Living in Exile
This semester in NETS Community Devotions we've been preaching through the book of Jeremiah. We've followed him through his call & commissioning, delivering harsh messages from God promising punishment for Judah's sin and idolatry, experiencing persecution for those messages, confronting false prophets, and more. This past week I preached on the beloved chapter 29, a letter from Jerusalem to the group already in exile in Babylon. In this letter, Jeremiah reminds them that God's plans for them look a bit different then their own plans for themselves, but He hasn't given up on them. Are we willing to have patience and trust in God's plans and God's timing, even when we don't like it? You can listen to the message here if you'd like.
Student Life
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| GWC is the yellow building in the background. |
George Whitefield College is a reformed Anglican Bible school in Muizenberg, South Africa, a small suburb located on the southern coast of Cape Town. They had invited Dr. Don Carson to come as a visiting lecturer to teach a post-graduate course on the epistle to the Hebrews. Dr. Carson has been a pastor, professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, prolific author and editor of many books and articles, and co-founder of The Gospel Coalition (among other things!). I heard that somebody once said they have three rules in life: 1) Tell your wife you love her; 2) Brush your teeth twice a day; and 3) If you ever, ever, ever have a chance to hear Don Carson teach, then always take it!
So six years after my last seminary class, I found myself a student again. It was actually really nice to be back in the academic sphere where I was surrounded by other people who were asking the same kinds of questions I find myself asking. It was great to dive deeply into texts of Scripture, to pick apart the logical flow of argument, and figure out how the NT author was appropriately quoting and re-applying passages from the Old Testament. But perhaps my biggest takeaway from the course was seeing how Dr. Carson seamlessly wove together his knowledge from many different disciplines. It's amazing how his systematic theology and his language study and his pastoral experience inform his Biblical exegesis and vice versa. It's easy to separate each of those into different categories, but he helpfully brought them all together. It reminded me how I need to be reading much more broadly across the scope of different disciplines within theological studies.
Overall it was helpful, and encouraging, and challenging to help me become a better teacher. And it didn't hurt that after class I could walk across the street for a little stroll along the beach!
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| Muizenberg beach on a warm sunny day |
Back to School
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| Meeting four of our new NETS students during orientation day. |
NETS students and staff participating in a team-building game during orientation day. |
This semester I will be teaching OT Survey to a small group of six new 1st year students. This course will cover a basic overview of the Old Testament and help them understand how all the books fit together. I will also be teaching Ministry to Children and Youth to a combined group of about eighteen 2nd & 3rd year students. In this course we will look into what it means to disciple young people, what youth culture today looks like, and how to organize a plan to help them become lifelong followers of Christ.
Cape Town
In the southern hemisphere, our summer vacation happens around the Christmas holiday. Schools finish up at the end of November and the new school year doesn't start up again until late January. That's the perfect time to get out of town for a refreshing break and little change of scenery. This year for me that meant Cape Town.
Coming from Namibia, the first things you notice about CT is that it's big (Windhoek is 400,000 people; CT is 4.5 million) and that it's green. Coming from the desert, green is a big deal! CT has a little bit of everything, mountains and beaches, major urban centers and small town main streets, vineyards and beach pubs, huge shopping malls and little vendor markets. There's a little something for everyone. So I and a few friends found a housesitting gig and had a fun-filled holiday vacation.
At about 5am the day after Christmas, four of us crammed into my little VW Polo with no air conditioning and hit the road for the next 15 and a half hours. The drive through southern Namibia offers some gorgeous sweeping views across the desert and then eventually you find the green farmlands of South Africa. And finally, after daylight is long gone you peak over the hill and see the massive lights of Cape Town spread out in the distance below. Everyone was flabbergasted that we would attempt the journey all in one day, but I say better to just get it over with and be there.
Our first activity was hiking the famous Table Mountain. We hiked the longer, more scenic Kasteelspoort trail up the back side of the mountain, enjoyed the views from the top, then descended the more direct Platteklip Gorge trail, which is basically a rock staircase of switchbacks all the way down the gorge.
We spent a day on the lovely white sand of Camps Bay beach with the picturesque peaks of the Twelve Apostles in the background. The Antarctic currents make the Atlantic Ocean water quite brisk, so we mostly just enjoyed walking along the beach or taking a nap while others buried themselves in the sand. We then found our way to Maiden's Cove for a scenic sunset picnic dinner.
