Reminders For The Restless

Dale Pollard

  1. Don’t carry burdens that aren’t yours (Proverbs 3.5-6)
  2. Remember the extraordinary times that God has carved out a path where there was no path before (Isaiah 43.16-19) 
  3. Don’t forget, God can see what you can’t see (Proverbs 16.9) 
  4. Even if you stumble, God won’t let you stay down if you’re willing to get up (Psalm 37.23-24) 
  5. God’s vision is bigger and better than yours (Jeremiah 33.3) 
  6. God hasn’t forgotten about you (Proverbs 20.24) 
  7. Remember to be very specific when you’re praying to God (2 Samuel 5.19) 
  8. Always be sure that your will is His will (James 4.15) 

Four On One Play

Have you ever mishandled a situation?  More than that, have you ever compounded one mistake with one, two, or more on top of the first one?  If you have been around for any length of time, you have. 

Neal Pollard

    Lennie Merullo had a memorable day on September 13, 1942.  The Cubs’ infielder had a son that day and in the second inning of Chicago’s game, he made four errors!  His teammates nicknamed Lennie’s son “boots” (baseball fans will get that).  As bad as it was for Lennie, it may have been worse for Mike Grady.  Grady, normally a catcher, was playing third base in a game for the Phillies in 1895.  As the story goes (see The Very Worst In Sports), he booted an easy grounder allowing the batter to reach first base (first error).  His throw to first was wild, allowing the runner to advance (second error).  The runner tried to stretch it to third.  The first baseman’s throw to Grady at third was in time, but he dropped it (third error).  Finally, the runner was racing home and Grady’s throw sailed over the catcher’s head into the grandstand (fourth error).  Grady allowed the proverbial “Little League Home Run.”  This was Grady’s second year in the Majors.  You might think it would have been his last, but not so.  While he is no Hall of Famer, he did log eleven seasons in the big leagues.  In 1901, he finished fourth in batting and seventh in on-base percentage.  Oh and his career fielding percentage was only slightly below the league average when he retired.

    Now you non-baseball aficionados can wake up for the application.  Have you ever mishandled a situation?  More than that, have you ever compounded one mistake with one, two, or more on top of the first one?  If you have been around for any length of time, you have.  Maybe you lied to cover up some sin and felt compelled to add a few more lies to it.  Maybe you lost your temper, then cursed, and maybe even escalated it beyond that.  Temptation has any number of ways of getting into our way and really botching up things.  The question is, “What do you do in the aftermath?”  So far as I know, Grady stayed in the game.  Merullo probably did, too.  If you fall off the horse or the bicycle, the conventional wisdom tells you to climb back on top of it.  When you mess things up with sin, divine wisdom says to get back up and keep trying.  1 John 1:9 assures us that God will forgive us in our confessing and seeking to continue on in the Light.  How badly had the Prodigal Son behave, and yet there was acceptance for him when he returned to the father’s house.  The repeated theme of scripture for those who fall is to get up and keep going.  Do not give up the fight.  The late gospel preacher, George Bailey, put it, “Success comes in ‘cans,’ not ‘can’ts.'”  

    Have you made a mess of things?  Don’t throw in the towel.  Keep the faith, and keep fighting (cf. 1 Timothy 6:12)!  Be sure to end well.

“Son of Man”: Ezekiel, Jesus, and the Pattern of Prophetic Humility

God repeatedly reminds Ezekiel that he is not superhuman. He is a mortal man, chosen to carry the very words of God to a rebellious and hard-hearted people. His identity itself—son of man—becomes a walking testimony to humility.

Brent Pollard

When God called Ezekiel to his prophetic ministry, He chose not to address him by name, but by a title that would echo through the corridors of time: “Son of Man.” Ezekiel heard this title over ninety times from God’s lips throughout the book that bears his name. The Hebrew, ben adam, means “descendant of man” or “human one.” At first glance, it might seem like a poetic flourish. Since the title “son of man” is intentionally repeated and later used by Jesus of Nazareth, we should pause and ask: Why did He choose this title for both figures?

Isaiah may rightly bear the title “Messianic Prophet” for his remarkable prophecies of Christ’s birth, suffering, and coming reign (Isaiah 7.14; 9.6; 53). But Ezekiel’s role as “son of man” unveils something equally profound—it foreshadows the very form the Messiah would take, especially in His humble incarnation and prophetic ministry.

A Title That Humbles and Separates

Adam Clarke observed with penetrating insight that this term serves to humble Ezekiel, preventing him from being exalted in his mind because of the extraordinary revelations granted to him. Here is God’s gentle yet firm reminder of Ezekiel’s frailty and mortality—set against the backdrop of those overwhelming divine visions, particularly that awe-inspiring glimpse of the Almighty’s throne in Ezekiel 1. Matthew Henry echoes this truth, observing that despite the abundance of revelations, Ezekiel remains “a son of man, a mean, weak, mortal creature.”

God repeatedly reminds Ezekiel that he is not superhuman. He is a mortal man, chosen to carry the very words of God to a rebellious and hard-hearted people. His identity itself—son of man—becomes a walking testimony to humility.

John Gill observes deeper significance in this choice, noting that this title connects Ezekiel to the coming Christ. He points out that “this is a name which our Lord frequently took to himself in his state of humiliation” and that “the reason of it is, because he was an eminent type of Christ.” Thus, “son of man” becomes more than humiliation—it points forward to the One who would perfectly embody both human weakness and divine mission.

Prophetic Suffering and True Representation

Beyond its humbling power, the term “son of man” positions Ezekiel as one who truly represents his people. He stands not as an outsider hurling judgment from afar, but as a fellow exile (Ezekiel 1.1-3). God called Ezekiel to speak as one of them—and more, to suffer in symbolic ways that would paint vivid pictures of their coming condition (Ezekiel 4–5).

Burton Coffman observes that Ezekiel’s very actions embodied the message he delivered: lying upon his side for appointed days, shaving his head with a sword, cooking with defiled fuel, refusing to mourn when his beloved wife died—each act a living parable of Israel’s approaching judgment. In this suffering service, Ezekiel points forward to a greater Prophet yet to come, One who would bear not symbolic griefs but actual sorrows, not representative suffering but substitutionary sacrifice.

Daniel’s Vision: The Title Transformed

In Daniel 7.13-14, something remarkable happens. “Son of Man” takes on entirely different colors. Daniel sees in his night visions “one like a son of man” coming with the clouds of heaven, receiving dominion that shall never pass away. What a contrast! Ezekiel’s “son of man” is lowly, suffering, and representative of human weakness. Daniel’s “Son of Man” is exalted, glorious, clothed with eternal authority.

Yet both point toward the same magnificent Person: Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, our Lord refers to Himself as “the Son of Man” more than eighty times—more than any other title He claims. In taking this name, Jesus gathers up both streams—Ezekiel’s humble suffering and Daniel’s eternal glory.

Jesus bears the full weight of human suffering, as Ezekiel did in shadow and type. Yet He also inherits that eternal kingdom promised in Daniel’s soaring vision.

Ezekiel: Pattern of the Incarnate Christ

Here then is the glory of it: if Isaiah introduces us to the person and mission of the coming Messiah, Ezekiel shows us the very form He would take—a suffering servant, fully human, yet burning with divine purpose. The constant repetition of “son of man” in Ezekiel prepares our hearts to recognize the breathtaking paradox of the incarnation itself—God in human flesh, humble yet holy, obedient unto death, acquainted with our griefs (Isaiah 53.3; Philippians 2.5-8).

Jesus, the true and ultimate Son of Man, fulfilled every aspect of Ezekiel’s prophecy, not only through His words but also through His life. He was the ideal representative of all people, carrying God’s final message as well as everyone’s sins.

Conclusion: The Seed of Eternal Purpose

It was not God’s caprice leading him to employ the phrase “son of man” to reference Ezekiel. The expression was a designation of Ezekiel’s humanity, prophetic duty, and role as the people’s representative. Yet, we understand it also served as a divinely planted seed, preparing hearts and minds to understand the Messiah—not only as conquering King and eternal Savior, but as One who would walk among us in perfect humility and carry all our sorrows.

In this “son of man,” we glimpse the wisdom of our God, who chooses frail vessels for eternal purposes—and who, when the fullness of time had come, became one Himself.

“Son of Man” represents grace beyond measure since the God calling a mortal man by that title would Himself take it for Himself, taking our nature and our place—that we might share in His glory forever.

Jesus: The Only Door

In our culture, we’re bombarded with the promise of the “good life”—the American Dream. It’s sold as owning a nice house, driving shiny new cars, taking lavish vacations, and retiring to a life of leisure. But even those who achieve this dream often miss the abundant life Jesus promises in John 10.

