Previously we saw that God exercises sovereign rule over the universe, angels, and history. Now we will examine God’s sovereign rule over the nations. Assertions of Sovereignty.The Bible records assertions of God’s sovereignty over the nations. God…
Joshua called Yahweh “Lord of all the earth.” The word Lord in Hebrew is Adonai. And it speaks of the absolute lordship of the God of the universe.
Micah 7:1-20: Micah’s grief over the deterioration of Judean society is poignantly expressed in this final chapter. The prophet lamented Judah’s sinful condition, knowing that the nation could not go unpunished. In the midst of sorrow…
Webster’s New International Dictionary defines the adjective sovereign as follows: “Supreme or highest in power; superior in position to all others,” and “Independent of, and unlimited by, any other; possessing, or entitled to, original…
Previously we examined the senselessness and consequences of idol worship. Here we will examine spheres that are subject to the sovereignty of the true and living God. Angels God’s significant relationships with the angels…
In the previous article we saw that the Bible asserts unequivocally that Jehovah-the God revealed in its pages, the one who brought Israel and the church…
Scripture teaches that Jehovah, the God of the Bible, is exalted above all gods and is the only real, true, and living God. God Is Exalted Israelites and Gentiles asserted that Israel’s God is exalted above all
What is the holiness of God? For many years I thought the sum total of God’s holiness was His sinlessness. But I was mistaken. God’s sinlessness is an important aspect of God’s holiness…
Lucifer, “the anointed cherub that covereth,” became the evil “god of this age”—the enemy of Jehovah. Learn what happened and why?
Satan’s dominion may be invisible. But if you know where to look, you’ll be astounded to see how much he controls . . . and how he controls it.
As if one evil being weren’t enough, the Bible teaches that in the last days, there will be three—a pseudotrinity—that will take over the world.
If you think Satan appears like the caricatures of him, with horns and a red tail, think again. More often than not, he appears as the “noblest” among us.
Some individuals claim that God is an impersonal power or force and is not personal. Paul Tillich, who taught at Union Theological Seminary (New York), Harvard, and the University of Chicago and who was regarded…
In the previous article, we observed implications for the triunity of God in the Old Testament, noting how that portion of the Scriptures presents both the unity and plurality of God. Now we shall examine…
Have you ever wondered why Jewish people have been scattered throughout the nations of the world more consistently than any other people? Why anti-Semitism persists in rearing its ugly head repeatedly throughout history? Why Nazism…
Our previous articles have demonstrated that God has used various means to reveal the reality of His existence and other knowledge concerning Himself to mankind. One aspect of that other knowledge is the fact…
Our two previous articles examined the biblical claim that nature (the universe) reveals the existence of a divine being (God) who possesses eternal power. Thus nature is one means that God uses to reveal knowledge…
Previously we examined the biblical claim that God has demonstrated the reality of His existence and uncovered other knowledge about Himself by giving revelation to human beings during the course of history.
How can mankind know if God is a reality or a figment of human imagination? If God is a reality, how can His nature; thoughts; ways; actions; and relationship to the universe, planet Earth, mankind…
Our series now comes to the doctrine of God, the formal name of which is theology proper. This division of “The Foundations of Faith” will examine the major scriptural truths concerning God and will consider…
We have already seen two evidences that the theocratic Kingdom has been postponed until Christ’s Second Coming. This article will examine more evidences of that postponement. The Chronology of Matthew 24—25 In Matthew 24—25…
Do Christians read more into the words Son of God than the Bible intends? Examine the origin of the title and how it applies to Jesus.
Although veiled in flesh while on earth, Jesus was still God. This article explores how Jesus lived within the scope of human limitations.
The term Son of man is used no fewer than 192 times throughout the Word of God. And it means more than you might expect.
Some say Jesus was not the Son of God until the incarnation because sonship implies subservience. But does it really?
Since Israel rejected Jesus Christ and His offer of God’s theocratic Kingdom, the theocratic Kingdom was not established with the nation of Israel that existed at the time of Christ’s First Coming.
The apostle Paul was not one to mince words. Learn what he told the Galatians concerning the gospel of salvation.
Law vs. grace—the age-old struggle. This excellent article clarifies the differences between the two systems and explains which one God blesses and why.
Would you reenroll in kindergarten after you had graduated from college? In essence, that’s what some people were telling the Galatian believers to do.
You know that your Christian brother has fallen deeply into sin. What should you do? Read this article and find out.
