Welcome to the May 2024 edition of The Eclectic Web Journal!

In this edition, we continue our commentary on Romans and we explore another theologically-rich vision of the prophet Zechariah. We explore some important political thoughts as the 2024 election draws nearer, and we also highlight again one of our favorite Firefilk artists.

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We appreciate you being a loyal reader, and as always, we hope that you will stay eclectic! 



ZECHARIAH’S VISIONS: The Investiture of Joshua and the Restoration of Israel, 3:1-10

There could be nothing more encouraging and comforting in days like these than thinking about Christ, His love for us, His literal life-giving resurrection, and the hope of His return to set all things new. Even visions given to Old Testament believers of a future Messiah could bring them hope and courage in difficult times.

After focusing on the nation of Israel and the other nations of the earth in the first few visions, the vision in Zechariah chapter 3 is a forecast of the Messiah who would remove the sins of His people and grant them hope and eternal life. The vision shows Joshua, the high priest in Haggai and Zechariah’s time, being purified and prepared for service to the Lord. This reminds us of the need for God’s people to be pure, but it also points to a Messiah who would bring cleansing and salvation to all who trust in Him.

The vision begins with a rebuke of Satan, the adversary in Zechariah 3:1-3. Zechariah is shown a court scene (v. 1). The angel of the Lord acts as defendant and Satan (mentioned also in Job chs. 1 and 2 and in 1 Chron 21:1) acts as the prosecutor. Joshua the high priest, as we will see, stands for all Israel, and also for the priesthood. This scene also has a Christological element to it, as Jesus would be accused by His enemies. Also, the righteousness of Christ will replace the sinfulness and moral filth of humanity for those who trust in Him. There is a point to remember here, too, that there will always be accusations against God’s people. Some accusations are justified, some are self-inflicted, some are false. We stand in the righteousness of Christ, not in the shifting sands of culture’s opinions.

The Lord is judge but also acts as a defender and protector of the one being accused (v. 2). God’s rebuke of Satan is a rebuke of the world, its preferences, and its expectations. God is judge, no other officials are necessary. He notes that Joshua is a “brand plucked from the fire,” something that was about to be destroyed, and arguably should have been destroyed, but was mercifully saved from that destruction by a dramatic last-second deliverance (see also Amos 4:11). The accusations of the Accuser are not entirely invalid according to v. 3. Joshua was in “filthy garments,” the phrase here is similar to the one in Isaiah 64:6: “And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment.” Even with Law and rituals and sacrifices, the accumulation of sin that had been committed was immense and left its mark from the human perspective. We have a better appreciation of this now that we stand in the righteousness of Christ; all our filthy rags have been replaced with Christ’s perfection. We only get into trouble when we go back and wallow in the filthy rags.

The next few verses note how the Lord cleanses Joshua to prepare him for priestly service (3:4-7). Joshua doesn’t even ask forgiveness, but God initiates the process of forgiveness by calling for the removal of the offending garments (v. 4). The kind of robe mentioned here is the Hebrew word machalatsah, which is only used here and in Isaiah 3:22. This is a dramatic portrayal of Biblical justification, the contrast from the filthy garments to ones that signify a religious celebration. We too, should incarnate the dramatic contrast from a fallen sinner to a redeemed believer. A clean turban is called for, as well (v. 5). This may be a subtle reminder that our sanctification is not just about what happens to our body or our behavior, but it is also about the transformation of our mind (Matt 16:23, 22:37; Rom 12:1-2; Eph 4:23).

The cleansing is accompanied by responsibilities and exhortations (v. 6). The angel speaks these exhortations to Joshua, representing both the priesthood and the people. Several times in the post-exilic corpus the priests are addressed or mentioned specifically (Hag 2:11; Zech 7:3, 5; Mal 1:6; 2:1). The commandments in v. 7 echo language from Deuteronomy about walking in God’s ways, performing God’s service, and governing God’s house and people (Deut 8:6; 10:12; 17:8-9; 19:9; 28:9; 30:16). 

