No Truth

 

Some believe the only truth

Is that there is no truth

And that for them, they also say,

Is the only absolute.

 

Of this, they are sure

That there is no absolute truth

Except of course, this absolute truth

And, therein is their proof.

 

So for every rule, they also say

There is at least one exception.

Is this true? I would ask,

Or just a generalization?

 

Is a generalization a truth

Or just a mere existing fact?

If a generalization is a truth,

How can we have that?

 

Is truth and fact one and alike?

This is the timely question,

Would the answer be absolute

Or only an impression?

 

Nothing but the truth, he swore,

 But it he couldn’t tell,

Anything he said, would be lies

He knew that quite well.

 

There can be no justice

If there is no truth,

No kind of evidence

Could be offered as proof.

 

Hence the “F” is missing

From the Law

And what we now have

Is the “Flaw”.

 

 

Hence the missteps!

Since there is no absolute truth

It’s the “Flaw” that guides

And no such thing as proof.

 

Trapped is the spider

In its own web

And the fly, this time,

Will be sumptuously fed.

 

How things turn around

When there is no truth!

You don’t have to look far

To find the proof.

 

Stewart Russell © October 2019

 

Order of the Bible Books

 

 

Let me draw to your attention

The order of the Old Testament books,

The focus is on two orders in particular

And I encourage you, take a look.

 

Law, History, Wisdom/Poetry,

Major and Minor Prophets,

These are the main classifications of the OT

That we traditionally get.

 

The traditional order is ingrained

Unlike the second which is chronological,

But whichever order we consider,

An understanding is critical.

 

Whether traditional or chronological

The first seven books are the same:

Genesis to Judges I mean

So first, let me make this plain.

 

 

1440-1400 B.C.

 

Genesis #1                Genesis #1

Exodus #2                 Exodus #2

Leviticus #3             Leviticus #3

Numbers #4             Numbers #4

Deuteronomy #5     Deuteronomy #5

 

1440 – 1400 B.C.

 

Joshua #6                  Joshua #6

Judges #7         Judges #7

 

The first five books are the Toro

In these books we find the Law,

Moses, Joshua and Judges led Israel

Though not without their flaws.

 

The chronology of these seven books

Spreads from 1440-1000 B.C.

Ruth or the Psalms will follow next

Depending on what the order be.

 

1000-586 B.C. (pre-exile – mid-exile)

 

Traditionally Psalms is the 19^th book

But chronologically, it is # 8

This shifts Ruth down to book # 9

Where traditionally it is at # 8.

 

Chronologically follow thereafter,

1^st and 2^nd Samuel,

Then Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes,

And the Songs of Solomon.

 

Traditionally this is different

As we take the next seven books,

They are 1^st and 2^nd Samuel, 1^st and 2^nd Kings

1^st and 2^nd Chronicles and Ezra, the 15^th book.

 

From the Psalms to the Songs of Solomon

Is a period of sixty-nine years

Which makes sense chronologically speaking

In the order these books appear.

 

Period of Rehoboam to Hezekiah (931 – 686 B.C.)

 

Let’s stay with the chronological order

As we view the next seven books,

I am sure that up to this point

You are having an enlightened look.

 

Isaiah, Hosea, Joel and Amos

Followed by Obadiah, Jonah and Micah,

Instead of Nehemiah, Esther, Job and Psalms

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Songs of Solomon.

 

Period of Hezekiah to the exile (686 – 586 B.C.)

 

Enter Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah

Instead of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Lamentations,

1^st and 2^nd Kings, 1^st and 2^nd Chronicles

Instead of Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea and Joel.

 

Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel

Instead of Amos, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah,

Thirty-three books we have so far covered

The next six is Ezra to Malachi.

 

516 – 400 B.C. (post-exilic)

 

Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther

Rebuilding the temple and repairing the walls,

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi

Chronologically, that accounts for 39 in all.

 

Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi,

These six complete the traditional order

On this information we can all rely.

 

Chronology in bold, traditional in light

Now you can go back and get it right.

For sure, you would recognize as I have,

Bible study is a delight.

 

The Old is the New concealed,

And the New is the Old revealed,

With this in mind, let’s move into the New

And reveal the once concealed.

