Friday, July 11, 2008

There Are No Unicorns In the Bible

In his 1875 book Animals of the Bible, John Worcester puts to rest any remaining speculation that unicorns are mentioned in Scripture.

There is one other animal mentioned in the Scriptures which should be noticed here; and that is the “Unicorn.” The name “unicorn” is a translator’s mistake. The Bible says that the animal has “horns,” not one horn (Deuteronomy 33:17, Hebrew); and further, that it was fit for sacrifice (Isaiah 34:7)—consequently having divided hoofs and chewing the cud; that it was an animal of great size and strength, but too wild to plough or harrow (Job 39:9–12). In two places also it is used as a poetic parallel to a bullock or calf: “His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of an unicorn” (Deuteronomy 33:17); “He maketh them also to skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn” (Psalm 29:6).

These facts seem entirely to justify the unanimous conclusion of modern Bible scholars that the animal belonged to the ox family, and probably to that branch of it which was formerly common in northern Europe under the name of Auerochs, or yore ox (ancient ox), abbreviated by the Romans to Urus; which is said still to exist in the Caucasus mountains; whose form is sculptured upon the monuments of Nimroud as a wild animal of the chase; whose bones, six and a half feet in height and twelve in length, with bony horn cores more than three feet long, are found in Switzerland; and whose teeth Tristram asserts that he found in Palestine.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Resolution 6

Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

While a simple resolution, it is magnificently profound. I think that 1 Corinthians 10:31 applies just like in Resolution 5.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." -1 Corinthians 10:31

Living to that end takes all of our strength. And responding to God's calling is a difficult task; a task that requires all of our might.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Multiple Choice

Life would be way easier if it were multiple choice and all you got for picking the wrong answer was one point marked off your life score.
Today I will _________.

A. Sleep through my alarm
B. Wake up late and not shower
C. Wake up on time and shower
D. Skip work
Unfortunately, there are many more multiple choice questions tied to each answer of the previous question, and if you get any one of them wrong, you are going to be doing and saying some pretty stupid stuff shortly.
Today I will wake up late and not shower. My co-workers will say, "what is that smell?" I will reply, "___________."

A. That guy over there has some mad b.o.
B. I'm not sure. I think it's you
C. Yeah. I heard all the custodians got fired
D. I didn't shower this morning

I guess life isn't very much like multiple choice...

Sunday, July 06, 2008

On Time?

We make sure that we get to work on time to pay our debts. But for some reason we can't make it to church on time to worship the One who has ensured that our debts have been paid.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

SWAG

SWAG is "Stuff We All Get." After two weeks of work, this is my SWAG.