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Who was Tammuz?
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Answer
The false god Tammuz is mentioned in the book of Ezekiel. The prophet describes a vision he had, saying the Lord “brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz” (Ezekiel 8:14\). God calls the idolatrous practice of weeping for Tammuz a “detestable” thing, made even worse in that it was happening at the temple in Jerusalem.
Tammuz the demigod apparently began as a Sumerian shepherd named Dumu\-zid or Dumuzi. His father was the ancient Mesopotamian god Enki \[also known as the Akkadian/Babylonian Ea, who saved the family of Utnapishtim (Noah) from the flood in the “Epic of Gilgamesh”], and his mother was the sheep goddess Duttur. In the earlier Sumerian culture, Dumuzid/Tammuz was the god of sheep, lambs, and sheep’s milk—a pastoral deity. In the later Akkadian mythos, he was the god of agriculture.
Tammuz was known as “the good, young one,” and his beauty caught the attention of Inanna (known to the Akkadians as Ishtar), who took him for her consort. At some point, they had a falling out. The most common story is that Ishtar travelled to the netherworld to take the throne of her sister, Ereshkigal. For her hubris, Ishtar was condemned by the [Anunnaki](Anunnaki-Nephilim.html) (judges of the underworld) and sentenced to be killed and her corpse hung from a nail or hook. While Inanna/Ishtar was dead, sexual relations ceased over the entire universe. Enki/Ea allowed her to be resurrected, but she had to find another soul to take her place. She scoured the world, looking for someone who wasn’t mourning her death. Eventually she found her husband, Dumuzid/Tammuz, dressed in rich clothing and sitting on her throne.
In retaliation for his lack of devotion, Inanna/Ishtar set her demons on Tammuz. He hid in the home of his sister, Geshtinana, but the demons eventually caught up to him and dragged him to the underworld. Eventually, Inanna/Ishtar regretted her extreme measures, and the gods compromised by having Dumuzid/Tammuz and his sister alternate time in the underworld.
Another version says Inanna/Ishtar went to the underworld to rescue Dumuzid/Tammuz after he was killed by underworld raiders.
The story of Inanna and Dumuzid spread beyond the Sumerian and Akkadian Empires to other cultures. In Egypt, Tammuz relates to Osiris. Osiris, married to the faithful Isis, was killed by his brother Set for his throne. Accounts vary, but somehow Isis brought Osiris back to life in time to sire Horus before he was killed again. In appreciation for Isis’ devotion, the gods made Osiris the leader of the underworld, the Nile (whose tides ebb and flow, bringing life and death), and agriculture (with its cycle of dormancy and restoration).
In Greece, Ishtar and Tammuz seem to have inspired the story of Aphrodite and Adonis. Aphrodite gave the infant Adonis to her sister Persephone to protect in the underworld. Persephone fell for the beautiful child, as well, and the sisters fought. Zeus finally intervened, declaring Adonis had to stay four months with Persephone, four months with Aphrodite, and four months wherever he pleased. Sometime later, Adonis was killed by a boar. Zeus honored Aphrodite’s mourning by allowing him to remain above ground half the year.
Whether we’re talking about Dumuzid, Tammuz, Osiris, or Adonis, the theme of death and resurrection runs through the mythology. Because of this and his early identification as a shepherd, Tammuz in all his forms is known as the god of fertility and agriculture. During the Sumerian Festival of Tammuz, the king took on Tammuz’s identity and mated with a priestess; this act was said to ensure the fertility of crops and animals for the year. Tammuz’s retreat to the underworld, generally said to occur at the summer solstice when the weather turns hot and dry, brought the end of fertility of plants, animals, and humans. His return marked the restoration of plenty.
Later observance of the Tammuz/Adonis rituals was somewhat unique in that they were performed primarily by women, and, while worship may have included celebrations for Tammuz’s return, the mourning of his death was emphasized more. The women’s tears recalled the supposed tears of Ishtar that brought Tammuz back. This is what the women in the gate of the temple were doing in Ezekiel 8\. It is easy to see why the Lord referred to this pagan observance as an abomination; a vile fertility god was being honored in the very place the One True God had sanctified for Himself.
Less well\-documented legends further muddy the identity of Tammuz. The Sumerian King List mentions two kings named Tammuz. The first is the fifth king before the Flood, a shepherd who reigned for 36,000 years; the second king on the list is a fisherman who reigned for 100 years circa 2700 BC, immediately before Gilgamesh. Other legends say that Tammuz was the son of Nimrod (founder of both Babel and Nineveh, Genesis 10:8–12\), but since Nimrod is thought to be Gilgamesh’s alter\-ego, it’s impossible to say which was the origin of the legend.
Some critics claim that the legend of Dumuzid/Tammuz/Osiris/Adonis served as the [inspiration for the “legend”](Jesus-myth.html) of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The differences are too many to take this claim seriously:
Tammuz/Adonis/Osiris was rescued from the underworld by a faithful lover.
Jesus was raised from the dead by Himself in conjunction with God.
“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again” (John 10:17\)
“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it” (Acts 2:32\)
Tammuz/Adonis died once a year.
Jesus died only once.
“The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God” (Romans 6:10\)
Osiris died once forever.
Jesus rose once forever.
“You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, / nor will you let your faithful one see decay” (Psalm 16:10\)
Tammuz/Osiris’s death and rebirth brought life to agriculture.
Jesus’ death and resurrection brings life to our souls.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16\)
The cult of Tammuz promised rich provision in the form of grain and sheep, but it is only Jesus who gives life and gives it to the full (John 10:10\). It is said that Tammuz was a shepherd. But only Christ, the Good Shepherd, willingly laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:11, 18\). Whatever modern\-day idols we chase in the desire to have plenty, it is only God who can provide what we need (James 1:17\).
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According to the Bible, to whom are we to be submissive, and why?
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Answer
Submission is a concept that seems to go against the grain of human nature, and yet we all see the need for it in certain aspects of life. Without submission, things quickly fall into chaos as everyone strives to be in charge. Even though it is sometimes mocked as a sign of weakness, submission is really one of the strongest pillars of a stable society. What does the Bible say about the parameters of submission?
First of all, we need a proper understanding of submission. The English word *submit* comes from a Latin root which means “to let down, reduce, or yield.” It pictures kneeling before a superior. Even our modern language hints at its roots: to have a “sub\-mission” would mean to have a “secondary” mission that yields to a greater one. The New Testament Greek word is *hupotasso*, which means “to put under or arrange under.” It is a military word that refers to lower\-ranking soldiers arranging themselves under the orders of higher officers. *Submission*, then, comes from an acknowledgment of proper order and authority.
All authority comes from God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and we are commanded to submit to Him (James 4:7\). Once we have submitted to God, our highest Authority, recognizing and following the chain of human authority in this world becomes easier. David respected King Saul’s authority as the one God had anointed (1 Samuel 26:11\). Daniel respected King Darius’s authority (Daniel 6:21\). Romans 11:36 reminds us that all things are from God, through God, and to God, so He is the highest authority.
Jesus Himself recognized God’s authority and was submissive to it. In John 4:34, Jesus said His purpose was “to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” and in John 5:30, “I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” Jesus’ entire life was one of submission to the Father, culminating with His great prayer of submission just before His death, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39\). If we will be disciples of Christ, we must submit to Christ’s authority, just as He submitted to the Father’s (Luke 6:46; 14:27\).
This brings us to the more common question: to whom are we to submit, when, and why? The “why” is easy to answer—because God commands it, and He is the highest authority. First Peter 2:13–14 gives the general concept: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” Since all authority comes from God, we are to submit to anyone who is placed in authority over us. In so doing, we submit to God. Likewise, to rebel against those in authority is tantamount to rebelling against God. That is one reason why Christians through the ages have allowed themselves to be martyred rather than take up arms against the State.
Wives are to [submit to their own husbands](wives-submit.html) as an act of reverence and worship to God (1 Peter 3:1–6\). The example Peter gives of Sarah and Abraham points to a time when Abraham told her to lie in order to protect himself (Genesis 20:13\). Even though it looked like she was putting herself in harm’s way, she submitted, and God worked to protect her. Peter says this kind of submission will be used by God to win over a disobedient and faithless husband.
Young men are to submit to their elders (1 Peter 5:5\), showing reverence for their age and wisdom. This is a carry\-over from the command given to children in Deuteronomy 5:16—honor your father and your mother. Parents are entrusted with the responsibility to raise and train their children, and children are to honor and obey their parents. Obeying and honoring our elders, and recognizing they know more than we, sets the structure for a good society.
Christians are told to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21\). This prevents selfish pride and fits well with the command to consider others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3\). If our purpose on this earth is to do the will of God, then submitting to someone else becomes an act of trust in God. We naturally look out for our best interests, but, if we trust God to take care of us, then we are free to take care of others.
Our service to our employers also fits into the submission framework. Ephesians 6:5–8 says we should obey our masters just as we would obey Christ, and to do it wholeheartedly, as if we were serving the Lord. The reason in verse 8 is that “you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.” Everything comes back to recognizing God’s authority and control over our lives.
Even when a higher authority violates God’s order, we can submit in a godly fashion. When the apostles were arrested for preaching about Jesus, they did not resist. However, when told to stop preaching Jesus, they replied, “[We must obey God](civil-disobedience.html) rather than men!” (Acts 5:29\). They appealed to a higher authority and continued to preach Jesus openly, even though it led to persecution. In some cases, they saw God bring miraculous deliverance. In others, God allowed martyrdom. In all cases, they rejoiced “because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41\).
The Bible has many other things to say about submission, but these brief examples give the main idea. God is the supreme authority, and He has established earthly authorities. When we keep ourselves within that framework, God is pleased, and we are able to see Him work on our behalf.
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What is the Good News Mission, and what do they believe?
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Answer
The Good News Mission is a ministry in Seoul, South Korea, that began as a missionary school in the late 1960s. It continues to train and send missionaries and pastors; currently, they have 600 missionaries, half of which are serving overseas in areas other than Korea. The Good News Mission also hosts conferences and operates broadcast facilities, camps, the Mahanaim Cyber College, and a youth intervention ministry called the International Youth Fellowship (IYF). The ministry has been led by [Pastor Ock Soo Park](https://www.gnmusa.org/pastor-ock-soo-park) since 1972\.
The Good News Mission is Trinitarian, Reformed, and appears to [teach](https://www.gnmusa.org/what-we-believe) salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And, as a mission, it naturally places a strong emphasis on evangelism and reaching the lost.
Several controversies surround the Good News Mission. Some people, including some pastors, have left the group and believe it to be a [cult](cult-definition.html). Some also complain that Pastor Ock Soo Park has too much control over the organization. The Good News Mission vigorously denies these accusations.
As with any organization, we should compare the doctrine and practices of the Good News Mission with what the Bible says. Anyone considering joining the Good News Mission should do a thorough investigation, including asking the Good News Mission for their viewpoint on any concerns: <https://www.gnmusa.org/>.
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What should be the Christian view of anime?
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Answer
The term *anime*—the Japanese word for “animation”—generally refers to animation that comes from Japan. Strictly speaking, anime is just another medium used to convey a story or artistic idea. While the actual art style in the form of angles and shading, etc., is morally neutral, there are some more ambiguous points to be addressed regarding anime. The same goes for anime’s printed counterpart, manga.
To begin with, Japanese culture is very different from Western culture. While Western culture has historically sprung from monotheistic roots and embraced a Christian moral code, Far Eastern cultures such as exist in Japan lean toward mystical superstition and polytheism. Specific to Japan is [Shintoism](Shintoism.html), a religion that deems the Japanese islands and people divine. According to Shintoism, the Japanese people are direct descendants of the many gods and spirits (*kami*) living throughout the islands.
Shrines to the different gods or spirits are common in Japan, and the themes of Shintoism are also very common in anime and manga. Some anime thrives on the topic of religion, using Japanese culture as a setting for fantasy adventures in which the spirit world and humanity mingle, either pleasantly or unpleasantly. Given the mystical foundation of Eastern culture, anime also tends to employ elements of the [occult](occult.html) such as tarot cards, incantations, and more. Personal honor and success are also common themes in anime. But a focus on personal honor and personal success can lead to pride, which clouds our need for God (Psalm 10:4\).
Another thing to consider is anime’s reputation for permeating violence and sexual content. While not every anime movie is extremely sexual or extremely violent, most examples of anime do come with varying levels of salacious and/or violent content, ranging from light innuendo and slapstick violence to full\-on porn (though this is its own subcategory, called [hentai](hentai-Bible-sin.html)) and gore\-fests.
As Christians, we’re supposed to dwell on “whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute” (Philippians 4:8\). Additionally, Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” For the Christian, guarding what comes and stays in our minds is very important. We are to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5\).
While there can be a lot of questionable things in anime, there are strong Christians who enjoy the medium. They appreciate the style, the futuristic settings, and the imaginative storytelling in anime. And they might see and be encouraged by some biblically approved themes present in anime such as self\-sacrifice, kindness, loyalty, endurance, and courage.
Other Christians, however, might decide that something with so many lurid landmines is not worth the time required to navigate it safely. Or they’ve been convicted against placing themselves in positions to be exposed to something that could hurt their spiritual walk.
What should be the Christian view of anime? Carefully. What might be beneficial for one person could be devastating for another person (Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 10:24–29\). Be aware of what the Holy Spirit might be saying. If He’s saying to stay away, then stay away (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30\). But if you have no conviction against anime, and you’ve thoroughly searched your heart and motives, then approach with caution and bear in mind that you are called to, “whether . . . you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31\).
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What are phylacteries?
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Answer
Phylacteries, sometimes called tefillin, are small, square leather boxes containing portions of Scripture worn by Conservative and Orthodox Jews during prayer services. Phylacteries are worn in pairs—one phylactery is strapped on the left arm, and one is strapped to the forehead of Jewish men during weekday morning prayers. The word *phylactery* comes from a Greek word meaning “safeguard, protection, or amulet.”
The phylactery strapped to the arm is called the *shel yad* and has only one compartment; the one on the forehead, containing four compartments, is called the *shel rosh*. The letter shin (ש) is printed on either side of the head phylactery. Various rules govern the length and width of the connecting straps, the tying of the knots to secure the phylacteries, and the color of the boxes (black). Inside each phylactery are four passages from the Old Testament: Exodus 13:1–10, 11–16; Deuteronomy 6:4–9; 11:13–21\. The verses must be written in black ink on parchment specially prepared for this purpose, using the skin of a clean animal. Other rules specify the type of writing instrument to be used, the number of printed lines devoted to each verse, the arrangement of the pieces of parchment within each compartment, etc.
The wearing of phylacteries is based on some commands in Deuteronomy. Israel was told to love God and keep His commandments. In fact, they were to “tie \[the commandments] as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads” (Deuteronomy 6:8\). Later, God tells them, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads” (Deuteronomy 11:18\). We take the wording of these commands to be figurative: whatever we do (with the hand) and whatever we think (with the head) is to be guided by the authority of God’s Word. But, at some point—possibly as early as the fourth century BC—the Jewish rabbis began applying this verse literally, and the practice of tying phylacteries onto their arms and heads commenced.
Phylacteries are mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus, warning His disciples about the hypocrisy of the teachers and Pharisees, said, “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long” (Matthew 23:5\). The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had strayed from God’s intention in the Law. Phylacteries were being made larger for the sole purpose of drawing attention to the wearer—the larger the phylactery, the more piety it supposedly showed. Ironically, the very command to honor the Word of God was being used to dishonor the Word.
Jesus taught that God is not as concerned with the external trappings of religion as He is with the true nature of the heart. He pointed out that it was possible to wear large phylacteries containing God’s Word yet disobey God’s Word at the same time. Likewise, in the church today, it’s possible to wear a cross, pay a tithe, raise a hand, and quote a creed—all without truly acknowledging the Lord in our hearts. God knows the truth of our spiritual condition. “LORD Almighty, you . . . examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind” (Jeremiah 20:12\). May we be able to say with the psalmist, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11\).
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Does a son bear any responsibility for the sins of the father?
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Answer
Ezekiel 18 makes it clear that God holds each individual responsible for his or her own sin. Verses 1 through 4 say, “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.’” At the same time, Exodus 20:5–6 says, “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” So, do children bear responsibility for their parents’ sin? Yes and no.
God judges the heart of each individual. In both the Old and New Testaments, we see God interact with people based on their own faith. In Genesis we see God treat Cain differently from Abel, based on their different actions. Ezekiel 18:30 says, “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways.” John 3:16 says that “**whoever** believes in \[Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life” (emphasis added). Verse 18 says, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Clearly, salvation is offered to all, regardless of the actions of one’s parents.
On the other hand, it is obvious that the sins of parents do affect their children. David and Bathsheba’s first son died soon after birth due to David’s sin. The Israelites, as a nation, were punished by God for their sin, and that punishment sometimes affected the children as well. Today, we see how parental sin affects children. Those who grow up watching sinful behavior are often more likely to engage in it themselves. Certain sins take parents out of the home or inhibit their ability to be loving caregivers, setting the children up for possible problems in the future. Addiction often has genetic components. The relatively new field of epigenetics is suggesting that trauma can leave “molecular scars” on our DNA—and that those scars are passed down genetically to the third and fourth generation. Even more obviously, Adam and Eve’s sin has affected all of us. We are all born with sinful natures because [Adam chose to disobey](I-did-not-eat-the-fruit.html) God. His sin was “passed down” to us.
Sin is never a private issue. It always affects those around us. This is especially true in families. The sins of the parents will affect their children. However, God is gracious and merciful. We are all marred by sin (Romans 3:23\). We are all given the option to accept Jesus’ cleansing (Romans 6:23\). We can be adopted into God’s family and inherit a new nature. The Bible even speaks of being born again in genetic terms: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s **seed** remains in them” (1 John 3:9, emphasis added). God forgives sin when we accept the sacrifice of Jesus. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21\).
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What is a Family-Integrated Church, and is it biblical?
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Answer
A Family\-Integrated Church (FIC) is a church where families attend services together rather than children or teens attending their own Sunday school, children’s church, or youth group separate from their parents.
The movement toward Family\-Integrated Churches began with the idea that Sunday services were adding to the separation of families already fragmented by school and work schedules. In an effort to bring the family back together during some of the most significant hours of the week, children were brought back into the service with their parents.
The scriptural foundation for this concept is Deuteronomy 31:12–13; and Joshua 8:34–35\. In these passages, children were part of the “gathered assembly of God’s people.” The presence of children in first\-century churches is also implied in Paul’s direct address to children in Ephesians 6:1–3\.
Some Family\-Integrated Churches provide special services for specific age ranges or interests at other times throughout the week. Other churches offer only family\-integrated services.
The National Center for Family\-Integrated Churches (NCFIC) represents churches that desire to “unite church and home.” The NCFIC claims a membership of 800 churches. Not all churches who subscribe to the family\-integrated church model are associated with the NCFIC, however.
The NCFIC believes that programs that separate families by age or gender are unbiblical and not found in historical Christianity. The leaders take exception to the typical program\-oriented church model prevalent today, citing it as weakening the family structure and offering little to no scriptural foundation.
The NCFIC promotes a strict standard of holiness. They believe that children should be homeschooled, that women should not work outside the home, that daughters should be kept at home until marriage, that courtship should replace modern dating practices, and that the size of the family should be decided by God (the “[Quiverfull](Quiverfull-Patriarchy.html)” teaching). The film documentary *Divided* made by the NCFIC promotes Family\-Integrated thinking and warns of the dangers of modern youth ministry.
Some other points of biblical information and church history need to be examined. A precedent for age\- or interest\-related groups may be found in Titus 2:3–5, which exhorts “older women . . . to train the younger women.” The passage goes on to address the needs of young men and slaves. Acts 6:1 mentions the daily distribution to the widows, a group with specific needs. This group was identified in the early church, and a specific plan for meeting their needs was developed.
Historically, Jesus and the apostles attended segregated synagogues. The temple layout segregated families, having a court for the men and a court for the women and children. Young Jewish boys attended age\-segregated day schools.
The early church addressed the needs of varying sub\-groups within the Body of Christ from a cultural model not present today. While it may be, for some, a model to return to, that is not likely for the masses of people living in the modern world. Not everyone can join the ranks of the home educators, nor are they called to do so. Yet they still take seriously the command to guide their families in godly ways (Deuteronomy 6:4–7\).
The challenge to the church today is to find workable solutions that will bring about the desired outcomes of strong families, engaged and loving parents, and children who love God and live for Him. How to reach those goals is a decision that should be left to the family unit itself, with God’s guidance and direction.
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Does the Bible contain allegory?
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Answer
An allegory is a story in which the characters and/or events are symbols representing other events, ideas, or people. Allegory has been a common literary device throughout the history of literature. Allegories have been used to indirectly express unpopular or controversial ideas, to critique politics, and to rebuke those in power (e.g., George Orwell’s *Animal Farm* and Jonathan Swift’s *Gulliver’s Travels*). Other times, allegory is used to express abstract ideas or spiritual truths through an extended metaphor, making the truth easier to grasp (e.g., John Bunyan’s *The Pilgrim’s Progress* and Hannah Hurnard’s *Hinds’ Feet on High Places*).
The Bible contains many instances of allegory used to explain spiritual truths or to foreshadow later events. The clearest examples of allegory in Scripture are the parables of Jesus. In these stories, the characters and events represent a truth about the Kingdom of God or the Christian life. For example, in the [Parable of the Sower](parable-sower.html) in Matthew 13:3–9, the seed and different types of soil illustrate the Word of God and various responses to it (as Jesus explains in verses 18–23\).
The [story of the Prodigal Son](parable-prodigal-son.html) also makes use of allegory. In this story (Luke 15:11–32\), the titular son represents the average person: sinful and prone to selfishness. The older son represents the self\-righteous person. The wealthy father represents God. The son’s life of hedonism and, later, poverty represents the hollowness of the ungodly lifestyle. When the son returns home in genuine sorrow, we have an illustration of repentance. In the father’s mercy and willingness to receive his son back, we see God’s joy when we turn from sin and seek His forgiveness. And, in the older son, we see the Pharisees and scribes to whom Jesus is speaking: they trusted their heritage and law\-keeping to get them into heaven, and they viewed God as a taskmaster.
In the parables, Jesus teaches abstract spiritual concepts (how people react to the gospel, God’s mercy, etc.) in the form of relatable metaphors. We gain a deeper understanding of God’s truth through these stories. Other examples of biblical allegory, as a literary form, include the vision of the dragon and the woman in Revelation 12:1–6; the story of the eagles and the vine in Ezekiel 17; and many of the proverbs, especially those written in [emblematic parallelism](emblematic-parallelism.html).
Some of the traditions and ceremonies instituted by God in the Bible could be considered “non\-literary allegories” because they symbolize spiritual truths. The act of [animal sacrifice](animal-sacrifices.html), for example, represented that our sins deserve death, and each substitute on the altar prefigured the eventual sacrifice of Christ, who would die for His people. The institution of marriage, while serving great practical purposes, is also a symbol of the relationship between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:31–32\). Many of the ceremonial laws of Moses (regarding clothing, foods, and clean and unclean objects) represented spiritual realities such as the need for believers to be distinct in spirit and action from non\-believers. While these examples may not be considered allegories individually (since an allegory requires multiple symbols working together), the religious system of the Old Testament (and parts of the New) can be seen as a broad allegory for man’s relationship with God.
Interestingly, sometimes significant historical events, which appear at first glance to contain no deeper meaning, are interpreted allegorically later to teach an important lesson. One instance of this is Galatians 4, where Paul interprets the story of Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah as an allegory for the Old and New Covenants. He writes, “For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother” (Galatians 4:22–26\). Here, Paul takes actual, historical people (Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah) and uses them as symbols for the Law of Moses (the Old Covenant) and the freedom of Christ (the New Covenant). Through Paul’s allegorical lens, we see that our relationship with God is one of freedom (we are children of the divine promise, as Isaac was to Sarah), not of bondage (we are not children of man’s bondage, as Ishmael was to Hagar). Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, could see the symbolic significance of this historical event and used it to illustrate our position in Christ.
Allegory is a beautifully artistic way of explaining spiritual matters in easily understood terms. Through the Bible’s allegories, God helps us understand difficult concepts through a more relatable context. He also reveals Himself as the Great Storyteller, working through history to foreshadow and carry out His plan. We can rejoice that we have a God who addresses us in ways we can understand and who has given us symbols and allegories to remind us of Himself.
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What are the Catholic Ten Commandments?
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Answer
The biblical Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21, are listed as follows:
(1\) “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2–3; Deuteronomy 5:6–7\).
(2\) “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:4–6; Deuteronomy 5:8–10\).
(3\) “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11\).
(4\) “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8–11; Deuteronomy 5:12–15\).
(5\) “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16\).
(6\) “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17\).
(7\) “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18\).
(8\) “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19\).
(9\) “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 5:20\).
(10\) “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21\).
However, in the Catholic Catechism and most official Catholic documents (see [the official Vatican website](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM)), the first and second commandments are combined to read, “I am the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods beside me.” To get the number of commandments back to ten, the tenth commandment is then split into “you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” and “you shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.”
It is not necessarily wrong for the Catholic Church to combine the first and second commandments and split the tenth commandment into two commandments. After all, the numerals 1—10 do not appear in any ancient Hebrew manuscripts that contain the Ten Commandments to officially settle how the commandments should be divided. Technically, the second commandment contains two commandments: “you shall not make for yourself a carved image” and “you shall not bow down to them or serve them.” Further, the tenth commandment contains seven different, but related, prohibitions.
It is suspect, though, that the Catholic Church would summarize the second commandment as “you shall not have other gods beside me” and leave out “you shall not make for yourself a carved image” and “you shall not bow down to them or serve them,” considering that the Catholic Church has long been accused of [idolatry](Catholic-idolatry.html) for its use of images and [iconography](religious-iconography.html) in worship.
Due to the importance of the first two commandments, and in light of the fact that the ancient Israelites greatly struggled with idolatry, maintaining the clear and explicit condemnation of graven images seems to be the biblically prudent choice. The Catholic Church leaves out part of the second commandment, apparently trying to hide the fact that their own images and icons are violations of that very command.
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What is the definition of ekklesia?
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Answer
Understanding the definition of *ekklesia* (and its alternate spelling *ecclesia*) is an important component of understanding the church. *Ekklesia* is a Greek word defined as “a called\-out assembly or congregation.” *Ekklesia* is commonly translated as “church” in the New Testament. For example, Acts 11:26 says that “Barnabas and Saul met with the church \[*ekklesia*]” in Antioch. And in 1 Corinthians 15:9 Paul says that he had persecuted the church \[*ekklesia*] of God.” The “called\-out assembly,” then, is a congregation of believers whom God has called out of the world and “into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9\). The Greek *ekklesia* is the basis for our English words *ecclesiastical* (“pertaining to the church”) and *ecclesiology* (“the study of doctrine concerning the church”).
The word in the New Testament was also used to refer to any assembly of people. In his address to the Sanhedrin, Stephen calls the people of Israel “the assembly \[*ekklesia*] in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38\). And in Acts 19:39, *ekklesia* refers to a convening of citizens to discuss legal matters. However, in most contexts, the word *ekklesia* is used to refer to the people who comprise the New Testament church.
It is important that the church today understand the definition of *ekklesia*. The church needs to see itself as being “called out” by God. If the church wants to make a difference in the world, it must be different from the world. Salt is different from the food it flavors. God has called the church to be separate from sin (1 Peter 1:16\), to embrace fellowship with other believers (Acts 2:42\), and to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:14\). God has graciously called us unto Himself: “‘Come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you’” (2 Corinthians 6:17\).
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What is an evangelist?
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Answer
An evangelist is someone who proclaims good news; in other words, a preacher of the [gospel](true-gospel.html) or a missionary. A person with the gift of evangelism is often someone who travels from place to place to preach the gospel and call for repentance. The human authors of the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are sometimes called “the Evangelists” because they recorded the ministry of Jesus Christ—“good news,” indeed.
Ephesians 4:11–13 states, “Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” In Acts 21:8 Philip is named as an evangelist, and in 2 Timothy 4:5 Paul exhorts Timothy to do the work of an evangelist. These are the only three uses of the word *evangelist* in the entire Bible. Other people could be considered “evangelists” in that they preached the good news, including Jesus Himself (Luke 20:1\) and Paul (Romans 1:15\), but Philip is the one person specifically called an evangelist in Scripture.
Philip had been one of the seven deacons chosen so that the apostles could do their work of teaching and prayer (Acts 6:3\). Evidently, Philip had settled in Caesarea and had lived there for some 20 years before Paul arrived in Acts 21\. Philip’s previous evangelistic work was in Samaria (Acts 8:4–8\). He “proclaimed the Messiah” to the [Samaritans](Samaritans.html) (verse 5\) and performed miracles, including casting out demons and healing paralytics. It is noteworthy that Philip performed water baptism in the name of Jesus, but the baptism of the Holy Spirit did not occur until the apostles came to Samaria.
Peter and John’s presence in Samaria and the Spirit’s indwelling of the believing Samaritans (Acts 8:17\) confirmed Philip’s ministry there. As an evangelist, Philip had preached the gospel, and, when the Samaritans believed it and received the Spirit, they were welcomed into the church. Where there had previously been division and animosity between Jews and Samaritans, there now existed the spiritual bond of love (Colossians 3:14\). Philip’s trailblazing efforts laid the foundation for his hearers to receive the Holy Spirit by faith. The evangelist’s pre\-work unto salvation is what those called evangelists have done ever since.
Philip’s ministry as an evangelist continues in Acts 8 as he is led by an angel to go the desert road to Gaza. On the road he meets an Ethiopian eunuch—a court official to the queen of Ethiopia. Philip opens the man’s understanding of the Word of God, and the eunuch is saved. Philip baptizes the man, and the Holy Spirit snatches Philip away (Acts 8:39\). Philip later “appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea” (verse 40\). Everywhere he went, Philip shared the gospel. That’s what evangelists do.
Timothy was told to do the pre\-salvation preaching that is the “work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5\). This same preaching of the good news is the general call to the disciples in the Great Commission and to all of us to the end of the age (Matthew 28:16–20\). In Jude 1:3, all saints are to contend earnestly for the faith delivered to them, and, in verse 23 we are to “save others by snatching them from the fire.”
The office of evangelist will be needed until the church reaches the maturity of Christ Himself (Ephesians 4:13\). Good news is meant to be shared. And we have the best news of all—Jesus died and rose again and saves all who will call on Him (Romans 10:9–13\).
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What is the difference between veneration and worship?
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Answer
In response to the accusation that they [worship Mary and the saints](worship-saints-Mary.html), Catholics will often claim that they “venerate,” not worship, them. To venerate is to regard with great respect or to revere. *Veneration* can be defined as “respect or awe directed toward someone due to his/her value or greatness.”
The simplest definition of *worship* is to “ascribe worth.” *Worship* can be more completely defined as “showing respect, love, reverence, or adoration.” Based on the dictionary, no clear difference between veneration and worship exists. In fact, *veneration* and *worship* are often used as synonyms for each other.
But dictionary definitions are not the point. It does not matter what it is called. The Bible nowhere instructs followers of Jesus Christ to offer worship, veneration, adoration, or anything similar to anyone but God. Nowhere does the New Testament describe any followers of Jesus Christ worshiping, venerating, or adoring anyone other than God. They did not receive worship, either. Peter refused to receive adoration from Cornelius (Acts 10:25–26\), and Paul and Barnabas were equally adamant that the people of Lystra not venerate them (Acts 14:15\). Twice in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 19:10; 22:8\), the apostle John begins to worship an angel, and the angel instructs him, “Worship God!” Mary and the saints who have gone to heaven before us would say the same thing: “Worship God!”
The Catholic Church has different degrees of worship: dulia, hyper dulia, and latria. Dulia is the honor given to the saints. Hyper dulia is the honor given to Mary alone, as the greatest of the saints. Latria is the honor given to God alone. In contrast, the Bible always ascribes honor, in the context of worship, to God alone (1 Chronicles 29:11; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16; Revelation 4:11; 5:13\). Even if there were biblical support for different levels of worship, there still would be no biblical support for offering lower/lesser levels of worship to anyone other than God.
Only God is worthy of worship, adoration, praise (Nehemiah 9:6; Revelation 4:11; 15:4\), and veneration, no matter how it is defined. Mary’s worth comes from the fact that God choose her for a glorious role and saved her from her sins through the death of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:47\). The saints’ worth comes from the fact that God saved them, transformed them, and then used them in mighty and amazing ways. May we all, with Mary and the saints, fall on our knees and worship the only One who is worthy.
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What is pastoral theology?
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Answer
Pastoral theology is the study of what the Bible says about the office of pastor/elder/bishop/overseer. It applies timeless biblical truth to situations faced every day in churches and is closely related to [practical theology](practical-theology.html). Pastoral theology examines the issues and challenges associated with being a pastor and informs the relationship between a pastor and the people under his spiritual care. Pastoral theology also covers the art of [homiletics](homiletics.html) (the preparation and delivery of sermons).
Common questions asked and answered in pastoral theology are “What are the [qualifications for being a pastor or a deacon](qualifications-elders-deacons.html)?” “What are a pastor’s responsibilities to his congregation?” “How do I prepare a sermon?” “How can I best care for this church?” and “What is biblical leadership?”
Because the church is a New Testament teaching, the study of pastoral theology focuses more on the New Testament than the Old, giving special attention to the [Pastoral Epistles](pastoral-epistles.html) of Titus and 1 and 2 Timothy. In those books we find guidance for administering a church and, just as importantly, commands that the pastor cultivate godliness in his own life and in the lives of his congregation. “An elder must be blameless” (Titus 1:6\).
Pastoral theology is an important branch of biblical theology. “Whoever aspires to be an overseer” (1 Timothy 3:1\) should be a committed, continued student of pastoral theology.
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What is the biblical significance of the number seven/7?
