The Riddleblog

And I must heed the call . . .

The R’s are taking our annual trek to the Eastern Sierras. So, little will happen here until mid-August.

Lord willing, upon my return, we’ll get back to our regular programing, including new episodes of the Blessed Hope Podcast (we will pick up at 1 Corinthians 7:1), new installments in my series on Christ’s Spotless Bride (ecclesiology) and the completion of my exposition of the Book of Daniel.

In the meantime, if you haven’t done so, check out some of the resources on the Riddleblog, including sermons, book reviews, recommended readings, my musings, and lots of content under the Amillennialism, Biblical and Theological Studies tabs at the top of the page.

The missus and I will be posting about our time in the Sierras, so feel free to check out my Instagram.

Riddleblog UpdateKim RiddlebargerJuly 31, 2024Vacation Comment

“Seventy Weeks” Daniel 9:20-27 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Seventeen)

Messianic Prophecy or a Guide to the End times?

Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks is one of the most intriguing passages in all the Bible. It is often described by commentators as among the most difficult passages to interpret in all the Old Testament. Many of our contemporaries understand this passage as a map to the end times. But I think the passage makes much more sense when understood as a messianic prophecy foretelling the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. Yes, the passage does tell us much about the end times (in a big picture kind of way), but it does so through the lens of Jesus’s work in fulfilling the six conditions set forth in the prophecy–finishing transgression, putting an end to sin, atoning for iniquity, ushering in everlasting righteousness, sealing both vision and prophet, and anointing a most holy place. As we will in this and in the essay to follow, these things were, in fact, accomplished by Jesus through the strong covenant which he makes with the many (i.e., the people of God whom the Father chooses to save). If Gabriel’s revelation to Daniel does speak to the end times, it does so in the form of a messianic prophecy, foretelling with an uncanny accuracy the suffering and obedience of the one who fulfills it–the Lord Jesus.

Many of us grew up in churches influenced by dispensationalism. We learned this passage well because it was thought to serve as a guide to the end times. The prophet Daniel supposedly foresees a time (the 70th and final week of the seventy weeks) when Israel is back in the land at or about the time the Gentile church is removed from the earth (the Rapture). The Rapture also marks the dawn of the so-called seven year tribulation period, during which the Antichrist (on this scheme, the one who makes a covenant with Israel) turns upon the Jews in their rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, leading to a final battle (Armageddon) which culminates in the return of Jesus. Although this is the view which dominates much of American evangelicalism, this interpretation is wide of the mark for several reasons we will address in this and the next installment of our exposition of Daniel’s remarkable prophecy.

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Warfield on Prayer

The following is an excerpt from B. B. Warfield’s sermon “Prayer as a Means of Grace” reprinted in a volume of Warfield’s collected sermons, Faith and Life (Banner, 1974).

Prayer as a confession of weakness . . .

In its very nature, prayer is a confession of weakness, a confession of need, of dependence, a cry for help, a reaching out for something stronger, better, more stable and trustworthy than ourselves, oil which to rest and depend and draw. No one can take this attitude once without an effect on his character; no one can take it in a crisis of his life without his whole subsequent life feeling the influence in its sweeter, humbler, more devout and restful course; no one can take it habitually without being made, merely by its natural, reflex influence, a different man, in a very profound sense, from what he otherwise would have been. Prayer, thus, in its very nature, because it is an act of self-abnegation, a throwing of ourselves at the feet of One recognized as higher and greater than we, and as One on whom we depend and in whom we trust, is a most beneficial influence in this hard life of ours. It places the soul in an attitude of less self-assertion and predisposes it to walk simply and humbly in the world.

After discussing the nature of prayer, Warfield speaks of the proper attitude to be taken in prayer . . .

To read the rest, follow the link below

B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerJuly 25, 2024Warfield on Prayer Comments

“The Error of Denying that Christ’s Merits Secure Our Salvation” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (3)

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those:

III Who teach that Christ, by the satisfaction which he gave, did not certainly merit for anyone salvation itself and the faith by which this satisfaction of Christ is effectively applied to salvation, but only acquired for the Father the authority or plenary will to relate in a new way with men and to impose such new conditions as he chose, and that the satisfying of these conditions depends on the free choice of man; consequently, that it was possible that either all or none would fulfill them.