Carl Pollard

In our culture, we’re bombarded with the promise of the “good life”—the American Dream. It’s sold as owning a nice house, driving shiny new cars, taking lavish vacations, and retiring to a life of leisure. But even those who achieve this dream often miss the abundant life Jesus promises in John 10. No matter how many commas are in your bank account, how new your car is, or how many rooms your house has, without Jesus, you don’t have life.

In John 10:7-9, Jesus declares, “I am the gate for the sheep.” This is the third of His seven “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John, echoing the divine name from Exodus 3:14. He’s not just a door—He’s *the* door, the only entry to a life of true satisfaction, security, and purpose. Forget the prosperity gospel that slaps Christian labels on the American Dream. Jesus’ abundant life isn’t about piling up stuff; it’s about being right with God through faith in Christ and having the hope of eternity in His presence. The Apostle Paul had next to nothing but was content with food and clothing (1 Timothy 6:8) because he was rich toward God. In Philippians 3:8, he says, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” So, I’m asking you to examine your life: which door have you walked through? Jesus is the only door to abundant life, always open, but you’ve got to choose to step through.

Picture yourself lost in a freezing forest, stumbling onto a house with a roaring fire, hot soup, and a warm bed. But there’s no door—no way in. You’re stuck outside, desperate for what’s inside. That’s life without Jesus. He says, “I am the gate for the sheep” (John 10:7), the sole entry to a relationship with God. In John 10, false shepherds—religious leaders, philosophies, or systems—promise access through works, sincerity, or rituals. Jesus calls them “thieves and robbers” (v. 8) who “steal and kill and destroy” (v. 10). The American Dream offers a wide gate—wealth, success, pleasure—but Jesus warns in Matthew 7:13-14 that the broad road leads to destruction. Other paths, like Islam, Buddhism, or even well-meaning people suggest salvation outside Christ, and miss the truth: “There is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12). Jesus’ sinless life, authoritative teaching, miracles, and resurrection prove He’s the only way. He says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Are you chasing a false door or trusting Jesus alone?

Jesus doesn’t just claim to be the door; He promises life-changing blessings. John 10:9 says, “If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Jesus rescues us from God’s wrath, Satan’s schemes, and life’s futility. Our sin makes us God’s enemies (Romans 5:10), but Jesus took our punishment on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). Like a wolf licking a blood-coated blade, not realizing it’s killing itself, the American Dream lures us to spiritual death. Jesus saves us from false teachings and gives purpose, making this life the start of eternity (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Jesus offers security. “Go in and out” (v. 9) pictures a sheep’s freedom under the shepherd’s care, safe from wolves. Charles Spurgeon said believers can rest easy, protected by Christ’s power (Galatians 5:1). Unlike the shaky security of wealth, Jesus guards our souls, giving us direct access to God (Ephesians 2:18). Where do you feel trapped—guilt, fear, materialism? Jesus offers true freedom.

Jesus provides strength through “pasture” (v. 9)—spiritual nourishment like peace, purpose, and forgiveness. The American Dream leaves us chasing an elusive “something.” Jesus satisfies our deepest needs (Psalm 23:1). Are you spiritually starving, looking for fulfillment in success? Come to Jesus for lasting satisfaction.

Jesus’ blessings demand action: you must enter (v. 9). Just admiring the door—going to church or nodding at Jesus—won’t cut it. You’ve got to trust Him as Savior and obey His commands. This invitation is for “anyone” (v. 9). The world’s pleasures are a trap, promising life but delivering destruction. Jesus offers abundant life now and forever.

In Let’s Make a Deal, contestants pick between a visible prize and what’s behind a door. The visible prize—wealth, fame, pleasure, looks good but it means missing something better. Jesus, the true Door, offers salvation, security, and strength. Don’t stand outside wondering what could’ve been. Trust Him today, step through by faith, and receive this abundant life. The door’s open—will you walk through?

Origen’s “On First Principles” (Book 1, Ch. 5.1.2)

Gary Pollard

[Editor’s Note: Gary is translating the Ante-Nicene Fathers works, beginning with Origin’s work. It is meant to update the British English of Roberts and Donaldson. What follows is part of that translation]

After the discussion we have briefly presented—concerning the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—it is appropriate to now offer some thoughts on conscious beings: their types and ranks, their roles, and the functions of both good and evil powers, as well as those who exist in between these two extremes (i.e., those who still engaged in struggle and undergoing testing). In Scripture, we find many names and descriptions of different ranks and roles, not only among the holy beings but also among those that are opposed to them. We will begin by listing these names and functions and then, as best we can, attempt to understand their meaning.

There are certain holy angels of God that Paul calls “ministering spirits, sent to serve those who will inherit rescue.” In Paul’s own writings, he also refers to these beings—drawing from a source unknown to us—as thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers. After listing these, he goes on to say about the One who will save us: “Who is above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named—not only in this world, but also in the one to come. This suggests that beyond the beings he names, there are other sentient entities—some whose names can be spoken in this world, though Paul does not list them, perhaps because no one else knew them either—and others whose names cannot be spoken now but will be revealed in the world to come.

Next, we need to understand that every self-aware being who goes beyond its proper limits and rules is guilty of sin—because in doing so, it turns away from what is right and just. Every rational creature, then, is capable of receiving either praise or blame: praise, if it uses its reason to grow toward what is better; and blame, if it turns away from the path of righteousness. In such cases, punishment is justly deserved. This principle also applies to the accuser and his followers, who are called his angels. But before we go further, we need to explain the names and titles given to these beings, so we clearly understand who we are speaking about. The names “Devil (Accuser),” “Satan (Enemy),” and “Wicked One”—who is also called the “Enemy of God”—appear frequently in Scripture. In addition, Scripture refers to certain angels of the accuser, and to a “prince of this world.” Whether this prince is the accuser himself or another being is not clearly revealed.

We also read about “princes of this world” who possess a kind of wisdom that will eventually come to nothing. Whether these are the same as the “principalities” that Paul says we must fight against—or whether they are different beings altogether—is a question that is not easy to answer with certainty. Alongside the principalities, Paul also mentions certain “powers” with whom we struggle, and this conflict even includes rulers of this world’s darkness. He also speaks of spiritual forces of wickedness in the sky. And what should we make of the wicked and unclean spirits mentioned in the Gospels? On the other hand, Paul also refers to beings who are said to bow—or will bow—in submission at the name of Jesus. This includes beings in the sky, on earth, and under the earth, as he lists them.

Since we are discussing self-aware beings, we must not leave out ourselves—human beings—who are called rational animals. Even among humans, different groupings are mentioned in Scripture. For example, it says: “The Lord’s portion is His people Jacob; Israel is the cord of His inheritance.” Meanwhile, other nations are described as belonging to the angels. As it’s written: “When the Most High divided the nations and scattered the sons of Adam, He established their boundaries according to the number of the angels of God.” So, as we consider other rational beings, we must also carefully examine the nature and purpose of the human soul.

Many gods against God

There are so many parallels between those in ancient Athens and our postmodern society. It seems like a common belief was that everybody’s right (Acts 17:16,21)! I mean who are we to say what’s right and what’s wrong?

Dale Pollard

There are so many parallels between those in ancient Athens and our postmodern society. It seems like a common belief was that everybody’s right (Acts 17:16,21)! I mean who are we to say what’s right and what’s wrong? It was partially with that mindset that the city was full of idols. Paul, moved in spirit, tells them that not everybody’s right. 

The meat of his message is found in v. 22-31.

The heart of it is found in 27b:  

“God is not far from each one of us.”

No matter how confused and lost a person might feel, no matter what kind of sinful past or present may be weighing on the mind of a person, and no  matter how distant God may seem— He is never far from each one of us. 

It’s because of the honest response of some of those willing to hear and believe (v.34) that we’re reminded to preach Jesus to everybody. Even if it might look like God is outnumbered, preach Jesus anyway. 

Material Blessings

It pays to be a Christian. It will pay eternally (Mat. 6:21; 25:46a), but it will also cause one to reap the dividends thereof in this life. There will be tears to sow, and though joy comes in the morning of eternity (Psa. 126:5) there will be blessings accompanying the righteous life which the unrighteous will not experience.

Neal Pollard

In a time of restoration, Mattaniah and Bakbukiah led Judah in prayers of thanksgiving upon the completion of the wall around Jerusalem (Neh. 11:7). They recognized how much they owed God for His deliverance, guidance, and protection.  They were a blessed remnant, sustained by His providence.  They verbalized their thankfulness.  Could they have done less than that?