We got to see the penguins at Boulder Beach...
And catch some New Year's Eve fireworks at the V&A Waterfront...
Another excellent hike we did is the Crystal Pools hike, which is detailed in another post here.
Then on our last night together we hiked up Lion's Head to catch another sunset. This trail snails around the rocky spire of a mountain often with a rock wall to your right and a steep cliff on your left. But the panoramic views from the top are well worth the hike. Once the sun sets you can watch the lights of the city start to come out as you descend. Thankfully we brought our flashlights because we didn't make it down until well after the last glow of twilight had faded from the horizon.
Sometimes vacations seem busier than real life. You are only there a short time so you want to pack in as many fun activities as possible. The key is finding those activities which for you are restful. Then vacation can be both fun and refreshing!
Coming from Namibia, the first things you notice about CT is that it's big (Windhoek is 400,000 people; CT is 4.5 million) and that it's green. Coming from the desert, green is a big deal! CT has a little bit of everything, mountains and beaches, major urban centers and small town main streets, vineyards and beach pubs, huge shopping malls and little vendor markets. There's a little something for everyone. So I and a few friends found a housesitting gig and had a fun-filled holiday vacation.
At about 5am the day after Christmas, four of us crammed into my little VW Polo with no air conditioning and hit the road for the next 15 and a half hours. The drive through southern Namibia offers some gorgeous sweeping views across the desert and then eventually you find the green farmlands of South Africa. And finally, after daylight is long gone you peak over the hill and see the massive lights of Cape Town spread out in the distance below. Everyone was flabbergasted that we would attempt the journey all in one day, but I say better to just get it over with and be there.
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| Driving south across the Tropic of Capricorn | Oasis in the Desert; crossing the Orange River into South Africa |
Our first activity was hiking the famous Table Mountain. We hiked the longer, more scenic Kasteelspoort trail up the back side of the mountain, enjoyed the views from the top, then descended the more direct Platteklip Gorge trail, which is basically a rock staircase of switchbacks all the way down the gorge.
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| View of Camps Bay and Lion's Head on our way up the Kasteelspoort trail |
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| View over Cape Town from Table Mountain (with Lion's Head on the left and Devil's Peak on the right) |
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| Hiking down through Platteklip Gorge |
We spent a day on the lovely white sand of Camps Bay beach with the picturesque peaks of the Twelve Apostles in the background. The Antarctic currents make the Atlantic Ocean water quite brisk, so we mostly just enjoyed walking along the beach or taking a nap while others buried themselves in the sand. We then found our way to Maiden's Cove for a scenic sunset picnic dinner.
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| Camps Bay beach and the Twelve Apostles from Maiden's Cove |
We got to see the penguins at Boulder Beach...
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| Penguin colony at Boulder Beach |
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| He's ready for his closeup. |
And catch some New Year's Eve fireworks at the V&A Waterfront...
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| Lots of stages and performers at the NYE party at the Waterfront |
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| New Year's fireworks over the harbor |
Another excellent hike we did is the Crystal Pools hike, which is detailed in another post here.
Then on our last night together we hiked up Lion's Head to catch another sunset. This trail snails around the rocky spire of a mountain often with a rock wall to your right and a steep cliff on your left. But the panoramic views from the top are well worth the hike. Once the sun sets you can watch the lights of the city start to come out as you descend. Thankfully we brought our flashlights because we didn't make it down until well after the last glow of twilight had faded from the horizon.
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| Looking out over the endless sea from the top of Lion's Head |
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| The lights of the city coming out and the 'table cloth' covering Table Mountain |
Sometimes vacations seem busier than real life. You are only there a short time so you want to pack in as many fun activities as possible. The key is finding those activities which for you are restful. Then vacation can be both fun and refreshing!
Crystal Pools Hike
Websites about visiting Cape Town always give you the same suggestions for top tourist sites like Table Mountain, Robbin Island, and Cape Point. But to find the diamonds in the rough you have to head off the beaten path.
