Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Because of sin, the arts sometimes do not serve to glorify but to debase. Sinful men make their environments ugly, and create ugly art to “enhance” their ugly words. But since all men are still God’s images, no men are able to live with such ugliness all the time. Thus,…
Arts and literature reviews in most evangelical Christian publications generally approach their subjects in terms of ideology. We are told whether or not the film or book is acceptable in terms of morals, sexual graphicness, and theological accuracy. While there is definitely a place for such reviews, I fear that…
We speak of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The early Church tended to speak of Him as Father, Word, and Spirit. In this short essay, I want to suggest some other ways to think of the Trinity, ways that I have found pastorally helpful in my own life…
I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commandments (Ex. 20:5-6). The Second Word forbids acts of ceremonial…
8. The Table of Nations If we assume births every two years, and about 30 years between generations (cp. Gen. 11:12-24), we can come up with an approximate series of dates for the generations recorded in Genesis 10. We shall assume that all three of Noah’s sons had their firstborn…
Zechariah’s first prophecy (Zech. 1:1-6) was delivered in the eighth month of the second year of Darius. The notation of this date serves a number of purposes. Most obviously, it relates Zechariah’s prophecies to those of Haggai. By the time Zechariah delivered his first prophecy, Haggai had already chided the…
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INTRODUCTION Solomon was set up on a throne like a new Adam, but like Adam he seized the forbidden fruit of foreign women, and fell from his throne. Before chapter 11 is over, Solomon is trying to kill Jeroboam, making him a Cain as well as a fallen Adam. As…
1 Kings 10:4-5 The glory and prosperity of Solomon?s kingdom is particularly on display at his table. Back in 1 Kings 4, the abundance of the table of Solomon is a sign of the prosperity of the whole kingdom. The joy of his table represents the joy of his whole…
Proverbs 1:8-9 What is your goal as parents? There are of course many ways to answer that question, but one central biblical answer is that parents aim to train their children in wisdom. This is a central thrust of the Proverbs, which are addressed from a father to a son,…
The Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem a skeptic. She had heard about Solomon?s wisdom, but she could not believe that the stories were true. She found the stories were untrue, not because they exaggerated Solomon?s wisdom and wealth, but because the stories were guilty of understatement. ?It was a…
INTRODUCTION What is known as the ?Regulative Principle of Worship?E(RPW) is one of the distinctive emphases of Reformed liturgics. Though this is variously formulated and understood, it boils down to the principle that worship must be biblical. We are called to worship God in a way that is pleasing to…
In his fine little book The Bible and Liturgy , E.H. van Olst briefly describes the liturgical renewal among Dutch Calvinists in the early 20th century: “Among Protestants it was J.H. Gunning and A. Kuyper who, at the turn of the century, called for renewed study of the liturgy. Gunning,…
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