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It’s been years since God first called me for a deeper relationship with him and I remember at the beginning of this process hearing this: “Sometimes we are ready to receive God’s wrath but not ready to receive his love”. I don’t remember who said that, but these words have been with me for a long time. And Yes! I totally resonated with that. As a perfectionist, I could never see myself good enough to achieve many things, including earning my place at God’s table as a daughter. As God’s word became my daily bread, I realized that even knowing more about his character, I was still more ready for his punishment than for his love. Yet, the word of God speaks and constantly sharpens our thoughts and aligns our emotions. So, when I feel unprepared to receive His love, the question I ask myself is, “What lies am I believing instead of what His word says?” Once I identify them, I intentionally let His word wash my thoughts. Just like with this one from Galatians: “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” — Galatians 4:6 You may cry out to God, 'Abba,' but do you know what that actually means? Here is what I learned: Abba is not just a Nickname We’ve heard it said so often that “Abba” simply means “Daddy” — a soft, sentimental word for a toddler learning to talk. And I am not here to say that there is not truth in that, because it is a word of closeness. BUT it carries more weight than warmth alone. When Paul says the Spirit cries out “Abba, Father” in our hearts, he’s pointing to something that’s both deeply intimate and legally certain, the cry of a child who knows, without doubt, that they belong. We belong to God; we are his and he is ours. Even when we face discipline (because sometimes correction is necessary), we keep belonging to him. Hebrews 12 says that God disciplines sons and daughters, so let us receive his love in whatever form this can take, whether as a cheer of approval or as a discipline. Abba opens us the way to relate to God just like Jesus did Here’s what makes this so striking: search the Gospels, and there’s only one place where Jesus’s exact “Abba” cry is recorded — his agonizing prayer in Gethsemane, the night before the cross. Not in a moment of ease. In the middle of sorrow, sweat, and the weight of what was coming. That’s no coincidence. When the Spirit reproduces that same cry in us, he isn’t handing us a warm, fuzzy feeling. He’s handing us Jesus’s own prayer, the cry of someone who trusted the Father completely, even while asking if there was another way, even in the face of suffering. Abba is a Proof of adoption This is the real evidence of adoption. Not the ability to perform miracles, not visions, not spiritual gifts, as good as those can be. The most basic mark of belonging to God is this: the new way we’re permitted to speak to him. Not as servants negotiating for favor. But as children who already have a seat at the table. So, if you’re walking through something hard right now, the kind of night that feels like your own Gethsemane, that isn’t proof you’ve lost your footing with God. It might be the opposite. The Spirit reproducing that exact cry in you, in the middle of pain, is what sonship sounds like. What would change today if you believed, all the way down, that you have the right to cry “Abba, Father”, not because you’ve earned it, but because you belong? Let us receive his love and cry in all circumstances, holding to the truth that we belong and that is not going to change. Thank you, “Abba”!

Engaging in deep study might feel overwhelming, but identifying clusters within the text and breaking them into small pieces to be explored one at a time might be beneficial for our understanding. To exemplify how this could work, in this post we are exploring some background that can help us read Galatians 4:1–7, but note that some information are not limited to this part, it can also be helpful for the reading of this letter as a whole. Among Paul's letters, Galatians is one of the most debated and controversial, especially because of its rhetoric and its fundamental role in discussions concerning law, circumcision, justification, and Jew-Gentile relations. It has been called an “intense storm center in the Pauline corpus,” unaltered by the later refinement found in Romans.[1] Paul’s rhetoric in Galatians addressed a question of identity, where “Jewish status (by circumcision) was being required to secure their social position among the people of God as righteous ones (as children of Abraham and Sarah).”[2] His letter was written to combat “agitators” who were persuading Gentiles to undergo circumcision as a covenantal identity marker. Here is the flow of Paul’s rhetoric 1. Paul’s defense of his apostleship (ch. 1–2) 2. Theological argument regarding justification, Abraham, and the law (ch. 3–4) 3. Ethical exhortation concerning life in the Spirit (ch. 5–6). Paul admits that before his encounter with Christ he was deeply committed to the traditions of his ancestors (1:13–14). But after his calling, Paul came to understand that Gentiles entered God’s covenant family through faith in the Messiah Jesus rather than through proselyte conversion. He understood that the church of Christ was diverse and inclusive, and that circumcision would “undermine the radical inclusivity of the Gospel,”[3] since “Judaization” was never meant for Gentiles in the first place.[4] Even the Jerusalem council agreed that Gentiles didn’t need to be circumcised, because the evidence of their adoption was the outpouring of the Spirit over the uncircumcised in the same manner as over the Jews. This is the thread of argument Galatians 4:1–7 sits inside, that begins in chapter 3 and runs through chapter 5, where Paul presents a progressive picture of the law: affirming its divine intent, but showing that this intent is fulfilled not by the law itself, but through its fulfillment in Christ and the Spirit.[5] In this section, Paul returns to a metaphor that tightens what he had just said which is likely a restatement of his argument in 3:23–29.