Tag Archives: ANE

Anti-Activism

It’s a question of dominion. You and I are permitted to take assertive action only within the boundaries of covenant. When it comes to social and political issues, the prevailing applicable covenant is Noah’s. We could easily get lost hashing … Continue reading

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Psalm 104

This is another of those soaring lyrical songs that is impossible to summarize. What may not be obvious is that we have ample examples from other cultures across the whole region and in different millennia of the Ancient Near East … Continue reading

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Keep It in the Heart

The Ancient Near East in general, and the Hebrew people in particular, bore an ancient legacy of the heart-mind. While it’s obvious not everyone was heart-led, it is also obvious that Scripture took seriously the existence of the heart-mind as … Continue reading

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Ditch the Systematic Theology

“What must I do to be saved?” We see this question from the Philippian Jailer in Acts 16:30. The question itself arose from Greek culture. It became a figure of speech, so the actual meaning varies with the context. It … Continue reading

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Heart-led Parables

Our mysticism is not as their mysticism. One of the most confusing things we deal with is a vast legacy of Western-style mysticism. The Western version remains cerebral; it does not target a heart-led understanding. Instead, there is some nebulous … Continue reading

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What the Hell?

Some of you get it, but it seems there is enough confusion that I need to restate things for clarity. I use the English word “Hell.” If you have been paying attention, you’ll notice I use it in the vernacular … Continue reading

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People Who Want to Hear

My son drove me to the VA yesterday and accompanied me to the various appointments scheduled that day. As you might expect, a hospital like the OKC VA Medical Center is loaded with atypical people. These are not your average … Continue reading

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Psalm 99

While this is another coronation song, it’s not something you read and them meditate. You should jump up, shout and sing, run around in circles and do cartwheels. We poorly grasp the kind of genuine enthusiasm that saw people do … Continue reading

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Logical Odds and Ends

A couple of recent comments and some offline conversation seem to call for a fresh attempt to explain a couple of items. Ancient Near East (ANE) — We are not ANE. We harken back to that collection of civilizations because … Continue reading

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Bible History Note: Invasions

What we see in the Bible as historical narrative is hardly the only thing happening in those places at that time. There is a wealth of historical background that the writers assumed readers would know. They wrote for their own … Continue reading

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