Lee Strobel collection

Our church library has a number of books by journalist Lee Strobel that cover a range of subjects and are written for a variety of age groups. There is the original The Case for Christ as well as its Student Edition (232.9 STR) along with The Case for Faith (231.0 STR) and The Case for Faith for Kids (239.0 STR). We also have The Case for Christmas and The Case for Easter (232.9 STR).

The Case for Christ examines the arguments that people have made against Jesus being who he claimed to be and concludes that he really was the Son of God in the divine sense. Strobel interviews a number of scholars and presents their evidence for Christ as well as their willingness to live for Christ.

The Case for Faith examines several issues that are considered problematic for faith, such as how a good God could evil to be present in the world and what the presence of other religions means to someone who claims that Jesus is the only way to God.

All of Lee Strobel’s books approach the topic of Christianity from a solid foundation and are valuable for both Christians and non-Christians in increasing their understanding of what Christianity is claiming and why it is that Christian believe the things they do.

Kidsboro review

There are four books in the Kidsboro series by Marshall Younger.

Battle for Control
The Rise and Fall of the Kidsborian Empire
The Creek War
The Risky Reunion

All four are in the church library under FIC YOU.

Younger is a writer for the Adventures in Odyssey radio program and there is some overlap between these books and AiO. These novels deal with a town created by a group of teenagers in the woods near Whit’s End. Ryan Cummings is the mayor of Kidsboro and is often called upon to fix the problems caused by less caring members of society.

Although the stories are fairly simple they do deal with some of the major issues facing any town such as good government, employment, and crime. The most poignant lesson presented to children reading these books is that if they are not actively involved in their society the lowest common denominator will reign.

Do Hard Things review

Alex and Brett Harris, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2008. xiv + 241 pp. 9781601421128. BV4598.2.H36.

This book is written by the younger twin brothers of Joshua Harris who is well known for his books on relationships, beginning with I Kissed Dating Goodbye. These young men stand on their own two feet when it comes to writing and ministry, although I’m sure the example of older brother Josh was a catalyst in this venture. They also have a website about their Rebelution, which is the theme of this book. Their rebel-revolution is against mediocrity and the low expectations that teenagers live under today.

Do Hard Things is comprised of three sections. The first explores redefining the teen years from a time to goof off to a time during which great things can be accomplished. The second part looks at five kinds of hard. Many examples are given of teenagers being involved in things that would be considered “too difficult” for them. The third section explored getting started in the hard life and provides more examples and practical advice.

This is a great book for all teenagers and young adults to read. I wish that I had read it when I was a teen. There is also a study guide available for download if you want to discuss it with your friends.

“Pick up and read!”

2 Samuel 22-24

This section ends the book of 2 Samuel. Chapter 22 contains a song of praise that he sang when he was delivered from all his enemies and from Saul. It gives all the credit to God for preserving him and keeping him from harm. The main theme can be seen from the concluding verse: “He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever” (22:51). The following chapter begins with David’s last words. It exalts both God for his actions and David as being the man through whom God spoke and worked. The second half of the chapter lists his most valorous fighting men and recounts some of their deeds.

The final chapter is not nearly as upbeat because David decided to take a census of the fighting men in order to assess his power. Joab was opposed to such a move but David insisted. The results came back that there were 800,000 men in Israel and 500,000 in Judah. David’s conscience was immediately stricken and he repented of his action (24:10). However, God insisted that punishment much take place and he gave David three options to choose from. He chose punishment directly from God, instead of through famine or enemies. Therefore the Lord sent a plague and 70,000 died before it ended.

In this account David makes a statement that is both promising and difficult. “When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned; I, the shepherd, have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family’” (24:17). He recognised that his sin led to these consequences but the difficulty is in the ethics of people being killed for the sins of another. If this was simply a case of David sinning why are 70,000 innocent people killed? The need for godly leadership is obviously demonstrated and the folly of trusting in a king, no matter how much he is “after God’s own heart.” Thankfully we serve the good shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep.

2 Samuel 19-21

Chapter 19 opens with the news of the consequences of David’s response to Absalom’s death. His army was expecting a victory celebration but instead they returned to mourning and weeping. Joab confronted David and told him to change his attitude, saying “Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now” (19:7).