[6] Note that Galatians 4:1–7 functions as a transitional, climactic moment, moving from the temporary role of the law and minority status (3:23–29) to the full sonship and inheritance now available through Christ and the Spirit. Just before this passage, Paul describes the law as a παιδαγωγός (“guardian” or “tutor”) put in charge to lead us to Christ (3:23–29); then the passage develops that argument through the picture of the minor heir, moving from restriction to sonship and what follows (4:8–20) is Paul’s warning against returning to old ways of bondage, and his appeal for the Galatians to remain faithful to the gospel they first received. Although scholars debate the precise legal custom behind Paul’s illustration,[7] Greco-Roman inheritance practices generally recognized that a minor heir — despite holding legal claim to an inheritance — remained under guardians and household managers until reaching maturity, or a time appointed by the father. During this period, the heir held little practical authority and differed little from a servant, despite a future claim to the whole estate.[8] Now, here is an interesting fact that can help you to understand why Paul is building all this thread of thought. While Roman citizens were expected to bear legitimate children to grow their households,[9] Paul uses the image of adoption to portray something different: divine initiative in growing God’s family, rather than biological descent or proselyte conversion. Although adoption in the Greco-Roman world was mostly driven by economic concerns for the household, Paul inaugurates a new and better way to live that reality. Through adoption, the family of God welcomes anyone who wants to become part of it, and that is good news for you and me.[10] [1] Garwood P. Anderson, “Law,” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship, ed. Scot McKnight (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2023), 612. [2] Mark Nanos, The Irony of Galatians: Paul’s Letter in First-Century Context (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2002), 80. [3] Matthew Thiessen, “Jewish Solution to the Gentile Problem,” in Paul and the Gentile Problem (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2016), 42 [4] Thiessen, “Jewish,” 42. [5] Anderson, “Law,” 612. [6] James D. G. Dunn, The Epistle to the Galatians, Black’s New Testament Commentary (London: Continuum, 1993), 210. [7] Moises Silva, “Inheritance,” in Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1035. [8] Richard N. Longenecker, Galatians, Word Biblical Commentary 41 (Dallas: Word, 1990), on Gal 4:1–2. [9] Michelle J. Morris, “Adoption,” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). [10] Morris, “Adoption.”

Reading the Bible is one of the greatest privileges we have. But sometimes we hit a bump along the way, and our understanding gets clouded—not because the gospel is complicated, but because we're missing a piece of the language, the literary shape, or the historical context behind a passage. That doesn't mean you need a seminary degree to understand the gospel. You don't. The message of the gospel is simple, and it reaches anyone, including the person who has never had an elementary education or opened a Bible commentary in their life. But if you want to become a better reader of the Bible, and if you want to be more faithful to the message behind the words, it helps to ask a simple question: What if I had lived when this was written? How would the culture around me have shaped the way I heard this? The idea behind this section We don't have a time machine to go back and see it with our own eyes. So, we lean on history to give us at least a glimpse of how the text was first understood. The message itself doesn't change—it's timeless. But once we understand the original context, we can find where in our own lives that same word applies today. That's what "Beyond the Text" is for on this blog: taking a passage and asking what's underneath it, so we can read it more faithfully. A word like stoicheia in Galatians 4, for example, sounds abstract until you know what it meant to a first-century reader staring down both pagan gods and a legalistic reading of the Torah. Once you know that, the passage stops being a puzzle and starts being personal. How to Go Deeper Without Spending Hours in Commentaries You don't need a library to do this. Here's what I recommend reaching for: · Compare a Few Translations Pull up the same verse in two or three translations—NIV, ESV, NASB, whatever you have on hand. Where they disagree is often exactly where something interesting is happening in the original language. There is something you need to understand: every translation is dependent on some level of interpretation. A translator had to make a choice, and seeing those choices side by side gives you a head start on the questions worth asking. · Look Up the Original Word You don't need to know Greek or Hebrew to check a key word. Free tools like Blue Letter Bible or Bible Hub let you look up the original word behind your English translation and see everywhere else it's used in Scripture. Sometimes just seeing a word's range of meaning changes how you read the sentence. Here is a tip: don't just look up the English word in a standard dictionary. Look at the original Greek or Hebrew definition to see how the biblical authors used it. · Ask Who, When, and Why Before You Ask What Before you dig into what a verse means, ask who wrote it, who they were writing to, and what problem they were addressing. A letter written to correct a specific situations reads differently once you know what is really being approached by the author . · Notice the Genre A psalm, a letter, and a narrative all need to be read differently. Poetry uses imagery you're not meant to flatten into a formula. A letter is one side of a real conversation. A story is often making its point through what happens, not through a stated principle. And when we talk about apocalyptic literature, for instance, it should not be approached as literal (we will discuss that further in another post). Thus, knowing which genre you're reading changes what you're looking for. Where This Goes from Here None of this replaces the Spirit teaching you as you read—it just clears away some of the fog so you can see more clearly what's already there. Every time we open a passage together on this blog under "Beyond the Text," this is the kind of digging that's happening behind the scenes. Now you have the tools to follow along, or better yet, to try it yourself first.

