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Writing

Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.

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Revelation

The Seven Thunders, An Interpretive Suggestion

And He cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when He had cried out, the seven thunders spoke their voices (Revelation 10:3). In Revelation 10 John sees Jesus come down to him from heaven with a little book in His hand. Jesus cries out with…

by James B. JordanOctober 7, 1994
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Biblical Chronology

Genesis 5 & 11: Chronological-Theological Reflections

The numbers found in Genesis 5 & 11 display characteristics that indicate a complex and meticulous symbolic schematization operating at several levels. Because these numbers are so potent symbolically, unbelieving scholars have universally (as far as I know) treated them as artificial. Believers take them literally, but believers must also…

by James B. JordanOctober 7, 1994
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Revelation

The Kings From the East

And the sixth angel poured out his bowl upon the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings from the east [sunrising]. (Revelation 16:12) The kings from the east in Revelation 16:12 are generally assumed to be enemies of…

by James B. JordanSeptember 10, 1994
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Biblical Studies

Covenants and Dates

During my brief sojourn as a pastor during the 1980s, I had several occasions to be involved in settling disputes between men in the congregation I served. A typical dispute went like this: Two men formed a company to do business. After a few years, the business went sour, and…

by James B. JordanSeptember 10, 1994
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Revelation

The Grape Harvest of Revelation 14:17-20

The two harvests of Revelation 14:14-20, of grain and of grapes, are most often understood as symbolic of God’s judgment against the wicked, or against Babylon, as amplified in chapters 16 & 17. Some commentators, however, notice that the gospels speak of the grain harvest as a reaping of the…

by James B. JordanAugust 10, 1994
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Deuteronomy

The Chronology of the Pentateuch (Part 6)

(Conclusion of Chapter 16 in the previous Biblical Chronology Article) Month 3, 2513 According to Leviticus 23:15-16, Pentecost was to be observed 50 days after the sabbath after Passover, or 49 days after the Feast of First Fruits. I initially based my reflections on the Jewish tradition that the Law…

by James B. JordanAugust 10, 1994

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How Change Happens

T he world is full of activists and “change agents,” but Duncan Green doesn’t think anyone has a clear idea of how social change occurs. In How Change Happens , he offers elements of a theory of change, along with case studies and some practical direction for people who want…

September 23, 2016

Postmodern Manicheanism

I n his published conversation with Zygmunt Bauman about Liquid Evil , Leonidas Donskis observes that “ Optimism is, above all, a Christian construction – it’s based on the faith that good can overcome evil and that unexplored possibilities and alternatives can always be found.” As Christianity’s influence has declined…

September 23, 2016

Dylan a'Changin'

F ew pop stars have been as mercurial as Bob Dylan. Folk singer, rock star, gospel singer, a mimic of James Dean, Christian, Jew. Each change in his musical trajectory has been accompanied by a change of personality. Even his voice has changed over his decades of fame. As Andrew…

September 23, 2016

Abraham's Fourfold Genealogy

A braham’s genealogy in 1 Chronicles 1 can’t seem to get off the ground. He’s identified as father of “Isaac and Ishmael” (v. 28), but the genealogy that follows goes off with 12 sons of Ishmael (the genealogy is enclosed with Ishmael’s name, vv. 29–31) and leave Isaac behind. Finally,…

September 22, 2016

Confusion of Humanity, Reign of God

A s everyone now knows, 2016 has been dubbed the year of the “Flight 93 Election” by an anonymous writer with a Latin pseudonym. The piece in the Claremont Review of Books is a frontal assault on conservative intellectuals and an “it’s worth a try” defense of Trumpism. As he…

September 22, 2016

Communio Beyond Ecclesiology

C ommunio has been a key concept in Roman Catholicism over the past century, but David L. Schindler ( Heart of the World, Center of the Church ) observes that it has a more-than-ecclesial scope. It implies a certain relation between the church and the world, and a vision of…

September 21, 2016

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