Blog
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On the Road: The Psalms of Ascent
Studies in Psalms 120-134, a set of pilgrimage songs.
Wayside Stops
Reflections prompted by life circumstances.
Holding the Flashlight
Assorted tips and helps for Bible study.
The Book of Daniel
Studies in Daniel 1-7 . . . where my blog began!
Recent Posts
Insomnia, Indigestion, and the Inside Scoop
A grumpy king means trouble for everyone, and in the second chapter of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar is out for blood on account of a bad night’s sleep. Actually, sleep deprivation isn’t the cause of his tirade (though it probably didn’t hurt); it’s what caused the...
Of Xmas and Other X-things
’Tis the season for getting upset about people using “X” in place of “Christ” in “Christmas.” I don’t deny that a good number of people do want to take “Christ” out of “Christmas,” but using “Xmas” isn’t really the way to do it; nor should “Xmas” be a huge issue to...
The Language Puzzle
The second chapter of Daniel marks the beginning of a puzzle that has perplexed students of the Bible for a very long time. It’s not quite as bad as the “puzzles” that plague the dreaming king Nebuchadnezzar in chapters 2 and 4, and it’s definitely not as bad as the...
“Grinch” as a Verb
It was Christmas 1997, and my church singles group was out spreading holiday cheer. On this particular Saturday, we were taking Christmas to a needy family whose name we had received from the local Rescue Mission. We had spent weeks gathering Christmas decorations and...
Basketball and Babylon
Most of the “court tales” we hear these days relate to the NBA and the recent lockout. The book of Daniel certainly features big egos, a bit of sport, and plenty of suspense, but its early chapters tell a completely different kind of court tale than the NBA tells....
Taking Stock
It’s taken only eight weeks to get through Daniel 1. Just wait until we get to chapter 7 (sometime in 2013, if we’re lucky). You ain’t seen nuthin’ yet. Before we turn the page to chapter 2, we’re going to pause and take inventory of what’s happened in chapter 1. It...
Ezekiel Bread, Daniel’s Diet, and Other “Biblical” Food Follies
When I first heard about Ezekiel Bread, I was in the middle of translating the book of Ezekiel for a year-long Ph.D. class. So when my roommate asked if I’d heard of Ezekiel Bread, I had…and I hadn’t. I certainly knew about the bread in the book of Ezekiel (chapter...
Wisdom: Finding the Right Way to Do the Right Thing
I have enough failed resolutions in my life to appreciate the difference between making up my mind to do something and then actually getting it done. Daniel makes up his mind in 1:8 not to eat what the king is serving – but actually keeping his resolution without...
What’s His Beef?
We have barely met Daniel (v.6) before we learn that his name is changed to the more Babylonian appropriate “Belteshazzar,” which probably meant something like “Bel (oh, great Babylonian god!), protect his life!” (v.7). Having informed us of this fact, the narrator...