The Greatest Sacrifice
With Passover beginning at sundown on April 14, grocery stores are stocking up on kosher items. Kosher literally means “fit and suitable,” and the laws of kashrut tell…
Biblical Studies/Theology
The Road to the Cross
Are you ever tempted to doubt God’s love for you? Perhaps you’ve lost a loved one, heard bad news from your doctor, or face some nagging temptation yet again. “God,” you agonize…
Beyond the Veil
For ages God has been inviting people to seek Him. Yet, at the same time, He made it clear that it was impossible to enter His presence. When Moses asked to see…
The Resurrection: Dispelling the Myths
Around the time of Christ there were dozens of Messianic movements. Each ended the same way: The leader died, often by execution, and the movement died…
Warning Against Antichrists
1 John 2:18–29: At the inception of his epistle, the apostle John declared, “God is light” (1 Jn. 1:5). He said people who walk in God’s light abide in fellowship with Him.
The Grace of God Conclusion
Our previous article showed that the apostle Paul was consumed by the transforming reality of God’s grace. Many times Paul used the word grace in his epistles to the…
Contend for the Faith! Jude 1—4
Have you ever wished you could return to the purity of the first-century Christian church, when there were no denominational differences and all believers were simply called…
Apostasy, Angels, and Judgment Jude 5—11
Apostasy is nothing new. Although it may seem worse today than in previous years, it has been around almost forever; and it reaps God’s judgment. An apostate is one who departs from…
Snapshots of Apostates Jude 12—15
On the evening of January 13, 2012, the luxurious cruise ship Costa Concordia was sailing off the coast of the Tuscan Island of Giglio when, without warning, it struck mountainous…
Essentials for the Faithful Jude 16—25
The short epistle of Jude is a scathing denunciation of false teachers and their immoral doctrines. It portrays them as evil individuals who worm their way into churches even though…
How to be a Godly Leader
So many churches and Christian organizations are facing crises in their leadership. Godly leadership is critical if Christians are to grow in Christ and glorify Him. Here are four principles of godly…
The Girl Almost Nobody Loved
One of the many wonderful things about the Bible is how full it is of real people and their real struggles. It is not a sterile Book. God clothed His truth in skin through the hundreds of…
Love Not the World
1 John 2:12–17: In this section, John assured his readers of his confidence in their salvation (vv. 12–14); and he instructed them to guard against loving the world and becoming part of its…
The Grace of God Part Eight
We saw that the word translated “testify” refers to “an emphatic affirmation that a thing is or will be so.” The word translated “gospel” means “good news.” A commission is “an authoritative order”…
Messiah
As we teach the Bible, we’re always surprised to learn how many people don’t realize that Jesus’ name is not “Jesus Christ.” The word Christ is English for the Greek word Christós.
If That Isn’t Love
It doesn’t take long for people to realize how much I love my little dog, Herbie. If I could, I’d take him with me everywhere. Herbie helped me understand how difficult it is for families to lose…
While We Were Still Sinners
I will never forget the day I visited the infamous Dandora Dump on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. The stench overwhelmed me as I witnessed young children scouring smoking mountains of toxic…
The Greatest Gift of All
I still can’t believe I overslept on Christmas morning. I can’t believe any 8-year-old would oversleep on Christmas morning. I saw my father sitting near the Christmas tree, beaming with anticipation.
