Category: Bible Insights

Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.

The Implications of Omnipresence

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 25, 2010

The entry “Omni God” mentioned that, among other things, God is “omnipresent.” This means that God is present everywhere or that he exists in all places, at all times.

This is a grand and awesome concept, to realize that God simultaneously exists everywhere. It is huge, immense, and at times a bit overwhelming. Sometimes this reality makes me feel small and insignificant.

However, if God is everywhere, then he is also here, right now. His omnipresent reality allows him to be here with me and to be with you—wherever you may be and whenever you may be there.

Yes, God’s omnipresence is big and grand and all-encompassing; it also means that he is intimate and personal and readily accessible.

God may be big, but he’s also here, right now, for each of us.

[Also see “The Implications of Omniscience” and “The Implications of Omnipotence”]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags awesome, God, omnipresent

Bible Insights

God’s Love For Us Is Awesome

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 21, 2010

The word love is overused and misused. Consider the following:

I love my wife.
I love my house.
I love pizza.
I love that movie.
I love to take nature walks.
I’d love to attend.

Love, then, can mean anything from complete devotion to a slight preference—and everywhere in between. As such, when love is used, it takes on a vague connotation, expressing a feeling that is open to wide interpretations.

Another overused and misused word is awesome. Its usage also takes on a full gambit of meaning, from being completely amazed to expressing a slight preference.

Awesome literally means to be worthy of awe. Awe is defined as an inspired mixture of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder.

Given that, it seems to be that only God is truly worthy of our awe—and therefore only God is awesome.

Couple true awesomeness with the ultimate, perfect form of love and one could conclude that God’s love for us is awesome!

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Tags awesome, God is love, love

Bible Insights

Jesus’s Disciples Have Two Swords

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 2, 2010

They Carried Weapons

In the Bible, Dr. Luke records the scene: Jesus is eating his final meal with his followers. He is sharing some parting words when he makes a perplexing remark about buying swords. His disciples matter-of-factly reply that they have two swords.

Did you catch that? Jesus’ disciples carry swords.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never envisioned Jesus’ band of followers as wielding weapons.

Although I’ve seen many paintings of them, along with many more movies, never once did I notice a disciple with a saber strapped at his waist.

The whole idea seems a bit shocking, yet at a time when Jesus tells them to get a sword, they already have two swords.

If I were picking people to start a spiritual movement with, I’d certainly eliminate anyone brandishing a blade.

Yet, Jesus’ criteria is different. He accepts his followers as they are—with issues, baggage, problem—and with two swords.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 22-24, and today’s post is on Luke 22:35-38.]

Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Jesus

Bible Insights

Which Gospel Should I Read?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date December 22, 2009

The Bible contains four separate accounts of the life of Jesus. They are biographies of Jesus, which we call Gospels. The question is often asked, “Which one should I read first?”

That is a hard to answer, as each one has its own strengths.

Matthew

The Gospel written by Matthew does much to connect Jewish history and understanding to the life of Jesus.

It is great as a bridge from the old to new testaments of the Bible and for those interested in better seeing the connections between Judaism and Christianity (and the connection is strong and significant).

Mark

The Gospel written by Mark is the shortest and most concise. It is a great source to quickly gain an essential understanding of who Jesus is and what he did.

Luke

The Gospel written by Dr Luke contains details and information not included by Matthew and Mark, serving to nicely round out and fill in our understanding of Jesus.

The second chapter of Luke contains the familiar Christmas story of Jesus’ birth.

Even if you’ve never read Luke, you have likely heard the Christmas story, as recited by Linus in the popular animated TV special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

John

Last, but not least, is the Gospel written by John. It contains more unique content than the other three accounts. John was a disciple of Jesus and part of the inner circle, so he was an eyewitness to what he recorded.

His writing is poetic in nature and is great for those who want to mull over and contemplate what he says (and conversely frustrating for readers in a hurry).

Each account has its particular purpose and strength. Pick the one that seems best for you to read first—then read the other three!

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Bible Insights

Jesus Was Homeless

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date December 15, 2009

In this Christmas season our thoughts turn more intentionally and more frequently to Jesus, the reason for this annual celebration.

