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…
Most people in the world don’t know much about Hanukkah—they should. All most of us see in it are those quaint eight-branched candelabra which adorn the outside of synagogues or are seen in public displays…
The visit of the magi to the Child-Messiah, recorded in Matthew 2:1–12, is one of the most familiar biblical scenes to most Christians. The average conception of this event, however, has been unfortunately marred…
Israel looked like the picture of health. Religious zeal was at an all-time high. Israelis were enjoying unprecedented prosperity. Political order ruled the day. Peace permeated the nation’s borders.
This article seeks to derive and apply lessons on leadership from the life of Nehemiah as they are recorded in the book bearing his name in the Old Testament.
Israel had expanded her borders, taken control of major trade routes, and grown extremely prosperous during the reign of Jeroboam II. An upper-class society had emerged and clothed itself in opulence at the expense of the poor.
A third-century rabbi, reflecting on the past history of his people, remarked, “Israel went into exile only after it became divided into twenty-four sects.”
Israel has a special relationship with God. Like a father to his son, God heaped upon Israel every provision for a life of purity and prosperity. Sadly, Israel turned out to be a prodigal son…
Have you ever made a “spiritual” new year’s resolution to read through the Bible in one year? If you are like most Christians, you may have launched off safely and made good progress on your voyage…
Amos (meaning to bear or burden-bearer) was reared in Tekoa, a small town in the hill country of Judah, six miles south of Bethlehem and 18 miles from the Dead Sea.
Buzz words concerning political and social justice fill the air. The Soviets are talking about “glasnost” (openness) and “perestroika” (reconstruction) in hope of producing greater understanding and defusing tensions with the west.
That’s the question the Apostle Paul posed as he opened the 11th chapter of Romans. For nearly two thousand years, many have asked the same question, and the majority of Christendom has answered, “Yes.”
In 1 Corinthians 14:21-22, the Apostle Paul indicated a connection between Isaiah 28:11 and the gift of tongues in the New Testament Church. The previous article examined that connection and Paul’s conclusion concerning the purpose of the gift of tongues.
His messages must have burned hot on his heart as he faced this new generation of Israelites. Racing through his mind and burdening his soul was the question of how they would fare in the land.
As the Bible reader moves from Malachi to Matthew, he encounters many new ideas, movements, and institutions never mentioned in the Old Testament. In the Gospels, for example, he reads about synagogues, Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots…
The forty years of wilderness wanderings were ending. God was completing His dealings with Israel and was about to take them into Canaan, their long-promised and long-awaited home.
History is replete with small nations who strut across the world stage, proudly flex their political muscles, then vanish into obscurity. Edom was such a nation. Her story is graphically detailed by Obadiah in the short book that bears his name.
It had been such a long time since the children of Israel left Egypt; memories of the plagues that led to that dramatic exodus had faded. Although the significance of Passover night was still a reality to them…
Two of the first things my daughter learned in school were the names of the books of the Bible and that the Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Haggai’s message had stirred Judah from idleness. The sound of workmen removing sixty years of rubble, refacing stones and beginning to build on the foundation laid sixteen years earlier filled Jerusalem.
The sin of jealousy does not usually involve an isolated incident. It often has far-reaching effects. It has been the cause of broken relationships in families, resulting in loved ones not speaking to each other for weeks, months, even years.
He decided to climb the face of the cliff himself to bring them back. Little did Juma realize as he began his climb on that January day in 1947 that those straying goats would eventually…
The desert was exceptionally hot, the annoying dust covered their bodies and the diet was monotonous. What normally should have taken several weeks had stretched out to what seemed to be almost infinity.
The country is in a building boom. Houses are springing up like mushrooms, dotting major expressways and rolling farmland, with price tags unimaginable to past generations.
During the wilderness journey, the rebellious nation of Israel built their golden calf, but then they had to face God’s discipline. Death came to three thousand men (Ex. 32:28b), but the judgment of God was stayed.
