Biblical word clouds

This is superficially very cool and the more you watch the more theology rises to the surface.

The website has several fascinating resources available. When we get our first batch, my choices will be Ruth (duh), Genesis, Matthew or Romans, and Psalms or Isaiah. Which would you choose?

HT: Tim Challies

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Rev 21-22 pt5

(oops, I forgot to post this earlier in the week.)

Mark Dever described John’s final glimpse of New Jerusalem as “the city bustling with life.” (Rev 22.1-5) I like that. It reminds me how much in this world is weary and worn down, and how at even the best of times, we experience a mere shadow of the energy and vitality of Life at its full swelling surge.

Once again John notes several things that are present and one major element that is missing.

He sees first “the river of the water of life.” (.1-2) It is bright as crystal and flowing from God’s throne. I believe he is seeing a similar vision to Ezekiel’s (ch 47) river that was immensely wide. When this is combined with “the tree of life” that he next observes, we are quickly reminded of Psalm 1, and the life-giving properties mentioned there. Interestingly, in eternity the water gives life and the tree does as well, for the “leaves are for healing of the nations.”

Defining and explaining a thing is often best accomplished by describing what it is and what it is not. Such is the case here as John explains that “there will no longer be any curse” (NAS). That fatal flaw woven into creation because of man’s sin will be expunged forever. Jesus died and was raised to reverse the curse, and now it is fully accomplished.

Sit back and give this thought-experiment a whirl: What would the world and life be like if the Curse were removed completely? See if your head doesn’t begin swimming! Leave some comments about what occurs to you.

John returns to what he sees, building to the pinnacle of our eternal home. He sees the throne of God that has come down from heaven to the redeemed New Earth, which is filled with busy service to God. The verse says that “His servants will worship Him,” and the word translated ‘worship’ is the same root verb that is translated “reasonable service” in Rom 12.1.

Our worship of God will not be just mindlessly singing chants or praise songs, hymns or oratorios. We will worship Him in all we do, in every way, through every moment.

No doubt the highest point of John’s description is wrapped into this short statement pregnant with meaning, “They will see His face.” Contrast this with the reaction of unbelievers (Rev 6.16, 20.11) who feared His face.

Not even Moses could see God’s face and live. Yet we will be welcomed to see Him face-to-face. This is called “The Beatific Vision” or “The Blessed Vision”, and it will be eternally transformative (2 Cor 3.16-18).

“God’s gift of heaven is first and foremost, consumed with the centrality of God such that for the first time, without any footnotes, any taint, we will know, experientially what it means to obey what Jesus calls the most important commandment: to love Him with heart and soul and mind and strength. And we will be so transformed in this Beatific Vision that we will know experientially what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves.

And so Christians in every generation, in every century, in every country, all over the world have learned to come together and pray in words drawn from the end of this chapter, ‘Yes. Even so come, Lord Jesus’.”  DA Carson

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to try men’s souls & valley forge

 

These are the first two books of a series about our nation’s birth.  Gingrich and Forstchen have teamed up on several books of historical fiction, and their stories are remarkably well told.

To Try Men’s Souls highlights Washington’s Christmas night crossing of the Delaware River to  attack the Hessian outpost in Trenton, NJ. The first year of the war is told through memories and flashbacks, so this battle is not told in isolation.

The book vividly recounts the suffering and brutal conditions of the American soldiers. George Washington is humanized, while at the same time, retaining his rightful heroic stature. Thomas Paine’s writing of The American Crisis weaves its way throughout, no doubt with some literary embellishment.

Valley Forge picks up a year later to tell the story of the American army through the winter and spring of 1777-78. VF brings to the forefront the conflicts and clashes within the colonial government and armies, as well as the need for Baron von Steuben’s military training.

Nit-picking: the grammar can be wretched at times with misplaced modifiers and dangling verbals that could lead to some confusion. However, the plots are wound so tightly and the drama drawn so taut that this reader overlooked most of the poor grammar.

These books have provoked much reflection on the meaning of being American, and what it means to be a Christian American as well.

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