I think that the tie-in with Deuteronomy is significant: now that the Jews had returned from exile and are back in the land, there is an opportunity to reset back to the time when they originally entered the land. Essentially, this is a restoration to priesthood and leadership for all the people. “But the past is no barrier to the future where God’s mercy is concerned. . . . If Joshua obeyed the Lord’s commandments and governed the temple properly, he would enjoy prominence among the community” (Robert B. Chisholm Jr., Handbook on the Prophets, 461).

Finally, we see this vision expanding in Zechariah 3:8-10 to talk about a future leader. This section introduces a “branch,” a messianic figure who will bring peace and stability; this is a glimpse of what will be elaborated on in chapters 12-14. They are told that they, Joshua and his colleagues are a “symbol” (mopheth) or a portent of things to come (v. 8). Specifically, a symbol for a coming servant called “the Branch” (tsemach). Some interesting insight into this role is provided in Zech 6:12: “Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the Lord.”’” Other echoes of this are in Isaiah 4:2 and in Jeremiah 23:5, which says, “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.” 

There is also reference to a “stone”; this is probably imagery reminding them of the need to build the stones of the temple, but this imagery from the OT is commonly used in the NT (see, for instance, how Psa 118:22 is quoted in Matt 21:42 // Mark 12:10 // Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:7, and alluded to in Eph 2:20). Stone was used to build the temple, but also reminds us of the strength and stability of Christ. “Seven eyes” (v. 9) on the stone points to the awareness of God (see Zech 4:10 and also Rev 5:6).

Another concept in v. 9 is showing that the cleansing of Joshua has implications for the purification of the nation. The iniquity of the land will be taken away “in one day,” a phrase which is also used of the fall of Babylon in Rev 18:8. Only Christ can fully remove sin and iniquity from the human race. The result of Christ’s cleansing and work is that those who trust in Him will have peace and stability (v. 10). The imagery of inviting one’s neighbor to one’s vine or fig tree points to peace and enjoyment with one’s neighbor. It also establishes that there will be plenty to eat and enjoy for everyone (see also Micah 4:4: “Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken”).

I would summarize this vision and this chapter like this: Just as Joshua represents backslidden Israel, this vision shows Zechariah that the Jews could be forgiven, restored, and re-established as a priestly nation for the Lord. For believers today, that justification and restoration is all wrapped up in Christ, who He is and what He did on our behalf.

The question for some during the post-exilic period was, Can God help a nation as backslidden as Israel? After all her sins and defiance, could God still help and heal Israel? The answer is that God would give new robes to Israel and “reestablish them as a priestly nation (the ‘turban’ represents that role)” (Paul N. Benware, Survey of the Old Testament, 244).

That question haunts many today: Will God help a backslidden church which has sinned, which lacks focus, and which has abandoned the anchor of right Biblical doctrine and practice? I have both concern but also hope for the future of Christianity in America. But in the end, we can affirm that, if God was willing to help and forgive Old Testament Israel, God can continue to help the church grow and serve Him until Christ returns.



POLITICAL THOUGHTS: May 2024: Smaller Government and Protesting Protests


by Matt Kasper, with Martha Kasper


What Happened to Smaller Government?

News in 2024 is consumed with trials, protests, and mud-slinging. What seems to be missing, however, is issues. It is good that the US Southern border is getting more attention, but politicians and candidates need to be talking about defense funding, incentivizing businesses to return to the US, and managing our outrageous and unsustainable national debt.  

Also missing from discussions today is the notion of a smaller, efficient, and less expensive federal government. A smaller, streamlined government would make agencies more effective and would lower taxes. This would also allow more people to work in the private sector rather than for government. Small government used to be a hallmark of conservativism, when parties actually had “platforms” from which they promoted their views. The Right championed efficient government, lower federal taxes, less regulation, more freedom for states and citizens. The GOP especially was formerly more cognizant of preventing the federal government from exceeding its Constitutional functions. It shouldn’t be funding obscure research projects at universities and sending money around the world including to countries run by regimes that hate us (an issue we have discussed many times over the years). In the past, people didn’t assume that the federal government would pay off student loans, or allow people to be on welfare for several years, or that it would grow into the bloated and useless bureaucracy that it has become at present.

