Leonid Afremov developed a wonderful painting style using a palette knife and oil paint. Demonstrating an excellent use of (often bright) colors, he has a huge range of themes from rainy city streets to serene landscapes to actual locations and recognizable cathedrals. He passed away in 2019.

On Twitter it was posted: “Artist Leonid Afremov passed away on August 19, 2019. Now the Afremov family is liquidating the remaining oil painting collection. Prices start at $129. Free fast shipping.”

Website is: https://afremov.com/

The world has an inconsolable longing. It tries to satisfy the longing with scenic vacations, accomplishments of creativity, stunning cinematic productions, sexual exploits, sports extravaganzas, hallucinogenic drugs, ascetic rigors, managerial excellence, and so on. But the longing remains. What does this mean? Lewis says, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”² And he adds, “It was when I was happiest that I longed most. . . . The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing . . . to find the place where all the beauty came from.” (from Lewis, Mere Christianity)

The tragedy of the world is that the echo is mistaken for the Original Shout.

Here is a very good devotional on the idea of longing for God, the authentic article: link

First, what is hyrax and where is it in the Bible? Second, (and more importantly) what is the significance?

I asked ChatGPT about the small mammal that lives (hides) in the rocks. The response is here:

The animal you’re referring to is the hyrax, also known as the coney or rock badger in some Bible translations.

✅ The verse in Proverbs:

Proverbs 30:26 (ESV):

“the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;”

Other translations may say:

• “conies” (KJV)
• “hyraxes” (NIV, NRSV)
• “badgers” (some paraphrases)

🔍 Additional details:

• The hyrax is a small, rabbit-sized mammal native to the Middle East and Africa.
• It has weak physical defenses, so it survives by hiding in rocky crags and living in tight-knit groups.
• It’s often used in biblical wisdom literature as a picture of wisdom, not strength—a theme found in Proverbs 30.

✨ Related verse:

You’ll also find the hyrax mentioned in Psalm 104:18:

“The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the conies.” (KJV)

The Significance

God is our rock. In Him we take refuge and find shelter and safety. We are, in fact, weak, like the hyrax. To survive we need to take refuge in the Rock.

🪨 Verses where God is called a Rock:

1. Psalm 18:2 (ESV)

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

2. Deuteronomy 32:4

“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”

3. Psalm 62:6

“He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”

4. 1 Samuel 2:2

“There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.”

Introduction and Background

In the life of faith, we have the two Great Commandments and the Great Commission.

Great Commandments

In the Old Testament:

1. Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
2. Leviticus 19:18b you shall love your neighbor as yourself

In the New Testament:

1. Mark 12:30-31 [Jesus said] “‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
2. Mark 12:30-31 [Jesus continued] “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The Great Commission

• Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Great Directives

In addition to the great commands and the great commission, I lift up, what I am calling, the two great directives.

1. Be Holy

• OT: Leviticus 11:44b Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.
• NT: 1 Peter 1:15-16 as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

2. Seek First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness

• Matthew 6:33 [Jesus said] “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Rational

I lift up these directives because they are not just emphasized in the Bible, but foundational in biblical teaching and should be foundational for our lives. The Kingdom of God was a primary topic in Jesus’ teaching and preaching.

They emphasize both being and doing — our identity and our living.

I’ve chose the term “directive” (over commandment, instruction, edict, decree, etc.) based on its definition.

Mirriam-Webster gives these definitions:

• serving or intended to guide, govern, or influence
• serving to point direction
• something that serves to direct, guide, and usually impel toward an action or goal.

God is guiding, influencing, and directing our lives. We have choices, like a fork in the road. God is pointing the way. It is up to us to be and do what God wills.

Also, these are not just instructions for healthy living, but bigger than that. These are directives to align ourselves with His holiness, His Kingdom, and His righteousness.

God give us:

• Courage to face it,
• Wisdom to understand it,
• Strength to handle it, and
• Faith to trust Him to do the rest.

The title for Jesus, “Son of God” isn’t used often in the gospel of Mark. It is used in the title of the book (Mark 1:1) and by the Roman Centurion at the crucifixion (end of the book, Mark 15:39). Other than that, it is used twice by demons and once by the High Priest (at the trial). At the Transfiguration (Mark 9:7) the voice of God implies it.

🔹 1. Mark 1:1

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

This is the title verse of the Gospel and introduces Jesus as the Son of God.

🔹 2. Mark 3:11

“Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, ‘You are the Son of God.’”

Here, unclean spirits recognize Jesus’ divine identity.

🔹 3. Mark 5:7

“[The demon-possessed man] shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?’”

This is another recognition by a demon, using a variation of the title.

🔹 4. Mark 9:7 (Implied)

“Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’”

At the Transfiguration, God affirms Jesus as His Son (though not with the full phrase “Son of God”).

🔹 5. Mark 14:61-62

High Priest: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Jesus: “I am…”

This is during Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. “Son of the Blessed One” is a Jewish equivalent for “Son of God,” avoiding direct use of the word “God.”

🔹 6. Mark 15:39

“And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’”

This climactic moment comes at Jesus’ crucifixion — a Gentile recognizes His divine sonship.

BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of our Lord”) are dating designations used to mark years based on the traditionally estimated birth year of Jesus Christ.

AD counts years forward from Christ’s birth, while BC counts years backward. This system was developed by a monk named Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century (around AD 525) when he created a new calendar table to replace the *Diocletian era (which honored a persecutor of Christians).

BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) are secular alternatives to BC and AD.

BCE matches BC (years before year 1), and CE matches AD (years after year 1). These terms were promoted in the 17th century but became more widespread in the 20th century for academic and interfaith reasons, as they avoid explicit Christian references. Scholars like Johannes Kepler used similar terms early on, but broader adoption grew through modern secular and scholarly communities.

*Diocletian was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. 

The Diocletianic Persecution (303–312), the empire’s last, largest, and bloodiest official persecution of Christianity, failed to eliminate Christianity in the empire. After 324, Christianity became the empire’s preferred religion under Constantine.