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…
Biblical Studies/Theology
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…
When God Seems Silent
Imagine crying out to God but receiving no response. He’s always there, of course, but sometimes it doesn’t seem that way. Here’s what to do when God seems silent.
The Bedrock of Faith Hebrews 11:1–3
The author of Hebrews revealed in chapter 10 that salvation is established on the bedrock of Christ’s sacrifice and not through the Levitical system. Christ’s death for sin and His abiding priesthood…
The Love of God Part Three
God’s love is one of the great themes of the Bible. The previous articles on this theme focused attention on His love in the Old Testament. Now let’s begin to examine His love…
Zerubbabel: Man With a Mission
Today’s Muslims claim the Jewish Temple of Jehovah never existed in Jerusalem. The Bible says differently, as you’ll soon see.
Words of Warning Hebrews 10:26–39
This section of the book of Hebrews comes on the heels of a strong warning in 10:25 that believers not abandon assembling together, as some were doing. In fact, Christians in every generation…
The Love of God Part Two
The previous article began to focus on God’s love in the Old Testament. God’s love involves a confirmed, inner, favorable disposition toward the objects of His love and a high, passionate degree…
The Greatest Mystery of All
Consciousness, black holes, “rare antimatter.” These are considered some of the world’s greatest mysteries. But one mystery surpasses them all.
Tsedek and Mishpat: The Perfect Rightness of God
There is perhaps no virtue more central to who God is and how He works in the course of human history than that of justice or righteousness. A small constellation…
A Lifestyle of Faith Hebrews 10:19–25
To this point, the book of Hebrews has been doctrinal in nature. Using comparison, the author has shown Christ’s superiority over angels, Moses, and the Levitical priesthood. He has also shown…
The Love of God
The primary Hebrew word for “love” in the Old Testament is ahabh. Together with its derivatives, it is used to express different types of human affection within various relationships, such as husband-wife…
Fishers of Men
It may surprise you how much work goes into maintaining a fisherman’s net . . . regardless of what you’re fishing for.
Replacement Theology: The Black Sheep of Christendom Conclusion
When the reformers separated from the Roman Catholic Church, they brought with them Replacement Theology. Furthermore, they built their eschatology (doctrine of future things) and ecclesiology (doctrine of the church) on the idea…
Making God Known
If you were to ask people to define the term missionary, they probably would tell you it means someone who goes to a faraway land to teach about Jesus. And they’d…
Christ’s Sufficient Sacrifice Hebrews 10:1–18
Hebrews 10 culminates the central exposition on Christ’s eternal priesthood. In his closing argument, the author contrasted the imperfect, insufficient, and ineffective Levitical sacrificial system with Christ’s once-for-all, perfect, and sufficient…
Specific Reasons for God’s Anger and Wrath Conclusion
Our three previous articles presented specific reasons for God’s wrath against Israel and other nations. Now we will focus on specific reasons for God’s anger and wrath against mankind in general…
Blessed Are the Intolerant
Wanting to be more “accepting” of the world, professing Christians are turning away from biblical truth. Here’s a look at the sad downward spiral.
Replacement Theology:
The Black Sheep of Christendom Part Three
Until the fourth century, Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire. Although Replacement Theology had overtaken the church and metastasized into anti-Semitism, the church had no authority to do anything…
Christ’s Heavenly Ministry Hebrews 9:23–28
Under the Levitical system, animal blood could only cover sin, never remove it. However, Christ’s blood was sufficient and efficacious to redeem mankind and remove sin. The remaining verses of Hebrews 9…
Specific Reasons for God’s Anger and Wrath Part Three
The two previous articles presented specific reasons for God’s wrath against Israel. Now we will focus on specific reasons for God’s wrath against other nations. Because all nations fail to acknowledge…
The Tribulation’s Silver Lining
Humanity is about to hit the skids. But God has a reason for everything. Here is a peek at His purpose and the glorious silver lining.
Replacement Theology: The Black Sheep of Christendom Part Two
The church is not Israel, and Israel is not the church. However, more and more Christians today fail to see the distinction. They have been so indoctrinated into Replacement Theology…
Christ’s Superior Ministry Hebrews 9:11-22
Hebrews 9 begins with a description of the earthly Tabernacle and its ministry through the Levitical priesthood under the first (Mosaic) covenant. Both the Tabernacle and its services were temporary…