The process of reducing government isn’t easy, but perhaps it is less difficult than we make it out to be. Here are a few diagnostic questions, which if handled by people who believe in smaller government, could save us billions of dollars every year.

Unfortunately, the problem is that the government is run by people who think that we need more government. We should push for more efficient government, less regulations and overreach, and more freedoms for states. This will not change until we vote for government officials who recognize that we don’t need as much federal government as is currently foisted on the American people.


The Problem With Protests

People can complain about January 6, or the protests on universities today, or the riots in urban centers during the Summer of 2020. But we always seem justify our own protests and we always vilify others who are protesting.

But our problem is not with protests – after all, I’m a “Protestant”! – but with other issues related to protests. That is, protests cannot happen anywhere and in any manner. For instance, a protest taking place where people are not allowed to be is not just about free speech, but it is also trespassing. You are not allowed to be in that location at that time whether you are protesting or not. When someone in this situation is arrested, it is not because they are peacefully protesting, but because they are trespassing.

Similarly, you are not allowed to protest in any manner that you would like. For instance, you can protest by marching, shouting, and picketing. However, you cannot protest by destroying property, setting fire to stores, and breaking shop windows. In such cases, the arrests should be made not because people are protesting, but because of arson, vandalism, and destruction of public or private property. The method of protesting matters in the protest.

I imagine that most Americans agree that protesting is fine, and free speech is a non-negotiable right in our country, on one hand. On the other hand, most citizens also appreciate that vandalism, destruction of property, and trespassing are criminal acts, and should be prosecuted as such. Both sides of the political spectrum need to re-evaluate what topics are worth protesting over, and what are sensible, legal, and effective protest methods.


Crunching the 2024 Primary Numbers

There were several interesting stories in the 2024 primary races, such as Donald Trump beating former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley in the South Carolina primary, Trump receiving about 60% of the vote to Haley’s 40%. But there was a highly-ignored story in the primary results that bodes ill for the democratic party.

Joe Biden, a sitting president, only received 81% of the Democratic vote in Michigan. Thirteen percent preferred to vote “uncommitted” than to vote for Biden, and almost six percent voted for other candidates.

Another element of the Michigan primary is even more telling. Trump received a lower percent of Republican votes, 68%, than Biden received from the Democratic voters, again 81%. However, Trump received almost 759,000 votes compared to Biden’s 624,000 votes; that is, Trump garnered 135,000 more votes than Biden. This is interesting since Biden won Michigan in 2020 by 50.6% to Trump’s 47.8%. The primary makes one think that those numbers are flipping for 2024.

One could argue that many democrats simply didn’t come out to vote for Biden because he will clearly be the Democratic nominee. However, a similar argument could be made for Trump. The point, however, is that there is a great deal of hope in this instance for Trump to flip Michigan and to get its 16 electoral points in 2024.


What about your political thoughts? Feel free to leave your feedback to this or any of our other articles on our Facebook page here.



APOCALYPSE STILL: Apocalypticism and Post-Apocalypticism In Modern Media


*** Spoiler Alert: This article may contain spoilers for some of the films and franchises mentioned. ***


Apocalypticism continues to have cultural resonance today, and even dominates modern American entertainment. Perhaps this demonstrates that we still project our own aspirations and anxieties onto the TV and movie screens of our day, and that we continue to be motivated by personal and cataclysmic fears both real and imagined.

Many of you know that I have been studying the history of apocalyptic thinking, especially focusing on end-times theology and rhetoric in the early sixteenth century. But as a side project, I have also noted how end-times themes continue to permeate our culture today.