 

That Christ is the Supreme Marker

There should be no dispute,

That he determines the entirety of time

Let us not refute.

 

 

Let me draw to your attention

The order of the New Testament books,

The focus is on two orders in particular

And I encourage you, take a look.

 

Traditionally we have the Gospels

Then the Acts of the Apostles,

Noteworthy is the book of Revelation

Preceded by the Epistles.

 

Some place this period

Around 40 – 68 A.D.

And this, for the most part is confirmed

By secular history.

 

All of the Messianic prophecies

Were fulfilled in the New,

The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles

Assure us of this view.

 

In the Chronological and traditional

Matthew is placed at #40

This period is around 40 – 45 A.D.

Which excludes Mark, Luke and John.

 

45 -50 A.D.

 

Following is the chronological order

For the next six books

And the traditional order by comparison,

Take a careful look.

 

1^st Thessalonians #41              Mark #41

2^nd Thessalonians #42            Luke #42

1^st Corinthians #43                   John #43

2^nd Corinthians #44                 Acts #44

Romans # 45                     Romans #45

Luke #46          1^st Corinthians #46

 

50 – 55 A.D.

 

The next ten books are interestingly divided

Take a look at the position of the Acts,

Remember, grouping is traditional

But chronological is the timing fact.

 

Galatians #47          2^nd Corinthians #47

Ephesians #48          Galatians #48

Philippians #49               Ephesians #49

Colossians #50                 Philippians #50

Philemon #51          Colossians #51

Acts #52           1^st Thessalonians #52

 

1^st Timothy #53                2^nd Thessalonians #53

2^nd Timothy #54                       1^st Timothy #54

Titus #55          2^nd Timothy #55

Hebrews #56           Titus #56

 

55 – 60 A.D.

 

James and Jude before Philemon and Hebrews

In the period 55 - 60 A.D.,

Two more differences in these orderings

That chronologically and traditionally we see.

 

James #57                          Philemon #57

Jude #58                   Hebrews #58

 

60 – 68 A.D.

 

Finally, we come to the last eight books

It is a long way from the start,

And still the lists are so varied here,

Compare the positions of the book of St Mark.

 

Traditionally set at #41

But chronologically set 20 positions down,

The last before all of John’s five books

Is an eyeopener that is rather sound.

 

1^st Peter #59                     James #59

2^nd Peter #60                    1^st Peter #60

Mark #61                   2^nd Peter #61

 

John #62                   1^st John #62

1^st John #63                       2^nd John #63

2^nd John 64                        3^rd John #64

3^rd John #65                      Jude #65

Revelation #66                Revelation #66

 

 

So, here we have the sixty-six books

Comprising the Old and the New

With significant differences in their ordering

Re the chronological and traditional view.

 

For prophetic and historical enquiry

The chronological order is the better,

However, for literary giants and dramatists,

It’s better they choose the latter.

 

Whether chronological or traditional

The Bible is its own best source,

Use a Biblical text to explain another

And make it your primary reading resource.

 

Stewart Russell © September 13, 2021

 

No Truth

 

 

Some believe the only truth

Is that there is no truth

And that for them, they also say,

Is the only absolute.

 

Of this, they are sure

That there is no absolute truth

Except of course, this absolute truth

And, therein is their proof.

 

So for every rule, they also say,

There is at least one exception.

Is this true? I would ask,

Of just a generalization?

 

Is a generalization a truth

Or just a mere existing fact?

If a generalization is a truth,

How can we have that?

 

Is truth and fact one and alike?

That’s the timely question,

Would the answer be absolute

Or only an impression?

 

Nothing but the truth, he swore,

 But it he couldn’t tell,

Anything he said, would be lies

He knew that quite well.

 

There can be no justice

If there is no truth,

No kind of evidence

Could be offered as proof.

 

Hence the “F” is missing

From the Law

And what we now have

Is the “Flaw”.

 

 

Hence the missteps!

Since there is no absolute truth

It’s the “Flaw” that guides

And no such thing as proof.

 

Trapped is the spider

In its own web

And the fly, this time,

Will be sumptuously fed.

 

How things turn around

When there is no truth!

You don’t have to look far

To find the proof.