I was a relatively new believer when I heard an older, wiser woman tell a story I will never forget. She looked somewhat disheartened and bedraggled—the symptomatic side effects of having many mouths to feed…
Hosea 7:1-16: It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Yet in this chapter of Hosea, the prophet uses a number of similes and metaphors to paint a vivid picture of Israel’s pursuit…
In the previous article, we saw that Christ offered the future theocratic Kingdom to Israel and told the nation what it must do for the Kingdom to be established. He offered the Kingdom through…
Hosea 6:1-11: A doctor once stated, “Three hundred of my patients, when notified they were dying, repented of their sins and professed faith in God. Once they were restored to health, only ten of the three hundred…
The gospel of the Kingdom contained nothing about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, the gospel defined in 1 Corinthians 15 focused on His death, burial, and resurrection and said nothing about…
Hosea 5:1-15: Batsell B. Baxter tells of a huge painting hanging in the Supreme Court Building of Switzerland. In the foreground are the litigants who have come to the court seeking justice.
In the previous article, we noted that the Kingdom of God has at least two aspects, or expressions: the universal and the theocratic. The universal Kingdom is the rule of God administered directly or indirectly…
God is in the business of turning sinners into saints. This exposition of Romans 1 through 5 explains how—and how much He holds us accountable for.
Where does the power come from to live the Christian life? Chapters 6 through 8 of Romans have the answers.
God chose Israel thousands of years ago. Has He stuck with her? This article examines Romans 9, 10, and 11 in light of the sovereignty of God.
There is no Temple in Jerusalem, but God still expects you to present a sacrifice; and you may be surprised to learn just what that sacrifice is.
Hosea 4:1-19: Sowing and reaping is an immutable law of nature. This law holds true in both the spiritual and moral realms of life. During the reign of King Jeroboam II, seeds of spiritual adultery and moral…
When Jesus Christ was on earth during His First Coming, He said “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk. 1:15); and He taught His disciples to pray “Thy kingdom come” (Mt. 6:10).
Hosea 3:1-5: How many people would be willing to buy back their own possessions? In all probability, not many. The average person today, it seems, would be more likely to spend twice as much money going to…
In the previous article, we noted that Jesus Christ (Mt. 19:28) and the apostles Peter (Acts 3:19-21) and Paul (Rom. 8:19-22) foretold that nature will be restored to its original pre-fall condition when Christ…
The apostle Paul evidenced surprise when the first generation of Christians began to pass away. Today the second millennium of church history is about to give way to a third. Well might witnessing saints in glory be whispering…
This earth began with God’s theocracy as its government, but the theocracy was lost through the Satan-prompted fall of mankind. If God does not restore His theocratic kingdom rule before this earth’s history comes to an end, then Satan…
Jesus Christ will play the key role in crushing Satan. His work of redemption through His death on the cross in His First Coming gives Him the authority to do this future work as mankind’s Kinsman-Redeemer (Heb. 2:14; 1 Jn. 3:8). Seven years before…
In Revelation 4 and 5, where John was introduced to things that “must” take place in the future (4:1), the apostle saw Christ take a scroll from the hand of God the Father. The scroll was sealed with seven seals. Christ took the scroll…
Prospective pilots for major airlines are trained on flight simulators, which are designed to present them with a variety of problems they might encounter while flying. The candidates are first tested with simple challenges and are eventually…
It is all too common today to hear Christians disparage doctrine or theology as entirely theoretical, productive only of pride and division, and therefore almost entirely irrelevant to the real issues of life. The cry is for greater emphasis on…
Talk is cheap. In the minds of some people, the mention of the term politician seems to bear this out. Not only do some elected officials make promises they cannot keep, but some Christians do not practice what they preach. As a modern proverb states…
The average person speaks nearly 30,000 words each day—enough to fill a good-sized book. Do we realize that each of us is writing an unwritten book every day of our lives? As we read a book, we often form certain opinions about…
Revelation 21:1–8: The subject of eternity piques people’s interest as no other theme in Scripture. People intuitively know that there is a more fulfilling existence beyond this life because the transitory events on earth do not satisfy. But…
If it is true that Jesus Christ was sinless, what is meant by the Apostle Paul’s statement that God sent “his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom. 8:3)? The word translated “flesh” refers to “a human being in contrast to God and…
Revelation 20:11–15: On July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Edwards held the manuscript so close to his face that the congregation was unable to see his expression as…
The first issue results from the combination of two truths. First, the Bible teaches that each human being who has been procreated through natural means since the fall of mankind is in a state of sin with a sin nature from the moment of…
Revelation 20:1–10: Mr. U Thant, former Secretary General of the United Nations, addressed 67 scholars and statesmen on the requirements for world peace. He asked these questions: “What element is lacking so that with all our skill and all our knowledge…
To establish the meaning of sinlessness, we must first understand the concept of sin. Sin could be defined as any failure to conform perfectly to the holy character and will of God. God requires people to be holy because He is…
The English word hypostasis is derived from a Greek word meaning “essence, actual being, reality” (William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 854). Thus, it refers to the real essence of a person or thing. As applied to Christ…
The Apostle Peter predicted that, just as false prophets arose among the people of Israel to oppose the declarations of true Old Testament prophets, so false teachers would come among the church saints to oppose the truths of Christianity. The word for…
Two Old Testament passages that did this will be noted. Isaiah 9:6 assigned the names “The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father” to the Messiah. Ancient Judaism recognized that this referred to the Messiah.