The apocalyptic genre has exploded in books and movies, some of which even feature the words “armageddon” or “apocalypse” in the title. Popular apocalypse-oriented or dystopian movies and TV shows just from the last two decades or so include the aptly named movie Armageddon (1998), as well as the Matrix film series (1999–2003), Titan A. E. [After Earth] (2000), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Jericho (2006-2008), I Am Legend (2007), The Road (book, 2006; movie 2009), WALL-E (2008), 2012 (2009), The Book of Eli (2010), The Hunger Games (book trilogy 2008-2010, movie series 2012-2015), Falling Skies (2010-2015), Revolution (2012-2014), World War Z (2012), The Last Ship (2014-2018), The 100 (2014-2020), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), A Quiet Place (2018), The Last of Us (2022-), and surely there are several more that I have missed.

The cadre of popular superhero films has especially capitalized upon apocalyptic anxieties. An installment in the popular Marvel X-Men franchise is titled X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), a title taken from the name of the main antagonist of the film. A Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film was entitled Thor: Ragnarok (2017), the word ragnarök referring essentially to the Norse version of the apocalypse. Two DCEU (Detective Comics Extended Universe) movies in recent years have also appealed to apocalyptic-oriented themes. The primary nemesis in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) is named “Doomsday.” An ultimate supervillain alluded to in both Batman v. Superman and Justice League (2017) is called Darkseid, and his home planet is “Apokolips.”

While the words “apocalypse” or “Armageddon” are not in the title, the popular MCU Avengers saga featured a dramatic turning point in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). The film builds up to a point when the antagonist Thanos (a name hauntingly similar the Greek word thanatos, meaning “death”) causes the sudden and apparently irreversible eradication of half of the population of the universe. This notion of fifty percent of all people being unexpectedly and inexplicably taken away has a clear Biblical precedent. A discourse attributed to Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:37-42 portrays the apocalypse in precisely these terms: “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left” (Matthew 24:40-41; see also the similar statements in Luke 17:34-36). The sudden and catastrophic results of Thanos’ snap in Infinity War also mirrors Biblical imagery regarding how the eschatological period will begin abruptly and unexpectedly, “like a thief in the night” (Matt 24:43; 1 Thess 5:2; see also Luke 12:39; 1 Thess 5:4; 2 Peter 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15).

Contemporary evangelical literature capitalizes on the apocalyptic currency in modern culture, as well. Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins created an enormously popular sixteen-book series called Left Behind based on the Biblical book of Revelation and released between 1995 and 2007. It was so popular that the authors produced a separate series about the end times marketed to children, called Left Behind: The Kids (1998 to 2005). It also spawned a feature-length film starring Kirk Cameron, called Left Behind: The Movie (2000), which was followed by two sequels, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force (2002) and Left Behind: World at War (2005). The series’ popularity lingered enough to garner a 2014 reboot starring Nicolas Cage. Despite one’s opinion of the quality of some of these outings, the sheer volume of media in this franchise reflects the palpable, and lucrative, resonance of apocalyptic themes in our own society especially among those who already have religious leanings.

The prevalence of apocalypticism in modern culture has even spawned a series of apocalyptic comedies; the ability to laugh at our eschatological hysteria indicates the extent to which apocalypticism remains ingrained into modern culture. These perhaps are ways that a society has of dealing with its own anxieties, especially in light of wars, invasions, market downturns and pandemics. This tradition stretches back to the dark comedy Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) and includes Douglas Adam’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy franchise, which began as a radio series in 1978, matured into a series of novels released between 1979 and 1992, and even found its way on to the silver screen in 2005. Though both of these works are comedies, Dr. Strangelove ends with the annihilation of many locations on Earth, and Hitchhiker’s Guide actually opens with Earth’s complete destruction.

This apocalypse-comedy genre has been especially prolific of late. The most popular of these comical and farcical treatments of end-times anxiety include the films This Is the End (2013), The World’s End (2013), Rapture-Palooza (2013), Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015), the TV series Last Man on Earth (2015-2018), and a story about a vengeful Italian chef called Pastacolypse (2023). The 2019 sequel to the Lego Movie, dryly entitled The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, begins with the characters living in the not-so-subtlety named city of Apocalypseburg. 

