement has been sealed, and the preparations are well underway. Messengers have been sent out …
Surveying the Text: Esther
Introduction: In the book of Esther, God is never mentioned, but is everywhere present. His providence surrounds all the events and characters. If we think about it carefully, we can perhaps see why a human author is not mentioned. This account has a very plain way of presenting itself—“story by God.” The Text: “And let …
You May Not Cut Nature
One of the reasons I go on about the regeneration thing is because I believe that many other crucial things ride on it. If we don’t keep the necessity of the new birth in the forefront of our minds, we will in short order find ourselves unable to answer the arguments and demands of those …
American Jesus
So I have written about American exceptionalism before, and so let me begin with a quick review of my take in the first paragraph. Taken one way, the notion is just ten more pounds of idolatrous silliness. Every great nation at the top of its game — and there have been lots — knows how …
Looking Forward to Another Year of Thotwas
Let’s pretend that you guys are stockholders, and I am giving you all a report, an end-of-year round up. How did Mablog do this year? More importantly, how did your stock perform relative to Mablog‘s performance? Well, the good news is that, since your current translucent stock was valued at the beginning of 2015 at …
Welcome the Child
One of the more notable features of the life of our Lord, as recorded in Scripture, is the fact that references to the outside world are overwhelmingly political. When Jesus was born, Augustus was Caesar (Luke 2:1) and Quirinius was governor of Syria (Luke 2:2). Herod the Great was ruler in Judea (Luke 1:5), and …
Slomosexuality
Andrew Walker here describes the efforts of the new homo-jihadis to outlaw religious liberty on Christian colleges. I use the verb “outlaw,” but Walker makes it plain that this ultimate goal is not the immediate move. The current plan is simply to expose those colleges that have taken a legal exemption from the sexual pandemonium …