Randall Johnson

Dealing With the Powerful: Ecclesiastes 8

Even as we learn to give up seeking control of our lives and their future courses, we are nevertheless faced with the control others may have over our lives. How do we deal with that? The Preacher has

Unified Theory: Ecclesiastes 7:15-29

“The majority in Western culture have long ago ceased to believe that empirical inquiry is only a limited inquiry into the universe God made…and have come to think of it as an all-embracing method

Proverbial Wisdom: Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

The Jews believed that God was the fount of wisdom for His people and that God used wise people to convey that wisdom. The Proverbs were considered gems of wisdom from God. It was understood that these

Eyes on Wealth: Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12

Perhaps the most staunch belief mankind has is that a good future can be guaranteed by amassing wealth. As much as we argue against it (see, for example, Fiddler on the Roof), like the rich young ruler

Spiritual Manipulation: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

One of the ways we humans try to guarantee a positive future is manipulating God. Oh, we don’t call it that. We call it making a vow. It seems very spiritual. After all, Jacob did it: Then Jacob

So Frustrating: Ecclesiastes 4

Eve was a Yugoslavian Jew whose once prosperous family lost all during the Nazi persecution of Jews. Her family all had to separate and hide in various ways but eventually she and her sister were caught

Beasts: Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

Are humans really so messed up that to enjoy the original perfection of the earth with no futile elements would keep them from seeking the Lord? The Preacher gives his own answer. Moreover, I saw under

Beautiful and Baffling: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12

Michel Onfray is a French philosopher and atheist. In his Atheist Manifesto he writes: “By aiming for paradise, we lose sight of earth. Hope of a beyond and aspiration to an afterlife engender a

A Futile Search: Ecclesiastes 2

I remember, vividly, wondering why I had not been able to get a job in my field of study and deciding it was because I had not been faithful enough in my daily devotions. God was withholding a job from

Straightening a Paper Clip: Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Have you ever tried straightening a paper clip? Try as you may, you cannot get it perfectly straight. I suppose you could resort to heating it until the metal becomes malleable and use some rolling

All Is Hebel: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Sorry, I know the word hebel is absolutely meaningless to you. But I am raising the question of just what it is Ecclesiastes is about. Hebel (pronounced hevel) is the Hebrew word variously translated

Come, Lord Jesus: Daily Thoughts from Revelation (Revelation 22:14-21)

The book of Revelation is one of the most intriguing books in the New Testament. Who doesn’t want to know the future? Even before I became a Christian and was simply a church-goer, I was curious

Trustworthy and True: Daily Thoughts from Revelation (Revelation 22:6-13)

Trustworthy and true. Do you want things like that in your life? Isn’t it amazing to have people you can trust and who know the truth and will always tell it to you? These are the kind of people

Come to the River: Daily Thoughts from Revelation (Revelation 22:1-5)

Rivers! They are amazing sources of prosperity. They have food, and, of course, water. They offer a way of transportation. They can be harnessed to turn a turbine or a mill. The control of rivers is often

No Eye Has Seen: Daily Thoughts from Revelation (Revelation 21:15-27)

I remember being blown away when I first saw Star Wars back in 1977 and in that opening scene this tiny little space ship is followed by this massive, seemingly never-ending vessel, firing at it. Years

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