The phenomena of laughing at our own end-times anxiety reached a new high – or perhaps, low – in the holiday zombie musical called Anna and the Apocalypse (2017). Perhaps the darker film Silent Night (2021), also a holiday apocalypse, took the end-of-existence-as-we-know-it trope a bit more seriously, but not by too much. In the 2021 film Don’t Look Up, the creators portray the sardonic response of modern people to a catastrophic comet collision, and use this to suggest implications for climate change. The 2022 film Nope also weds apocalypse, in the form of an alien invasion, with satire and cultural critique. The most recent high-profile apocalyptic spoof is from the comedy anthology called Miracle Workers, the cast of which includes Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi. This anthology of mini-series sets the cast in a medieval village in one season and on the Oregon Trail in another. The first series, which aired in February and March of 2019, was a build up to a plan of God, played by Buscemi, to destroy the world and start a restaurant. The Miracle Workers’ latest, and probably final, outing was called End Times, which aired in July and August 2023, and showcased a post-apocalyptic setting. Despite the various contexts in which this anthology presents its comedy and satire, apocalypticism serves as bookends to the effort. These comedies and satires allow us to laugh at ourselves on one hand, even while we entertain apocalyptic anxieties of some kind on the other.

This brief survey of modern apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic media demonstrates that modern Americans love watching films that feature cataclysmic destruction by ecological, supernatural or extraterrestrial means. But the overuse of these terms may have minimized their rhetorical potency. The frequent use of “apocalypse” and “armageddon” in popular literature today may have watered down the impact that these concepts have on us now relative to what they meant for people in other times and places. And apocalypse has moved away from being a form of religious motivation to being an important component to cultural entertainment. Like many other terms, the word “apocalypse” has a modern currency different from its distinctive theological use and its potency in the past.

Beyond this, it is interesting to consider what this rich trove of end times shows and movies tell us about our beliefs, our entertainment, our society, and ourselves.



ROMANS: The Grand Plan of Salvation and Sanctification, Romans 6:22-23

These two verses at the end of Romans chapter 6 summarize much of what has been described so far in Romans: God’s great redemptive plan to save sinners and to subsequently make us holy and more like Him. These verses summarize the Lord’s intentions for salvation and sanctification.

Paul is finishing a discussion about being a slave to sin, and therefore, we will address v. 22’s summary of sanctification, and then recognize in v. 23 a great summary of salvation.

In v. 22 Paul points to a significant contrast between a person’s pre- and post-regeneration state. The phrase “but now,” addressing a saved believer in v. 22, contrasts with the “then” of an unbeliever’s slavery to sin and shame in v. 21. The pre-conversion shackles of sin provide a stark contrast with the post-conversion sanctification that the believer should pursue. Unfortunately, not enough believers are making this contrast clear in their lives.

Two passive participles in v. 22 describe the transfer of ownership where the individual “was freed” from enslavement from sin and “was enslaved” to God. They are aorist participles, the aorist tense usually indicating a point in time or a narrow window of time. That these two aorist participles are set in parallel indicates that these two activities occurred simultaneously. The fact that these participles are passive reminds the reader that this transaction happened without any involvement and will on the believer’s part, depriving regenerate individuals of the right to boast about their faith or to be arrogant (Rom 3:27; 1 Cor 1:29; Eph 2:9).

As a result of this transaction, the regenerated individual now produces a different kind of fruit. The products of a believer are – or should be! – noticeably different than that of their pre-conversion life. Whereas the final results of pre-conversion efforts was death (v. 21), the combined works (again, the word karpos or “fruit”) results in “sanctification.” Growing holiness and conformity to Christ’s perfection is and should be a goal for all believers.

Paul ends this verse as he ended the previous one, by indicating the result and end (again using the world telos) of this process. The end and result of the process of conversion and sanctification is “eternal life.” Paul is here not suggesting that one’s works will result in eternal life, but rather, eternal life is the inevitable and unalterable telos for the individual who has been redeemed, and her or his works of sanctification verify experientially the reality of this (Phil 2:12; 2 Pet 1:10).

Paul then ends this section in v. 23 with a brilliant and concise summary of the relationships between sin and death on one hand, and God’s grace and life on the other.