There were three administrative offices given by the Lord God to Israel to rule over and guide them – the king, the priest and the prophet. The king ruled over Israel for God; the priest represented the people before God;
If you have trouble understanding some of the Apostle Paul’s teachings, you are not alone. Even his apostolic colleague, Peter, admitted that some of Paul’s writings contain truths which are hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:16).
God gave leadership to assist Moses as he led the children of Israel through the wilderness. There were men who judged in personal affairs and elders who directed in civil and a few religious affairs.
God had directed Moses into the wilderness. The multitude of the children of Israel had followed his leadership and were now deep into the peninsula of Sinai. They had already faced many problems.
Anyone who has travelled with small children will remember the question that inevitably arises from at least one of them, “Are we almost there?” Sometimes the query is, “How much longer before we get there?”
Often as we travel along the highways, we come to an unmarked fork in the road. We make a choice – one way is followed, the other left behind. A course is established that hopefully will lead to the final destination.
If a poll were taken to determine which of Jacob’s twelve sons were the most famous, certainly either Joseph or Judah would be the favored one. Although more space is given in the Scriptures…
The practice of circumcision is a fairly common phenomenon today, both among civilized and primitive cultures. Due to the Jewish heritage in the West, most people see the rite issuing from the covenant ceremony recorded…
Deeply ingrained in each of our minds are certain unforgettable events. Perhaps it is the memory of the birth of a long-awaited child or a grim reminder of a terrible tragedy reported by an officer of the law.
We live in a world that rushes like a car with the accelerator jammed to the floor and the body thrown back in the seat. Life exists at a high rate of speed, a dizzy blur to the passengers on board.
Every year in the Hebrew month Kislev (December), on the 25th day of that month, Jewish people the world over celebrate Chanukkah.1 It is “nonbiblical” in origin and emerged as a result of events that occurred during the intertestament period.
When people sing, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, what are they singing about? What is the holiness of God? Some think that the sum total of God’s holiness is His sinlessness; however, that is not so.
A deceitful person is called two-faced or a hypocrite. This was a word used in the Greek theater to describe actors who put large painted masks in front of their faces to denote the characters they were playing…
Long before the birth of a child, Christian parents often pray for the one that will be born. Many invoke their Lord for the early salvation of the baby soon to bless their home.
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is that which their father spoke unto them, and blessed them; every one, according to his blessing, he blessed them. Genesis 49:28
The tenth chapter of the Gospel of John is one of the most beloved and popular chapters in the Bible. It is special to God’s people because it presents the Lord Jesus Christ as the Shepherd of His flock…
With the exception of organized crime, robbery is the most prevalent and costly crime in America. Many are surprised to find that shoplifting and employee theft rank together as the number one type of robbery.
The biography of a man’s life can be written chronologically, by subject or by events that trace the course of that life. We can study his background, upbringing, marriage, family and even his death.
How swiftly the years pass! For a person over fifty, it seems only a short time since graduation from high school or college. Twenty-five or thirty years of a good marriage pass by swiftly…
When Judah returned to her land, she expected to experience prosperity and glory as in the days of Solomon. But such was not the case! In fact, the opposite was true. Their wicked enemies lived in prosperity while Judah suffered privation.
Jacob’s series of deathbed blessings on his twelve sons in Genesis 49 were also prophecies of what would characterize the tribes that came from each son. All of these prophecies have been fulfilled…
Children are a blessing from the Lord. A happy home with little ones filling it is a delight that is beyond description. Many childless couples would give all of their resources to have youngsters of their own.
The United States has the highest divorce rate in the world at almost fifty percent. Many more who are emotionally divorced from each other would like to terminate their marriages, but they stay together because…
In December, 1984, astounding news leaked to the World Press. For over a year the Israeli government had been secretly flying over ten thousand Ethiopian Jews out of their refugee camps in the Sudan…
“The crowd came nearer and nearer. The eleven young men, concerned for my safety, formed a ring around me. If anyone was going to get hurt, they determined it would be them first.
