Observations from the Word by The Barking Fox

Be A Deliverer

Can we really save ourselves? Is it really possible to "pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps" and fix all our problems? We can fix some things, but sometimes our solutions mess up life for someone else. Truly we need a Deliverer to save us from ourselves - but until the final redemption of this world, we still have an obligation to make things better for those around us. 
Exodus 1:1-6:1; Isaiah 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23; 1 Chronicles 4:18; Hosea 11:1; Matthew 1:18-25, 2:15; Luke 1:26-38; Hebrews 11:23-29; Revelation 5:6-14, 13:8
Moses Laid Amid the Flags, James Tissot, 1896-1902, The Jewish Museum, Brooklyn (image via Wikimedia Commons).
Music: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," OCP Session Choir, Glory & Praise: Third Edition, Vol. 7, Oregon Catholic Press 2016. 
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Be A Deliverer.pdf

Waiting For Shiloh

Sibling rivalry has threatened the peace of families since the first family was formed. That's why our Creator chose one family to reverse that trend and extend peace to every family on earth. The question is whether we will accept the offer - and if we will be intentional about extending the peace even further. 
Genesis 47:28-50:26; 1 Kings 2:1-12; 2 Samuel 7:8-17; Luke 12:13-15; Romans 11:25-27
Jacob Blesses His Sons, Cornelis Huyberts, after Gerard Hoet, 1720-1728, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.
Music: "Shevet Achim,” Exodus Road Band, Heart of the Matter, 2016. The Exodus Road Band's music is available at www.exodusroadband.com. 
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Waiting For Shiloh.pdf

Wrestling With Existence

People are always seeking peace, but what do they mean by that? It may be that true peace is much more tightly linked to our identity than we have imagined. So then, if there is no peace on earth, what does that really say about us?
Genesis 6:9-11:32; Isaiah 54:1-55:5; Proverbs 29:18; Luke 17:26-30
This postage stamp issued by the Third Reich in 1933 is one example of the influence on Hitler's Germany of Richard Wagner's music and the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche incorporated in Wagner's music. (Alois Kolb for the Reichspost of the German Empire, via Wikimedia Commons.)
Music: "Tannhäuser Overture,” Richard Wagner, performed by Marek Janowski and the Philharmonia Orchestra, Tannhäuser - Highlights, Teldec Classics International 1991.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Wrestling With Existence.pdf

Much More Than A Number

There is a kind of peace that surpasses all understanding. That kind of peace is linked inextricably with identity. Is that why the enemy of our souls seeks to remove our identity from our existence?
Genesis 41:1-44:17; 1 Kings 3:15-4:1; Ezekiel 20:33-38; John 17:13-18; Romans 12:14-21; Philippians 4:4-7
The key element of Les Misérables may be the struggle of Prisoner 24601 to regain and restore his identity as the man Jean Valjean. (Image via Les Misérables on Twitter.) 
Music: "Who Am I?," Colm Wilkinson, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Les Misérables, Original London Cast Recording, First Night 1985.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Much More Than A Number.pdf

Prayers of A Good Hearted Woman

When God said it is not good for man to be alone, was He thinking that men might benefit from female companionship, or that they might not survive without it?
Genesis 37:1-40:23; Amos 2:6-3:8; 1 Samuel 25:1-44; Matthew 1:1-17, 15:21-28; Galatians 5:19-23; James 5:16
For as long as men have sought good times over quiet homes, good-hearted women have quietly waited for them to come home, and fervently prayed for them to come to their senses. (Photo by Nenad Stojkovic, August 31, 2017, via Flickr.) 
Music: "Good Hearted Woman," Waylon Jennings with Willie Nelson, Wanted! The Outlaws, RCA Records 1976. Listen to the song at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI-KOqRKlcs.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Prayers of A Good Hearted Woman.pdf

Bruises in Perspective

Being all alone in the universe is scary. The good news is that we are not alone: there is a Creator Who wants to dwell with us. However, it's still scary when we realize there's a long, painful process involved in becoming the precious vessels He designed for His dwelling.
Genesis 32:3-36:43; Psalm 118:22-29; Isaiah 8:14-15; Daniel 2:31-45; Obadiah 1; Matthew 21:41-44; Hebrews 11:6
Panoramic view of the entire sky as seen by Two Micron All-Sky Survey. (Original image: NASA/JPL photo PIA04250). 
Music: "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy,” 100 Greatest TV Themes, Silva Screen Records Ltd. 2002.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Bruises in Perspective.pdf

A Righteous and Honorable Pain

The righteous heroes of the Bible seem to be at least as flawed as all of us ordinary people. So why are they considered righteous? 
Genesis 28:10-32:2; Hosea 12:12-14:9; Matthew 5:1-12, 19:8-9
The Trial of Queen Catherine of Aragon, Henry Nelson O'Neil, Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham, UK.  
Music: "Greensleeves,” The King’s Singers, Greensleeves – Music from the Court of King Henry VIII, Chester Records 2009.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: A Righteous and Honorable Pain.pdf

Evil Twins

We disapprove of evil people because they do things that are evil. Does that mean we disapprove of ourselves when we do the same kind of evil things? 
Genesis 25:19-28:9; Malachi 1:1-2:7; Matthew 11:12; Romans 7:7-25, 9:10-13
Nana Visitor as Major Kira Nerys (L) and Intendant Kira (R), her villainous alternate self in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Crossover." Photo via Star Trek Facebook page, from "Cadet Training: 'Crossover,'" Jay Stobie, startrek.com, February 18, 2019.  
Music: "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Dennis McCarthy, City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, 100 Greatest TV Themes (The Ultimate Television Themes Collection), Silva Screen 2002.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Evil Twins.pdf