Paul uses the illustration of “wages,” the Greek word opsonion. The other three instances of this word in the NT are of literal compensation or remuneration for specific tasks (Luke 3:14; 1 Cor 9:7; 2 Cor 11:8; see also non-canonical examples in 1 Esdras 4:56; 1 Maccabees 3:28; 14:32). It is a word that points to a cause-and-effect relationship between two things: work causes or produces wages. Similarly, sin causes and, in some manner, contributes to one’s physical and spiritual death. While cause and effect is an important part of the Bible, this is perhaps the most concise reminder of how sin leads to and causes death.

Similarly, God’s gift of grace causes and produces eternal life for the person who believes in Christ. The word for “gift” here is charisma, from whence we get the word “charismatic.” It sometimes refers simply to the grace and salvation that God provides (Rom 5:15, 16; 6:23; 11:29). This word also refers to the gifts of the Holy Spirit granted to believers immediately after salvation, gifts such as mercy, helps, or as Paul discusses in 1 Cor 12 and 14, the gifts of prophecy, healing, and tongues (Rom 1:11; 12:6; 1 Cor 1:7; 7:7; 12:4, 9, 28, 30; 1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6; 1 Pet 4:10). In Romans 6:23 Paul is clearly using this word for gifts in the first way, to discuss the gracious gift of eternal life for sinners whom He has called both to salvation and sanctification.

The verse ends by affirming that this gift of “eternal life” is through “Christ Jesus our Lord.” The exclusivity of Christianity as the only way to obtain eternal life is not as explicit from this verse as it is from verses like John 14:6 or Acts 4:12 or even Acts 10:43 or 1 Tim 2:5. Nonetheless, a verse like this clearly implies that there are not multiple ways or avenues through which to receive salvation; the work of Christ and faith in Him is the only way in which one can obtain the grace and eternal life that God freely provides.

Of course, the rest of the Bible gives even more information about God’s grand plan for salvation and sanctification. However, these two verses do a great job summarizing sanctification (v. 22) and salvation (v. 23). It is a great plan, but also a free gift, which all can by recognizing our sin and sinfulness, and by trusting in the sacrificial death and literal resurrection of Jesus Christ. 



BROWNCOAT BAY: Firefilk Focus – The Persephone Pickers


This article is originally from the August 2011 edition of The Eclectic Kasper, and presented here with minor modifications.


For those who don’t know, a “Browncoat” is a self-designation for fans of Joss Whedon’s Firefly franchise. As a big sci-fi junkie, I can guarantee you that the short-lived TV show Firefly (2002-2003) and the follow-up movie Serenity (2006) is among the best that the sci-fi genre has to offer.

In fact, the appreciation and contribution of the Browncoats are so overwhelming that it is no longer just a Hollywood driven franchise, but a fan-driven franchise (a fan-chise?), complete with podcasts, art, conventions, fan-made movies, and even an entire genre of music known as “Firefilk.” It is a style of music that captures both the aesthetic variety of the ‘Verse as well as the literary themes and motifs of the franchise. 

The Persephone Pickers’ only (so far!) album, “Sounds of the Verse” captures this diverse essence fabulously (you can purchase the CD at Amazon here). The music is enjoyable even if you aren’t a Firefly fan; it is a blend of folk, bluegrass, and Western styles, as well as a few other eclectic elements occasionally mixed in.

The opening song “Outer Rim” is delightful and folksy, communicating a frontier feel that would be at home in a pioneer town or on one of the planets far from the Core. The very charming “A Jig For River” appropriately merges Western and Celtic styles. Once can also discern this combination in “Persephone,” except that this song adds a few oriental and orchestral elements as well.

“Air Through the Engine” and “St Albans” are also charming, yet the latter is laden with a weighty sadness. It is as though these songs portray the rigors and disappointments of life on the frontier, whether the American West, or the Outer Planets of the ‘Verse. The songs “Still Flying” and, of course, “Serenity Valley” go even farther in terms of incarnating this disillusionment and heartache.