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Answer
Throughout the Bible, God often gives symbolic significance to mundane items or concepts. For example, in Genesis 9:12–16, God makes the rainbow the sign of His promise to Noah (and, by extension, to all mankind) that He will not flood the whole earth again. God uses bread as a representation of His presence with His people (Numbers 4:7\); of the gift of eternal life (John 6:35\); and of the broken body of Christ, sacrificed for our sins (Matthew 26:26\). The rainbow and the bread are obvious symbols in Scripture. Less obvious meanings seem to be attached to some [numbers in the Bible](Biblical-numerology.html), especially the number *7*, which at times provides a special emphasis in the text.
The first use of the number *7* in the Bible relates to the creation week in Genesis 1\. God spends six days creating the heavens and the earth, and then rests on the seventh day. This is our template for the seven\-day week, observed around the world to this day. The seventh day was to be “set apart” for Israel; the Sabbath was a holy day of rest (Deuteronomy 5:12\).
Thus, right at the start of the Bible, the number *7* is identified with something being “finished” or “complete.” From then on, that association continues, as *7* is often found in contexts involving completeness or divine perfection. So we see the command for animals to be at least seven days old before being used for sacrifice (Exodus 22:30\), the command for leprous Naaman to bathe in the Jordan River seven times to effect complete cleansing (2 Kings 5:10\), and the command for [Joshua](life-Joshua.html) to march around Jericho for seven days (and on the seventh day to make seven circuits) and for seven priests to blow seven trumpets outside the city walls (Joshua 6:3–4\). In these instances, *7* signifies a completion of some kind: a divine mandate is fulfilled.
Interestingly, man was created on the sixth day of creation. In some passages of the Bible, the number *6* is associated with mankind. In Revelation “the [number of the beast](mark-beast.html)” is called “the number of a man.” That number is 666 (Revelation 13:18\). If God’s number is *7*, then man’s is *6*. Six always falls short of seven, just like “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23\). Man is not God, just as *6* is not *7*.
Series of seven things crop up often in the Bible. For example, we find seven pairs of each clean animal on the ark (Genesis 7:2\); seven stems on the tabernacle’s lampstand (Exodus 25:37\); seven qualities of the Messiah in Isaiah 11:2; seven signs in John’s Gospel; seven things the Lord hates in Proverbs 6:16; seven parables in Matthew 13; and [seven woes](seven-woes.html) in Matthew 23\.
Multiples of *7* also figure into the biblical narrative: the “[seventy weeks](seventy-weeks.html)” prophecy in Daniel 9:24 concerns 490 years (*7* times *7* times *10*). Jeremiah 29:10 predicted the [Babylonian Captivity](Babylonian-captivity-exile.html) would last for seventy years (*7* times *10*). According to Leviticus 25:8, the [Year of Jubilee](Jubilee.html) was to begin after the passing of every forty\-ninth year (*7* times *7*).
Sometimes, the symbolism of *7* is a great comfort to us: Jesus is the seven\-fold “I AM” in the Gospel of John. Other times, it challenges us: Jesus told Peter to forgive a wrongdoer “seventy times seven” times (Matthew 18:22, NKJV). And then there are passages in which the number *7* is associated with God’s judgment: the seven bowls of the Great Tribulation, for example (Revelation 16:1\), or God’s warning to Israel in Leviticus 26:18\.
Speaking of the [book of Revelation](Book-of-Revelation.html), the number *7* is used there more than fifty times in a variety of contexts: there are seven letters to seven churches in Asia and seven spirits before God’s throne (Revelation 1:4\), seven golden lampstands (Revelation 1:12\), seven stars in Christ’s right hand (Revelation 1:16\), [seven seals](seven-seals-Revelation.html) of God’s judgment (Revelation 5:1\), seven angels with seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2\), etc. In all likelihood, the number *7* again represents completeness or totality: the seven churches represent the completeness of the body of Christ, the seven seals on the scroll represent the fullness of God’s punishment of a sinful earth, and so on. And, of course, the book of Revelation itself, with all its *7*’s, is the capstone of God’s Word to man. With the book of Revelation, the Word was complete (Revelation 22:18\).
Of course, not every instance of the number *7* in the Bible carries a deeper significance. Sometimes, a *7* is just a *7*, and we must be cautious about attaching symbolic meanings to any text, especially when Scripture is not explicit about such meanings. However, there are times when it *seems* that God is communicating the idea of divine completeness, perfection, and wholeness by means of the number *7*.
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Who was Eutychus in the Bible?
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Answer
Eutychus, whose name means “fortunate,” had the misfortune of falling out of a window—and the fortune of experiencing a miracle directly afterwards. The account of Eutychus’s accident is found in Acts 20:7–12\.
The setting is the tail end of Paul’s [third missionary journey](missionary-journeys-Paul.html). He has sailed from Philippi and is on his way back to Jerusalem with a gift for the church there. He spends a week in Troas, and “on the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘He’s alive!’ Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted” (Acts 20:7–12\).
Luke, a medical doctor and eyewitness to this incident, plainly states that Eutychus was dead. The fall from the third\-story window had been fatal for the young man. But Paul, a [true apostle](what-is-an-apostle.html) of Jesus Christ, was given the power to raise Eutychus back to life again. This is one of very few resurrections recorded in the Bible—others include miracles performed by Elijah (1 Kings 17:17–24\), Elisha (2 Kings 4:32–37\), Peter (Acts 9:36–42\), and, of course, Jesus Himself (Luke 8:49–56; John 11\).
After Eutychus was restored to life, the church in Troas had a meal, Paul continued preaching, and, as would be expected, Eutychus’s friends and family were “greatly comforted” to not be planning a funeral (Acts 20:12\).
Some may try to use the story of Eutychus to warn against the dangers of sleeping in church—or of preaching too long—but the point of the story is simply the power of God to heal. Luke includes the story in order to show the great, life\-giving power of God and to further authenticate Paul’s message as one who had “the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles” (2 Corinthians 12:12\).
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Who was Diotrephes in the Bible?
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Answer
Diotrephes is mentioned in one passage of the Bible, in the short letter of [3 John](Book-of-3-John.html). In brief, Diotrephes was a self\-seeking troublemaker in an unnamed local church in the first century. We know nothing of his background, other than he was probably a Gentile (his name means “nurtured by Jupiter”).
John wrote 3 John to his friend Gaius. Here is the passage mentioning Diotrephes: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church” (3 John 1:9–10\).
In only two verses, we have the following statements made about Diotrephes: 1\) he loves to be first; 2\) he refuses to welcome the apostles into the church; 3\) he maliciously spreads gossip about men of God; 4\) he withholds hospitality from other believers; 5\) he requires others to follow his poor example; and 6\) he excommunicates anyone who crosses him.
From John’s description, we can assume that Diotrephes was a leader, or at least an influential member, in the local church where Gaius was a member. Diotrephes was clearly abusing his position of authority. For some reason he was jealous of the apostles and refused to allow them in his church. Instead of following the command for a [pastor](qualifications-elders-deacons.html) to be hospitable and “not quarrelsome” (2 Timothy 3:2–3\), Diotrephes was inhospitable and pugnacious. Instead of seeking to be the servant of all (Mark 9:35\), Diotrephes loved to be in charge.
John says that he is planning a visit to Gaius’s church, and that, when he comes, he will publicly rebuke Diotrephes for his actions (3 John 1:10\). The slander, the sectarianism, and the self\-seeking would be dealt with. The apostle would not sweep such things under the rug.
On the other hand, John commends Gaius for showing hospitality to the itinerant preachers of the gospel who passed through his city (3 John 1:5–8\). In fact, Diotrephes, with his inhospitable, self\-serving attitude, could be considered the “anti\-Gaius.” John’s admonition to Gaius to “not imitate what is evil” (3 John 1:11\) is probably another way of saying “don’t be like Diotrephes.”
Those who, like Gaius, minister to preachers of the gospel honor God (3 John 3:6\). Those who, like Diotrephes, refuse to aid the spread of God’s Word are deserving of rebuke (3 John 3:10\). The pastorate is no place for power\-hungry, jealous, slanderous men who reject the apostles’ teaching. “Rather, \[a pastor] must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self\-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught” (Titus 1:8–9\).
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Who was Gaius in the Bible?
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Answer
Several men in the New Testament share the name Gaius, a common name in the first century. All of these men were involved in the ministry of the apostles in one way or another.
*Gaius of Corinth*. Paul baptized a man named Gaius in Corinth—one of only two he baptized there (1 Corinthians 1:14\). Later, toward the end of his [third missionary journey](missionary-journeys-Paul.html), when Paul wrote his [Epistle to the Romans](Book-of-Romans.html), he was staying in Gaius’s home, and Gaius included his greetings to the church in Rome (Romans 16:23\).
*Gaius of Macedonia*. One of Paul’s traveling companions during his third missionary journey was named Gaius. Luke identifies him as a Macedonian in Acts 19:29—Macedonia being a region in modern\-day Greece. When a riot broke out in Ephesus, Gauis was one of the men seized by Demetrius and the other silversmiths. The mob dragged Gaius to the Ephesian theater and would likely have done him violence, but for the intervention of the city clerk (Acts 19:35–41\).
*Gaius of Derbe*. Another of Paul’s traveling companions on his third missionary journey was also named Gaius. Luke calls him “Gaius of Derbe” in Acts 20:4—Derbe being a city in Galatia in Asia Minor—to distinguish him from the Gaius mentioned in Acts 19\. It seems this Gaius joined Paul’s group in Greece and stayed with him through his incursion into Asia (modern\-day Turkey), sailing ahead of Paul, Silas, and Luke and waiting for them in Troas (Acts 20:5\).
*Gaius, John’s friend*. The [Epistle of 3 John](Book-of-3-John.html) is addressed to a man named Gaius who was a member of an unnamed church that John had the oversight of (3 John 1:1\). John calls this man a “dear friend” (verses 1, 2, and 11\). Gaius is commended for his hospitality to traveling preachers of the gospel (verses 5, 6 and 8\); for his faithfulness (verse 5\); for his love (verse 6\); and for his walking in the truth (verse 3\). According to tradition this Gaius may be the one whom John appointed as bishop of Pergamum.
Two of the Gaiuses mentioned in the Bible were known for their hospitality, and that is probably why John Bunyan, needing a name for his innkeeper in *The Pilgrim’s Progress*, chose the name “Gaius.” Gaius’s name means “happy” or “one who rejoices,” and the men who bore that name in Scripture seem to have known the joy that comes from serving the Lord.
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How did the apostle Paul die?
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Answer
The Bible does not say how the apostle Paul died. Writing in 2 Timothy 4:6–8, Paul seems to be anticipating his soon demise: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
[Second Timothy](Book-of-2-Timothy.html) was written during Paul’s second Roman imprisonment in AD 64—67\. There are a few different Christian traditions in regards to how Paul died, but the most commonly accepted one comes from the writings of Eusebius, an early church historian. Eusebius claimed that Paul was [beheaded](beheadings-in-the-Bible.html) at the order of the Roman emperor Nero or one of his subordinates. Paul’s martyrdom occurred shortly after much of Rome burned in a fire—an event that Nero blamed on the Christians.
It is possible that the apostle Peter was martyred around the same time, during this period of early persecution of Christians. The tradition is that Peter was crucified upside down and that Paul was beheaded due to the fact that Paul was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28\), and Roman citizens were normally exempt from crucifixion.
The accuracy of this tradition is impossible to gauge. Again, the Bible does not record how Paul died, so there is no way to be certain regarding the circumstances of his death. But, from all indications, he died for his faith. We know he was ready to die for Christ (Acts 21:13\), and Jesus had predicted that Paul would suffer much for the name of Christ (Acts 9:16\). Based on what the [Book of Acts](Book-of-Acts.html) records of Paul’s life, we can assume he died declaring the gospel of Christ, spending his last breath as a witness to the truth that sets men free (John 8:32\).
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Who was Onesiphorus in the Bible?
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Answer
The name Onesiphorus may not have caught on like other Bible names such as Matthew, Mark, and Mary, but that’s not because of any negative connotation the name carries. More likely, it’s the five\-syllable pronunciation or the problems the spelling would cause. Onesiphorus the man was a personal friend of Paul’s and a great blessing to him. Onesiphorus lived up to his name, which means “bringing profit.”
Onesiphorus is only mentioned twice in the Bible, both times in the [epistle of 2 Timothy](Book-of-2-Timothy.html). Early in the epistle, Paul writes a prayer of blessing upon Onesiphorus: “May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus” (2 Timothy 1:16–18\). At the end of the letter, Paul sends greetings to “the household of Onesiphorus” (2 Timothy 4:19\).
These two passages convey all we know about Onesiphorus’s background: 1\) he was from Ephesus, where Paul had founded a church (Acts 19:1–10\); 2\) his whole family were believers; and 3\) in Ephesus, he had helped Paul “in many ways.”
Paul wrote 2 Timothy from a Roman prison cell. It was a difficult time for the apostle, made more difficult by trusted friends who abandoned him in his hour of need. “You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15\). In stark contrast to these deserters was Onesiphorus, who stayed with Paul through thick and thin. In fact, Onesiphorus went out of his way to track Paul down and visit him in prison. In doing so, Onesiphorus showed great personal courage—it was dangerous to be called a Christian in Rome in those days—and compassion for the apostle.
Probably, Onesiphorus considered that he owed Paul a great debt. The church in Ephesus was a product of Paul’s [third missionary journey](missionary-journeys-Paul.html). If not for Paul’s faithfulness in preaching the Word of God, Onesiphorus would not have heard the gospel. In gratitude to the one who first told him of Christ, Onesiphorus determined to be a blessing to Paul. He “often refreshed” the imprisoned missionary and never balked at being known as an inmate’s friend. Any physical or emotional blessing Onesiphorus could impart would still fall far short of the spiritual blessings he had received through the apostle.
Because of the mercy Onesiphorus showed, Paul prays for mercy to be shown to him. Paul’s prayer was no doubt grounded in Jesus’ promise in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, / for they will be shown mercy.”
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What does the Bible say about flattery?
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Answer
*Flattery* can be defined as “the act of giving excessive compliments, generally for the purpose of ingratiating oneself with the subject.” The difference between flattery and a compliment is the benefactor. Flattery has a selfish motivation. The flatterer hopes to gain approval or advantage over the one being flattered. Compliments, however, are sincere acknowledgments of admiration spoken to praise someone else. A compliment is intended to benefit the recipient, whereas flattery benefits the flatterer.
The Bible has a lot to say about flattery. The [book of Proverbs](Book-of-Proverbs.html) warns of the “flattering lips of an adulteress” (Proverbs 6:24; 7:5, 21\). Flattery is often the first step to an adulterous affair. A wise person learns to recognize it and separate flattery from sincere compliments. Flattery is often coupled with lying, as a flatterer is not concerned with whether or not he or she is being truthful (Psalm 5:9; Romans 16:18\).
Unfortunately, flattery can also be used within Christian circles under the guise of encouragement. Since biblical times, some [false teachers](false-teachers.html) have used flattery to lead people astray and to benefit themselves. In 1 Thessalonians 2:5, Paul reminds the church that the apostles had never resorted to flattery in spreading the gospel: “You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed.” Scripture warns of false teachers who use flattery to introduce heresies intended to deceive Christ’s followers and line their own pockets (2 Peter 2:3; Romans 16:18; Daniel 11:32\).
Some teachers use flattery as a means to increase personal followings. Leaders desiring to attract a crowd sometimes water down their message until the gospel is reduced to little more than a God\-tainted self\-improvement program. They pepper their talks with cheerful verses and illustrations designed to make their hearers feel better about themselves (and about the teachers). There is much talk about discovering one’s potential and developing personal greatness. This is nothing more than flattery intended to create popularity for the speaker and his or her message. It sells books and media time, but it often bears little resemblance to the message Jesus proclaimed.
Jesus’ message did nothing to inflate the self\-importance of His hearers. Rather, He stressed the need to die to ourselves, [take up our cross](take-up-your-cross.html) daily, and follow Him (Luke 9:23\). He said that those who desire to keep their lives *now* will lose them (Luke 17:33\) and that, if we love anyone more than Him, we are not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:37–39\). These teachings are the opposite of flattery. Jesus never shied away from stating what someone needed to hear (Mark 10:21–22; Luke 9:61–62\) because His motivation was always to do His Father’s will (John 8:29\). Jesus spoke the truth whether it was popular or not. He refused to compromise the Word, even when great multitudes left Him (John 6:66\). He spoke in love, but He never resorted to flattery for personal gain. As His followers, we should be careful to do likewise.
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Who was the oldest man in the Bible?
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Answer
Genesis chapter 5 lists nine men who had very long lives. How and why they [lived such long lives](Genesis-long-lives.html) is not specifically said. Adam lived 930 years (Genesis 5:5\). Seth lived 912 years (Genesis 5:8\). Enosh lived 905 years (Genesis 5:11\). Kenan lived 910 years (Genesis 5:14\). Mahalalel lived 895 years (Genesis 5:17\). Jared lived 962 years (Genesis 5:20\). Enoch lived 365 years before God took him (Genesis 5:22–24\). Lamech lived 777 years (Genesis 5:31\). Genesis 9:29 records that [Noah](life-Noah.html) lived 950 years.
But the oldest man in the Bible, outliving all the rest, is a man named [Methuselah](Methuselah-in-the-Bible.html), who lived 969 years (Genesis 5:27\). There may have been someone in the [antediluvian](antediluvian.html) days who outlived Methuselah, but the Bible has no record of anyone older. Very little is said about Methuselah other than he was the grandfather of Noah. There are two possible meanings of Methuselah’s name: “man of the spear” and “his death shall bring.” There is a tradition outside of the Bible that Enoch, Methuselah’s father, was given a revelation from God that the Flood would not come until his son died. If this is true, Methuselah’s name would essentially mean “his death shall bring the Flood.”
The biblical math backs this up, as Methuselah died the same year the Flood occurred. Methuselah fathered Lamech when he was 187 years old (Genesis 5:25\). Lamech fathered Noah when he was 182 years old (Genesis 5:28\). The Flood occurred when Noah was 600 years old (Genesis 7:6\). 187 \+ 182 \+ 600 \= 969, which is the age Methuselah was when he died. So it appears there may be an interesting story behind the oldest man in the Bible, Methuselah, and why he lived 969 years.
In the 2014 movie *Noah*, Methuselah is portrayed as sort of an eccentric witch doctor. While the Bible says nothing about Methuselah to confirm or deny this portrayal, it seems highly unlikely, considering the family line from Adam to Noah recorded in Genesis 5 is the “righteous” line who obeyed the Lord God.
There is very little we can know for sure about Methuselah, the oldest man in the Bible. He lived 969 years and apparently died the same year the Flood occurred. He was the great\-great\-great\-great\-great\-grandson of Adam and the grandfather of Noah. He was likely a godly man to have been blessed by God with such a long lifespan.
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Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible?
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Answer
Epaphroditus played a key role in biblical history, even if his name is not immediately recognizable. He is mentioned by name twice in the [book of Philippians](Book-of-Philippians.html), one of Paul’s [Prison Epistles](prison-epistles.html). Epaphroditus is the one who delivered the original manuscript of Philippians to its original recipients, the church in Philippi.
Paul was under house arrest in Rome, and the church in Philippi desired to send Paul what we might call a “care package.” The Philippian believers gathered supplies and sent them to Rome by the hand of one of their own, a man named Epaphroditus.
Epaphroditus faithfully delivered the gift from his home church and then went above and beyond the call of duty. In his fervor to serve the Lord by serving Paul, Epaphroditus became seriously ill and, in fact, almost died. God graciously granted Epaphroditus health, and Paul sent his friend back home with the newly penned book of Philippians. This is part of what Paul wrote: “I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co\-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me” (Philippians 2:25–30\).
To the Philippians, Epaphroditus was a messenger who delivered a package. To Paul, however, he was so much more: a “brother” (belonging to the same family), a “co\-worker” (laboring toward the same goal), and a “fellow soldier” (sharing the same trials). Epaphroditus was a man of obvious devotion, faithfulness, and self\-sacrifice. He put “the interests of others” before himself and so modeled the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:4–5\). He labored on Paul’s behalf until his own health broke, and, even when he was sick, Epaphroditus took no thought of himself; rather, he was distressed because his church had heard of his illness, and he didn’t want them to worry.
Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: “I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18\). The very next verse is the oft\-quoted promise that God takes care of those who put God first: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19\).
Interestingly, Epaphroditus’s name is of pagan origin. It means “belonging to Aphrodite”—the name of the goddess is actually incorporated into the name Epaphroditus. Such is the power of the gospel that a man is set free from dead paganism to serve the living God. When Epaphroditus received the gospel, he was “belonging to Jesus,” and the idol had no more claim on him, regardless of his name. The new birth trumped the birth name.
When a man like Epaphroditus gives of himself for the sake of God’s kingdom, many people benefit. Such a man is worthy of honor, and his presence is cause for rejoicing (Philippians 2:29\).
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Who was Clement of Rome?
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Answer
Clement of Rome was an [early church father](early-church-fathers.html) who lived and ministered at the close of the apostolic era near the end of the first century. He was a bishop of the church in Rome and is primarily known for a letter that he wrote from Rome to the church at Corinth. This letter is referred to as 1 Clement or the First Epistle of Clement and is typically dated to about AD 96, probably before the death of the apostle John. It is most likely Clement’s only authentic extant writing. A second letter said to be from Clement to the Corinthian church is still extant, but many have questioned its authenticity.
Origen of Alexandria (AD 185—284\) and Eusebius of Caesarea (AD 260—340\) maintained that Clement of Rome was the same Clement mentioned by the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:3, although their claims cannot be positively confirmed. Persuasive evidence does exist that Clement had personal contact with Simon Peter and studied under the apostles. Irenaeus of Lyons (AD 130—200\) informs us that “this man \[Clement of Rome], as he had seen the blessed apostles, and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing \[in his ears], and their traditions before his eyes” (*Against Heresies* 3:3\).
The motivation for Clement’s letter to the Corinthians was an internal dispute within the Corinthian church regarding church leadership. Clement encourages them to practice humility and to look to Jesus and His apostles as examples. The letter includes a call to repentance and an encouragement to pursue holiness. Clement’s letter makes reference to several canonical books including Genesis, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, 1 Corinthians, and Philippians. Gospel citations from both Matthew and Luke are present as well.
Moreover, in 1 Clement we possibly find one of the earliest patristic references to the biblical doctrine of [justification through faith alone](justification-by-faith.html): “And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Clement, 32\).
A study of the church fathers can be informative and edifying, and Clement of Rome is certainly worthy of our attention. Like Clement, our minds should be saturated in Scripture, and our opinions should be informed by the teaching of the apostles.
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What is the Restored Church of God, and what do they believe?
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Answer
The Restored Church of God (RCG) is one of many offshoots of the original [Worldwide Church of God](Worldwide-Church-God-Armstrongism.html) (WCG), founded by Herbert W. Armstrong in 1934\. The Restored Church of God was started by David C. Pack in 1999 after he was fired from the Global Church of God. The Restored Church of God claims to retain the “tenets, style, and structure of the earlier Worldwide Church of God, before the death of Herbert W. Armstrong in 1986\.”
The mass splintering of the Worldwide Church of God began after a series of major doctrinal changes in 1992\. This has given rise to so many groups (including the United Church of God, Grace Communion International, the Philadelphia Church of God, the Global Church of God, the [Living Church of God](Living-Church-of-God.html), [House of Yahweh](House-of-Yahweh.html), the Intercontinental Church of God, the Church of God—Worldwide Association, and the Church of God—International Community) that the term *Armstrongism* was coined to cover all their errant theologies.
David Pack considered himself an “Elijah” to Herbert Armstrong’s “Apostleship,” until he more recently began claiming the office of Apostle for himself. According to Pack’s website, “he has reached millions around the globe with the most powerful truths of the Bible, *unknown to almost all*” (emphasis added). It is this “special knowledge” of the Bible that is part of the problem with the Restored Church of God.
The church’s belief system is founded on select principles from the Old Testament such as the Ten Commandments, dietary laws, tithing (three types are required), and compulsory celebration of the high Sabbaths and feast days. They follow an Old Covenant Sabbath, worshiping from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Celebration of Easter and Christmas is not allowed.
Members of the Restored Church of God are warned that leaving the fellowship will cause them to lose any chance of eternal life. Salvation is found only in the Restored Church of God. All other churches are considered apostate or counterfeit.
The Restored Church of God teaches binitarian theology rather than trinitarian. They believe that the Godhead temporarily consists of Jesus the Messiah, as the creator and spokesman, and God the Father. Their God Family doctrine states that every human who ever lived may be spiritually born and enter into the Godhead.
Pack teaches an imminent end of the world, with World War III beginning in the United States and Britain, the economy collapsing, and death and destruction reigning. In making such prophecies, Pack continues the tradition of Armstrong himself, who made over 200 prophecies (with specific dates) of massive destruction in the United States. Armstrong’s prophecies never came to pass. Pack typically avoids referencing specific dates.
The Restored Church of God teaches the false [Anglo\-Israel theology](British-Israelism.html), stating that residents of Britain are the tribe of Ephraim and that those of the U.S. are Manasseh. They also teach that white Anglo\-Saxons are the chosen people of God.
A religious sect can be considered a cult when it denies the basic theology that defines the Christian faith. Armstrongism, with its denial of the Trinity, its false prophecies, and its promotion of Law\-based justification, has always been considered a cult. The Restored Church of God, in seeking to restore the original doctrines of Armstrongism, falls into the same category. “‘They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:9\).
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What happened at the Pool of Siloam?
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Answer
The Pool of Siloam, also called the Pool of Shiloah (Isaiah 8:6\), has a rich and storied history, which involves an ancient king of Judah, a famous sermon, and one of Christ’s great miracles. The word *Siloam* means “Sent” (John 9:7\). Several rabbinic traditions identified the Pool of Siloam as the Messiah’s Pool. It was the only source of fresh water within the walls of ancient Jerusalem.
The Pool of Siloam was built by [King Hezekiah](life-Hezekiah.html) in the 8th century BC (2 Kings 20:20\) in order to provide water to Jerusalem, even in the event that the city were besieged. The pool was fed by a tunnel Hezekiah cut through almost 2,000 feet of solid rock from the Gihon Spring, also called the Virgin’s Spring. The spring, which produced a flow of water about twice a day, was located on the east side of Jerusalem, outside of the wall and on a slope leading down to the Kidron Valley. Hezekiah’s Tunnel channeled the water from Gihon to the pool, located in the southeast part of the city in the Tyropoeon Valley. The original Pool of Siloam was about 53 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 19 feet deep and was made of part hewn rock and part masonry.
Jerusalem and the Pool of Siloam were destroyed by the Babylonians about 600 BC. Seventy years later, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and part of the job was to repair the Pool of Siloam: “\[Shallun son of Kol\-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah] also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David” (Nehemiah 3:15\).
During the reign of Herod the Great, improvements were made to the Pool of Siloam. The pool itself was enlarged, and a large arcade (a set of arches) was built around the pool. Another arcade divided the pool, probably to create separate areas for men and women. During this time, the poor and sick people would often come to the Pool of Siloam to bathe.
But it is during the time of Christ that the Pool of Siloam finds its true significance. Because the pool was near the temple, its water was used for a special ceremony during the [Feast of Tabernacles](Feast-of-Tabernacles.html). Every morning during that joyful feast, a priest would take a golden vessel to the Pool of Siloam, fill it with water from the pool, and bring it back to the altar amid the shouts of the people. Then, as the crowd chanted the *Hallel* (Psalms 113—118\), that priest poured out the water on the west side of the altar, and another priest poured a [drink offering](drink-offering.html) of wine on the east side of the altar. This ritual was probably to illustrate Isaiah 12:3, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”
However, on the eighth and final day of the feast, the ritual was not repeated. And that is exactly when Jesus chose to make a startling announcement: “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them’” (John 7:37–38\). On the one day of the feast when no water was poured, Jesus stood up and filled the gap. The “water” He offers (the Holy Spirit, verse 39\) is better than the waters of Siloam. In offering the water of life, Jesus identified Himself with the rock in the wilderness that gave water to the Hebrews (see 1 Corinthians 10:4\).
In John 9, Jesus meets a man born blind. To show that He is indeed the “light of the world” (John 9:5\), Jesus heals the man. But it is interesting *how* Jesus chose to heal him: “He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ‘Go,’ he told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing” (John 9:6–7\). So, the blind man was *sent* to a pool called “*Sent*” by the One who was Himself *sent* by God into the world (John 3:17; 10:36\).
The site of the original Pool of Siloam has been excavated, and there is still a pool there, but it is hardly the splendid place that it once was. Still, we have the biblical record of the Pool of Siloam, a place that was used by kings and priests and by the Messiah Himself. The One sent by God to be our Savior used the Pool of “Sent” to prove that He is the [Light of the World](light-of-the-world.html) and to offer the [living water](living-water.html) available only through Him. The invitation to drink of Him is still open: “Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17\).
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Is God giving people in closed countries dreams and visions to bring them to faith in Christ?
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Answer
In Acts 10, a man in Caesarea named Cornelius receives a vision from God instructing him to send for a man named Peter (Simon Peter, an apostle of Jesus), who was in Joppa. Meanwhile, Peter receives a vision that instructed him to go with the men Cornelius sent. Peter arrives at Cornelius’s house, shares the gospel, and Cornelius and his entire family receive Jesus Christ as Savior. What an amazing and miraculous account!
In recent years, there have been many reports of people coming to faith in Christ through dreams and visions. The reports are most common in “closed” countries, that is, places where access to the Bible and the gospel is limited.
The stories are inspiring: a missionary’s car breaks down, and as he is waiting for help, a man approaches him and asks if he is God’s messenger. The missionary learns of a dream the man had that told him to go to that exact location to find “God’s messenger.” The missionary returns with the man to the village and proclaims the gospel, and the entire village comes to faith in Christ.
A Muslim man experiences a vision in which Jesus reveals Himself as the true prophet of God, the only Savior, and the only way of reconciliation with God. The Muslim man, at the risk of his life, forsakes Islam and embraces Christ.
What are Bible\-believing Christians to do with miraculous claims like these? First, we should recognize that such events are entirely possible. As seen in Acts 10, God has worked in this way. Also, the apostle Paul was brought to faith in Christ through a vision (Acts 9:3–6\); and Ananias, who later ministered to Paul, was sent to Paul through a vision (Acts 9:10–19\). God at times worked through dreams and visions in the Bible, and there is no reason He could not do so today.
Second, we need to approach claims of dreams and miracles with an appropriate amount of discernment. It is highly unlikely that *all* such claims are true, even if the results appear to be good. People of false religions also report converts due to dreams, visions, prophecies, etc. Satan is a counterfeiter (2 Corinthians 11:14\), and the Bible declares that miraculous revelations can be faked (Ezekiel 13:7; 1 John 4:1–6\).
Third, when we hear of such amazing miracles—even if they are verified as true—we need to refocus our attention on the Word of God. Only the Word of God never fails (1 Peter 1:25\). Only the Word of God is inerrant, infallible, and authoritative. As Jesus said, if people will not listen to the Word of God, they will not listen even if the most amazing of miracles is performed in front of them (Luke 16:31\).
Finally, we are to worship and praise God for the amazing ways that He works. Whether a person is brought to faith in Christ through a simple gospel presentation or through a dream or vision, we should be rejoicing with the angels (Luke 15:10\).
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What is the Thomas Jefferson Bible?
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Answer
The Thomas Jefferson Bible, also known as the Jefferson Bible, and officially titled *The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth*, is a work of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. Jefferson finished his “Bible” in approximately 1819\. It is not actually a complete Bible but an attempt at a [harmony of the Gospels](harmony-Gospels.html), with much of the content of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John literally cut and pasted in the order Thomas Jefferson thought best.
The most interesting, and disappointing, aspect of the Thomas Jefferson Bible is the fact that, as a naturalist, Thomas Jefferson did not believe in the supernatural. He therefore removed virtually all the miraculous events recorded in the Gospels. While some references to angels, heaven, hell, and a future eternal life remain, the accounts of Jesus’ miracles, allusions to the deity of Christ, and the story of Jesus’ resurrection are absent.
An earlier version of the Thomas Jefferson Bible was titled *The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth, Being Extracted from the Account of His Life and Doctrines Given by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; Being an Abridgement of the New Testament for the Use of the Indians, Uncomplicated with Matters of Fact or Faith Beyond the Level of Their Comprehensions*. Thomas Jefferson seemed to have believed that the “true” story of Jesus needed to be extracted from the Gospels and that the miracles were a distraction from Jesus’ philosophical and moral teachings. Jefferson took it upon himself to “uncomplicate” the story by excising the miraculous. In this way, his work resembles that of the [Jesus Seminar](Jesus-seminar.html).
The problem is that Jesus’ miracles and His teachings worked together. Acts 2:22 declares, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.” The miracles attested to the truth of Jesus’ teachings. The wonders and signs demonstrated that Jesus was far more than a great moral and philosophical teacher. In the Thomas Jefferson Bible, Thomas Jefferson made the precise mistake that C. S. Lewis warned of about 150 years later:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to” (*Mere Christianity*, pp. 51–52\).
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How tall was Goliath?
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Answer
Goliath is a biblical character found in 1 Samuel 17\. The Bible says he was a large man who fought as a champion for the Philistine army against God’s people, the Israelites.
How tall was Goliath in reality? Normally, we equate him with a giant, as most Bible translations state that he was over nine feet tall (1 Samuel 17:4, NIV). The Masoretic Text, the Hebrew text that has long been accepted by the Jewish people, states that Goliath’s height was “six cubits and one span.” Taking a cubit to be approximately eighteen inches and a span to equal six, this figures to a height of approximately nine feet, six inches. It seems Goliath may have had some [Anakim](Anakim.html) blood in him (see Deuteronomy 9:2\).
