Results 21 - 40 of 60
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Unanswered Bible Questions Author: Just Read Mark Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
21 | Bear each others load, or our own? | Gal 6:5 | Just Read Mark | 147508 | ||
This verse instructs us to bear our own load. 2 verses earlier, Paul tells us to bear each others loads. What is he getting at? Please help me understand these verses in context. |
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22 | Gods Will and Natural Disaster? | Rom 8:28 | Just Read Mark | 141047 | ||
Greetings. I have found this thread helpful, as I consider God's sovereignty and grace. We speak about "natural disasters." Are there any natural disasters recorded in the Bible? All of the "mountains falling into the sea" etc. seem to be caused by God - and generally as punishment for sin. I certainly doubt those people have any greater sin than those in other parts of the world! If the Bible shapes our entire worldview, however, there doesn't seem to be room for the "natural disaster." JRM |
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23 | Balaam's Plot? | Num 31:16 | Just Read Mark | 140526 | ||
I have been entranced by the story of Balaam (Numbers 22-24, (25) (31)). The way a pagan prophet comes to speak the words of the Living God is a wonderful (and at times comical) tale. The donkey is great! The bulk of the story is actually quite positive: a foolish pagan prophet recognizes God's voice, and - going against his culture and king - blesses the Israelites. Somehow, he comes to be blamed Israel's sexual relations with Moabite women, and the idolatry it leads to. During the account of this event, there is no mention of Balaam (see chapter 25) --- he has blessed Israel and then parted ways from the Moabite leader (24:25). Why is he blamed for this? JRM |
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24 | What is this "valuation of persons" abou | Lev 27:2 | Just Read Mark | 137785 | ||
What is this "valuation of persons" about? This chapter mentions "redeeming", "vowing", "dedicating", and "holiness" ... but I don't understand it. The different "values" placed on men and women, young and old, seem troubling. | ||||||
25 | Year of Jubilee for the Land? | Lev 25:24 | Just Read Mark | 137742 | ||
The land is to receive a Sabbath, just as we are. (see verse 4). Does this idea of a jubilee for the land (v 24) underline our responsibility for the environment? | ||||||
26 | eye for an eye | Lev 24:20 | Just Read Mark | 137741 | ||
Is this verse a bit like "the golden rule," but phrased in terms of punishment? | ||||||
27 | The meaning of "break" | Ex 19:24 | Just Read Mark | 136261 | ||
The word "break" is used twice here --- once of the people, once of God. The same word is used several times in the chapter. Can someone shed light on this interesting text? | ||||||
28 | How do magicians imitate blood plague? | Ex 7:22 | Just Read Mark | 136064 | ||
Looking at the Plagues in Egypt, particularly when the water is turned to blood: If all of the water, including that in cisterns and jars, was already turned to blood, how did the Magician's flaunt their abilities? |
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29 | Context of Joseph Story? | Gen 47:19 | Just Read Mark | 135796 | ||
Slavery and Citizenship. I remember reading in a course in "The History of Women" that a form of "slavery" was one of the most progressive features of Egyptian society. All citizen's were required to do periodic hard labour --- and this included men and women. The end result of this was (not only magnificent building programs, but...) a high status for women in the society. They enjoyed both the responsibilities and benefits of citizenship. Could this universal slavery/citizenship date from the time of Joseph? That course was 10 years ago, and vague in my mind --- does anyone know this historical context might fit with the story? |
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30 | Joseph's iron fist | Gen 47:19 | Just Read Mark | 135556 | ||
Please read this verse in context. We tend to leave this part of the story out, when we think of Joseph's role in Egypt. We recognize his brilliant leadership in preparing for the famine, but leave out the fact that he bankrupted the people. He collected the grain from the people, then sold it back to them at a rate they could not afford. Since he had created a monopoly, he could set whatever price he wished. Perhaps devastating the people was a good thing, because he was then able to install a system of universal taxation? (v. 24) --- but surely that could have been done without enslaving the people first. Perhaps there is a kind of justice to how the Israelites found themselves enslaved in Egypt? JRM |
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31 | Moses product of Incest? | Ex 6:20 | Just Read Mark | 135554 | ||
I often run through the genealogies rather quickly, but this verse jumped out at me. Interesting that the Bible mentions things like this without any moralizing gloss. Thus, out of sinful decisions, God raises the greatest leaders of his people. Any thoughts on this? |
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32 | Rape, Circumcission, Slaughter. | Gen 34:31 | Just Read Mark | 134996 | ||
How do we understand the ethical tangle in this chapter? This chapter of Genesis is a compelling and strange tale. First, Shechem has sex with Dinah "by force." It would be nice to have Dinah's perspective, but we are not shown. I wonder if she was raped (as I first thought) or if the "force" is that they didn't seek Jacob's approval before having sex? It seems that Shechem has significant love for Dinah later in the story, as he is willing to give anything to marry her (including adult circumcission -- ouch!). Once all the males are circumcized, the 2 brothers go and slaughter the weakened men. Is this retributive justice? Or should it be seen as going against their word (the agreement that Dinah could marry Shechem if the males were circumsized) ? Jacob takes a stand against the slaughter of the men --- but does so for political rather than moral reasons (verse 30). So, am I right in thinking that all parties have "fallen short of the glory of God"? When I see the intensity of Shechem's offer to do anything to marry Dinah, I can't help thinking there was an opportunity for grace in a way that would glorify God. |
