Two momentous events occurred in 1955: I became a teenager, and rock ‘n roll was born. I am thus a child of the rock ‘n roll era and still recognize the songs that were hits in that era, especially the 1960s. Those songs are still often heard as background music in the malls. Yesterday, as … Continue reading Playing hopscotch over the surface of the Bible
The Bible
There were two tabernacles
When Moses was up in the mountain communing with God during the Exodus, God gave him detailed directions for the structure that should be the centre of the people’s worship. He was to build a long tent, or tabernacle. The inside was of gold and beautiful tapestry, the outside was a drab, waterproof covering. At … Continue reading There were two tabernacles
Biblical mush, or solid food?
“Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, … Continue reading Biblical mush, or solid food?
The Sabbath question
Q. Why is the first day of the week the day of rest, rather than the last day of the week? A. The keeping of the Jewish Sabbath is and has been quite a controversial subject, with much being written pro and con. The keeping of the day depends on which dispensation is had in … Continue reading The Sabbath question
The armour of God
As best as I can understand it, the theme of the Old Testament is that God created mankind and placed us on this earth with a great purpose in mind. There are hints, but only hints, that part of that purpose was that we would be a testimony of His love and kindness to the … Continue reading The armour of God
How to read the Bible
I grew up in a home where the Bible was read every day, my father often talked bout things he read in it. We attended a church, the Anglican Church of Canada, where every service had a reading from the Old Testament, another from the New Testament, and several other passages from the Bible were … Continue reading How to read the Bible
The use and abuse of dictionaries
Some folks scrutinize the dictionary for abstruse locutions to titillate the cerebral functions of those who peruse their literary endeavours. This sentence is sticky in a negative way. Most readers will get stuck before they reach the end. That doesn't matter, the sentence doesn't have much to say. But there are people who believe that … Continue reading The use and abuse of dictionaries
Who was “John the Revelator”?
It has become common in some Christian circles to speak of the writer of the book of Revelation as being "John the Revelator." Who was this guy? This nom de plume seems to have originated with German Bible scholars of the 19th century who approached the Bible as literature, simply a series of writings produced … Continue reading Who was “John the Revelator”?
The story arc
Have you ever read a book which follows the life of a main character, yet there doesn't seem to be a story? This character does a variety of things, things good and bad happen to him or her, but they are just disconnected happenings without a point. Evidently, the writer had no idea how to … Continue reading The story arc
Understanding the language of the Bible
There is a good possibility that using a dictionary of the English language will muddy the waters when it comes to trying to understand a word used in the Bible. The word science found in 1 Timothy 6:20 is a case in point. The Greek word here translated science is gnosis, which in all its … Continue reading Understanding the language of the Bible