“Kaylee’s Theme” doesn’t attempt to shun its folksy style, and it’s hard not to picture Kaylee’s unsophisticated grin as one listens. “Triumph” also reflects a folksy appeal, but the low note held by the strings through most of the song injects a measure of sobriety and depth, even when the tempo and instrumentation picks up. The subtle snare drums and fife (actually, probably, a piccolo) introduced in the latter half of the song provide an additional colonial-style charm.

Some songs are much more folk-country, like “See You In The World” and “Whitefall.” Some of the songs are simple and airy, like, “Haven” and “Just Floating,” while others are fuller in terms of the use of instrumentation such as “Trading Post” and “Outer Rim.” Meanwhile, “Mudder’s Milk” and “Settlers Shindig” possess the unrefined liveliness one would expect from folk on one of the Rim worlds.

“Sihnon” is, frankly, just strange, but in an understandable way. It is using a variety of Rim world and Westerny instruments to reflect a sometimes impressionistic and sometimes dissonant Asian sound, since the planet Sihnon is primarily based on Chinese culture. And while I don’t like just sitting down and listening to this piece as I do the other songs on this album, I understand and appreciate that the artists are trying to achieve this Asian-fusion sound. What I don’t understand is why “Sihnon,” weighing in at a whopping seven minutes and forty seconds, is so much longer than all of the other songs on this album!

It is really hard to pick favorites from this album, but if I were forced to do, I would probably go with “See You in the World,” “Air Though the Engine,” “St Albans,” and “Mudders Milk” as being the most enjoyable and most representative selections.

There is a lot of really great Firefilk out there; I have explored much of it and have even had great contact with some of these artists over the years. But Persephone Pickers’ “Sounds of the ‘Verse” ranks at the top of the fan-driven Firefilk genre. It has been a while, but I truly hope that they will come out with another album at some point; with additional material from the film Serenity, from comics like Those Left Behind and Better Days, as well as fan movies like Browncoats: Redemption and Bellflower there are many more songs yet to be made. Even while Firefly media continues to trickle out, we can only hope that someday we’ll get another album from these gifted Firefilk artists.

Whether you’re sittin’ by the campfire or soaring through the black, the Persephone Pickers album “Sounds of the Verse” will not disappoint. 



THEOLOGY: The God of the Second Verse, Part 3


See Part 1 of this series from the December 2022 edition of The Eclectic Web Journal and Part 2 from the May 2023 edition.


Many of the prophets in the Old Testament make important declarations about God early in their books. Those declarations demonstrate something important about God that is a key component to the theology of the rest of that book; this is why we call this series “The God of the Second Verse.”

But, why the second verse? Well, usually the first verse contains biographical information about the author and historical information about the book. Sometimes the first verse provides a great deal of information (as with Isaiah 1:1, Amos 1:1, and Haggai 1:1), and sometimes the information is minimal (such as Joel 1:1, Jonah 1:1, or Habakkuk 1:1).

But the second verse after these introductory comments is where the prophet declares something great, meaningful, or unusual about God. In Amos 1:2, Yahweh is the God who roars, in Jonah 1:2 we see God’s deep compassion for sinners, and in Nahum 1:2 God is portrayed as the first Great Avenger. In this article we’ll look at how God is pictured in the second verse of two other minor prophets.


The God who Prosecutes, Micah 1:2

Imagine a courtroom where God is judge, prosecutor, and jury. And before you object that this is unfair, remember that God is never wrong or unjust in His evaluations and decisions (Deut 32:4; 2 Sam 22:31; Prov 19:8; Dan 4:37). In fact, having God as judge, prosecutor and jury may be the most fair and just courtroom to ever exist.

Micah begins his teachings in 1:2 with something akin to a courtroom scene. The first word of the verse is a summons for the world to “hear” and this summons is employed at the beginning of the different sections of Micah (1:2, 3:1, 9; 5:15; 6:1, 2, 9; 7:7). But the prophet is not just summoning the Jews or those in Judah, but rather everyone. As the passage continues, we will see the prophet narrow his attention on the Israelites (v. 5). However, at the start of the book, in the second verse, God is portrayed as the Creator who now evaluates and judges all people. The earth is to take notice that its Judge is about to pound His gavel.

