In Job chapters 1-2, we read Job was a righteous man and enjoyed a blessed life. However, Satan believed Job was loyal to God only because of the rewards of faithfulness. God then allowed Satan to afflict Job with severe trials…to prove (or disprove) Job’s loyalty. During [...]
This is a very sad story. Absalom's half-brother, Amnon raped the beautiful Tamar, Absalom's sister. 2 Samuel 13:14-22 (NIV), “he (Amnon) was stronger than she, he raped her. Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had [...]
If you are a Christian man, you may only have one wife. The New Testament teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman and is a picture of the relationship between Jesus and his “bride,” his most faithful followers. In Ephesians 5:22-33, [...]
The life of Saul is narrated in 1 Samuel chapters 9-15. Saul was a member of the tribe of Benjamin, one of the smallest tribes and one which settled the hill country east of Jerusalem. Saul was a very tall man and especially handsome. [...]
Five main factors in good Bible Translation are: 1. Objective. Integrity requires the translator preserve what the original language says, even when it apparently contradicts his own theological understanding, or that of groups with which he associates or which are funding him. 2. Ancient [...]
The Apostle Paul lived a year and a half in Corinth. This letter was written 3 ½ years after he left the city. Corinth was at the center of trade cross-roads and was known for its manufacturing, architecture, painting, and the location of the Greek Olympic [...]
In general, God used messengers to speak to humans. Examples would be when Gabriel spoke to Mary, “During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin” (Luke 1:26, 27), and also spoke to Zacharias, [...]
The words of the scripture, Matthew 28:19, have been changed from the original. At first, the verse read, “Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) [...]
Earlier in the story of Abram’s life, Abram and Sarai could not conceive. Sarai thought God might bless a union between her servant Hagar and Abram. Apparently, the women were on good terms, otherwise Sarai would not have considered building a family through Hagar. [...]
Absolutely! All the righteous from Abel through the Apostles were grateful for God being the God that He is. The Scriptures abound with descriptions of the greatness of God’s character. Whenever anyone acknowledges the characteristic attributes of our Lord Jehovah, we are praising and [...]
The story of Stephen is found in Acts 6 and 7. He was a faithful and mature Christian. He was also chosen as one of the first deacons. Acts 6:2-8, " 'the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be [...]
There is no evil in God. 1 John 1:5, “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” Additionally, “God is love,” and “God…cannot lie” (1 John 4:16, Titus 1:2).1 Samuel 16:14 reads, “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from [...]
In 2 Timothy 3:16, “all scripture is inspired by God,” the verb “is” does not appear in the text but is understood (as is common in the case of the verb “to be” in classical languages). Hence this scripture should properly be read as “all [...]
John 1:1-2 is both mistranslated and misunderstood. “With God” is incorrect. The correct reading word-for-word is “towards the God.” This is the same Greek word “towards” (“pros”) used in John 1:29 [King James], “The next day, John sees Jesus coming towards [i.e., unto] him.” [...]
Jehovah-Nissi is a compound of Strong’s words H3068 and H5251. It is defined as “Jehovah (is) my banner.”The word only occurs once in the Bible in the story of Israel winning in battle over the Amalekites.Exodus 17:8-16 (NASB), “Then Amalek came and fought against [...]
Summary: Heli was Mary’s father.Explanation: The lineage of Matthew 1 traces Jesus’ ancestry through Joseph. Matthew 1:16, “And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Notice that Jacob is clearly identified as Joseph’s father.Whereas Jesus’ [...]
Short answer: Communistic living is not a model for churches. The early church practiced generous sharing not communal living. Explanation: Acts 2:42-46 (NIV) reads, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…All the believers [...]
When Judas came to betray Jesus, our Lord called him a friend, not a disciple or apostle. Matthew 26:50, "But Jesus said to him, 'Friend, why have you come?' Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him." This word “friend” isn’t the familiar [...]
First, we must obey God’s will in all matters. Acts 5:28,29, 33 (NIV),“‘We (the Sanhedrin and the high priest) gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,’ he said. ‘Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make [...]
Short answer: Yes, Christians may use legal means to secure safety. Explanation: The Apostle Paul asked for and received Roman government protection when the Jews were enraged by him. Acts 23:10-24 (NIRV), “The arguing got out of hand. The commanding officer was afraid that [...]
