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Don’t Take Things So Literal First, this will probably be shorter than normal. I’m vacationing in San Diego, listing to the crashing of waves on a bright sunny morning. The Book of Joel contains many of the prophecies surrounding the Second Coming of the Lord and describes events prior to and after it. The language […]

We have all heard the children’s rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” This idiom effectively teaches young people to ignore or at least deal with hurtful speech. While this strategy for deflecting verbal bullying puts into perspective the weight we give to the words of others, it

Mysteries, Speculation, and Reality The description of Ezekiel’s prophetic calling is singular and strange. What kind of language do you use to articulate a vision of God in his element? There is nothing on earth to compare to the glory of God and his workings, which leaves a description impossible. What are we to make

Tear It All Down and Start Over The prophet Jeremiah was given the commission from the Lord “to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down” and then to “build and plant.” Because Israel had become so corrupt and had lost sight of the purpose of the covenants that they celebrated with empty ceremonies

Solid As a Rock I have been thinking for several years about how the events of the Savior’s second coming will play out. The images portrayed in the scriptures are filled with symbolic representations of seemingly impossibly strong things being utterly destroyed or changed. It isn’t easy to imagine how powerful institutions will be taken

Seeking God When I read the scriptures, I usually find at least one verse that stimulates a series of thoughts which helps me make sense of things I observe in individuals and the world. This week is no exception. Isaiah 65:1 is the verse for this week. It reads, “I am sought of them that

The Glory of God And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:5) This is the verse that set in motion the thoughts for today. It is well known and familiar, especially if you have sung or

Prophecy Today I want to talk about prophecy because understanding it is challenging for many of us, especially reading Isaiah. If you are like me, you wonder if you interpret it correctly. I don’t pretend to know everything Isaiah is saying for many reasons. The main reason is that I am unfamiliar with the culture

Unconscious Apostasy Chapter one of Isaiah is the Lord’s commentary on the state of the people of Israel. There is no doubt that he is not pleased. With the exception of a “very small remnant,” the people had become as corrupt as Sodom. With highly descriptive language, God compares them to a “putrefying sore.“ If

What Matters The books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes could be characterized as attempts to impart what matters most and why almost nothing matters at all. I can’t remember if I have ever read either book in the past, but I am familiar with several of the ideas and passages in both books. This time my