Past to present the United States has been blessed with a material abundance that matches or exceeds any known in recorded history. Through war after war, the nation has been spared from its enemies.  We have survived massive depressions, imposing threats to our freedom, periods of intense fear and sweeping doubt, and domestic disasters.  In such an environment and through such providential protection from our Holy Creator, the New Testament church has taken root and spread throughout the nation for over two centuries.  If not now, when has the Lord’s church had better opportunity to express our thanksgiving by righteous living and fervent evangelism? When has there ever been a time more pressing than now to declare the distinct message from heaven to modern man?

However, human nature has proven itself repeatedly to be disinclined toward service, sacrifice, and spirituality when material prosperity abounds.  Perhaps a blessing in the recent economic downturn may be man’s more acute awareness of our need for God.  Time will tell.

What cannot be missed is how faithfully God blesses humanity in a material way.  Truly, God sheds some material blessings upon everyone.  He gives to all life and breath and all things (Acts 17:25).  “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above…” (Jas. 1:17).  Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount that the Father “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Mat. 5:45).  Repeatedly, scripture reminds the reader that there is no breath, no health, no potential for prosperity apart from the abundant, physical gifts from heaven.  Simply being a human being qualifies one for some basic, material blessings.

God blesses His children in a special way.  That is not a guarantee of wealth and prosperity, even if so many Christians in America may possess that.  I have been to several nations where Christians live in subsistence, having food enough to fill a hungry belly once or twice a day, enjoying some kind of shelter, and owning maybe a change of clothes or two.  Most of these brethren would consider themselves very blessed and have a positive, contented outlook on life.  They view themselves as materially blessed.  These brethren’s examples remind us that the truest treasures do not have a price tag on them, yet children of God have so frequently been the happy recipients of relative prosperity.

Despite the fact that God has richly blessed His children, ingratitude for material blessings has often been a spiritual plague.  At Marah, a couple of day’s journey past the Red Sea whose waters had just been parted, the Israelites complained for lack of water.  Marah literally meant bitter water, and for this reason Israel would not drink there.  The Lord showed Moses a piece of wood which, after he threw it in the water, sweetened it.  Then, Moses writes, “There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,  saying, ‘If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer’” (Exo. 15:25b-26, ESV).  Incidentally, a few miles later they came to a placed called Elim, “where there were twelve wells of water” (Exo. 15:27).  They had seen physical deliverance a mere 72 hours before, but they lost faith in God’s ability to provide so quickly.  Later on in the sermon on the mount, Jesus warned His disciples not to imitate such a display of doubt and distrust.  He shows the foolishness and futility of worrying over material things, urging His disciples to instead seek the kingdom first in the full confidence of divine provision (Mat. 6:25-34).  Therefore, as children of God should more fully and quickly trust God to provide for needs and necessities (cf. 1 Co. 10:10; Phi. 2:14), we should also be quick to recognize and be thankful for the material blessings we regularly receive.

Consider a few material blessings unique to those living the Christian life.

Long Life

Righteous people deliver stillborn children.  Godly teenagers die in tragic accidents.  Some wonderful Christian folks have had their lives dramatically shortened by terminal illness or untimely death.  So, this blessing needs qualification.  Solomon writes, “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you” (Pro. 3:2).  This rule of thumb certainly has exceptions, like those already noted.  Yet, the healthy lifestyle, management of stress and worry, and attitude that seeks to live and serve so long as God wills leads the righteous to a condition of life that lends itself to longevity.  This is reiterated in Proverbs 3:16 (the companionship of long life and wisdom), Proverbs 9:11 (days multiplied through fear and knowledge), Proverbs 10:27 (the fear of the Lord prolongs days) and Proverbs 28:16 (those who hate unjust gain prolong their days).  

True peace  

There are a great many people in the world today who are disturbed and distressed, and many have not learned that this is very often a lack of true peace available only in Christ (John 14:27; cf. Phi. 4:7).  Again, Solomon repeats the presence of peace in the lives of the righteous (3:17; 16:7).  There is a false, self-deluding peace with which the ungodly numb themselves (cf. Jer. 8:11), but this is tantamount to building on the proverbial sand (cf. Mat. 7:26-27).   Some nervous conditions with physical side-effects are no more than the outgrowth of a mind disturbed by ungodly, self-guided living.  Christians may choose to give in to the sin of worry and sacrifice the peace of Christ, but they are surrendering a blessing that most rightly belongs to them.  Peace is a spiritual blessing, but there are physical aspects to it.

Answered prayer 

  Though the blind man may have been speaking his own theology and not the Lord’s (John 9:31), Peter makes clear the principle that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.  But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Pe. 3:12). Since the righteous have their desires properly trained (cf. Jas. 4:1-3), the desires they express to God are granted (Pro. 10:24).  He hears the righteous’ prayers (Pro. 15:29).  Literally, He listens with a yearning to grant our requests as it befits His own will.  We pray for many spiritual things, but we also pray concerning physical matters.  Prayers for health, job, the ability to provide for family, safe travel, births, marriages, and the like are bound up in the material as well as the spiritual.  

Deliverance

Deliverance is a broad topic.  David was delivered from the paw of the lion and the bear, and so this was deliverance from natural terrors.  He was delivered from Goliath, Saul, and Absalom, deliverance from human threats and opposition.  He was delivered from blood guiltiness and personal, egregious sin, and so deliverance from spiritual death.  His son, Solomon, must have seen the after-effects of such deliverance in his father’s life.  By righteous living, much trouble can be averted (Pro. 11:8).  The early Christians suffered loss of life in the throes of persecution, but so often God has chosen to deliver His children’s lives.  This is a material blessing each of us should take time to note.

It pays to be a Christian.  It will pay eternally (Mat. 6:21; 25:46a), but it will also cause one to reap the dividends thereof in this life.  There will be tears to sow, and though joy comes in the morning of eternity (Psa. 126:5) there will be blessings accompanying the righteous life which the unrighteous will not experience.  Thank God for the hope and promise tied to the righteous life, a life of material as well as endless spiritual blessings.

The Lamb, Not the Seductress: Reexamining Bathsheba’s Story

So, did David not know who she was? It’s difficult to believe that a woman connected to three men in David’s inner circle was a stranger to him. More likely, the evening light and David’s rooftop vantage point allowed him to see her form but not recognize her.

Brent Pollard

July 15, 2025, seemed like an ordinary day, but it became extraordinary when a CEO was caught canoodling with a fellow employee on the kiss cam during a Coldplay concert. The intimate moment quickly went viral, especially since the CEO was married. Many likely felt schadenfreude over the fall of a wealthy individual worth between $20 and $70 million. This contemporary scandal provides a lens through which to examine how we often misread similar biblical narratives. Frankly, I believe it is best to heed the words of Paul: while we expose evil deeds, we do not speak in detail about what is done in secret (Ephesians 5.11–12). Still, I needed to establish this cultural backdrop for this article.

One of those quick to offer a take on the July 15 incident was the satirical site The Babylon Bee. I typically enjoy their brand of humor, but this time they missed the mark. They likened the scandal to the biblical account of David and Bathsheba. If Bathsheba truly were the gold-digging seductress some portray her as, then the comparison might be justified. But she wasn’t. Bathsheba was a victim of a powerful man’s abuse, which makes The Bee’s joke not only flat but also deeply inappropriate.

This article will build a case, as if in a court of law, defending Bathsheba against unjust accusations. I will argue that she was a victim of rape and that her husband was murdered to conceal the crime. The evidence is found in 2 Samuel 11.

First, the text reveals David’s negligence and sets the stage for what follows. Verse one sets the tone: it was the season when kings customarily led their troops into battle. But David stayed home. He was not where he was supposed to be. Then in verse two, we find that David is getting out of bed in the evening. The text doesn’t say why, but the timing is odd. I can’t help but think of the words attributed to David’s son: “How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?” (Proverbs 6.9). It reminds us of the adage that idle hands are the devil’s workshop. This context of David’s negligence becomes crucial when we examine what happens next. Had David been at the front, none of what follows may have occurred.

As David walks on his rooftop, he sees a woman bathing. The text tells us she was very beautiful (2 Samuel 11.2). Unlike Job, who made a covenant with his eyes not to gaze lustfully (Job 31.1), David does not look away. Instead, he inquires about her (v. 3). The answer he receives is revealing: this is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Bathsheba has three direct relational ties to David. Uriah and Eliam were part of David’s elite band of mighty men (2 Samuel 23.34, 39). Additionally, Eliam was the son of Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors (2 Samuel 15.12).

So, did David not know who she was? It’s difficult to believe that a woman connected to three men in David’s inner circle was a stranger to him. More likely, the evening light and David’s rooftop vantage point allowed him to see her form but not recognize her. This is important: Bathsheba was not bathing at a time or place where she should have expected to be seen.

