Dr Paul Allen

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’...

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. ...

In light of the recent execution of 21 Christians and capture of hundreds more in Syria , perhaps it’s time to ask, “Should we be praying the imprecatory psalms against ISIS?” Written in the theocratic context of Israel , when God himself had a throne on earth, these psalms (e.g., Ps. 58 ; 69 ; 109 ) invoke God’s judgment upon Israel’s enemies in terrifying terms (see Ps. 58:8 ). While we profess that all Scripture is profitable ( 2 Tim. 3:16 ), we must carefully consider the ways in which that is true of these psalms. After all, we were once enemies of God ( Col. 1:21-22 ), but are now redeemed and called to love our neighbors ( Luke 10:27 ) and pray for our persecutors ( Matt. 5:44 ; Rom. 12:14 ). May we identify an enemy for divine destruction as the imprecatory psalms do? Can we do so in specific terms or only general ones? Are we not to expect persecution in this age and turn the other cheek ( Mark 13:13 ; Luke 21:17 ; Matt. 5:39 ) as we wait for Christ ’s return ( 2 Cor. 1:5 ...

Rest on the Flight into Egypt by Philipp Otto Runge, 1806 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “ Matthew ’s use of Hosea 11:1 in Matthew 2:15 ″ Matthew 2:14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt . 15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” There are three very difficult problems in this text. 1) First, the verse in Hosea 11:1 is a reference to the exodus of Israel from Egypt. How can Matthew take a historic reference and convert it into prophecy? 2) Second, in Hosea 11:1 the “son” refers to the nation of Israel . But Matthew applies it to an individual. How can he do that? 3) Third, Hosea 11:1 is quoted right at the point where Jesus and His family are about to go into Egypt, not when they leave Egypt. Many modern commentators see this as troubling. Some regard it as a mistake, such that it calls into question the le...

The various statements that are made in the Scriptures in regard to God hardening Pharaoh ’s heart have also perplexed a great many young Christians and have frequently been made use of by unbelievers in their attacks upon the Bible . It is said that if God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and, in consequence of this hardening, Pharaoh rebelled against God, then God Himself was responsible for Pharaoh’s sin, and it was unjust to hold Pharaoh accountable for his rebellion and to punish him for it. In Exodus 4:21 ( RV ) we read: “And the LORD said unto Moses , When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go” (see also Exodus 7:3; 14:4). Now from reading these passages it does seem at the first glance as if there were some ground for criticism of God’s action in this matter, or of the Bible account of it. But when we study carefully exactly what the Bib...