Large snowy mountains with stars above them

And God Said…

Genesis chapter 1 has got to be the most-read chapter in all of the Bible. I say that with a complete lack of any kind of objective data, but with a strong hunch that it’s correct. Just think about it. When someone who isn’t schooled up on the Christian faith says, “I want to understand…

Fading city graphic

Dual Citizen

Alaska is a very transient place, and there’s about a 50/50 chance that when you meet someone new, they’re either going to be a life-long Alaskan or a transplant from somewhere else. That ratio might look a lot different in a place like rural Iowa or Montana, and it will surely look different in a…

Man throwing a medicine ball at the wall

Do Work!    

 I am not known for being very up to date on the latest trends, fashion, or slang words.  Basically, I don’t even try to fit in with my adult children in this regard for which they are very grateful.  Let’s face it, the only thing worse than an old guy not being tuned into current…

Lots of Bibles

The Old Testament Literary Gap

Well, at last I’ve returned from a much-needed getaway with my family—one which turned out to be a week longer than originally intended. Despite the hiccups of travel that seem to come around this time of year, I’m back and ready to finish us this discussion of the Old Testament and the various gaps that…

Jerusalem

The Old Testament Historical Gap

We’re continuing to look at the OT and the gaps that exist between us and the text that need to be bridged so that we may reach a proper interpretation of an Old Testament text. As a reminder, here’s the gaps we’ve talking about: The Familiarity Gap The Language Gap The Geography Gap The Culture…

Shepard herding sheep

The Old Testament Cultural Gap

I have experienced a number of embarrassing moments in my life. But one particular episode stands out because of its relevance to today’s topic of culture. I’ve written in a previous post a while back about some time I spent on mission in Ethiopia. During my time there, I had the privilege of meeting a…

Map of Middle East with a Compass pointing East

The Old Testament Geography Gap

Let me begin by wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving, one filled with gratitude, humility, fellowship, and stuffing (because after all, isn’t stuffing the best part of the Thanksgiving meal? That’s really not a question but a statement of fact). I took a much-needed hiatus last week to deal with the craziness that comes at…

diagram with words

The Old Testament Language Gap

May 17, 2008 was a big day for me. It was the day I left the label “bachelor” behind and entered the domain of marriage, never to look back. Everything about that day was exciting. Natasha and I spent the first half of the day apart, ironically, but the nervous butterflies freely flapped their wings…

Silhouette of man jumping from one rock to another

Mind the Old Testament Gap

I have only been to London once. Well, I guess if you count a layover in Heathrow as time in London, then I’ve been there twice. But if you’re one of those people who insist that it only counts if you leave the airport, then I’ve only been to London once. The reality is that…