In consideration of the first Christmas, my thoughts are warm and cozy, happy and joyous, and idyllic and serene, with angels singing, kings bearing gifts, and happily contented shepherds shepherding.

This is all true, but one reality is often overlooked.

Jesus was homeless.

Jesus was born in someone else’s barn, amid unsanitary conditions and with the stench of animal feces permeating the air. It seems unholy and unworthy, but that’s how it was.

Not only was Jesus born homeless, his early childhood was homeless as well, living an intenerate life as his parents fled to Egypt to save him from a premature execution.

Even when it was safe to return, they did not go to their hometown, but instead settled in Nazareth.

His ministry has also marked by homelessness, traveling from place to place with no home or a “place to lay his head.” So it was when he was arrested, tried, and executed: homeless.

With this in mind, wouldn’t Christmas be a great time to do something in memory of him for the homeless?

[Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 2:1-23, Luke 9:58]

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Bible Insights

Jabez Was More Righteous Than His Brothers

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 11, 2009

One final reflection on the prayer of Jabez.

In the scant bio for Jabez, it describes him as a good man, saying he “was more righteous than his brothers.”

Righteous is a word that we don’t use too often nowadays, but means to be morally upright. Jabez then was a good, morally upright person.

Now, consider that characteristic with the final phrase in this passage, “So God granted him what he requested.”

That begs the question of causality. Did God give Jabez what he asked for because Jabez was good or was Jabez good because God gave him what he asked for?

The answer, I suspect is “yes”—to both questions—which certainly gives us something to contemplate in respect to our prayers and relationship to God.

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV]

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Bible Insights

God Answers Jabez’s Prayer

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 9, 2009

After Jabez’s short and concise prayer comes encouraging words of confirmation and affirmation.The Bible simply notes that “God granted him what he requested.” How exciting!

Although I don’t know the mind of God, I suspect that had Jabez made his requests for selfish reasons, the results may have been different.

Indeed this is something to consider in our own prayers. If we see things through God’s perspective and pray accordingly, the outcome will likely be different than when we selfishly give God our list of “gimmes.”

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV]

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Bible Insights

Jabez Asks God: Not Cause Pain/Do Good

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 6, 2009

The fifth and final line in Jabez’s prayer is

“that I may not cause pain.”

At first glance this is an unclear and somewhat wordy request. However, it can be reworded for clarity. To not cause pain, is simply to do good.

Here Jabez is reminding himself—as much as he is telling God—that the purpose of his prayer is not self-serving or self-centered, but to do good for others.

Indeed, his first two requests address this desire directly, while the next two are to provide for help and protection in doing so.

His motives are pure and his intentions are good. His prayer’s conclusion confirms that.

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV]

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Bible Insights

Jabez Asks God: Keep Me From Evil

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 4, 2009

The fourth line in Jabez’s prayer is: “that you would keep me from evil”

If this request sounds vaguely familiar, there is good reason. In the best known prayer in the Bible, often called “The Lord’s Prayer,” there is the line “deliver us from the evil one.”

Just as Jesus taught his followers to pray, Jabez is doing the same, asking for protection from the attacks of the devil.

Remember that Jabez has just asked for more blessings to bless others and for more opportunities to help others. The devil, opposing both those initiatives, will go after anyone attempting to do so.

This is why Jabez next asked for God’s help, following it with this request for protection.

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV, Matthew 6:13 NIV]

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Bible Insights

Jabez Asks God: Enlarge My Territory

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date October 30, 2009

After Jabez asks for blessings so that he could be a blessing to others, he then adds:

“and enlarge my territory”

In Bible times, territory meant power via increased authority, responsibility, and influence.

As, such, a request for “more territory” is not a petition for more “stuff,” as much as a metaphor implying greater authority, responsibility, and influence.

Again, this is for the purpose of benevolence, to help and aid others, not to be used selfishly or for personal gain.

Jabez wanted to have greater authority to assist those in need of an advocate, to be responsible to aid those who were less fortunate, and to positively influence his culture.

That is the good and proper use of power—and Jabez asked God to give it to him.

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10]

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