Isaiah 2:2-4 is a familiar Bible passage. I have often commented on it in my teaching of the book of Isaiah. The other day, however, I noticed something I had not seen before, and it relates directly to retreat centres of all kinds. Here is the passage (NIV): In the last days the mountain of the … [Read more...]
Elijah’s Inn
First, there was a strenuous and prolonged tug of war between the prophet and the royal couple, which he mostly spent on the run and in hiding. Then there was an intense showdown with 450 Baal priests. Singlehandedly, he pulled of a remarkable vindication of Yahweh that would resound throughout the … [Read more...]
Isaiah 55 Tree Planting
Isaiah 55 is a chapter that has always been special to us. In part this is because of its rich content and imagery. It starts with a generous and bountiful invitation. It uses rain and snow as images for God’s word always and inevitably producing fruit. It portrays ecstatic mountains and jubilant … [Read more...]
Elishah’s Inn: Time for a Study Retreat?
When we chose the name "Elijah's Inn", we were thinking of Elijah's stop on the way to Mount Horeb. It refers to that spot in the Negeb where an angel awakened him and fed him. One could of course also think of the brook Cherith, where Elijah hid away for a while and was fed by ravens. Or of the … [Read more...]