Second, examining Bathsheba’s actions shows she was following the Law, not acting seductively. There is debate about why Bathsheba was bathing. Some translations imply she was purifying herself from her monthly period; others suggest she was washing after intercourse with David. But here’s the key: if she were washing after sex, then both she and David would have had to bathe according to Leviticus 15.18. Yet the text only describes Bathsheba bathing.

More importantly, verse four tells us she was purifying herself from her impurity. The Hebrew word tum’ah refers to ritual uncleanness, and in Leviticus 15.19–30, this term is explicitly used for menstrual impurity. The law outlines a process of purification following menstruation, including waiting seven days and bathing before being considered clean. So the context supports that Bathsheba was obeying the Law of Moses, not reacting to a sinful encounter.

Furthermore, we are not told where Bathsheba was bathing. Was it on a rooftop, as depicted in art? We don’t know. The only specified location is David’s. He was on a rooftop with a clear, elevated view. Suggesting that Bathsheba was being immodest or trying to attract attention assumes she knew David was not at war, knew he was home, and knew he would be waking up and wandering onto the roof at that very moment—all highly improbable. The seduction theory collapses under its weight.

When we scrutinize the text, it becomes clear that Bathsheba was where she was supposed to be, doing what the Law required. David was not. He was idle, indulgent, and willfully blind. What followed was not an affair. It was an act of power and violation. We must stop blaming Bathsheba for being seen and instead call David’s sin what it truly was. I know we are uncomfortable calling David a rapist, but we don’t seem to have a problem with acknowledging his premeditated murder of Uriah.

Finally, the prophet Nathan’s parable confirms this interpretation and validates Bathsheba’s innocence. Of course, David later repented (Psalm 51), and Scripture still calls him a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13.14). But his heart was not aligned with God in 2 Samuel 11. The prophet Nathan’s parable does not depict Bathsheba as a co-conspirator. She is the poor man’s beloved lamb, taken and slaughtered by one who had many (2 Samuel 12.1–4). The lamb does not seduce the butcher.

Justice for Bathsheba does not mean denying David’s restoration. It simply means telling the truth: she was not the temptress. She was the victim.

What To Do When The Bull Has You By The Horns

Often, we panic or worry. Or we despair and even give up. We may talk like Elisha’s servant, who seeing the Syrian army surrounding them, cried, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15). The problems, pressures, and pains of life can so gouge us that we are ready to come unglued! 

Neal Pollard

What does a bull running amuck along the streets of Pamplona think about? If they have thoughts and they live to gore, then one particular bull may have been pretty pleased with his results. He gored two brothers, Lawrence and Michael Lenahan, simultaneously, in the annual running of the bulls festival. Fortunately for both of them, their wounds did not prove to be fatal (details here). 

When we tackle a problem head on, determined to be decisive, we often say we are “taking the bull by the horns.” This phrase probably comes either from rounding up cattle or bullfighting. It assumes the person has control of (or is trying to take control of) a situation. However, what do you do when the situation seems to be taking control of you? What do you do when the bull has you by its horns?

Often, we panic or worry. Or we despair and even give up. We may talk like Elisha’s servant, who seeing the Syrian army surrounding them, cried, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15). The problems, pressures, and pains of life can so gouge us that we are ready to come unglued! 

What’s the answer? Elisha’s prayer holds the key when we’re gored with grief and stuck by sorrows. He pleads, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see” (17). In response, “the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (17). 

When you are in the midst of a painful problem, you may not actually see the power and protection of heaven in such a visible, dramatic way. But be assured that you serve the same God with the same power! He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). 

As you find yourself running down the narrow way (cf. Mat. 7:13-14), you are prone to attack from one who’s set his sights on you. He may not actually have horns, but he has ways to try and afflict you (cf. 2 Cor. 2:11; 12:7; Eph. 6:11,16). Trust this. “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). 

Origen’s “On First Principles” (Book 1, Ch. 4.1.2)

Gary Pollard

[Editor’s Note: Gary is translating the Ante-Nicene Fathers works, beginning with Origin’s work. It is meant to update the British English of Roberts and Donaldson. What follows is part of that translation]

To illustrate the nature of falling away—or spiritual defection—among those who live carelessly, it seems appropriate to use an analogy. Imagine someone who has steadily grown in their knowledge of a discipline, such as geometry or medicine, until they have achieved mastery through long and diligent practice. We don’t think it possible that they could go to bed fully skilled and then wake up completely ignorant of their craft. Of course, we’re not referring here to cases of injury or illness, which fall outside the scope of this illustration. As long as this expert continues to study and practice their discipline, their knowledge remains intact. But if they stop practicing and abandon their habits of discipline, because of neglect their grasp on the subject will begin to weaken—first a little, then increasingly more—until eventually, their knowledge fades altogether and is entirely lost from memory.

However, it’s also possible that when this decline first begins—when the person starts slipping due to a subtle but corrupting negligence—they might still recover. If they are awakened to their condition early enough and return quickly to their previous diligence, they can restore what they’ve only recently begun to lose and reclaim knowledge that had not yet been deeply erased. Now let’s apply this to those who pursue the knowledge and wisdom of God—a pursuit that far surpasses any earthly study in depth and value. Consider, through the lens of this analogy, what it means to gain divine knowledge—or to lose it—especially when we reflect on the words of the apostle, who says that the perfect will see the glory of the Lord face to face in the revelation of His mysteries.

In our effort to highlight the divine blessings given to us by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—the source of all holiness—we’ve digressed somewhat from our main point. While speaking about the soul, which came up incidentally, we touched briefly on a related matter concerning human nature. With God’s help, through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we hope to return more fully, at the appropriate time, to a fuller discussion of all rational beings, which are classified into three types and distinct categories.

An Excellent Wife

She is careful about how she approaches the various duties of the home, which she rules and oversees. She adopts a wise, God-approved character. This leads her to bless all who are in various relationships with her. Husbands do well to approach their duties, character-development, and relationships in the same way.

Neal Pollard

The book of Proverbs ends with an investigation (chapter 31). The writer, whether Lemuel is making observations or passing along his mother’s sage guidance, leads the search. He writes how rare and valuable an excellent wife is (31:10). It is a literary masterpiece, an acrostic poem (each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet), a chiasm (“a rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or modified form,” Apple Dictionary, 2.3.0). You would diagram the outline of the chiasm like this: A B C B A. The chiasm was a literary way to show the heart or focus of a specific section of Scripture. It would be readily identified by a Jewish reader, but it enriches our study when we understand that it’s intentionally there. The heart of this poem is verse 23: “Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.” The net effect of the kind of wife described here is that it blesses her spouse’s life. That should be the goal of every married person, to raise others’ view of him or her through the righteous conduct of our life. What is the character of the wife described here?

  • She is prized and praiseworthy (10, 30-31).
  • Her husband and home are profited by and praise her (11-12, 28-29).
  • She is a hard worker (13-19, 27). 
  • She is generous with her material things and her wisdom (20, 26).
  • She is not ruled by worries and fears (21,25).
  • She dresses her children and house well and she dresses her character well (21-22, 24-25).

Some have used this poem to try and hold up a “Renaissance Woman,” an ideal so unrealistic that no woman could ever live up to her standard. These have had too narrow a view of the author’s purpose. He is trying to demonstrate the kind of approach that a wife, in this context, should take to her role and responsibility. She is careful about how she approaches the various duties of the home, which she rules and oversees. She adopts a wise, God-approved character. This leads her to bless all who are in various relationships with her. Husbands do well to approach their duties, character-development, and relationships in the same way. Society will be benefited from its members taking who they are and what they do more seriously. So will the church and the home. 

What a blessing to be married to an excellent wife! There is no substitute for this. How it makes the inevitable burdens of life easier to carry. Let us all strive to be excellent in the role(s) God has given to us! 

As a Vapor Vanishes: Reflecting on the Brevity of Life

The tragedy of Fauja Singh’s passing should stir us, not just with grief, but with resolve. Not everyone will run marathons. But all of us are race runners.

Brent Pollard

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (James 4.14)

At 114, Fauja Singh had outrun time itself—until time caught up with him on a quiet village road.

The world mourned the tragic death of Fauja Singh, the legendary marathon runner from Punjab, India. At 114 years old, he was hit and killed by a vehicle while walking in his village. Known as the “Turbaned Tornado,” he started running in his late 80s, broke age-related barriers, and inspired people worldwide. His sudden and heartbreaking passing reminds us painfully that life is uncertain. (Singh, 2025)

Even the most lively and resolute spirit cannot escape the limited nature of time.

Scripture speaks with sobering clarity about the fragility of life. “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away” (Psalm 90.10). This psalm of Moses captures both time’s swift passage and life’s inevitable end. Even for someone like Fauja Singh, who surpassed expectations by living over 110 years, the outcome remains the same. “…it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9.27).

