Shake yourself from the dust and arise. Loose the bonds from your neck.
When I was eight years old, I tried to draw a picture of Jesus from Revelation 1:12–16: Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe… Continue reading How to Read Revelation
“Armageddon” by Joseph Paul Pettitt (1812–1882), York Art Gallery. I used to be terrified of zombies. I grew up with the modern resurgence of zombie disaster movies, from Resident Evil and Dawn of the Dead (the 2004 remake turns 20 this year, by the way) to World War Z and The Walking Dead. Most of… Continue reading Revealing Jesus
The U.S. birthrate is not only declining but is at a record low. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the birthrate of 1.66 children per woman is the lowest on record since tracking began in 1979. The Wall Street Journal points to factors such as men and women delaying having… Continue reading Legacy That Lasts
The Suck The military has some advice for soldiers in crappy situations: “Embrace the suck.” The suck is every bad situation that we have no control over, which is a lot. Rather than be defeated by it, fight it by embracing it. Lean into the suck. Life on this side of the fall of man… Continue reading Embrace the Suck
What does it mean to be a worthy man? In Ruth 2:1, the narrator describes a relative of Elimelech named Boaz who was “a worthy man.” We must recall that the story in Ruth occurred during the time of the Judges, and then we must remember how some men at that time were described as… Continue reading Be Worthy Men
Two weeks ago the Southern Baptist Convention gathered for its annual meeting and the shenanigans were meme-worthy. Last week I wrote about the Law Amendment and interacted with an article by venerable evangelical pastor J.D. Grear. This week, my gripe is focused on SBC presidential candidate David Allen and the Pledge of Allegiance. If you… Continue reading The SBC, the Nicene Creed, and the Pledge
The thesis statement for the Book of Judges is “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdg 21:25). This book of the Bible shows us what happens when people reject God. In those days, the only law acknowledged was the one enforced by the… Continue reading No King but Christ
Judges 19 recounts the horrific account of a Levite's concubine being brutally gang-raped to death by a mob of Benjaminites in Gibeah. Judges 20 details the vengeful response by the rest of Israel against the tribe of Benjamin. Brother fought against brother, tribe against tribe, in a civil war that united Israel against the injustice… Continue reading Contend for the Faith
Pictured is an illustration of Judges 19 from a 13th century French Gothic picture Bible. Introduction Judges 19 is a difficult text to write on, let alone preach on. And in these times when reason gives way to passions, I find myself timid like Gideon. This won’t be the nicest thing you’ll read today, but… Continue reading Sons of Belial: How Worthless Men Are Killing You
Before Dale was a beloved father and grandfather, a doting husband, and an enthusiastic servant of the church, he was a philanderer and a deadbeat. He gave his wife herpes from sleeping with prostitutes while in the Navy and often neglected his family. His frequent absences led one of his sons toward gang involvement, and his… Continue reading Samson’s Victory
Awake! Put on strength! 