John 1:14

2025 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

(January 01, 2025) Dr Jim McClure challenges…

When Cyrus, the king of Persia in 538 BC, permitted the exiled Jews to return to Judah, they discovered that Jerusalem had been totally destroyed. 48 years earlier the invading army of Nebuchadnezzar’s army had left behind a nightmare! The walls had been torn down and the magnificent temple that had been built when Solomon was king now lay in ruins.

Confrontation
Can you imagine the anguish that confronted the returned exiles as they tearfully walked among the ruins. What a challenge lay before them!

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KABOD — GLORY!

(October 28, 2024) Editorial note: Although it’s been many, many years since Dr Jim McClure explained about this Hebrew word we find that many readers keep discovering his article and appreciating it. So here is a reprint that we’re confident will bless many.

Dr Jim shares…

Christians often use the word ‘glory’ but usually do not have much idea of what it means! The Hebrew word for glory, kabod, is found 200 times in the Old Testament and its development is interesting.

Development
The root of kabod actually means ‘heavy’ and is associated with the liver (Exodus 29:13), which is the heaviest of the internal organs.  The use of the word as ‘heavy’ is seen in a number of Old Testament passages such as Psalm 38:4KJV, ‘For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.’

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KABOD – GLORY!

(July 30, 2023) Dr Jim McClure shares on this Hebrew word… 

‘Glory!’ Christians often use the word ‘glory’… but usually do not have much idea of what it means!

The Hebrew word for glory, kabod, is found 200 times in the Old Testament and its development is interesting.

Development
The root of kabod actually means ‘heavy’ and is associated with the liver (Exodus 29:13), which is the heaviest of the internal organs.  The use of the word as ‘heavy’ is seen in a number of Old Testament passages such as Psalm 38:4KJV, ‘For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.’

Glory developed into the concept of splendour.It referred to material wealth, that is, being ‘heavy with riches.’  Note Isaiah 10:3, ‘To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth?’  Here ‘wealth’ is ‘kabod.’ 

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‘… MY KING FROM OF OLD!’

(April 18, 2023) Stuart Reynolds reminds us of a coming royal event – and challenges our loyalty to our coming King of kings…

A patient in an asylum was standing on the stool in his room and shouting over and over, ‘I am the king of the universe!… I am the king of the universe!’

A nurse came by and tried to calm him down. ‘Who told you, you were the king of the universe?’ she asked. He answered: ‘God did!’ To which another voice from the next room shouted: ‘I did not!’

It’s not just the mentally insane who believe themselves to be ‘masters’ and ‘monarchs,’ but also the morally insane!

However, there is one, for whom becoming ‘King’ is not a delusion but a destiny!

In speaking of that King, I firstly remind you that come May 6 next month at Westminster Abbey in London, King Charles III will be crowned ‘king’ of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – not ‘king of the universe’ as the patient above, and neither a king without predecessor nor ultimately successor.

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GLORY!

(March 20, 2023) Dr Jim McClure explains about God’s glory… 

Christians often use the word ‘glory’ but usually do not have much idea of what it means! The Hebrew word for glory, kabod, is found 200 times in the Old Testament and its development is interesting.

Development
The root of kabod actually means ‘heavy’ and is associated with the liver (Exodus 29:13) which is the heaviest of the internal organs. The use of the word as ‘heavy’ is seen in a number of Old Testament passages such as Psalm 38:4, ‘For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me’(KJV).

Glory developed into the concept of splendour.It referred to material wealth, that is, being ‘heavy with riches.’  Note Isaiah 10:3, ‘To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth?’  Here ‘wealth’ is ‘kabod.’ 

The word continued to develop to mean honour. In Malachi 1:6 God asks, ‘A son honours (kabod) his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honour (kabod) due to me?’ 

Glory also came to be recognised as a characteristic of God’s splendour — ‘The heavens declare the glory of God’ (Psalm 19:1).

Regarding the word ‘Shekinah’, although some people use this when referring to God’s glory, it does not refer to a special dimension of divine glory.  In fact this Hebrew word is not found in the Bible. It literally means ‘presence’ but doesn’t add anything to the concept that God’s glory reveals His presence.

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TRUTH OR DARE?

(July 25, 2021) Dr Jim McClure, straight shooting theologian, dares every Christian to be a Daniel today…

Have you ever played the party game Truth or Dare? 

It can be very funny or very embarrassing!  Some ‘Truth’ questions could be, ‘What is the most embarrassing thing you have ever done?’ or, ‘When did you last tell a lie?’  If you do not like those questions, you may choose ‘Dare’ instead of ‘Truth’ and may, for example, be dared to ‘Eat a really hot chilli’ or ‘Try to touch your nose with your tongue.’ Consequently you can be confronted by all kinds of humiliating and challenging tests.

I have chosen that title for this article because I want to draw attention to something which is vitally relevant and challenging to Christians today. We are, I believe, at a time in history which is quite unlike any other. And I’m not referring to the Coronavirus but to something that is significantly more serious and invasive and dangerous – especially for Christians.

In so many ways we are at a crossroads today religiously, socially and morally.

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