Life’s Fleeting Nature

King David wrote, “Man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” (Psalm 144.4). Job adds, “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil. Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain” (Job 14.1–2). These are not ornamental flourishes for funerals; they are divine truths designed to ground the living.

Even in Isaiah’s reflective sorrow, we read, “Like a shepherd’s tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me; as a weaver I rolled up my life. He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me.” (Isaiah 38.12). Scripture layers these images deliberately—vapor that dissipates, flowers that wither, shadows that fade. Each metaphor reinforces the same sobering truth: nothing in this life endures.

The Illusion of Control

The book of James highlights our assumption. We often speak confidently about “tomorrow,” make arrangements for profit and travel, and forget that we have no control over even a single heartbeat. James doesn’t forbid us from planning, but advises us to include God in our plans. “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that’” (James 4.15).

Our culture idolizes productivity and mastery of time, filling calendars, chasing deadlines, and marking anniversaries as if we can control time. But a single accident on a quiet village road can shatter that illusion.

We are not the masters of our fate. We are the stewards of fleeting days.

A Call to Wisdom

What, then, shall we do with this fleeting existence? Moses offers a simple but profound prayer: “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90.12). This is not a morbid obsession with death; rather, it is a prudent recognition of it.

A devoted child of God lives each day with eternity in mind. As the Hebrew writer reminds us, judgment comes after death (Hebrews 9.27). There is no second race or alternative path. Whether we die at 14 or 114, the race concludes for everyone—and ultimately, the finish line that truly counts appears.

For those in Christ, that finish line is not fearful. The apostle Paul, nearing his end, wrote with confidence, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4.7). We are not guaranteed a long race, but it must be a faithful one.

Redeeming the Time

The tragedy of Fauja Singh’s passing should stir us, not just with grief, but with resolve. Not everyone will run marathons. But all of us are race runners. The Hebrew writer exhorts us to “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and…run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12.1).

This life—delicate and brief as it is—is a gift. It’s not meant for self-indulgence but for obedience. It’s not for procrastination but for preparation. If today is all we have, let it be a day that honors God.

Conclusion

Like the marathons he ran for decades, Singh’s life had a clear beginning, a long middle filled with purpose, and an end that came suddenly. The race is over, but the legacy of how he ran remains. He reminds us that neither extraordinary strength nor advanced age can prevent the end of life. For everyone, death is certain—sometimes sudden, sometimes anticipated, but always unavoidable.

The vapor will vanish. But until then, let us live wisely, walk humbly, and prepare fervently for what lies ahead.

“For what is your life?” (James 4.14 KJV)

This is a question worth asking before our last breath answers it.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the NASB® (New American Standard Bible®, 1995 Updated Edition). Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Reference list:

Singh, I. P. (2025, July 15). At 114, oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh killed in road accident. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/at-114-oldest-marathon-runner-fauja-singh-killed-in-road-accident/articleshow/122460660.cms

Jesus The Light

A few weeks ago, I ordered motion-sensing nightlights from Amazon. They’re not super bright, but their gentle glow keeps me from stumbling over the toys my kids leave scattered across the house. I’m half-convinced they place those blocks strategically to cause maximum damage! Those nightlights, though, are lifesavers. 

Light changes everything.

Carl Pollard

A few weeks ago, I ordered motion-sensing nightlights from Amazon. They’re not super bright, but their gentle glow keeps me from stumbling over the toys my kids leave scattered across the house. I’m half-convinced they place those blocks strategically to cause maximum damage! Those nightlights, though, are lifesavers. 

Light changes everything. It reveals what’s hidden, guides us safely, and offers comfort. A lighthouse directs ships to shore. Headlights illuminate the road ahead. When a strange noise echoes at night, a flick of a switch brings reassurance. Light is security, hope, and power. Sadly, our world grows darker every day. We’re flooded with voices—news alerts, influencers, politicians, even loved ones—competing for our attention. The noise can be overwhelming, drowning out what’s true and steady. Yet, through this chaos, one voice shines clearly: Jesus, proclaiming, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). In a world of distractions and deception, our Savior says He is the way, the truth, the life—a lifeline for us all.

To grasp the weight of Jesus’ words, imagine the scene in John 8. It’s the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, a week-long celebration of God’s provision for Israel in the wilderness. Each night, massive lampstands illuminated the temple courts, their flames recalling the pillar of fire that guided God’s people (Exodus 13:21-22). These lights symbolized God’s presence and guidance. Amid this glowing backdrop, Jesus stands and declares, “I am the light of the world.” This isn’t subtle. He’s claiming to be the fulfillment of those lamps, the God who led Israel. His Jewish audience understood: Isaiah 60:19 promises, “The Lord will be your everlasting light,” and Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” Jesus is saying, “I am that God.”

When Jesus says “I AM,” He echoes God’s name from the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Each “I AM” statement in John’s Gospel is a bold claim to divinity. Some argue Jesus never claimed to be God, but His actions tell a different story. He calms storms, as God does in Job 38. He gives sight to the blind, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. He calls Himself the Good Shepherd, like God in Jeremiah 31. When accused of breaking the Sabbath, He claims to be its Lord (Luke 6), working to sustain creation while we rest. The Jews knew what He meant, accusing Him of blasphemy (John 8:59).

This darkness Jesus speaks of isn’t just poetic—it’s the spiritual reality of a world and heart estranged from God. In John 8, we see it: Pharisees, blind with self-righteousness, ready to stone a woman caught in adultery; the woman, trapped in shame; the crowds, restless for meaning. That’s our world too—chasing success, pleasure, or power, yet left empty. 

Jesus’ light exposes our sin and need, but it also overcomes them. He promises, “Follow me, and you’ll have the light of life.” The blind man in John 9 didn’t just gain sight; he saw Jesus and worshipped (John 9:38). The Pharisees, clinging to pride, stayed blind (John 9:40-41).

So, what do we do? First, recognize your darkness—pride, shame, or chasing what can’t satisfy. Second, follow Jesus daily, trusting His truth over the world’s noise. Finally, reflect His light, forgiving others or sharing the gospel (Matthew 5:14-16). Jesus, the Light of the World, is the God who conquers death and guides us home. 

The darkness is real, but His light is stronger. Will you step into it?

Origen’s “On First Principles” (Book 1, Ch. 3.6.8)

Gary Pollard

[Editor’s Note: Gary is translating the Ante-Nicene Fathers works, beginning with Origin’s work. It is meant to update the British English of Roberts and Donaldson. What follows is part of that translation]

It’s clear that both the Father and the Son are at work not only in saints but also in sinners. This is evident because all rational beings share in the Word—that is, in reason—and through this share, they carry within themselves certain seeds of wisdom and justice, which is Christ. Everything that exists participates in Him who truly is—the one who said through Moses, “I am who I am.” This participation in God the Father extends to both the righteous and the unrighteous, to rational and irrational beings, in fact, to all things that exist.

The apostle Paul affirms that everyone has a share in Christ when he writes, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does the Scripture say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.’” With this, Paul is saying that Christ, as the Word or Reason, is present in everyone—this is what makes them rational beings.

Christ’s statement in the Gospel also makes this clear: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.” This shows that people become accountable for sin from the moment they gain rational understanding—when the Word, which is planted within, begins to reveal to them the difference between good and evil. From that point on, if they choose evil knowingly, they are guilty of sin. This is what it means to say they “have no excuse for their sin”: once divine reason has begun to internally show them what is good and what is evil, they are responsible to avoid wrongdoing. As Scripture says, “Anyone who knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it—sins.”

Furthermore, the idea that all people have some form of connection with God is taught by Jesus in the Gospel: “The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed. People won’t say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” This may reflect the same truth we find in Genesis: “God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” If this breath applies to all humanity, then it follows that all people have a share in God.

If we understand this as referring to the Spirit of God, then—even though Adam is recorded to have prophesied—it doesn’t necessarily mean the Spirit is given to everyone in general. Rather, it seems to apply specifically to the saints. This is confirmed at the time of the flood, when God said of sinful humanity, “My Spirit won’t live with these people forever, they’re just human.” This clearly shows that God takes his Spirit from those who are unworthy.

The Psalms also say: “You take away their spirit (breath)—they die and return to the dust. You send out Your Spirit—they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.” This refers to the Holy Spirit, who, after removing those who are sinful or unworthy, brings about a new creation—forming a new people and renewing the earth. This renewal happens when people, by the Spirit’s grace, leave behind the “old self” with its deeds and begin to walk in a new life. So it makes sense to say the Holy Spirit dwells not in everyone, nor in those still living “in the flesh,” but only in those whose hearts—“their land”—have been renewed.