There is, however, a variation found in some ancient texts on the matter of Goliath’s height. A Greek translation of the Old Testament, [the Septuagint](septuagint.html), records Goliath’s height as *four* cubits and one span. Current measurements translate this to about six feet, six inches. While this would shorten Goliath some, he still would have been quite a bit taller than the average man’s height at that time—about five and a half feet. There are other sources that corroborate the shorter measurement, including one Hebrew text among the Dead Sea Scrolls and the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus. The [NET Bible](New-English-Translation-NET.html) goes with the shorter height, saying that Goliath was “close to seven feet tall” (1 Samuel 17:4\).
When it comes to the deviation between these [measurements](biblical-weights-and-measures.html), it is important to note a couple things. First, the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. The difference may be due to how the measurements were translated into Greek for the Septuagint. Second, the measurement of a cubit is not precise, since a cubit was based on the distance from a person’s elbow to the tip of a finger. Thus, the length of a cubit would vary somewhat, according to the one doing the measuring and the length of his arm.
Regardless of Goliath’s precise height, we know from God’s Word that he was a formidable opponent. He was not only tall—at least a foot taller than David, and possibly several feet taller—he was also strong. His bronze armor alone weighed 125 pounds (1 Samuel 17:5\), and he carried a giant\-sized spear (verse 7\). There was a reason that Goliath was the “champion” of the Philistines (verse 4\). In the end, however, a young man named David, armed with only a simple sling, [a few rocks](five-smooth-stones.html), and faith, defeated this enemy of Israel. [David proved stronger than Goliath](David-and-Goliath.html) because he had the almighty God on his side.
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How old was Mary when Jesus was born?
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Answer
While the Bible does not specifically state how old Mary was when Jesus was born, most Christian historians speculate that she was around 15—16 years of age at the time of Jesus’ birth. According to Jewish customs at the time, a young woman might become betrothed to a young man as early as 12 years of age, though the consummation of their marriage through ceremony and physical intimacy would not happen until they were legally married, many months or even years later.
In Luke 1:39–56, we learn that Mary traveled from Galilee to Judah to visit her relative Elizabeth. She would have had to cross a great distance though the territory of Samaria. We do not know if she traveled alone, with servants, or in the company of other family members. However, there is a great likelihood that, even with adult escorts, Mary would have needed to be both physically and emotionally mature enough to handle such a journey.
No matter what Mary’s age when Jesus was born, her spiritual maturity is indeed evident. The mother of Jesus is described by God as “highly favored” (Luke 1:28\). When presented with the news that she would conceive the holy Son of God, Mary responds with pure faith and obedience by saying, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:35–38\). Her song (Luke 1:46–55\) is full of Scripture—by some counts, there are 10 quotations of and allusions to the Old Testament in the [*Magnificat*](Magnificat.html)—another strong proof of Mary’s learning and spiritual maturity.
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What does the Bible say about having a living will?
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Answer
We all die. Physical death is a certainty for all of us, unless we happen to be one of those believers who “are alive and remain” at the time of the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15\). As the psalmist put it, “Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave?” (Psalm 89:48\). Because of death’s certainty, it is good to be prepared for it. As part of their preparation, many people have made out advance directives in the form of either a living will or durable power of attorney for health care.
The Bible does not mention living wills or the durable power of attorney for health care, but it does present some examples of people who planned ahead. When King Hezekiah was ill and “at the point of death,” God sent the prophet Isaiah to him with a message: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover’” (Isaiah 38:1\). The king did not summon a lawyer and make out a living will or assign durable power of attorney, but he was told to prepare for the day of his death. Today, having some form of advance directive in place could be considered part of “putting one’s house in order.”
We should make a distinction between a living will and durable power of attorney for health care. A living will is a legal document that gives instructions to a physician in regards to life\-prolonging health care treatments. In the event that a person is incapacitated or cannot speak for himself, a living will relates that person’s wishes to withhold or withdraw medical treatment. Living wills do not take effect until the designator is suffering from a terminal illness or is permanently unconscious with no hope of recovery. Such conditions must usually be verified by another physician, and a living will exempts the doctor(s) making the choice to “pull the plug” from all liability.
Durable power of attorney for health care, on the other hand, gives the authority to make decisions regarding health care to a family member or trusted friend. That is, someone other than a doctor has the right to make decisions concerning medical treatment. Sometimes the durable power of attorney for health care is called a “will to live” document or a “protective medical decisions” document.
Pro\-life Christian groups recommend the latter document over a living will, on the basis that a loved one will be more likely to have one’s best interests at heart. A living will tends to regulate how to *end* a life, whereas a person with durable power of attorney for health care will be more concerned with *saving* a life. With society’s growing acceptance of [euthanasia](euthanasia.html), it would seem wiser to entrust a loved one with such life\-and\-death decisions. A doctor empowered by a living will may or may not share one’s view of [life’s sanctity](sanctity-of-life.html). Plus, phrases within a living will such as “artificial means,” “heroic measures,” and “terminal” are open to a disturbingly wide range of interpretations.
The end of life can be a complicated time. Many people face questions about what type of treatment to pursue, whether or not to even seek treatment, and how to weigh the risks against the benefits of each course of action. A living will or a will to live document can help a person and his or her family sort through such questions before the time comes. Such a document can be a great benefit to a person’s health care proxy—the difficult decisions have already been made, and all that remains is to respect the wishes of the designator.
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What is the story of Elijah and Elisha?
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Answer
[Elijah](life-Elijah.html) and [Elisha](life-Elisha.html) are two of the most well\-known prophets of Israel. They both served in the northern kingdom of Israel. Elijah is first introduced in 1 Kings 17 as the prophet who predicted a three\-year drought in the land. After being miraculously fed by ravens, he later stayed with a widow and her son, and that family experienced God’s supernatural provision of food.
After Elijah’s defeat of the prophets of Baal when he called down fire from heaven, the drought ended. Rain fell, and Elijah fled from the evil [Queen Jezebel](life-Jezebel.html), who had vowed to kill him (1 Kings 19\). Reaching Mount Horeb, Elijah heard the voice of God tell him to anoint two kings as well as Elisha as a prophet. He did this, and Elisha immediately joined him (1 Kings 19:19–21\).
Elijah later condemned King Ahab for murder and the theft of a vineyard and predicted Ahab’s death and that of his wife, Jezebel (1 Kings 21:17–24\).
In 2 Kings 1, Elijah called down fire from heaven to destroy two groups of 50 men sent from King Ahaziah. A third group of men was led by a captain who begged for mercy and was spared judgment. Elijah went to Ahaziah and proclaimed the king would die from his sickness, a prophecy that was soon fulfilled.
In 2 Kings 2, Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan River on dry land, and Elisha, knowing that Elijah would not be with him much longer, asked to be blessed with a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah was taken directly into heaven by a chariot of fire. Elisha picked up Elijah’s [mantle](mantle-Bible.html) and used it to cross the Jordan again on dry land. He received the double portion he had asked for and performed many miracles in Israel. Some of Elisha’s miracles were the turning of bad water into clean water (2 Kings 2:19–22\), causing a widow’s oil to fill many jars (2 Kings 4:1–7\), and even raising a boy from the dead (2 Kings 4:32–37\).
Before he was taken to heaven, Elijah left a letter for King Jehoram of Judah that spoke of judgment against him. It stated, in part, “The LORD will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day by day” (2 Chronicles 21:14–15\). The prophecy soon came true (verses 18–20\).
Elijah and Elisha were both greatly respected by those in the “school of prophets” (2 Kings 2 and 4:38–41\) as well as by the kings of their nation. Their impact led to revival among some of the Israelites during a dark stage of Israel’s history. During the wicked reigns of Ahab and Ahaziah, God had His men leading the charge for righteousness.
Elijah and Elisha’s combined legacy continued to influence Israel for some time. Even the New Testament speaks of the expected return of Elijah, a role fulfilled by John the Baptist, the forerunner or the one to announce the coming of the Messiah (Mark 1\).
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What does the Bible say about diversity?
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Answer
Diversity is, basically, variety. In recent times, the word *diversity* has taken on the specific connotation of “variety of people within a group”—the differences among the people being racial, cultural, gender\-based, etc. Diversity was God’s idea. Even a cursory study of science reveals an amazing variety of plant and animal life. People, God’s final creation, are diverse, too. He did not create us as clones or robots. He created two different genders (Mark 10:6\). The creation of male and female is diversity at its most basic—the sexes are very different, yet complementary.
Another act of God that created diversity occurred at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9\). Humankind was clustered together, and God wanted them to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1\). To expedite their obedience, He confused their languages, making it impossible for them to work together. From there, humanity spread out across the earth, and people with the same language remained together. Over time, cultures, races, and regional dialects emerged and resulted in the diversity we now know.
Diversity is part of being human. God delights in the plethora of differences His human creatures possess. The [book of Revelation](Book-of-Revelation.html) describes the final gathering of God’s people from “every nation, tribe, and tongue” (Revelation 7:9\). The angels and elders around God’s throne adore Jesus with the words “with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9\). So God enjoys the diversity within the human race. We are each created in His image for His pleasure and glory (Revelation 4:11; Colossians 1:16\). He designed us the way we are and delights in His handiwork (Psalm 139:13–16\).
However, in our modern culture, the focus on diversity can become its own god. Diversity itself is revered rather than the One who created that diversity. An emphasis on diversity tends to highlight our differences. God is more concerned with unity (Ephesians 4:3\). Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” God is saying that our differences are not what should define the children of God. Those who belong to the Lord Jesus should first define themselves as God’s children. We must be willing to set diversity aside in favor of unity in spirit. Jesus’ passionate prayer in John 17 shows that His desire for His disciples was that “they may be one as you and I are one” (verse 22\).
So, what does it mean to be “one”? When we are born again (John 3:3\), we are created anew in Christ Jesus. Our fleshly differences become secondary to our new nature in Christ. We are unified around the centrality of God’s Word. We have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5\). Regardless of racial, cultural, or gender differences, God’s children hold to His Word as their final authority on all matters, including cultural and social issues. Some try to use “diversity” as an excuse to justify immorality or [homosexuality](homosexuality-Bible.html) (1 Corinthians 6:9\). While we all have different sin strongholds, we cannot allow unrepentant sin to continue under the guise of diversity. The diversity God created is good; sin can indeed be diverse, but God has nothing to do with it.
Human differences such as race, temperament, and culture are to be celebrated, tolerated, and incorporated in our goal of being “one” in Christ (John 17:20–23\). However, when diversity is made into an idol, we become self\-centered and divisive. When every difference is treated as sacred, selfishness rules and oneness is sacrificed in favor of individual preference. When we exalt our preferences over unity, we become demanding and proud, rather than selfless and forgiving (Ephesians 4:32; Philippians 2:4\). John 17:23 encapsulates the desire of Jesus for all His children. In this last, long, recorded prayer before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” While we can and should appreciate the value of the various nuances of being human, our goal must always be to become more like Jesus (Romans 8:29\).
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Why is skepticism of religion so prevalent today?
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Answer
Religious skepticism should not be confused with outright [atheism](atheism.html) or irreligion, although atheists can be considered one type of religious skeptic. The religious skeptic may simply be someone who has serious doubts or who is noncommittal toward religion. Actually, religious skepticism is nothing new. The famous skeptics Nathaniel (John 1:45–47\) and Thomas (John 20:25\) were disciples of Jesus who had their doubts. Yet it does seem today that religious skepticism is growing more prevalent.
Many things have contributed to the rise of religious skepticism. One is the culture at large. For more than a millennium, the ethos of Western culture was “Christian”; that is, the [Judeo\-Christian worldview](Judeo-Christian-ethic.html) was respected and taught, even if it was not always lived. That began to shift during the Enlightenment (also known as the Age of Reason) in the early 1700s and continued during the Industrial Age, a time when man knew no obstacles. The cultural change accelerated in the modern and now [postmodern age](postmodernism-dangers.html) due, in part, to the influx of many different cultures and ways of thinking.
David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, writes in his book *unChristian: What a new Generation Really Thinks About Christianity . . . and Why It Matters*, “Many young Americans say life seems complicated—that it’s hard to know how to live with the onslaught of information, worldviews and options they are faced with every day. One of the specific criticisms young adults frequently make about Christianity is that it does not offer deep, thoughtful or challenging answers to life in a complex culture.” In other words, they see the Bible’s answers to cultural issues as too simplistic. Society is too “sophisticated” to pay attention to the “old\-fashioned” mores of the Bible. They reject basic answers such as “because the Bible says so,” and they fail to see—perhaps they’ve never been taught—there are deeper reasons underlying the Bible’s mandates.
Another reason for today’s religious skepticism has to do with the practitioners of religion. Sadly, some religious people are immoral, dishonest, or just plain mean. Some skeptics have had bad experiences with religion in the past. According to the Barna Group, the biggest reason religious skepticism has grown among Millennials (those born between 1985 and 2002\) rests on personal interactions with “Christians” who were truly un\-Christian. [Religious hypocrisy](Bible-hypocrisy.html) has left many disillusioned and disengaged from the faith that once solidified the Western world.
Any lack of Christlike attitudes and actions among professing believers points to a lack of personal transformation. We are called to [be like Christ](more-like-Christ.html). But many Christians focus more on unrighteousness in the culture than self\-righteousness in their own hearts. They miss the point of Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” The crucified life counters hypocrisy.
Another contributing factor to religious skepticism today is an over\-reliance on empiricism. People who want everything to be “proved” beyond all doubt will naturally be skeptical of spiritual truths, which cannot be quantified, dissected, or tested in a lab. Ironically, many religious skeptics accept as gospel truth the *theory* of [naturalistic evolution](flaws-theory-evolution.html), which has never been proved, while rejecting the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ miracles in the Gospels.
Religious skepticism can also be caused by a desire to give due consideration to *all* religious beliefs—and being puzzled by the conflicting beliefs the different religious systems espouse. One group says one thing about Jesus, and another group says the opposite. Other groups dispense with Jesus altogether in favor of a mesmeric guru or a cerebral philosophy or a strangely shaped rock. It’s enough to make anyone a little skeptical. Add to this confusion the wide\-ranging acceptance of postmodern relativism, and it’s no surprise that there are so many religious skeptics today.
Intellectually based religious skepticism, in itself, is not bad. In fact, healthy skepticism is a good thing—we should be wary of false teaching, and we are told to “[test the spirits](test-the-spirits.html) to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1\). A healthy, enduring faith incorporates permission to [question](question-God.html) and seek answers. God can withstand our scrutiny, and doubt does not have to equate to disbelief. God calls us to “come . . . reason together” with Him (Isaiah 1:18\).
We need to “be wise in the way \[we] act toward outsiders” (Colossians 4:5; see also 1 Thessalonians 4:12 and 1 Timothy 3:7\), and we must engage skeptics in dialogue leading to the truth. The apostle Peter says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15\). He immediately follows that command with instruction on *how* to engage the questioner: “Do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:15–16\). Humility and respect are crucial in dealing with skeptics in our postmodern age.
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What is the Antichrist?
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Answer
First John 2:18 speaks of the Antichrist: “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.” The specific term *antichrist* is used five times in Scripture, twice here in 1 John 2:18 and once in 1 John 2:22; 4:3; and 2 John 1:7\. So, what is this Antichrist that the apostle John refers to?
The meaning of the term *antichrist* is simply “against Christ.” As the apostle John records in First and Second John, an antichrist denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22\), does not acknowledge Jesus (1 John 4:3\), and denies that Jesus came in the flesh (2 John 1:7\). There have been many “antichrists,” as 1 John 2:18 states. But there is also coming *the* Antichrist.
Most Bible prophecy/eschatology experts believe the Antichrist will be the ultimate embodiment of what it means to be against Christ. In the end times/last hour, a man will arise to oppose Christ and His followers more than anyone else in history. Likely claiming to be the true Messiah, the Antichrist will seek world domination and will attempt to destroy all followers of Jesus Christ and the nation of Israel.
Other biblical references to the Antichrist include the following:
The imposing, boastful king of Daniel 7 who oppresses the Jews and tries to “change the set times and the laws” (verse 25\).
The leader who establishes a 7\-year covenant with Israel and then breaks it in Daniel 9\.
The king who sets up the abomination of desolation in Mark 13:14 (cf. Daniel 9:27\).
The man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12\.
The rider on a white horse (representing his claim to be a man of peace) in Revelation 6:2\.
The first beast—the one from the sea—in Revelation 13\. This beast receives power from the dragon (Satan) and speaks “proud words and blasphemies” (verse 5\) and wages war against the saints (verse 7\).
Thankfully, the Antichrist/beast, along with his false prophet, will be thrown into the lake of fire, where they will spend all eternity in torment (Revelation 19:20; 20:10\).
What is the Antichrist? In summary, the Antichrist is the end\-times false messiah who seeks, and likely achieves, world domination so that he can destroy Israel and all followers of Jesus Christ.
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What was the purpose of the Levitical Law?
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Answer
There is often confusion about the role of the Old Testament Law and how it relates to Christians today. Some say the Levitical laws were just for the Jewish people, while others say they apply to everyone who would worship God. Some think they teach a different way of salvation than the New Testament, and some even think they represent a different God than the loving, merciful one revealed in the New Testament. What is the Levitical Law, and what was its purpose?
First, let’s clarify some terms. The [Levites](tribe-of-Levi.html) were the descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s twelve sons. [Moses](life-Moses.html) was of the tribe of Levi, and when God delivered the Law to him on Mount Sinai, He marked the Levites as the tribe responsible for the primary religious duties in the nation. They were made priests, singers, and caretakers in the worship of God. In calling it the Levitical Law, we acknowledge that God revealed the Law through Moses, a Levite, and that God appointed the Levites as the religious leaders of Israel. The same Law is sometimes called “Mosaic” because it was given through Moses, and it is also referred to as the “Old Covenant,” because it is part of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants.
To discover God’s purpose in the Law, we must first look at its inception, and the things God said to Moses about it. When Moses and the people arrived at Mount Sinai, God said, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5–6\). The first mention of the Law to the nation was as a covenant—a legal agreement between God and the people He chose. The Israelites were required to obey it fully if they were to receive its benefits.
God began His introduction to the Law with the [Ten Commandments](Ten-Commandments.html), but the entire Law encompasses [613 commandments](613-commandments.html), as detailed in the rest of the [books of Moses](Pentateuch.html). Jesus summarized the Law as having two emphases: love for God and love for neighbors (Matthew 22:37–39\). These emphases can be easily seen in the Ten Commandments: the first four commands focus on our relation to God, and the remainder focus on interpersonal relations. If we think that is the whole purpose of the Law, though, we miss an important element. Many of the individual commands give detailed instruction on how God was to be worshiped and how the people were to live their lives. As we will see, it is in those fine details that love was either shown or withheld.
For hundreds of years, the Israelites lived under the Levitical Law, sometimes obeying it but more often failing to follow God’s commands. Much of Old Testament history deals with the punishments Israel received for their disobedience. When Jesus Christ came, He said that He did not “come to abolish the Law or the Prophets . . . but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17\). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took the Law to a higher level, applying it to the thoughts and intents of the heart. This perspective significantly diminishes our ability to keep the Law.
The apostle Paul gives us insight into God’s purpose for the Law in his letter to the Galatians. In Galatians 3:10 he says, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’” The fine details show up again—if we don’t keep *every* command perfectly, we are condemned (see James 2:10\). In Galatians 3:19, Paul asks, “What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.” What does that mean? Verse 24 clarifies: “The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” The Law pointed out our sinfulness, proved our inability to keep our end of the covenant, made us prisoners in our guilt, and showed our need of a Savior. The purpose of the Law is also revealed in Romans 3:19–20 as producing a consciousness of sin and holding the world “accountable to God.” Paul even goes so far as to say he would not have known what sin was except by the Law (Romans 7:7\).
The Levitical Law did its job well, pointing out the sinfulness of mankind and condemning us for it. But, as powerful as it was in that regard, it was powerless in another way. Hebrews 7:18–19 tells us that the old Law was set aside “because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect).” The Law had no way of changing our sinful nature. We needed something better to accomplish that. In fact, Hebrews goes on to say that the Law was “only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never . . . make perfect those who draw near to worship” (Hebrews 10:1\).
God’s desire has always been to have fellowship with mankind, but our sin prevented that. He gave the Law to set a standard of holiness—and, at the same time, to show that we could never meet that standard on our own. That’s why Jesus Christ had to come—to fulfill all the righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf, and then to take the punishment of our violating that same Law. Paul wrote in Galatians 2:16 that we are not justified “by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.” When we receive God’s forgiveness through our confession of faith in Jesus’ sacrificial death, the Law is fulfilled for us, and “there is no longer any sacrifice for sin” (Hebrews 10:18\). The Law’s condemnation does not fall on us, because “the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2\).
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What does it mean to be sanctified?
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Answer
To be [sanctified](sanctification.html) is to be “set apart.” Synonyms for *sanctified* are *holy*, *consecrated*, and *hallowed*. The Bible speaks of *things* being “sanctified,” such as Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:23\) and gifts to the temple (Matthew 23:17\); *days*, such as the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8\); *names*, such as God’s (Matthew 6:9\); and *people*, such as the Israelites (Leviticus 20:7–8\) and Christians (Ephesians 5:26\).
For a thing to be sanctified means it is set apart for a special use. Sinai was set apart from all other mountains for the giving of the Law. The temple in Jerusalem was set apart from all other locations for the worship of the one true God: “I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there” (2 Chronicles 7:16\).
Things that are sanctified are reserved for God’s purposes and should not be used for mundane tasks. The night Babylon fell, King Belshazzar “gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets . . . from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them” (Daniel 5:2\). It was one of Belshazzar’s final acts, for he was killed that night by the invading Persians. God’s name is “hallowed” (Luke 11:2\) and any flippant or disrespectful use of His name is profane.
Jesus spoke of Himself as being sanctified in John 17:19; in other words, He is holy and “set apart” from sin. His followers are to be similarly set apart from sin and for God’s use (see 1 Peter 1:16\).
People who are sanctified are born again and therefore part of God’s family (Hebrews 2:11\). They are reserved for God’s use. They know “the sanctifying work of the Spirit” in their lives (1 Peter 1:2\). They abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3\). They understand they have been “called to be his holy people” (1 Corinthians 1:2\).
To be sanctified means that God has been at work in our lives. Under the Old Testament Law, the blood of a sacrifice was required to set things apart unto God: “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood” (Hebrews 9:22\). Blood was sprinkled on tabernacle furniture, on priestly clothing, and on people. Nothing was considered sanctified until it had come in contact with the blood. This was a picture of the spiritual application of Christ’s blood for our salvation—we are “sprinkled with his blood” (1 Peter 1:2\). Just as the temple of old was sanctified for God’s use, our bodies, [temples of the Holy Spirit](body-temple-Holy-Spirit.html), are set apart for God’s holy purposes (1 Corinthians 6:19\).
To be sanctified means that God’s Word has had an effect on us. It is “through the word” that God cleanses us and makes us holy (Ephesians 5:26; John 17:17\).
God invites us sinners to come to Him “just as we are” and receive His mercy and forgiveness. When we are saved, the Holy Spirit begins His amazing work of transforming us into the image and likeness of Christ. To be sanctified means that God loves us too much to let us stay the same.
The apostle’s prayer is for all believers, everywhere: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23\).
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When and how was Judah conquered by the Babylonians?
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Answer
The struggle between Judah and [Babylon](Babylon-in-the-Bible.html) was long and ultimately disastrous for Judah. During the reign of King [Jehoiakim](King-Jehoiakim.html) (609—597 BC), “Nebuchadnezzar king of [Babylon](Babylonian-empire.html) came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years” (2 Kings 24:1\). The beginning of Jehoiakim’s servitude was 605 BC. Three years later, Judah’s king rebelled against Babylon, refusing to pay the tribute. Nebuchadnezzar quelled the rebellion and took prisoners back to Babylon—[Daniel](life-Daniel.html) and his three friends among them. After Jehoiakim’s death in 597 BC, his 18\-year\-old son, [Jehoiachin](King-Jehoiachin.html), became king, reigning for three months and doing evil in God’s sight (verses 8–9\).
During Jehoiachin’s reign, in 597 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city of Jerusalem. Jehoiachin gave himself up, and we have the following report: “The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign and carried off all the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the LORD, which Solomon king of Israel had made, as the LORD had foretold. He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained, except the poorest people of the land” (2 Kings 24:11–14\). This second deportation of Jews to Babylon included the priest [Ezekiel](life-Ezekiel.html), who later wrote the [book](Book-of-Ezekiel.html) that bears his name.
The nation of Judah continued to exist under Babylonian rule with [King Zedekiah](King-Zedekiah.html) installed in Jerusalem as a puppet king. But Zedekiah, too, rebelled, and “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it. So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah” (2 Kings 25:1–2\).
The city fell in 586 BC: “\[Nebuchadnezzar] burned the house of the LORD and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem. And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, [Nebuzaradan](Nebuzaradan.html) the captain of the guard carried into exile. But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen” (2 Kings 25:9–12\).
After the destruction of Jerusalem, [Gedaliah](Gedaliah-in-the-Bible.html) was placed in charge as a governor in Judah (2 Kings 25:22\). He was killed two months after his appointment (seven months after the fall of Jerusalem, cp. verses 8 and 25\), causing many of the remaining Jews to flee to Egypt in fear of their lives (verse 26\). This group of refugees included the [prophet Jeremiah](life-Jeremiah.html), who was forced against his will to go to Egypt.
The book of 2 Kings ends with King Jehoiachin being released from prison in Babylon and given freedom to dine at the king’s table in Babylon. Though originally a king, Jehoiachin became a foreign prisoner of war and was thankful to be released from prison. These dire events had all been predicted by God’s prophets. The Jews’ [exile in Babylon](Babylonian-captivity-exile.html) lasted for 70 years, as Jeremiah predicted (Jeremiah 25:12\). Then the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem and start rebuilding. That period of history is described in the books of [Ezra](Book-of-Ezra.html) and [Nehemiah](Book-of-Nehemiah.html).
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When and how was Israel conquered by the Assyrians?
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Answer
[Assyria’s](Assyrians.html) conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel began approximately 740 BC under King Pul. First Chronicles 5:26 notes, “So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of Tiglath\-pileser king of Assyria, and he took them into exile, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half\-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day.” These tribes, located east of the Jordan River, were the first ones conquered by [Assyria](Assyria-in-the-Bible.html).
Nearly 20 years later, about 722 BC, the capital city, Samaria, was overtaken by the Assyrians under Shalmaneser V. After first forcing tribute payments, Shalmaneser later laid siege to the city when it refused to pay. Following a three\-year siege, 2 Kings 17:5\-6 notes that, “in the ninth year of [Hoshea](King-Hoshea.html), the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.” And in 701 BC the Assyrians marched south into Judah; however, they were unable to capture Jerusalem due to the Lord’s intervention (2 Chronicles 32:22\).
The Lord had long warned Israel of judgment, going all the way back to Moses’ stern warning in Deuteronomy 28:62–65\. Second Kings 17:13 says, “Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer.” Many attempts had been made to turn the people back to the Lord, including efforts by Elijah and Elisha, two of the greatest prophets in Israel’s history.
Second Kings 17:15–17 describes the many ways in which Israel sinned against the Lord, leading to His judgment upon the land: “They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them. And they abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an [Asherah](who-Asherah.html) and worshiped all the host of heaven and served [Baal](who-Baal.html). And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.” Israel broke the Law, worshiped other gods—even burning their children as offerings—and used divination as part of their godless lifestyle.
Verse 18 notes, “Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.” Though a remnant remained in the north, the nation of Israel was under Assyrian rule, and tens of thousands were deported and made servants in Assyria.
Further, the Assyrians began to populate Israel with people from other nations they had defeated. Verse 24 says, “And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.” The descendants of these foreigners and the remnant of Israel were later simply called “[Samaritans](Samaritans.html).” During the time of Christ, the Samaritans were despised as an “unclean” people because of their mixed ancestry and rejection of temple\-based worship.
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What does the Bible say about family problems?
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Answer
Family problems are nothing new. In a fallen world, those we should love the most—our families—often become the ones we fight with the most. The Bible doesn’t gloss over sin, and it records a number of family problems, starting with Adam’s blame\-shifting, with his wife as the target (Genesis 3:12\). Sibling rivalry crops up in the stories of Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, and Joseph and his brothers. Jealousy among wives—one of the negative consequences of polygamy—is found in the stories of Hannah, and Leah and Rachel. Eli and Samuel dealt with wayward children. Jonathan was almost murdered by his father, Saul. David was brokenhearted by his son Absalom’s rebellion. Hosea experienced marital difficulties. In each of these cases, relationships were damaged by sin.
The Bible has a lot to say about relationships, including family dynamics. The first institution God established for human interaction was a family (Genesis 2:22–24\). He created a wife for Adam and joined them in marriage. Citing this event, Jesus later said, “What God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6\). God’s plan was for one man and one woman to remain married until one of them dies. He desires to bless that union with children who are to be raised “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4; see also Psalm 127:3\). Most family problems emerge when we rebel against God’s design—polygamy, adultery, and divorce all cause problems because they deviate from God’s original plan.
The Bible gives clear instructions about how family members are to treat each other. God’s plan is that husbands love their wives in the same way that Christ loves His church (Ephesians 5:25, 33\). Wives are to respect their husbands and submit to their leadership (Ephesians 5:22–24, 33; 1 Peter 3:1\). Children are to obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1–4; Exodus 20:12\). How many family problems would be solved if husbands, wives, and children simply followed those basic rules?
First Timothy 5:8 says that families are to take care of their own. Jesus had harsh words for those who evaded their financial responsibilities to their aging parents by claiming they gave all their money to the temple (Matthew 15:5–6\).
The key to harmony in families is not one we naturally want to apply. Ephesians 5:21 says to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Submission is in direct opposition to our flesh’s desire to rule and have its way. We defend our rights, champion our causes, defend our opinions, and assert our own agendas whenever possible. God’s way is to crucify our flesh (Galatians 5:24; Romans 6:11\) and submit to the needs and wishes of others whenever we can. Jesus is our model for that kind of submission to God’s will. First Peter 2:23 says, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
Most family problems could be lessened if we all followed the instructions found in Philippians 2:3–4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” When we adopt the spirit of humility and treat others as Jesus would treat them, we can resolve many of our family and relationship problems.
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What happened at the Pool of Bethesda?
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Answer
The Pool of Bethesda was “in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate” (John 5:2\), which places it north of the temple, near Fort Antonia. John gives the additional detail that the pool was “surrounded by five covered colonnades.” During Jesus’ time, the Pool of Bethesda lay outside the city walls. It was at this pool that Jesus performed a miracle showing that He is greater than any human malady and that superstition and religious folklore are foolish and feeble substitutes for faith in God.
The Pool of Bethesda was used in ancient times to provide water for the temple. The mention of the “Upper Pool” in 2 Kings 18:17 may be a reference to the Pool of Bethesda. Sometime during the [Hasmonean Period](Greek-empire.html), an additional pool was added to the original one.
The name of the pool, “Bethesda,” is Aramaic. It means “House of Mercy.” John tells us that “a great number of disabled people used to lie \[there]—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed” (John 5:3\). The covered colonnades would have provided shade for the disabled who gathered there, but there was another reason for the popularity of the Pool of Bethesda. Legend had it that an angel would come down into the pool and “stir up the water.” The first person into the pool after the stirring of the water “was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted” (John 5:4, NAS). The Bible does not teach that this actually happened—John 5:4 is not included in most modern translations because it is unlikely to be original to the text—rather, the superstitious belief probably arose because of the pool’s association with the nearby temple.
On the day that Jesus visited the Pool of Bethesda, there was a man there who “had been an invalid for thirty\-eight years” (John 5:5\). Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. The man replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me” (verse 7\). Obviously, the man believed the urban legend about the stirring of the water. He blamed the fact that he was never healed on his tardiness in getting into the water.
Jesus swept aside all superstition and bypassed altogether the need for magic water with one command: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8\). The man was instantly cured, and “he picked up his mat and walked” (verse 9\). The man did not need quicker reflexes or beneficent angels or enchanted water. The man needed Jesus.
Amazingly, not everyone was happy about the man’s miraculous healing. The day Jesus healed the man at the poolside happened to be a Sabbath. As the man left Bethesda, the Jewish leaders saw him carrying his mat, and they stopped him: “It is the Sabbath,” they said. “The law forbids you to carry your mat” (John 5:10\). The man told them that he was simply obeying orders: “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’” (verse 11\). The Jews inquired who would so brazenly promote Law\-breaking, but “the man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd” (verse 13\).
The reaction of the Jewish leaders shows that, no matter how much proof God provides, there will be some people who refuse to see the truth. Jesus was a bona fide Miracle Worker, but the religious leaders couldn’t see the miracle. All they could see was that someone had violated a rule. The issue was not the breaking of God’s command, for Jesus fulfilled the Law and was completely subject to it (Matthew 5:17\). The only thing being broken was a pharisaical *interpretation* of one of God’s laws. So, a blessing meant to increase faith only increased the blindness of those who refused to acknowledge the blessing.
The postscript to the story reveals that the man who was *physically* healed still needed some *spiritual* healing. “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you’” (John 5:14\). Jesus’ words are a rebuke of an unnamed sin—the man was living contrary to God’s will somehow—and a warning of “something worse.” What could be worse than thirty\-eight years of paralysis? How about an eternity in hell (see Mark 9:47\)?
Now that the man knew who Jesus was, he returned to the Jewish leaders and told them “it was Jesus who had made him well” (John 5:15\). It is likely that the man did this in praise of Jesus, to magnify the glory due His name, and also from a sense of obligation—he had been asked a question and felt he should respond with the answer, once he had it. Little did he anticipate the reaction the leaders would have: “So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him” (verse 16\).
The Pool of Bethesda was the focus of a local legend about healing, but Jesus showed that faith in legends and superstition is misplaced. In contrast, faith in Jesus Christ—the One who can heal with a simple word, the Savior who can forgive any sin, the true Master of the “House of Mercy”—is never misplaced.
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What is the origin and meaning of the pentagram?