After Reed Pool you will continue along the river. Cross a small footbridge then turn to the right and there you will find Deep Pool, another small but picturesque pool that could be a nice shady place for a break. But again, I recommend you don't waste your time swimming here, but press on.
The Crystal Pools hike in the Steenbras Nature Reserve is an excellent day hike to escape the holiday crowds. You must pre-book your hike as they only allow 50 people per day into the reserve. And grab a hiking buddy because you need a group of 2-10 people. You can get the permit application by emailing steenbras.naturereserve@capetown.gov.za. They will reply with a tentative booking. You can then pre-pay your R69pp entrance fee electronically or by making a bank deposit. After sending proof of payment, they will then email you the official permit.
The Steenbras Nature Reserve can be reached by taking the R44 out of Gordon's Bay. Parking for the Crystal Pools trailhead is on the right hand side of the road just after you cross the bridge over the Steenbras River. Reserve employees will be at the trailhead to check your permit.
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The trail is well marked most of the way, but very rocky so good hiking shoes are recommended. They say it is for medium to experienced hikers, but the hike to the lower pools is not difficult and we saw many children doing it.
The hike begins by going up and over the hill, then down into the river gorge. The trail follows the river for a short ways before taking a short cut up over another hill then back down into the gorge. Along this stretch you will find the first of the pools, Reed Pool, a long narrow pool named after the many reeds growing alongside. Feel free to take a dip here, but it's quite small in comparison to what lies ahead. I recommend pressing on to the real treasure.
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| Hiking through the gorge | Reed Pool |
After Reed Pool you will continue along the river. Cross a small footbridge then turn to the right and there you will find Deep Pool, another small but picturesque pool that could be a nice shady place for a break. But again, I recommend you don't waste your time swimming here, but press on.
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| Deep Pool in the gorge | Deep Pool |
A little ways further up the trail you will see Elena's Pool off to your right. This is the lowest of the big pools and the easiest to access. Take the small unmarked path down to the right to reach the pool. Beware of large rocks just below the surface in the middle of the pool.
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| Elena's Pool | Waterfall at Elena's Pool |
Continue back on the trail onwards and upwards to Family Pool. You will again need to descend on an unmarked path to reach the base of the pool. There are nice rocks here to lay out on in the sun. This pool is better photographed in the morning light as the afternoon sun will cast a dark shadow over the falls.
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| Swimming at Family Pool |
After Family pool the trail gets steep and gravelly. It is still marked and maintained, but more difficult. You will continue a little further up along the mountainside until you see a steep unmarked path down to the right toward Crystal Pool.
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| Crystal Pool from above | Crystal Pool |
After Crystal Pool the trail turns sharply upward. It is much more steep and not for the faint of heart. That's why most people stay at the lower pools. But for the brave and experienced, the Upper Pool is a nice reward. The trail will wind its way steeply through the trees and brush up the mountain side. At some points you will also need to use your hands. At one point the trail will open up and you will see a "staircase" (which also looks like a landslide) that turns steeply up the mountain. This will take you up to a viewpoint at the top. The trail is quite steep, but there are some maintained steps you can follow. At the top the trail seems to disappear and you can just find your way to a nice viewpoint. (Or you can skip the view and proceed straight to the Upper Pool.)
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| Steep trail up to the viewpoint | The three large pools from above |
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| View from the top |
Back down at the split off, continue straight ahead along the unmarked trail. Eventually this trail will also disappear and you need to climb your way upriver through the boulders until you find the Upper Pool. This is the end of the gorge and from here you can look up 100 feet or so and see a lovely waterfall cascading down the gorge wall. My recommendation is to make your way quickly to this pool and hit the others on the way down. If you're lucky, all the other hikers will have stopped at the pools below and you may have this pool entirely to yourself.
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| Upper Pool | Falls above Upper Pool |
There are a few more pools higher up, but you basically have to rock climb to get there and the rocks are quite slippery if you have wet feet. This is also a popular location for repelling (absailing) tours. I hope you enjoy the hike and the swim like we did!
Bible reading plan
For many, January 1st brings thoughts of resolutions and making life adjustments. We reflect on the past year and see all the areas where our life hasn't met our expectations or desires, then we set about in our own strength to make ourselves more like we want to be. Some of those things may be related to our spiritual lives, like wanting to pray more, memorize Scripture, or reading through the Bible in a year.