Have you ever heard that God repented? What do you think when you hear that? Does God really recognize that he has done wrong? Or does it mean something else? Is there any hidden meaning behind that? Why word studies matter Words are symbols that convey meaning, but one thing we need to have in mind is that words can convey different meanings, depending on the context, and when we trace back to ancient languages, words used to carry many different meanings depending on the context. Our language has evolved and our vocabulary is vast, but it wasn't like that when the Bible was being written. That is why for the ones who desire to deepen their understanding in biblical studies, diving in studies of Hebrew or Greek words become a mandatory route. It doesn't mean that every eager learner of scripture must learn biblical languages, but it is important to be aware that word studies play an important role in helping us to understand what the text is saying, and that you can find many of them discussed by scholars who dedicated their time to learn how to do it. The word that will be discussed here is the Hebrew root word nhm. This study will help you to understand what it means when you read that God repented. Definition Beginning with how this word can be translated, we found that nhm can be transliterated as regret, to have pity, be sorry, console oneself, repenting.[1] “The origin of the root seems to reflect the idea of ‘breathing deeply,’ hence the physical display of one’s feelings, usually sorrow, compassion, or comfort.”[2] From the 108 times that this word appears, 56 times is translated as comfort, and 25 times as “relenting.” The remaining instances varied among synonyms like consolation, compassion, change, sorry, relief. In both usages, God is the agent — he is the one who comforts and he is the one who relents. To Comfort To comfort means to alleviate sorrow or distress; give emotional strength to.[3] We can see it in some usages below: “For the Lord comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord.” (Isa 51:3) “Cry out again, thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.” (Zec 1:17) “You will say in that day: ‘I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.’” (Isa 12:1) “Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.” (Isa 52:9) To Relent The word relent means “to cease a particular activity, often with the implication that the relenting is a gracious act.”[4] Throughout the whole Old Testament we can see God as the one who relents — he ceases to bring punishment to the people. Despite this, in some instances God relents from good things, as in the usage of nhm in Gen 6:5–7, where it says the LORD was sorry [nhm] that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. The Hebrew word nhm appears more often as God relenting, ceasing to bring disaster and punishment — as when God relented (nhm) from the disaster against Israel after Moses interceded for them (Ex 32:12, 14). Usually there is a call for repentance and a promise of comfort and relenting, as we often see in the major and minor prophets, as we see below: “And if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.” (Jer 18:8) “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts.’” (Zec 8:14) The Test Case: Jonah This word is special to us because it appears in the book of Jonah. Some translations also use the term ‘repent,’ but in the ESV we see it like this: “Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish… When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” (Jonah 3:9–10) Does God change his mind in Jonah? As seen in other contexts where Israel was the object of wrath because of her disobedience, God is always “changing his mind” concerning his punishment. This “changing of mind” should be understood in light of the root nhm. God relents from his punishment following repentance — we see this pattern happening many times in the Old Testament. This is part of who God is: he is a merciful God who responds to a contrite heart (ex. Ps 51:7). I would argue that God longs to change his mind — as a good father, he would rather have his child receive blessings than punishment. When we see God repenting, he is not recognizing that he was wrong, but he is ceasing to cause the natural consequence of disobedience. With that in mind, it’s seen in Jonah that God shows no partiality — despite a judgment being proclaimed, God can relent from it when true repentance is present. Understanding that concept will help you to see the book of Jonah less isolated. Because in fact, the story is not really about Jonah but is part of the progressive revelation of the gospel to the nations; as in other places throughout scripture God shows that he is willing to forgive and affirms that he is the only one who is able to do it. So next time you hear that God repented, think in terms of ceasing to bring about judgment and let threads of grace find a place in your heart. Notes [1] Francis Brown, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs, Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977), 636. [2] Timothy Prussic, “Divine Repentance: A Word Study,” WRS, www.wrs.edu/assets/docs/Journals/2005a/Prussic - Divine Repentance.pdf. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024. [3] Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible, nhm, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020). [4] Brannan, nhm. Bibliography Brown, Francis, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs. Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977. Brannan, Rick, ed. Lexham Research Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible, nhm. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020. Logos Bible Study Software. Word Study Guide. https://ref.ly/logos4/Guide?t=My+Bible+Word+Study&lemma=lbs%2fhe%2f%D7%A0%D7%97%D7%9D Prussic, Timothy. “Divine Repentance: A Word Study.” WRS, www.wrs.edu/assets/docs/Journals/2005a/Prussic - Divine Repentance.pdf. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

I have had the privilege of visiting many art museums and seeing up close works by renowned painters such as Monet, Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso. Although I am not an expert in the field, I love to contemplate works that reflect the soul and the artist's gaze. Recently, when visiting a museum in Philadelphia, I came across unique paintings by Renoir. As someone with a contemplative temperament, and even with my limited experience, I could feel that the trademark of this impressionist painter was also contemplation: his canvases are subtle reflections of everyday life, showing moments of deep calm. While walking, later, through the outside of a beautiful garden, I saw the opportunity to portray my own reality as if it were a painting. The question that came to my mind was: "If Renoir were here, what kind of reality would he paint today?" However, when I looked at the photo I took, I was confronted with a melancholic reality. If I had to give this image a name, it would be "Distraction". And it was exactly from there that God began to talk to me. The first biblical passage that flooded my thoughts when observing the flowers was: "All humanity is like grass, and all its glory, like the flower of the grass; the grass dries up, and its flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." (1Pe 1:24-25). Just like this beautiful garden, humanity is stunning, but fleeting. The only unwavering constant that does not perish is the Word of the Lord. This scenario reminds us, at all times, of our own brevity. The great irony of our days is that we live running after a way to leave a mark on the world, trying to ignore our own smallness, while we waste the present. Look carefully at the photo. The only person present in it is not contemplating the sky, admiring the flowers or feeling the wind. Sitting on a bench that looks like an explicit invitation to worship God - after all, Scripture says that the heavens and all creation manifest His glory -, man hides behind a screen. If Renoir were painting this scene, he would certainly emphasize the vibrant colors of the vegetation, the simple atmosphere and the lonely figure that represents humanity. But, as we are in the 21st century, photography reveals an extra and painful layer of reality: we are often physically present, while our mind wanders through digital territories. My husband (the model in the photo) was not really distracted; he took the cell phone at my request, because | intentionally wanted to record the spirit of our time. We live exhausted and often cry out asking where God is, but we forget where to look for the answer. God is everywhere. Psalm 139 reminds us that even if we tried to escape from His Spirit, we would not succeed. Therefore, this image works as an invitation. The garden invites us to return to the beginning of everything, to Eden, making us question: "What did God create me for?". The distorted and reflective forms on the wall in the background call us to consider the distortion that sin causes on the harmony of creation. And the bench? The bench is a sacred invitation to a pause. A command to sit, breathe and contemplate. God wants to speak to us, if we only look at the sky to recognize His greatness and sovereignty. If I had to summarize the story behind this record, I would say: "God planted a garden around him... but he preferred to check the notifications." Our earthly life is short. We won't always have a comfortable bench in the middle of a garden to talk to the Creator. But, certainly, there will be other everyday scenarios in which He will reveal who He is and who we are in Him. The essential question that remains for me and for you is: are we keeping our eyes and ears attentive to this experience?