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Answer
The pentagram has been used as a religious symbol throughout the world from the beginning of recorded history. The most basic pentagram is simply a five\-point star drawn with one continuous line broken into five line segments and with one point of the star facing up. Today, however, when we say “pentagram,” we usually mean “a five\-point star with one or two circles drawn around it.” Sometimes such a symbol includes other small markings denoting a particular *magick sigil* (a symbol used in magic spells). An inverted pentagram displays the star “upside down,” i.e., with one point facing down and two facing up. Whichever form is used, the pentagram has always been assigned a five\-part symbolism.
The pentagram was used in ancient Chinese and Japanese religions to symbolize the five elements of life. In Japanese culture the symbol was also considered magical. Ancient Babylonian culture was also using the pentagram to represent various gods and religious beliefs of their own.
In Christian symbolism, the basic pentagram (without a circle) was originally used to represent the five wounds of Jesus Christ. It was soon supplanted by the symbol of the cross, but the pentagram was still recognizable as a Christian symbol for a few hundred years after Jesus’ resurrection. Some say that the continuous line was also considered symbolic of the Alpha and Omega.
Christian\-influenced academia in Europe during the Enlightenment re\-discovered Pythagoras’ interest in the pentagram, which contains the Golden Ratio. Pythagoras’ study went beyond mathematics, though, as he assigned the five ancient elements to the five points of the star: earth, water, air, and fire on the four lower points; and spirit on the topmost point. Depending on the mythology, this arrangement usually indicated the correct ordering of the world, with material things subject to spirit. The [Free Masons](free-masonry.html) and [Eastern Star Organization](Eastern-Star.html) have also used this Pythagorean pentagram, often adding their own symbols as well.
In [Wicca](Wicca.html) and various forms of “[white magic](white-magic.html),” the encircled, upright pentagram is considered a symbol that provides protection of some kind. Pagan and neo\-pagan groups use the pentagram in all manner of rituals and ornamentation because it symbolizes infinity, the binding of the five elements, and protection of the self.
In the mid\-1800s, a researcher of magic declared in a book that the inverted pentagram was a symbol of evil because it presented an inversion of the natural order, placing matter over the spirit world. Since then, the inverted pentagram has had associations with [occult practices](occult.html) and [black magic](black-magic.html). The Church of Satan uses the inverted pentagram as part of its copyrighted logo, adding a goat’s head, framed by the star.
Today, the pentagram shows up in horror films, thrillers, and crime dramas, reinforcing the symbol’s association with neo\-paganism, black magic, and occultism. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a star, and the pentagram itself contains no inherent power. It has been used in many ways by many different cultures, including Christianity. It should not be feared in and of itself, although we should be aware of what other people are communicating through it.
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Why should I believe the Bible?
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Answer
The Bible makes claims about the [creation](creation-days.html) of the universe, the nature of the God who created the universe and reigns supremely over it, and the fate of mankind. If these claims are true, then the Bible is the most important book in the history of mankind. If the Bible is true, then it holds the answers to life’s biggest questions: “From where did I come?” “Why am I here?” and “What happens to me when I die?” The importance of the Bible’s message demands it receive fair consideration, and the truthfulness of its message is observable, testable, and able to withstand scrutiny.
The writers of the Bible claim that the Bible is God’s very Word. The apostle Paul writes that “all Scripture is God\-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16\). That is to say, all the words recorded in the original writing of Scripture originated from the mouth of God before ever reaching the minds and pens of the biblical writers. The apostle Peter also writes that “prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21\). The phrase “carried along” is indicative of a sail being propelled by the wind. That is, the writing of Scripture was directed by the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not originate with man and is, then, a product of God and carries the authority of God.
At this point, it is important not to let circular reasoning become the justification for believing the Bible. We cannot say that one should believe the Bible simply because the Bible says it should be believed. If, however, the truth claims of the Bible are found true whenever it is possible to test their veracity or are proved true during historical and scientific discovery, then the internal claims of the Bible’s own trustworthiness are more compelling. The internal evidence works in tandem with the external.
The internal evidence of Scripture’s veracity provides many compelling arguments for why one should believe the Bible. First, the unique message of the Bible sets it apart from other religious texts. The Bible, for instance, teaches that mankind is [inherently sinful](total-depravity.html) and deserving of eternal death. If man were responsible for the content of the Bible, the view of humanity would not be so dark—we tend to make ourselves look good. The Bible also teaches that humans can do nothing of themselves to remedy their natural state. This, too, goes against human pride.
The unity of the biblical message is further reason for why one should believe the Bible. The Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,550 years, with at least 40 human writers, most of whom did not know each other and were from varying backgrounds (king, fisherman, tax collector, shepherd, etc.). The Bible was written in various environments (desert, prison, royal court, etc.). Three different languages were used to write the Bible, and, despite covering controversial subjects, it carries one harmonious message. The circumstances surrounding the writing of the Bible would seem to guarantee its fallibility, and, yet, the message from Genesis to Revelation is uncannily consistent.
Another reason why one should believe the Bible is its accuracy. The Bible should not be confused with a science textbook, but that does not mean that the Bible does not speak to issues that are scientific in nature. The water cycle was described in Scripture centuries before it was a scientific discovery. In some cases science and the Bible have seemed to be at odds with each other. Yet, when science has advanced, the scientific theories have proved wrong and the Bible proved right. For example, it used to be standard medical practice to bleed patients as a cure for illness. Many people died because of excessive blood loss. Now medical professionals know that bloodletting as a cure for most diseases is counterproductive. The Bible always taught that “the life of a creature is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11\).
The Bible’s truth claims concerning world history have also been substantiated. Skeptics used to criticize the Bible for its mention of the [Hittite people](Hittites.html) (e.g., 2 Kings 7:6\). The lack of any archaeological evidence to support the existence of a Hittite culture was often cited as a rebuttal against Scripture. In 1876, however, archaeologists discovered evidence of the Hittite nation, and by the early 20th century the vastness of the Hittite nation and its influence in the ancient world was common knowledge.
The scientific and historical accuracy of the Bible is important evidence of the Bible’s trustworthiness, but the Bible also contains fulfilled prophecies. Some of the biblical writers made claims about future events centuries in advance. If any one of the events predicted had occurred, it would be astounding. But the Bible contains many, many prophecies. Some of the predictions were fulfilled in a short amount of time (Abraham and Sarah had a son, Peter denied Jesus three times, Paul was a witness for Jesus in Rome, etc.). Other predictions were fulfilled hundreds of years later. The 300 messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus could not have reasonably been fulfilled by one person unless some greater power was involved. Specific prophecies like Jesus’ birthplace, activities, manner of death, and resurrection demonstrate the preternatural accuracy of Scripture.
When it is put to the test, the Bible is proved true in every area. Its truth extends to the spiritual, as well. That means that when the Bible says the Hittite nation existed, then we can believe that there were Hittites, and when the Bible teaches that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23\) and the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23\), then we need to believe that, too. And, when the Bible tells us that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8\) and that “whoever believes in \[Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16\), then we can and should believe that, also.
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What was the significance of the altar King Ahaz built?
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Answer
Second Kings 16 describes the reign of [King Ahaz](King-Ahaz.html) in Judah. During his reign, he went to Damascus to meet Tiglath\-pileser, king of Assyria (verse 10\). While there Ahaz saw the altar the [Assyrians](Assyrians.html) used and sent a model of it to Uriah the priest in Jerusalem with orders for Uriah to construct a life\-size, working replica.
Uriah did as the king commanded and had the altar built for the king’s return. Ahaz then commanded that the daily offerings of worship to the Lord take place on this new altar. Ahaz said he would decide what to do with the original altar of the Lord (verses 15–16\).
Ahaz’s desecration of the temple continued: “And King Ahaz cut off the frames of the stands and removed the basin from them, and he took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it and put it on a stone pedestal. And the covered way for the Sabbath that had been built inside the house and the outer entrance for the king he caused to go around the house of the LORD, because of the king of Assyria” (verses 17–18\).
Other evils of Ahaz are summarized in 2 Chronicles 28:1–4, “And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done, but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made metal images for the Baals, and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. And he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.”
This same chapter notes that, as a result of Ahaz’s wickedness, the Lord allowed Judah to be defeated by Syria and Israel. In one day, 120,000 men died, and 200,000 were taken as servants to Samaria. Instead of turning to the Lord, Ahaz requested help from Assyria, but they afflicted him instead (verse 20\). In his distress Ahaz sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him (verse 22\).
In the end, Scripture records, “Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and he shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. In every city of Judah he made [high places](high-places.html) to make offerings to other gods, provoking to anger the LORD, the God of his fathers” (2 Chronicles 28:24–25\). King Ahaz was so despised that, when he died, he was not buried in the tombs of the kings in Jerusalem (verse 27\).
Ahaz is frequently mentioned by [Isaiah](Book-of-Isaiah.html) as well as by [Hosea](Book-of-Hosea.html) and [Micah](Book-of-Micah.html). Ahaz’s reputation was one of evil and disobedience to the Lord, leading to judgment upon Judah’s land and people.
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What is the meaning of the Parable of the Ten Minas?
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Answer
Christ uses the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19:11–27 to teach about the coming kingdom of God on earth. The occasion of the [parable](what-is-a-parable.html) is Jesus’ final trip to Jerusalem. Many people in the crowd along the road believed that He was going to Jerusalem in order to establish His earthly kingdom immediately. (Of course, He was going to Jerusalem in order to die, as He had stated in Luke 18:33\.) Jesus used this parable to dispel any hopeful rumors that the time of the kingdom had arrived.
In the parable, a nobleman leaves for a foreign country in order to be made king. Before he left, he gave ten minas to ten of his servants (Luke 19:12–13\). A mina was a good sum of money (about three months’ wages), and the future king said, “Put this money to work . . . until I come back” (verse 13\).
However, the man’s subjects “hated him” and sent word to him that they refused to acknowledge his kingship (Luke 19:14\). When the man was crowned king, he returned to his homeland and began to set things right. First, he called the ten servants to whom he had loaned the minas. They each gave an account for how they had used the money. The first servant showed that his mina had earned ten more. The king was pleased, saying, “‘[Well done, good and faithful servant](well-done-good-and-faithful-servant.html)! . . . Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities” (verse 17\). The next servant’s investment had yielded five additional minas, and that servant was rewarded with charge of five cities (verses 18–19\).
Then came a servant who reported that he had done nothing with his mina except hide it in a cloth (Luke 19:20\). His reason: “I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow” (verse 21\). The king responded to the servant’s description of him as “hard” by showing hardness, calling him a “wicked servant” and commanding for his mina to be given to the one who had earned ten (verses 22 and 24\). Some bystanders said, “Sir . . . he already has ten!” and the king replied, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away” (verses 25–26\).
Finally, the king commanded that his enemies—those who had rebelled against his authority—be brought before him. Right there in the king’s presence, they were executed (Luke 19:27\).
In this parable, Jesus teaches several things about the [Millennial Kingdom](dispensation-of-Millennial-Kingdom.html) and the time leading up to it. As Luke 19:11 indicates, Jesus’ most basic point is that the kingdom was not going to appear immediately. There would be a period of time, during which the king would be absent, before the kingdom would be set up.
The nobleman in the parable is Jesus, who left this world but who will return as King some day. The servants the king charges with a task represent followers of Jesus. The Lord has given us a valuable commission, and we must be faithful to serve Him until He returns. Upon His return, Jesus will ascertain the faithfulness of His own people (see Romans 14:10–12\). There is work to be done (John 9:4\), and we must use what God has given us for His glory. There are promised rewards for those who are faithful in their charge.
The enemies who rejected the king in the parable are representative of the Jewish nation that rejected Christ while He walked on earth—and everyone who still denies Him today. When Jesus returns to establish His kingdom, one of the first things He will do is utterly defeat His enemies (Revelation 19:11–15\). It does not pay to fight against the King of kings.
The Parable of the Ten Minas is similar to the [Parable of the Talents](parable-talents.html) in Matthew 25:14–30\. Some people assume that they are the same parable, but there are enough differences to warrant a distinction: the parable of the minas was told on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem; the parable of the talents was told later on the Mount of Olives. The audience for the parable of the minas was a large crowd; the audience for the parable of the talents was the disciples by themselves. The parable of the minas deals with two classes of people: servants and enemies; the parable of the talents deals only with professed servants. In the parable of the minas, each servant receives the same amount; in the parable of the talents, each servant receives a different amount (and talents are worth far more than minas). Also, the return is different: in the parable of the minas, the servants report ten\-fold and five\-fold earnings; in the parable of the talents, all the good servants double their investment. In the former, the servants received identical gifts; in the latter, the good servants showed identical faithfulness.
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What is the story of Elisha and the Shunammite woman?
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Answer
Second Kings 4 records the account of [Elisha](life-Elisha.html) and the Shunammite woman. The woman is described as a wealthy married woman in the village of Shunem. She had no child. This woman got permission from her husband to set up a guest room for Elisha, acknowledging Elisha as a true prophet and holy man of God. Elisha often passed that way in his travels, and he stayed in the guest room. Today, many churches have a “prophet’s chamber” for traveling evangelists and other servants of God to stay in free of charge.
Elisha asked his servant, Gehazi, how he could help the woman in return for her hospitality. Gehazi mentioned that she had no son and her husband was old. Elisha then called the woman and told her she would have a son by that time next year.
The prophecy was fulfilled, and the woman had a child, but the story was not over. Several years later, the child came down with some kind of sickness, and he died that same day in his mother’s lap. She immediately left to find Elisha and asked him to come heal her son. Elisha came back with the woman to Shunem.
Second Kings 4:32–35 describes what happened next: “When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.”
Later, in 2 Kings 8:1, we read, “Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, ‘Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.’” She left with her family for seven years and then returned. Upon her return, she discovered that she had lost her land due to her supposed desertion of the property. But God performed yet another miracle in her life:
“And at the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to appeal to the king for her house and her land. Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, ‘Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.’ And while he was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, ‘My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.’ And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, ‘Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now’” (2 Kings 8:3–6\).
The Shunammite woman’s heartfelt hospitality to Elisha and simple, sincere faith led to an amazing series of events. Elisha was certainly blessed. And God abundantly blessed the woman’s life during a difficult period in Israel. Still today, God often uses His people’s humble acts of service to bless both the giver and the receiver.
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Why did Elisha request a double portion of Elijah’s spirit?
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Answer
The idea of a [double portion](double-portion.html) in the Bible is one of a double blessing. It was typically used in the Old Testament to refer to the [birthright](birthright-Bible.html), or the inheritance received by the oldest son. For example, Deuteronomy 21:17 says, “He shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.”
Hannah’s husband gave her a double portion because of his love for her and because she could not have children (1 Samuel 1:5\). Isaiah 61:7 promises a double portion of blessing upon Israel. After his sufferings, Job received twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10\). Revelation 18:6 speaks negatively of a double portion of judgment.
The request by [Elisha](life-Elisha.html) for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit in 2 Kings 2 referred likewise to being doubly blessed in his life and ministry. Interestingly, Scripture records exactly twice as many miracles through Elisha (28 miracles) as took place through Elijah (14 miracles).
When Elisha first made his request, [Elijah](life-Elijah.html) answered, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so” (2 Kings 2:10\). After Elisha watched Elijah taken up to heaven, he picked up Elijah’s [cloak](mantle-Bible.html). Returning to the Jordan River, he called out to the Lord and struck the water with the cloak. The water opened up, and Elisha walked across on dry ground. This act affirmed the transition of the prophetic office from Elijah to Elisha as well as the fulfillment of Elisha’s request.
The miraculous crossing of the Jordan was witnessed by men from the school of prophets. “Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, ‘The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.’ And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him” (2 Kings 2:15\). From that point forward, these men appear to have followed Elisha as their spiritual leader (2 Kings 4:38–41\).
Two other miracles soon follow the parting of the Jordan River to conclude this section of Scripture. First, Elisha turned bad water into clean water (2 Kings 2:19–22\). Second, he cursed a group of young men who mocked him, and [two bears](Elisha-baldhead.html) came from the woods and attacked them (verses 23–24\).
The taking of Elijah to heaven, the parting of the water, the response of the company of prophets, and the two additional miracles recorded immediately afterwards all affirm that Elisha’s request for a double portion was both honorable and granted by the Lord. Elisha’s ministry was one of the most influential in the Bible and continues to be remembered today.
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What is Marcionism?
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Answer
Marcionism was a religious movement based on the teachings of the 2nd\-century heretic Marcion of Sinope. While none of Marcion’s writings have survived to the present, we know of his teachings through several early Christian writers including Justin Martyr (AD 100—165\), Irenaeus of Lyons (AD 130—200\) and Hippolytus (AD 170—235\). These men combatted Marcion in defense of the truth.
Marcion held to many errant views, but he is primarily known for his belief that the Old Testament Scriptures were not authoritative for a Christian. He denied that the God of the Old Testament was the same God presented in the New Testament. For Marcion, Jesus was the Son of the God of the New Testament but not the Son of the deity described in the Hebrew Scriptures. The deities of the [Old and New Testaments](difference-old-new-testaments.html) were, from Marcion’s perspective, literally [two different gods](God-different.html). Marcion did not deny the existence of the god of the Old Testament (what he referred to as a [Demiurge](Demiurge.html)). He simply classified this god as a secondary deity, one that was inferior to the supreme God revealed in Jesus.
Marcion held that Jesus was the only revelation of the Supreme God but that Jesus should not be seen as having fulfilled Old Testament messianic prophecies. Rather, Marcion saw the prophecies as predicting a yet\-to\-come earthly savior of the Jewish nation. What Marcion was endorsing was a radical discontinuity between Old Testament Judaism and the message of Jesus and the apostle Paul. Marcion also affirmed a form of [Docetism](Docetism.html), a view that Jesus was not truly a man but only appeared to be human. This in spite of the clarity of verses such as John 1:14 and 1 John 4:1–3, which speak plainly of Jesus’ true humanity.
After being expelled from the church in Rome in AD 144 for his unorthodox teachings, Marcion formed several of his own churches, many of which retained a church government similar to the orthodox Christian churches of the time. From there, Marcion’s views began to spread. Given Marcion’s complete separation of the God of the Hebrew Bible from the God revealed in Jesus, it should be no surprise that he also rejected the authenticity of many New Testament documents. Any apostolic writing that did not comport with his theories was eliminated until all that remained of his collection of authoritative books were ten of Paul’s letters (minus 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) and a highly edited version of the Gospel of Luke. Marcion saw Paul as the only legitimate apostle, but even Paul’s writings suffered under Marcion’s scalpel. Any passage that identified the God of the Old Testament with the Father of Jesus was removed. While it is true that most New Testament books were recognized as [Scripture](canon-of-Scripture.html) from a very early date, it is likely that Marcion’s truncated canon forced the church to more precisely list which books carried apostolic authority.
Marcionism was one of the earliest rivals to the Christian church. The lesson to be learned from Marcionism is that we have no right to act as editor of God’s Word, but we must accept and believe the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27\) and “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3\).
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What are practical ways to depend on God alone?
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Answer
Depending on God is basic to the Christian life. We trust in, or depend on, God for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9\). We depend on God for wisdom (James 1:5\). In fact, we depend on God *for* everything (Psalm 104:27\) and *in* everything (Proverbs 3:5–6\). The psalmist teaches the Lord’s reliability with the three\-fold description “the LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer” (Psalm 18:2\).
Depending on God alone does *not* mean we act foolishly. Jesus did not need to jump off the pinnacle of the temple to “prove” that He depended on God (Matthew 4:5–7\). There is a difference between trusting God and putting God to the test. Depending on God alone doesn’t mean we dispense with God’s gifts. For example, a person with strep throat may refuse to go to the doctor, saying (hoarsely), “I am going to depend on God alone to heal me.” Or a person driving a car may close her eyes and release the steering wheel, saying, “I am going to depend on God alone to drive me home.” These actions would be foolish. God has provided us with doctors and medicines to help heal us. He has given us the wits to steer a car. We can still depend on God as we visit the doctor, knowing that all healing ultimately comes from God; and we can still depend on God as we drive, knowing that all safety ultimately comes from God.
We depend on God all the time, and there are times we can do nothing else. The Lord gives us the faith we need to make it through those times. [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego](Shadrach-Meshach-Abednego.html) couldn’t sway the will of the king, and they couldn’t lessen the intensity of the burning fiery furnace. They only knew that they could not bow down to a false god. They were thrown into the fire depending on God alone for the outcome (Daniel 3\).
Here are some practical ways to depend on God alone:
1\) **Pray.** [Prayer](why-pray.html) is, among other things, an acknowledgment of God’s power, promises, and provision. When you pray, you demostrate dependence on God. The biblical command is to “present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6\).
2\) **Honor the Bible.** The Word of God has information, instructions, examples, and promises for New Testament believers. Read from the Bible every day. Check everything against the truth of the Word (Acts 17:11\). And when there is a conflict between what the Bible says and what *anyone* else says, go with the Bible. “I will listen to what God the LORD says” (Psalm 85:8\).
3\) **Do right.** At all times, in all situations, do what you know is right, and leave the results with God. Jochebed did right by saving her baby, Moses (Exodus 2:1–10\). Daniel did right by defying the king and praying to the Lord (Daniel 6\). David did right by standing up to Goliath (1 Samuel 17\). In each case, their dependence on God alone was rewarded.
4\) **Be a living sacrifice.** Romans 12:1 says to offer up your body as a “[living sacrifice](living-sacrifice.html)” to God. Acceptable sacrifices are purified from sin and dedicated to God. When you become a living sacrifice, you live for the Lord. You cease fighting for your own rights and give up trusting in your own strength. As you learn to become a living sacrifice for God, you will discover the truth that, “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10\).
5\) **[Abide in Christ](abide-in-Christ.html).** The Christian life is not a now\-and\-then rendezvous with God. It is making God your dwelling place, living with Him. Jesus put it this way: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4\). Depend on Christ as a fruit\-laden branch depends on the grapevine. The branch attached to [the vine](true-vine.html) is fulfilling its purpose.
6\) **Refuse to worry.** God cares for His children, even more than the grass that He clothes with flowers and the birds that He daily feeds. Yes, you have needs, but “your heavenly Father knows” (Matthew 6:32\). Learn to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7\). Keeping some of the anxiety on yourself is to doubt God’s care.
One day, the disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus answered with an illustration: “He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 18:2–4\). One quality of children is that they are dependent on others for their well\-being. God’s children should share that quality of depending on their loving Heavenly Father for everything they need.
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What was the school of prophets?
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Answer
The Old Testament mentions a school of prophets in 1 Samuel 19:18–24 and in 2 Kings 2 and 4:38–44 (some translations say “company of prophets” or “sons of the prophets”). Also, the prophet Amos possibly mentions a prophetic school in stating his credentials (or lack thereof) to Amaziah the priest: “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet” (Amos 7:14\).
First Samuel 19 relates an account in which King Saul sends messengers to arrest David. When these men encountered a company of prophets under Samuel’s leadership, the king’s men also prophesied. This happened three times. Saul himself then went, and he, too, prophesied, leading people to ask, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Samuel 19:24\), which became a saying in those days.
The “group of prophets” in 1 Samuel 19 was clearly comprised of students of the prophet Samuel. These students were likely [Levites](tribe-of-Levi.html) who served in roles related to the tabernacle and ceremonial worship. The content of their “prophesies” is not specified. Their messages could have been general teachings from God’s laws in the Books of Moses, or they could have included additional revelation.
In 2 Kings 2 Elijah is traveling with Elisha, and a group of prophets from Bethel tells Elisha that Elijah would be taken from him that day (verse 3\). Another group of prophets at Jericho repeats the prophecy (verse 5\), and a third group of prophets near the Jordan River also delivers the same message (verse 7\). This third group of 50 men may have been a subset of the group of prophets at Jericho. After Elijah was taken up into heaven, Elisha reluctantly sends 50 of these prophets to search for Elijah for three days (verses 15–18\).
In 2 Kings 4:38–41 Elisha is in Gilgal during a time of famine. Elisha miraculously changes an inedible stew into a comestible dish for the group of prophets there. Chapter 4 ends with Elisha’s turning 20 loaves of bread into more than enough food for 100 people. Nothing else is mentioned about this school of prophets, though it is clear they lived together in some kind of community and were known as sons of the prophets who worshiped the Lord.
These groups of men were likely leaders among those 7,000 Israelites who had not bowed down to Baal, as God had told Elijah (1 Kings 19:18\). There were at least three schools or communities of these prophets and possibly more, consisting of men who were devoted to God and served Him. They followed the teachings of Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha during the time of the prophets and were known as their “students.”
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What are the Synoptic Gospels?
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Answer
The Synoptic Gospels are the first three books of the [New Testament](New-Testament-Survey.html), Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These three books plus John are called the “Gospels” because they chronicle the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection—the basis of our salvation. The [Gospel of Matthew](Gospel-of-Matthew.html) was written by Matthew the apostle, one of the twelve commissioned by Jesus. The [Gospel of Mark](Gospel-of-Mark.html) was written by John Mark, a close associate of the apostle Peter. The [Gospel of Luke](Gospel-of-Luke.html) was written by Luke the physician, a friend and traveling companion of the apostle Paul.
The first three Gospels are called “synoptic” because they “see together with a common view” (the word *synoptic* literally means “together sight”). Matthew, Mark, and Luke cover many of the same events in Jesus’ life—most of them from Jesus’ ministry in Galilee—in much the same order. Nearly 90 percent of Mark’s content is found in Matthew, and about 50 percent of Mark appears in Luke. All of the parables of Christ are found in the Synoptics (the Gospel of John contains no parables).
There are differences, too. Matthew and Luke are both considerably longer than Mark. Matthew was written for a Jewish audience, Mark for a Roman audience, and Luke for a broader Gentile audience. Matthew quotes extensively from the Old Testament, and his oft use (32 times) of the phrase “the kingdom of heaven” is unique—it’s not found anywhere else in the Bible. Luke places a definite emphasis on Jesus’ acts of compassion toward Gentiles and Samaritans. Much of Luke 10—20 is unique to that Gospel.
The difficulty in explaining the similarities and differences among the Synoptic Gospels is referred to as the [Synoptic Problem](synoptic-problem.html) in the world of biblical scholarship. In the final analysis, the Synoptic “Problem” is not much of a problem at all—God inspired three Gospel writers to record the events surrounding the same Person during the same part of His life in the same locations, yet with slightly different emphases aimed at different readers.
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What is the meaning of 666?
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Answer
At the close of Revelation 13, which discusses the [beast](beast-of-Revelation.html) (the [Antichrist](what-is-the-antichrist.html)) and his false prophet, we read, “This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666” (Revelation 13:18\). Somehow, the number *666* is a clue to the identity of the beast. Revelation 13 also mentions the “[mark of the beast](mark-beast.html)” (verses 16–17\), and popular thought often links 666 with the mark; however, the mark of the beast and 666 appear to be two different things. The mark of the beast is something people must receive in order to buy and sell. The number *666* is somehow associated with the beast/Antichrist as “his” number.
The meaning of 666 is a mystery, and it appears that the apostle John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, intended it to be that way. Calculating it, John says, requires “wisdom.” Some, using [gematria](gematria.html) (assigning a number value to each letter of a name or word and then combining the number values to arrive at a total number), have identified the Antichrist as various people in world history. Some of the popular targets have been “Caesar Nero,” “Ronald Wilson Reagan,” “Mikhail Gorbachev,” and various popes in Roman Catholic history. The lengths some will go to in order to get a person’s name to add up to 666 are amazing. Virtually any name can add up to 666 if enough mathematical gymnastics are employed.
Six hundred, sixty\-six will somehow identify the beast, but precisely *how* 666 is connected to the beast is not the main point of Revelation 13:18\. The Bible often uses the [number *7*](number-7-seven.html) to refer to God and His perfection. Traditionally, *6* is thought to be the number of man, created on the sixth day and always “falling short” of God. The beast/Antichrist will strive to be like God. He will likely even claim to be God. But, just as the number *6* falls short of the number *7*, so will the beast/Antichrist, with his “trinity” of *6*’s, ultimately fail in his effort to defeat God.
Addendum: Interestingly, in some ancient Greek manuscripts of the Book of Revelation, the number is given as 616 instead of 666\. The manuscript evidence is strongly in favor of 666, but the alternate reading of 616 should give us pause before we start pounding away on the calculators.
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Who was King Josiah in the Bible?
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Answer
Josiah was the king of Judah from approximately 640 to 609 B.C. His reign in Jerusalem is discussed in 2 Kings 22–23 and 2 Chronicles 34–35\. Josiah was the son of [King Amon](King-Amon.html) and the grandson of [King Manasseh](King-Manasseh.html)—both of them wicked kings of Judah. Yet Josiah was a godly king and known as one of the world’s youngest kings; he began his reign at age 8 after his father was assassinated. A highlight of Josiah’s reign was his rediscovery of the Law of the Lord.
Second Kings 22:2 introduces Josiah by saying, “And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.” In the eighteenth year of his reign, he raised money to repair the temple, and during the repairs the high priest [Hilkiah](Hilkiah-in-the-Bible.html) found the Book of the Law. When Shapan the secretary read it to Josiah, the king tore his clothes, a sign of mourning and repentance (2 Kings 22:10–11\).
King Josiah called for a time of national repentance. The Law was read to the people of the land, and a covenant made between the people and the Lord: “The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant” (2 Kings 23:3\).
Many reforms followed. The temple was cleansed from all objects of pagan worship, and the idolatrous [high places](high-places.html) in the land were demolished. Josiah restored the observance of the Passover (2 Kings 23:2–23\) and removed mediums and [witches](Bible-witchcraft.html) from the land. Second Kings 23:25 records, “Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.” God’s wrath would later come upon Judah due to the evil King Manasseh had done (2 Kings 23:25\), but the judgment was delayed because of Josiah’s godly life and leadership (2 Kings 22:20\).
Josiah died in battle against the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho at Megiddo. King Josiah was buried in Jerusalem in his own tomb, and his son [Jehoahaz](King-Jehoahaz.html) took the role of king.
Much can be learned from Josiah’s life that is positive. First, Josiah shows the influence a person can have from a very young age. Even children have enormous potential to live for God and to have great impact. Second, Josiah lived a life fully committed and obedient to God and was blessed for it. Third, Josiah properly responded to God’s Word. By the time he became king, the Scriptures had long been neglected, and Josiah’s heart was smitten by the failure of his people to honor God’s Word. Josiah had Scripture read to the people and made a commitment to live by it. “‘Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken . . . I also have heard you,’ declares the Lord” (2 Kings 22:19\).
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Why did Jehu destroy the Baal worship in Israel but not the worship of golden calves?
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Answer
[Jehu](King-Jehu.html) was anointed by the prophet Elisha as king over Israel in place of the evil Ahab. This took place as part of the judgment on Ahab for his worship of Baal. Therefore, Jehu’s role was to end Baal worship in Israel.
In this role, Jehu clearly succeeded. First, he had all of the people who worshiped Baal put to death (2 Kings 10:18–26\). After that, at Jehu’s command, “they demolished the pillar of Baal, and demolished the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day. Thus Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel” (verses 27–28\). God’s goal of ridding the land of Baal worship had been accomplished.
However, the very next verse (2 Kings 10:29\) states, “But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin—that is, the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan.” So, even though Baal was gone, other types of idolatry remained in Israel.
According to 1 Kings 12:28–29, Jeroboam himself had made the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. Some scholars surmise that, because Baal was originally a god of foreigners, Jehu may have limited his work to only clearing out the foreign gods. He left alone the “domestic” gods—those created and installed by Israel.
A more likely explanation is that the calf\-worship sites were left intact because Israel was still a divided kingdom. The alternative would have been to realign with Judah and worship according to the Law at the temple in Jerusalem. This was not going to take place, as Jehu was at war with Judah (2 Chronicles 22:7–9\).
Jehu was one of a long line of wicked kings in the northern kingdom of Israel—yet he was one of the “better” of the “bad kings.” Others were much worse. God granted Jehu a long reign of 28 years and gave him a promise: “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel” (2 Kings 10:30\). Jehu reigned approximately 841—814 BC.
Jehu’s influence in the northern kingdom would extend for a century; however, Syria began to take over larger portions of Israel: “from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is, Gilead and Bashan” (2 Kings 10:33\). Jehu’s reforms were ultimately only a partial and short\-lived effort. Israel continued on the path to destruction, eventually being defeated by their enemies as prophesied (Hosea 1:4\).
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What does 2 Timothy 4:3 mean by itching ears?
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Answer
The apostle Paul wrote a warning for the church: “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3\).
The Greek word translated “itching” literally means “to itch, rub, scratch, or tickle.” To want one’s ears “tickled” is to desire massages rather than messages—sermons that charm rather than challenge, entertain rather than edify, and please rather than preach. The people Paul warns about will have, as one commentator put it, “ears which have to be continually titillated with novelties.”
“Itching ears” is a figure of speech that refers to people’s desires, felt needs, or wants. It is these desires that impel a person to believe whatever he *wants* to believe rather than the actual truth itself. When people have “itching ears,” they decide for themselves what is right or wrong, and they seek out others to support their notions. “Itching ears” are concerned with what feels good or comfortable, not with the truth—after all, truth is often *un*comfortable. Paul’s warning is that the church would one day contain those who only opened their ears to those who would scratch their “itch.”
Those with “itching ears” only want teachers who will assure them that all is well, teachers who say, “Peace, peace . . . when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14\). Where there is a demand for something, the suppliers are not far away. Paul says that not only will there be great demand for watered\-down, personalized messages, but there will be “a great number of teachers” willing to provide such pap and steer people away from “[sound doctrine](sound-doctrine.html).”
Evidence today of people having “itching ears” includes the popularity of messages that people are not required to change, as if repentance were outmoded; that people are basically good; that God is too loving to judge anyone; that the cross, with [all its blood](Christianity-bloody.html), is not really necessary; and that God wants His children to be [healthy, wealthy](name-it-claim-it.html), and content in this world. As people turn their backs on the truth about sin and condemnation, they disregard their need for repentance and forgiveness. And a craving for “new” and “fresher” ideas grows—even though there is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9–10\)—accompanied by a longing to feel good about who they are and where they’re going. Messages that tickle ears can fill a lot of churches, sell a lot of books, and buy a lot of time on cable tv.