For they have too low an opinion of the death of Christ, do not at all acknowledge the foremost fruit or benefit which it brings forth, and summon back from hell the Pelagian error.

_________________________________

The third error promulgated by the Dutch Arminians and dealt with by the authors of the Canons is an error which is also tied to the modified governmental theory of the atonement. As devotees of the governmental theory see it, the death of Christ does not merit or accomplish anything in particular. Rather, through the death of Christ, God’s love and moral governorship of the universe is displayed, since the death of Christ supposedly shows us how seriously God regards human sinfulness.

As the Arminian theologian Limborch states, “the death of Christ is called a satisfaction for sin; but sacrifices are not payments of debts, nor are they full satisfactions for sins; but a gratuitous remission is granted when they are offered.” Notice the slippery language used by Limborch, since he speaks of the death of Christ as a "satisfaction," yet when doing so, means something far different than do the biblical writers (and the Reformed confessions) when they use the same term. For Limborch and the Arminians, “the atonement is a satisfaction.” But it is a "satisfaction" only because it demonstrates how seriously God takes sin, since God has arbitrarily determined to accept it as such.

Notice in the Arminian scheme what the atonement is not. The death of Christ is not the payment in full of the debt we owe to satisfy God's holy justice because of our sins. Nor is the atonement a payment for sin which is in any sense directly connected to the retributive justice of God, in which sin must be punished to the exact degree that it is an offense to God's holiness.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerJuly 22, 2024Christ's merit, Christ's death purchases faithComment

Mid-Summer 2024 Musings

Riddleblog and Blessed Hope Podcast Updates:

Look for the return of the Blessed Hope Podcast season three on 1 Corinthians in mid-August. I’ve managed to research and write the script for chapters 7-10 and will start cranking out new episodes upon my return from vacation.
The Blessed Hope Podcast has made a successful “migration” from Google podcasts over to YouTube podcasts. If you enjoy the Blessed Hope pod, please consider liking and subscribing.

Thinking Out Loud:

What happened in Butler PA, sure gives new meaning to the phrase “dodged a bullet.” I am very thankful Trump’s life was spared. So far in my lifetime JFK was assassinated, so too were RFK and MLK, Gerald Ford survived two bungled assassination attempts, and Reagan was nearly killed. Assassinations create a generational national trauma, and I am so thankful that our nation is not facing such a thing now.
Joe, you stubborn old geezer, turn over the car keys already!
The stray kitty who moved into my yard a dozen years ago pays no attention to various cats and critters who come into the yard and eat her food. But one cat—a new skinny all black cat—drives her crazy. She goes from full nap to absolute screeching fury whenever it gets near her food bowl. I wonder what that is all about. The mind of a cat . . . unfathomable.
A sure sign that ours is a fallen race is that you cannot buy an equal number of hot dogs (usually six) and buns (usually eight).

To read the rest of my “musings,” follow the link below

MusingsKim RiddlebargerJuly 20, 2024Bible Theory Podcast, Invasion of Saipan June 1944, cats and dogs, Florida ManComment

Ancient Corinth, Judge Judy, and Litigious Christians

What follows is an excerpt from season three, episode ten of the Blessed Hope Podcast which covers chapter six of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

Only Americans could love Judge Judy–the über-mom, as I call her, because of her uncanny ability to make grown men look like disobedient children. Yet I’m sure that if the Corinthians had the technology we have, they too would love Judge Judy. The public airing of personal grievances makes for great theater. This explains Judge Judy’s huge audience in contemporary America. Public quarreling and exposing one’s laundry before an audience was also popular in first century Corinth. To Paul’s chagrin, the Corinthians joined right in.

