God Is Greater

Kaufmann Kohler states in the Jewish Encyclopedia that no language has as many words for “joy” and “rejoicing” as does Hebrew.  In the Old Testament, 13 Hebrew roots – found in 27 different words – are used primarily for some aspect of joy or joyful participation in religious worship. Hebrew religious ritual demonstrates God as […]

In 539 B. C.E., under the leadership of King Cyrus, Persia became the dominant power in the world by defeating the Babylonian empire. After coming to power, Cyrus issued a decree that ended the exile of the Israelites, permitting them to return to their homeland and reestablish the city of Jerusalem.  Though given this opportunity […]

In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankel argued that the “loss of hope and courage can have a deadly effect on a man.”  As a result of his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp, Frankel contended that when a person no longer possesses a motive for living, no future to look forward toward, […]

“I believe in the ‘golden rule,’” a man told me.  “The one who has the gold rules.”  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not have agreed.  Though displaced and subjugated by the Babylonian Empire, these Hebrew boys still understood that there was One more powerful than Nebuchadnezzar – his gold notwithstanding.   Daniel 3 begins with the […]

Vern McLellan has written:  “Drinking is something that makes one lose inhibitions and give exhibitions.”  This was certainly true of King Belshazzar and his merry band of revelers.  After hours of bawdy behavior, Belshazzar lost all sense of decorum.  He ordered his servants to bring out the vessels stolen from the Jerusalem temple by Nebuchadnezzar.  […]