This is also why, after baptism, the grace and revelation of the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. And after His resurrection—when the old had passed away and everything had become new—Jesus Himself, now the “new man” and the firstborn from the dead, said to His renewed apostles, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” This fits with Jesus’s teaching that “new wine can’t be put into old wineskins.” The wineskins must first be made new—that is, people must begin walking in newness of life—in order to receive the “new wine,” which is the fresh grace of the Holy Spirit.

In this way, the power of God the Father and the Son is extended to all creation, without distinction. But the Holy Spirit is shared only by the saints. That’s why it says, “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” Even the apostles themselves were not immediately worthy to hear the words, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”

This is why I think the sin against the Son of Man is forgivable—because someone who shares in the Word (or Reason, Logic) of God but stops living rationally is seen as falling into ignorance or foolishness, and so may be forgiven. But the one who has been deemed worthy to receive the Holy Spirit and then turns back is guilty of a far more serious offense—blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Now, just because we say that only the saints receive the Holy Spirit, while the Father’s and the Son’s work extends to all people—both good and bad—we must not think this means the Holy Spirit is somehow greater than the Father or the Son. That would be a false and illogical conclusion. Rather, we’re simply describing the unique grace and role of the Spirit. With God there is no greater or lesser—no inequality. God alone, the source of divinity, contains all things in Himself, strengthens all things by His Word and Reason, and sanctifies all that is worthy through the Spirit of His mouth, as the Psalm says: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth.”

Each person of the trinity has a particular role. God the Father gives the gift of natural life to all creation. Jesus Christ, the Son, gives the gift of reason, enabling us to live the way we should. The Holy Spirit gives a special kind of grace to those who are worthy to receive it, through the work of Christ and the will of the Father.

Paul makes this very clear when he says, “There are different gifts, but the same Spirit; different kinds of service, but the same Lord; different workings, but the same God who works all in all. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.” So, we can see that there is unity with God. What is called “the gift of the Spirit” is revealed through the Son and accomplished by the Father: “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one exactly the way he wants.” 

Having spoken about the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, let’s now return to the main argument. God the Father gives existence to all things. Christ, as the Word or divine Reason, enables them to be rational beings. Because of this rational capacity, they can choose between doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing—this will lead to either praise or blame, depending on which thing they choose. 

This is why we have the grace of the Holy Spirit: so that beings who are not holy by nature can become holy through participation in the Spirit. So there are three foundational stages:

  1. Existence comes from the Father.
  2. Rationality comes through the Word (Christ).
  3. Holiness comes through the Holy Spirit.

Those who are sanctified by the Holy Spirit are made ready to receive Christ more fully—especially in His role as the righteousness of God. And those who reach this stage of sanctification can then receive the gift of wisdom, which is granted by the power and working of the Spirit. This is what I think Paul means when he says: “One person is given a word of wisdom, another a word of knowledge, but both by the same Spirit.” Though he speaks of different spiritual gifts, Paul traces them all back to the one source of everything, saying, “There are different workings, but one God who does it all through everyone.”

From this we see that the work of the Father—giving existence to all things—is supremely glorious. But through participation in Christ (who is wisdom, knowledge, and sanctification), people grow and progress toward deeper perfection. And through the Spirit, anyone who becomes worthy is made purer and holier, so that they may then receive divine wisdom and knowledge. This cleansing—removing sin and ignorance—makes it possible for human nature to become truly worthy of the One who created it. In this way, the soul is purified and perfected, becoming what God intended it to be. And such a person will then be granted by God the power to exist forever, living forever in the One who Exists. 

It is wisdom’s role to teach and train us, to help us grow in holiness through the Spirit’s constant sanctification. This ongoing renewal by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit allows us—perhaps eventually, though not without difficulty—to see and experience the holy and blessed life. And once we do reach it, we have to stay with it, never letting its joy become unexciting. On the contrary, the more deeply we experience its goodness, the more intensely we should long for it, ever more eager to cling to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

But if someone who has reached the highest level of spiritual maturity should grow spiritually dull or tired, I don’t believe they would fall from grace all at once. Instead, any decline would likely be gradual, step by step. And if a person should briefly stumble but quickly repent and return to their senses, they wouldn’t be entirely lost. Rather, they could retrace their steps and recover what was lost through their negligence.

Over 40 Times

Over 40 times, Scripture directly commands us to defend, protect, and care for orphans and widows. This isn’t a suggestion—it’s a high priority in God’s heart.

Dale Pollard

Over 40 times, Scripture directly commands us to defend, protect, and care for orphans and widows. This isn’t a suggestion—it’s a high priority in God’s heart.

Take a quick look at few of these passages: 

Deuteronomy 10:18 – God executes justice for the fatherless and widow.

Isaiah 1:17 – “Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”

Jeremiah 7:6 – “If you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow…then I will let you dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers forever.” 

Zechariah 7:10 – “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless…”

And here’s one that we’ll take a closer look at: 

In Job 29, Job makes the argument that he’s a righteous man because he, 

“rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.” 

Breaking this down in order, notice what the most righteous man of his day knew about righteous living, 

In verse 4 he claims, “I was a friend of God…” to explain, this he provides examples of what built this close friendship:

“I delivered the poor who cried for help…” (v.12) 

“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a clean & royal garment” (v.14). 

This was a lifestyle and not a few occasions that he could recall. 

And finally, 

“I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know” (v.16). 

See how many aspects of his faithful qualities revolved around caring for and looking for those who were needy? The emphasis is on those who were fatherless, widows, and the most vulnerable. What a great guy, and what a greater God. We can be His friend by doing the same today. 

The Cleveland Spiders

The Cleveland team was dreadful. It showed on the field and in the stands, where they drew an average of 199 fans after their first 16 home games. Only 6,088 fans watched them play that year, an average of 145 diehards per home game. They were so bad, they decided to play most of their games on the road.

Neal Pollard

Inexplicably, I remain a Colorado Rockies fan when many of my Denver-area friends have abandoned ship with this historically bad baseball team. The Rockies are last in total pitching and fielding (defense) and seventh-worst in hitting. That means they can’t pitch, hit, or field. They go into the All-Star game 22-74, on pace to join some dubious, infamous company. In the “modern era” (since 1901), there was the 1916 Philadelphia A’s who won 36 and lost 117. The 1935 Boston Braves and 1962 New York Mets were almost as bad. Closer to the present, you’d have to include the 2003 Detroit Tigers (43-119) and the 2024 Chicago White Sox (41-121). But, the symbol and epitome of terrible baseball has to be the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. They finished that season 20-134! But, their hard luck was more of a business decision.

The 1898 team boasted Hall of Famers Cy Young, Jesse Burkett, and Bobby Wallace, but the owners, who also owned the St. Louis Browns, felt that a good team would draw more fans in Missouri than Ohio. So, they depleted the Spider roster and stocked the Browns roster. The Cleveland team was dreadful. It showed on the field and in the stands, where they drew an average of 199 fans after their first 16 home games. Only 6,088 fans watched them play that year, an average of 145 diehards per home game. They were so bad, they decided to play most of their games on the road. To commemorate the centennial “celebration” of Clevelands wandering exiles, J. Thomas Hetrick memorialized them in his 1999 book, Misfits! Baseball’s Worst Team Ever. Apparently, the Spanish-American war, a failed effort to clean up bad language on the field, and “too many games” (expanding to 154; today, it’s 162) had already cut into fan attendance, but watching a “sideshow” like the Cleveland Spiders led to a disastrous end to a once-proud, championship-caliber franchise.

To fail in athletics may lead to a less than desirable footnote in sports history. To fail in academics and economics can create a legacy that stains one’s family name. But, in just about every arena, failure need not affect one’s spiritual standing. Think of biblical underdogs that had little chance of success, if God was not factored in. Why, all of Israel were sitting ducks against the Canaanites without God (Deut. 7:24; Josh. 21:44)! David looked like no match for Goliath (1 Sam. 17:33)! Hezekiah and lowly Judah, on paper, were no match for Sennacherib and the Assyrians (Isa. 37:14-20)! Even the early church seemed overwhelmed in their objectives and mismatched in their mission (1 Cor. 1:26-29)!

How do we explain this? How can we seem to lack the talent, resources, exposure, and influence of the world, and yet still be described as over-comers (John 16:33), conquerors (Rom. 8:37), victors (1 Cor. 15:57), and greater (1 John 4:4) than the world? Perhaps this helps. The final tally has not been recorded, and it will not be in this life! Evaluation day will surprise the whole world, when we stand before The Judge (Mat. 7:13-14, 21-23; Rev. 20:11-15). God’s not going to reward the most accomplished by earthly measurements. Our eternal success or failure will be tied to our response to the One who defeated death and the devil (Heb. 2:14-15). If we trusted and obeyed Him and His blood covers our sins, we will go to heaven even if we don’t have a nickel to our name, a well-defined skill in our toolbox, a diploma or degree on our wall, or a celebrity in our family tree. Maybe others deem you a “loser,” but if you are a “winner” with God that’s the record you want to have!