David needed to reunify the country and command the loyalty of all the tribes and people within them. He promised the leadership of his army to Amasa in place of Joab (19:13) and called on the priesthood and other visible leaders to support him. He did not kill Shimei for his previous attack and he restored half of Mephibosheth’s estate after learning that Ziba may have deceived him in portraying Mephibosheth as an enemy. The chapter concludes with a display of animosity between the people of Judah and those of Israel (19:41-43). This is only a taste of the division that will take place after Solomon’s death when the kingdom splits into northern and southern nations.

Out of this scene Sheba from Ephraim rebelled and Amasa was sent to rouse the men of Judah but when he took longer than expected David sent Joab out with those men present. When Joab met up with Amasa he killed him in cold blood and once again took control of the whole army. He reached Abel Beth Maakah and persuaded the townspeople to hand over Sheba. No comment is made here about Joab’s murder of Amasa although the statement that his dagger “dropped out of its sheath” (20:8) may be an attempt to lessen the cold blooded nature of his act.

Chapter 21 is ethically difficult in that Saul’s descendants are put to death for “his” crime in killing the Gibeonites who had made a treaty of protection with Israel but who were almost annihilated by Saul. They requested that seven of his Saul’s male descendants be put to death to avenge them (21:6). David allowed this but protected Mephibosheth on account of his oath to Jonathan. After these events, Saul and Jonathan’s bodies were properly buried at Zela in Benjamin. The chapter concludes with a number of victories over Philistine forces and the deaths of the descendants of Rapha in Gath.

2 Samuel 16-18

As David was leaving town Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba met him with a caravan of supplies for his men. David was very happy and granted him all of Mephibosheth’s possessions as a reward to be collected on his successful return to power. In contrast, Saul’s relative Shimei cursed David and threw dirt and rocks at him as he left town. David restrained his men from killing Shimei, saying that if his exile was from God then Shimei had every right to curse him and if not he would soon return. Once again the text presents David as a man of largess who cares even for his enemies.

Meanwhile Absalom was planning strategy on how to establish lasting control over the kingdom. Ahithophel and Hushai gave conflicting advice and Hushai’s advice was followed, thus giving David time to escape and consolidate his forces. Ahithophel was so consumed by this rejection that he put his affairs in order and killed himself.

Some time later, after David had built up his army the two forces met in battle. Absalom went to war on the front lines but David’s men requested that he remain in the city for protection. Absalom was entrapped by his most honourable feature, his hair, and was thus easily killed by Joab. When King David heard the news that Absalom was dead he grew despondent, saying “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!” (18:33).

Transliterate Greek and Hebrew online

Logos Bible software has done it again. (Didn’t I recently mention that; they really need to stop doing it .

They are providing an online tool for automatically transliterating pasted Greek and Hebrew text. The new website is Transliterate.com. With the plethora of tools now available in Bible software like Logos and online this is not as needed as it was when I was studying Greek and Hebrew but it is nevertheless a welcome development.

HT

Colour photographs in 1909?!?!

Did you know that the Russian photographer Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky was taking beautiful colour photographs 100 years ago? I had no idea until I stumbled across this post with several examples and an explanation of how he accomplished it. Head on over and take a look at Russia 100 years ago. Most of our history is in black and white so it is an interesting experience to see it in colour. It makes you think that they weren’t actually that much different than us.

Great Bible Giveaway at Logos Bible Software

Logos, the king of promotion, has done it again! This time they are giving away 12 Bible per month for the next six months to those who promote their new online Bible site. If you simply add this announcement to your blog they will enter you in the contest. The prizes are some very high-end leather bound Bibles in various translations. I have no idea who would spend $200+ for a Bible but I’ll take one for free, and so would you, I suspect. Head over to the Great Bible Giveaway page for more details or leave a comment on their blog post for another entry.

Here is their official blurb:

Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study.

Average lifespan at Qumran remarkably low due to parasites

In old news researches have discovered that the ritual cleanings engaged in daily by all residents of the Qumran community probably led to their having a remarkably low quality of life and shortened lifespans. Testing of the community outhouse area led to the discovery of various human parasites that would have been common among the community members. Their burying all human waste meant that parasites lived longer and would have infected anyone with open wounds during their foot washing or during their full immersion cleansing rituals, both done in stagnant water.

“2,000 years ago in Jericho, 14 kilometers to the north, the chances of an adult male dying after 40 were 49 percent. But when you go to Qumran, the figure for people surviving to 40 falls to six percent — the chances of making it to 40 differ by a factor of eight!”

Cleanliness was not only next to godliness for those at Qumran but it got them to God’s side much quicker!