Psalm 196 from Beyond Psalm 150 As we move forward in the progression of these five psalms of lament, the fourth poem centers on God’s anger—or the perception of his anger. It’s a heart-wrenching recitation of the outcome of God’s wrath. How the gold has become dim! The most pure gold has changed!The stones of […]
God Loves Us and His Favor Lasts a Lifetime The book of Psalms gives us glimpses into God’s character and his love for us. Though some people view God, as portrayed in the Old Testament, as angry and vengeful, a more careful read gives us a different perspective. We see his love and his patience; […]
Father God Is the Star of the Old Testament; It Explains His Expectations and Shows His Care The story arc in the Bible is God’s relationship to us: the creator and his creation. Most people of faith—the Christian faith, that is—understand God as Trinity, as three persons in one: the Father, the Son, and the […]
Reading through the book of Judges, a cycle quickly emerges: the people turn away from God, he sends a leader to rescue them, and then they return to him. This pattern continues, albeit to a lesser extent, in the books of Kings and Chronicles. With endless patience, God offers them second chances. This abruptly changes […]
The phrase “the Lord’s anger” occurs 29 times in the Bible. Is God an angry god, frequently mad at us for messing up? Does he enjoy punishing those who disappoint him? The answer is no. This phrase only appears in the Old Testament of the Bible (before Jesus) but not at all in the New […]