One of my favorite things to do when studying Scripture is to track the use of the Old Testament within the New. Some connections are evident when the author directly cites a portion of Scripture, but others are less apparent. Studying Scripture often feels like searching for buried treasure. Pearls are always concealed within a shell. Similarly, when we discuss less apparent methods of using Scripture within Scripture, we may encounter allusions or citations, which can be direct or indirect. Echoes are also very prevalent, and these are the kinds that, if one is not familiar with Scripture, especially the Old Testament, will be difficult to discern. However, once they are revealed, it feels like discovering a new land, which, when viewed through the lens of biblical studies, will always reveal more of God's character. Among all the Old Testament echoes found in the New Testament, one has always fascinated me more than the others. It is the connection between Mount Sinai and Pentecost. To me, the connection between these two great events in the history of God's people helps us to understand that God never changes. There is not a God of the law separated from a God of grace; He is all in one. Tracing the Echo Did you know that the first Pentecost happened at Sinai? The day of Pentecost is also known as the Feast of Weeks. You can find its description in Exodus 23. This feast was celebrated around 50 days after Passover as a celebration of the ingathering of the wheat harvest. During the first century, Pentecost was also associated with the renewal of the covenant made with Moses, a celebration of the giving of the law. But Pentecost is the last of three connected feasts: Passover, Firstfruits, and Pentecost. Now, let's be reminded that Jesus died at Passover (the perfect Passover lamb) and resurrected 3 days later (as the first fruit), for 40 days He appeared to many, and before ascending to be with the Father, He instructed His disciples to wait until Pentecost. Luke's description in Acts 2 echoes Exodus 19 in many ways, and here are some of them: Sinai Zion Because of the Passover lamb Because of the perfect Passover lamb People told to wait. People told to wait. Visitation in the sight of Israel Visitation in the sight of the nations Trumpets Sound of rushing wind Fire to the top of the mountain Fire down into the people People only heard inarticulate sound. The Spirit of God empowers them to speak in languages. 3000 died. 3000 believed and were added to the church. The nation of Israel is born. The church is born. Giving of the law written by the Spirit in tablets of stone Giving of the law written by the Spirit in their hearts Can you see how clear those connections are when we put them together? I believe all of us can see those connections just like Luke did and be benefited by them. Acts 2 opens the curtains to show that God's presence moved from a mountain to dwell within His people. It is not only coincidence, but Luke also intentionally retells the Exodus story. Biblical scholars often call this "recapitulation," the retelling of an earlier act of God to reveal its greater fulfillment in Christ. You can see the progression: the fire that came upon the mountain was untouchable, but now the fire came and touched the people of God; while 3000 people died because of rebellion, in this new age 3000 were added because they believed. The covenant at Sinai was good, but the new covenant is even greater. At Pentecost the church, redeemed by the blood of the perfect lamb and brought out from slavery of sin, receives the power of God for service. What all this reveals is that God's purpose for His people has never changed. At Sinai, He redeemed Israel before giving them His law. Centuries later, He redeemed His church through the blood of Christ before pouring out His Spirit. In both covenants, God forms a people for Himself, calls them into His presence, and sends them to reflect His holiness to the world. The more I study Scripture, the more convinced I become that God tells us a unified story. His unchangeable character is woven from Genesis to Revelation, and His grace is the thread upon which every pearl of Scripture is strung. Learning to recognize these connections may seem intimidating at first, but it is one of the greatest joys of studying Scripture. The truth is that God Himself uncovers those pearls as we seek Him with all our hearts. The more pearls we string together, the more clearly we see that the God of Sinai is also the God of Pentecost. He has never changed. From the very beginning, His desire has been to redeem a people for Himself, dwell among them, and send them into the world as His witnesses. Peter understood this well when he described the church using language once spoken of Israel: “You yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Once we begin noticing these echoes, we discover that they are far more than literary connections. They are invitations to know the God who has been weaving one magnificent story from Genesis to Revelation. Every pearl we discover is beautiful, but the true treasure is the One to whom every pearl points.

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5–6). That's what the Lord said to the people of Israel when he graciously and powerfully delivered them from the hand of Egypt. When I look at this text, I am reminded that salvation has a purpose: we are redeemed to God so we can serve him as priests. For those of you who may have never heard about this before, don't worry — as we string these pearls together, by the end of this post I hope you will be able not only to understand but to appreciate and apply this truth to your own life. The idea of priesthood is confirmed by Peter, who spoke about that to the church, saying that we are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9). But these two verses are not the only places where we can draw conclusions from, as the Bible reveals an overarching story of God that runs from Genesis to Revelation — the purpose of making people his own possession, a holy and royal priesthood, is not revealed for the first time in Exodus, but in Genesis. From the time God created humankind, his expressed will was to dwell among them. The place where he dwells could not be less than a sanctuary, which must be kept clean and in order so that the holy God can be present. Eden: God's Temple City The theme of God's temple city has long been discussed among scholars — two of them will be discussed here: Desmond Alexander, in his book From Paradise to the Promised Land, and Gordon Wenham, in his article “Sanctuary Symbolism in the Garden of Eden Story.” Comparing the two views will help answer two questions: How does this theme impact humanity before and after the initial sin of Adam and Eve? Where is the final hope for restoration of the Temple-City? I want to start comparing the two views, which for most of the time are very similar and complementary. Both scholars cite that: · Eden was not viewed by the writer as only a piece of land, but as a prototype of a sanctuary where God dwells and man worships him.