Some of the early followers of Jesus complained about some of the Lord’s words: “Many of his disciples said, ʻThis is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ . . . From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:60, 66\). Walking away from hard truth is easy to do.
In today’s postmodern church, we see many walking away from the hard truth. Some churches that once preached sound doctrine now teach as acceptable the very evils the Bible condemns. Some pastors are afraid to preach on certain passages of the Bible. “[Christian feminists](feminism-Christian-feminist.html)” deny God as a heavenly Father, calling Him a “she.” “[Gay Christians](gay-Christian.html)” are not only welcomed without repentance into church fellowship but into the pulpit, as well.
The church’s remedy for those who have “itching ears” is found in the same passage of 2 Timothy: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2\). It is a solemn charge, made “in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom” (verse 1\). And it contains all the elements needed to combat the temptation to tickle ears: preach, correct, rebuke, and encourage. The content of preaching *must* be the written Word of God, and it must be preached when convenient and when inconvenient. This takes “great patience and careful instruction,” but sound doctrine is worth it.
The church’s quest to manage the comfort level of its audience must never take priority over preaching the Word. The fear of offending people’s sensibilities can never supersede the fear of offending God. Rather, the church should follow the example of the apostles: “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2\).
The church today, more than ever, needs to re\-examine the teachings it endorses. We need to ask ourselves the following questions:
• Are our teachings truly from God or simply itches we want to scratch?
• Are we standing on solid biblical grounds, or have we allowed the world to influence our thinking?
• Have we guarded ourselves from the schemes of Satan (Ephesians 6:11\)?
• Are we keeping ourselves “blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23\)?
The truth is, God is not concerned with scratching our itches but in transforming us into the image of His Son (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4\).
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What does it mean that our citizenship is in heaven?
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Answer
A citizen is a person who legally belongs to a country and has the rights and protection of that country. Citizens adopt the culture and practices of the nation or kingdom to which they belong. Every human being is born into the kingdom of this world, in which Satan rules (2 Corinthians 4:4\). Consequently, we grow up adopting the culture, practices, and values that he instigates (Genesis 3:1; 1 John 2:16\).
Satan’s kingdom enslaves its citizens (Romans 6:16\). With darkened hearts and minds, we blindly follow our leader into the very sins that pull us deeper into slavery. We remain captives in this kingdom of sin, headed for destruction, until Jesus frees us (Ephesians 2:1–4\). Philippians 3:18–19 highlights the differences between those who desire fellowship with Jesus Christ and those who focus on earthly pursuits: “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.” Those who do not know Christ live only for this world and the pleasure they can find for themselves. They are “citizens” of this world and live by its rules and value system.
When we are born again by faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:3\), we are born into the [Kingdom of Heaven](kingdom-of-God.html) (Matthew 3:2; 7:21; Romans 14:17\). Speaking of those who have had that spiritual rebirth, Philippians 3:20 says, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus spent much of His earthly ministry explaining the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 4:17\). He compared it to many things, including a [wheat field](parable-wheat-tares.html) in which weeds grew along with the wheat. The plants appeared identical at first, but were separated at the harvest. The truth is, often the citizens of heaven and those of this world *appear* identical, and no one but God knows the difference (Romans 8:19\). Many people may appear to be citizens of heaven, when, in fact, no rebirth has ever taken place in their hearts (Matthew 7:21\).
When God grants us citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven, we become “new creatures” (2 Corinthians 5:17\). He sends His Holy Spirit to indwell our spirits, and our bodies become His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19–20\). The Holy Spirit begins to transform our sinful, worldly desires into those that glorify God (Romans 12:1–2\). His goal is to make us as much like Jesus as possible in this life (Romans 8:29\). We are given the power and privilege of exiting the world’s flawed value system and living for eternity (1 John 2:15–17\). To be adopted into the family of God means that we become citizens of an eternal kingdom where our Father is the King. Our focus turns toward eternal things and storing up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20\). We consider ourselves ambassadors to this earth until our Father sends for us and we go home (Ephesians 2:18–19; 6:20\).
We live for a short time in these physical bodies, anticipating the bright future in our real home. While here, we share Abraham’s experience, living “like a stranger in a foreign country. . . looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:9–10\).
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Where was Jesus born?
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Answer
The Bible chronicles Jesus Christ’s birth in Matthew 1:18–25; 2:1–12; Luke 1:26–38; and 2:1–20\. At the time of Mary’s pregnancy, a decree by Caesar Augustus went out that “all the world should be registered” (Luke 2:1\). This meant that every person in the Roman Territory was required to return to the city of their ancestors to be counted in a census.
Joseph lived in Nazareth at the time but needed to travel south to the region of Judea, “to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:4\). Naturally, Joseph took his betrothed, Mary, to go with him to be counted as a member of his family. Thus, the young couple ended up in the small town of [Bethlehem](Bethlehem-in-the-Bible.html) at the time of Jesus’ birth.
This location aligns with the prophecy foretold by Micah, proclaiming that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2\).
Because so many had returned to Bethlehem for the census, the small city was overflowing with people. There was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn, which forced them to take refuge in the only place available—a shelter for animals. (Although the Bible never mentions animals being present at the birth of Christ, Luke does say that the baby Jesus was laid in a [manger](Jesus-manger.html)—and the presence of a manger strongly implies the presence of animals.)
Traditionally, the “inn” referred to in Luke 2:7 is thought to be a kind of commercial hotel. And the place where Mary and Joseph took shelter was a stable somewhere in the vicinity. However, we don’t know for sure if that was the case, because the Greek word translated as “inn” (*kataluma*) can also be translated as “guest room.” This translation would lead us to envision more of a private home filled with guests, plus a separate area used to house the family’s animals.
Sometimes the place for animals was located on the lower level of a house, away from where the people lived. So, when Luke refers to “no room in the *kataluma*,” he could have meant there was no room on the upper level, which was already full of sleeping visitors or family. Archaeological findings have also revealed homes that merely had a wall separating the front of the house from the back, where animals were kept safe. Both of these floor plans imply an indoor animal shelter connected to the house in some way. Regardless, there was a manger or feeding trough in the place where Christ was born, and that was used as a resting place for the newborn Jesus, as stated in Luke 2:7\.
There is also a theory that the shelter in which Jesus was born was a place in the northern part of Bethlehem called Migdol Eder. This was a watchtower with a place underneath that shepherds used during the lambing season to shelter the newborn lambs that would later be used as sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple. The prophet Micah, who foretold Bethlehem as the place of the Messiah’s birth, also mentions Migdol Eder: “As for you, watchtower of the flock \[Hebrew, *Migdol Eder*], stronghold of Daughter Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem” (Micah 4:8\). This theory is used to explain why, when the heralding angels gave the sign that the baby would be “wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger,” the shepherds seemed to know exactly where to look. And it would be apropos for the Messiah to be born in the same place where the sacrificial lambs were born.
Whether the actual location of Jesus’ birth was an indoor animal shelter, a separate barn, or a tower used for lambing, the Bible is clear that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in a humble setting in the town of Bethlehem.
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What can we learn from the story of Elisha and Naaman?
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Answer
[Naaman](Naaman-in-the-Bible.html) was the commander of Syria’s (Aram’s) army and well regarded as a military man, but he had [leprosy](Bible-leprosy.html). His Israelite servant girl suggested he go to Elisha to be healed. Naaman left for Israel, taking a large gift with him and a letter from [Ben\-hadad](Ben-Hadad-in-the-Bible.html), the king of Syria, asking the king of Israel to heal Naaman (2 Kings 5:1–6\). The king of Israel’s reaction was panic—how could anyone heal leprosy? The king of Israel thought Ben\-hadad was trying to start a fight (2 Kings 5:7\).
When the [prophet Elisha](life-Elisha.html) heard of the king’s distress, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel” (2 Kings 5:8\). Naaman then came to Elisha’s house with his chariots, gifts, and servants.
Elisha did not even come out to greet Naaman. Instead, he sent a message to wash in the Jordan River seven times to be healed. “Naaman was angry and went away, saying, ‘Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So he turned and went away in a rage” (2 Kings 5:11–12\).
Naaman’s servants urged him to reconsider, and Naaman wisely did. After dipping himself in the Jordan River seven times, he was completely healed as Elisha had said. In fact, “his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy” (2 Kings 5:14\). Naaman returned to Elisha and said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant” (verse 15\). Elisha refused the gift and sent the Syrian commander away in peace.
However, Elisha’s servant, [Gehazi](Gehazi-in-the-Bible.html), followed Naaman and deceitfully asked for a gift in Elisha’s name. Naaman gave him “two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing” (2 Kings 5:23\). Gehazi hid the loot and returned home, where Elisha confronted him. Gehazi lied again to cover the matter. The Lord had given Elisha insight, and the prophet told Gehazi, “Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever” (verse 27\). Gehazi immediately contracted leprosy.
Much can be learned from this account. First, there is a clear contrast between the faith of the young servant girl, who knew of Elisha and believed in his power; and the distress of Israel’s king, who did not even think of Elisha and fretted over his own lack of power.
Second, we have a contrast between the pomp of Naaman and the lowliness of Elisha. Naaman came to be healed carrying rich gifts in fine chariots; Elisha had no such finery, just the power of God. Naaman’s [pride](pride-Bible.html) was almost his undoing: too proud and stubborn to follow the prophet’s simple instructions, he almost bypassed the blessing that God had in store. We, too, should obey the Word of God, even when God’s way does not make sense to us.
Also, those who serve God do not do so for financial gain but out of love and simple obedience to the Lord. Elisha refused the princely gift offered to him. God is a giver, not a taker, and His gifts cannot be bought. Naaman’s healing from leprosy is a wonderful picture of our salvation from sin—freely bestowed by the grace of God in response to faith (Ephesians 2:8–9\).
Gehazi’s greed and deception are warnings to us. The Bible warns us against “pursuing dishonest gain” (Titus 1:7\). We are called to be honest in all of our dealings, knowing that God sees everything and will judge accordingly. We can be sure that our sins will find us out (Numbers 32:23\).
Jesus used the story of Naaman and Elisha as an illustration of Israel’s problem of unbelief. In Luke 4:27, Jesus tells the crowd in the synagogue of Nazareth, “There were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” The lepers of Israel overlooked the healing that could have been theirs through Elisha, so God healed a Syrian instead. In the same way, the Israelites of Jesus’ day were missing the Power right in front of their eyes. But God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34–35\), and the Gentiles eventually received the gospel that Israel rejected.
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What is the story of Ahab and Jezebel?
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Answer
King Ahab and Queen Jezebel served as leaders of the northern kingdom of Israel during a time of much evil in the land. [King Ahab](King-Ahab.html) was an Israelite king who married a Sidonian woman named Jezebel and became involved in worshiping [Baal](who-Baal.html), the god of her people. Ahab built a house to Baal in the capital city of Samaria and made an [Asherah pole](Asherah-pole.html) as a tool of pagan worship. We are told, “Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (1 Kings 16:33\).
Jezebel was likewise known for her evil actions. She was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. After her marriage to Ahab, her first recorded action was cutting off the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4\). Obadiah, a God\-fearing officer in Ahab’s court, noted that Jezebel killed many prophets, despite Obadiah’s efforts to save them: “Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water?” (1 Kings 18:13–14\).
It was during the time of Ahab and Jezebel that [Elijah](life-Elijah.html) was the prophet in Israel. Satan had his couple on the throne, but God had His man in the field, performing miracles and leading a revival against Baal\-worship. The three\-and\-a\-half\-year drought that Elijah prayed for was part of God’s judgment on the wickedness of the nation and its leaders.
When Elijah confronted Ahab near the end of the drought, the king said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17\). But Ahab had it wrong. Elijah was not the one bringing trouble on the land. The prophet corrected the king: “I have not made trouble for Israel . . . but you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals” (verse 18\).
After Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal and had them killed at Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18\), Jezebel issued a death threat against him (1 Kings 19:2\). The queen went on to plot against [Naboth](Naboth-in-the-Bible.html), the innocent owner of a vineyard that Ahab coveted. Jezebel had Naboth killed so the king could confiscate his land (1 Kings 21\), and she prodded her husband into many other wicked acts besides: “There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited” (1 Kings 21:25\).
Ahab’s death was predicted by the prophets Elijah and [Micaiah](Micaiah-in-the-Bible.html) (1 Kings 21:19; 22:28\). Jezebel’s gruesome death was also predicted by Elijah (1 Kings 21:23\). True to the prophecy, Ahab was killed in a battle with Syria. Later, Jezebel was thrown from a tower, “and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her” (2 Kings 9:33\). Then, “when they went to bury her, they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands” (2 Kings 9:35\). Just as Elijah had said, the dogs ate Jezebel.
In Revelation 2:20 Jezebel’s reputation lives on as Jesus speaks against the [church at Thyatira](church-in-Thyatira.html): “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” The woman’s name in Thyatira was probably not literally “Jezebel,” but her immorality and idolatry in preying upon God’s people was very Jezebel\-like.
Both Ahab and Jezebel were leaders of God’s people who forsook the Lord and served other gods. The royal couple earned a reputation for sin and violence, and they both suffered violent deaths as part of God’s judgment on their actions.
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What is Gehenna?
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Answer
The word *gehenna* is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew *ge\-hinnom*, meaning “Valley of \[the sons of] Hinnom.” This valley south of Jerusalem was where some of the ancient Israelites “passed children through the fire” (sacrificed their children) to the Canaanite god Molech (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; 19:2–6\). The place is called “[Tophet / Topheth](Topheth-in-the-Bible.html)” in Isaiah 30:33\. In later years, Gehenna continued to be an unclean place used for burning trash from the city of Jerusalem. Jesus used Gehenna as an illustration of hell.
God so despised the [false god Molech](who-Molech.html) that He explicitly forbade the Israelites from having anything to do with him in Leviticus 18:21\. He even warned them of the impending judgment He would send their way if the Jews didn’t keep their attention and worship directed toward Him. In another prophetic warning, God re\-named the Valley of Hinnom as the Valley of Slaughter (Jeremiah 19\).
But the Israelites didn’t listen, and evil kings of Judah such as Ahaz used the Valley of Hinnom for their demonic practices (2 Chronicles 28:3\). To punish Judah, God brought Babylon against them, and that pagan nation carried out His judgment against Judah’s idolatry and rebellion. It wasn’t until after 70 years of exile that the Jews were allowed back into Israel to rebuild. Upon their return the Valley of Slaughter was re\-purposed from a place of infanticide to an ever\-burning rubbish heap (2 Kings 23:10\). Child sacrifice and other forms of idol\-worship ceased in Israel. Gehenna became a place where corpses of criminals, dead animals, and all manners of refuse were thrown to be destroyed.
The Gehenna Valley was thus a place of burning sewage, burning flesh, and garbage. [Maggots and worms](worm-will-not-die.html) crawled through the waste, and the smoke smelled strong and sickening (Isaiah 30:33\). It was a place utterly filthy, disgusting, and repulsive to the nose and eyes. Gehenna presented such a vivid image that Christ used it as a symbolic depiction of hell: a place of [eternal torment](hell-real-eternal.html) and constant uncleanness, where the fires never ceased burning and the worms never stopped crawling (Matthew 10:28; Mark 9:47–48\).
Because of Jesus’ symbolic use of Gehenna, the word *gehenna* is sometimes used as a synonym for *hell*. In fact, that’s how the Greek word is translated in Mark 9:47: “hell.” The occupants of the lake of fire/gehenna/hell are [separated from God](separation-from-God.html) for all of eternity.
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What is the key to bearing fruit as a Christian?
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Answer
In the natural world, fruit is the result of a healthy plant producing what it was designed to produce (Genesis 1:11–12\). In the Bible, the word *fruit* is often used to describe a person’s outward actions that result from the condition of the heart.
Good fruit is that which is produced by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22\-23 gives us a starting place: the [fruit of His Spirit](fruit-of-the-holy-spirit.html) is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self\-control. The more we allow the Holy Spirit free rein in our lives, the more this fruit is evident (Galatians 5:16, 25\). Jesus told His followers, “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16\). Righteous fruit has eternal benefit.
Jesus told us clearly what we must do to bear good fruit. He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4–5\). A branch must stay firmly attached to the trunk to stay alive. As disciples of Christ, we must stay firmly connected to Him to remain spiritually productive. A branch draws strength, nourishment, protection, and energy from the vine. If it is broken off, it quickly dies and becomes unfruitful. When we neglect our spiritual life, ignore the Word of God, skimp on prayer, and withhold areas of our lives from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit, we are like a branch broken off the vine. Our lives become fruitless. We need daily surrender, daily communication, and daily—sometimes hourly—repentance and connection with the Holy Spirit in order to “walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16\). Staying intimately connected to the [True Vine](true-vine.html) is the only way to “bear fruit in old age” (Psalm 92:14\), to “run and not grow weary” (Isaiah 40:31\), and to not “grow weary in well\-doing” (Galatians 6:9\).
One counterfeit to bearing good fruit is pretense. We can become experts at the routines, the lingo, and “acting Christian,” while experiencing no real power and bearing no eternal fruit. Our hearts remain self\-centered, angry, and joyless even while we go through the motions of serving God. We can easily slip into the sin of the Pharisees of Jesus’ day in judging ourselves by how we think we appear to others and neglecting that secret place of the heart where all good fruit germinates. When we love, desire, pursue, and fear the same things that the rest of the world does, we are not abiding in Christ, even though our lives may be filled with church\-related activity. And, often, we don’t realize that we are living fruitless lives (1 John 2:15–17\).
Our works will be tested by fire. Using a different metaphor than fruit, 1 Corinthians 3:12–15 says, “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”
God is the judge of even our thoughts and motivations. All will be brought to the light when we stand before Him (Hebrews 4:12–13\). A poor widow in a one\-room hut can bear as much fruit as a televangelist leading giant crusades if she is surrendered to God in everything and using all He has given her for His glory. As fruit is unique to each tree, our fruit is unique to us. God knows what He has entrusted to each of us and what He expects us to do with it (Luke 12:48\). Our responsibility before God is to be “faithful with little” so that He can trust us with much (Matthew 25:21\).
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What can we learn from the man of God and the lying prophet?
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Answer
In 1 Kings 13 we read of a person called only a “man of God” who was sent by the Lord from Judah to prophesy against King Jeroboam of Israel. He declared, “O altar, altar, thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you’” (verse 2\). The unnamed prophet also gave a sign: “Behold, the altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out” (verse 3\).
Jeroboam sought to seize the man, “but the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back” (1 Kings 13:4\). At the same moment, “the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the Lord” (verse 5\). The king asked for the man of God to pray for him and his hand. When the man of God healed the king’s hand, the king attempted to reward him, but the man of God replied, “So was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came’” (verse 9\).
This man of God was careful to keep God’s three\-fold command. He ate nothing and drank nothing, and he began to walk a different way home. However, on his way home, another, older prophet came to him, saying, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water’” (verse 18\). But this second prophet was lying. No angel had visited him, and God had not spoken to him regarding the matter. But the man of God believed the old prophet and went home with him. At supper the old prophet suddenly received a true word from God: “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors” (1 Kings 13:21–22\). When the man of God left, “a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body” (verse 24\).
The prophet who had lied buried the man of God in his own grave and instructed his own sons to, upon his death, bury him beside the man of God. In doing these things, the old prophet showed his sincere belief that the prophet who died had been a true man of God—his prophecies against the idolaters of Israel would come true (1 Kings 13:31–32\).
This account concludes with a note on the king’s stubborn refusal to obey: “After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among all the people. Any who would, he ordained to be priests of the high places. And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth” (1 Kings 13:33–34\).
So we have a prophet who lied and a prophet who died. In this account we see that both the godly and the ungodly face consequences for disobedience to the Lord. The evil king faced judgment because of his idolatry. And the man of God likewise faced judgment for his disobedience. No one is above the rules.
We also see that sometimes temptations come from surprising quarters. The king tempted the man of God to break God’s command, but the man of God refused. His guard was up, and there was no way he would disobey God for the sake of dining with an evil king. However, when a fellow prophet tempted the man of God to sin, he gave in. His guard was let down, and he *did* disobey God for the sake of dining with a (seemingly) genuine prophet.
When God speaks, the matter is settled. There is never an excuse for disobeying God’s Word. Even a fellow believer—even an angel descending from heaven—cannot nullify God’s Word (cf. Galatians 1:8–9\).
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Why was Elijah afraid of Jezebel?
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Answer
[Elijah](life-Elijah.html) had just had a “mountaintop experience” in defeating the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Fire had descended from heaven, the people of Israel acknowledged the Lord, and the false prophets were all put to death. But that experience was followed by an episode of fear and failure in Elijah’s life: the prophet was afraid and ran for his life from [Queen Jezebel](life-Jezebel.html). The reason is made clear in 1 Kings 19:1–2: “Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.’”
This death threat caused Elijah to flee a day’s journey into the wilderness (1 Kings 19:4\). At one point Elijah was so discouraged that he desired to die: “And he asked that he might die, saying, ‘It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers’” (verse 4\).
In response, the Lord sent an angel to bring the prophet food and drink both before and after he slept. After the rest and nourishment, Elijah took a forty\-day journey to [Mount Horeb](mount-Horeb.html) to meet with the Lord (1 Kings 19:6–8\). There, the Lord asked Elijah why he had fled to such a remote location. Elijah’s answer is telling: “The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (verse 10\). Elijah saw himself as the lone defender of God’s name in Israel. Jezebel seemed to be winning the fight, and Elijah had fled.
During his conversation with God at Horeb, the Lord gave Elijah three important tasks. First, Elijah was to anoint Hazael as king over Syria (1 Kings 19:15\). Second, he was to anoint Jehu as king of Israel (verse 16\). Third, he was to anoint Elisha as the prophet to take his place (verse 16\).
These leaders would help turn Israel away from the evil of idol worship and would facilitate the total destruction of the wicked line of Ahab and Jezebel: “And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death” (1 Kings 19:17\). Elijah had dealt a death\-blow to [Baal\-worship](who-Baal.html) in Israel, and the three men Elijah would anoint would remove the remaining vestiges of that particular form of idolatry.
In addition, God offered one important word of comfort to Elijah. During this time when the prophet felt so alone, God said, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18\). Elijah had thought he was the only one faithful to the Lord, and he took great comfort in the knowledge that thousands of others had never bowed to Baal.
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What is the mystery of God referred to in the Bible?
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Answer
The Bible tells us that the mystery of God is Jesus Christ: “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2–3\).
A “mystery” in the New Testament is something that had at one time been hidden but is now revealed to God’s people. Jesus spoke of “the mystery of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11, NAS) that He was at that point revealing to His disciples. The apostle Paul used the word *mystery* 21 times in his Epistles. In each case, the “mystery” involved a wonderful declaration of spiritual truth, revealed by God through divine inspiration. A mystery is that “which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 3:5\).
The mystery of God’s will is that “which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Ephesians 1:9–10; cf. 1 Corinthians 2:7; Revelation 10:7\). The mystery of God is the consummation of God’s plan in bringing His kingdom in Christ to fulfillment. The kingdom had long been prophesied, but the *how* and the *when* and the *by whom* was not clear until the time of Christ. It is in Christ that God has been manifested to all of mankind. As Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9\).
Paul said that he had been commissioned to preach “the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people” (Colossians 1:25–26\). That is, it is through the apostles that we have been given the capstone of Scripture; their writings, all of which point to Christ—represent the final disclosure of God’s Word to mankind.
There is no understanding of God apart from a personal relationship with His Son (Matthew 12:50; John14:23; 2 John 1:6\). Christ is the “mystery” revealed to those who believe—as is the mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27\). The key to having the “full riches of complete understanding” (Colossians 2:2\) is to be born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10\).
Paul tells us that, “beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great.” Then he records what may be an early hymn of the church: “He \[Jesus] appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16\). In that short paragraph, the Bible reveals the heart of the [gospel](gospel-message.html), the mystery of “true godliness.” The secret of being godly was hidden but is now revealed. It is to those who believe in Christ that the mystery is made known (1 Corinthians 2:7–14; Colossians 1:27\). We come to learn that we of our own volition cannot please God; we must depend on Christ (2 Corinthians 3:5\). As a man, Jesus lived a perfect life (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:21\), and so He is a perfect example of how to live. As God, Jesus gives us the power to do what is right. It is possible to live a godly life—through the power of Christ (Philippians 4:13\).
God has revealed His complete Word to His saints (Colossians 1:26\) who have “heard and learned” the gospel (John 6:45; cf. Romans 10:17 and John 3:16–18\), and it is they alone who fathom “the glorious riches of this mystery” (Colossians 1:27\). In its fullest sense, the “mystery of God” is God’s plan of salvation through Jesus. We would never have been able to comprehend the way to eternal life without the coming of Jesus, His death and resurrection.
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What is the dictation theory?
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Answer
The dictation theory (sometimes called the mechanical dictation theory) attempts to describe what it means that the Bible is God’s Word. When people claim that the Bible is the Word of God, they are generally referring to the concept known as the [inspiration of the Bible](Bible-inspired.html). This belief about the Bible comes from 2 Timothy 3:16–17, “All Scripture is God\-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The word *God\-breathed* is a translation of the Greek word *theópneustos*, which, broken down, is literally *theo* “God” and *pneustos* “breathed\-out.” Some translations of the Bible put it this way: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (KJV).
The dictation theory states that God “dictated” His Word to the writers of Scripture, who were nothing more than human stenographers for the Holy Spirit. The dictation theory says that the Spirit wrote through the agency of human writers who were fully under God’s control. With the authors in a state of relative passivity, God dictated every word written with pinpoint accuracy. In this way, human personality and human error could not interfere with God’s intended message. The human writers did not personally contribute anything to the content of Scripture since they were passive instruments of God’s will.
The dictation theory is not one of the more prevalent theories in contemporary theology, but some conservative Christians do ascribe to it. Passages such as Revelation 2:1 and 8 demonstrate that, at times, God seems to have used a dictation method. The prophet Jeremiah was told, “Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word” (Jeremiah 26:2\).
Many places in Scripture contain introductory statements such as “The Lord says,” indicating that a prophet was expressing the very words of God to people. Such instances, however, do not necessarily support the dictation theory, since the message from God was often relayed orally before it was written down.
Also, we see many places in Scripture where the writers include personal histories and expressions of their own personalities (e.g., Galatians 1:6; 3:1; Philippians 1:3—4, 8\). Writing style and vocabulary are different from one author to another. Matthew, for example, used the phrase “[kingdom of heaven](kingdom-heaven-God.html)” 32 times in his Gospel—but the phrase never appears in the rest of the New Testament.
The more accurate view of inspiration is the verbal plenary theory. This theory says that every word of the Bible is inspired by God (but not necessarily dictated) and that all portions of Scripture are equally inspired. Second Peter 1:21 reads, “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” As the writers were “carried along” by the Spirit, they, as individuals, “spoke.” Their personal expressions were guided by and protected under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit. The final product is the authoritative Word of God.
Regardless of *how* God inspired the text of Scripture, the most important principle for all of us is that it *is* inspired. The Bible was given to humanity for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” and should, therefore, be applied “so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17\).
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What is the meaning of the Hebrew word shalom?
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Answer
Commonly translated as “peace” and used as both a greeting and farewell, *shalom* has rich meaning in Hebrew. “Peace” is an accurate translation of the term, but *shalom* implies more than lack of conflict. According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, *shalom* means “completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.” It is translated “success” and used as part of an inspired blessing in 1 Chronicles 12:18\. *Shalom* is applicable to an external peace between two entities—such as individuals or nations—and to an internal sense of peace within the individual.
The ESV and NRSV title Isaiah 54 “The Eternal Covenant of Peace.” In part, God promises, “‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you. . . . All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace” (Isaiah 54:10, 13\). One of the [names of God](names-of-God.html) is Yahweh\-Shalom (Judges 6:24\), or the Lord our Peace. Jesus is called the [Prince of Peace](Prince-of-Peace.html) (Isaiah 9:6\).
True *shalom* comes only from God. Paul explains, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. . . . But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:1–3, 8–10\). We are no longer God’s enemies, but He has made peace with us through the blood of Christ.
Even more, in God we are made complete. Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” First Thessalonians 5:23\-24 says, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” Philippians 1:6 assures us, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
As we await that final completion, we can trust God for our welfare. Jesus encouraged His disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33\).
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What does it mean that God provides?
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Answer
There are at least 169 verses in the Bible that refer to the ways God provides for us. Philippians 4:19 puts it simply: “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” While prosperity seekers might always be looking for money or possessions to miraculously arrive, we should take a closer look at what God desires to provide for us.
Like any good parent, God would never give us what He knows would harm us. His intent is to help us develop Christlikeness so that we become [salt and light](salt-and-light.html) in the world (Matthew 5:13–14\). God does not want us to see Him as a heavenly source of mere material possessions. Acquiring things is not the fundamental goal of this life (Luke 12:15\).
God differentiates between our needs and our wants because He knows that where our treasure is our heart is also (Matthew 6:21\). He wants us to know that this world is not our home and that part of what we need is to shift our focus to the eternal life while still living this one.
God is concerned with every part of our being: spirit, soul, and body. As the facets of His character are infinite, so the ways God provides for us are beyond anything we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20\). We can trust His goodness, guidance, and shepherding care to do more for us than we could ever achieve on our own. God provides a way for us to develop an intimate, conversational, obedient relationship with Him so that we can lead ourselves and others into a “Psalm 23” quality of life. Those whose shepherd is the Lord can say, “I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1\).
In the [Lord’s Prayer](Lords-prayer.html), Jesus teaches His disciples to ask for provision, and our dependence on God is affirmed each time we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11\). In Matthew 6:24–25, Jesus tells His disciples not to worry about food or clothing. The Father knows our needs. He desires covenant relationship with us, and that involves trusting Him to meet our daily requirements and [seeking first His kingdom](seek-first-kingdom-God.html) and righteousness (Matthew 6:33\).
Psalm 84:11 states, “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” This verse carries a reminder that there is a part we play in God’s provision coming to fruition in our lives. We must walk uprightly.
James 4:3 is an answer to our questions about why prayers sometimes go unanswered: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” God sees the heart, and our prayers’ motivations are important to Him.
Many passages about God’s provision relate to our need for food and clothing and the daily, physical needs of life. Others refer to the needs of our soul and spirit, our inner man. He provides us with peace (John 14:27\), comfort (2 Corinthians 1:4\), and “power, love and self\-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7\). In fact, He “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3\). In whatever physical state we find ourselves, we can be content in the Lord (Philippians 4:12\).
Passages such as Galatians 1:15 and Jeremiah 1:5 give us an assurance that God’s love and direction began even before conception. What a gift to know that God has been involved in our lives from the very start! His love for us is encompassed in His desire for our highest good. He is truly [Jehovah\-Jireh](Jehovah-Jireh.html), the Lord\-Who\-Provides.
God’s provision extends to His ongoing relationship to all of His creation, which is deeply dependent on Him (Psalm 104:21\). Often, we take for granted the rain that falls, the sun that comes up every morning, the refreshing winds that blow, and the tides that cleanse our shores and invigorate the life in our vast oceans. But all these things are watched over by our loving God in His provision for us.
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What is the oldest religion?
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Answer
The oldest [religion](origin-religion.html) in the world is the worship of the One True God, as stated in Genesis 4:26, “At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” The name they called upon was *Yahweh* (Latinized as “Jehovah”). The fact that they “began” to call on this name indicates a change in society—for the first time, people were organizing and identifying themselves as worshipers of God. This happened during the lifetime of Enosh, Adam’s grandson through Seth, about 250 years after the first couple was expelled from Eden.
About that early form of worship we have no information concerning formal instructions from God or set traditions on how the people carried out their worship. We can assume that sacrifices were involved, since Cain and Abel had understood the need for individual sacrifices a generation prior (Genesis 4:3–4\). All Moses tells us of that first “religion” is that they knew God’s name and they called upon Him.
Satan corrupts and divides. It wasn’t long before the pure religion of calling upon God’s name was corrupted by idolatry and divided into literally hundreds of religions. By Noah’s day, the name of God had been all but forgotten, and “every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5\). The next time we read of anyone calling upon God’s name is in Genesis 12:8; that’s when [Abraham](life-Abraham.html) “built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.”
The oldest pagan religion for which we have evidence of an organized following is Egyptian. The Egyptian culture with its many gods was already well established by the time described in the latter part of [Genesis](Book-of-Genesis.html) and the book of [Exodus](Book-of-Exodus.html). Abraham had dealings with a wealthy, growing Egypt and its pharaoh (Genesis 12:10ff).
At the time of [Moses](life-Moses.html) in the 15th century BC, the Lord once again revealed His name (Exodus 3:14\) and codified religion for the Israelites. Required as part of calling upon the name of Yahweh was the forsaking of all other gods (Exodus 20:3–4\). In the midst of a pagan, polytheistic world, the monotheism of the Hebrews stood out as a light in a dark place.
The religion we know as Christianity is really a continuation of God’s plan for the Israelites. The gospel is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16\). So, the history of the world involves a cycle of God’s revealing Himself to mankind, man’s falling away from that knowledge, and God’s restoration of the truth. Tracing that line of truth all the way back to Genesis 4:26 and the promise of Genesis 3:15, one could even say that the worship of God in Christ is the world’s oldest religion.
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In what year did Jesus die?
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Answer
The death of Jesus and His subsequent resurrection are the most important events since the creation of the world. It was through the death of Christ that God took those who were “alienated” from Him due to sin and “reconciled \[them] by Christ’s physical body through death to present \[them] holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:21–22\). And through Christ’s resurrection God has mercifully “given us new birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3\). As with most of the events it records, the Bible does not give us the exact date that Jesus died. But we can figure it out with a fair degree of accuracy.
