Agonizomai: <center>Book Ends</center>

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Book Ends

Well - we are coming to the end of this study of "Letters to Seven Churches". I'm so glad to have stopped before getting to all that confusing and sometimes contentious eschatological stuff in the chapters that follow. I have promised to start Malachi next, followed by something very long and heavy on Hebrews. Malachi will be interesting because it is another "last" book (at least in our Western Christian canon).

I see the parallels between waiting for the promised (suffering) Messiah in Malachi's time, and awaiting the return of the glorified Messiah in the church age. Like matching book ends, Malachi and Revelation bracket the gospel age and the New Testament writings with hope, promise and warnings of judgment.

Since it takes time to prepare the material in audio form and to coordinate it all for Blogger, I may take a week or so off from posting between series.


4 Comments:

Blogger THEOparadox said...

Yes, yes, yes, PLEASE go through Hebrews! I promise I'll even try to keep up this time. In fact, I may even blog a few technical/textual analyses on my site to support your study. I really like the way Hebrews presents its arguments, with brilliant thematic development, and there are some strong paradoxical/ironic features included in it. Most importantly, it's loaded with Gospel from start to finish!

Derek

9:57 am  
Blogger agonizomai said...

Derek,

O dear! I'm afraid the heaviness of the study will be on account of the volume of material and not due to the depth of thought.

The Hebrews study does not have a nice, clear charted outline as the Romans study did. And it will still be a mish-mash of my own devotional observations and ramblings rather than a systematic exegesis of the text.

PLEASE take a deep breath and lower your expectations.

Meanwhile you still have Malachi to get through first. And, as you will see, you will be getting the bonus of a study in Jonah to listen to at your leisure while I rest, recharge and put the finishing touches on the Malachi posts.


Blessings,


Tony

10:19 am  
Blogger THEOparadox said...

Tony,

You always encourage me to expect less . . . then promptly deliver truckloads of brilliance.

The Revelation study is some of your best stuff, really really good and helpful! A few nice paradoxes thrown in, too. I haven't missed them.

But modesty is a good quality to have in our self-is-everything world. Only God can make us truly humble. And sometimes He does.

You must have suffered much to see some of these things as clearly as you do. All in His sovereign will, and all for His glory. The best diamonds of grace are mined from the deepest and darkest caverns.

Blessings,
Derek

10:28 am  
Blogger agonizomai said...

Derek,

Yes, I have suffered much.

Much..LESS than I deserve

Much...LESS than the suffering I have caused on others

Much...LESS than the suffering it took to redeem me from my just deserts.

But that said, I was touched by your perception. In fact it took me a moment to compose myself after reading it. You got behind my wall, brother and not many have done that.

Now go away and do some work before I completely break down :o)

Blessings,


Tony

10:46 am  

Post a Comment

<< Home