Roman courts of the first century distinguished between criminal trials and civil disputes. In chapter 6, it is clear that Paul is speaking of civil matters involving litigation (lawsuits or “small claims”),[1] not criminal matters (i.e., murder, assault, theft, etc.). Criminal trials were formal legal procedures and in many cases a jury was present.[2] In Corinth, common legal disputes were usually settled in large public buildings called basilicas which were part of the city’s agoura (marketplace). Whenever the court met to deal with a civil case, the public often gathered to take in the spectacle of well-known townsfolk accusing each other of all kinds of wrongdoing before the court, while a leading citizen appointed by a magistrate served as judge.[3]

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Biblical Events, Biblical Theology, Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerJuly 17, 2024Judge Judy, litigationComment

“To the Lord Our God Belong Mercy and Forgiveness” Daniel 9:1-19 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Sixteen)

Setting the Scene for Daniel’s Seventy Weeks

The ninth chapter of the Book of Daniel contains one of the most debated and difficult passages in all the Bible–the famous vision of the seventy weeks is found in verses 24-27. This vision, given to Daniel through the Angel Gabriel, is often taken to be a prophetic revelation focusing exclusively on the end times. While the vision does indeed extend to the time of the end, the focus in the opening verses of the chapter is explaining how is it–if, as Israel’s prophets have foretold, the seventy years of exile in Babylon are about to come to an end–that God will extend this time of exile for seventy more weeks. The news of an extension of Israel’s exile (a form of covenant curse) takes a surprising turn, as Gabriel now reveals to Daniel. As promised, God’s people will return to Jerusalem and rebuild both the city and the temple. How then can the people still be said to be in exile?

The Critical Questions

In Daniel 9, the root cause of this extended time of exile is revealed to be human sinfulness. Because God is holy, human sin must be dealt with once and for all before the time of exile finally and ultimately comes to an end. As Gabriel now reveals to Daniel, this is the work of the coming Messiah, who will truly restore Jerusalem, the temple, and the sacrifices, but will also put an end to sin, atone for wickedness, and bring in an everlasting righteousness. Although many take the prophecy of the seventy weeks to predict specific events at the time of the end, Daniel 9 is better understood as one of the most important messianic prophecies in all the Bible. It foretells of a coming Messiah who will overcome all his enemies and ours, and who will once and for all put an end to the guilt and the power of human sin. It is this covenant-making Messiah–not a future Antichrist–who is the key figure of the seventy weeks.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Book of DanielKim RiddlebargerJuly 15, 2024the Ultimate Jubilee, Christ not Antichrist, Daniel's PrayerComment

The Blessed Hope Podcast is Now on YouTube Podcasts!

The “migration” from google podcasts to YouTube Podcasts is now complete!

Here’s the link: “The Blessed Hope Podcast with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger”

Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerJuly 13, 2024Now on YouTubeComment

Christ's Spotless Bride -- The Attributes of the Church (Part Six)

Having considered the marks of the church, we now move on to consider the attributes of the church.

There are four classical attributes of the church as expressed in the Nicene Creed which are held in common by all major Christian traditions. These are: 1). Unity, 2). Holiness, 3). Catholicity, and 4). Apostolicity. The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Reformation churches all confess these same attributes, yet understand them in fundamentally different ways. The Lutherans, for example, add “invisibility” to the four marks expressed above as a polemic against Rome’s claim of the visibility of the true church (Rome claims to be the true church because of its visibility).[1]

James Bannerman, a Scottish Presbyterian, who wrote what many consider to be the definitive volume on Presbyterian polity (The Church of Christ) offers a number of reasons why discussing the marks of the church should be done before considering the attributes of the church. He lists the four attributes of “Unity, Sanctity, Catholicity, and Apostolicity.” But then notes that these “belong . . . to the Christian Church, in consequence of the Church holding and professing the true faith of Christ.”[1] Herman Bavinck also considers the marks before addressing the church’s attributes since, as he contends, it is important to distinguish a true church from a false church since this determination defines how we are to understand the attributes of the church.[2]

To read the rest, follow the link, below

Biblical Theology, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerJuly 12, 2024The Attributes of the church, UnityComment

John Calvin on Prayer -- What God Offers Us in Christ

These are familiar words to many, but are always worth reading . . .