[1](see Gen 2:15; Num 3:7–8; 18:5–6) · There are parallels between the Eden story and later Israelite sanctuaries, like God walking in the garden as in the tabernacle[2] (see Gen 3:8; Lev 26:12; 2 Sam 7:6–7) · There is a striking resemblance between the east entrance of the garden and that of the tabernacle[3] (see Gen 2:8; 3:24; Ex 27:13–16, Num 3:38) · There is also a relationship between the lampstand (menorah) of the temple and the tree of life.[4] (see Gen 2:9, 3:22; Ex 25:31–40) · The river flowing from the garden alludes to the picture of the future Jerusalem with a river flowing from the temple[5] (see Gen 2:10; Ez 47:1–12; Zec 14:8; Rev 22:1–2) · The materials like gold and onyx mentioned in Genesis were widely used in the later sanctuaries and priestly garments.[6] (see Gen 2:11–12; Ex 25:3–7, 28:9–12) Besides the functional and physical characteristics of the temple and the garden, there is also evidence of God's intent to build a temple-city when we analyze man's role. The first thing noticed by both authors is that, if Eden is seen as a sanctuary[7], then Adam should be described as a Levite. About that, Alexander explores a very important aspect about Adam's priestly role and sheds light on it. The author argues that to man God has given royal status (because they were created in God's image) with royal authority.[8] He points that, “at the heart of the divine plan for humans is the idea that they should rule over the earth as God's viceregents.”[9] The main difference between the two authors lies in Wenham's view about the relationship between the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the Torah (also known as the Law). The author sees a connection between the description of the tree as “pleasant to sight, good for food and desired to make one wise” and Psalms 19:8–9, which describes the law as “making wise the simple, rejoicing the heart and enlightening the eyes.” About that we should look for more support, but in my opinion, the connection could be done only if seen through the lens of contrast: the tree could give a knowledge apart from God, which gave way to sin and the distortion of truth, while the law reveals the knowledge whose source is God himself, giving way to blessings. Now what? How should this be impacting the way we live? This theme helps us to reflect on at least three aspects: · God's original purpose for humanity. You were not created for the ordinary. If the original intent was always to live in God's presence, serving him and governing the earth as God's viceregents, we can understand that redemption comes to restore the original purpose. This theme answers the question of why I am here, for what purpose God saved me, and what should I be doing with that. Allen Ross points that “the story of the creation of the man and the woman explains that humans have the God-given capacity and responsibility to serve the Lord with integrity.”[10] Understanding that we were created for a greater purpose elevates the purpose of everything we do. Whatever you do — whether serving your family, working professionally in any area, or serving your local church — is an act of worship to God. As redeemed in Jesus Christ, the sacred and the secular find common ground, and we must serve him with integrity. As Paul says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men... You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24). Your daily work is a holy vocation. · The value of people — Despite the fall, it is important to point out that humankind marred their divine image but never lost it.[11] In light of that, thinking about any kind of social interaction, our posture before others must be of love, because people, in general, are all reflections of God's glory to some degree. Longman argues that “sin does not eradicate the image, and we should never forget this as we consider who we are and who others with whom we interact are.”[12] · We are God's dwelling — When we think about God's temple city, we can understand what Paul was saying about the church in Ephesians: “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19–22), now as a believer in Christ having the Holy Spirit within me, Genesis gives us guidance on how to keep and guard our own hearts against the schemes of the enemy so we can bring shalom (the harmonic and original state of creation) to whatever we are doing and whoever we are relating to as God's good perfume. Walton points like this, “Though the rest of creation awaits with us for the final liberation from the effects of sin (Rom. 8:18–21), we are the heirs to the Garden of Eden and therefore to the Eden mandate. What does this require of us?”[13] I believe that, in summary, it is a life consecrated to the Lord. Where is the final hope for restoration of the Temple-City? The final hope for restoration is exposed in Revelation 21–22. God will accomplish his purpose in the ultimate restoration of the New Jerusalem. One day, the earthly and heavenly Jerusalem will be joined, and we will complete our journey from Eden to the New Jerusalem.[14] About that future restoration, Alexander points, “Although our future experience of life will have something in common with the present, it will also be radically different. Everything that detracts from experiencing life to the full will one day be totally eradicated. Then, and only then, shall we know life as God intends it to be.”[15] While we wait for our full restoration, my prayer is that our awareness of God's purpose for humanity ignites in us a desire to worship him in Spirit and truth, a desire to care for creation and others in a way that we may display how eternal life with him will be like. Bibliography Alexander, T. Desmond. From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic & Professional, 2008. Alexander, T. Desmond. From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2022. Longman, Tremper, III. Genesis. Edited by Tremper Longman III. The Story of God Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016. Ross, Allen P. Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998. Shimoff, Sandra R. “Gardens: From Eden To Jerusalem.” Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period 26, no. 2 (1995): 145–55. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24659588. Walton, John H. Genesis. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001. Wenham, Gordon J. “Sanctuary Symbolism in the Garden of Eden Story.” Proceedings of the World Congress of Jewish Studies (1985): 19–25. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23527779. [1]Gordon J. Wenham, “Sanctuary Symbolism in the Garden of Eden Story,” Proceedings of the World Congress of Jewish Studies (1985), 19. [2]T. Desmond Alexander, From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2022). [3]Alexander, From Paradise, 14. [4]Alexander, From Paradise, 14. [5]Alexander, From Paradise, 14. [6]Alexander, From Paradise, 14. [7]Wenham, “Sanctuary,” 21. [8]Alexander, From Paradise, 15. [9]Alexander, From Paradise, 15. [10]Allen P. Ross, Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), 118. [11]Tremper Longman III, Genesis, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 42. [12]Longman, Genesis, 43. [13]John H. Walton, Genesis, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001), 195. [14]Sandra R. Shimoff, “Gardens: From Eden to Jerusalem,” Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period 26, no. 2 (1995): 155. [15]T. Desmond Alexander, From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic & Professional, 2008), 192.

