Observations from the Word by The Barking Fox

A Born Again Creation

Transcending our present imperfect reality is a universal longing. The Bible tells us about that transcendence in the context of new birth and resurrection. It is the work of God, but do the people of God have some work to do as well?
Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, 5:1-3; Isaiah 42:1-9; John 3:1-6; Luke 4:14-21, 7:20-23
Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer (The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog), Caspar David Friedrich, c1817, Kunsthalle Hamburg via Wikimedia Commons. 
Music: Richard Strauss, Tod und Verklärung, Op. 24, performed by Herbert Von Karajan and the Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert Von Karajan Conducts, Ameritz Music Ltd. 2014
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: A Born-Again Creation.pdf

When Is The Kingdom?

Everyone wants to see the Kingdom of Heaven come right now, in our day, but is that desire consistent with how God wants His people to live day by day?
1 Samuel 15:22-23; Daniel 12:8-13; Hosea 6:6; Zechariah 13:7-9; Luke 17:20-21, 19:11-27; Acts 1:6-8
From the Temple the Jews Attack Idumeans / Placidus Beats the Jews at the Jordan / Famine in Jerusalem / Titus Crucifies Captured Jews, Jan Luyken, 1698, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. 
Music: "O fortuna!" Carmina Burana, Carl Orff, performed by Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, RCA Gold Seal 1992.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: When Is The Kingdom.pdf

Giving Peace A Chance

Is genuine peace truly possible anywhere on earth before Messiah Son of David establishes His kingdom in Zion? Is every announcement of peace merely a deception? Could it be that God intends for His people to be agents of peace even when it seems impossible?
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Jeremiah 8:8-13; Matthew 5:9
Hands Across the Divide, by Maurice Harron, Derry, Northern Ireland. Photo by Diego Cue (diego_cue / CC BY-SA3.0).
Music: "Must Ireland Be Divided?" The Wolfe Tones, The Troubles, Celtic Collections 2008.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Giving Peace A Chance.pdf

The Love of Just a Little Bit More

Is the love of money really the root of all evil? And if so, where do we get that love - and what do we do about it?
Deuteronomy 8:11-20; Matthew 4:1-10; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; James 4:1-7
Portrait of Leo Tolstoy by Mikhail Nesterov, 1907, via Wikimedia Commons.
Music: “Money Money,” from Cabaret, performed by Judi Dench and Jonathan Pryce, Broadway to the West End 05: Cabaret, Jay Records, 2014.
Leo Tolstoy, “How Much Land Does A Man Need?” in What Men Live By and Other Tales, Aylmer and Louise Maude trans, Project Gutenberg EBook #6157, Joe Jurca and David Widger prod., June 13, 2009 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6157)
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: The Love Of Just A Little Bit More.pdf

A House for All the World’s Prayers

Our Heavenly Father holds out the promise of redemption to every person. Do we really believe that? Or in our hearts do we consider some more worthy of redemption than others?
Isaiah 56:4-8; Jonah 3:10-4:10; Matthew 12:41; Mark 12:15-17
Jonah sits under the miracle tree near Nineveh,” Caspar Luyken, 1708, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
Music: "The Prayer," Charlotte Church and Josh Groban, Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church, Integrity/Columbia(P), Sony Music, 2002.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: A House For All The World's Prayers.pdf
 

The Price of Revelation

Do people share their most intimate thoughts and plans with anyone who asks? No; we prefer to share such things only with close companions who have proven themselves worthy of our trust. Why, then, should we expect our Creator to do differently? Perhaps, instead of asking God what will happen in the future, we should ask Him how we can be worthy of His confidence.
Isaiah 39:1-8; Jeremiah 29:10-14; Daniel 5:31-6:12, 9:1-27; Matthew 24:15-22
Daniel's Answer to the King, Briton Rivière, (Manchester Art Gallery via Wikimedia Commons).
 
Music: "Old Daniel Prayed," The Stanley Brothers, The Collection: 1958-1960, Marmot Music 2013.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: The Price of Revelation.pdf

Aligning With The Right Spirit

Everyone goes through seasons of weakness and despair. The question is not how to avoid them, but how to get through them and move on to what our Creator has designed us to do. After all, it's not just our own destiny at stake, but the destinies of others around us - and sometimes of entire nations.
1 Kings 19:1-18; Proverbs 28:12; Malachi 4:4-6; James 5:13-18
Elijah Statue at Mukhraka Monastery, Mount Carmel, Israel, Dr. Avishai Teicher, via Wikimedia Commons.
Music: "Chorus: He, Watching Over Israel," by Felix Mendelssohn, performed by Gabrieli Consort & Players, Paul McCreesh, Mendelssohn: Elijah, 1846, Signum 2012.
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Aligning With The Right Spirit.pdf
 

Happy Mules

God has been revealing Himself for thousands of years. You might think we would all be on the same page by now, with the same understanding and interpretation of scripture. That's not what we see. There are thousands of unique expressions of faith in the Almighty from the Christian and Jewish sides of the family. Is there some clue in nature that might help us understand why?
Deuteronomy 22:10; Luke 5:36-39; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
20 mule Borax team, Mojave, California Valley line, ca. 1880. Photograph shows teams of eighteen mules and two horses attached to large wagons in the desert; two pale horses, positioned closest to the wagon, wear coverings over faces. Albertype Co., Copyright Claimant (Library of Congress #2013647267).
Music: "Hoe Down - Rodeo," by Aaron Copland, performed by Phillip Ellis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man, Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring, Masterworks 2009.
Referenced article: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, “Animal Welfare: Ki Tetzei (Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19),” Aish.com (https://www.aish.com/tp/i/sacks/559748591.html).
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Happy Mules.pdf