John Piper on the Election

Over at the Desiring God blog John Piper has posted this video. He’s not telling anyone how to vote, but he is saying what he thinks about the issues of gender, race, abortion, and how Christians must be advocates for the gospel. This is worth your time:

The Isaiah Scroll Online

I found this page as I clicked around in Bible Works this morning. There are photographs of the Great Isaiah Scroll, along with comments on where and how it differs from the Masoretic Text of Isaiah here.

What can be found on the internet is absolutely amazing!

Celebrating God’s Mercy in My Life

My life is a tale of God’s mercy.

If you’re in Louisville and would like to hear about the way that God has lavished his kindness on this particular unworthy sinner, I would invite you to this event this Thursday at 4pm.

Dempster: Exodus and Biblical Theology, and Thoughts on Sinai and Zion

Stephen Dempster has just put up an intriguing post over at the biblical theology site, reflecting on some comparisons Hartmut Gese makes between the Sinai Torah and the Zion Torah. Check it out. 

Dempster also has an essay in the recently released issue of The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology: “Exodus and Biblical Theology: On Moving into the Neighborhood with a New Name,” SBJT 12.3 (2008) 4-23. A version in word is posted here.

On Politicians and Elected Officians

A simple question: do you spend more time worrying about who they are and what they will do than you spend praying for them? 

All of us who love the gospel can no doubt agree that what we want most is for others to love the gospel of Jesus Christ, crucified for sinners, raised in triumph over death and the forces of evil. 

And as we can agree that we need the Holy Spirit to break through in our own lives and apply the truths of the good news of Jesus Christ, so we can, and should (1 Tim 2:1-4) pray for the good news of the gospel to break through by the power of the Holy Spirit and transform the minds and hearts of those public servants who seek and occupy elected office. 

ESV 1 Timothy 2:1-4 “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

If you’re interested in my political philosophy, here it is: “The Church Militant and Her Warfare: We Are Not Another Interest Group,” The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 11.4 (2008), 70-80.

PDF of Vaticanus (NT)

And here’s a PDF of the NT portion of Codex Vaticanus.

PDF of Codex Sinaiticus (NT)

The Wikipedia article on Codex Sinaiticus has a link to a PDF of the facsimile of the NT portion of Codex Sinaiticus.

The pictures of the actual manuscript are appearing on the Codex Sinaiticus site, but they don’t have everything up yet and a PDF might be faster than a website. There are also a number of nice photos of the manuscript on the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts page.

Enjoy!

New Book from T. Desmond Alexander

Over at the Biblical Theology blog I’ve just posted on T. Desmond Alexander’s book, From Eden to the New Jerusalem: Exploring God’s Plan for Life on Earth.

Having just read the preface, I was compelled to post on it here, just in case there are some who check this blog but not the other.

This is an important new book from which every Christian minister, student, and scholar is sure to profit. It has the virtue of being under 200 pages, and from Alexander’s previous writings I am confident that treasures old and new will be found herein.

Enjoy!

Clarence Thomas on Interpreting the Constitution

This excerpt from a lecture Clarence Thomas gave is well worth reading. Here’s the conclusion:

“Let me put it this way; there are really only two ways to interpret the Constitution — try to discern as best we can what the framers intended or make it up. No matter how ingenious, imaginative or artfully put, unless interpretive methodologies are tied to the original intent of the framers, they have no more basis in the Constitution than the latest football scores. To be sure, even the most conscientious effort to adhere to the original intent of the framers of our Constitution is flawed, as all methodologies and human institutions are; but at least originalism has the advantage of being legitimate and, I might add, impartial.”

Read the whole piece.

Russell D. Moore: Joseph of Nazareth Is a Single Issue Evangelical

Courageous. Inspiring. Prophetic. On point. Go listen here.

Dr. Moore knocked it out of the park today for the glory of God.

The abortion thing is about much more than American politics, so if you don’t want to be confronted with the spiritual realities and worldview issues at stake, don’t bother with this sermon.

If you don’t want to see a beautiful example of how to interpret narrative and apply it to the contemporary mind and heart while showing how the narrative fits in the broader redemptive historical story line, don’t bother with this sermon.

If you don’t want to understand how Matthew is using the Old Testament in his early chapters, and if you don’t want to be taught these things with a passion that will move you to action, don’t bother with this sermon.

If you don’t want to be inspired to love your children and your wife, or, if you don’t have kids and don’t want to be inspired to be a parent, don’t bother with this sermon.

If you’re not interested in what the gospel has to say to those who have suffered from having had or performed or counseled others to have abortions, don’t bother with this sermon.

Otherwise, go listen.

May the Lord bring renewal in our day.