Psalm 74 Dear RTB’ers, Truly, this Psalm shocked me! In my head I see all the Psalms (or any one Psalm) as Davidic psalms, with words of persecution and deliverance, with laments, with praise. But here the psalmist is telling us a story, recounting details of the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians: They set …
Author Archives: Fred
May 13 / Psalm 73
Psalm 73 Dear RTB’ers, It’s been a while since we’ve been in the Psalms – more than eight months, in fact. Back then we had finished Book 2 of the Psalms. Many (most?) of the Psalms in Book 2 had been written by David. You may recall that many of his psalms were written when …
May 12 / Ezekiel 31-32
Ezekiel 31-32 Dear RTB’ers, Today, three more oracles against Egypt (see Ez. 31:1, 32:1, 32:17) and a lament (Ez. 32:2, ff.). The first oracle is unusual. The Lord through Ezekiel uses an allegory, telling a story of Assyria as a great cedar tree which had fallen and gone to ruin: Therefore this is what the …
May 11 / Ezekiel 29-30
Ezekiel 29-30 Dear RTB’ers, Today, an oracle against Egypt (chapter 29) and a lament for her (chapter 30). The oracle against Egypt is different from other oracles in three ways. First, the Lord says that Egypt will recover: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they …
May 10 / Ezekiel 27-28
Ezekiel 27-28 Dear RTB’ers, Except for the last six verses in the second chapter, it’s all about Tyre today. The first chapter is a straightforward lament. Tyre is described as a beautiful ship, and the splendor of her trade with dozens of cities and nations is recounted – until the ship and its cargo are …
May 9 / Ezekiel 25-26
Ezekiel 25-26 Dear RTB’ers, Today, oracles against Ammon, Moab, Edom (Seir), Philistia, and Tyre. We’ll also see God railing against Sidon and Egypt in the next six chapters. The essence of God’s judgment is that these nations cheered when they saw destruction fall upon Jerusalem and Judah. Here are two samplings of His justification: Thus …
May 8 / Ezekiel 24
Ezekiel 24 Dear RTB’ers, Each of the last two days I have posted a closing: I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it. (v. 17:24b) Today the Lord speaks these words even more emphatically: I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I …
May 7 / Ezekiel 23
Ezekiel 23 Dear RTB’ers, Today, what a horrible chapter! I often ask us to put ourselves into the story. Not today! Not to be around either Oholah or Oholibah, or the Egyptians, Assyrians, or Babylonians. Nothing redeeming in this chapter…!! It’s all the Lord’s judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem. I couldn’t even find a verse …
May 6 / Ezekiel 22
Ezekiel 22 Dear RTB’ers, In previous chapters we have seen God’s plans for judgment on Jerusalem, Judah, and its inhabitants, but we have not seen much in the way of details of their wrongdoings, other than idol worship. God, through Ezekiel corrects that omission today, with a listing of their many evils. Here’s a short …
May 5 / Ezekiel 20:45-21:32
Ezekiel 20:45-21:32 Dear RTB’ers, Prophesies today against the Negev (the southern part of Judah along its southern border), Jerusalem, and Ammon. Again STS offers some good explanations. …this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban and take off the crown; this will no longer be the same. Exalt that which is low, and …