Elisha was a yond man plowing his father’s fields when he first encountered the prophet Elijah. Elisha immediately dropped everything to follow him. For years, he served as an apprentice while Elijah performed his duties as a prophet-often under and lows, to his courageous obedience and crippling doubts. He observed the way Elijah interacted with kings and commoners. He studied the prophet’s personal relationship with God.
Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (ELISHA “FOLLOWING A TOUGH ACT”)
When we communicate with each other, we do not just with our words but also with the gestures we make, such as clapping our hands. Within the culture of the Western world of our day, this single gesture of clapping our hands together can send many and even contrasting messages. For example, we clap our hands to show our approval and appreciation of what has been said or done. But we also can clap our hands together in a mock show of approval and
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (CLAP HANDS PT1)
This verse is part of Jesus’ prayer of agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest and crucifixion. This “cup” to which He referred was the suffering He would endure on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for sin.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURIOSITIES (JESUS’ CUP OF SUFFERING)
Scholars have debated the interpretation of Isaiah 7:14 for centuries. Three primary views tend to dominate the discussion. One view holds that the prophecy “the virgin will conceive” refers to a young, unmarried woman of marriageable age (the literal meaning of the Hebrew word translated “virgin”), who actually lived an married in the time of Isaiah and then gave birth to a son. Thus, this was not a “virgin birth” but a normal instance of marriage and childbirth.
Continue reading WHAT WAS A “VIRGIN”?
1.Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!
2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (ISAIAH 31:1-5 “THE LORD, THE ONLY HELP”)
The discipline of meditation involves first having God’s Word, then reading it, studying it, memorizing it, considering its meaning for you, and acting on it. Here Joshua focuses on the final steps of this sequence.
Continue reading WHAT IS MEDITATING ON GOD’S WORD?
Sexual intercourse between persons too closely related for normal marriage. The twofold theological rationale for the prohibition of incestuous unions is the divine claim “I am the Lord your God” (Lev 18:2,4,6) and the note that such behavior characterized the Egyptians and
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (INCEST)
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of how God’s people came home form Babylon. They had spent man years there because they had disobeyed God. Now that they were home, they wanted to let God know how bad they felt about making him unhappy.
Continue reading DID YOU KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE TORE THIER CLOTHING TO SHOW THAT THEY WERE SORRY FOR SIN?
Place and agency for education, particularly of children. The word “school” is not mentioned in the OT and only once in the NT where the reference is to a Greek school (Acts 19:9). Until the exile in Babylon (586 B.C.), the education of children was like the of all ancient peoples: it was centered in the home. The main concern of the Jewish people was for religious education in the home.
Continue reading DEFINITON OF THE DAY (SCHOOL)