Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.
See God at work in the Babylonian King’s Life When I consider Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, I think of an evil man who killed countless people and plundered the nations he conquered. Yet, despite his many shortfalls, I wonder if God views him differently. Jeremiah quotes the Lord as calling Nebuchadnezzar “my servant.” God […]
Psalm 190 from Beyond Psalm 150 This psalm takes us on a roller coaster of emotions. It opens with an inspiring promise to tell others about Yahweh, praising him in the process. The second portion delves into the people’s past rebellion and God’s subsequent rescue. This seems like an ideal place to end this psalm, […]
The Righteous Walk in God’s Ways, While the Rebellious Trip Over His Words As the prophecy of Hosea winds down he urges Israel (and us) to turn from our shortcomings and return to God. When we do this, blessing will follow: blessings for us and for others through us. Once again, we have this concept […]
Daniel’s Three Friends When Babylon conquers Judah, Daniel and his three friends—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—are seized. They’re deported to Babylon. Their names may be unfamiliar to you. That’s because this trio is better known by the names given to them by their captors: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We read of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego only […]
Psalm 189 from Beyond Psalm 150 This is another passage of mixed genres. It reads very much as a psalm, but it also contains prophecy, as well as direct quotes from God. Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and […]
Two Complaints to God and a Prayer Following Zephaniah by a few years is Habakkuk. He is the only person named Habakkuk in the Bible, and he only appears in his book of prophecy. His ministry overlaps Jeremiah’s and most of Obadiah’s. He prophesies just before Judah’s fall to Babylon. Unlike the other prophets’ writings, […]
Psalm 188 from Beyond Psalm 150 Though some Psalms quote God, such as Psalms 12, 68, 91, and 110, his direct words are few and fit into the author’s overall poetic arc. Isaiah 42 is the opposite, with Isaiah’s few words connecting many verses from God. In this case, we’ll consider only Isaiah’s own words. […]
Criticizes Edom for its Pride The Bible has nine men with the name Obadiah, but the prophet is the best known among them. Overlapping Habakkuk and following him is Obadiah. His one-chapter book in the Bible records what God reveals to him in a vision. He likely lives in Judah. His prophecy addresses the nation […]
Psalm 187 from Beyond Psalm 150 Several of the Psalms have prophetic elements. This passage is an example of prophecy that reads like a psalm. Here is Isaiah’s prophetic psalm: The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.Every […]
Pursue Justice for the Oppressed, Widows, and Orphans A short passage in the book of Isaiah warns against those who make unjust laws to deprive the marginalized of their rights. Isaiah targets the lawmakers. In doing so, he seeks to protect the oppressed, widows, and orphans. He calls us to pursue justice. But this isn’t […]