Observations from the Word by The Barking Fox

Adjusting to the Rule Change

Change happens whether we like it or not. It's always good to ask God about the changes that we experience, whether in our personal lives, or in the wider world. Sometimes He is the author of change. That doesn't mean we have to like it or accept it without question, but if we don't seek His counsel, we might end up opposing Him.
Leviticus 1:1-6:7; Isaiah 43:21-44:23; Hosea 3:1-5; Romans 9:1-5; Ephesians 2:11-22
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Adjusting to the Rule Change
Music: "Origin (Breath of Life Version),” Solomon O. Lopez, The Born At Home Collections, The Hebraism Project 2014. To hear more of Solomon’s music, visit The Hebraism Project on YouTube.
Photo by Peter Reed, Cookham, England, May 1, 2006, via Flickr.

When We Take Off Our Armor

If God declares the end from the beginning, then we should have a good idea what to expect before the end of this age if we study His Word. What has He declared that we might have missed, and what might be our responsibility in making His declarations come to pass?  
Exodus 25:8-9, 32:9-13, 38:21-40:30; 1 Kings 7:51-8:21, 20:11; Isaiah 2:2-4, 11:1-16; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 47:13-23; Matthew 10:6, 15:24; Luke 14:25-34; John 14:27, 16:33; Ephesians 2:11-22; Hebrews 8:8-12
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: When We Take Off Our Armor
Music: "Renaissance Castle,” Doug Maxwell/Media Right Productions, YouTube Audio Library, April 22, 2021. Listen to the complete audio on Youtube at https://youtu.be/uW9_6xWN3wo?si=MMUhwQD23j4JQF1W.
Photo: A knight and his horse. Photo by Sean Tbear, July 20, 2012, via Flickr.

Saints in the Hands of an Angry God

It's easy to think about the wrath of God being poured out on unrepentant sinners, but what does God do about unrepentant saints?  
Exodus 35:1-38:20; 1 Kings 7:40-50; Psalm 2:1-12; Matthew 7:15-23; 1 Corinthians 10:1-14; Revelation 3:14-22
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Saints in the Hands of an Angry God
Music: "Simple Gifts,” American Shaker Melody by Joseph Brackett, performed by Tim Cooper and Patrick Cannell, YouTube Audio Library, November 2019. Listen to the complete audio on Youtube at https://youtu.be/8fBdKkUYFhM.
Illustration: A Philadelphia Anabaptist Immersion during a Storm, Pavel Petrovich Svinin, 1811-ca1813, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Off the Bus

If life is a journey, do we know where we're going? Is there anything that would disqualify us from the journey? If so, can anything or anyone get us back on the road?  
Exodus 30:11-34:35; 1 Kings 18:1-39; Psalm 119:11; Romans 8:28-39, 11:22-23; James 2:14-24
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Off the Bus
Music: "Friendly Dance,” Nico Staf, YouTube Audio Library, December 2020. Listen to the complete audio on Youtube at https://youtu.be/ibioKTb972s?si=h9tnRamrv2HlX6I6.
Photo: Missing the Bus, by Richard, February 11, 2006, via Flickr.

Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Whether by accident or on purpose, we tend to be destructive if we're not careful about our actions. We can see the damage we do to things and to the people around us, but are we aware of the damage we do in the spiritual realm? That's a more serous matter, and it requires our Creator's intervention to repair not only the damage we cause, but us. We understand that on a personal level, but do we have any idea how it works on a national level? 
Exodus 27:20-30:10; Ezekiel 43:10-27; 1 Kings 12:12-19; Luke 16:10-13; Romans 3:1-4; Galatians 3:29; Hebrews 7:11-28, 8:8-12
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Music: "Hashivenu (Turn Us Back),” Samuel and Benjamin Wearp, 2023. The full recording is available at https://youtu.be/rlFi8yNEc-U?si=oUNN5pBzZ3Nf3wdl.
Photo by Arthur, August 5, 2009, via Flickr.

Imperial Holiness

One consistent characteristic of human religious expression is the showiness of it. We build ornate places of worship, adorned with the finest materials, staffed by the best ministers and musicians, and meticulously maintained by dedicated professionals. It's only right that we give God our best, or so we see from the examples of Scripture. But then, is it really "giving God our best" when the hearts of those inside the ornate buildings are inclined more toward themselves than toward God? 
Exodus 25:1-27:19; 1 Kings 5:12-6:13, 12:1-19; 1 Corinthians 6:18-19; James 1:27
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Imperial Holiness
Music: "Alpine Bierhalle,” Aaron Kenny, YouTube Audio Library, April 14, 2021 (listen to the audio on Youtube at https://youtu.be/sSDEkgBZ0C0?si=Etd67cZ85LCKNUZR), and Austrian National Anthem, "Land der Berge, Land am Strome,” United States Navy Band, National Anthems, 1997.
Photo: The Münster (Cathedral of Our Lady) in Ulm is Germany’s largest Protestant church, and one of many majestic structures reflecting the influence of Western Christian Civilization. Photo by Armin Appel, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

A Matter of Principle

Did you ever stop to think about what it means to miss the forest for the trees? It has something to do with getting so bogged down in details that we lose sight of our goal. This is where we encounter a dilemma: we can't do away with the details because they point us to the goal, but if we focus too much on the details, we'll never get there. 
Exodus 21:1-24:18; Jeremiah 33:25-26, 34:8-22; Hosea 8:12; Matthew 5:17-20; Galatians 3:23-29
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: A Matter of Principle
Music: "Psalm 25," Exodus Road Band, Heart of the Matter, Exodus Road Band 2017. See the official video on Youtube at https://youtu.be/kHJa7W2Vqlo. This song and others by Exodus Road Band are available at https://www.exodusroadband.com/.
Photo: Law books, by Paige, February 22, 2008, via Flickr.

Distracted by the Cats

Religious people use lots of spiritual-sounding words, but do we really know what they mean? It might be good if we learn the definitions of the "Bible words" sprinkled throughout our conversations, if for no other reason than so we don't have to guess when someone asks what we're talking about. We can start with holy - a word we think we understand, but probably don't. 
Exodus 18:1-20:26; Isaiah 6:1-7:5, 9:6-7, 56:6-7; Mark 11:15-17; John 17:1-24; 1 Peter 2:1-12 
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Distracted by the Cats
Music: "Holy,” Mason Clover, An Intimate Look, Abiron 2008. Visit https://www.masonclover.com/ to hear more by Mason Clover.
Photo: What if you're on the holiest ground on earth, but there's a cat? (Photo by The Barking Fox, Temple Mount, Jerusalem, July 28, 2023.)