Does God Still Send Disasters As Punishment?

When disaster strikes, people instinctively seek meaning. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and earthquakes tore through Haiti, a famous televangelist swiftly claimed these events were acts of divine retribution. While such statements may seek to provide a sense of cosmic order, they often do more harm than good and reveal a troubling misunderstanding of God’s character in our modern world.

Brent Pollard

When disaster strikes, people instinctively seek meaning. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and earthquakes tore through Haiti, a famous televangelist swiftly claimed these events were acts of divine retribution. While such statements may seek to provide a sense of cosmic order, they often do more harm than good and reveal a troubling misunderstanding of God’s character in our modern world.

This impulse originates from retributive theology, which holds that God punishes sin through physical means, such as natural disasters. This view has deep roots in the Old Testament, where Israel’s covenant promised prosperity to those who obeyed and calamity to those who rebelled. In this unique covenant between God and a nation, God linked physical blessings and curses directly to the nation’s spiritual faithfulness.

But does that system still govern our world today?

A Covenant of Earthly Consequences

To understand this question, we need to revisit ancient Israel—a time when God’s people constituted a literal nation with defined borders, laws, and a temple. In this theocratic context, God sent droughts, diseases, and foreign armies to discipline His people and urge them to return to faithfulness. Prophets like Elijah (1 Kings 17.1) and Amos (Amos 4.6-11) proclaimed these judgments with divine authority, and Israel’s history unfolded as a visible drama of obedience and its consequences.

Even within the Old Testament, a deeper mystery unfolds. The story of Job—a righteous man who suffers beyond human comprehension—challenges the idea of simple retribution. When Job’s friends insisted that his suffering must be a sign of hidden sin, God rebuked them (Job 42.7-8). Their critical mistake was presuming to speak for God about matters they could not fully understand.

A Kingdom Transformed

Christ’s arrival transformed everything as profoundly as dawn breaks the night. God’s people are no longer confined to a single nation or governed by stone tablets. We are now citizens of a spiritual kingdom, shaped not by geography but by grace, led not by thunder from Sinai but by the gentle voice of the Spirit.

Nowhere in the New Testament do we see God threaten the Church with natural disasters as punishment for sin. While divine discipline is still a reality—“the Lord disciplines those He loves”—its nature has undergone a profound transformation (Hebrews 12.6). The Spirit convicts hearts, churches correct, and the consequences manifest in individuals’ souls rather than in their harvests.

When Calamity Comes

This fact does not imply that God is distant when disaster occurs. He remains sovereign, with His providence still overseeing the wind and waves. However, we need to carefully distinguish between stating that God can use tragedy for a purpose and claiming that He caused it to punish specific sins.

When people asked Jesus about a collapsed tower that killed eighteen people, He did not speculate about the victims’ sins. Instead, He gave an urgent yet gentle reminder: “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13.5 NASB95). This statement suggests that tragedy is not proof of others’ hidden wrongdoings, but rather a call for us to examine our hearts.

All creation suffers under the weight of sin, and hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires are symptoms of a world fractured by the fall, not signs of an angry God pacing heaven’s battlements. Even amidst such brokenness, He draws near with compassion.

Discipline Refined

God’s discipline today is not diminished but refined. It comes through the quiet grief that follows sin, the loving correction of faithful friends, and the Spirit’s gentle whisper through the Word. No longer does God thunder judgments from mountaintops—He writes His corrections on our biblically trained consciences through grace.

Claiming that every disaster represents divine judgment misinterprets both the grace of the New Covenant and the nature of our Savior. Christ did not come to condemn the world but to save it (Luke 19.10). The cross speaks more profoundly than any hurricane—there, God’s justice and mercy met, and love triumphed.

Our Response

When disasters inevitably strike, let us respond with compassion rather than blame. Let us be Christ’s hands, lifting those who have fallen and rebuilding what tragedy has broken. Before we point out the faults of others, let us examine our hearts. Above all, let us offer hope instead of theories.

We live not under wrathful skies but beneath a gracious banner. If God speaks through storms today, it’s not to destroy but to awaken, not to punish but to invite.

In this broken world, the Church’s message must never be “They got what they deserved” but “Come, weary soul, and find rest in Christ.” He doesn’t send floods to wash us away but offers living water to make us whole.

Jesus, The Bread Of Life: Satisfying Your Deepest Hunger

A 2023 Barna study found 74% of Americans feel a “spiritual hunger” for meaning, yet only 20% believe they’ve found it. We chase promotions, relationships, or social media likes, but the void persists. Why?

Carl Pollard

What are you hungry for? And I don’t mean what you’re grabbing from Subway for lunch, but that craving deep in your heart. Is it success? Love? Security? Purpose? We live in a world that promises to fill us up but leaves us starving. A 2023 Barna study found 74% of Americans feel a “spiritual hunger” for meaning, yet only 20% believe they’ve found it. We chase promotions, relationships, or social media likes, but the void persists. Why? Because our souls weren’t made for temporary fixes—they were made for Jesus, who declares in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

John 6 is a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. It kicks off with Him feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish (vv. 1-14). The crowd’s amazed, ready to crown Him king (v. 15). But the next day, they chase Him across the Sea of Galilee, not for His teaching, but for more bread (v. 26). Jesus sees through their motives and points to a deeper truth. In the Old Testament, God sent manna to sustain Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4-15), but it couldn’t save their souls. Now, Jesus stands as the true bread from heaven, sent to satisfy not just bodies but souls for eternity.

Jesus is the Bread that Satisfies (John 6:35). When He says, “I am the bread of life,” He’s claiming to be God Himself, echoing God’s name to Moses (Exodus 3:14). Bread was life in the ancient world—sustenance you couldn’t survive without. Jesus says, “That’s Me for your soul.” His promise is wonderful: come to Him, believe in Him, and your hunger and thirst are gone forever. Think of the Samaritan woman in John 4, chasing love in all the wrong places. Jesus offered her “living water,” and now He offers us “living bread.” What are you chasing? Success that fades? Approval that doesn’t last? Jesus says, “Stop chasing what can’t satisfy.” 

Jesus is the Bread that Surpasses (John 6:48-50). The manna fed Israel, but they still died—physically and, for many, spiritually (Numbers 14:29-30). Jesus is greater. “This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” The crowd wanted another miracle, another meal (v. 30-31), treating Jesus like a means to an end. We do this too, praying, “Fix my finances, heal my body,” while missing the real gift—Jesus Himself. King Solomon had it all—wealth, wisdom, power—yet called it “vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Why? He chased temporary bread. Jesus surpasses every counterfeit, offering life that never fades.

Jesus is the Bread that Saves (John 6:51). He says, “The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” This points to His death on the cross, where He gave His body for our sins. To “eat” this bread is to trust in His sacrifice, believing His death and resurrection secure your eternity. Many walked away, unable to accept this (v. 66), but Peter got it: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (v. 68). Jesus isn’t just sustenance; He’s salvation.

So, how do we live this out? Feed on Jesus daily through Scripture and prayer—start with John 6 this week. Let go of temporary bread—write down what you’re chasing and pray for God’s will in your life. Share the Bread with a starving world—point a friend, coworker, or neighbor to Jesus. He sees your hunger and says, “I am the bread of life. Come to Me. Believe in Me.” If you’re a Christian, stop chasing crumbs and feast on the Bread that never runs out.

Origen’s “On First Principles” (Book 1, Ch. 3.3-5)

Gary Pollard

[Editor’s Note: Gary is translating the Ante-Nicene Fathers works, beginning with Origin’s work. It is meant to update the British English of Roberts and Donaldson. What follows is part of that translation]

Note: For this article, it is possible (if not likely) that Tyrannius Rufinus — the fourth century monk responsible for preserving the bulk of this writing by translating it from Greek to Latin — made changes to keep it compliant with the theology of the day. He admitted to “smoothing and correcting the stumbling blocks” in The Prologue of Rufinus, but did not specify where he made such changes. Since Theodosius I’s Edict of Thessalonica (AD 380, almost 20 years before Rufinus likely translated On First Principles) made it illegal — with severe criminal and civil penalties — to practice anything other than Nicene/Catholic Christianity, Origen’s teachings had to be redacted where they conflicted with the Nicene Creed. Since it is impossible for me to determine where these changes were made, I will leave the text as-is and include footnotes where a statement seems to reflect more Nicene theology than is typical of Origen’s writing. Recreating the original theology of early Christians is made easier by the fact that one group of “Christians” severely persecuted believers who didn’t accept the dogmatism of Nicene Creed. “You will know a tree by the fruit it produces.” 

