Idolatry

“. . . [Jephthah] did with her according to his vow that he had made” (Judges 11:39b1). The tragedy and confusion of the account of Jephthah lie in the fact that Jephthah, not only fulfilled his unfaithful vow, but the fulfillment of that unfaithful vow resulted in the killing of an innocent life, his daughter. To provide further background into the account, a brief summary of the problem text from the book of Judges will follow. Jephthah, a man appointed leader of Israel by the Gileadites2 to…

accusing Nicholas III, “you’ve made yourselves a god of gold and silver; how are you different from idolaters, save that they worship one and you a hundred?” (Inferno, 19.112-114). Dante classifies simony not only as a sort of prostitution but also as idolatry. Their greed has caused the popes to betray God. Given the nature of their office in life, this sin is even more egregious because they are meant to be an example of Christ. Instead, they are leading people towards sin by worshipping the…

Teenage Years are Hell Becoming a teenager is a difficult experience for everyone. Feelings transform, strong emotions develop, and bodies change faster than we can keep up with. Teenage years are full of confusion, heartbreak, and anger. Every single person has been through this transition, and Connie in Joyce Carol Oates’s short story “Where Are You Going,” is no exception. Connie struggles with ignorant and absent parents, and an older sister who she is constantly compared to. She also…

Introduction In Exodus 34, when YHWH reveals His name to Moses, He stresses that while He is “merciful and gracious,” He also, “Will by no means clear the guilty” (Ex. 34: 6-7, ESV). The mercy of God and the justice of God are both vital to God’s essence. If God loves righteousness and hates wickedness (Ps. 45:7), how, can God justify wicked humans? What does “justify” mean? What must happen for justification to occur? What do humans do to receive justification? What are the benefits of…

The Bible as a teaching tool, tells that by worshiping anything but God directly is idolatry. In Exodus 32, when the Israelites worship God through the golden calf, God is so upset that he nearly kills them all for their sin. This is the devil’s plan, to pit his will against God’s will. Since Satan cannot create anything, he realizes that…

1. I think it is important for Christians to exist within community especially when dealing with difficult life circumstances, sins, or emotional and relational issues because we suffer from identity amnesia. We suffer from placing our identity in the things of creation rather than in Christ and His great work of salvation and sanctification. We are blind to our own sins and self-righteousness and are a people in desperate need. We are in great need for others who are broken and know of the…

The extent that the government should be allowed to carry out retribution for criminal activity is a highly debated topic. It is hard to remember any political campaign where one’s views on capital punishment was not an important stance, if not among the top controversial issues debated. Many people in the history of the U.S. have had to grapple with this question with the Supreme Court being the final legal judge for this decision when it comes to how the law and constitution are to be…

H uman beings have evolved from lesser advanced life forms, for hundreds of thousands of years or longer; however, human’s rapid progression in intelligence appears to have increased suddenly in just the past ten thousand years. During this period, the belief in a monotheism heritage (the belief in one God) became cultivated from a Divine source. Recently, through discoveries concerning human’s DNA, scientists have found a complex genetic coding system believed to be an exquisite ‘language’…

Giotto’s work on the Arena Chapel leaves many historians questioning the iconography and placement depicted, and whether or not they were directed by his patron or himself in the final outcome. The famous Italian wall painting is located in Padua, and is suspected to have been created around 1305 or 1306. Since its creation, the work has had to overcome many restorations to be presented to the public. Enrico Scrovegni was the patron in charge of Giotto’s creation, and the piece is theorized to…

Meredith Kline in Kingdom Prologue is a celebration of God’s faithfulness and grace to His elect. Kline’s prime facet is summed up in his statement, “Divine promise within redemptive covenant.” The result of man’s sinfulness is clear. In context of Genesis 6, (Newman, 1984) reiterates the level of sinfulness and the subsequent judgement. “Following our passage, the context leads quickly into the flood, beginning with God 's observation that both man and beast must be wiped out because man 's…