What was the highest office in Israel? The king? Not so! The highest office was to serve as a priest, for the priest was a mediator between God and man, the highest calling in life.
Marriage is ordained by God. He planned it, blessed it and millions of people have enjoyed the courtship, companionship and love of their mates down through the centuries. From marriage often comes the privilege and blessing of children…
When the bedridden old Jacob was pronouncing a prophetic blessing on each of his sons by Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah, he must have looked forward with anticipation to what God had in store for his two youngest sons.
It is never easy to swim upstream – to buck the tides and resist the currents. But, by the very nature of the case, true Christianity calls for an upstream lifestyle.
Almost everyone has a home town. For many of us, it is the city of our birth. For others, it is the place where much of their lives has been spent.
What child has not heard the stern voice of his father, “Son, you must be disciplined for what you did!” The word discipline struck fear in the son’s heart as big tears poured from his eyes, for he knew the punishment that awaited.
Occasionally the Authorized Version employs a word which current in English usage. This is due to the fact that it was produced in 1611, and the language has undergone changes in over three and a half centuries.
One of the most popular Christian songs of recent years is entitled “El Shaddai.” El Shaddai is one of the compound names for God. It occurs seven times in the Bible.
The aged Jacob followed the prophecy on his son Dan (Gen. 49:16-18) with three brief but significant words about the other three sons of Bilhah and Zilpah -Gad (49:19), Asher (49:20) and Naphtali (49:21).
A person with a true friend is most fortunate. He has one with whom he can share his innermost thoughts – one with whom he can rejoice – one with whom he can weep when deep trials and testings come.
Malachi was the last Old Testament book to be penned, about one hundred years after Cyrus decreed that Judah could return to their land (538 B.C.). During this time the Jewish faith was reformed under Ezra and Nehemiah…
El Elyon is one of the truly exquisite names for God found in the Bible. Each of the divine names is given to reveal to man some quality or characteristic of God that cannot be found…
“Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord” (Gen. 49:16-18).
Memory is a wonderful gift from God, but it can be a burden or a blessing. A burden it was when Habakkuk recalled the injustice taking place in Judah and God’s seeming complacency to judge it.
The nation of Israel and her people the Jews are an enigma to this world. The preservation of the people of Israel is a contradiction of all historical trends. The uniqueness of this people is captured in an essay Mark Twain authored in 1899.
Adonai is the third of the three primary names for God. It is the least used of the primary names, occurring about three hundred and fifteen times. But its significance and application to man cannot be overstated.
The aged patriarch, Jacob, continued his series of prophetic blessings on his twelve sons with brief but significant statements about Zebulun, Leah’s sixthborn, and Issachar, her fifthborn.
Several years ago the Shah of Iran went into exile trying to save his life from his foes. Hunted down, he moved from Iran to Europe, to the United States, to Mexico and finally to Egypt.
While going through a trying circumstance one will often hear, “Just pray about it, for you know prayer changes things!” One is left with the impression that God will alter the circumstances for good when prayer is offered in faith.
David! The very mention of his name will captivate the mind of any Jewish person. This shepherd-king is the hero of Israel. Every Jewish mother would love to have a son like him.
History is punctuated by nations who spread themselves like a green bay tree, and with imperial precision subjugate the world under their feet.
If a poll were taken as to which of Jacob’s twelve sons is the most famous, certainly either Joseph or Judah would be the favored one. Although more space is given to the personal history of Joseph…
“Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, seldom found in a woman and never in a man,” wrote a perceptive person. There are those who would disagree, especially that women are somewhat patient and men never are.
What folly, that men should think that they could entomb and hold fast the Son of God! Repeatedly during the Lord’s public ministry, the Jewish leadership kept demanding that He give them a sign (Mt. 12:38; 16:1; Lk. 11:29).
Three simple words: “He is risen.” And with that reality, light dispelled darkness – righteousness bested sin – truth destroyed error – life conquered death – and God defeated Satan. The consummation of that statement is still future – but immutably certain.