Even though the world’s timeline is historically divided between [BC](BC-AD.html) (before Christ) and AD (*anno domini*—“in the year of our Lord”), Jesus Christ was actually born between the years 6 and 4 BC. We arrive at this date based on the death of [Herod the Great](Herods.html), who was procurator of Judaea from 47 BC until he died in 4 BC. It was “after Herod died” that Joseph and Mary with the infant Jesus were told to return to Israel from Egypt (Matthew 2:19\).
A number of factors allow us to pinpoint the year of the death of Jesus. We calculate that [John the Baptist](life-John-Baptist.html) commenced his ministry c. AD 28 or 29, based on the historical note in Luke 3:1 that John started preaching in the fifteenth year of Tiberius’s reign. Tiberius was named emperor in AD 14\. If Jesus was baptized and began His ministry sometime in AD 29, and He ministered for approximately the next [three and a half years](length-Jesus-ministry.html), then the end of Jesus’ ministry would have been AD 33\.
[Pontius Pilate](Pontius-Pilate.html) is known to have ruled Judea from AD 26–36\. The crucifixion took place during a Passover (Mark 14:12\), and that fact, plus the date John began his ministry, narrows down the date of the crucifixion to Friday, April 3, AD 33\. There is also an argument for an earlier date (April 7, AD 30\), based on an earlier start to John the Baptist's ministry (and an assumed co\-regency of Tiberias and Augustus). The later date seems more in keeping with the historical record.
Much has happened on the world stage since the time of Christ, but nothing has ever eclipsed the magnitude and meaning of what happened in AD 33—the death and resurrection of the Savior of the world.
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What makes sexual sin such a big deal?
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Answer
Modern culture has tried to redefine sexuality as a personal right to be exercised any way an individual wishes. Sexual behavior is considered a personal choice, akin to the decision of whether to buy a house or rent a condo. At the same time, popular opinion has all but removed the word *sin* from our culture’s vocabulary. The only sexual expression considered “wrong” is what is deemed distasteful to the definer. However, social acceptability varies so greatly that even the vilest of acts would be considered justified by many. So, before we can determine why sexual sin is such a big deal, we have to define sexual sin.
Fortunately, man has never been given the privilege of defining sin. The One who created sexuality also has the right to set the boundaries for it, and the Bible is clear about the guidelines. When God created the first man, Adam, and brought to him the first woman, Eve, He joined them together in marriage and pronounced it “very good” (Genesis 1:31; 2:18, 24\). At that time, God introduced sexuality and set the boundaries for its expression. God created a union between a husband and wife that He called “becoming one flesh” (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:8; Ephesians 5:31\). He then defined any sexual activity outside of the husband\-wife relationship as a violation of His gift. [Fornication](fornication-adultery.html), [homosexuality](homosexuality-Bible.html), [pornography](pornography-Bible.html), and [lust](what-is-lust.html) are all violations of God’s intent when He created the sexual act (1 Corinthians 6:9,18; Galatians 5:19\-20; Jude 1:7; Matthew 5:28; Hebrews 13:4\).
So why is the violation of those boundaries such a big deal? The first clue lies in Genesis 2:24 with the words “[one flesh](one-flesh-marriage.html).” There is great unifying power within the sexual union. God designed it to involve not only bodies but hearts and lives. Sex was designed to consummate the lifetime union between a man and woman. Jesus said, “What God has joined together let no one separate” (Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:9\). He designed male and female bodies differently so that they could come together in an act of physical intimacy that joins them together for life. They “are no longer two, but one flesh” (Mark 10:8\). The act of becoming one creates a new entity: a family. This powerful force also brings forth new life (Genesis 4:25\). The human race can only be propagated by the coming together of a man and a woman. And, within marriage, God blesses it (Genesis 1:28; 9:27; Psalm 17:3\). Sex is a gift to a husband and wife to make their relationship unique among all other relationships.
However, what God creates as good, Satan perverts. Satan began his insidious defilement in the Garden of Eden with the words “Has God said?” (Genesis 3:1\). And that challenge to the authority of God continues still. When we use sexuality for entertainment or to satisfy lust, we cheapen the beauty of this powerful gift and defy the One who designed it. We also reap the consequences of our sin. Our sexual disobedience has produced a world staggering under the weight of disease, [abortion](abortion-Bible.html), perversion, child molestation, addiction, and sexual exploitation. God created boundaries for our good so that we could enjoy His gift as it was designed to be enjoyed.
Electricity is a powerful and helpful thing if used correctly. However, misused or abused, electricity can be deadly. The same is true of sexuality. Misused, sex is also deadly. Abusing God’s gift produces problems such as abortion, poverty, [rape](Bible-rape.html), adultery, [divorce](God-hates-divorce.html), and pornography. Sexual sin begins with [temptation](overcome-temptation.html), as all sin does. When we refuse to acknowledge God’s boundaries, we allow lust to dictate our choices. And lust never leads in the right direction. James 1:13\-15 says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”
Another reason sexual sin is such a big deal is that it destroys the picture of the unbreakable covenant God has with His people. The Bible uses marriage as a metaphor to describe the covenant relationship Jesus has with His “bride,” those whom He has bought with His own blood (Revelation 19:7; 2 Corinthians 11:2\). In the Old Testament, God often compared rebellious Israel to a wayward wife, using adultery as a picture of the most heinous of sins (Jeremiah 3:6\). God created the sex act to be a consummation of a covenant relationship—a covenant in which God has participated (Malachi 2:14; Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:9\). The marriage covenant illustrates God’s unbreakable covenant with us. To engage in sex outside of marriage violates God’s intention and brings serious consequences.
Sexual sin defiles more than just our physical bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18\). It has spiritual significance. Almost every book of the Bible renounces sexual immorality, indicating that God considers it a grave sin. Committing sexual sin is directly opposed to God’s will to [sanctify](sanctification.html) us (1 Thessalonians 4:3\).
Romans 13:13–14 outlines the life God desires us to live: “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Sexual sin is one more way people gratify the flesh rather than walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16\). Jesus said that the “pure in heart” will “see God” (Matthew 5:8\). Unrepentant sexual sin defiles the heart, making it impossible to experience the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If we wish to be [pure in heart](pure-in-heart.html), we cannot engage in sexual sin.
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What does it mean to love one another?
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Answer
In John 13:34 Jesus taught, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Then He added, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (verse 35\). How do we do this? What does it mean to love one another?
The “one another” in these verses is a reference to fellow believers. A distinguishing mark of being a follower of Christ is a deep, sincere love for brothers and sisters in Christ. The apostle John reminds us of this fact elsewhere: “He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (1 John 4:21\).
In giving this command, Jesus did something the world had never seen before—He created a group identified by one thing: love. There are many groups in the world, and they identify themselves in any number of ways: by skin color, by uniform, by shared interest, by alma mater, etc. One group has tattoos and piercings; another group abstains from meat; yet another group wears fezzes—the ways people categorize themselves are endless. But the church is unique. For the first and only time in history, Jesus created a group whose identifying factor is love. Skin color doesn’t matter. Native language doesn’t matter. There are no rules about diet or uniforms or wearing funny hats. Followers of Christ are identified by their love for each other.
The early church demonstrated the type of love Jesus was talking about. There were people in Jerusalem from all over the known world (Acts 2:9–11\). Those who were saved got together and immediately began meeting each other’s needs: “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:44–45\). This was love in action, and you can be sure it made an impression on the people of that city.
Jesus’ statements in John 13:34–35 raise a couple of other questions that may be good to answer. First, how does Jesus love? He loves unconditionally (Romans 5:8\), sacrificially (2 Corinthians 5:21\), with forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32\), and eternally (Romans 8:38–39\). At the same time, Jesus’ love is holy—characterized by transcendent moral purity—because He is holy (Hebrews 7:26\). The culmination of Christ’s amazing love for us is His death on the cross, burial, and bodily resurrection (1 John 4:9–10\). Believers are to love each other like that.
Second, how then can the believer in Christ love as Christ loved? The believer in Christ has the Holy Spirit living within him (1 Corinthians 6:19–20\). By obeying the Spirit, through the Word of God, the believer can love like Christ does. He shows that unconditional, sacrificial, forgiving love to fellow believers, but it doesn’t stop there. He also shows the love of Christ to friends, to family members, to coworkers, etc. (Ephesians 5:18–6:4; Galatians 5:16, 22–23\). Even enemies are the recipients of Christ’s love (see Matthew 5:43–48\).
Christ’s love displayed through the believer is unlike the “love” generated by the flesh, which can be selfish, egotistical, unforgiving, and insincere. First Corinthians 13:4–8 gives a wonderful description of what Christ’s love will be like in and through the believer who walks in the Spirit.
People don’t naturally love with a 1 Corinthians 13\-type love. To love like that, there must be a change of heart. A person must realize that he is a sinner before God and understand that Christ died on the cross and rose again to provide him forgiveness; then he must make the decision to accept Christ as his personal Savior. At that point he is forgiven by Christ and receives God’s gift of eternal life—in fact, he becomes a participant in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4\). In Christ he knows that he is genuinely loved by God. The new life the believer receives includes a new capacity to love like Christ loves, for the believer now has living within him the unconditional, sacrificial, forgiving, eternal, and holy love of God (Romans 5:5\).
To love one another is to love fellow believers as Christ loves us. Those who love like Christ in the Holy Spirit’s power will give evidence that they are disciples, or learners, of Jesus Christ.
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What is the effectual calling/call?
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Answer
The term *effectual call*, as related to salvation, comes from Chapter X of the 1647 *Westminster Confession of Faith*. The effectual call is understood as God’s sovereign drawing of a sinner to salvation. The effectual call to a sinner so overwhelms his natural inclination to rebel that he willingly places faith in Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul refers to the effectual call when he writes, “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13\). The necessity of the effectual call is emphasized in Jesus’ words, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them” (John 6:44\).
Paul further affirms that God must impress His will on the natural state of man when he writes that those who oppose God “must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25\). The apostle Peter writes that God “called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3\). Peter’s use of the Greek word *kaleo*, which is translated “called,” expresses the action of God calling sinners. Whenever *kaleo* is used in the participial form, as it is in this passage, with God as the subject, it refers to the effectual call of God on sinners to salvation. *Kaleo* carries the idea that a sinner is being *drawn* to God rather than simply invited to come.
The effectual calling is more commonly known as “irresistible grace,” which is the *I* in the acronym [*TULIP*](doctrines-of-grace.html). The doctrine of effectual calling is closely related to the doctrine of [total depravity](total-depravity.html), the *T* in TULIP. Since the unregenerate man is “dead in transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1\), he is incapable of reaching out to God or responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ on his own. “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:10–11\). This state of total depravity makes the effectual calling of God necessary to give anyone the opportunity for salvation.
Jesus said, “For [many are invited, but few are chosen](many-called-few-chosen.html)” (Matthew 22:14\). In this statement, Jesus distinguishes between the general call that everyone receives by hearing the gospel and the effectual call that leads to salvation. The effectual call is also taught in passages such as Romans 1:6, where Paul greets the believers as those “who are called to belong to Jesus Christ”; and Acts 16:14, where Luke says of Lydia that “the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” The effectual call, therefore, is God’s action toward the elect, those whom He chose in Christ “before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless. . . . He predestined \[them] for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4–5\).
The general call, on the other hand, is for all of humanity, not just the elect. The famous passage, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16\), portrays God’s general revelation to everyone in the world. The gospel is available to everyone, but, because of humanity’s sinful nature and total depravity, no one will turn to God without God first impressing Himself on them.
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How many times has God sent fire from heaven?
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Answer
Fire has come down from heaven several times in history. The Bible records at least six of these instances:
Fire fell from heaven and destroyed Job’s flocks (Job 1:16\). This was a direct attack from Satan, but, as the earlier part of Job 1 explains, Satan was acting with the permission of God (verse 12\). It was a tragedy allowed by God and, in the end, bringing glory to God. On the other side of his trials, [Job](life-Job.html) was blessed with even larger flocks (Job 42:12\).
Fire coming down from heaven was also a means of God’s judgment. Fire in the form of burning sulfur rained from the heavens and destroyed [Sodom and Gomorrah](Sodom-and-Gomorrah.html) (Genesis 19:24; Luke 17:29\). God also used fire from heaven to judge the soldiers sent by the wicked king Ahaziah to arrest [Elijah](life-Elijah.html)—twice, fire descended from heaven to consume a group of fifty soldiers sent on the king’s business (2 Kings 1:10, 12\).
But fire from heaven is not *exclusively* a means of judgment. On at least three occasions, God sent fire from above in order to consume a sacrifice: fire came down from heaven to consume the sacrifice that David offered on the threshing floor of [Araunah the Jebusite](Araunah-the-Jebusite.html) (1 Chronicles 21:26\); to consume the sacrifice at the dedication of the [temple](Solomon-first-temple.html), in the presence of King Solomon and the people of Israel (2 Chronicles 7:1\); and to consume Elijah’s sacrifice on Mt. Carmel, in response to the prophet’s simple prayer (1 Kings 18:38\).
In each sacrifice consumed by fire from heaven, God was making an important point. In David’s case, God was forgiving David’s sin in conducting a census and halting a plague in Israel. He was also choosing the place where the future temple would be built. In Solomon’s case, God was consecrating that location as the place where His name would dwell forever (2 Chronicles 7:16\). The people’s reaction was to worship the Lord and say, “He is good; his love endures forever” (2 Chronicles 7:3\). In Elijah’s case, God was shaming the prophets of [Baal](who-Baal.html), whose god sent no fire, and claiming His rightful title as Lord God of Israel. The people on Mt. Carmel “fell prostrate and cried, ‘The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!’” (1 Kings 18:39\).
Interestingly, during Jesus’ earthly ministry, two of His disciples, James and John, wanted to call down fire from heaven in judgment of a Samaritan village that did not welcome the Lord. Jesus, however, “turned and rebuked them” (Luke 9:55\). He had not come “to condemn the world, but to save the world” (John 3:17\). James and John, rightly called the “[sons of thunder](sons-of-thunder.html)” (Mark 3:17\), wanted what they *thought* was justice, but their idea went against God’s plan of mercy. God’s justice will come, but on His terms, not ours.
In the end\-times tribulation, the [false prophet](false-prophet.html) will cause fire to come down from heaven as a means of deceiving people into worshiping the Antichrist (Revelation 13:13\).
And, at the end of the millenium, God promises that He will destroy the armies of [Gog and Magog](Gog-Magog.html) with fire from heaven (Revelation 20:9\).
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What did people in the Bible look like?
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Answer
There are a few basic descriptions of some people in the Bible. There are several women, for example, who are called “very beautiful”: Sarah, Rachel, Rebekah, Bathsheba, Abishag, Tamar, Vashti, and Esther. Leah is described as plain\-looking, in contrast to her sister Rachel, who “had a lovely figure and was beautiful” (Genesis 29:17\).
There are physical descriptions of men, too. We have descriptions of Elijah’s and John the Baptist’s clothing in 2 Kings 1:8 and Matthew 3:4\. Esau is described as hairy and red\-haired (Genesis 25:25\). David is described as “glowing with health and \[having] a fine appearance and handsome features” (1 Samuel 16:12\). Samson and Absalom had long hair (Judges 16:17; 2 Samuel 14:26\). Paul’s appearance was “unimpressive” (2 Corinthians 10:10\). Saul was tall (1 Samuel 10:23\); Zacchaeus was short (Luke 19:3\).
Of course, all of these descriptions are quite basic and do not give a detailed picture of the person being described. The Bible provides a general description at times in order help explain something else in the narrative (e.g., it is important for us to know that Zacchaeus was short, so we understand why he climbed a tree). The Bible’s focus is always on the *heart* of man, not his external appearance.
The main character of the Bible is Jesus Christ, but the only thing we know about Jesus’ appearance is that “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2\). Very nondescript. There is a nonliteral description of Jesus in Revelation 1:12–16, but it is obviously figurative. The eyes of blazing fire, the feet of glowing metal, and the sword proceeding from the mouth are suggestive of omniscience, power, and judgment.
It is good that we do not know what Jesus looked like. God, who does all things well, chose not to inform us of [Jesus’ physical appearance](Jesus-look-like.html).
If we had an actual description of Jesus’ human appearance, and with human nature being what it is, we would face many other spiritual dangers. We would see rampant idolatry—people would be making images of Jesus in order to better “worship” Him. We would see rampant body modification—people would be changing their skin color and having plastic surgery to have Jesus’ nose, chin, etc. What’s worse, these cultic behaviors would be done in the name of “Christianity.” (Some religious people already struggle with idolatry, praying to images of Jesus, even *without* knowing what He looked like.)
We humans tend to focus on externals (1 Samuel 16:7\) and to miss the main point of knowing God. We live in a world that places a high premium on appearances, but the Bible warns us that “charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting” (Proverbs 31:30\). The Lord is looking for a “contrite and lowly” spirit (Isaiah 57:15\), and we are called to “live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7\).
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What is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
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Answer
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the action by which God takes up permanent residence in the body of a believer in Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, the Spirit would come and go from the saints, empowering them for service but not necessarily remaining with them (see Judges 15:14; 1 Chronicles 12:18; Psalm 51:11; Ezekiel 11:5\). Jesus revealed to His disciples the new role the Spirit of Truth would play in their lives: “He lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:17\). The apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20\).
These verses are telling us that the believer in Jesus Christ has the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, living in him. When an individual accepts Christ as personal Savior, the Holy Spirit gives the believer the life of God, eternal life, which is really His very nature (Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 1:4\), and the Holy Spirit comes to live within him spiritually. The fact that the believer’s body is likened to a temple where the Holy Spirit lives helps us understand what the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is all about. The word *temple* is used to describe the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum in the Old Testament tabernacle structure. There, God’s presence would appear in a cloud and meet the high priest, who came once a year into the Holy of Holies. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest brought the blood of a slain animal and sprinkled it on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. On this special day, God granted forgiveness to the priest and His people.
Today, there is no Jewish temple in Jerusalem, and the animal sacrifices have ceased. The believer in Christ has become the inner sanctum of God the Holy Spirit, as the believer has been sanctified and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7\). The believer in Christ becomes the habitation of the Holy Spirit of God. In fact, Scripture also says that the believer is indwelt spiritually by Christ (Colossians 1:27\) and by God the Father (1 John 4:15\)—the Trinity is involved.
As the Holy Spirit lives in the believer, He brings about some life\-changing results:
1\) The indwelling Spirit comes to a soul dead in sin and creates new life (Titus 3:5\). This is the new birth Jesus spoke of in John 3:1–8\.
2\) The indwelling Spirit confirms to the believer that he belongs to the Lord and is an heir of God and fellow\-heir with Christ (Romans 8:15–17\).
3\) The indwelling Spirit installs the new believer as a member of Christ’s universal church. This is the baptism of the Spirit, according to 1 Corinthians 12:13\.
4\) The indwelling Spirit gives spiritual gifts (God\-given abilities for service) to the believer to edify the church and serve the Lord effectively for His glory (1 Corinthians 12:11\).
5\) The indwelling Spirit helps the believer understand and apply the Scripture to his daily life (1 Corinthians 2:12\).
6\) The indwelling Spirit enriches the believer’s prayer life and intercedes for him in prayer (Romans 8:26–27\).
7\) The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers the yielded believer to live for Christ to do His will (Galatians 5:16\). The Spirit leads the believer in paths of righteousness (Romans 8:14\).
8\) The indwelling Spirit gives evidence of new life by producing the fruit of the Spirit in the believer’s life (Galatians 5:22–23\).
9\) The indwelling Spirit is grieved when the believer sins (Ephesians 4:30\), and He convicts the believer to confess his sin to the Lord so that fellowship is restored (1 John 1:9\).
10\) The indwelling Spirit seals the believer unto the day of redemption so that the believer’s arrival in the Lord’s presence is guaranteed after this life (Ephesians 1:13–14\).
When you accept Christ as your Savior (Romans 10:9–13\), the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your heart, bringing with Him an entirely new life of love, relationship, and service to the Lord.
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What was the true issue between Adonijah and Solomon over Abishag?
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Answer
In [King David’s](life-David.html) old age, he developed circulatory problems, and a beautiful young woman named [Abishag](Abishag-in-the-Bible.html) was brought to the king to attend him and “keep him warm.” Abishag slept in the king’s bed to provide body heat, though she and David were never sexually intimate (1 Kings 1:1–4\). After David’s death, his son [Solomon](life-Solomon.html) became king. Shortly afterward, another of David’s sons, [Adonijah](Adonijah-in-the-Bible.html), who had at one time tried to take over the kingdom, hatched another plot to wrest control from King Solomon. Adonijah’s first step was to ask Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, to secure Solomon’s permission to give him Abishag as a wife.
Adonijah’s request seems innocuous enough, but it was full of subterfuge. Solomon’s initial response was one of indignation. He said to his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother” (1 Kings 2:22\). Solomon rightly saw Adonijah’s desire to marry Abishag as part of his brother’s ongoing attempt to take over the kingdom of Israel.
In those days of royal harems, taking possession of a king’s [concubines](concubine-concubines.html) was a declaration of one’s right to the throne. This had been one of [Absalom’s](who-was-Absalom.html) methods when he led a coup against David (2 Samuel 16:22\). Since Abishag was considered part of David’s harem, her marriage to Adonijah would have strengthened the usurper’s claim to the throne.
In judgment for Adonijah’s request, Solomon said, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life!” (1 Kings 2:23\). He quickly sent [Benaiah](Benaiah-in-the-Bible.html), one of their father’s [mighty men](mighty-men-David.html), to execute Adonijah.
The tension between Adonijah and Solomon had been longstanding. Adonijah was older than Solomon and therefore, under normal circumstances, in line before Solomon for the throne. But God promised that Solomon would be king. Adonijah had already attempted to set himself up as king while David was still alive; when David was notified of the plot, he quickly made Solomon’s kingship official (1 Kings 1:38–40\).
Adonijah’s followers had fled, leaving him in a situation where he could have been killed for his rebellion. King Solomon mercifully granted Adonijah his life on the condition that he pay homage to the king and give up his claim to the throne (1 Kings 1:52–53\).
Yet Adonijah was clearly not done in his attempts to become king. His plan to acquire Abishag as a wife was seen for what it was—a threat to Solomon’s rule. Adonijah’s plan cost him his life, and the sibling rivalry came to an abrupt end. The execution of Adonijah was considered part of the establishment of Solomon’s kingdom (1 Kings 2:19–25\).
An interesting theory put forward by some scholars is that Abishag appears later in the Song of Solomon—that she is, in fact, the Shulamite of that book (Song of Solomon 6:13\). There is no solid biblical evidence for the link between the two other than a similarity between the words *Shulamite* and *Shunammite* (1 Kings 1:3\).
Many lessons can be learned from this account. First, it is clear that a struggle for power can cause people to turn to deceit, violence, and lawlessness. Second, God is the one who ultimately appoints rulers, not people. Third, there are consequences for sin. In Adonijah’s case, his ongoing attempt to become king led to his early and abrupt death. We are called to submit to God’s will and to live contentedly where God has placed us in life.
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What was it like in the days of Noah?
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Answer
The biblical account of Noah begins in Genesis 6\. Approximately 1,600 years had passed since the creation of Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:26–27\). As the earth’s population exploded in number, it also exploded with evil. Long forgotten was the righteous sacrifice of Abel (Genesis 4:4\) as “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5\). Verses 11 and 12 say, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” However, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (verse 8\).
When Jesus described the events that will surround His second coming, He said, “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and [the flood](global-flood.html) came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26–27\). Jesus was pointing out that, although the people of Noah’s day were totally depraved, they were not the least bit concerned about it. They were carrying on the events of their lives without a single thought of the judgment of God. Noah is described as a “[preacher of righteousness](preacher-of-righteousness.html)” (2 Peter 2:5\), meaning he had spent years warning his friends and neighbors what the Holy God was about to do. No one listened.
The depravity and ungodly lifestyles of the entire world at that time were enough to cause the Lord to “regret that He had made man” (Genesis 6:6\). Many scholars believe that part of the need to destroy every human being except Noah and his family was the sin mentioned in Genesis 6:1–4, when “the Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them.” As evil reproduced and overtook the world, the most merciful act God could perform was to [start over](flood-just.html).
It is interesting that God allowed Noah nearly one hundred years to complete the building of the ark. Through all that time, God patiently waited (1 Peter 3:20\). Scripture seems to imply that Noah preached to the people of that time about what was coming (Hebrews 11:7\). They did not believe Noah and were content with their wickedness and idolatry. Their hearts were hard and their ears dull. No one repented, and no one cared to seek God.
Jesus said that the world will be much the same before He returns to set up His earthly kingdom (Matthew 25:31–33\). He warned us to “be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Second Timothy 3:1–4 gives us a clear picture of the state of the world before Jesus comes and most likely also describes the world in the days of Noah. That verse says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self\-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” It is becoming increasingly obvious that, to understand what the world was like in the days of Noah, we only need to watch the evening news.
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How is the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom?
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Answer
Proverbs 9:10 says, “The [fear of the LORD](fear-God.html) is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Basically, this verse teaches that the fear of God is foundational to true [wisdom](wisdom-knowledge.html); all other types of learning are worthless unless built upon a knowledge of the Lord Himself. Many other passages talk about the fear of the Lord (e.g., Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 14:27; 15:33\). Before we can understand how the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom, we need to define what the Bible means by “fear” in this context.
In the Bible, the word translated “fear” can mean several things. It can refer to the terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25\). It can mean “respect” in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14\). *Fear* can also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5\). The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these.
Fear of the Lord can be defined as “the continual awareness that our loving heavenly Father is watching and evaluating everything we think, say, and do” (Matthew 12:36; Psalm 139:2; Jeremiah 12:3\). As Jesus told each of the seven churches in Revelation 2—3, “I know your works.” Nothing escapes His attention.
In order to develop the fear of the Lord, we must recognize God for who He is. We must glimpse with our spirits the power, might, beauty, and brilliance of the Lord God Almighty (Revelation 11:17; Hosea 12:5; Isaiah 6:1–5\). Those who fear the Lord have a continual awareness of Him, a deep reverence for Him, and sincere commitment to obey Him.
Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This verse gives us some added insight with its [antithetical parallelism](antithetical-parallelism.html)—there is a sharp contrast between the wise life and the foolish life. A wise person fears/reverences/obeys the Lord; a fool despises God’s instruction and cannot be told what to do. The wise person is wise because he has started at the starting place; the fool has no foundation on which to build wisdom.
Romans 1:21–22 speaks of those who “neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.” This is a description of people who try to obtain wisdom while ignoring God—it cannot be done for the simple reason that God is the source of wisdom.
The link between the fear of God and wisdom means we cannot possess wisdom if we recreate God in our own image. Too many people want to “tame” God into a non\-threatening nobody. But, if we redefine the Lord as a god that makes us feel comfortable, a permissive “buddy” who exists simply to bless us and give us what we want, we will not fear Him in the way He deserves to be feared. The Lord God Almighty is far greater than that, and the fear of the Lord begins when we see Him in His majesty and power (Revelation 4:11; Job 42:1–2\) The Lord shows Job (and us) a glimpse of His power in Job 38—41 when He describes His absolute sovereignty over everything.
When the reality of God’s true nature has caused us to fall down in worship, we are then in the right position to gain wisdom. Wisdom is merely seeing life from God’s perspective and responding accordingly. Wisdom is a priority, and we are told to seek it above all else (Proverbs 3:13; 16:16\). Proverbs is known as the wisdom book, and the entire second chapter gives a detailed explanation of the value of gaining wisdom.
Until our hearts are in a right relationship with God, we are unable to have the “wisdom that comes from heaven” (James 3:17\). Without the fear of the Lord, we may gain knowledge of earthly things and make some practical choices for *this* life, but we are missing the one ingredient that defines a wise person (Psalm 14:1; Exodus 20:3; 34:14; Jeremiah 25:6; Matthew 22:37\). In the [parable of the rich farmer](parable-rich-fool.html), the rich man had a “wise” and practical plan for his profits, but God said to him, “You fool!” because the farmer’s plans were made with no thought of God and eternity (Luke 12:16–21\).
Without the fear of the Lord, we make final decisions based on our faulty human understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6\). When we incorporate the fear of the Lord into every moment of our lives, we make decisions based upon His approval. We live with the knowledge that the Creator of the universe is intimately involved in our every move. He sees, knows, and evaluates all our choices, and we will answer to Him (Psalm 139:1–4\).
Our respect for God’s majesty causes us to honor Him (Psalm 29:2\). Our gratitude for His mercy causes us to serve Him well (Psalm 2:11; 107:15\). And the understanding that our God of love is also a God of wrath inspires enough fear to help us stay away from evil (Romans 1:18; Proverbs 8:13\). Sin is foolish; righteousness is wise. When we live righteously, we are on the path to wisdom, and everyone in our lives benefits (Proverbs 13:20; 19:8\).
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What does the New Testament say about homosexuality?
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Answer
The Bible is consistent through both Old and New Testaments in confirming that homosexuality is sin (Genesis 19:1–13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10; Jude 1:7\). In this matter, the New Testament reinforces what the Old Testament had declared since the Law was given to Moses (Leviticus 20:13\). The difference between the Old and New Testaments is that the New Testament offers hope and restoration to those caught up in the sin of [homosexuality](homosexuality-Bible.html) through the redeeming power of Jesus. It is the same hope that is offered to anyone who chooses to accept it (John 1:12; 3:16–18\).
God’s standards of holiness did not change with the coming of Jesus, because God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8\). The New Testament is a continuing revelation of God’s interaction with humanity. God hated idolatry in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 5:8\), and He still hates it in the New (1 John 5:21\). What was immoral in the Old Testament is still immoral in the New.
The New Testament says that homosexuality is a “shameful lust” (Romans 1:26\), a “shameful act,” an abandonment of “natural relations” (Romans 1:27\), a “wrongdoing” (1 Corinthians 6:9\), and “sexual immorality and perversion” (Jude 1:7\). Homosexuality carries a “due penalty” (Romans 1:27\), “is contrary to the sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:10\), and is listed among the sins that bar people from the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9\). Despite the attempts of some to downplay these verses, the Bible could not be clearer that homosexuality is a sin against God.
Homosexuality is not the cause of a society’s decline, but it is a symptom of it; it is the result of people making themselves the final authorities. Romans 1 gives the natural digression of a society that has chosen idolatry and sinful pleasure instead of obedience to God. The downward spiral begins with denying that God has absolute authority over His creation (Romans 1:21–23\).
The result of a society’s rejection of God’s rule in their lives is that God gives “them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:24–25\). Verses 26 and 27 say, “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” The phrase “[God gave them over](God-gave-them-over.html)” means that, when we insist on shaking our fists at God, He finally lets us have the perversion we demand. And that is a judgment in itself. Homosexual behavior is the result of ignoring God and trying to create our own truth. When we defy God’s clear instruction, we reap the “due penalty” of our disobedience (2 Thessalonians 1:8–9; Revelation 21:8\).
The good news is that homosexuality is not the unpardonable sin. It is forgivable just like greed, theft, and murder are forgivable when we repent and turn to Jesus (Acts 2:38\). He provides us with new identities (1 Peter 1:14; Colossians 2:13\). Second Corinthians 5:17 says that “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Those “old” things include former sins that once held us captive. Whereas we were once defined by our sin, being born again (John 3:3\) means we are now defined by Jesus and His righteousness (Colossians 3:3\). A thief no longer has to define himself as a thief. He is cleansed from his former ways and made new in Christ. A murderer—such as Saul before he became the [apostle Paul](life-Paul.html)—is forgiven and conformed to the image of Christ (Galatians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Romans 8:29\). And someone trapped in homosexuality can be set free to walk in purity when he or she agrees with God about sin and trusts His power to forgive and restore.
As has been noted, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 includes homosexuals in a list of those who will not have a part in God’s kingdom. But verse 11 goes on to say, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” The truth is that some of the saints in the Corinthian church were former homosexuals. God’s kingdom is populated by sinners. No one comes to God on personal merit. We all come the same way: through [repentance](repentance.html), renouncing the sin for which Jesus died, and accepting the righteousness of Christ in its place (2 Corinthians 5:21\).
The New Testament offers good news for everyone struggling with sexual identity. Jesus wants to replace our sinful lifestyles with His own righteousness so that we become more like Him.
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What is traducianism?
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Answer
Traducianism is the belief that at conception both the child’s body and soul or spirit are passed on to the child from the parents. In other words, the child inherits both the material and immaterial aspects of his being from his biological parents.
A differing view is creationism, which holds that God creates a new soul *ex nihilo* for each child conceived. Both traducianism and creationism have their strengths and weaknesses, and both have been held by various theologians of the past. There is a third view, not supported by the Bible at all, which sets forth the theory that God created all human souls at the same time, prior to Adam in Genesis 1\. At the time of conception, God attaches a soul to the child’s body.
Some find biblical support for traducianism in the creation narrative. Genesis 2:7 says that “the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into Adam the breath of life; and man became a living being.” This tells us that Adam was not just a physical being, with a body, but he also had an immaterial part made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27\)—he had a spirit and personality. The Scripture nowhere records God doing this again. In fact Genesis 2:2–3 indicates that God ceased His creative work. Later, Adam “had a son in his own likeness, in his own image” (Genesis 5:3\)—the wording is similar to that used of Adam’s creation in Genesis 1:26\. And, just like Adam, Seth had a body and a soul.
Psalm 51:5 says, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” From the moment of conception, David had a sinful nature. Note the words *I* and *me*; these indicate that David considered himself a whole person (body and spirit) at conception. Traducianism helps explain how David could have possessed a sin nature at conception—his spirit/soul was inherited from his father, who had inherited his spirit/soul from *his* father, and so on, all the way back to sinful Adam.
Another passage used to support traducianism is Hebrews 7:9–10, which reads, “One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.” Levi is considered to be “in the body” of his ancestor, even before conception. In this way, Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek through his grandfather Abraham.
It’s usually easy to trace red hair or freckles through one parent or the other. Physical characteristics may skip a generation, but they eventually show up. We speak in the same way of personality traits: “Oh, no, he has my temper”; “She has her father’s disposition”; “He has his mother’s love of animals.” There is no gene we can point to that would explain the soul, yet we commonly see evidence of personality inherited from parents. Could this be the result of the parents’ passing on the *soul* as well as the body at conception? Scripture does not clearly affirm or deny traducianism.