Oftentimes my Bible reading can feel a bit routine, maybe because I've read that passage many times before or I don't know how it applies to my life. Or sometimes I approach my Bible reading with many other things on my mind. So one idea that has been helpful for me is reading a devotional along with my Bible. That reading helps get my mind focused on spiritual things and helps me know how it might apply to my life.
If reading a devotional could be something that's helpful for you I would recommend trying D.A. Carson's For The Love of God. His plan offers up to 4 Bible chapters to read each day, and a short one-page devotional related to one of those chapters. You can find both volumes free online at the following links:
Oftentimes my Bible reading can feel a bit routine, maybe because I've read that passage many times before or I don't know how it applies to my life. Or sometimes I approach my Bible reading with many other things on my mind. So one idea that has been helpful for me is reading a devotional along with my Bible. That reading helps get my mind focused on spiritual things and helps me know how it might apply to my life.
If reading a devotional could be something that's helpful for you I would recommend trying D.A. Carson's For The Love of God. His plan offers up to 4 Bible chapters to read each day, and a short one-page devotional related to one of those chapters. You can find both volumes free online at the following links:
OT Prophets
Many people have a hard time understanding the Old Testament prophets. They are often written in cryptic word pictures and metaphors. It’s hard to figure out if they're talking about past events, current events, or future events. But, perhaps most of all, we don’t know where or how they fit into the context of the Old Testament.
One of my fellow lecturers says that the ‘key’ to ‘unlocking’ the books of OT prophecy is the historical context, and that can often be found in the very first verse. In other words, in order to understand and interpret a particular book of prophecy we need to understand how that book fits into OT history. Thus I’ve put together the following chart to help us understand just that.
Now exact dating of OT events is notoriously difficult for various reasons. Thus the dates on the chart are just one attempt to compile the best estimates from the archeological and biblical studies of various commentators. But what we’re going for is a general sense of the context of a book, so this chart can help us succeed in that.
The timeline begins on the left with the United Kingdom under King Solomon. After Solomon’s death, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin stuck with his descendants while the northern ten tribes followed Jeroboam. The yellow line follows the northern kingdom, which was called ‘Israel’. The green line follows the southern kingdom of ‘Judah’. (Occasionally two kings overlapped in a type of co-regency or power struggle.) The orange lines are the OT History books in which the above events are described.
The white colored prophets are non-writing prophets. Their messages were primarily directed to the kings. The message of the red prophets were directed primarily against other nations (Jonah and Nahum against Nineveh; Obadiah against Edom). The yellow prophets (Amos and Hosea) were directed primarily to Israel. The green prophets wrote primarily for Judah, the Jewish exiles, or the post-exilic community.
I hope this chart will be helpful for you to place the OT prophetic books in their historical context and thus understand and interpret them better.
One of my fellow lecturers says that the ‘key’ to ‘unlocking’ the books of OT prophecy is the historical context, and that can often be found in the very first verse. In other words, in order to understand and interpret a particular book of prophecy we need to understand how that book fits into OT history. Thus I’ve put together the following chart to help us understand just that.
Now exact dating of OT events is notoriously difficult for various reasons. Thus the dates on the chart are just one attempt to compile the best estimates from the archeological and biblical studies of various commentators. But what we’re going for is a general sense of the context of a book, so this chart can help us succeed in that.
[Click on image for larger version]
The timeline begins on the left with the United Kingdom under King Solomon. After Solomon’s death, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin stuck with his descendants while the northern ten tribes followed Jeroboam. The yellow line follows the northern kingdom, which was called ‘Israel’. The green line follows the southern kingdom of ‘Judah’. (Occasionally two kings overlapped in a type of co-regency or power struggle.) The orange lines are the OT History books in which the above events are described.
The white colored prophets are non-writing prophets. Their messages were primarily directed to the kings. The message of the red prophets were directed primarily against other nations (Jonah and Nahum against Nineveh; Obadiah against Edom). The yellow prophets (Amos and Hosea) were directed primarily to Israel. The green prophets wrote primarily for Judah, the Jewish exiles, or the post-exilic community.
I hope this chart will be helpful for you to place the OT prophetic books in their historical context and thus understand and interpret them better.
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