 

 

Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880)

 

Stewart Russell © October 2019

 

Isn’t This Weird?

 

The king made a decree

Which his subject did contravene

And his kingdom waited expectantly

For the inevitable scene.

 

Depending on the offense

It could be a flogging or even death

But sometimes at the king’s discretion,

Incarceration might be best.

 

The punishment for this crime

Was a flogging in the public square

Which the old and decrepit subject

Was clearly unable to bear.

 

 

But the decree must be upheld

For it carried the seal of the king,

There was no way of escaping the flogging

Unless somebody stood in for him.

 

But surely, he would die

A death not befitting his crime

And this small matter of an injustice

Held the kingdom in a bind.

 

The king made one last call

For a family member or a friend

That would be willing to take the flogging

In place of old emaciated Ben.

 

Family members there were

But there was nary a single friend

Whereupon the king decided

To bring the matter to its end.

 

 

He stepped into the public square

In his hand was the royal strap,

He quickly stripped the clothes away

From off his kingly back.

  

Then turning to the offender, he said

For you I’ll take the flogging,

This took his subjects by surprise

As it was quite mind-boggling.

 

For the king had done no wrong

Yet this man’s punishment he took,

He, it was, that had made this law

And he played it by the book.

 

“The soul that sins it shall die”

This was the penalty God prescribed,

Eternal death was our just desert

And justice could not be denied.

 

 

Hence, walk Jesus up Calvary’s hill

His back was already laid bare,

Beaten, ridiculed and finally crucified

As to that cross he was nailed.

 

In giving His Son God gave himself

And became the sacrificial lamb,

And in this way His justice was served

In implementing salvation’s plan.

 

Isn’t this weird, I ask again,

That a king for His subjects would die,

Suffering under His own decree

That His justice would be satisfied?

 

 

It’s a thought that’s too deep for us

And hence, we consider it weird,

But only God could have done as much

That’s why none with Him compares.

 

Only God can satisfy His own justice

Concomitantly, not one of us could,

Hence, the offer of His Son for you and me

On that rugged cross of wood.

 

Stewart Russell © November 18, 2020

 

Online and Offline

 

 

Offline and online

Out of line and in line,

What a distance we have come

In a pretty short time!

 

In my growing-up days

It was stand in line

Like boarding the school bus:

Remember that time?

 

However, to stand in line

Is now to queue up

And you will get fixed

If you have any luck.

 

 

Or walking a straight line

If suspected of a DUI,

On the breathalyzer test

They now rely.

 

Before I forget

There was also out of line:

A reference to the rowdy

And the unruly kind.

 

There was the plumb line

Ask any mason about that:

Walls lined up back then

That is a fact!

 

Draw a straight line

And do it freehand:

In Mr. Broodhagen’s art class

That was the plan.

 

Top of the line

Used to mean the best,

It’s a cliché nowadays meaning

Just like the rest.

  

Out of line and in line

Were based on a standard

But online and offline

Speaks to going forward.

 

Money pinned to a clothesline

Is not paying online,

It would be off the line

In the quickest time.

 

A word to the foolish

And this should be sufficient:

If the above cap fits you

You are clearly deficient.

 

Computer devices help

If pupils are online,

Some are without the Internet

Even in this time.

 

 

Pupils will not be in line

If they are offline,

We would be out of line

If we move on at this time.

 

So, spare a thought

For the most vulnerable,

If they are not online

We are asking for trouble.

 

Planning takes time

If all are to benefit,

It will take more than talk

As is the frequent habit.

 

Throne speeches are great

But they are not law,

Commendation to our G.G.

Whom we must applaud.

 

She was clear and distinct

Definitely in line,

It’s now up to the PM

And her team at this time.

 

A promise is not a deed-

We must never forget,

More like comfort to a fool

No different from a bet.

 

Offline and online

Out of line and in line,

Not too much difference-

Mostly one of a kind.

 

Offline is out of line

Online is in line,

If we have no connection

We are in a bind.

  

Make sure all are online

Before moving on

Or the vulnerable will be offline

When the train is gone.

 

I know we are anxious

To return to the norm

But we must be very careful

In this COVID storm.

 

Stewart Russell © September 16, 2020