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What is the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal?
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Answer
The account of [Elijah](life-Elijah.html) and the prophets of Baal is recorded in 1 Kings 18\. After Israel had gone more than three years without rain as a judgment for their idolatry, the prophet Elijah confronts the evil king Ahab and challenges him to a spiritual showdown. The king was to have all Israel gather at Mt. Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of the false god [Baal](who-Baal.html) and the 400 prophets of the false goddess [Asherah](who-Asherah.html) (verse 19\).
On Mt. Carmel, Elijah said to the people of Israel, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21\). The people remained noncommittal at that point. Elijah then challenged the prophets of Baal to prepare a bull as an offering for their god—Elijah would do the same—with this catch: they could light no fire on their altar. The God who answered with [fire from the sky](fire-from-heaven.html) would be considered the true God (verses 22–25\).
The people agreed that this was a good plan, and the prophets of Baal went first. The pagan prophets cried out and danced around their altar from morning till noon with no answer from Baal. Elijah began to mock them, saying, “Shout louder! . . . Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27\).
So the prophets of Baal “shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice” (1 Kings 18:28–29\). Despite hours of effort, nothing happened. The historian’s comment hints at the emptiness of Baal\-worship: “There was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention” (verse 29\).
Elijah then called the people to him as he repaired the altar of the Lord. He used twelve stones and dug a trench around the altar. He then placed wood on the altar and laid the cut pieces of the bull on it. Elijah then had the people douse the altar with twelve large jars of water. The water soaked the sacrifice and the wood and filled the trench (1 Kings 18:30–35\).
Once the sacrifice was ready, Elijah prayed, “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again” (1 Kings 18:36–37\). Then God did what Baal could never do: the fire of the LORD fell from heaven and consumed the burnt offering *and* the wood *and* the stones *and* the dust, “and also licked up the water in the trench” (verse 38\). The people of Israel bowed down and declared the Lord as God (verse 39\).
Elijah then commanded the people to put the prophets of Baal to death, in keeping with God’s command in Exodus 22:20\. Following this event, the Lord finally ended the drought and sent rain upon the land (1 Kings 18:45\).
The miraculous event of fire from heaven was an answer to the prayer of Elijah. God was seeking to turn the hearts of His people back to Himself. He used a time of drought to get their attention and then, through His prophet, performed a dramatic miracle right before their eyes. No one who witnessed that event doubted that the Lord was God and that Baal was a powerless wannabe. The repentance of the Israelites was soon followed by God’s provision of rain.
James teaches us that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16\), and he uses Elijah’s prayer life as a case in point: “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops” (James 5:17–18\).
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What is the blessed hope (Titus 2:13)?
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Answer
Titus 2:12–13 says that the grace of God teaches us “to live self\-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” This passage identifies the “blessed hope” as the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior.
The word *blessed* can mean “happy” or “beneficial”; our hope is “blessed” in that Jesus’ return will be an amazing, joyful experience for the believer in Christ. We will be blessed beyond measure when we see Christ. The trials of this life will be over, and we will see that “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18\). The word *hope* does not communicate uncertainty, as in “I hope that something might occur”; rather, it is the glad assurance that something *will* take place. Jesus is our hope, and no one can take that hope away. “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5\).
The “blessed hope,” then, is the joyful assurance that God will extend His benefits to us and that Jesus Christ will return. We are waiting for this event now. Jesus said He would return (John 14:3\), the angels said He would return (Acts 1:11\), and the epistles say He will return. Jesus could come back at any time for His church, which includes all believers in Christ from the [Day of Pentecost](day-Pentecost.html) in Acts 2 onward. This event is called the rapture. It will be announced by the voice of the archangel and God’s trumpet call. The bodies of those who have died will be raised to be joined with their souls, and then the bodies of those believers still living on earth will be changed into a body like the Lord’s resurrection body. The believers raised from the dead and the believers living at Christ’s return will meet the Lord in the air and be taken to heaven. They will “fly the friendly skies united” (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18\). This will happen in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52\).
Should this blessed hope of Christ’s any\-time return have an effect on the believer in Jesus Christ? John wrote, “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as \[Jesus] is pure” (1 John 3:3\). The believer anticipating Christ’s blessed return will seek to live, in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, a life of purity. We will all stand before the Lord and give an account of how we lived for Him on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10\).
Jesus’ [imminent](imminent-return-Christ.html) return should motivate the believer to live godly in an ungodly world. The word *looking* in Titus 2:13 is the key for that to happen. To be “looking” means that we live each day in continual anticipation and expectancy, with the conviction that Jesus could come at any time. That hope becomes a transforming reality in this life, resulting in God being glorified through us (1 Corinthians 10:31\). The blessed hope brings us joy and cheers us through the trials of this world. It should also cause us to stop and evaluate our thinking, words, and actions.
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Is a multi-site church biblical?
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Answer
A multi\-site church is one church in several locations, often called “campuses.” It’s not uncommon to see signs for “Such\-and\-Such Church: North Campus” or “East Campus” or “Oak Street Campus.”
While a “multi\-site” church can present all kinds of new challenges for leadership, there is nothing overtly unbiblical about it. Consider it this way: the first church (see Acts 2\) was birthed in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. Are not all Bible\-based churches today simply an offspring of that original church? The Word spread from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and, finally, to “the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, KJV).
Churches today use hundreds of different ways to reach into communities and present [the gospel](gospel-message.html) to the unsaved. A large, growing church may consider other start\-ups in neighboring communities as a way to better reach others. Having a multi\-site ministry can help churchgoers feel more attached to a “neighborhood” church, rather than traveling a farther distance to a “[mega\-church](mega-church.html).” Other benefits of a multi\-site church include increased opportunity for ministry, shared resources, smaller congregation size, less dependence on one pastor (it’s a team effort), and, in many cases, lower operating costs.
Problems faced by some multi\-site churches include a lack of unity between the mother church and the satellite church and, in some cases, a lack of the personal touch—especially when there’s an over\-reliance on video technology to replace an actual pastor.
The bottom line is that the Bible does not speak for or against the multi\-site model. A church should be devoted “to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42\). As a church grows, it can make room in its existing location, start another campus, or support an autonomous church plant. The main thing is that the gospel is being preached and God’s people are exercising their spiritual gifts “so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12–13\). The church, [the body of Christ](body-of-Christ.html), “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16\).
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What is continuationism?
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Answer
*Please note, as a ministry, GotQuestions.org is not in agreement with continuationism. The article below is written by someone who holds to continuationism. We thought it would be worthwhile to have an article that positively presents continuationism, as it is always good for our viewpoints to be challenged, motivating us to further search the Scriptures to make sure our beliefs are biblically sound.*
Continuationism is the belief that all the spiritual gifts, including healings, tongues, and miracles, are still in operation today, just as they were in the days of the early church. A continuationist believes that the spiritual gifts have “continued” unabated since the Day of Pentecost and that today’s church has access to all the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible.
When the Holy Spirit came as Jesus had promised (Acts 1:8; 2:1–4\), He filled the believers and provided them with supernatural gifts that enabled them to serve God with power and ability. These spiritual gifts are listed in Romans 12:6–8, Ephesians 4:11, and 1 Corinthians 12:7–11, 28, and continuationism says that all of the gifts still continue to this day. These gifts vary from person to person as the Spirit sees fit (1 Peter 4:10\). First Corinthians 12:4–6 says, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” Continuationists maintain that there is no scriptural evidence that any of these spiritual gifts are no longer in operation.
The contrasting viewpoint is called [cessationism](cessationism.html), which teaches that some of the gifts “ceased” and are no longer in operation today. The question in cessationsm is not *whether* there are gifts still being given but *which ones*. Cessationists point to verses such as 1 Corinthians 13:10 and the fact that the miraculous gifts seem to be closely tied to the ministry of the apostles and the verification of God’s revelation (Acts 2:22; 14:3; 2 Corinthians 12:12\) as evidence that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased.
As with any doctrine, there are extremes on either side. Some cessationists believe that *all* spiritual gifts ceased with the end of the apostolic age. Less extreme cessationism holds that only the “sign gifts”—healing, miracles, and tongues—have ceased. On the extreme continuationist side, there are those who teach that tongues must *always* follow salvation or the filling of the Holy Spirit. There can also be a wrong emphasis on the gifts rather than on the person of Jesus Christ. Some even claim that every believer can be equipped with every miraculous gift if he or she has enough faith. But this concept is clearly refuted in 1 Corinthians 12:11, which says that the Spirit “distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” Paul dealt with this very issue in the Corinthian church: “Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues?” (1 Corinthians 12:29–30\). The answer to these rhetorical questions is “no.”
Continuationists believe that the biblical instruction on spiritual gifts is as relevant today as it was when it was written. They maintain that there is no scriptural reason to believe otherwise and that the burden of proof lies with cessationists. Believers on both sides of the issue can agree to disagree, but both perspectives should keep Jesus’ prayer in John 17:22–23 in mind: “That they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Whether continuationist or cessationist, all born\-again believers are part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27\). When we allow any non\-foundational issue to cause division and dissension, we are not giving heed to something important to our Lord.
**Addendum on Common Cessationist Arguments and Continuationist Responses**
Christians who maintain that there is no biblical foundation for cessationism are sometimes referred to as “continuationists.” These believers consider their position to be biblically consistent and that cessationism is without scriptural foundation. The following are some common arguments for cessationism and the continuationist responses:
*1\. Scripture*
Cessationists often cite 1 Corinthians 13:8–10 to support the idea that some gifts ceased when “the perfect” came. Some believe that the “perfect” refers to the completion of the Bible. This position holds that once the Bible was in completed form there was no longer any need for miraculous works of the Holy Spirit through believers. However, verse 12 clarifies the identity of that “perfect”: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” Since we cannot see the Bible face to face, nor can it “know” us, continuationists consider this passage a reference to the second coming of Jesus. At that time there will be no need for the Holy Spirit’s gifts, including the gift of knowledge (verse 8\), as we will be in the physical presence of Jesus Himself.
Another verse often cited is 2 Corinthians 12:12\. Cessationists maintain that the miraculous gifts such as tongues, healing, prophecy, and miracles were limited to the apostles to validate their authority. However, the Bible includes accounts of non\-apostles in the early church performing miracles and healings, such as Stephen (Acts 6:8\) and Philip (Acts 8:6–7\). The gifts of tongues and prophecy were widespread among everyone who was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:46; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 14:5, 39; Galatians 3:5\). Paul included these miraculous gifts when he addressed the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:4–11, 28\). Continuationism argues that if tongues, healing, and miracles were limited to the apostles, these gifts would not have been included in Paul’s instructions to the church body many years after Pentecost. Paul stated, “Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:5\). From this, we can infer that Paul did not consider those gifts limited to the apostles. The extraordinary manifestations of power that the apostles demonstrated (Acts 15:12\) may have been due to the fact that Jesus Himself had given the twelve this power as His unique messengers (Luke 9:1\). Their miraculous abilities were not necessarily related to the endowments of spiritual gifts that applied to all Spirit\-filled believers.
*2\. Terms*
The term *sign gifts* is often used to indicate that God gave certain abilities to the apostles as “signs” to authenticate their apostleship. This term is challenged by Dr. Wayne Grudem, author of the seminary standard *Systematic Theology*. He states, “I don’t think that is a legitimate category, sign gifts. . . . . When Paul in Second Corinthians talks about the signs of a true apostle, he talks about his faithful endurance through persecution, his faithful preaching of the gospel, his suffering in the face of opposition, his care for the Corinthians . . . but I don’t know of any place where certain spiritual gifts are designated as signs that point to the apostles . . . I’m of the position that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit are valid for today, that would include prophecy, tongues, interpretations of tongue, healing, and probably the casting out of demons.” Continuationists believe that when the New Testament refers to “signs,” it indicates that supernatural abilities are given by God to whomever He chooses in order accomplish His purpose (Exodus 7:3; Romans 15:18–19; Hebrews 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:11\). The term *sign gifts* is never used as a separate category pertaining to gifts of the Holy Spirit.
*Prophecy* is another term that has spawned disagreement. Cessationists cite examples of some continuationists who have equated their personal revelations with Scripture. However, the majority of continuationists agree with cessationists that no further revelations given to human beings will ever be on par with the completed canon of Scripture. However, continuationists see nothing in Scripture that indicates that the relational God who gave us the Scripture is no longer communicating with His people. The gift of prophecy can involve speaking forth the truth of God’s Word, but it can also include supernatural revelation that God gives His servants to impact others in a profound way. Famed pastor Charles H. Spurgeon experienced this prophetic knowledge many times during his ministry that allowed him to reach many hardened hearts with truth. The apostle Paul encouraged the church to “eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy” (1 Corinthians 14:1\).
*3\. Tongues*
The topic of speaking in tongues has been a source of misunderstanding for many Christians. Its abuse and misuse in some circles has further fueled the conviction by cessationists that this gift is neither active nor necessary. Some even attribute this phenomenon to demonic activity or emotional hysteria. They also maintain that, if tongues was still a legitimate gift, every missionary would be given this gift and avoid years of language study.
In response, continuationists agree that some of what is purported to be Spirit\-inspired is nothing more than emotion\-fueled sensationalism. Satan and fallen human beings have always counterfeited miraculous works of God and still do (Exodus 7:10–11; Acts 8:9, 11; Revelation 13:14\). However, the presence of the counterfeit does not negate the authentic. In Acts 16:16, Paul and Silas were pestered by a demon\-possessed girl with the gift of prophecy. The fact that her supernatural ability was from Satan and not God did not cause Paul to conclude that all prophetic gifts were of the devil (1 Corinthians 14:1\). In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus foretold that many would claim to know Him because they performed miracles in His name. The fact that there were impostors did not imply that everyone who performed miracles was a fake.
Continuationists suggest that part of the confusion over this topic is that there may be two kinds of “tongues” spoken of in Acts and the letters to the Corinthians. The gift that came on the day of Pentecost enabled the apostles to speak in the languages of those in attendance. This allowed the gospel to spread rapidly throughout the region (Acts 2:6–8\). However, in 1 Corinthians 14, Paul seems to be speaking about a different purpose for tongues. The entire fourteenth chapter is an instruction to the church about the purposes and use of this gift, one of which may be for worshiping God (1 Corinthians 14:2, 14–16, 28\).
Biblical support for this position is found in Acts 10:45–46 when Cornelius received the Holy Spirit. He began praising God in tongues, even though there was no one present who needed to hear the gospel in other languages. Another example is in Acts 19:6–7\. Twelve men from Ephesus received the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues, although there was no one present who needed to hear it. The Corinthian church regularly included tongues in their worship services, with no indication that there were always those present who needed to hear a message in their language.
John Piper calls this form of tongues “one particular way of releasing the heart of praise.” In 1 Corinthians 14:28, Paul continues his instruction on the use of tongues in corporate worship: “If there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.” This seems to imply that tongues can also be a means for praying “in the spirit,” which lends another perspective to passages such as 1 Corinthians 14:14–15 and 28, Romans 8:26, Ephesians 6:18, and Jude 1:20\. Paul never chastised the Corinthians for using this gift (1 Corinthians 14:39\) but only for misusing it and creating chaos (verses 23 and 39\). The fourteenth chapter ends with Paul instructing them not to “forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:39–40\).
*4\. Church History*
Cessationism claims historical support, stating that there is no indication that miraculous gifts continued after the death of the apostles. However, continuationists maintain that the church record disagrees. They cite the following examples:
• Justin Martyr (AD 100—165\), early church historian, stated that “the prophetical gifts remain with us even to the present time. Now it is possible to see among us women and men who possess gifts of the Spirit of God.”
• Irenaeus (AD 125—200\) said, “We do also hear many brethren in the church who possess prophetic gifts and through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages. . . . The dead even have been raised up, and remained among us for many years.”
• Novatian (AD 210—280\) said, “This is he \[the Holy Spirit] who places prophets in the church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works.”
• Augustine (AD 354—430\) is often cited as an early church father who rejected the idea of continuationism. This was true early on. However, later in life, he was so impacted by the healings and miracles that he observed firsthand that he wrote in *The City of God*, ”I am so pressed by the promise of finishing this work that I cannot record all the miracles I know.”
• More recent Bible scholars such as [John Wesley](John-Wesley.html), [A. W. Tozer](A-W-Tozer.html), [R. A. Torrey](R-A-Torrey.html), and J. P. Moreland were also convinced that all the Spirit’s gifts are still active in the world today, and in fact operate(d) in some of those gifts.
*5\. Arguments from Silence*
Cessationists point out that only Paul’s earliest letters contained references to the miraculous gifts. Later epistles such as Ephesians do not mention them. Their conclusion is that these gifts must have “died out” after the church was firmly established. However, continuationists point out that this is an argument from silence, which is a logical fallacy. The lack of reference to a subject does not in any way imply that the previous instruction had changed. It may mean that the miraculous gifts were not causing disruption in Ephesus as they were at Corinth, and other matters were more worthy of Paul’s attention. The lists of gifts found in Romans 12:6–9, 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, and 1 Peter 4:10–11 are not identical and may not have been intended to be exhaustive.
Biblical scholars abound on both sides of this issue. Cessationism holds that the inspired Word of God is all we need to live as Christ desires us to live. Continuationists assert that the Holy Spirit who was poured out in Acts 2 still continues His work, with all the supernatural giftings mentioned in Scripture. David Martyn Lloyd\-Jones, a 20th\-century theologian who is often cited as a supporter of cessationism, says this: “Every Christian should always be seeking the best and the highest. We should never be content with anything less than what is described as possible to the Christian in the New Testament.” To that, both sides would add, “Amen.”
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What is the Muratorian Canon?
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Answer
The Muratorian Canon (also called the Muratorian Fragment) is an ancient list of New Testament books—the oldest such list we have found. The original document, which was probably written in Greek, is dated to about AD 180 and lists 22 of the 27 books that were later included in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.
The Muratorian Canon was discovered by Italian historian Ludovico Muratori in the Ambrosian Library in northern Italy and was published by him in 1740\. The manuscript copy that Muratori discovered was written in Latin and has been dated to the 7th or 8th century AD. Several internal indicators have convinced most experts that the original Muratorian Canon should be dated near the end of the 2nd century (c. AD 180\).
It is noteworthy that the Muratorian Canon omits several epistles that later did win acceptance in the Christian New Testament such as the books of James and 2 Peter. This may go to demonstrate that the early church practiced discernment in recognizing which books carried with them apostolic authority. They did not immediately accept any book or letter that claimed to be associated with an apostle. This fact makes it all the more remarkable that the Muratorian Canon includes all four biblical gospels as well as the Acts of the Apostles, the Pauline Epistles, and most of John’s writings. This means that, within 150 years of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the core writings that were later included in the New Testament were already deemed authoritative by early Christians. These books present a unified doctrinal message on the person of Christ and His atoning work on the cross.
For instance, in the documents listed in the Muratorian Canon, Jesus is repeatedly referred to as “Lord” (Romans 10:9; Acts 2:36; Jude 17\) and is equated with God (John 1:1–3; 20:28; Philippians 2:6–8\). He took on human flesh (John 1:14; 1 John 4:2\), died in the place of sinners (1 Corinthians 15:3\), and was soon raised bodily from the dead (Luke 24:36–40; Acts 1:3; 2:24–35; 1 Corinthians 15:4\). A person can find forgiveness of sins only through faith in Him (John 6:47; Acts 13:38–39; Galatians 2:15–16\).
These central doctrines represented Christian orthodoxy for the early church. The existence of the Muratorian Canon demonstrates that, well before the New Testament [canon](canon-of-Scripture.html) was officially recognized, early Christians already had access to authoritative documents carrying apostolic authority. It was from these apostolic books and letters that the early believers derived their central beliefs about the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ.
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What does it mean that God is not mocked?
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Answer
To mock God is to disrespect, dishonor, or ignore Him. It is a serious offense committed by those who have no fear of God or who deny His existence. The most easily recognized form of mockery is disrespect typified by verbal insults or other acts of disdain. It is associated with ridicule, scoffing, and defiance. Mockery is a dishonoring attitude that shows low estimation, contempt, or even open hostility.
In the Bible mockery is a behavior and attitude shown by the fool (Psalm 74:22\), the wicked (Psalm 1:1\), the enemy (Psalm 74:10\), the hater of knowledge (Proverbs 1:22; 13:1\), the proud (Psalm 119:51; Isaiah 37:17\), and the unteachable (Proverbs 15:12\). A mocker goes beyond mere lack of judgment to making a conscious decision for evil. Mockers are without a spirit of obedience, teachability, discernment, wisdom, worship, or faith.
Those who mock God will mock the people of God as well. The prophet Jeremiah "became the laughingstock of all my people" and was mocked "in song all day long" (Lamentations 3:14\). Mockery of God’s prophets was commonplace (2 Chronicles 36:16\). Nehemiah was mocked by his enemies (Nehemiah 2:19\). Elisha was mocked by the youths of Bethel (2 Kings 2:23\). And of course our Lord Jesus was mocked—by Herod and his soldiers (Luke 23:11\), by the Roman soldiers (Mark 15:20; Luke 23:36\), by a thief on a cross (Luke 23:39\), and by the Jewish leaders who passed by the cross (Matthew 27:41\).
It is easy for us as believers to point the finger at those outside the church who mock God. But the most subtle mockery of God, and the most dangerous, comes from those of us sitting in church. We are guilty of mockery when we behave with an outward show of spirituality or godliness without an inward engagement or change of heart.
[Charles G. Finney](Charles-Finney.html), a preacher in the 1800s, wrote about the effects of mocking God: "To mock God is to pretend to love and serve him when we do not; to act in a false manner, to be insincere and hypocritical in our professions, pretending to obey him, love, serve, and worship him, when we do not. . . . Mocking God grieves the Holy Spirit, and sears the conscience; and thus the bands of sin become stronger and stronger. The heart becomes gradually hardened by such a process."
God warns that mockery of what is holy will be punished. Zephaniah predicted the downfall of Moab and Ammon, saying, "This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the LORD Almighty" (Zephaniah 2:10\). Isaiah 28:22 warns that mockery will cause the chains of Judah’s sin to become stronger and that destruction will follow. Proverbs 3:34 says that God will mock the mocker but give favor to the humble and oppressed. Second Kings 2:24 records the punishment that befell the [youths who jeered Elisha](Elisha-baldhead.html).
This is what it means that God is not mocked. There are repercussions for ignoring God’s directives and willfully choosing sin. Adam and Eve tried and brought sorrow and death into the world (Genesis 2:15–17; 3:6, 24\). Ananias and Sapphira’s deception brought about a swift and public judgment (Acts 5:1–11\). Galatians 6:7 states a universal principle: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."
God cannot be deceived (Hebrews 4:12–13\). Achan’s sin (Joshua 7\) and Jonah’s flight (Jonah 1\) were not unknown to God. Jesus’ repeated words to every church in Revelation 2—3 were, "I know your works." We only deceive ourselves when we think our attitudes and actions are not seen by an all\-powerful and all\-knowing God.
The Bible shows us the way to live a blessed life, sometimes by the good examples of godly men and women and sometimes by the negative examples of those who choose to follow another path. Psalm 1:1–3 says, "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers."
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Who was Judas Iscariot?
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Answer
Judas Iscariot is typically remembered for one thing: his betrayal of Jesus. He was one of the twelve disciples who lived with and followed Jesus for three years. He witnessed Jesus’ ministry, His teaching, and His many miracles. He was the treasurer for the group and used this trusted position to steal from their resources (John 12:6\).
Judas was a common name in that era, and there are several other Judases mentioned in the New Testament. One of the other disciples was named Judas (John 14:22\), and so was one of Jesus’ own half\-brothers (Mark 6:3\). To differentiate, John 6:71 and John 13:26 refer to Christ’s betrayer as “Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.”
Scholars have several ideas about the derivation of the surname. One is that *Iscariot* refers to Kerioth, a region or town in Judea. Another idea is that it refers to the Sicarii, a cadre of assassins among the Jewish rebels.
The possible association with the Sicarii allows for interesting speculation about [Judas’ motives](Judas-betray-Jesus.html) for his betrayal, but the fact that he made a conscious choice to betray Jesus (Luke 22:48\) remains the same. The surname Iscariot is useful, if for no other reason, in that it leaves no doubt about which Judas is being referred to.
Here are some of the facts we glean from key verses about Judas and his betrayal:
Money was important to Judas. As already mentioned, he was a thief, and, according to Matthew 26:13–15, the chief priests paid him “thirty silver coins” to betray the Lord.
Jesus knew from the very beginning what Judas Iscariot would do. Jesus told His disciples, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (John 6:70\). And at the Last Supper, Jesus predicted His betrayal and identified the betrayer: “Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon” (John 13:26\).
Jesus said that Judas Iscariot was not “clean”; i.e., he had not been born again and was [not forgiven](Judas-saved.html) of his sins (John 13:10–11\). In fact, Judas was empowered to do what he did by the devil himself: “As soon as Judas took the bread \[that Jesus had given him], Satan entered into him” (John 13:27\).
The other disciples had no clue that Judas Iscariot harbored treacherous thoughts. When Jesus mentioned a betrayer in their midst, the other disciples worried that it was *they* who would prove disloyal (John 13:22\). No one suspected Judas. He was a trusted member of the Twelve. Even when Jesus told Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly,” (John 13:27\), and Judas left the Last Supper, the others at the table simply thought Judas had been sent to buy more food or to give something to charity (verses 28–29\).
[Judas Iscariot betrayed the Lord with a kiss](betrayed-with-a-kiss.html), perfectly in keeping with his brazen duplicity (Luke 22:47–48\). After committing his atrocious act, Judas “was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders” (Matthew 27:3\). But we learn that remorse does not equal repentance—rather than make amends or seek forgiveness, “he went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5\).
Judas Iscariot fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 41:9, “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me” (cf. John 13:18\). Yet Judas was fully responsible for his actions. Jesus said, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24\).
Matthew 27:6–8 reports that the chief priests took the “blood money” from Judas and bought a potter’s field as a place for burying foreigners (thus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 11:12–13\). Acts 1:18–19 continues the story of what happened after Judas’ death and gives some additional information. Luke reports, “With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.” The additional detail we learn from Luke is that, after [Judas hanged himself](Judas-die.html), his dead body fell into the very field purchased with his ill\-gotten gains.
Given the fact of Judas’ close proximity to Jesus during three years of ministry, it is hard to imagine how he could follow through on such a dastardly betrayal. Judas’ story teaches us to guard against small, gradual failings that gain strength and power in our lives and that could open the door to more deadly influences. His story is also a great reminder that appearances can be deceiving. Jesus taught, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:22–23\).
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What is Epicureanism?
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Answer
Epicureanism was a Greek philosophy started by Epicurus (341—270 BC). It was still going strong in New Testament times when Paul visited Athens on his second missionary journey. One of the groups that debated with Paul on the streets of Athens was Epicurean (Acts 17:18\); later, this group brought Paul to [the Areopagus](Mars-Hill.html) for further questioning (verse 19\).
Epicureanism taught that the highest state a person could attain was *ataraxia*—absolute peace—and *aponia*—complete absence of mental, emotional, and physical distress or need. Epicureanism has gotten a bad rap in modern times because of a misunderstanding of its basic tenets. People today tend to think it represents ultimate, decadent luxury and indulgence. It’s usually contrasted with [Stoicism](Stoicism-Stoic.html), which is thought to be the absolute absence of desire. But these are extreme definitions that don’t quite hit the mark.
Epicurus’s goal was to teach people to relax and enjoy life without worrying so much. His first step was to remove the idea of the gods from the psyche of his followers. To Epicurus, the gods did exist, but they lived so far away from the affairs of man, in a permanent state of *ataraxia*, that they didn’t interfere with humanity—in fact, they weren’t even aware of humanity.
With the removal of fear of the gods came two advantages for the Epicureans. First, there is no judgment after death; therefore, death shouldn’t be feared. Everything is material, so, whatever “soul” there is, it is connected to the physical body and ceases to exist upon death. Second, there is no judgment during life. There is no way to appease a god who doesn’t know you exist and doesn’t care about your life. Therefore, you are free to find fulfillment in life outside of religious rules and expectations.
What, then, is fulfillment, according to Epicureanism? If we aren’t working for the favors of gods, in this life or the next, how can we live to the full in the moment? Epicurus’s answer is more balanced than many understand. To him, *ataraxia* was everything. It meant very simple but profound things like not being hungry, not being in distress, and not worrying.
Absolute peace meant being comfortably fed, but not overfed because that leads to stomach aches. Desserts and fine food are okay if they are rare enough to be appreciated but not so common as to be expected or desired. Too much education is distressing because it awakens a desire to understand things that are not understandable. Feelings, not logic, most often reveal the truth about a situation. To an extent, altruism and civil obedience are good because, if the society is healthy, it benefits you, too. But politics and power are too stressful. Things like fame, marriage, and wealth are artificial, and very often bring more heartbreak than joy. At the same time, Epicureanism did not prohibit such activities if a person found them beneficial.
So, in true Epicureanism, the best life is characterized by sufficient food, a comfortable dwelling, peaceful relationships, and good friends. Epicurus’s academy followed this model; the school was in his home and garden and included slaves and women.
If this sounds familiar, it may be because some of what Epicureanism taught aligns with the Bible. For example, money and power do not often bring peace. “But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’” (Matthew 20:25–28; see also Matthew 13:22; Mark 10:23b; James 3:1\).
Worrying is not good. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25; see also 1 Peter 5:7\). Of course, the reason Jesus gave for not worrying was trust in God; Epicurus’s reason was that there are no gods that matter.
A good life includes sufficient food and good friendships. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11\). “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17; see also Proverbs 27:17\).
Possessions and desires enslave more than they free. “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags” (Proverbs 23:20–21; see also Matthew 19:21–22; Galatians 5:24\).
Nature around us has no choice but to tell the truth, but we often don’t listen. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. . . . They exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:20–25; see also John 8:44–45\). Of course, the “truth” that the Epicurean drew from nature completely ignored the fact of a present, life\-sustaining Creator.
Regardless of the few times Epicureanism stumbled upon the truth, the materialistic views of Epicureanism directly contradict the Bible. Scripture says that God is very involved in our lives. “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39; see also John 14:16–17; Hebrews 13:5b).
The cosmos includes the spiritual as well as the physical. “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24; see also Ezekiel 18:4; Hebrews 4:12\).
We will be resurrected—death is *not* the end. “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25b–26a; see also 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:54–55\).
Only Christ can bring peace, not the careful manipulation of the earthly life. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33; see also 2 Corinthians 12:8\-10; Philippians 4:4–7, 11–13\).
Ultimately, what Epicureanism taught was a “fulfilled” life free from pain, hunger, distress, worry—and God. Considering the gods the Greeks knew—violent, lusty, and capricious super\-humans—they maybe aren’t to be condemned for seeking to cast off the deities. But the Epicureans didn’t understand that a fulfilled life can’t happen without the Creator\-God who loves us and saved us. It is good to have bread and friends. It is better to have the [Bread of Life](bread-of-life.html) (John 6:35, 48\) and the Friend who made the ultimate sacrifice for us (John 15:13–15\).
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What is a church supposed to do with the offerings it receives?
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Answer
Every church receives some type of [tithes or offerings](tithes-and-offerings.html). Be it via “passing the plate” or setting a box in the back of the sanctuary or some other collection method, a church needs funds to operate. How the church uses those funds is important, as the church has responsibilities to its members, to its surrounding community, and to God.
First, a church has a responsibility to its members. The very first church, the one begun in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, took special pains to meet the practical needs of their members: “God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need” (Acts 4:33–35\). We see that the money was brought to the leaders of the church, who were responsible for the distribution of the money based on need. Food was also being distributed to the widows among them (Acts 6:1\).
The apostles in Jerusalem, in affirming Paul’s ministry among the Gentiles, asked that he should “continue to remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10\). So, charitable work to benefit the poor within the church should be part of a church’s budget. Later, Paul gives some guidelines on who should receive aid from the church and who should depend on another source for their sustenance (1 Timothy 5:3–16\).
Various local churches in the first century also took up offerings to help other churches in need. Specifically, the church in Jerusalem was suffering from persecution and a famine, and the church in Antioch provided resources to help (Acts 11:29\). Paul later took love gifts from Galatia (1 Corinthians 16:1\), Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:3\), and Macedonia and Achaia (Romans 15:25–26\) to Jerusalem. He was accompanied by emissaries from Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe, and the province of Asia (Acts 20:4\).
Second, a church has a responsibility to its surrounding community. Outreach is necessary. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10\). This verse sets the priority—God’s family first—but we are also to seek ways to “do good” to everyone. Of course, this must involve evangelism (Acts 1:8\). A [healthy church](healthy-church.html) should be sending out missionaries (see Acts 13:2–3\) or at least supporting missionaries in various fields of service.
A church that loses its outward focus, as evidenced by where it spends its money, is showing signs of spiritual weakness. Church consultant and author Thom S. Rainer, in his book Autopsy of a Dead Church, states that one of the symptoms of a dying church is that the percentage of the budget for members’ needs keeps increasing, while the money earmarked for outreach decreases.
Third, a church has a responsibility to God. Our Lord knows His church (Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19\), and He commands that His Word be preached (Romans 10:14; 2 Timothy 4:2\) and that “the mystery of Christ” be proclaimed (Colossians 4:3\). Delivering the gospel is most important. Anything that furthers that goal should be given priority, and paying the pastor is part of that goal. “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages’” (1 Timothy 5:17–18\). Those who faithfully minister the Word of God should receive due compensation for their work (see also 1 Corinthians 9:11\).
Wisdom regarding a church’s expenditures is necessary, and we should be praying for that wisdom (James 1:5\). There is nothing sinful about having a fine building or nicely kept grounds, but we wonder sometimes if the money would be better spent supporting another missionary or aiding the poorer churches around the world.
