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A Pilgrim’s Look Ahead
Leaping from 2022 into the unknown territory of 2023 could be likened to an airline pilot’s anxiety when faced with the necessity of landing a 747 safely in the Alaskan bush. Or, it can be likened to the proverbial “leap in the dark.” Taking leaps of faith challenges all of us as Christians. We know
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Israel Research Trip, Post #12
Hazor Tell el-Qedah (Hazor) is one of the most thoroughly excavated sites in all Israel, joining Megiddo with a similar reputation. The site sits about ten miles north of the Sea of Galilee in a well-watered pass between the Sea of Galilee and the Huleh basin.
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Israel Research Trip, Post #3
Timnaʿ The valley of Timnaʿ sits about 20 miles north of the Gulf of Aqaba. The location stands out for its copper mining operations for at least 5,000 years. Only Spain’s southern region of Rio Tinto can claim such a long history of mining metals.
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Israel Research Trip, Post #2
Tel Arad Arad sits on the southern border of Old Testament Judah along the ancient caravan route to Edom. When Israel first came to Arad, the Canaanites together with the Amalekites withstood their assault and drove the Israelites as far as neighboring Hormah (Numbers 14:44–45; Deuteronomy 1:44).
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Jordan Research Trip, Post #11
This final post reporting on my research trip to Jordan includes two sites we visited on our first day. I’ve done so in order to tie together some of the significance aspects of our visit to Gerasa and our later examination of sites in Israel. Elijah’s Hill / Tell Elias In order to identify sites
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Jordan Research Trip, Post #10
Where should we expect to find the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? I already addressed this matter in part in Post #9 about Lot’s Cave in the vicinity of Zoar. In that post I used the evidence of the biblical text, of toponomy (linguistics of place names), and the Medeba Map. In addition, we
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Jordan Research Trip, Post #9
This particular research trip set as one of its goals the evaluation of three lines of evidence with regard to identifying the locations of Sodom and Gomorrah and attempting to establish chronological timelines: (1) Biblical evidence within the text of Scripture itself as the prima facie evidence;…
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Jordan Research Trip, Post #7
Aroer and the Arnon Gorge Most references in the Old Testament to Aroer occur with reference to a fortress on the edge of the Arnon Gorge known also as Wadi Mujib. Such a location fits “crest of a mountain” as the possible meaning of the name Aroer — another possible meaning would be “juniper,” a
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Jordan Research Trip, Post #6
Peor Geographical details in the account regarding Balaam in Numbers 22–24 provide information identifying the area where Israel camped east of the Jordan River before entering Canaan.
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Jordan Research Trip, Post #5
Medeba Scripture refers to Medeba in lists of cities seized by the Israelites (Numbers 21:30; Joshua 13:9, 16). Joab, during David’s reign, fought the Amorites and Ammonites at Medeba (1 Chronicles 19:6–15).
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Jordan Research Trip, Post #4
Rabbah Ammon / Amman Citadel Today Amman serves as the capital of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan. In ancient times it was known as Rabbah of the Ammonites. In the Hellenistic and Roman periods the city was named Philadelphia (honoring Ptolemy II Philadelphos, ruler of Egypt 285–247 BC).
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Figures of Speech in Bible Translation
The Master’s Seminary, together with the Tyndale Center for Bible Translation, invited me to bring this year’s annual lecture on September 10.
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The Authority of Scripture in the Book of Jeremiah
Introduction Jeremiah “combined the fearlessness of Amos, the loving concern of Hosea, and the stern grandeur of Isaiah.”[1] The Word of God is one of the major themes of the Book of Jeremiah. “‘And those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah few in number.
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Shalom Living for God’s People
In 2014, as part of my participation in the ministries of Abraham Lincoln Foundation of Albania (ALFA), Robb Provost (ministry director) asked me to prepare and present a study about “shalom living” from the Old Testament.
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Messianic Hope and the Gentiles–Thinking Through Romans 15:8-13
Romans 15:8-13 provides us with the apostle Paul’s theology of Messianic hope as founded upon the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible. In this significant text he builds upon the revelation of hope about which he speaks in Romans 15:4.
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Messianic Hope and the Gentiles
Even before the creation of the world (1 Peter 1:17–21), God appointed Christ and His perfect sacrifice as the basis for showing mercy to the Gentiles. Through Christ they could experience hope in spite of being strangers to Israel and not being recipients of God’s covenants with
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Blessing–Even in Affliction
Sometimes our lives seem as fragile as a bluebell clinging to its perch on an ancient chapel’s stone wall. The prophet Jeremiah caught the deep emotional pain disobedient Jerusalem must endure as the Lord brings upon her the covenant curses as discipline.
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My Recommendations: Book of the Week, July 23
In yet another superb ebook, Michael Vlach tackles the issues involved in determining how the New Testament writers use the Old Testament. How Does the New Testament Use the Old Testament?: A Survey of the Major Views examines seven major viewpoints.
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What will happen on September 23, 2017?
Dawn breaks on Saturday, September 23, 2017 . . . then what? Some people will spend the entire day looking upward, awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. Why?
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Blow the Shophar! It’s a New Year!
Share Are you thinking about making any New Year’s resolutions? You know what folk wisdom says about that: “New Year’s resolutions go in one year and out the other.” We all know that most of the leaves we turn over in January have already started to fall by the end of the month.
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What Books Do You Recommend Most Highly?
Everyone who loves books, selects certain books as their favorites. Through 54 years of Christian faith and over 50 years of ministry and study, I have come to appreciate a large number of authors and titles. A full listing remains outside the purpose of this post.
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Royal Priests—Similarity, Not Identity
How is the Church’s priesthood like that exercised by Melchizedek or by believing Israelites? Melchizedek’s functional role joined together kingship and priesthood—his was the first royal priesthood (Genesis 14:18). An echo of Melchizedek’s priesthood occurs when God appoints Isr
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Creation–Peripheral Doctrine?
Is the doctrine of creation a peripheral or secondary (or even tertiary) biblical doctrine? Some scholars opine that instantaneous, miraculous, divine creation as a doctrine should be exchanged for natural evolution.
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≈ ≠ =
This ancient inscription caught my eye as I walked through the Pergamon Museum in Berlin in November 2015. The inscription above the raised hand says, “I am Barrakib, son of Panammu.” King Barrakib ruled in Sam’al (modern Zincirli) in Turkey.
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Works, Words, and Wisdom–Divine and Human
Works, Words, and Wisdom—Divine and Human Psalm 111 by William D. Barrick Commencement Address—Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary May 12, 2016 Introduction A professor had just finished the final lecture for his introductory course in philosophy.
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Salvation in the Old Testament
In the week prior to Resurrection Sunday, the minds and hearts of all born-again believers turn to the marvelous redemptive work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in His sacrificial death.
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Resources for DMin OT Seminars
The following links provide resources that will aid DMin students at The Master’s Seminary in their preparation of some of the assignments required in the OT seminars in January.