That all things were created by God—and that no creature exists apart from Him as its source—is clearly established by many statements in Scripture. This truth refutes and rejects the claims made by some, who wrongly suggest that there exists a kind of matter that is co-eternal with God, or that souls existed without beginning. According to them, God did not give these souls their being, but merely ordered and organized what was already there, granting them structure and balance rather than existence itself.

However, even in the brief work known as The Shepherd, or The Angel of Repentance, written by Hermas, we find this declaration: “Before all else, believe that there is one God who created and arranged all things; who, when nothing previously existed, brought all things into being; who contains all things, yet is Himself contained by none.” We find similar statements in the book of Enoch as well.

To this day, however, we have not found any passage in holy Scripture where the Holy Spirit is said to have been made or created—not even in the way Solomon speaks of divine Wisdom, or in the expressions we discussed earlier that refer to the life, or the Word, or other titles of the Son of God. Therefore, the Spirit of God who is described as moving over the waters at the beginning of creation is, in my view, none other than the Holy Spirit—at least as far as I can discern. This, indeed, we have demonstrated in our interpretation of those passages, not by relying on a purely historical reading, but by following a spiritual understanding of the text.1

Some of our predecessors have noted that in the New Testament, whenever the word “Spirit” appears without any qualifying descriptor, it should be understood as referring to the Holy Spirit. For example: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace,” and, “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” We believe that this distinction also applies in the Old Testament. Consider the passage, “He who gives His Spirit to the people on the earth, and Spirit to those who walk upon it.”2 Surely everyone who walks the earth—that is, all earthly and physical beings—also receives the Holy Spirit from God.3

My Hebrew teacher also used to say that the two seraphim in Isaiah, each with six wings, who call out to one another, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts,” should be understood as representing the only-begotten Son of God and the Holy Spirit. We also believe that the line in Habakkuk’s hymn—“In the midst of the two living beings” (or “two lives”)—refers to Christ and the Holy Spirit. For all knowledge of the Father comes through revelation by the Son, and that revelation is made through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, both of these beings—whom the prophet calls “living beings” or “lives”—are the basis of the knowledge of God the Father.

Just as it is said of the Son, “No one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him,” so it is also said of the Holy Spirit by the apostle: “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” And again in the Gospel, when Jesus speaks of the deeper truths He could not yet reveal to His disciples, He says: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, comes, He will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.”4

We must understand, then, that just as the Son—who alone knows the Father—reveals Him to whomever He chooses, so also the Holy Spirit—who alone searches the depths of God—reveals God to whomever He wills. “For the Spirit blows where He wills.”5

However, we must not imagine that the Holy Spirit receives His knowledge of the Father through revelation by the Son. If the Holy Spirit only comes to know the Father through the Son’s revelation, that would mean He was once ignorant and then came into knowledge. But to say the Holy Spirit is, or ever was, ignorant is both impious and irrational. Even if something else existed before the Holy Spirit, it is not by gradual development that He became the Holy Spirit—as if He had once been something else, lacking knowledge, and only later gained understanding and was thereby made the Holy Spirit. If that were the case, then He could not be considered part of the Trinity6—united with the unchanging Father and the Son—unless He had always been the Holy Spirit.

When we use words like “always” or “was” or other time-related terms, we must not take them in a strictly temporal sense. These terms are, by necessity, borrowed from our limited human perspective, since the realities we speak of ultimately transcend all concepts of time and all finite understanding.

Now, it is important to ask: why is it that someone who is regenerated by God for salvation must relate to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—and cannot be saved without the cooperation of the whole Trinity?7 And why is it impossible to share in the life of the Father or the Son apart from the Holy Spirit? In exploring these questions, we will need to describe the distinct roles of the Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Son. I believe that the activity of the Father and the Son is present not only in saints but also in sinners, in rational beings and in animals without reason, even in lifeless objects—in short, in all created things. But the work of the Holy Spirit is not present in lifeless things, nor in living creatures that lack reason. It is also absent in rational beings who persist in evil and have not turned to a better way of life.

I believe the Holy Spirit is active only in those who are beginning to turn toward goodness, who are walking the path that leads to Jesus Christ—that is, those who are doing good works and remaining in God.

 1This reading of Gen 1 is found in the LXX. The Hebrew text also includes the reading, “And a powerful wind was blowing over the face of the waters.” 

 2While this is certainly true, Is 42.5 is talking about the breath of life. 

 3If this is Origen speaking, he contradicts himself in the next-to-last paragraph of this article. “The Holy Spirit is absent in rational beings who persist in evil…” and, in the last paragraph, … “is active only in those who are beginning to turn toward goodness.”  

4John further clarifies this statement about the Παρακλητος (Jn 14.26) in I Jn 2.1 where he explicitly identifies this Comforter as “Jesus Christ, the righteous.” 

5 Jn 3.8 says το πνευμα όπου θελει πνει (“the wind blows where it wants”), possibly a play on words given the context. 

 6 See footnote 7

 7While it is certainly possible that Origen used this word, it seems unlikely. Theophilus of Antioch (AD 170) used Τριας to describe God, the Word, and his Wisdom as a “set of three”. But the word “trinity” (from trinitas — a Latin word, and Origen wrote in Greek) is generally credited to Tertullian (c. AD 210). This would’ve been around the same time that Origen wrote On First Principles, but he was distinctly Greek in his thinking, not Latin. Perhaps Τριας is what Origen originally used, which fits his earlier section on God’s Wisdom more appropriately than the distinctly Latin trinitas.  

SATAN ENTICED DAVID TO… COUNT?

The first time we read the name “Satan” in the Bible, it’s under very strange circumstances. Ready?

Here’s the passage: 

“Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.”

Dale Pollard

The first time we read the name “Satan” in the Bible, it’s under very strange circumstances. Ready?

Here’s the passage: 

“Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.” 

(I Chronicles 21:1, NIV)

Alright, so Satan decides to pick a fight with God’s man. So  how does he do it this time? Well, he incites (or entices) David to take a census of Israel— of course. You might be thoroughly confused at this point but just wait, you’ll want to throw something breakable in a second. 

So Satan takes his shot at David and apparently the most devious plan he could come up with was, “Operation Headcount.” There must be more to it than that. Surely. 

Make it Make Census

A census in the ancient world—especially in Israel—was not just a headcount. It carried spiritual, political, and economic weight. 

It typically involved counting all the men and for at least a few practical reasons. A ruler could use the census to determine the size of his army, or make sure proper tax revenue was collected, or get an idea of how capable his labor force was. Oh, and for Israel, it better be done right. 

Exodus 30:12 warns that a census must be accompanied by a ransom/offering, or else a plague would come upon the people:

“Then each one must give a ransom for his life to the LORD… so that no plague may come on them when you number them.”

So maybe now’s a good time to address an alleged contradiction. 

Our original passage in question (I Chron. 21:1) is already interpreted in a few ways, especially when compared to its parallel account in 2 Samuel 24:1, which says:

“Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’”

Did you catch that too? Seems like Samuel contradicts the Chronicler by saying that God was really the one who enticed David into counting folks, not Satan. So which is it— and did you throw something yet? 

It Was Satan….. Probably 

No matter how you slice it, Satan is the one doing the enticing and here’s how we can be sure. 

First, let’s start by contrasting the similarities between this case and Job’s situation. God allowed Satan to test Job— but He remained sovereign. God was clearly in control while Satan had to ask His permission before making Jobs life so miserable. God let the devil torment his most faithful servant, but with strict conditions (Job 1.8,12). 

Secondly, it’s possible that “Satan” in 1 Chronicles 21:1 should really be translated “adversary.” Now, this next part isn’t typed with any real certainty, it’s only a personal observation (by the author). 

Remember the account of Balaam and his donkey? It’s worth reading again, even if you’re familiar with it. Just before the conversation between a man and his animal takes place we read: 

“God’s anger was kindled because he [Balaam] went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary” (Numbers 22:22). 

The word adversary is the exact same word that’s translated as Satan in 1 Chronicles 21:1. However, it was the angel of the Lord that stood as an adversary. The language is strikingly similar in both passages. Take a peek, but this time side by side…by side: 

1 Chronicles 21:1 

“Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.” 

Numbers 22:22

“God’s anger was kindled because Balaam went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary”

2 Samuel 24:1

“…the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

How satisfying is that? Instead of a contradiction you see consistency; inspired perfection on full display. 

So What Happened To David? 

Well, he messed up. A lesser known misstep on David’s part, too. God sent a plague as a consequence—exactly as Exodus 30 had warned. As tragic as that was, again the consistency is amazing. There was a thousand years or so between Exodus and Chronicles but God still remembered exactly what He had told Moses.

After the census, David felt guilt immediately (2 Sam. 24:10) and repented. As anybody after God’s heart would do.