The goal of the church should be to do the work of God in the world. And everything should be done to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31\). The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42\). Perhaps these actions—spreading the Word, fellowshipping with one another, observing communion, and praying—should be a basic guide to how a church uses its offerings.
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What is the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath?
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Answer
First Kings 17 introduces the [prophet Elijah](life-Elijah.html) and gives the account of his dealings with a widow from Zarephath. The chapter notes that the Lord was withholding rain from Israel (verse 1\). The drought was in judgment of the nation’s rampant idolatry, led by the royal couple [Ahab and Jezebel](Ahab-and-Jezebel.html). In verse 8, the Lord commanded Elijah to go to Zarephath, a town outside of Israel, where a widow would provide food for him. He obeyed, finding a woman gathering sticks. He said to her, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink,” and, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand” (verses 10–11\).
The widow, however, was in great need herself. She responded, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die” (verse 12\). She expected the meal she was about to fix to be the last for her family. She had no other prospect than to die of starvation.
Elijah’s answer was surely a [test of her faith](why-does-God-test-us.html). He told her that she was to make some food for him, anyway, using the last of her ingredients for him. He added a promise: “For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth’” (1 Kings 17:14\). The widow’s faith was evident in her obedience. And God was faithful to His promise: “She and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah” (verses 15–16\). The widow’s food supply was supernaturally extended, as promised.
Elijah stayed there for some time, living in an upper room of the widow’s house. The woman’s son later died of an illness and, in her anger and grief, she blamed Elijah for his death—she assumed God was judging her for her sin (1 Kings 17:17–18\). But Elijah cried out to God: “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” (verse 21\), and the child was restored to life. When the woman saw this, she said, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth” (verse 24\).
This account is also mentioned in the New Testament. Early in His ministry, Jesus was speaking in the synagogue of His hometown, Nazareth. He said, “In truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow” (Luke 4:25–26\). Jesus’ point was that no prophet is accepted in his hometown. Just as Elijah found more faith outside of Israel than within it, Jesus found little faith in His boyhood home. As if to prove His point, the people of Nazareth grew enraged and attempted to throw Jesus off a cliff (Luke 4:29\).
The account of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath offers many insights. First, God often uses unlikely people and sources to accomplish His purposes. Second, God’s mercy extends to all people, both Jews and Gentiles, and the Sidonian widow was blessed for her faith (see Acts 10:34–35\). Third, God requires faith (Hebrews 11:6\). The widow’s miracle only came *after* she prepared a meal for Elijah—an [act of sincere faith](faith-without-works-dead.html) on her part.
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Do Christians sin?
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Answer
Before exploring whether or not Christians sin, let’s define a couple of terms. Regardless of how tattered the word *Christian* has become throughout history, the biblical definition of a “[Christian](what-is-a-Christian.html)” is one who is a Christ\-follower, a disciple of Jesus (Acts 11:26\). A Christian is NOT someone who has ascribed to a particular set of religious beliefs or practices, joined a church, prayed a prayer, or participated in certain sacraments or rituals. A Christian is a person who has responded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit (John 6:44\) by putting his or her whole faith in the finished work of Christ for salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9; John 3:15–18\). Christians are those who have repented of their sin and have made Jesus Lord of their lives (Romans 10:9–10; Acts 2:38\). They are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:6–7\).
“[Sin](definition-sin.html)” is any thought, word, or action that is contrary to the character or law of God. We all sin (Romans 3:23\), and even what we consider good deeds are often tainted by selfish motives or pride (Isaiah 64:6\). Left to ourselves, it is impossible to please God or to be completely free from sin (Romans 3:10; Ecclesiastes 7:10\).
When we come to Christ by faith and trust Him to forgive and cleanse us of all our sin, we are in that moment born again (John 3:3\). That new birth of the spirit results in a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17\). God gives the [repentant sinner](repentance.html) a new heart that is now turned toward obeying and pleasing Him rather than self (2 Corinthians 5:9; Romans 8:5–6\). Whereas we were formerly slaves to sin, we are now “slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:16\). Sin’s control has been broken by the power of Jesus (Romans 6:6; Titus 2:14\).
However, we still live in the flesh, and the flesh is prone to want what it wants. In Romans 7:21–23, Paul admits the battle between flesh and spirit in his own life: “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” Each battle with temptation is won or lost based upon how fully we are [surrendered](surrender-to-God.html) to the control of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16–17\).
The book of 1 John was written to Christians. The apostle says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8–9\). It is clear from this passage that even those who have been born again and redeemed by the blood of Jesus will still sin. Through thought, attitude, or action, we will “grieve” (Ephesians 4:30\) and “quench” (1 Thessalonians 5:19\) the Holy Spirit at times. But this passage also reassures us that God offers continual, ongoing grace whenever we agree with Him about our sin and ask for His cleansing.
However, other passages clarify the boundaries of this ocean of grace. First John 3:6 says, “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.” Verse 9 says that those who have been “born of God” will not continue to live sinfully. The implication is that this is not a matter of trying harder. Rather, it is the equivalent of saying, “A fish cannot remain on land for long because its nature is to seek water.” A fish could flop onto the shore and survive for a short time. But it was not made for land and cannot continue there. When we are born again, our natures change, and we cannot continue in sin. Christ not only erases our past sin; He also transforms our hearts so that we no longer desire it (Colossians 2:13–14\).
Paul asked, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1–2\). Although Christians will [still sin after being saved](still-sin-after-salvation.html), the heart change that the Holy Spirit brings will result in a new attitude toward sin. Sin cannot continue being a lifestyle choice if we have surrendered our lives to Jesus. That’s what it means to say that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9; Colossians 2:6\). We have a new boss. We cannot be followers of Christ and followers of sin at the same time. They are going in opposite directions (Luke 9:23; 14:33\). Romans 12:2 instructs, “Be transformed by the [renewing of your mind](renewing-the-mind.html).” Renewal can take some time, but it is a process that produces a change of behavior.
When a true child of God goes astray, our Father administers discipline to bring him back into obedience. Hebrews 12:7–8 says, “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” If a professing Christian can choose a lifestyle of sin without experiencing enough discipline to bring him to repentance, then according to this Scripture, it is highly unlikely that that person is a child of God.
Do Christians sin? Yes. Do they willfully continue in sin? No. Scripture indicates that, while we will always “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23\), we have the hope that the power of God is at work in us to “make us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NLT).
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What is the Book of Common Prayer?
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Answer
Originally collected, edited, and at least partially written by English Reformer Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Book of Common Prayer was the first prayer book to include [liturgical services](liturgy-liturgical.html) published in English. The book includes written prayers, of course, but also much more: catechisms, the “daily office” (essentially a thrice\-daily Bible reading program), collects (short prayers to be recited at certain points in the service), full orders of service for important occasions such as holidays and baptisms, a psalter (the biblical psalms arranged for a monthly reading), and a lectionary (a list of readings).
The original 1549 version of the Book of Common Prayer was completed under King Edward VI of England. Updated versions followed, and King James I of England ordered another revision in 1604 to approximately parallel his “Authorized” or [King James Version of the Bible](King-James-Version-KJV.html). Finally, in 1662, after the English Civil War, the version of the Book of Common Prayer that has remained fairly standard was released.
Not everyone in England accepted the publication of the Book of Common Prayer. Groups outside of the Church of England, called “Nonconformist” churches or “Dissenters,” objected to the king’s insistence that all churches use the Book of Common Prayer in their services. Groups such as the Baptists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Methodists faced church closure if they did not agree to use the prayer book. One preacher in Bedford, England, by the name of [John Bunyan](John-Bunyan.html) refused to use the Book of Common Prayer in his church. He was arrested on November 12, 1660, and spent the next 12 years in jail. Bunyan considered it but a small price to pay for following his conscience and standing for his right to pray in the Spirit, free from the strictures of ecclesiastical authority. While in jail, Bunyan wrote his classic allegory [*The Pilgrim’s Progress*](The-Pilgrims-Progress.html).
The 1662 version of the Book of Common Prayer remains the basis for all current editions. Use of the Book of Common Prayer has expanded beyond the Church of England to many other Anglican denominations and many liturgical churches throughout the world. It has been translated into many languages. Churches such as the Lutheran and Presbyterian denominations have largely based their English\-language prayer and service books on the Book of Common Prayer.
The Book of Common Prayer is a resource for those who appreciate liturgical worship, and it contains some beautifully written prayers. While the Book of Common Prayer may be an aid to worship, we should never allow our worship of God to be limited to a liturgy. Ultimately, our prayers should be our own, not those written by another person. As Bunyan said from his jail cell, “Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to His Word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God” (*A Discourse Touching Prayer*, 1662\).
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What is Stoicism?
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Answer
Stoicism is one of many ancient Greek philosophies. While Paul was in Athens, a group of Stoics met him and engaged him in a debate (Acts 17:18\) that started in the marketplace and continued in the Areopagus. In speaking to the Stoics and other philosophers gathered on [Mars Hill](Mars-Hill.html), Paul gave a presentation of the gospel and made a point of mentioning the Athenian altar to the “[unknown god](unknown-god.html)” as proof of their spiritual ignorance.
Stoicism, which emphasizes rationalism and logic, is commonly considered to be the opposite of [Epicureanism](Epicureanism-Epicurean.html), which is seen as promoting feeling and comfort. Many people think Epicureanism is all about pleasure in life while Stoicism is all about rejecting pleasure. This view is over\-simplified to the point of inaccuracy. In reality, Epicureanism teaches to arrange one’s life in such a way that it is completely free of stress—including the stress brought about by over\-indulgence and pleasure\-seeking. True Stoicism says to align one’s expectations with the *logos*—the natural law of the cosmos—and not to worry about the rest.
Stoicism was first taught by Zeno around 300 BC in the *stoa poikile* (painted colonnade) in the Agora in Athens. The philosophy is comprised of three disciplines. The philosophical base of Stocism is physics, or the natural world. Stoicism teaches materialism—that all of creation is made of material stuff, including god/*logos* and human souls (which are made of fire). When our five senses interact with other material objects, their reality is impelled upon us. But we can only accurately interpret those sensations through *logos*, which defines how the world works. All our assessments, whether concerning the temperature of a beverage or the feeling of imminent doom, are only accurate insofar as we are in tune with the *logos*. Ethics—the way we should act—is based on *logos*. The closer we are to the *logos*, the more ethical we will naturally act, according to Stoicism.
Stoicism says that the alignment of one’s perception with the *logos* is a journey. Someone who is completely immature in the ways of *logos* acts impulsively and with passion (appetite and/or fear). His reactions to external forces are so uninformed by reason that he actually limits his ability to make choices in the future—like the man who gets angry and kills and is imprisoned. It is this detachment and preference for reason\-based decisions that give the Stoic his reputation as a repressor of feeling. With maturity into the *logos*, one realizes that everything that is external to him is neutral; it’s *oikeion*. Money, home, companionship, and sometimes even life are neutral. There are varying degrees of *oikeion*. Life, in general, is preferable to death. But if life were to be contrary to *logos*, death would be preferable.
The final stage of Stoicism is the sage. The sage is completely ruled by *logos*. His decisions are always logical, and he is never so impassioned that he cannot think things through to make the best choice. He does experience joy, watchfulness, and wishing, but he is not controlled by his emotions or by the actions of the outside world. Think of the character Spock in *Star Trek* as one trained in the Stoic philosophy.
One area in which Stoicism contradicts Christianity is in the physics; the entire Stoic god is wrong. Stoicism teaches a kind of pantheism—that god is not only *logos*, but *logos* is god. The reason *logos* reigns in the cosmos is that it is in everything and a part of everything.
However, parts of Stoicism are relatable to Christianity—in fact, John calls Jesus the “[*Logos*](what-is-the-Logos.html)” in John 1, where the title is translated as “Word.” Psalm 119 is filled with verses that explain joy comes with following God’s law. And it’s true that ethics are based on God’s character. But there is one big difference: the *logos* is not an apathetic, material force that ordains the working of the universe. The *Logos* is a loving Person who intimately interacts with our lives and responds to us.
Whereas Epicureans discuss and debate only as much as they need to understand what they believe, Stoics meditate constantly. In order to properly respond to the world, Stoics consider different scenarios and reason out what the appropriate reaction should be. The Bible teaches that we should meditate on God’s Word (Psalm 1:2\). The Stoic tradition of meditation is similar in some ways to what we call [inductive Bible study](inductive-Bible-study.html)—learn the law, discover what it means, apply it to your actions.
Stoicism, in some cases, has stumbled onto truth. Hold the things of the world lightly. Know that God’s point of view is truth, and ours can be distorted. Act in a reasonable way based on the truth of the *logos*, not your impulsive passions. Christians have been given the Spirit of Truth. We understand that “alignment” with the *logos* does not come from a deeper, more reasonable understanding of the natural world; rather, righteousness comes from a relationship with God through Christ, the true *Logos*. God not an impersonal, immovable force; He is the loving, caring Jesus who entered our world, sacrificed Himself for us, and rose again. When Paul spoke of the resurrection on Mars Hill, his speech was interrupted by the philosophers there, and “some of them sneered” (Acts 17:32\). However, others “became followers of Paul and believed” (verse 34\). May many more Stoics find the Savior.
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What was the sin of Jeroboam?
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Answer
Second Kings 3:3 includes a reference to King Joram (or Jehoram) of Israel and the “sin of Jeroboam.” Joram was a son of Ahab, and the only thing positive mentioned about him is that “he got rid of the sacred stone of [Baal](who-Baal.html) that his father had made” (2 Kings 3:2\); thus, he was not as wicked as [his parents](Ahab-and-Jezebel.html), but that’s not saying much. Joram’s problem was that “he clung to the sins of Jeroboam” (verse 3\).
Jeroboam was the first king of divided Israel. In 1 Kings 14:9, the prophet [Ahijah](Ahijah-in-the-Bible.html) clearly states the sins of Jeroboam: “You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused \[God’s] anger and turned your back on \[God].” Jeroboam’s sin was idolatry. He created and worshiped gods other than the Lord.
This practice of worshiping other gods began early in Jeroboam’s reign. When the kingdom was divided and he controlled the northern part, he stopped all pilgrimages to Jerusalem: “‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’ One \[golden calf] he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. And this thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other” (1 Kings 12:28–30\).
In addition to sacrificing to these two golden calves, Jeroboam “built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites” (1 Kings 12:31\). God’s entire system of holy days, sacrifices, and worship was changed into a man\-made system focused on worshiping golden calves. In addition to the idolatry, the cities of [Bethel](Bethel-in-the-Bible.html) and Dan became the places of worship rather than God’s chosen city of Jerusalem (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:6\).
The sin of Jeroboam was doubly tragic in that he had been promised blessing from God if he had just followed the path of David. “If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you” (1 Kings 11:38\). In turning to calf\-worship, Jeroboam spurned God’s goodness and brought about his own demise: “The sin of the house of Jeroboam . . . led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth” (1 Kings 13:34\).
There are other places throughout 1 and 2 Kings that refer to the sins or ways of Jeroboam. For example, 1 Kings 15:34 states that [King Baasha](King-Baasha.html) “did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.” For following Jeroboam’s sin, Baasha suffered Jeroboam’s fate (1 Kings 16:1–4\).
The sins of Jeroboam haunted the later kings of Israel, all of whom practiced idolatry. King Zimri (1 Kings 16:19\), [King Omri](King-Omri.html) (1 Kings 16:26\), King Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:2\), and King Pekahiah (2 Kings 15:24\)—these and others all followed the wicked example of Jeroboam.
Jeroboam’s reign included many sins, yet the “sin of Jeroboam” is a specific reference to idol worship that marked his reign and the reigns of the kings of Israel who followed him. This sin was one that angered the Lord and ultimately led to judgment upon Israel.
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What is a medium?
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Answer
In both modern and ancient times, a medium is a person who communicates with spirits, usually apart from the use of witchcraft. A medium is, literally, an “intermediary” between the spirit world and ours. The Bible condemns the practice of mediumship, and attempting to [speak to the dead](praying-to-the-dead.html), through séances or other means, is expressly forbidden.
Sometimes mediums are called “channelers,” as they allegedly “channel” communication from the dead to the living. A medium might only communicate with one or more specific spirits (called “familiars” or “familiar spirits”), or the communication may be spread across many different spirits. The messages may come audibly, visually, or through physical sensations. Modern mediums distinguish themselves from psychics, who only read the “energies” of a person or place and do not communicate with actual spirits. (The term “psychic medium” can confuse the issue.) Also, a medium is not necessarily a witch, wizard, sorcerer, or necromancer, since mediums believe that their communication with the spirit world is an inherent ability. The fictional character Cole Sear in the movie *The Sixth Sense* would be considered a medium.
Mediums are referenced in several passages of the Old Testament. In Leviticus 20:27 mediums are condemned along with “spiritists.” Deuteronomy 18:10–11 echoes Leviticus and expands it, including diviners, sorcerers, witches/wizards, anyone who casts spells, and anyone who practices child sacrifice.
King Saul’s sinful use of a medium is recorded in 1 Samuel 28\. The prophet Samuel was dead, and King Saul was frustrated that God had ceased telling him what to do through prophets or dreams. So the king, in direct violation of God’s Law and his own previous command, told his men to find a medium who could communicate with Samuel (1 Samuel 28:3\). This medium [conjured Samuel](witch-of-endor.html), and Saul communicated with the dead prophet. Theologians discuss whether this conjuring was a physical reappearance of Samuel or merely an image of him. There is also some question whether or not the medium actually meant to conjure Samuel, as she seems to have been the most surprised at his appearance—“When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice” (verse 12\). Perhaps she was a fraud who did not expect to actually see a spirit, or perhaps she was expecting to communicate with her “familiar” and not with Samuel directly. Either way, God seems to have allowed Samuel’s conjuring in order to drive home His point to Saul. The prophet’s message to Saul was one of doom (verses 17–19\), and he died the next day. First Chronicles 10:13–14 reveals that Saul’s interaction with the medium was an important part of why he was dethroned and his dynasty cut short.
In the New Testament, sorcery and other associated practices are considered inappropriate, sinful activities for any Christian (Acts 8:9ff and 19:19\). Since the primary purpose of these activities is to communicate with spirits, it is correct to include mediumship in these New Testament warnings.
It should be noted that the spirit a medium conjures is *not* the spirit of a deceased person (the case of Samuel speaking to Saul was a rare exception). Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:18–31 gives strong evidence that, once a person is dead, his soul remains in either heaven or hell. Thus, the spirits who communicate with mediums are lying spirits (see 1 Kings 22:23\) who deceive people into believing their lost loved ones are communicating to them. When grieving parents seek out a medium to put them in touch with their dead child, they don’t realize the spirit who speaks to them is actually a [demon](fallen-angels.html) pretending to be their child. Any involvement with such practices, including asking mediums for guidance, is strongly warned against in the Bible.
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Who was Seth in the Bible?
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Answer
Seth, a son of Adam and Eve (the third of their sons named in Scripture), was born after [Cain murdered Abel](Cain-and-Abel.html) (Genesis 4:8\). Eve believed that God had appointed him as a replacement for Abel and named him Seth, which means “set in place of” (Genesis 4:25\). Later, when Seth was 105 years old, his son Enosh was born (Genesis 4:26\), and Enosh continues what is sometimes called “the godly line of Seth” that leads to Abraham.
The story of Cain’s killing the righteous “seed” (Abel) and God’s raising up another “seed” (Seth) becomes the central theme of the divine plan. Evil is always attempting to rid the world of good, and God is always thwarting evil’s plans. There is always a Seth to replace Abel. It was through the seed of Seth that Jesus was born (Genesis 5:3–8, 1 Chronicles 1:1, Luke 3:38\).
After the birth of Seth’s son Enosh, the Bible tells us, “At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26\), which confirms Eve’s foretelling of the purpose of Seth’s birth. The word *call* also means “to proclaim,” which refers to men testifying about God to one another. It was through Seth’s family that organized, corporate worship of the one true God began to enter the fallen world. Though the descendants of Seth are not the first in Adam’s line to develop inventions or advances in civilization, they are the first to praise and worship God.
Unlike Cain’s descendants, Seth’s prove faithful to God. From Seth come the patriarchs, the nation of Israel, and eventually Christ. And it’s Christ who not only destroys Satan but also condemns sin and death (Luke 3:23–38\). It was through Seth that the “Offspring of the Woman” came who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15\).
Seth is also mentioned in other works, including the [Apocrypha](apocrypha-deuterocanonical.html) (Sirah 49:16\), the [pseudepigraphical](pseudepigrapha.html) works, such as the [Ascension of Isaiah](Ascension-of-Isaiah.html), [Jubilees](book-of-Jubilees.html), and the Life of Adam and Eve. His name is also recorded in some of the Gnostic texts, e.g., the Gospel of the Egyptians and the Second Treatise of the Great Seth.
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Is Christian rap music appropriate?
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Answer
Rap is a genre of music defined by its rhythmic lyrics spoken or chanted over a (usually) syncopated and repetitive beat. Christian rap music follows the same musical pattern but with lyrics that tie into the Christian faith. The question of whether or not Christian rap music is appropriate is a matter left up to the individual, but there are still some biblical points to consider.
Rap has a track record of being profane, violent, and sexual. Unfortunately, this reputation is pretty well earned. A good chunk of mainstream pop music is rap or hip\-hop, and a good chunk of the accompanying themes have to do with illicit sex and the objectification of men and women. Because of these associations, some people have trouble separating the lyrics they expect to hear from secular rap from the lyrics that are actually being spoken in Christian rap.
If the music reminds us of vulgar things, distracts us from keeping our thoughts pure and focused on God’s goodness (Philippians 4:8\), or triggers negative feelings, then Christian rap probably isn’t the best thing for us. Even if the lyrics are clean, music can have a profound effect on our spiritual well\-being. With any music genre, not just rap, we should be aware of how it is affecting our hearts (Proverbs 4:23–26\) and whether or not the Holy Spirit is telling us not to listen to it in the first place (1 Thessalonians 5:19\).
Despite rap’s poor reputation, there are a growing number of [Christian musicians](Christian-music.html) producing quality rap that is theologically and musically solid and thought\-provoking. While Christian rap isn’t for everybody, it offers a more wholesome alternative to fans of the genre who would otherwise be stuck with a steady stream of sordid content. However, it is also important to note that, even if Christian rap has a positive effect for you, it might have a negative effect on someone within earshot. The moment our personal preferences overrule our [love for our brother](causing-to-stumble.html) is the moment we’ve sinned (see 1 Corinthians 10\).
God can use any type of music to communicate His truth. There are many Christians who have embraced music as their ministry, and they execute this calling through a variety of musical styles. Whether or not Christian rap is the appropriate style for any given person comes down to a matter of personal evaluation and conviction. If there is any question as to whether or not Christian rap would be good or bad for you, recall Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
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What is an apologist?
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Answer
Apologists are people involved in apologetics, a branch of theology concerned with the defense of the faith. An apologist hones his ability to defend the Christian faith by presenting proofs from the Bible, logic, and other empirical and intellectual sources. First Peter 3:15 could well be considered an apologist’s theme verse: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
The apostle Paul was a skilled apologist. In Thessalonica, he “went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he *reasoned* with them from the Scriptures, *explaining* and *proving* that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead” (Acts 17:2–3, emphasis added). Soon after that, Paul was in Athens speaking at [the Areopagus](Mars-Hill.html) with Greek philosophers (Acts 17:22–24\). He also defended the gospel before kings, pressing them for a response (Acts 26:26–28\).
Apologists must be quite knowledgeable of the Scriptures and Christian doctrines. Some respected Christian apologists are [Norman Geisler](Norman-Geisler.html), Josh McDowell, William Lane Craig, Lee Strobel, and Daniel B. Wallace.
In a sense, all Christians should be apologists. Every believer should be able to give a well\-reasoned presentation of the faith (1 Peter 3:15; 2 Timothy 2:25\). This doesn’t mean everyone needs to be an expert in apologetics, but believers should know the what, why, and how in sharing their beliefs with those who ask. And we should know the Bible well enough to defend our faith against attacks from unbelievers.
More than ever, the Christian community is being challenged and opposed by society. And sadly, we’re also finding the foundations of church doctrine being attacked from within. Some within the church pervert the Scriptures “to suit their own desires, \[gathering] around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3; cf. Revelation 2:20\).
Studies conducted by the Barna Group and *USA Today* found that nearly 75 percent of Christian young people leave the church after high school. Some of the main reasons for this falling away have to do with intellectual skepticism, attacks upon their faith by godless professors, and relentless peer pressure to enjoy “the things of the world”(1 John 2:15–16\). Training in apologetics may help curb some of this spiritual attrition.
At the core of Christian apologetics is the “hope” we have within us (1 Peter 3:15\), and Jesus is the cause of that hope (see Titus 2:13\). Jesus gives us the promise that “whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32; cf. 2 Timothy 1:8\).
Though the defense of our faith should be confident and unyielding, we are to engage in apologetics “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15\). “The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (2 Timothy 2:24\). We must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15\).
It’s not enough for an apologist to have a knowledge of Scripture; he must love people, too. The goal of apologetics is not to win arguments but to lead people to a knowledge of the truth that will set them free (John 8:32\). “Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25–26\).
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Who was King Jeroboam in the Bible?
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Answer
Jeroboam was from the [tribe of Ephraim](tribe-of-Ephraim.html), a servant of [King Solomon’s](life-Solomon.html), and the son of a widow. He later became the first king of the divided northern kingdom of Israel. He is first mentioned in 1 Kings 11:26: “Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king.”
Jeroboam was a skilled worker, and, “when Solomon saw how well the young man did his work,” he placed Jeroboam over the labor force of the tribes of Joseph (1 Kings 11:28\). One day, the prophet [Ahijah](Ahijah-in-the-Bible.html) approached Jeroboam with a prophecy. The prophet tore a new cloak into 12 pieces and said, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes’” (1 Kings 11:31\). The idol worship of the Israelites caused God to divide the kingdom (verse 33\). The house of David would retain a remnant of the kingdom, including Jerusalem, because of God’s covenant with David (verse 32\).
After this, “Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt . . . and stayed there until Solomon’s death” (1 Kings 11:40\). Following Solomon’s death, Solomon’s son [Rehoboam](King-Rehoboam.html) became king and foolishly threatened to make life more difficult for the people of the land (1 Kings 12:14\). This led to a rebellion against Rehoboam, and the ten northern tribes crowned Jeroboam as their king (1 Kings 12:20\). The division predicted by Ahijah came to pass (1 Kings 12:15\).
Jeroboam had been promised great blessings and a continuing dynasty if he would follow the Lord (1 Kings 11:38\). However, Jeroboam did not obey the Lord. Instead, he had two golden calves made for the people to worship in the northern kingdom and made priests and celebrations for them. This idolatry is often referred to as “the sins of Jeroboam” in later chapters of 1 and 2 Kings.
King Jeroboam was confronted by an unnamed prophet from Judah (1 Kings 13:1–10\). Later, the prophet Ahijah pronounced a severe judgment on Jeroboam and his family because of Jeroboam’s blatant rejection of the Lord: “I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel—slave or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung, until it is all gone. Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country. The Lord has spoken!” (1 Kings 14:10–11\).
In total, Jeroboam reigned over the northern kingdom of Israel for 22 years, and then “he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.” [Nadab](King-Nadab.html) reigned over Israel for Israel two years, continuing his father’s idolatry. Then [Baasha](King-Baasha.html) plotted against Nadab, assassinated him in Philistine territory, and usurped the throne (1 Kings 15:27–28\). “As soon as \[Baasha] began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.” The dire prophecy against the house of Jeroboam came true.
Though Jeroboam began well, he did not end well. God raised him up as a king, yet as king he plunged the entire nation into sin. His life offers an example of the powerful influence a person can have over others in a negative way. His judgment shows the truth of Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
A little over a century after Jeroboam’s death, another king named Jeroboam ruled over Israel. King Jeroboam II came to power in 793 BC. He also did evil in the eyes of the Lord (2 Kings 14:24\). However, the Lord granted Jeroboam II military victories against the Syrians and used Jeroboam II to preserve His people (2 Kings 14:27–28\).
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What is gopher wood?
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Answer
The Hebrew word *gopher* is used only once in the Bible when God commanded [Noah](life-Noah.html) to “make yourself an ark of gopher wood” (Genesis 6:14, ESV). Because no one today knows what “gopher wood” is—Noah obviously knew—the King James Version, the New King James Version, New American Standard Bible, and English Standard Version simply transliterate the Hebrew and leave it as “gopher wood.” The [Septuagint](septuagint.html) (the Greek Old Testament) renders the phrase as “squared beams,” and the [Latin Vulgate](Latin-Vulgate.html) says “planed wood.”
Many modern scholars consider “gopher wood” to be cypress because cypress wood is extremely durable. Modern English versions of the Bible, such as the New International Version, the New Living Translation, and the New English Translation, translate it as “cypress wood.” The Smith Bible Dictionary defines *gopher* as “any trees of the resinous kind, such as pine, fir, or cypress.” A weakness of the “cypress” translation is that the word for “cypress” or “fir” in biblical Hebrew is *berosh*, not *gopher*.
When we try to identify a specific tree as the “gopher wood” of Genesis 6:14, we run into several problems:
• First, any designation comes down to guesswork. Other theories besides cypress include cedar, pine, ebony, fir, wicker, juniper, acacia, bulrushes, and boxwood.
• Very likely, gopher wood doesn’t exist today. Countless plants have become extinct since the time of Noah. In fact, we know very little about the kinds of wood available to Noah; no one living has seen the [antediluvian](antediluvian.html) world.
• Also, the geography of the pre\-flood world was without a doubt vastly different from ours today, so no one can say exactly where Noah lived. There are only speculations. Attempts to identify gopher wood as cypress or any other known tree, based on Noah’s supposed location, ignore the fact that the [flood destroyed the entire face of the earth](global-flood.html).
Some researchers believe the word *gopher* doesn’t refer to a species of wood at all; rather, it refers to a process utilized to prepare the wood in the ark’s construction. This is seen in the Septuagint’s translation, “squared beams.” Some archaeologists have suggested that *gopher* may have referred to a lamination process, made necessary by the enormous size of the ark ([about 550 feet in length](Noahs-ark-animals.html)).
To add more speculation to the meaning of “gopher wood,” there is even disagreement as to the true spelling of the Hebrew word. Due to the similarity between a *g* and a *k* in the Hebrew alphabet (both letters resemble a backwards *c*), some scholars have proposed that the first letter in the word *gopher* was inadvertently switched by a scribe and that the word should actually be *kopher*—a Hebrew word meaning “pitch.” If this scribal\-error theory is correct, Genesis 6:14 would read, “Make yourself an ark of pitched \[waterproofed] wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.”
God gave Noah specific instructions on how to construct the ark (Genesis 6:14–16\). Whatever gopher wood was, it was obviously an incorruptible and sturdy wood, perfect for the salvation of Noah and his family. The plan of salvation in Noah’s day rested on the faithful Word of God. “Behold, I, even I am bringing [the flood of water](Noah-flood.html) upon the earth . . . but I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark” (Genesis 6:17–22, NAS). There was judgment coming, but God’s grace provided a way of escape. God pledged Himself to save all those who believed His Word. The plan of salvation today also involves a faithful response to God’s Word and a deliberate turning to Christ (John 3:16–18\). He is our “ark of salvation,” and deliverance from God’s judgment is available only in Him (Acts 4:12\). The ark of Noah’s day provided shelter from the storm and sustenance for all who were inside (Genesis 6:21\). God anticipated and met every need. Just so, today, Christ not only saves us from judgment (Romans 8:1\)—He also satisfies and meets our every spiritual need (John 10:10\).
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In what ways is becoming a Christian becoming an entirely new man/woman?
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Answer
Jesus said that to become a Christian we must be “[born again](born-again.html)” (John 3:3\). That phrase implies that we cannot simply remodel our current lives; we must start over. Second Corinthians 5:15 and 17 explain what happens when we put our trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord: “And He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. . . . Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
Jesus used the illustration of birth because we understand that, when a baby is born, a [new creation](new-creation.html) is evident. Live birth is followed by a transformation over time from infancy to maturity. When we are born again in the Spirit, we who were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1; cf. Romans 6:18\) are brought to life. We are a “new creation” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17\). God changes our desires, outlook, and focus as we turn from self\-worship to God\-worship.
Many people try to bypass this transfer of ownership and instead try to change their own outward behavior or start going to church in an effort to feel like a Christian. However, willpower can only take us so far. Jesus did not come to reform our sinful flesh; He came to kill it (Luke 9:23; Romans 6:6–7\). The old and new natures cannot work together, nor can they peacefully coexist (Romans 8:12–14\). We must die to self before we can experience the new life Jesus offers us (2 Corinthians 5:15\).
Every human being is composed of body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23\). Before we have a relationship with God through [new birth](new-birth.html), we live primarily controlled by our soul and body. The spirit lies dormant inside us, like a deflated balloon. When we transfer ownership of our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, He sends His Holy Spirit to regenerate our deflated spirits. The Holy Spirit is compared to a wind (John 3:8; Acts 2:2\). At salvation, He pours into our hearts and inflates the spirit inside us so that we can now communicate with God. Whereas a person was formerly directed by the sin nature, he or she can now be directed by the Holy Spirit who works to transform us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29\).
We are to present our bodies as a [living sacrifice](living-sacrifice.html) and to renew our minds so that we begin to think as God thinks (Romans 12:1–2\). As we focus on knowing God, reading His Word, and surrendering ourselves daily to the control of the Holy Spirit, our choices change. Our pastimes, priorities, and passions change. The fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23\) becomes evident where there were once only the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19–21\). Experiencing the new birth is only the beginning. God continues to work in us to present to Himself a holy people on that day when we see Him face to face (Philippians 1:6; 2:13; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:27\).
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Subsets and Splits
Top Long Responses
Returns the prompts and responses where the response length falls within a specified range, ordered by decreasing length, which provides basic insight into the distribution of response lengths.