The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is all about role reversal. Jesus was warning the Jewish leaders that Israel (the Rich Man) was about to be cast out of God’s favor. Soon, Lazarus (representing the Gentiles - those considered poor because they [...]
Consider the context of “the moon became as blood.” Revelation 6:12 (NIV), “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red.” Removing the sixth [...]
Numbers used as symbols in the Bible are of special importance. Sometimes the number itself has an exact, literal meaning. Other times, the number represents a scriptural concept. So what is the biblical, symbolic meaning of the number forty? Some examples of the use [...]
Ishmael had twelve sons: Nebajoth, Kedar, Abdeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. (Genesis 25:14-18) According to McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, Arab historians divide the Arab peoples into the descendants of Joktan (Genesis 10:25-29); and descendants of Ishmael. Some of [...]
“The earth abideth forever,” Ecclesiastes 1:4. From this we know that the literal earth is never going to be destroyed. “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts (plans).” II Peter 3:3 This verse informs us that there [...]
The cross was a well-known tool implemented in one of the most excruciating forms of execution: crucifixion. Public crucifixion was used by the Persians as early as 500 B.C. and later the Greek and Roman empires also employed this method of capital punishment. The [...]
The words, “my God, my God” (Matthew 27:46) reveal Jesus’ thoughts and feelings while he hung on the cross. Throughout his earthly life, Jesus was constantly in communion with God and was renewed in strength and love thereby. However, part of Jesus’ sacrificial experiences as [...]
Psalm 149 consists of two themes. In the first half of the Psalm, the songwriter sings a song of praise to the Lord, a song of rejoicing which included musical instruments and dance. The praise reinforces the promise of hope and salvation from God. [...]
Please bear in mind that scriptures about the “trumpet of God,” “the last trump,” and “the seventh trump,” are all referencing the same trump of God, and pertain to the same time period with messages from God. None of the trumps ever issue a [...]
Jesus shared His revelation vision with the Apostle John so that John could share that message with the church. Revelation 2:7, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Chapters 2 and 3 describe the seven churches (seven historical periods [...]
Revelation is a book of symbols - some of which are identified in scripture, and others are left for us to interpret. Here are the main points.The context of Revelation 13:8 begins in verse 1, where the beast, having seven heads, ten horns with [...]
These prophecies had a literal fulfillment against three nations to the east of Israel: Ammon, Moab, and Edom. All three were close relatives of Israel. Ammon and Moab were direct decedents of Abraham’s nephew Lot. (See Genesis 19:30-38). While Edom descended from Esau, the [...]
Let’s look at scripture starting in Daniel 12th chapter. This entire chapter is ripe with insights into God’s plan, but for now we will focus on some very clear statements in Daniel 12:4 “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the [...]
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24 There have been many false prophets and false christs who have stated they were the mouthpieces of Jesus. As Jesus foretold, [...]
Jesus preached using many parables - stories which illustrate spiritual ideas or prophecies. When Jesus cursed the fig tree a few days before his crucifixion, he was acting out a message He had been proclaiming. Essentially, he was illustrating that because the nation of [...]
In the “Lord’s Great Prophesy” of Matthew 24 & Luke 21, our Lord outlined both the historical events that would lead up to his return as well as the signs that would indicate he was here. He also referred to the book of Daniel [...]
The 1260 days represented a 1260-year (a year for a day, Numbers 14:34) period from AD539 to AD1799 which led to the beginning of the Times of the End (Daniel 12). The 1260 years is the period of Papacy’s power. Papal domination kept the masses in ignorance, [...]
Genesis 27:40 (NASB): “And by your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve; but it shall come about when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck.” Though Esau was not personally subject to his brother, Jacob, [...]
“Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with [...]
There have been several reports of people who saw or heard things when their hearts had stopped and were then revived again seconds to minutes later. Some of these reports have been admitted to be hoaxes. Others seem to be a more realistic report [...]