The Test of Knowing God
1 John 2:3–11: It is easy for someone to say, “I know God”; but what does that really mean? First John 2:3–11 provides three tests or evidences of what it means to know God and be in…
The Grace of God Part Seven
In Acts 20:24 the apostle Paul referred to his purpose in life: “that I may finish my race with joy.” The Greek word translated finish means “to fulfill” or to carry out “a required course in…
God’s Provision for Sin
1 John 2:1–2: God is light (1 Jn. 1:5). Light defines and describes God’s true nature and symbolizes His purity, character, and glory. To have true fellowship with God, Christians must…
The Grace of God Part Six
Because of God’s grace, the church was able to grow. This article on the grace of God in the New Testament will observe how God, through grace, administered His eternal, moral absolutes over…
Introduction to Jeremiah
The prophet Jeremiah ministered from 627 to about 585 B.C., more than 100 years after the trauma of Assyria’s destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. Yet the consequences…
Shall Not Come to Mind Anymore
Jeremiah 3:16 and John 3:16: The Ark of the Covenant represented God’s presence and His footstool. It was where the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) ceremony was conducted in ancient…
Fellowship With God
1 John 1:5–10: Fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ is the message the apostle John proclaims throughout this epistle. For believers to have fellowship with God, they…
Christ’s Incarnation
1 John 1:1–4: Before the apostle John wrote 1 John, he had already lived through the inception, expansion, and persecution of the first-century church…
How it All Began
Of all the Passovers that have ever been celebrated, only one was the actual Passover. It took place more than 34 centuries ago when the God of…
A Night to Remember
Preparations for the evening were ready. When the hour had come, Jesus and His disciples went to an upper room, where they reclined around a low…
The Seven Keys to History Part Six
Of all the events that have shaped history, there have been none more important than the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God’s ultimate solution to sin…
The First Epistle of John
In most Bible-believing churches, a Sunday morning service seems filled with a spirit of joy and harmony. Visitors are welcomed warmly and invited to please come back…
The Grace of God Part Three
God’s grace is evident throughout Scripture. The previous article presented examples of that grace. This article will continue that study. The cry for God’s grace by…
The Seven Keys to History Part Five
We live in a world that is deeply influenced by evolution and supposed scientific theory. To have a rightly ordered life, we must understand (1) God is the Creator…
A Final Exhortation
Hebrews 13:18–25: The final eight verses of Hebrews 13 conclude the Epistle to the Hebrews. In them, the author exhorted Jewish believers one last time through a…
The Grace of God Part Two
As we have seen, the two key Old Testament words for “grace” are hanan and hen. The Hebrew verb related to grace is hanan. In one form, it means “be gracious” or…
The Seven Keys to History Part Four
The first three keys to history are found in the first 2,000 years of the world, from Genesis 1 through 11: creation, corruption, and catastrophe. Genesis 12 holds the fourth…
Counseling the Christian Hebrews 13:7–17
Chapter 13 of Hebrews contains the book’s final admonishment. Whereas verses 1–6 provide practical and personal exhortation on how believers should live in Christ, verses 7–17 focus more on theological…
The Grace of God Part One
This article begins a study of God’s grace in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew verb related to grace is hanan.1 In one form it “has the meaning…
The Greatness of the Gospel
God knows what we need better than we do. And He has provided abundantly for us in many ways, as you’ll see here.
Awaiting the Bridegroom
Ever been somewhere so comforting you never wanted to leave? Well, that’s nothing compared to what lies in store if you belong to Jesus.
The Best is Yet to Come
Streets of gold, the Tree of Life, the New Jerusalem. They’re not elements of a fairy tale. They’re real, as this outstanding article explains.
The Seven Keys to History Part Three
Have you ever heard the expression “the then world”? It comes from 2 Peter 3: For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old…
Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner?
I am not sure how my mother pulled it off, but she made Sunday dinner a special occasion. I have fond memories of the smells, tastes, and family atmosphere of the midday…
The Christian’s Commitment Hebrews 13:1–6
To this point, the book of Hebrews has stressed the superiority of Christ, while exhorting believers not to leave the church because of persecution but to go on to Christian…
The Love and Mercy of God Conclusion
The previous article cited examples of Jesus administering God’s mercy in various ways during His ministry on Earth. He administered mercy to the unsaved and guiltless and healed the blind, demon-possessed…
Wearing God’s Glasses
Have you ever seen an optical illusion? A picture, perhaps, that can look either like a duck or a rabbit, depending on your perception? That’s how the world can be. People…
The Seven Keys to History Part Two
The entire world lives on a seven-day cycle that was God’s design and creation: In six days He created the world, and on the seventh He rested. Genesis 1 says…
The Final Warning Hebrews 12:18–29
In a fifth and final warning to Jewish believers in Christ, the book of Hebrews contrasts the experience of God’s people at Mount Sinai as they received the Mosaic Covenant…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Six
The New Testament reveals that Jesus defended and administered God’s mercy in various ways during His ministry on Earth. On one occasion Jesus and His disciples went to a house and ate…
The Seven Keys to History Part One
Creation is God’s handiwork. It is the starting point for a correct understanding of everything about humankind, history, and life. So we begin this series…
The Facts and Flaws of Covenant Theology Conclusion
What does God say about Israel’s future? If the New Testament teaches ethnic Israel has a future, then Replacement Theology is untrue. While on Earth, Jesus established that He was premillennial…
The Lord’s Chastening Hebrews 12:5–17
Tribulation and suffering befall all true Christians sometime in their lives. The believers addressed in the book of Hebrews were no exception. Persecution had…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Five
The previous article focused on God’s eleos mercy as related to eternal salvation. Now we will examine other relationships of God’s mercy expressed through the Greek New Testament words eleos, oiktirmos…
The Triunity in Isaiah
Bible-believing Christians hold fast to many cardinal doctrines of the faith, such as the virgin birth, inspiration of Scripture, substitutionary atonement, justification by faith, and the plurality within the Godhead…
Isaiah: The Royal Prophet
He moved with grace through the culture of his day. That was Isaiah, a prince of prophets, whom you’ll get to know better through this excellent article.