Following the crucifixion of the Son of God, Joseph of Arimathaea went before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to beg for the body of Jesus. Who would have thought it?
True faith is not belief without evidence – but trust without reservation. It is neither blind nor unreasoning. Faith – the biblical kind – rests upon the revealed Word of God. Abraham is repeatedly set forth as a man of faith…
The twelve sons of the aged patriarch had arrayed themselves about his deathbed, most probably in the order of their births. Jacob had issued to Reuben his portion, i.e., because of Reuben’s sin he would forfeit the double blessing of the firstborn (Gen. 49:34).
“Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel, your father” (Gen. 49:2). The twelve sons dutifully assembled. They arranged themselves in a semicircle around their aged father as he sat on the edge of his deathbed.
Perplexed had to be the feeling of Habakkuk when God answered his cry for justice in Judah. Most likely he sat in stunned silence contemplating the unexpected revelation from God.
The women of Israel came out to welcome their returning, victorious army. They cried, “… Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam. 18:7).
God, where is justice? Why are You insensitive, indifferent, and inactive to the cry of the righteous? How long will You remain silent? cried Habakkuk, as he sat overwhelmed by the social and moral corruption flooding the land.
The old man gathered his strength and sat up on the bed with his feet on the floor. He sensed that the end was near. Looking back over a life that had its ups and downs…
Few verses of Scripture have more captivated the mind, encouraged the heart and kept the child of God pressing on in the midst of adversity than the familiar thirty-first verse of Isaiah forty.
Habakkuk’s name comes from the Hebrew word “Habkaku” which means to embrace. Ancient rabbinical legends were developed around Habakkuk’s name. Some believe him to be the son of the Shunammite woman (2 Ki. 4:16)…
“. . . how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! . . .” Hab. 1:2
Sick society is a phrase often heard to describe the moral degeneracy seen in American culture. Analyses warn that the tidal wave of moral changes sweeping this country could mean the demise of its social order.
To promise is one thing. To do what is promised is quite another thing. It would be wonderful if men could plan great things and accomplish them. But for most men, their word of promise exceeds their reality of accomplishment.
Whenever a citizenry groans under the burden of an incompetent political leader, they always can take hope that someday there will be a change. In a democracy, that change can come at election time.
The struggles and sufferings of Israel are well documented from Egyptian slavery to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. Like an echo, the Diaspora Jew would face nineteen more centuries of anguish as the shadow…
There were two important figures that stood out in the minds of Old Testament Jewry. The first was that of a shepherd. It was a common sight to see them leading their sheep to pasture.
After most ministers finish their sermons, both preacher and congregation leave to eat a meal. It has often been said that since most Christians don’t drink and smoke, their biggest vice is eating.
Legally, he was the right man for the job, He was a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Judah and of the family of David. He had a right to rule over Israel.
Things that are very special often become common after a period of time. A young couple will often appear deeply in love but after marriage find their love has lost its zing and wonder where it went.
The Jordan River, which forms the eastern boundary of Israel, is one of the most famous short rivers in the world. It runs through a deep canyon, the southern portion of which is well below sea level…
Israel had just been judged for her sins. For seventy long years the Jewish people had suffered in Babylon. A remnant had now returned to Jerusalem and was struggling to reestablish the city.
Will God? What saith the prophet? Jeremiah said to Judah, “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I [God] will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.” (18:8).
Isaiah’s hopes were in danger of being dashed on the perilous rocks of human frailty and transience. He was about to stumble because his vision had been focused in the wrong place.
Judah was on the verge of expiring! Her spiritual chart read: head sick, heart faint, body full of wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores. From head to toe there was no soundness in her, cried isaiah (Isa. 1:6).
The first three visions of Zechariah the prophet relate to external blessings. God told the prophet of a day when the Jewish people would be restored to their land. He also promised that the enemies of Israel would be destroyed…