We clearly see how destitute and devoid of all good things man is, and how he lacks all aids to salvation. Therefore, if he seeks resources to succor him in his need, he must go outside himself and get them elsewhere. It was afterward explained to us that the Lord willingly and freely reveals himself in his Christ. For in Christ he offers all happiness in place of our misery, all wealth in place of our neediness; in him he opens to us the heavenly treasures that our whole faith may contemplate his beloved Son, our whole expectation depend upon him, and our whole hope cleave to and rest in him. This, indeed, is that secret and hidden philosophy which cannot be wrested from syllogisms. But they whose eyes God has opened surely learn it by heart, that in his light they may see light [Ps. 36:9].

To read the rest, follow the link below

Kim RiddlebargerJuly 11, 2024

“The Error of Rejecting the Establishment of the New Covenant” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (2)

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those:

II Who teach that the purpose of Christ’s death was not to establish in actual fact a new covenant of grace by his blood, but only to acquire for the Father the mere right to enter once more into a covenant with men, whether of grace or of works.

For this conflicts with Scripture, which teaches that Christ “has become the guarantee and mediator” of a better—that is, “a new”—“covenant” (Heb. 7:22 9:15), and that “a will is in force only when someone has died” (Heb. 9:17).

_______________________________

In the “refutation of errors” section of each head of doctrine, the Canons take up some of the more technical and specific teachings of the Dutch Arminians which prompted the Synod of Dort to be called in 1618. The second error identified under the second head of doctrine is the Remonstrant (Arminian) notion that the death of Christ did not actually establish a covenant of grace between God and his elect, but that the atonement merely makes provision for God to into enter into such a covenant with his creatures on the ground of God’s choosing—whether that be faith or works.

This reluctance to understand the covenant of grace as necessarily tied to Christ’s mediatorial work is fallout from the Arminian view of the atonement, which is a species of what is known as the “governmental theory.” The so-called governmental theory of the atonement teaches that the death of Christ supposedly demonstrates God’s love, along with his right to order his universe as he sees fit. In this scheme, the cross of Christ is not seen as a satisfaction of God’s justice, and therefore, a necessary act if sinners are to be saved. Instead, the cross is understood in terms of God’s arbitrary decree that a sacrificial death would be accepted as a payment for sin instead of some other equally valid way.

This means that it was not necessary for Christ to die if God’s elect are to be saved, but that God determined to do things in this way since his rule over the universe and his love for sinners would be most clearly manifest. As the moral governor of his universe, God saw fit to save in this manner. But he was under absolutely no necessity of doing so.

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We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident . . .

In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America,

When in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.

To read the rest, follow the link below

“A Little Horn” Daniel 8:1-27 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Fifteen)

Yet Another Vision

Who is Antiochus IV Epiphanes and why should we care?

If we were Jews we would know the answer to this question immediately–Antiochus Epiphanes and the Macabbean Wars (167-141 BC) are the historical background of the Jewish holiday “Hanukkah” (which means “dedication,” or more specifically, “re-dedication”). The reason why we as Christians should care about Antiochus is because the prophet Daniel had another vision which is recounted in chapter 8, this time of a ram and a goat. But the “Little Horn” also reappears (we first read of him in Daniel 7:8) and his role is central in this vision, pointing us ahead to a future antichrist. In this visionary dream, YHWH gives Daniel a prediction of yet another terrible time for the people of God then exiled in Babylon.

This vision informs them that at some point before the dawn of the messianic age, yet after the exiles have indeed returned from Babylon to Judah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and YHWH’s temple, the rebuilt temple will be desecrated by a “Little Horn,” who, in this vision, is none other than Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The temple will be cleansed and the altar rebuilt by Judas Maccabaeus, the famed Jewish rebel leader who recaptured Jerusalem from Antiochus’ forces and then restored the temple. This event, Hanukkah,celebrated by Jews ever since was foretold with uncanny accuracy by Daniel, and recounted for us in the 27 verses of the eighth chapter of the Book of Daniel.