The Great Solution: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
On Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What a great day it is for believers to rejoice together. The world doesn’t comprehend it, and that’s a pity…
Isaiah’s Son/Child Theme
Higher critics often point to differences within the book of Isaiah to prove their theory of multiple authors and time periods. However, many common themes run throughout the book and argue…
Merely Lumps of Clay
Imagine a clay pot complaining about the potter who created it! The thought is absurd. The lump of clay is nothing. In fact, it’s completely worthless until the potter skillfully…
Who Is Like You, Eternal One?
Do you have trouble or heartache in your life? Does the world situation worry you? Then the book of Isaiah should be a great comfort because it makes clear there’s a God…
The Facts and Flaws of Covenant Theology Part Four
Most Replacement theologians use a particular set of verses to argue that God no longer views the Jewish people as His Chosen People and has replaced Israel with the church…
A Faith That Endures Hebrews 12:1–4
The book of Hebrews was written to provide evidence of Jesus Christ’s divinity, confirm that the Mosaic Law had been both fulfilled and abrogated in Christ, and exhort Jewish believers…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Four
The previous article introduced key Greek words for God’s mercy in the New Testament and noted the relationship of God’s love to His mercy. This article examines more examples of God’s…
The Megillah Begins Esther 1—3
Almost 2,500 years ago, a Persian official wanted to wipe the Jewish people off the map. Sound contemporary? It’s in the book of Esther, where the story begins.
Dilemma and Decisions Esther 4
Ever been between a rock and a hard place, as the saying goes? It’s that terrible situation in which both choices that lie before you are bad. Queen Esther faced…
How the Megillah Ends Esther 6—10
Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot.” So says one of America’s popular comic-book superheroes. He could have added, “And they’re a proud lot, too.” Most villains are proud and arrogant…
Haman’s Main Problem Esther 5
Haman had it all. Yet Mordecai’s refusal to bow to him ruined everything, as far as he was concerned. That’s because he had two problems many still have today.
The Facts and Flaws of Covenant Theology Part Three
If Replacement Theology is true, then certainly God has an opinion about it—one He states clearly and teaches visibly in Scripture. Conversely, if it is not plainly taught, then Replacement Theology…
Why I Am a Pretribulation Rapturist
There are five views concerning the Rapture: pretribulation (pretrib), midtribulation (midtrib), posttribulation (posttrib), partial Rapture, and prewrath. Pretrib says the church will be raptured before…
Excuses, Excuses
Some people object to studying prophecy because they claim it is “too deep” and difficult to understand. Nonsense. For example, in Revelation 6:2, the apostle John wrote, “And I looked…
The Accomplishments of Faith
Hebrews 11:32–40: The beginning of Hebrews 11 describes faith. Then it systematically illustrates it in the lives of those who lived before the patriarchal period until Israel crossed the Jordan River…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Three
Previously we examined characteristics of God’s mercy or lovingkindness as revealed in the Old Testament. Now we will focus on God’s mercy in the New Testament. God’s mercy is expressed through three clusters…
Is There a Way Back?
The story of the Gospels is the wonderful news of what Jesus did for us. But the anti-Christ forces in America are power- ful. There is an antidote, and it’s the same one God prescribed for ancient Israel.
The Facts and Flaws of Covenant Theology Part Two
Covenant Theology is the dominant theological system of most mainline Protestant churches and maintains that God has replaced the Jewish people with the church. On the basis of two or three “covenants”…
Faith at Jericho Hebrews 11:30–31
After 400 years in Egyptian captivity, the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land. The Lord commanded Moses to send one representative from each of the 12 tribes to search…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Two
When the Israelites complained and threatened to return to Egypt after their spies reported that Canaan could not be conquered because it was filled with giants…
‘I Will Come Again’
Jesus’ promise to come again was familiar talk to His disciples. That’s because it was connected to a special, joyous occasion expertly described in this article.