The subject of Christ’s eternality deals with the fact that He has always existed as a person from eternity past, with no beginning and no end. The Scriptures give at least three lines of evidence…
All of the articles thus far in this series have examined the first major area of doctrine—Bibliology (the study of the Bible). This article begins an examination of another significant area—Christology (the study of Christ).
“For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken” (Isa. 53:8).
The previous article in this series began to present the Bible’s witness concerning its divine nature. This article provides two additional examples of that witness.
Human and divine factors were involved in the writing of the inspired Scriptures. Our previous article presented the Bible’s witness concerning some aspects of its human nature. This article will begin to present the Bible’s…
In the previous article, which presented the biblical view of inspiration, we saw that both human and divine factors were involved in the writing of the inspired Scriptures. This means that the Bible…
Thus far in our study of bibliology (the doctrine of the Bible) we have examined the subject of divine revelation, which involves God’s uncovering of knowledge to mankind.
The Scriptures indicate that God has used two major kinds of divine revelation to uncover truth to mankind: general and special revelation. General revelation, which is God’s uncovering of knowledge through means…
In previous articles, we observed the means God uses to reveal His truth to all mankind in general. This article examines the significance of general revelation.
In the previous two articles, we studied the biblical teaching concerning God’s uncovering of knowledge to all mankind through nature. This article examines His use of history and the human conscience as two other means of general revelation.
In our previous article we examined Psalm 19:1–6, one of the biblical passages that addressed God’s uncovering of knowledge to all of mankind through the means of nature. In this article we will study two…
What constitutes a “call” for a person of God? Is it a mystical experience that seemingly only a few receive? Is it that still small voice of God that speaks to us in our confusion?
In the previous article in this series, we saw that there are two kinds or categories of divine revelation: general and special. General revelation is God’s uncovering of knowledge through means available to all mankind.
In the study of biblical doctrine, it is essential to begin with the doctrine of the Bible (bibliology), which consists of commentary on the Bible derived from the Bible itself. Since all other biblical doctrines
This is the introductory article in a series presenting the doctrines contained in the Bible. The word doctrine comes from the Latin term doctrina, which means “instruction, education, learning.”
We are living in a day characterized by apostasy. It is hard to say exactly when it began, but it came to the United States as a result of European “free-thinking liberalism.”
It has been said that many churches begin with a man, reach out with a mission, become a movement, and eventually end up a monument. Often this is true, but not for every church.
It is wonderful to see a family that gets along well. You can sense the harmony, fellowship, and love shared by all. Many people long for such ongoing relationships in their own families…
The Scriptures reveal a perpetual principle in effect in every age of history since the fall of man. That principle is as follows: Eternal salvation is always by the grace of God…
The hands of Caiaphas are bloodstained. On this high holiday, this Day of Atonement, he has already cut the throat of the sacrificial bull.
A new Decalogue has been adopted by the neo-Christians of our day, ‘Thou shalt not disagree,’ and a new set of Beatitudes too, ‘Blessed are they that tolerate everything, for they shall not be made…
“Churches are like people. No two are alike. Each has its own personality … size and shape … strength and weakness,” wrote Steven Lawson.* This is evident when reading Christ’s letters to the seven churches…
The Temple still stood gloriously on that high mount where the Dome of the Rock now rests. The Pharisees still controlled the synagogues, influencing the people with their strict interpretations of the law.
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).
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…
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…
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…
“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…
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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…
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…
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.