Will Vaus

Today in our 66-week overview of the Bible we move to a new section of the Scriptures, in terms of how the Scriptures were traditionally defined. The first 5 books of the Bible are traditionally known as the Torah (Law) or Pentateuch (five books). Traditionally, the Old Testament is divided into three parts: Torah (Law), Nevi’im (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings). With the book of Joshua, we are beginning to explore the Nevi’im (prophets). Traditionally, the Hebrew Bible is called by Jews the  TaNaKh, which is an abbreviation of the words Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim.   Author   Traditionally, Joshua, Moses’ successor, was considered to be not only the main character of this book but also the author. The earliest Jewish traditions contained in the Talmud claim that Joshua wrote this book except for the final section about his funeral, which was attributed to Eleazar, son of Aaron.    However, there are at least twelve places in the book of Joshua where the phrase...

I was given a reed like a measuring rod   and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers.  But exclude the outer court;   do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.   They will trample on the holy city   for 42 months.   And I will appoint my two witnesses,   and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,   clothed in sackcloth.”   They are “the two olive trees”   and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”   If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.   This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.   They have power to shut up the heavens   so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;   and they have power to turn the waters into blood   and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast  ...

Author and Presbyterian pastor Eugene Peterson has written,   What is hazardous in my life is my work as a Christian. Every day I put faith on the line. I have never seen God. In a world where nearly everything can be weighed, explained, quantified, subjected to psychological analysis and scientific control I persist in making the center of my life a God whom no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, whose will no one can probe. That’s a risk. [1]   In 1 John 5:1-5 we learn more about the risk of faith, its nature and its effects. Listen for God’s word to you…   Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.  This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.  In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,  for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the...