Sermons and Biblical Studies

by John W. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Personal," August 13, 2014 Not until I purposely took a break from this series on Ecclesiastes did I realize, while meditating on some of the material we have covered, that we have been covering a sub-theme that flows just below the surface. Solomon never names it directly, but it is … Continue reading “Ecclesiastes and Christian Living (Part Seven): Contentment”

by Charles Whitaker (1944-2021) Forerunner, "Prophecy Watch," August 13, 2014 In the previous issue, we saw that Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe and companion, was affected by the winter of despair that had settled over Judah in the days before its fall to the Babylonians. He groaned and complained. Did that pandemic of despair affect Jeremiah as … Continue reading “A Tale of Two Complaints (Part One)”

by David C. Grabbe Forerunner, "Ready Answer," August 13, 2014 “But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” —Luke 5:38 In John 1:11, we read that the Word—the Creator God—came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. The gospel accounts provide ample evidence of this in Jesus’ … Continue reading “Clothing, Wineskins, and Wine”

by Richard T. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "WorldWatch," August 13, 2014 From the dawn of its history, Japan’s relationship with China has been a troubled one. While the origin of the Japanese people is shrouded in mystery, what is clear is that the two peoples have borne an antipathy for each other from antiquity, both at times … Continue reading “Japan: Rising Tensions With China”

by John W. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Personal," July 9, 2014 The previous article completed the first third of the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon, having laid the foundation for the entire book, is now exploring important details. A brief overview of that foundation may be helpful as we go forward. It is useful to remember four important … Continue reading “Ecclesiastes and Christian Living (Part Six): Listening”

by Charles Whitaker (1944-2021) Forerunner, "Prophecy Watch," July 9, 2014 In Part One, we looked at the desperate straits into which God placed the king and the people of Judah on the eve of her fall to the Babylonians.Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, certainly an intelligent and perhaps a prominent man in his own right, was born … Continue reading “Baruch’s Complaint (Part Two)”

by David C. Grabbe Forerunner, "Ready Answer," July 9, 2014 Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. —Genesis 14:19-20 At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin addressed President George Washington, passionately pleading to begin each … Continue reading “Passover of the Most High God”

by Richard T. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "WorldWatch," July 9, 2014 American conservatives, particularly those who advocate a strong foreign policy, suspect that the Barack Obama administration is allowing the nation’s foreign affairs and defense strategy to fall behind reality. While the United States is still overwhelmingly powerful compared to even its closest military competitor, it is … Continue reading “Rudderless Leadership in U.S. Foreign Affairs”

by John W. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Personal," May 15, 2014 In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon gives those of us whom God has called wondrous knowledge capable of filling our minds with great possibilities. In it, God confirms that these possibilities can be fulfilled because He, from His sovereign position on high, is overseeing our preparations for His … Continue reading “Ecclesiastes and Christian Living (Part Five): Comparisons”

by Charles Whitaker (1944-2021) Forerunner, "Prophecy Watch," May 15, 2014 It was the worst of times. Period. The time of Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch was everything but the age of wisdom, the epoch of belief, the season of light, the spring of hope. The king was about to lose his throne, his sons, his … Continue reading “Baruch’s Complaint (Part One)”