tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9112439593032667008.post6176667211312085630..comments2023-04-22T12:31:37.714-07:00Comments on Blogging the Bible: March 29Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063678082377147197noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9112439593032667008.post-55321298598523877612010-03-29T11:19:29.132-07:002010-03-29T11:19:29.132-07:00OT:
Interesting point about the carrot/stick thin...OT:<br /><br />Interesting point about the carrot/stick thing.<br /><br />I think that the people would, literally, physically, get all of the happy blessings God promised, but that would have been dependent on ALL of the people doing what they were supposed to do. I'm not sure that ever really happened (okay, maybe a few times, very briefly). So, our "poor David" didn't stand a chance.<br /><br />Something in verse 2 of chapter 12 caught my attention: "When you drive out the nations that live there, you must destroy all the places where they worship their gods--high on the mountains, up on the hills, and under every green tree." I read in a book (that semi-New Age book I told you about, so it is, of course, not entirely reliable) that really high places (like mountains and hills) and heavily veggetated places (like where there are trees) are areas where, basically, it is easier to tap into the spiritual world. I'm not sure what to think about that, but it seems like (based on my own observations and on what little I know of ancient religions) there could be something to it. After all, even God's prophets (Moses, Elijah, etc.) had "mountaintop experiences" where they encountered God. Jesus was even crucified on a hill. I don't know. It's all pretty mysterious, but I think there's something going on there.<br /><br />NT:<br /><br />Interesting that fear was the reaction in both cases. I wonder what Jesus would have wanted the guys in the boat to do. Apparently, they acted out of little faith. What would much faith have looked like?<br /><br />Jesus told the man who has been possessed to "go back to [his] family and tell them <i>all</i> the wonderful things God [had] done for [him]." Then it says that "he went all through the city telling them about the great <i>thing</i> Jesus had done for him." Maybe this is just a weirdness with my version, but it sounds like Jesus was talking about blessings (plural) while the man was thinking of a blessing (singular). I wonder what the other "wonderful things" were. I also wonder why Jesus doesn't specifically say that this man's sins are forgiven like he does in a lot of cases.<br /><br />Psalms:<br /><br />"For the choir director: A psalm of David, to bring us to the Lord's remembrance." Does God really need to be reminded of our troubles, or is it just that we need to acknowledge that God is the one who saves us?<br /><br />Proverbs:<br /><br />Ditto what you said.beksterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15724637942561747185noreply@blogger.com