Amazing Accuracy

This vision is important to us for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the accuracy of Daniel’s prediction of yet another terrible desecration of YHWH’s temple in Jerusalem. This desolation will occur long after the Jewish exiles then held in Babylon (at the time Daniel is given this vision), have, in the future, returned to Judah and are once again established in the land of promise. Daniel’s vision predicts the coming of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (some 350 years yet future to Daniel), but it also depicts him as a type (or a foreshadowing) of a series of antichrist figures yet to come. As we saw in the vision recorded in Daniel 7, this series of antichrists includes the self-deifying emperors of Rome (the “Little Horn” of the fourth beast of the visions in Daniel 2 and 7), and which culminates in a final end times antichrist foretold by the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Book of DanielKim RiddlebargerJuly 1, 2024The Little Horn, The Angel GabrielComment

Warfield on the “Conviction of the Holy Spirit”

Below is an excerpt from B. B. Warfield’s sermon, “The Conviction of the Holy Spirit” reprinted in a volume of Warfield’s collected sermons, Faith and Life (Banner, 1974).

We approach now the center of our subject and perceive what it is that the world is convicted of by the demonstration of the Spirit. The Saviour pointedly discriminates between the three elements: As to sin, as to righteousness, as to judgment. Conviction of the world is the work of the Holy Ghost. Conviction as to what? (1) As to sin. The world which as yet knows not sin is convicted of it as the first and primary work of the Holy Ghost. It is not without significance that this is placed first. There is a sense in which it underlies all else, and conviction of sin becomes the first step in that recovery of the world, which is the victory. Once convicted of sin, another conviction is opened out before it. (2) It may then be convicted of righteousness, that is, of what righteousness is and what is required to form a true righteousness, and (3) it may be convicted of judgment, that is, of what judgment is, what justice requires and its inevitableness. These two together form the correlates of sin. It is only by knowing sin that we can know righteousness; as it is only by knowing darkness that we know light. We must know what sin is and how subtle it is, before we can realize what righteousness is. We must know how base the one is before we can know how noble the other is. We must know the depth that we may appreciate the heights.

To read the rest, follow the link below

B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerJune 29, 2024Conviction of the SpiritComment

Paul on Preaching: A Demonstration of the Spirit and Power (1 Corinthians 1:4)

What follows is an excerpt from episode three of season three of the Blessed Hope Podcast which covers Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

What was characteristic of Paul’s preaching was its content–Christ and him crucified. Even though he was not worldly-wise, nor did he seek to impress the Greeks, nevertheless, in verse 4 of 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks of his preaching as accompanied by “a demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” Readers of 1 Corinthians have long debated what Paul means by this.

The context tells us that Paul does not mean by this demonstration of the Spirit’s power what we might call “signs and wonders” as contemporary Pentecostals contend. Rather, “the power of the Spirit is linked with the proclamation of the cross.”[1] Or, as Ciampa and Rosner put it, Paul’s stress upon his own weakness being overcome by the power of God in his preaching of Christ crucified, means that “power here is about moral conviction, not miraculous display.”[2] God’s power supplants the preacher’s weaknesses.[3] Paul said much the same thing to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 1:5, “our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”

To read the rest, follow the link below

Biblical Events, Biblical TheologyKim RiddlebargerJune 27, 2024The Spirit and Power, 1 Corinthians 1:4Comment

“The Error of Rejecting a Fixed and Definite Plan of Salvation” — The Rejection of Errors, Second Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort (1)

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those:

Who teach that God the Father appointed his Son to death on the cross without a fixed and definite plan to save anyone by name, so that the necessity, usefulness, and worth of what Christ’s death obtained could have stood intact and altogether perfect, complete and whole, even if the redemption that was obtained had never in actual fact been applied to any individual.

