Peter J. Leithart

Ancient worshipers inspected entrails to see if their sacrifices had been accepted. Israel apparently never did so. There was nothing visible to tell them that Yahweh received them. Only His word: “that he may be accepted.” In this as in other ways, sacrifice was a pedagogy in faith . . . . Continue Reading »

Maya Jasanoff reviews Rose George’s Ninety Percent of Everything, a study of the gigantic and largely unnoticed shipping industry.Shipping is one of the key factors in globalization, and today’s shipping is cheap and efficient as a result of “containerization”: “In . . . . Continue Reading »

Yahweh makes water in the wilderness, and where there is water there is a city (Psalm 107:33-38).Water may not seem a very stable foundation for urbanization, but it is the necessary basis for the life of any human community. Without water, people can’t live, their livestock won’t . . . . Continue Reading »

 Jezebel’s appearance in 1-2 Kings is part of a continuing story of Israel’s relationship with Tyre and Sidon. During the days of David and Solomon, Hiram king of Tyre was an ally of Israel. This is the ideal relationship between Jew and Gentiles, Israel and the nations.Jezebel . . . . Continue Reading »

Jesus appears with fiery eyes, more specifically with eyes that are “flame(s) of fire” (Gr. hos phlox/phloga puros, 1:15; 2:18). The phrase has Old Testament roots. Moses sees the angel of the Lord en phlogi puros on Sinai (Exodus 3:2; LXX), and in the plague of hail fire is seen . . . . Continue Reading »

With cynicism about politics widespread, it’s good to have James Skillen’s seasoned, balanced reminder of The Good of Politics. A few excerpts.At the outset, Skillen questions the common separation of politics and culture: “can political really be distinguished as a realm separate . . . . Continue Reading »

Noah Smith thinks that drones are the new gunpowder.Guns and gunpowder revolutionized warfare. A barely trained peasant could take down a proud knight from a distance. Smith argues that the drone is about to replace the gunman.That means an upheaval in warfare. The Age of the Gun, he . . . . Continue Reading »

William Broad reports in the New York Timesthat budget cuts in federal science programs have created a crisis in research. Billionaires have stepped into the gap to fund projects that they deem important. This disturbs the scientific establishment,. Steven Edwards of the American . . . . Continue Reading »

I suggested in a post this past week that Jesus is the new Phinehaswhen he comes to judge the Balaamites of Pergamum (Revelation 2:14-16).I had in mind Numbers 25, where Phinehas arrests a plague that breaks out because Israelites are fornicating and committing idolatry with Moabite women who . . . . Continue Reading »

John Bergsma observes that the year of Jubilee was proclaimed with a trumpet blast on the day of atonement (The Jubilee from Leviticus to Qumran, 92), and draws this conclusion:Since other ancient Near Eastern festivals of the seventh month—such as the akîtu—combined reassertion of . . . . Continue Reading »