By Faith Abraham: Hebrews 11:8–19
Hebrews 11 describes the faith of the three men the Jewish people hold to be the cornerstone of Judaism: Abraham, Moses, and David. Abraham is also called the “friend” of God (Isa. 41:8).
Biblical Studies/Theology
Moses and Faith: Hebrews 11:23–29
Moses had a rich heritage of faith. Before his birth, Pharaoh of Egypt commanded that all male babies born to Hebrew women be killed (Ex. 1:15–22). When Moses was born, his parents had to make…
The World Was Not Worthy of These: Hebrews 11:32–40
Every year new members are elected to the various sports’ Halls of Fame. Many good players, however, never receive this public honor. Buried in the past rosters of hundreds of teams are thousands of excellent…
Trouble In The Temple: Matthew 23:37–24:2
As with so many important chapters in God’s Word, Matthew 24 actually begins at the end of the previous chapter. The 23rd chapter records what was undoubtedly the hardest-hitting message Jesus delivered during His earthly…
The Faithful Remnant
Among the material possessions Maxine and I hold dear is an old oak dining room table. It was the object of a rescue effort launched years ago when we discovered the table…
Nehemiah: Facing the Opposition
Whenever the Lord calls a person to serve Him, opposition usually follows. Sometimes it comes in a very subtle manner, and at other times it comes through strong, open resistance. Unbelievers and believers alike can…
Nehemiah the Leader Feb/Mar 1994
Being a leader is an unenviable calling. It appears glamorous and glorious, but it is more often lonely and thankless. The best training for a would-be leader is to observe closely the model…
The Gates Of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s Day
When the Jewish people returned to their homeland after the Babylonian Captivity, Jerusalem lay in ruins. The Temple, the city walls, and the gates had been destroyed as a result of the three invasions…
Israel’s Babylon Experience
Only a remnant of Judah came back to the land in these returns, while a significant number, probably the majority of the population, remained in the East. At the time of Esther…
Nehemiah: The Reading of the Law and Revival
The Jews who were living in their homeland during the 440s BC (93 years after the Babylonian Captivity had ended) had a great heart for God. Perhaps all the opposition, affliction, and reproach they had…
Paul’s Personal Postscript Galatians 6:11–18
VANCE HAVNER once said, “Contending for the faith is not easy. It is not pleasant business. It has many perils. It is a thankless job, and it is highly unpopular in an age of moral…
Spirit-Led Service Galatians 6:1–10
“Through every believer has the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit does not have every believer,” wrote A. W. Tozer. Many Christians find it easy to talk about being Spirit-filled but show little evidence of it…
Victorious Christian Living Galatians 5:13–26
“How Should We Then Live?” asked Dr. Francis A. Shaeffer in his best-selling book by that title. His question centered on how Christians should live in the midst of a declining Western culture in which…
The Abrahamic Covenant
It would not be appropriate to ask which is the most important Old Testament covenant. Each of the covenants plays its own unique role in God’s marvelous plan of redemption and is therefore very important.
The Mosaic Covenant
The establishment of the Mosaic Covenant was an epic moment in the history of the nation of Israel. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai and announced that God would establish a covenant…
Living in Liberty Galatians 5:1–12
Patrick Henry wrote, “Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but…
Two Types of Sons Galatians 4:19–31
The joys of giving birth are great, but so can be the agony in guiding that child to maturity. What is true in the physical realm is also true in the spiritual realm.
Why Anti-Semitism?
Why have the Jewish people been persecuted more persistently than any other ethnic group throughout history? Why, in spite of overwhelming evidence of the Holocaust, do some deny that it happened?
An Uneasy Tension
Relationships between Jews and Christians have always been characterized by an uneasy tension, which has at times turned into violence of the worst kind. At other times, relations between the two have been more peaceful…
Rome Revisited
The days of the judges were a time of almost unbroken national depression for Israel. All of the indicators for survival and success of the nation were pointing downward.