For this assertion is an insult to the wisdom of God the Father and to the merit of Jesus Christ, and it is contrary to Scripture. For the Savior speaks as follows: “I lay down my life for the sheep, and I know them” (John 10:15, 27). And Isaiah the prophet says concerning the Savior: “When he shall make himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand” (Isa. 53:10). Finally, this undermines the article of the creed in which we confess what we believe concerning the church.

_________________________________

In rejecting the Arminian errors regarding the death of Christ, the authors of the Canons now turn to the weakest point in the so-called “universal atonement” position. In the Arminian scheme of redemption, the death of Christ does not actually save any of those for whom Christ is said to have died. What many regard as the strength of the Arminian view–its universalism and emphasis upon the assertion that “Christ died for all” without exception–is seen by the Reformed not as a strength, but as a serious departure from biblical teaching. Yes, the Scriptures teach that Christ died for all those given him by the father. The Scriptures do not teach that Jesus’s death makes the entire world potentially “saveable” if only sinners do what is required of them.

Exposing this error is what the authors of the Canons are getting at when they state the error in view is the Arminian notion that God supposedly appointed Christ to die for sinners, yet without any fixed or definite plan to save any one particular sinner by name. Under the Arminian conception of salvation, the death of Christ is said to be “for all,” because the atonement only makes the entire world “savable” upon the condition of faith in Christ. But notice, this means that the death of Christ does not actually save anyone. The atonement is said to be “for all” because it can potentially save all. In fact, as the Arminian understands fallen human nature and prevenient grace (to be discussed in part two), all can potentially believe, despite the fall of Adam.

Under this conception, the death of Christ actually saves no one, nor does it secure anything for our salvation, until such time as it is “appropriated” or “applied” by the sinner to themselves through the means of faith. This is a very important point. This gets to the heart of what many Reformed theologians have pointed out as the most distinguishing characteristic of the Reformed understanding of the plan of redemption, and that which sets the Reformed conception of salvation apart from all other branches of the Christian family. According to B. B. Warfield, “the saving operations of God are directed in every case immediately to the individuals who are being saved. Particularism in the process of salvation becomes the mark of Calvinism” [Warfield, Plan of Salvation, 87].

To read the rest follow the link below

The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerJune 24, 2024Indefinite atonement, Universal atonementComment

Warfield on Christian Hope

I believe that as Jesus Christ has once come in grace, so also is He to come a second time in glory, to judge the world in righteousness and assign to each his eternal award: and I believe that if I die in Christ, my soul shall be at death made perfect in holiness and go home to the Lord; and when He shall return in his majesty I shall be raised in glory and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity: encouraged by which blessed hope it is required of me willingly to take my part in suffering hardship here as a good soldier of Christ Jesus, being assured that if I die with Him I shall also live with him, if I endure, I shall also reign with Him.

From “A Brief and Untechnical Statement of the Reformed Faith”

B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerJune 22, 2024Christian HopeComment

“An Everlasting Kingdom” Daniel 7:15-28 (An Exposition of the Book of Daniel–Part Fourteen)

A Remarkable Vision of Four Great Empires—Metallic Statues and Fierce Beasts

In chapter 7 of the prophecy which bears his name, Daniel is given a vision which maps out the future course of the four great ancient Middle-Eastern empires with uncanny accuracy. Daniel’s vision dates from 550 BCE–the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylon–but covers historical developments until the rise of the Roman empire four centuries later.

In this amazing vision, Daniel sees four fierce and frightening beasts which represent the same successive empires which Nebuchadnezzar had seen in the vision of the metallic statue which YHWH had given to him (and recounted in Daniel 2): the Babylonian empire, the Persian empire, the Greek empire (under Alexander the Great and his successors), and then finally the fourth and most powerful and frightening beast of all, the Roman empire.