It's winter in Maringá and the weather could not be better (of course I would wish for snow and negative temperatures, but for a place where most of the year you can fry an egg on the heat of the sidewalk, this time of the year is the best). Winter is marked by a period of rest, at least for the plants. It is when they pause their growing and the green is not as strong. But there is a tree called ypê roxo, and it reaches the peak of its beauty during this season. While all other plants seem to be struggling to survive, the ypê shifts its green to a whole bloom of pink bouquets. It looks like she is ready for a royal ball in her party gown. The city looks amazing, and as a dream, I see the sidewalks being covered by pink leaves as they start releasing from the bouquet. It's been a while since I have been hearing a whisper of the Spirit saying: "Flowers also bloom during winter." As I gaze upon God's creation, I consider what He could be revealing through that. I cannot say that I've gotten to the full measure of His revelation, but part of this is starting to take root within my heart. Some time ago, I wrote an original psalm for an assignment, and I wrote that God should be praised in all circumstances; that His power cannot be contained and He cannot be put in a box. God is not limited to seasons, although He set them up as a pattern. A word comes to my mind in Jeremiah 17. It says: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8) The Lord does not withhold blooming just because it's winter. While some need the heat and the water, others will be worked in the drought and cold. The Lord, and not myself, will determine when the right timing is. But the word of encouragement to me is that He doesn't have to wait for the expected season. Therefore, my heart also doesn't have to wait for a special occasion to pour out praise and worship. I imagine how valuable an off-season flower is, and how much more attention a winter flower calls to the eyes. Uniqueness is another word that sparks in my mind. Sometimes I look around comparing myself with the way I should be bearing fruit or blooming flowers. But off-season flowers are reminding me that God works in unexpected ways and chooses when and how we will display His glory through our lives. Again, the work of Christ in us may look different from one person to another. My job is to remain in Him and—whether the circumstances are good or bad, hot or cold—let the proper environment be created for a full blooming. I'm not delayed; God has the right timing. The coldness of this season may be exactly what I need for the blooming. Flowers off-season are unique and valuable. Walk by faith and not by sight. Hallelujah!

A Devotional Journey Through Joshua 3:15-17 “Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from up the stream stopped flowing...” — Joshua 3:15-16a The Climax in the Details I have a bit of a dual personality when it comes to stories. On one hand, I can be impatient. My mind works fast, and because I can usually anticipate the conclusion before a story ends, I find myself looking for a shortcut. On the other hand, when I am learning or teaching something, I want all the details. I struggle when things are cut short because I feel like every single piece of information carries immense value. Reading Joshua chapter 3, I felt like the author experienced that exact same tension. He felt the need to pause the fast flow of the historical narrative and insert an addendum—a detail that, at first glance, seems like a parenthetical note, but turns out to be the absolute climax of the story. In verse 15, he suddenly breaks the rhythm: “Now the Jordan...” It’s as if the author is shouting: “Stop! Pay attention! If you were distracted, or if you were starting to skim, this is the best part.” He is screaming for us to look at the reality of the situation. This was not some ordinary day. It was harvest season, which meant it was flood season. The Turbulence of Reality You might look at the narrative and think, “Ah, it’s just a river, they just walked across some water.” Nope. Think about what water represents in Scripture. The flood in Noah’s day wiped out the earth. It is incredible how quickly water can strip away our control. The Jordan River at flood stage wasn't a placid lake; it looked more like raging white water ready for a dangerous rafting expedition. These were turbulent, roaring waters. In turbulent currents, you don’t have to go very deep to lose control. In fact, safety guidelines for swift water rescue note that there isn't a single “safe” limit for white water; ankle-deep water with a moderate current is already strong enough to destabilize a person and sweep them away. The Jordan was notorious for overflowing its banks during harvest. Attempting to cross it was humanly impossible—and incredibly dangerous. Introducing the Contrast But look at what comes next. The author pauses again to introduce a massive contradiction to the danger. He writes: “YET...” Yet as soon as their feet touched the water's edge, God acted. Turbulent waters have no power to