Dr Paul Allen

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,  for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go . A stirring passage. And the preacher, who was a gifted speaker, skillfully weaved its themes into a unified sermon. We profited from it. We love to hear God’s word preached with care and feeling. But there was one implicit rhetorical move underlying the entire message that I felt uncomfortable with, and it was explicitly stated at the end when the preacher said, looking into the eyes of his audience,  These are God’s promises to you . Was it right for the preacher to apply those words from Joshua 1 directly to Christians today?  What would a soccer Mum do with that Hit

When exposed to evil, we might doubt God ’s presence. Soldiers’ accounts and memoirs often recall times of doubt as they grappled with war, atrocity and, ultimately, the struggle between good and evil. While Scripture is clear that good will triumph, it also says evil will win its share of battles. Second Kings 3 records a war event where evil won. Does God take sides? Second Kings 3 describes the rebellion of Moab , led by its king, Mesha, against the monarch of the northern kingdom of Israel , King Jehoram (3:5). Like his father Ahab, Jehoram solicited King Jehoshaphat of Judah (the southern kingdom) for assistance against his enemy (3:7). They were joined by the king of Edom (3:9). The invasion route—“by way of the wilderness of Edom”—is critical to the storyline. Edom was the territory settled by the descendants of the red-haired Esau (Gen 25:25; 36:1, 8). “Edom,” a play on the word adom (אָדֹם, “red”), was epitomized by the reddish soil and rock of its wilderness. By tak

Figures 055 The Battle Between the Israelites and Amalekites (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The author of Judges tells us that when the tribe of Judah descended into the lowlands to conquer the indigenous Canaanites inhabiting their tribal allotment, they failed to drive them out completely due to the Canaanites’ tactical advantage of iron chariots . Furthermore, he refuses to provide extra details on the matter ( Judg. 1:19 ). Why would the author insert such a vague reference to this failure, especially since the rest of Judah’s incursion appeared successful?   Recall Joshua 17. After they blanched at the prospect of leaving the hills to engage the iron chariots in the plains, Joshua guaranteed the house of Joseph victory over the “strong” Canaanites. Consequently, two questions surface. First, what’s the big deal with iron chariots? In short, the Canaanites had them and the Israelites did not. Iron significantly outclassed all of the other materials used for military pur

The Cloud of Glory was a  physical manifestation of the presence of God among his people; a special form of theophany particularly associated with Israel being offered guidance on the exodus journey.  The cloud of Glory was the phenomenon by which God guided the Israelites during their travels through the wilderness after leaving Egypt (Ex. 14:24). The pillar of fire and cloud is first mentioned in Exodus 13:21–22, where some of its characteristics are described. In the form of cloud by day and fire by night, the pillar was constantly visible to the Israelites.  By this phenomenon, God led the people on their journey from the border of Egypt as they marched toward the Promised Land. As a pillar of fire, it gave enough light for the people to travel by night. The pillar of fire and cloud was also a visible sign or representation of God’s presence with His people. In a sense God could be said to be “in” the pillar (Ex. 14:24); in it He “came down” to the tabernacle of m

God chose a specific time, place, and culture to inspire people to produce what we read in the Old Testament : the ancient Mediterranean and the ancient Near East of the second and first millennia b.c. Understanding the worldview of this culture can lead to more faithful understandings of Scripture on our part, especially when it comes to understanding how the Israelites viewed God and the universe. Old Testament Cosmology “Cosmology” refers to the way we understand the structure of the universe. The biblical writers’ conception of how the heavens and earth were structured by God represents a particular cosmology. The Israelites believed in a universe that was common among the ancient civilizations of the biblical world. It encompassed three parts: a heavenly realm, an earthly realm for humans, and an underworld for the dead. These three tiers are reflected in the Ten Commandments: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in

“And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had . . . go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac .” ( Genesis 24:2 , 4) Abraham required a most sacred vow from Eliezer ( Genesis 15:2 ) to secure a bride for Isaac from the line of Shem rather than from the Canaanites ( Genesis 24:3-4 , 9). Eliezer had Abraham’s complete trust, with access and permission to all of his wealth ( Genesis 24:10 ). The Bible notes how Eliezer prepared for the success of the mission with adequate resources (employees, wealth, etc.), and went straight to his destination with no wasted time en route. Along the way he must have anticipated how to discern a proper wife and asked God for verification that He approved of the selection. Eliezer’s request indicated he had in mind a lady who must be strong, healthy, and industrious, with no delusions of a life of ease. She must also be gracious, sensitive, and compassionate. Eliezer’s pra

A depiction of the Hebrews' bondage in Egypt, during which they were forced to make bricks without straw. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Possible Exodus Routes. In black is the traditional Exodus route; other possible routes are in blue and green. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) English: Dura Europos synagogue wall painting showing the Hebrew leaving Egypt : west wall, register A (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Israelites Leaving Egypt (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Is the Biblical Exodus fact or fiction?  This is a loaded question. Although Biblical scholars and archaeologists argue about various aspects of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt , many of them agree that the Exodus occurred in some form or another. The question “Did the Exodus happen” then becomes “ When  did the Exodus happen?” This is another heated question. Although there is much debate, most people settle into two camps: They argue for either a 15th-century B.C.E. or 13th-century B.C.E. date for Israel’s Exo

A depiction of the Hebrews' bondage in Egypt, during which they were forced to make bricks without straw. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Israelites Leaving Egypt (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) A "house altar" (c. 1350 BC) depicting Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three of their daughters. Note Nefertiti wears a crown similar to that depicted on the bust. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Small statue of Ahkenaten wearing the blue crown (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Exodus is so fundamental to us and our Jewish sources that it is embarrassing that there is no evidence outside of the Bible to support it. So we prefer not to talk about it and hate to be asked about it. For the account in the Torah is the basis of our people’s creation, it is the basis of our existence and it is the basis of our important Passover festival and the whole Haggada that we recite on the first evening of this festival of freedom. So that makes archaeologists reluctant to have to tell our brethren

Many years ago, I visited a member of my congregation who told me that she didn’t need to come to our church services because she worshiped God just fine at home. In fact, she reported that she worships with the birds and the trees outside her front door, which certainly isn’t possible in a stuffy room where we sing songs that she doesn’t even like. By staying at home, she got what she wanted. We love to have our individual preferences and desires met, and this craving does not disappear when it comes to worship. The Pharisees , like unfaithful Israel before them, taught “as doctrines the commandments of men” — their individual preferences in worship led God to condemn their practices as “vain” worship (Mark 7:6–8). And when we indulge this craving today, we join the Pharisees ( Matthew 15:1 –9), Israel (Exodus 32; Isaiah 29:13), Saul (1 Samuel 13:8–14), and others whose worship God regarded as worthless, because ultimately, they worshiped by their own desires and not God’s.