Ruth: The Woman Who Wouldn’t Turn Back
Ruth comes to us from the pages of biblical history as a young woman of Moab who married a young man from Bethlehem of Judah. At first glance, it may appear that her husband simply…
Ruth and Boaz: The Story of the Kinsman-Redeemer
The Jewish community has always looked upon marriage as a sacred and divine institution. It is viewed as a holy covenant between a man and a woman, a necessity for the divine plan to propagate…
God’s Law for Redeeming the Land
One cannot understand fully the story of Ruth and the role of Boaz as the kinsman-redeemer apart from a knowledge of God’s program of land redemption for Israel and the responsibilities of the kinsman-redeemer.
Ruth and the Messiah
The charming little account contained in the Book of Ruth has all the interest-catching elements of an absorbing short story. The reader is exposed to a plot containing elements of tragedy, conflict, characterization, and resolution.
Sonship Has Its Privileges Galatians 4:1–18
“Membership has its privileges” was a slogan popularized by a major American corporation a few years back. The meaning is self evident: Members of the group are accorded privileges not extended to others.
Once For All Set Free Galatians 3:15–29
Earlier in Galatians chapter 3, Paul demonstrated that Abraham was justified by faith centuries before the Law was given. In like manner, all who follow in the faith of Abraham—Jew or Gentile—are declared justified without…
Justified by Faith Alone Galatians 3:1–14
Dr. William Culbertson, former President of Moody Bible Institute, often concluded his prayers with the words, “Lord, I pray that we will finish well.” He realized that many people begin their Christian walk well but…
Paul’s Beloved Enemies
The question flows through the minds of those who have pursued the compelling story of God’s ancient people across the pages of the Word of God and down the dusty roads of history.
Paul the Jew
This Jewish man called himself “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13) and twice referred to his role as that of “a teacher of the Gentiles” (1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11).
Paul’s Encounter With the Risen Savior
Regarding the miraculous turnabout of Rabbi Saul, Church historian Philip Schaff, states, “The transformation of the most dangerous persecutor into the most successful promoter of Christianity is nothing less than a miracle of divine grace.
Paul in the Eye of the Storm
Hurricanes are the most powerful storms known to man. Ranging anywhere from 200 to 300 miles in diameter and packing winds of up to 150 miles per hour, they wreak havoc and hardship on whatever…
Paul’s Method of Evangelism
The greatest missionary-evangelist of all time was the Apostle Paul. His ministry and methods put most of ours to shame. This servant of the Lord touched multitudes of people across the world of his day.
Confronting Church Compromise Galatians 2:11–21
Confronting a brother face to face concerning compromise is never easy or pleasant, especially if that brother is a co-worker, of sterling reputation and character, and a highly respected church leader.
Paul’s Ministry Confirmed Galatians 2:1–10
Opposition to Paul and his ministry was vicious. Judaizers had sown seeds of contention throughout Galatia. They had questioned Paul’s commission as an apostle, compromised the gospel by mixing law and grace, and corrupted local…
My Son! My Son!
In the last article in this series, we saw that Abraham desperately wanted the heir God had promised to him. He realized that Eliezer of Damascus was not the one (Gen. 15:2).
I’ll Do It My Way, Lord!
The very mention of the name Abraham causes multitudes of people to perk up their ears. Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike look to this patriarch as the founder of their religion.