push us when God moves. Centuries later, Jesus would speak to the crashing waves of Galilee, and they would obey Him. The same God who paused the Jordan is the God who introduces a divine “YET” over our circumstances today. God frequently invites us to look at our raw, difficult realities and introduce a “YET” right over the top of them: “I remember my affliction and my wandering... YET this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.” — Lamentations 3:19-21 “My flesh and my heart may fail, BUT [YET] God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” — Psalm 73:26 “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines... YET I will rejoice in the Lord.” — Habakkuk 3:17-18 “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?... BUT [YET] I have trusted in your steadfast love.” — Psalm 13:1, 5 God never asks us to ignore reality, to practice toxic positivity, or to pretend that nothing is wrong or painful. The floodwaters are real. The danger is real. But He invites us to look at the current circumstances and consider Who He Is. Radical Completeness The story concludes with a final, beautiful detail. The priests carrying the Ark didn't just dip their toes in and rush across; they stood firm in the middle of the riverbed until the entire nation had finished crossing. And the author repeats a specific phrase twice for emphasis: DRY GROUND. The miracle wasn't incomplete. God's “YET” didn't just stop the rushing water and leave the Israelites to trudge through knee-deep, slippery mud. He dried the path perfectly. The breakthrough was total, stable, and secure. Reflection What is the “Jordan at flood stage” in your life today? What is the reality that feels turbulent and out of control? God isn't asking you to pretend the river isn't flooding. He is inviting you to anchor your feet in His presence and speak His promise over the noise of the water. “My mind wants to rush ahead to the safety of the shore, YET God is inviting me to stand firm in the middle of the riverbed and watch Him work in the details.” Besides, as you stand in the middle of that river, your stance is not only benefiting you, but a whole community of believers. The priests stood firm until the entire nation had safely crossed. There is immense, far-reaching value in our obedience through faith. What is your YET today?

When God established his covenant to Abraham, he instructs him and all the males within his household to circumcise themselves. The circumcision from that point, in Genesis, became a sign of God’s covenant. Among many regulations inscribed in Torah, Circumcision, Keeping of the Sabbath, and Dietary laws were considered boundary marks that distinguished the people of God from pagan nations. During second temple period, in general a gentile could relate to the Jewish faith in different levels, they could be Sympathizers, Ethical Monotheistic or Proselytes (converts).[1] In this process of conversion, becoming a proselyte required circumcision because circumcision to the Jew had great significance for their identity;[2] it was the sign of their covenantal status. Rabbinic literature also informs that circumcision as able to deal with worldly passions.[3] The general thought was that the only way for gentiles to become part of the people of God was becoming a Jew.[4] Paul had this same thought before his encounter with Jesus, but after his calling, he understood that Gentiles become part of God’s people through faith in Messiah Jesus; there was no need to become a proselyte. Paul understood that the church of Christ was diverse and inclusive, and circumcision would “undermine the radical inclusivity of the Gospel”.[5] He was against gentiles to circumcise because “Judaization” wasn’t directed to them.[6] Even in Jerusalem council there was an agreement that Gentiles didn’t need to undergo circumcision, because God was pouring out his spirit over uncircumcised in the same manner he did over the Jews. Paul’s opponents were acting like “Judaizers”, which pertained to a group of activists defending Jewish traditions. Despite some scholars’ opinion that the opponents were Jews, there is another possibility that the opponents could have been Gentiles proselytes.[7] It could be “pagan sinners who mistakenly think that the law is a mechanism for being justified”.[8] And according to Paul, they were requiring circumcision only for fear of persecution. [1] Matthew Thiessen, “Jewish Solution to the Gentile Problem,” essay, in Paul and the Gentile Problem (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2016), 19. [2] Thiessen, “Jewish”, 25. [3] Thiessen, “Jewish”, 30. [4] Matthew Thiessen, “Do you not hear the law?” essay, in Paul and the Gentile Problem (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2016), 78. [5] Thiessen, “Jewish”, 42. [6] Thiessen, “Jewish”, 42. [7] Thiessen, “Jewish”, 26. [8] M. W. Elliott et al., “Paul’s former occupation in Ioudaismos” essay, in Galatians and Christian Theology: Justification, the Gospel, and Ethics in Paul’s Letter (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2014), 37.