The “Ancient of Days” and the “Son of Man”

What makes Daniel’s vision so much more than a mere lesson in ancient Near-Eastern history is that this vision is given five centuries before these events actually occur. In this vision, Daniel is also given a glimpse of the heavenly court in session. He sees one whom he describes as “the Ancient of Days” presiding, with one “like a Son of Man” being led into his presence, possessing a glory beyond all human comprehension with thousands and tens of thousand attendants. Daniel sees what so many of God’s people across the ages have desired to see–a glimpse of what heaven is like and what transpires in God’s presence.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Book of DanielKim RiddlebargerJune 20, 2024The Fourth Beast, The Little HornComment

June Musings (6/17/2024)

Riddleblog and Blessed Hope Podcast Updates:

The Riddleblog and the Blessed Hope Podcast are in modified suspended animation as we are celebrating family birthdays, seeing grand kids, doing some household projects, and getting ready for our annual trek to the Eastern Sierras (see my Instagram account if you are curious about any of this).
I’m also hard at work on 1 Corinthians as I get ready for the second half of season three of the Blessed Hope Podcast when we pick up with 1 Corinthians 7:1. There are some important and controversial issues to tackle in the second half of Paul’s first Corinthian letter! Stay tuned . . .

Thinking Out Loud:

My rant against both political parties and their fossilized unfit candidates continues . . . We are slouching toward the worst presidential election of my lifetime. We’ve got MAGA folk using messianic and redemptive language of Trump, yet oblivious to the blasphemy of it all. We’ve got Biden mumbling, fumbling, wandering off during the G-7 meetings, and freezing up like an old, old, man (which he is). Put not your trust in princes has always been biblical counsel. Any temptation to ignore that counsel is long gone.

A full 25% of Americans are now considered “double haters” and dislike (really dislike) both presidential candidates, the highest percentage ever.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Christ's Spotless Bride -- The Three Marks of the Church Defined (Part Five)

Calvin’s Pulpit in St. Peter’s, Geneva

Continued from Part Four

The First Mark of the Church Is the Pure Preaching of the Word

According to Michael Horton, “the church is the creatura verbi or `creature of the Word,’” in the sense that the Holy Spirit working through the preached word (God’s living and active speech–Hebrews 4:12-13) brings the church into existence. This indicates that the church is “always on the receiving end of its existence.”[1]

Horton continues, the Word . . .

always achieves its purpose (Isa. 55:1– “everyone who thirsts”). The proclaimed word is not simply the sermon, but the faith that is announced, confessed, sung, and witnessed to by the church–by those called to special office but also by the whole body in its general office as prophets, priests, and kings in Christ. Even singing in church is a form of proclamation: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16; cf. Eph. 5:19). Nevertheless, it is especially in its official preaching that this Word is a verbum sacramentale (sacramental word).[2]

Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck offers a thorough and helpful summation of the Word as the primary, but not the only mark of the true church.

That the Reformation rightly sought the key mark of the church in the Word of God cannot be doubted on the basis of Scripture. Without the Word of God, after all, there would be no church (Prov. 29:18; Isa. 8:20; Jer. 8:9; Hos. 4:6). Christ gathers his church (Matt. 28:19), which is built on the teaching of the apostles and prophets, by Word and sacrament (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20). By the Word he regenerates it (James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23), engenders faith (Rom. 10:14; 1 Cor. 4:15), and cleanses and sanctifies [the church] (John 15:3; Eph. 5:26). And those who have thus been regenerated and renewed by the Word of God are called to confess Christ (Matt. 10:32; Rom. 10:9), to hear his voice (John 10:27), to keep his Word (John 8:31, 32; 14:23), to test the spirits (1 John 4:1), and to shun those who do not bring this doctrine (Gal. 1:8; Titus 3:10; 2 John 9). The Word is truly the soul of the church.[3] All ministry in the church is a ministry of the Word. God gives his Word to the church, and the church accepts, preserves, administers, and teaches it; it confesses it before God, before one another, and before the world in word and deed. In the one mark of the Word the others are included as further applications. Where God’s Word is rightly preached, there also the sacrament is purely administered, the truth of God is confessed in line with the intent of the Spirit, and people’s conduct is shaped accordingly.[4]

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