The Attributes of God:

Devastating Judgment and Outrageous Grace  Hosea 1-5 “I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face: In their affliction, they will earnestly seek Me.” (Hosea 5:15)                   Hosea ministered during a time when the northern tribes of Israel and the southern tribes of Judah were beginning to become entrenched in their worship of Baal, the chief god of the Canaanites. It was a time when Assyria was rising to power and starting to pose a genuine threat to Israel. As a result, they faced the threat of war and uncertainty. We see the same thing in our country today. There is growing apprehension and fear that our nation is on the brink of disaster. We fear the uncertainty of our geopolitical world. Even though our economy is doing well, there is apprehension that economic disaster is just around the corner. We see an increase in natural disasters ...

Examining our Lives in Light of the Certainty of God’s Word. Daniel 9-12 “Therefore, the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” Chapters 9-12 of Daniel are remarkable for several reasons. First, Daniel is given a prophecy that accurately describes the history from his day to the arrival of the Messiah. In chapter 9, Daniel describes 70 prophetic weeks that will come. The first 69 weeks (each consisting of a 7-year period) point us to the arrival of the Messiah. Determining the exact starting point of the 69 weeks has led to two views. The first is that the 69 weeks begin with the decree of Nehemiah in 450 BC. If this date is correct, then the 483 years predicted by the prophecy culminate in the triumphant entry of Christ into the city of Jerusalem. The 2 nd  view is that the 69 weeks begin with Ezra in 457 BC. In this case, the first 7 weeks would...

Hope when times become Dark Daniel 6-8 “And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve him.”                   When Nebuchadnezzar was restored to power after God humbled him, it was a time of blessing and prosperity for the people of Israel.  While we do not know for certain, Nebuchadnezzar’s confession in 4:34-35 would seem to indicate that he became a genuine follower of the God of Israel.  With his proclamation, the worship of the God of Israel was elevated to the high level of blessing and approval.  With the proclamation, the Jews must have rejoiced, for it seems as if their misfortune of the exile was turning around.  However, after Nebuchadnezzar’s death, Belshazzar took power. Rather than affirming the worship of the God of Israel, he openly mocked God.  It was a t...

The God Who is Sovereign Daniel 1-5 “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding.”                   We are living in a time of fear and political upheaval.  The geo-political climate seems to be marred by fear and uncertainty.  People, even Christians, live in fear that the wrong party will be elected and will lead the nation to destruction, so we look for a political leader who can bring hope, stability, and justice to the world.  The greatest threat to the national health and stability is not the party elected, or the party defeated; the greatest threat is our trust in humanity to solve the national and global problems and uncertainties.  We continue to look for political solutions to a world that is plagued by spiritual problems.  We...

A Future Dwelling Place of God Ezekiel 41-48 “The City shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The Lord is There.” (48:35)                   At first glance, it seems that Ezekiel 41-48 is just a restatement of the temple and the sacrificial system described in Leviticus. However, when we examine the passage more closely, the description of the temple and its measurements does not match any of the temples built in Jerusalem throughout history.  Its design and dimensions do not match the temples built by Solomon, Zerubbabel, or Herod. Furthermore, while the worship procedures described have parallels with the worship set forth in the Mosaic law, there are also significant differences.  Likewise, the geographic descriptions of the tribal allotments and the river that flows from the temple do not fit any of the past or present geography...

God’s redemptive Power Ezekiel 36-40 “Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people.  I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land.  Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it.”                   Chapters 36-37 provide a profound insight into the power of God and also one of the most debated passages in the book.  The question is not about the reality of the fulfillment, but the nature and timing of the fulfillment. Some believe this restoration was fulfilled when Israel was restored under Ezra and Nehemiah.  Others believe (including myself) that the prophecy will find its ultimate fulfillment during the Millennial reign of Christ.  The nature and extent of this restoration best point us to a ti...