Month: June 2020

The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the LORD has truly sent the prophet [Jeremiah 28:8-9]. During the long, liturgical season between Trinity Sunday (the Sunday after Pentecost) and “Christ the King” Sunday (the Sunday before the Season of Advent), the weekly readings appointed by the Lectionary are more loosely tied together than during other periods of the church year. That factor may allow us to dip our toes into some OT lessons that we…

When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob  [Genesis 21:15-16, NRSV]. Some members of my Carolina Arbors Bible study classes and I have a standing chuckle. Perhaps you share it. It’s this: The story of Yahweh’s walk with Adam and Eve, with Abraham and Sarah, with Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, not to mention the later stories surrounding Saul and David, et al., are told “warts and all.” The OT doesn’t soft-pedal.…

The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the LORD? At the time set I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son” [Genesis 18:13-14]. One of the dominant stories contained in Genesis is that of Abram and Sarai, a/k/a Abraham and Sarah. Even without a Bible in our hands, most of us know at least the high points. Abram and Sarai are good people, deeply respected by their extended family and others. Yet they have a significant problem. We see it immediately when we are…

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image to resemble us ….” So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” [Genesis 1:26-27, NRSV, emphasis added]. For the swath of Christians who follow the church’s (rather than “Caesar’s”) calendar, this Sunday — the first following Pentecost — is designated as Trinity Sunday. Appointing an OT reading for this week is a bit of a challenge for the Lectionary. How does one choose an OT passage for a church doctrine that would not officially manifest itself until 325 A.D.? Indeed, the word “Trinity,” first used in its…