The legal language continues here in Micah 1:2 by noting that God is also a “witness,” which usually refers to someone who saw something that others did not. In Micah, there is a discrepancy between what God expects from His people, and the rebellion, immorality, and injustice that characterized the lives of His people. The issue of the proper dispensing of “justice” is a significant theme in the book, as well (3:1, 8, 9; 6:8; 7:9).

The Lord comes from His “holy temple.” The temple is not holy because of something inherent to the building. It is holy because it is consecrated to the Lord who epitomizes holiness. To get back to the legal language, He comes as a holy judge, a holy witness, and His observations and judgments are always right, always fair, always appropriate.

The expectation is that those who peruse the contents of this book will hear, comprehend, and respond in repentance, obedience and service. Otherwise, believers and unbelievers alike risk receiving the retribution of a God who has a legitimate case against us, and who bids us to conform to His commandments and expectations before it is too late.


The God of Selective Love, Malachi 1:2

While the love of God for His people saturates the pages of Scripture, this is the only place that I could find God telling His people directly “I love you.” The only other reference that was close is in a string of conditions and clauses in Isaiah 43:4: “Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.”

In the second verse of Malachi, God begins with a direct overture of love for His people. And while the translations render this verb as a present perfect, “I have loved you,” in light of the context, the phrase is most naturally a simple present tense: “I love you.” God’s declaration of love is the same as it has always been, and His affection for His people is not swayed by flighty human emotions nor by human response; God loves His people because of His own character and commitments without regard to whether His love is reciprocated or rejected.

One of the most beautiful overtures in Scripture is met with one of the most childish and petulant questions: “How have you loved us?” The audience is apparently looking for specific proofs for God’s love. The memory of God’s people is dreadfully short. They have apparently forgot the book of Exodus, or Nehemiah or Psalm 136, or most of the Old Testament. Like us, they wanted God’s love manifested in specific, and probably selfish ways, not in the ways God has already demonstrated His love, and would continue to do so.

This is a tragedy about the way we view God’s love; we want His love expressed the way we want it. We want His love demonstrated by the healing of an illness, or the dramatic restoration of a wayward child, or the sudden blessing of financial security. We often fail to see how God’s love sustains us through illness or how His truths strengthen us amidst relationship problems or financial difficulties. We want God to love us by solving our problems; we often don’t want to love God simply because He is the God worthy of our praise, adoration, and affection.

Malachi 1:2 begins a short conversation where God demonstrates that He loved the nation of Israel (“I have loved Jacob,” v. 2), but that love was selective; it was not given to all the other nations, including the Edomites (“I have hated Esau,” v. 3). The choice is not about the different nations, their size, prominence, or power, but only about God’s choice; it is His decision to love and bless and have a special relationship with the Jews, but not with the other nations. With believers today, as well, we are saved by God’s gracious choice, not because we are better, godlier, or more deserving than others (Rom 3:23, 24, 27; 1 Cor 1:27-29; Eph 2:8-9; 1 John 4:19).

As happens often in Scripture, God will provide proof of His love, but a different kind of proof than the audience wanted from Him. He points to the fraternity of Jacob and Esau and yet the totally different relationship and attitude that God had toward each.

For those who have benefited from God’s love, we should be grateful for His compassion and mercy on sinners like us. For those who have not yet received God’s love, you can trust in Christ’s death and resurrection for your salvation and be the recipient of forgiveness, eternal life, and of God’s grace and love forever. 



The Eclectic Web Journal is written by Matt Kasper and edited by Martha Kasper. Matt is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Dallas Theological Seminary, and he recently completed a PhD. in Reformation history from Georgia State University. Matt is the pastor of a small church northeast of Atlanta called Grace Atlanta Bible Church, and is involved in several other groups and activities in the Atlanta area, as well.

We had written a decade’s worth of articles in our previous web journal, called, The Eclectic Kasper, which we published from 2011 to 2021. Those articles are also arranged topically in our “Eclectic Archive,” which you can access here.

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