Jeremy Thompson

Category: Lectionary Readings

  • Psalm 114 – The Jordan Runs Away

    The primary Old Testament lectionary reading today comes from Joshua 3 and involves the Israelites passing through the Jordan on dry ground.  I have already commented briefly on that text HERE.  In that reading the waters are “cut off” and “stand still.”  But, Psalm 114 presents the more poetic perspective, which I like better.  It…

  • Moses is Dead … So, Now What?

    Today’s lectionary reading moves from the end of Deuteronomy to the third chapter of Joshua.  The reading begins with verse 7 which, reads, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they will know that I will be with you as I was with Moses” (NRSV).  Of…

  • The Death of Moses – What a Depressing End

    Today’s lectionary reading (Deut. 34) involves Moses dying in the land of Moab before reaching the Promised Land.  There are two elements of this story that to me add to the drama and make for quite a depressing tale, even though one does find the positive statements about Moses at the end. Notice where Moses…

  • 7 Verses on the Love of God in the Old Testament

    God sometimes gets a bad rap for his actions in the Old Testament. If you want to see this in practice, just go on over to Yahoo! Answers and search “Old Testament.” You can bet that many of the results will be questions like “Why is God so great and wonderful in the New Testament…

  • More Henotheism in the Old Testament

    I have previously posted on henotheism in the Old Testament and explained what this is. Today’s Psalm contains another statement that reflects henotheism. It reads as follows: “For you, LORD, are most high over all the earth; You are very highly exalted over all gods” (emphasis added). Here again the existence of other deities is…