Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.
Cornelius is a commander in the Roman army; he’s also a man of faith, who prays often and gives to the poor. One day, during his afternoon prayers, he has a vision. An angel appears to him and says that God has received his prayers and gifts as a memorial offering. Imagine that. God sees […]
Take a Look at Prayer from the Almighty’s Perspective In the post, The Implications of Omnipotence, I noted that there is nothing that an all-powerful God can’t do, yet, not every prayer is answered—at least not the way we think it should be. Let’s consider how God answers prayer. Before we criticize God, however, consider: […]
Jesus shared a story (parable) about forgiving others. Jesus’ illustration was prompted by Peter, who asked if forgiving someone seven times was enough; Peter thought seven times was generous. Jesus upped the figure considerably, saying seventy-seven times. We don’t take this amount literally, instead understanding that Jesus really meant we need to forgive others “more […]
Psalm 164 from Beyond Psalm 150 After a fatal first attempt to move the ark of God (1 Chronicles 13:3–14), David successfully brings the ark of God into Jerusalem and places it inside the tent he has prepared for it. David then gives offerings to God and appoints Levites—including Asaph— to lead worship. The Bible credits Asaph […]
Consider This Popular Bible Story in Today’s Context In the book of Mark, there is the story of Jesus sending out his disciples to borrow a donkey for him to ride into Jerusalem. When this request is considered in a modern context, what he asked them to do is even more astounding. It would be […]
Psalm 163 from Beyond Psalm 150 Abner is captain of Saul’s army and initially opposes David. Later, he switches his allegiance. Nevertheless, Joab, the leader of David’s army, kills Abner to avenge his brother’s death. David weeps for Abner and sings this lament. Should Abner die as a fool dies? Your hands weren’t bound, and your […]
Our Reason for Doing Good Shouldn’t Be for Recognition but Because It’s the Right Thing to Do Mordecai, a noble man, raises his orphaned cousin, Esther. Mordecai’s nemesis is Haman. Though Haman has everything going for him, he doesn’t enjoy it. This is because Mordecai refuses to give Haman the respect he thinks he deserves. […]
Psalm 162 from Beyond Psalm 150 Though Samuel has already anointed David as king, Saul continues to rule. David could move to seize the throne, but instead he patiently waits for God’s timing. As he does, he respects Saul’s authority as the reigning king. David also forms a tight bond with Saul’s son Jonathan. When […]
To Deserve a Good Shepherd, We Must Be Good Sheep Zachariah isn’t one of the better-known Old Testament prophets, and we don’t often read his book in the Bible, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore it. A reoccurring theme in Zachariah’s writing is a shepherd and his sheep, about bad shepherds and bad flocks. […]
Psalm 161 from Beyond Psalm 150 Hannah lives a difficult life. First, she must share her husband’s affections with another woman. Second, Hannah is childless, while her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, isn’t. And Peninnah repeatedly mocks Hannah for her infertility. Despite his love for her, Hannah’s husband dismisses her pain over being childless. He doesn’t […]