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The Allotments Of The People (Deut. 32:8)

I recently ran across an article by Michael Heisner on the differences between the Masoretic Hebrew version of Deuteronomy 32:8 & the Septuagint reading.    The essence of the question is “Which version is correct?  The LXX (Sons of God) or the Masoretic Hebrew (Sons of Israel)?    He is correct that Deut. 32:8 alludes to Babel, but he’s wrong to assert that the scribes altered the text to protect God’s reputation. That’s a conspiracy theory on his part.   He ought to have known better, & in reality the scribe or scribes’ motive is irrelevant.  The doctrine of the Inspiration of Scripture doesn’t specify that God protects His people from being motivated in a manner we ourselves find objectionable.   Rather, it specifies that Scripture is occasioned.     Heisner theorizes that at some point, the scribe or scribes who wrote the younger text (the Masoretic) found that references to competing gods was objectionable.   Therefore...
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Micah 4:1 - 5

Micah   4:1:  It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, 2  and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3  He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; 4  but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. 5  For all the peoples walk e...
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The Judgment Of The Nations

Has God imposed a suzerain covenant on the nations of this world?       Absolutely, they are viewed as vassal states to Israel.                            Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2   The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3   “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4   He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5   Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6   “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7   I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8   Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9   You shal...
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Covenant Theology In Outline Form: Part 15.

Romans  (Soteriological Covenant) Shema : 1: 1 - 7  Historical Prologue : 1:18 - 2:5  General & Specific Stipulations : 2:6 - 8:39  Document Clause & Witnesses : 9 - 16  Note : There are probably a few more ways to outline Romans this way, but this one is what stands out to me on an initial pass.   I call this a soteriological covenant insofar as the focus of Romana is, by & large, the doctrine of Soteriology.  It also tells us that all rightful (and when you think about it non-rightful) authority is established by God (Romans 13:1) & draws attention to the relationship between the Decalogue (as to our sanctification) & our duties to corporate entities like our worship community and the nation-state &/or city-state by which we are governed.  Link to Part 14
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We Live In Evil Times

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  I hear the President of the United States has declared that the Smithsonian must conform to his personal ideology.  The spirit of Antichrist is strong in that one.  Gluttony, warmongering, sexual immorality, bigotry, idolatry, & sorcery destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah, Egypt, Gibeah, Jerusalem, & Rome.  Why should the United States be any different? 
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The Numbers Argument (Part 2)

  GOD is a triune personal spirit who, as to essence, is infinite, eternal, & unchangeable, & whose attributes are: being (GOD is autotheos; God is a se), wisdom, power, justice, holiness, goodness, & truth. This is how the Numbers Argument & the Westminster Shorter Catechism’s answer to the question “What is God?” intersect:  As to essence: Numbers exist  independently  of the human mind.  Every integer is  unique (aseity)  Each number exists both  independently  &  perichoretically No two integers (numbers) express the exact same numerical value at the same time in the same way.  Every number is infinitely compossible by an infinite set of previous integer (by addition) & via substraction of all subsequent numbers one from the other before it (ie 5 - 2 ‎ = 3 & 1 + 2 also = 3) The intervening set of integers between 1, 2, 3 are required in order for those 3 numbers to exist.   This intervening ...
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What Is The Gospel? (Part 3)

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.  23  No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. ( 1 John 2:22–23 , ESV) This, according to some fundamentalist Baptists, means that Jewish people worship a different God than Christians.   By way of reply… No, it only proves that Judaism is in error about the nature of God as a triune spirit & also errs relative to the identity of Jesus Christ.      If the assertion that Judaism’s concept of God is in error means that they are not I AM worshippers based upon this particular text, then that means that intellectual belief that God is triune & the correct doctrinal content relative to Christology is an absolute requirement for a person to be justified & regenerate.  In Part 2, we will examine 1 John itself.    Does it corroborate the statement that if someone...
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