You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. Leviticus 23:15 The seven weeks between Passover and Pentecost are known as the Counting of the Omer. While we usually count down the number of days to an event, this counts up the number of days since Passover. This parallels the growth seen in the grain fields. Reaping a Harvest This is the time of year that the grains in Israel ripen and are harvested. Besides seeing small gardens, if you are like me, your life […]
Author Archive: Brian Johnson
He’s a Wonderful God
I will remember the deeds of the LORD;yes, I will remember your wonders of old.I will ponder all your work,and meditate on your mighty deeds.Your way, O God, is holy.What god is great like our God?You are the God who works wonders;you have made known your might among the peoples.You with your arm redeemed your people,the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah Psalm 77:11-15 When we think of the Passover, one of the big pieces that usually comes to mind is the ten plagues God brought upon Egypt. While we describe them as plagues, God describes them differently when he […]
What God Finds In My Heart
Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me and know my anxious thoughts;And see if there be any hurtful way in me,And lead me in the everlasting way. Psalm 139:23-24 (NASB) We discussed Lent as a season of reflection and repentance a couple of weeks ago. Psalm 139 is a good Psalm to meditate on, asking the Lord is probe us and reveal what needs to change. Search Me The Psalm opens, “O LORD, you have searched me and known me!” (Psalm 139:1). By ending the Psalm with the request to search him, David (the author) comes full circle. […]
Repent, It’s Lent!
Rabbi Eliezer famously taught that one should: “Repent one day before your death.” So his disciples asked him: “Does a person know which day he will die?” Rabbi Eliezer responded: “Certainly, then, a person should repent today, for perhaps tomorrow he will die—so that all his days he is repenting.” (Talmud, Shabbat 153a) We are in a season of repentance called Lent. It began on Wednesday, marking 40 days leading up to Easter (well, actually 46 days because Sundays don’t count). Given that it does not appear in the Bible, where does this practice come from? Origins of Lent The […]
Blessed to Be a Blessing
Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 When God called Abram (later renamed Abraham), one of the key pillars of that calling was Abram being blessed. What […]
Learning to Love
Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. Genesis 24:67 I took a break from this blog for a chunk of 2022. I did not intend for the silence to last so long. What happened? I got married! Please welcome Sara to the team! We got married in August and have been adapting to married life. Isaac Loved Rebecca The passage quoted above ends a long chapter about Abraham’s servant going to fetch a wife for Isaac. […]
When Shepherds Encounter God’s Army
God has many titles/names. One of those is Yahweh Tzavot, which occurs 240 times in the Hebrew Bible along with other variations. What does this title mean? You and What Army? The word tzavot is the plural of tzava (צָבָא), which means an army or a large host/horde. While it often is attached to God, it also commonly describes earthly armies. For example, Abner was the commander of Saul’s army/tzava (1 Samuel 14:50, 26:5), and Joab was over David’s army (2 Samuel 8:16). Those serving at the tabernacle were considered to be in a tzava (Numbers 4:3), i.e. in God’s […]
Habakkuk: Embracing God in Faith
We have finished the little book of Habakkuk! If you have read through this blog, I hope you have tasted some of its richness. In the introduction, we noted Habakkuk’s name comes from the Hebrew word meaning to embrace. What can we embrace from his little book? Some Takeaways Habakkuk was not afraid to ask God hard questions. As a result of his questioning, God answered him! Are we willing to ask God anything? How often do we miss out because we did not ask? Do we cry out to God about the injustice and suffering in this world? How […]
Habakkuk: The Way of the Deer
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;he makes my feet like the deer’s;he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord is Habakkuk’s strength, especially in the tumultuous times coming. He ends his song with a comparison to a deer walking on high places. Feet of a Deer Habakkuk says God makes his feed like a deer. What does that mean? I have deer that live in the forests near me. In the winter I’ve even seen their tracks in my yard. If you look at their prints, you’ll notice the imprint […]
Habakkuk: The Strength to Go On
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;he makes my feet like the deer’s;he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Habakkuk 3:19 Habakkuk heard the Lord speak about the terrible times coming. Despite that, he still rejoices in God. The prophet declares God to be his strength. A Source of Strength There are multiple Hebrew words that are translated as strength, each with its own nuance. The word ko’ach is the most common. This is not the term used here, however. Habakkuk describes God as his chayil (חַיִל). This word appears in English as a […]