Gath

Posted Tuesday, February 27, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Categories: Old Testament Comments: None
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Our tour of the coastal plain continues with a visit to Gath, the hometown of Goliath. Gath was one of the five major Philistine cities and one of the two inland Philistine cities. It so happens that the three oceanside cities are still occupied today while the two inland cities are deserted and there has actually been extensive debate about whether these sites are accurate or not. Gath occupied an important place between the coastal road and the Shephelah, the lowlands entrance to Judah. The view from the top of Gath is superb, as one can see in all four directions a fairly significant distance (although there is a constant haze in Israel). Gath played a role in the Ark narrative in 1 Samuel. David's boss lived there(1 Samuel 27), but David later returned and took the city (1 Chronicles 18:1). It was eventually taken by Aram (2 Kings 12:17) and Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26). Read more of Gath

Exodus 1-18

Posted Friday, February 23, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Categories: Old Testament Comments: None
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The plot progresses ever onward with the story of the Exodus. This is the last chunk that we take at a slow speed before things accelerate quickly with the next lesson. Read more of Exodus 1-18

Joseph (and Judah) - Genesis 36-50

Posted Sunday, February 18, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Categories: Old Testament Comments: 8
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The series continues ever onward with the conclusion of Genesis. I do see the primary point in this section as the sovereignty of God, but I no longer take such a high view of Joseph as I used to. He does not start out well, as most recognize. But then he simply toys with his brothers when they come to him. When his brothers are worried about Joseph after Jacob dies, we usually think that they were being overly worried. But I think they had justification! Finally, Joseph set up the very structures that allowed massive Israelite slavery a few years down the road. Before Joseph, there was no large central government in Egypt, after him there was. One of the indirect causes of the bondage was the foundation laid by Joseph. By the way, this is one aspect of Joseph we see in history: there is an increase in centralization about the time of Joseph in Egypt. While there are good points about Joseph, he is no pure character. The real star of the story in my book is Judah, who starts off very bad but gets "redeemed" over the rest of the story. Read more of Joseph (and Judah) - Genesis 36-50

Using New Technology

Posted Sunday, February 18, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Categories: Humor Comments: None
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Having trouble using a new program on your computer? Never fear, you are not alone! New technology has been a serious problem for centuries, as this very informative video shows. And if you can master the book, what will be able to hold you down ever again?

From PaleoJudaica.

Update: Link is dead. Don't bother. But it was really funny!

Jerry Bridges

Posted Wednesday, February 14, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Comments: None
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Jerry Bridges is an excellent author who has written a wide variety of books. I have enjoyed several of his works, especially his thoughts about preaching the gospel to oneself on a routine basis. The gospel is not just for those who are not believers, but the gospel contains many truths which we as believers need to be reminded of on a routine basis, such as the fact that God is gracious towards us and we do not deserve his gifts.

Anyway, he is teaching a DMin module at Northwest Baptist Seminary next week and will also be speaking in chapel February 20-22. If you happen to have the nine o'clock hour open during those days and you are in Tacoma, this would be a great chance to come hear him speak.

Caeserea in the New Testament

Posted Tuesday, February 13, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Categories: Bible Geography Comments: None
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In a previous post we looked briefly at the history of Caeserea, and now we turn to what happened there in the New Testament. One of the key events in Acts is the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10. Peter was staying in Joppa (modern day Tel Aviv), a short drive down the road from Caeserea, when Cornelius calls him up to Caeserea. The difference between the two cities could not be greater: Joppa was very Jewish, while Caeserea was the epitome of Gentileness at the time.But as you know, Peter went and things have not been the same since! Read more of Caeserea in the New Testament

The Prayer of Jabesh-Gilead

Can 1 Samuel 11 be turned into a best-seller?

Posted Monday, February 12, 2007 by Brian Beers
Categories: Humor; 1 Samuel; Leadership Comments: 2
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The predicament of the men of Jabesh-Gilead in 1 Samuel 11 launched the reign of Israel’s first king. Before Saul took the reins as Israel’s first king, he was holding the reins of his father’s oxen. He is an example for all the men afraid to step up and be the leaders God meant for them to be.

Read more of The Prayer of Jabesh-Gilead

Genesis 12-35

Posted Sunday, February 11, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Categories: Old Testament Comments: None
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The survey continues on with Genesis 12-35. There are far fewer theological themes present in these chapters than the previous eleven, but the narratives are still fundamental to the rest of the Bible and to our lives today. However, Abraham is not necessarily a role model for us. Read more of Genesis 12-35

Caeserea

Posted Thursday, February 08, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Categories: Bible Geography Comments: None
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As some of the readers of the blog know, my wife and I lived for a year in Jerusalem. While we were there I studied a variety of topics at Hebrew University and we took several trips throughout Israel and two of the surrounding countries. When I came back to the States, I taught a class (at Northwest Baptist Seminary as well as a Sunday School class at the church I attend) on Bible Geography. Some time ago I started a series on Bible Geography and got a whole two posts into it before I quote. Well, I am now going back to it. I plan to post pictures of various sites as well as a small amount of data. Hope it will be fun! We are going to start with Caesarea.

Old Testament Survey

Posted Sunday, February 04, 2007 by Charlie Trimm
Categories: Old Testament Comments: 2
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I love the Old Testament and one of my goals in life is to get everyone else to love the OT as well. One of the way I have started doing that recently is to teach an OT survey class at the church where I serve. I have gone through it twice now, once with an adult Bible Study and once with a High School Sunday School class. They each went about 12 weeks, during which we surveyed (briefly) the entire OT. I made notes for each section which included the plot as well as theological themes which I think are relevant today. I am planning on posting these notes, not in the hope of teaching, but in hope of getting input about the themes. I want to make the OT relevant, so any themes I have missed that are important I want to include. But I also do not want to include things that I should not. So if you have anything to add or take out, please comment! Read more of Old Testament Survey

Just let the Colts win!

Sam discovers that heâ€™s not always orthodox.

Posted Saturday, February 03, 2007 by Sam Yeiter
Categories: Popular Culture; Humor; Culture and Theology Comments: 2
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At work, my office recently went to war with another office across campus. It began when they stole Rish’s candy jar. Stealthily, I went and retrieved it. A few days later the rival camp came and absconded with the jar a second time. This time they hid it much more effectively (I did discover it later, after this story ends, and we won…but that is incidental to my story). When my efforts to find it were at first fruitless, I went on a quest for a bargaining chip.

Posts for Feb, 2007.