Song of Songs for Singles is available on Audible!
I am very grateful for Jared Ball and his work making Song of Songs for Singles available as an audiobook! It is currently available through Audible. This was a very long process that took a lot of time recording, editing, overcoming a hurricane in Guam (for Jared), and jumping through Audible’s seemingly endless obstacles. It is finally here. Rejoice with us! If you haven’t read our book (or even if you have), pick up the audiobook today!
How to Help Your Children Love Reading
“The final goal is not just reading any book; you want your child to enjoy reading the Bible.” Full article is available through growingfathers.com here.
Favor by Fire: Burnt Offerings and the Bible
“The burnt offering is a very diverse offering, and some of the details differ depending on the animal sacrificed or the specific kind of sacrifice—sin offering (Lev 4:1-12) or daily sacrifice (Num 28:3-8). But the general idea of the burnt offering remains the same throughout the Old Testament…” Read the full article that was published through the Logos blog last year.
A Lesson from Solomon on Love
I had a blog posted through growingfathers.com. You can read the article here.
Finding Lady Wisdom JETS Article
My article in JETS arrived yesterday. Here is the info and a link to it:
“Finding Lady Wisdom: The Excellent Woman (אשת חיל) as a Synecdoche for the Order of Creation and Interpreting Ecclesiastes 7:28” JETS 66, no. 1 (March 2023): 53–71.
The Thinklings Podcast
Two friends and I have started the Thinklings Podcast and I would encourage you to subscribe. C. S. Lewis wrote, “The little knots of friends who turn their backs on the world are those who really transform it.” I have been blessed with good, godly friends who have encouraged me, pushed me, and sharpened me. The “Thinklings” took shape when Charlie Carter became the assistant dean of men at Faith Baptist Bible College. Charlie, Andy Stearns, and myself are friends and Charlie saw to it that we would get together on a semi-regular basis where we would discuss books and think together. We chose the name “Thinklings” after C.S. Lewis and his friends’ group, the Inklings. Sometimes one of us may write something, and we would “think” through what was written. At this time, our musings are composed of thinking more than inking; so, the name “Thinklings” fits us. This time of iron sharpening iron has now galvanized into a podcast which is headed up again by Charlie Carter. I show up and talk. Charlie and Andy are the brains behind this operation. I don’t know how many Marco Polos and text messages I have rolled my eyes over. I don’t know how many times I have said, “Good Enough.” You can thank these men for a much better product. In fact, this blog post is coming because I have been reminded on a few occasions that I needed to write it! Yet, I write it gladly because after recording several episodes, I truly believe the things we discuss will be helpful to our students and anyone who listens in. I would encourage you to subscribe and listen to the weekly Thinklings Podcast.
Episodes usually follow a specific pattern. We want to encourage our students (and anybody else) to be better thinkers, and thinkers are readers. So we start by discussing various books we have read or are reading. Next we share a content piece which is led by one of us. The content will vary depending on whatever one of us happens to be studying, learning, or thinking about at that time. One of the things listeners will notice is that we do not have everything figured out. The Thinklings Podcast is a conversation. We want to encourage the listener to get into the conversation and think! Sometimes the content piece is not directly related to a biblical text. In those instances, we close with a short devotional thought. The primary place of thinking needs to be the Bible; so, we never want to have an episode that does not draw the listener to the ultimate guide of correct thinking, the Scriptures.
Visit the website or subscribe through Apple Podcast. You can like our Facebook page and/or follow us on Twitter. Google Play is coming soon!
Israel’s Eschatological Enemy
My first book, Israel’s Eschatological Enemy, released this month! This post is a guide to its content and how it may benefit the Lord’s people. Most Christians are unfamiliar with the oracle against Babylon in Isaiah 13–14. Many, however, are familiar with Isaiah 14:12–14. Isaiah 14:12 states, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning” (NKJV). Verses 13–14 contain the five “I will” statements supposedly uttered by Satan when he rebelled against God. The climactic statement at the end reads, “I will be like the Most High.”Israel’s Eschatological Enemy argues that this “Lucifer” is not Satan but Israel’s eschatological enemy, commonly known as the Antichrist.
The first chapter briefly explains the historic interpretation of Isaiah 14; how the early church believed Isaiah 14:12–14 referred to Satan and how modern scholarship has preferred a historic or representative interpretation. In chapter two I discuss the “representative interpretation” view and argue through an analysis of the proverb genre (mashal genre) that the representative view is very unlikely. Isaiah 14:4–21 is a proverb, just like the book of Proverbs. Students of the book of Proverbs, I believe, would benefit from this genre analysis.
In the third chapter, I analyze Isaiah 13:1–14:4, 22–26, which is basically everything around Isaiah 14:4–21. I do a lot of things in this chapter, and some of it is a little technical. The average English reader may want to skip or skim the structure section (pp 42–64). The eschatology section (pp 65ff), however, is more readable. Here I explain that there are two battles described in Isa 13 and both of them are eschatological. Many people believe Isa 13:14–14:2 was fulfilled when the Medo-Persian army conquered Babylon and Cyrus allowed the children of Israel to return to Israel. I explain how that cannot be the case. This passage concerns a future eschatological destruction of Babylon and regathering of Israel. I present four contextual criteria for determining the identity of the king of Babylon in chapter three.
In chapter four, I first analyze the proverb (Isa 14:4–21) and explain eleven characteristics of the king of Babylon. Students of eschatology will find this section fascinating because it is basically a study of the Antichrist. Someone could incorporate these findings with what other passages teach about Israel’s eschatological enemy. Finally, I examine nine historic kings and explain how each one does not come close to meeting the criteria of the king of Babylon. If you believe, for example, that the king of Babylon is Nebuchadnezzar, then you should pay particular attention to this chapter.
I hope this book is a blessing to you. The king of Babylon will seek to be like the Most High (Isa 14:14) and exercise godlike authority over the earth, but only the Lord can do whatever he likes (Isa 14:24). I pray your confidence in the Lord is strengthened and your intellect is renewed through a study of this passage.
You can make a purchase through Amazon, Kindle, Wipf & Stock (the publisher), or preferably through our campus bookstore. If you purchase through our campus bookstore, you can note in the comments that you would like a signed copy and I would be happy to do that for you.