Why Revelation 20 Makes Sense
For all we can tell, the apostle Paul went to glory unaware that the Messiah’s everlasting Kingdom will begin with a 1,000-year precursor to the endless ages that follow. The Hebrew Scriptures are…
Rejoicing in Beulah Land
Today Israel is besieged on all sides. It seems like the little Jewish state has noth- ing but enemies. But someday the tide will turn. God has a plan, and here it is.
The Facts and Flaws of Covenant Theology Part One
Covenant Theology is the dominant theological system of most mainline Protestant churches. It is a system of theology that interprets the Bible’s philosophy of history through the lens of two or three…
Living in a Perfect World
Long life. No disease. Tame animals. These are merely a few characteristics of the Millennium. There are many more, some of which may even surprise you.
The Faith of Moses Hebrews 11:23–29
Moses was a gifted leader whom God used to bring about His plan for Israel and the world. He was blessed with good looks, intelligence, opportunities, eloquence, and leadership ability (Ex. 2:2; Acts 7:20, 22).
The Love and Mercy of God Part One
The key Old Testament word for God’s mercy is hesed. Scholars have translated it frequently as “mercy” or “lovingkindness.” Hesed appears 245 times…
Leaning on His Word
What does every believer need but doesn’t want, has but doesn’t know what to do with? The answer is trials. We don’t want them, but we have them. When we have them…
Gaining Perspective
Even in the best of times, life can get you down. Perhaps that is why the Psalms are particularly suited to comfort people going through tough times. Who hasn’t been comforted…
The Uniqueness of God’s Word
The Bible was written by 40 different men over 1,600 years. How do we know it’s God’s Word? Read this article and find out!
The Father of Faith Hebrews 11:8–22
Now the book of Hebrews moves from the faith of men before the flood to the faith of men in the patriarchal period. The author uses Abraham’s faith to illustrate…
The Love of God Conclusion
In Titus 3:3 the apostle Paul presented a graphic description of unsaved man’s fallen disposition. He wrote to Titus, “We ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures…
Walking in the Spirit
Believers today must walk in the Spirit. It is the essence of the stewardship of our dispensation and the criteria by which God will evaluate us. No one in the Old Testament…
By Grace Through Faith Alone
For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness’” (Rom. 4:3). Under the Old Covenant, people believed God accepted the blood of bulls and goats…
The Holy Spirit: A Believer’s Best Friend
And I will pray the Father; and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him…
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
Jewish people react to the topic of the Holy Spirit much like Gentiles react to gefilte fish—with a rolling of the eyes and contortion of the face. Gentiles react that way…
A Look at the Gifts
Ships and boats have always intrigued me. Row boats, motor boats, fishing trawlers, riverboats, houseboats, battleships, and ocean liners—they all capture my imagination. As a child I knew the names of many famous…
Our God Who Helps
The Jewish Scriptures present the first glimpse of God’s creation of the earth by saying, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2). There were not…
Blessings of the New Covenant
Believers who live on this side of the Messiah’s empty tomb, the Day of Pentecost, and the book of Hebrews ought to learn to wallow more carefully in the New Covenant.
Baptism and Indwelling
New Covenant believers must be careful not to look with disdain on what God did with His people in ages past. In fact, Yahweh proved Himself blindingly gracious under the Old Covenant…
The Great Enabler
Throughout the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is seen acting dramatically in the lives of people to enable those individuals to do that which, left to themselves, they could not do.
A Phenomenal Shavuot
Jerusalem was crowded with pilgrims and strangers from all over the ancient world. They came from Mesopotamia, Judea, Asia, Egypt, Libya, and even Rome. It was summer; and Jewish people were gathering…
The Filling of the Spirit
Spirit-filling empowered John the Baptist to “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (Lk. 1:16) and be the forerunner of the Messiah “in the spirit and power of…
Faith Before the Flood Hebrews 11:4–7
n Hebrews 11 a gallery of portraits is paraded before us, painted by the hand of God. Each portrait presents the unique faith of individuals who performed great exploits. These men and women…
The Love of God Part Four
The previous article focused on the world as an object of God’s love and explained the distinction between agapao and phileo, the two key Greek words associated with God’s love…
Worship Prayer
Worship should be an essential element of prayer. The modern-day word worship comes from the old English word weorthscipe.1 It referred to “worthiness, respect, reverence paid to a divine being.”2 These meanings indicate…