The Theologian's Table

This is a paper I wrote for my Old Testament course I attend. I thought it might be interesting to some people who are curious to see what students in seminary work on. GLORY GOES TO THE WILLING: A READING OF THE PROPHET DEBORAH Introduction When God recruited Moses to free the Israelites from bondage, Moses hesitated and then struck a bargain with God where Aaron would speak on his brother’s behalf (Ex 4:10-17). Later in the book, the characteristic of this interaction repeats itself when the Israelites, the nation who would be a light to the rest of the world, struck a deal with Moses where he would speak to them on God’s behalf (Ex 20:19). In both cases, the parties whom God recruited showed hesitation and insecurities in their own skills, and both showed a lack of understanding of God’s empowerment. Therefore, it can be argued that both Moses and the Israelites missed out on a deeper relationship with Yahweh than had they agreed with Him from the start. The book of...

Jonah, the prophet of God who didn't want to do God's work. Not because it was necessarily hard, but because he knew what God was like. Jonah knew what would happen if the people of Nineveh repented and that's he what was running from. There is a good possibility in life where you might enter into a situation like Jonah's. God will examine your life and challenge the secret hate held in your heart. The thing of it is, is that  sometimes this hate can be directed at a problem that God thinks needs to be addressed where more than one person can be affected. Maybe it's a relationship, maybe it's a work issue, or maybe it's a case like Jonah's where God has called you to minister to a large group of people you do not care for and place a lot of blame at their feet. As the book of Jonah shows, however, God is a provocateur, He is insistent that the people who make themselves available to Him carry out His will. After trying to run from God, being thro...