Jesus has just begun his public ministry and from the start it moves at a frenetic pace, reflecting the urgency of his message of God’s new world being at hand. Even as the words of his first Sabbath synagogue teaching are reverberating, it becomes apparent that a major need of
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Elizabeth and Zechariah prepare to receive one of the most precious gifts, the gift of a child. Zechariah was visited by an angel and he was terrified, but the angel tells him to not be afraid, for his prayers have been heard. Zechariah names the child John, and suddenly he
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Unexpectedly, miraculously, Persian King Darius takes pity on the Israelites who are captive in Babylon, a newly acquired part of his empire. Central to his setting them free is his direction, God’s direction, that they return to Jerusalem to resume worship in the Temple. Within the year, the Israelites are
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The Hebrew Bible affirms Josiah as one of very few good kings of ancient Israel. Alongside his desire to have a strong relationship with God which includes restoring the Temple to the worship of the God of Israel. Beyond this, Josiah is humble and actively concerned about the welfare of
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We often associate prophets with people who are enraged and who call out the people on what they are doing wrong. In the passage from the prophet Hosea we do not hear anger. Instead we hear compassion and the unending love of God. In this passage God is portrayed as
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Having challenged King Ahab and Queen Jezebel for worshipping foreign gods, the prophet Elijah legitimately feared for his life and has been on the run for quite some time. God has spoken to Elijah in deep silence, so Elijah is now ready to try to convince the people to come
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The tribes of Israel have settled in the promised land and are becoming established there. Sons of these tribes have often married local women who have not grown up worshipping the God of Israel. Some family bonds are closer than others and choices, like Ruth’s, come to have far-reaching consequences.
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The history of the descendants of Abraham and Sarah is one that is marked by many highs and lows, but especially lows. Today’s rendition of the story of the giving of the ten commandments is set with one occupying empire gradually loosening its grip on the Israelites with another poised
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The main story we hear today is of God and a couple of other heavenly beings visiting Abraham and Sarah incognito in the form of human travellers. As continues to be the case in many cultures, care of and hospitality toward travelling strangers was for Sarah and Abraham a deeply
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Last week we heard Simon Peter’s breakthrough insight into who Jesus is: no less than God’s anointed and appointed one, the one who will redefine and reshape the world in the image of God. The expectations of the Messiah include both political and religious dimensions. There is the feeling that
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