Tag Archives: challenging questions

What is the Expanse?

Posted on by
Reply

No not the sci-fi series on Syfy and Amazon Prime Video that is based on the books by James S.A. Corey. But the matter created on day 2 in the Genesis account.

In Genesis 1:6 (NASB20) we read:

Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”

Depending on your translation the Hebrew word rāqîa may be translated as “expanse” (NASB, NET, ESV, Holman), “firmament” (KJV, NKJV) or “vault” (NIV). The NLT translates the word as “space”.

In order to understand what the expanse is we will read through the rest of the Genesis account. Examining the account and listing out what the text says about the entity that was created on day two. We will focus on both its description and function.

Continue reading →

An ethical dilemma in Hosea (part 7)

Posted on by
2

This is part of a series. I recommend starting with the first installment.

We started this series examining an ethical dilemma that was presented in the opening of the book of Hosea. Over several posts we explored numerous solutions that are offered by various commentators and scholars to handle the challenge. In the last post a solution was offered as the most likely, as it was the only one that seems to fit all of the available information. However, that solution requires us to accept an uncommon translation of Hosea 1:4 that is not used in modern translations.

Here are the two possible translations of the passage, with the more common one on top:

  • in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel
  • in just a little while I will visit the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu

A short overview of the second translation, which is required for the preferred solution to the dilemma, is offered in this post. It should be noted that I do not know Hebrew and am indebted to the work of other scholars in examining this solution.

Continue reading →

An ethical dilemma in Hosea (part 6)

Posted on by
2

This is part of a series. I recommend starting with the first installment.

We started this series examining an ethical dilemma that was posed in Hosea.

And the Lord said to him, “Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. (Hosea 1:4)

When one first reads the passage, the dilemma is not obvious. It is only when we explore who Jehu is and what the blood of Jezreel might mean that we find a challenge. What we find is the possibility that God asked Jehu to perform an action, then praised and rewarded him for doing what was asked, only to then punish him for it?

That should be an unsettling image of God, who is often described as good (Ps 100:5; 107:1).

We have examined numerous options that are used to address the challenge.

Jehu (source: wikipedia)

Numerous scholars and commentators disagree on which of these solutions is the correct one. Each of these answers has significant weaknesses when one reads through the numerous passages that relate to the events. It is reasonable to conclude that all of these actions were part of what God expected out of Jehu and were commended. It is also rationale to accept Jehu as having the right motives while performing these actions.

So where does that leave us?

Continue reading →