Jacob M. Appel

What truly is the right choice when intervening in someone else’s culture? I’m not sure if there’s really an answer that is absolutely correct, at least without harming someone in some way. For example, when changing the working conditions at a factory, a corporation might have a better image, but the workers might be somehow in a worse situation than before. Dean Karlan and Jacob Appel discuss in their book, More Than Good Intentions, they challenge the idea that having “good intentions” when trying to solve the problem of poverty is really enough. They argue that, while having intention is important, it is more important to have an effective way of helping the poor. They use economics to provide methods of getting poor people out of poverty, through microfinancing, microloans, and other types of…

Women Who Made a Difference Women, while often portrayed as unimportant to the hero’s success or failure, were sometimes the catalyst that aligned the hero with fate. Siduri, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, gave Gilgamesh the information he needed to complete his quest for immortality. It was, however, her words of wisdom that ultimately offered the answers he sought. Rebekah, in The Old Testament, executed a plan so Jacob, rather than Esau, received his father’s blessing. When Esau vowed to kill…

regardless of the result of the activity. Each translation of the final verse offers a different definition and treatment, yet Simeon and Levi imply the revenge justified her honor. However, none of the selected translations of the descriptive reflect a woman that has been raped. They each have connotations of a partner engaged in sexual activity. Perhaps הַכְזוֹנָ֕ה occurs as a reflection of what Jacob was in essence doing to Dinah - selling her for financial gain. The economic gain that…

Born in Springfield, Illinois in 1943, David Hammons is a world-renowned African-American installation artist, performance artist, and sculptor (“David Hammons” 2016). In 1963, Hammons moved to Los Angeles to study advertising at Los Angeles Trade Technical College (“David Hammons” 2016). While in advertising school, Hammons began taking night classes at the Otis Art Institute where he studied under the notable artist Charles White (“David Hammons” 2016). After unearthing his prodigious…

and their twin sons (25:19-34, 27:1-28:17, 32:3-33:15). In these stories, God again nudges the covenant with Abraham along by providing spouses, opening barren wombs, and protecting key characters on their journeys. What is new with these stories is how characters begin to take fulfillment of God’s prophecy into their own hands. I would discuss how the interpersonal relationships take bitter turns, just as it did earlier under Abraham’s tent, only these events are followed by restitution. Jacob,…

makes covenants with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses in return for obedience of his commands. God promised blessings that consisted of acquiring Promised Land, building a great nation and having children to fulfill his perfect plan. The Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants are affirmed and re-affirmed on a continued basis but the promises take years to be executed. While Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses obey God’s commands, they are almost never enriched with blessings in the present; they are blessed…

Joseph found favor with Jacob. All of his brothers were jealous of him. He was a man of strong character. His brothers sold Joseph into slavery, only for God to create a place for the nation of Israel to survive during years of famine. Just as Joseph stated to his brothers, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (NIV Genesis 50:19-20). Characteristics I find that once again…

have done. In the book of Genesis, Jacob is first introduced to the bible when Rebekah and Isaac have their twin sons. It is described, that the first child out of the womb is the child whom will bear the birthrights. As Rebekah is having her twins, Jacob tries to pull the heel of Esau back into the womb. This is the first sign that Jacob is jealous of Esau and has the ability to scheme and plan (Gen. 25:19-28). At this point in the biblical text, scholars could believe that Jacob is going to…

One day while Rachel was tending to her sheep a man came up the path and started talking to the other shepherds. They were by the well. It was time to water the sheep so she walked over to the well. Jacob took the stone away from the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. Once the sheep were watered he put the stone back and kissed Rachel. Jacob told Rachel that he was a daughter of Rebecca sister of her father. Rachel ran to tell her father. Rachel’s father Laban welcomed him with open arms. Laban…

God uses certain people to impact many others. After reading the first twenty chapters of Exodus, it is clear that God was still living out his promise to Abraham through Moses. Moses’ lineage traces back to Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. God placed the infant Israelite, Moses, in Pharaoh’s household, speaks to Moses, uses Moses to free the Israelites and finally taught the Israelites of God’s laws in these chapters. God’s covenant to Abraham included all of Abraham’s decedents taking over the…