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33 | Psalms of Lament | Psalm | Just Read Mark | 122266 | ||
I understand that some people group the psalms in different categories. I am interested in the group called the "Laments" --- could someone give me a thorough list of the psalms of complaint? I realize I could just classify them myself, but I thought someone may have already worked through this querry. JRM |
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34 | Blocked Thread? | Luke 12:7 | Just Read Mark | 119524 | ||
I have been trying to sort out a question from Nehemiah. Unfortunately, the thread has been blocked. I don't understand why, when it has been a thoughtful discussion. The ID # is: 119266 Perhaps someone could explain the censorship to me? Better yet, perhaps a wise voice could help with the question? JRM |
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35 | Violent Correction | Neh 13:25 | Just Read Mark | 119458 | ||
I like Rowdy's post, but I am left with a question. Let's see if we can get at the issue that keeps eating at me. We are indeed talking about the value of human life. In your post, you speak of wealthy leaders that treat their people with contempt. Here's my struggle: are you saying that Nehemiah is like that? The tension I am trying to understand is this: 1) Nehemiah is a celebrated leader who leads God's people to renewal; and 2) Nehemiah corrects his followers by beating them and pulling out their hair. Nehemiah even sees item (2) as something that commends him in God's eyes (unlike David's faults, that he became aware of ...). So to resolve this tension, we have some choices: a) Nehemiah is right to lead in this way, and we are oversensitive prudes. b) Nehemiah is presented as being right, but the text is out of date (yikes) c) Nehemiah is wrong to lead in this way, and there are indications of this within the book of Nehemiah. d) Nehemiah is a little mixed up, but we balance that against other passages of scripture --- use other Biblical texts to critique Nehemiah. e) other? help me out here. JRM |
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36 | Violent correction? | Neh 13:25 | Just Read Mark | 119266 | ||
Pulling out their hair: Ouch! What a brutal picture of leadership. I guess this follows from my question from Ezra 10:3 (feel free to look that that thread, too...) Ezra and Nehemiah were originally, I believe, one book. I was excited about looking to these bold leaders as examples of how to rebuild the people of God after a period of dispersion... I keep coming across these scenes of brutality. Any advice on how to understand this text? It is particularly hard when the passage ends with the refrain, "Remember me, O my God, for good." (v.489) |
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37 | Ezra and Family Values? | Ezra 10:3 | Just Read Mark | 118345 | ||
I am a little stunned by the end of Ezra -- it is so concerned with racial purity. I wonder what happened to all of the wives and children? ... and I think of the grief that divorce causes children: to turn to divorce as a societial solution would have such devistating effects for the next generation... Are we to see holiness in this covenant? JRM |
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38 | Freedom from what? | Luke 4:18 | Just Read Mark | 114782 | ||
Is this passage referring primarily to freedom from personal sin and Satan's grasp? Jesus takes great care for the complete well-being of the people he meets --- so that physical healing and forgiving are equated (Luke 5:23). Do we miss the significance of this text by "spiritualizing" terms like poverty, blindness, and oppressed, making them refer to personal sin and the Devil? |
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39 | Baby Smashing? | Ps 137:9 | Just Read Mark | 110912 | ||
Any thoughts on how to interpret this "blessing" from Psalm 137? | ||||||
40 | Don't be too righteous; nor too wicked? | Eccl 7:16 | Just Read Mark | 110603 | ||
I would like to discuss this verse (Ecc 7:15-18), as well as Ecclesiates generally. This verse seems to expound a human wisdom: that, being radical for what is good is very costly, so one leads a happier life with some compromise with evil. The one who fears God will succeed in holding both good and evil simultaneously (v18). I notice the lengths the amplified version goes to, to rationalize this verse with our usual sense of scripture. Their rendering, however, seems to distort the sense of the text - especially taking the book as a whole. In many ways this is a cynical book, seeing no merit in righteousness. For all mortals come to the same end anyway. Even pursuing holiness and wisdom is vanity. (Thanks be to Jesus Christ, who rescues us from the vanity of life!) So, as the wise Teacher brings forward the critique of Vanity, what are we to hold onto? He offers advice here and there, but (as we see in this verse) it is not always good advice. It represents a human seeking after the good life, and often discovers only arbitrariness in God, and certainty in death. How do we weigh this advice? Yours, JRM. (P.S. the forum has another discussion of this passage, at Ecc7:18. Somehow it became a discussion of Balance, forgetting the text commends a balance of good and evil.) |
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