Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.
Psalm 179 from Beyond Psalm 150 The book of Job records dialogue between Job and his four friends. Each one offers him their perspective on the situation—through their limited theology. To varying degrees, all four assert that Job’s downfall is either his fault or God’s doing. Job disagrees, maintains his innocence, and proclaims God’s blamelessness. […]
The Bible is Full of Surprising Verses That We Will Do Well to Explore Sometimes I see things that surprise me when I read the Bible—things I think shouldn’t be there. One example is when God tells Jeremiah to not pray for the people of Judah. Wait, isn’t Judah part of God’s chosen people? Yes, […]
Christ Means Messiah and Isn’t His Last Name To hear many people talk about Jesus, they act as though Christ is his last name, as in Jesus Christ. It is not. It’s actually a descriptor. Reinforcing this confusion is that many versions of the Bible often say Jesus Christ. The Messiah Christ means Messiah. Jesus […]
Psalm 178 from Beyond Psalm 150 Granted limited authorization by God, Satan afflicts Job, taking away his possessions and killing all ten of his children. Job humbles himself—tearing his robe and shaving his head. He falls to the ground and worships the Almighty. From the angst of his pain, he succinctly summarizes the arc of […]
Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly, and Hope in and Wait on God As the prophet Micah gives a series of stinging rebukes against the nations of Israel and Judah, he takes a pause for some personal reflection. As if keeping a journal, he wonders how he should approach God. With reverence, with offerings, with […]
Psalm 177 from Beyond Psalm 150 In addition to Mordecai’s psalm-like prayer, the expanded version of the book of Esther also records Esther’s psalm of petition. In it she humbles herself, confesses the sins of her people, and respectfully pleads for God’s deliverance. O my Lord, you alone are our king. Help me. I am […]
To Discover WWJD We Need Only Look at What the Bible Says Jesus goes to the synagogue in his hometown to worship God with his family and friends. It’s his turn to read scripture and the day’s scheduled passage is from Isaiah. It’s a prophecy—about Jesus. After he reads it, he simply confirms that he […]
Today is the fourth of July. Everywhere in the world, it’s the fourth of July. In the United States of America, however, it’s a special one. It’s the Fourth of July, a national holiday, officially known as Independence Day. It’s the day we celebrate our freedom as a country. Freedom is important to Jesus too. […]
Psalm 176 from Beyond Psalm 150 There are two versions of the book of Esther. The shorter version, found in most—but not all—Protestant Bibles, is based on the traditional Hebrew text. The expanded version of Esther, found in most other Bibles, contains five additional passages as found in the Septuagint, the collection of Scriptures commonly […]
Look to the Wellbeing of Others and Not Focus on Ourselves In Isaiah 39 we read a prophecy given to King Hezekiah by Isaiah. This occurs after Hezekiah does something foolish. He graciously receives envoys from the powerful behemoth, Babylon. Not only does he show off his nation’s wealth, he also provides his enemies one […]