An unending exercise in blessed futility
Some of the most startling statements in the Bible appear with little fanfare or in-depth treatment. Sometimes we don’t even notice how puzzling they are upon a first reading. Perhaps that’s part of why they’re so puzzling. When the biblical authors don’t seem to acknowledge the significance, or at least the oddness, of what they’ve
As the Sweet Psalmist of Israel once observed, heathen gonna rage (Psalm 2, paraphrased). If you study any history, you’ll recognize that the story of mankind has been a story of violence, betrayal, division, conquest, and tyranny. Times of peace appear as anomalous, often illusory, respites that only grow tension until the next inevitable outburst