Paul’s Apostleship Defended Galatians 1:10–24
Judaizers had infiltrated the churches of Galatia and were sowing seeds of dissension. They had tried to discredit Paul’s apostleship by claiming he was a man pleaser—teaching circumcision when with the Jews (1 Cor. 9:20)…
A Land Flowing With Milk and Honey
Leviticus 25:8–17 provides for one of the more interesting statutes in Israel’s history. Beyond the rest that the land and the people were to receive every seven years, when the seventh seven came along…
A Mentor’s Model for Ministry 1 Thessalonians 2
Paul had presented the gospel on three consecutive Sabbaths in the synagogue at Thessalonica. The Spirit of God had convicted the congregants, resulting in many Jews and a great multitude of Gentiles coming to faith…
Good Tidings From a Young Church 1 Thessalonians 3
Paul had a continual burden for the churches he started. Although he had moved on to other areas of ministry, either by the direct leading of the Lord or by being forced…
A Call to Hope 1 Thessalonians 4
The New Testament epistles do not teach systematic theology. That statement may appear shocking to some readers, but a little reflection will clarify what is meant. A systematic theology textbook gathers all that the Bible…
An Evaluation of Christian Reconstructionism Concluded
The two previous articles in this five-article series focused on several problems related to the Reconstructionist views of history and eschatology, Matthew 24, the Book of the Revelation, the 70 weeks of Daniel 9…
Israel’s Fall Feasts
Over the centuries, Israel’s national life has revolved around her great feasts. In the days of the Tabernacle and, later, The Temple, Abraham’s sons heeded the Lord’s call to assemble “before the Lᴏʀᴅ thy God…
Yom Kippur
It is the most awesome day of the Jewish year. Yom Kippur is the Hebrew phrase for the Day of Atonement. For more than 3,000 years, Jewish people have observed this annual day of solemn…
The Feast of Tabernacles
The Temple of God had been completed. More than 150,000 men had labored for seven years in the building of what became known as Solomon’s Temple. The finest wood, the purest gold and silver…
Simchat Torah: Celebrating the Bible
One of the happiest of all Jewish holidays is Simchat Torah (Rejoicing over the Law). Second only to Purim in hilarity, this delightful holiday has but one word to describe it—joy.
Abraham: “Blessings on You, My Friend!”
Blessing—what does the word mean? We use it so freely: “Bless you, my brother,” “Bless you, my sister,” and, when someone sneezes, “God bless you!” It is not uncommon to use phrases…
Further Evaluation of Christian Reconstructionism
The previous article in this series focused on several problems related to the Reconstructionist view of history and eschatology. The present article examines problems related to other areas of Reconstructionism.
One True Gospel Galatians 1:1–9
In the past 30 years there has been a proliferation of “new gospels” in the United States. Some are rooted in eastern philosophical religions, such as Hinduism. Others are based on pop-psychologies, which promise health…
The Parting of the Ways
Although it has sometimes been overlooked, a straightforward reading of the Book of Acts reveals that Christianity began as a sect within the Jewish community. Jesus was born of a Jewish mother, was reared…
Abortion and the Origin of the Human Soul
The Bible contains two facts that bear significantly upon the issue of when the fetus is a complete human being possessing a human soul. The first fact is that man is created in the image…
In Quest of the Holy Cow
It was the only sacrifice for which the animal had to be a special color. It was the only sacrifice that had to be performed outside the camp instead of on the altar.
Abortion and Man in the Image of God
Abortion is one of the most controversial issues to confront the world during the last quarter of the 20th century. The very mention of the word generates strong emotions in many people, and the issue…
The First Priority
The Apostle Paul put it this way: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Rom. 10:1). Jesus said it even more concisely: “For the Son…
Replacing the Heart of Stone
“Born Again Jews are Rocking in the U.S.S.R.” This was the headline on the second page of the September 1989 edition of the local San Diego Jewish newspaper. With much anticipation, I read the article.
Doctrine in the Church 1 Corinthians 15
The word doctrine is an enigma to many Christians. There is something unbiblical, almost heretical, about it. You may hear someone say, “Just give me Jesus. He’s all I need,” or perhaps…
God’s Present Work in Israel in the Light of the Book of Esther
Over four thousand years ago God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants, promising to be a God to them forever (Gen. 17:7). But now, in the present Church age, Abraham’s descendants have been…
Decorum in the Local Church 1 Corinthians 11–14
The Lord’s Day is that one day each week when the body of Christ meets for edification, fellowship, preaching, and blessing. The cares of life are set aside for several hours, and our attention…