Living in Jesus’ grace and truth is an essential part of being a Christian. Grace and truth are two of the most fundamental concepts in Christianity, and they are closely related. Jesus himself embodies both grace and truth, and as his followers, we are called to do the same. In this article, we will explore what it means to live in Jesus’ grace and truth, and how we can apply these principles to our daily lives.
Continue reading LIVING IN JESUS’ GRACE AND TRUTH
The ten plagues were direct attacks against the false gods of Egypt. The following table shows a possible pairing, among many, of plagues and Egyptian gods. However it might have been, it is certain that God was showing that Pharaoh was a false god. Only the LORD is God, and only he is in control of creation, including Egypt.
Continue reading THE TEN PLAGUES
From the moment the Israelites left Egypt, danger followed them all the way. Between the Egyptian army pursuing them and the dangers in the wilderness, the Israelites were a crowd of scared, tired people. They had seen God’s power in Egypt, but they were walking into the unknown. Seeing the cloud during the day and the column of fire during the night was probably a great comfort. The pillar of cloud and fire functioned as a reminder of God’s guiding and protective care, shown in Exodus 14:19, the pillar interposed between Israel and the pursuing Egyptian army, striking fear into the camp of Egypt and encouraging the Israelites.
Continue reading JESUS AND THE PLLLAR
The wilderness played an important role, affecting life in ancient Israel in several different ways. For instance, every year, at the beginning and end of summer, a hot, dry desert wind blows from the east. This wind, called sirocco, raises the temperature and can be quite destructive to vegetation. The wind was yearly reminder to Israel that the wilderness was within reach.
Continue reading THE WILDERNESS
The psalmist has an extremely high view of God’s ability to respond mightily to the believer’s plea for help. He uses poetic language to describe the indescribable-God’s almighty power. God sounds frightening because He is. When God acts to help someone prevail over injustice, the energy God expends will be much more frightening than the victim’s adversary.
Continue reading WHY DOES GOD SEEM SO FRIGHTENING?
The Jewish religious leaders wanted arrest Jesus and have Him tried for blasphemy and treason. But they needed to take him into custody in a secluded place because of his popularity with the common people. They paid Judas to let them know when He could be arrested discreetly and under the cover of darkness.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURIOSITIES (THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER)
Lighting for houses was provided by the oil lamp. Originally this consisted of an open earthenware saucer containing olive oil. Part of the saucer was “pinched” in manufacture, so as to provide a place for a flaxen wick. Such lamps obviously had problems arising from spillage, and closed containers were therefore developed with two holes-one for wick and one to put oil in.
Continue reading MANNERS & CUSTOMS OF THE BIBLE (LIGHTING)
Usually understood as the final abode of the unrighteous dead wherein the ungodly suffer eternal punishment; the term translates one OT word and several NT words.
OLD TESTAMENT USAGE – The only Hebrew word translated “hell” in the KJV (though not in modern translatons) is Sheol. Sheol itself is a broad term that, depending on the context, may signify the abode of the both the righteous dead and the ungodly dead. Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (HELL)
A shepherd from Midian and his brother stood before Pharaoh and demanded the release of the Hebrew slaves. Pharaoh was the strongman leader of the strongest country in the world. He ignored God’s command to release 600,000 male slaves and their women and children. Despite the demonstration of God’s power-the Nile turned to blood-Pharaoh returned to his palace and put “the whole thing out of his mind” (Exodus 7:23 NLT). Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (PHARAOH: A HEART IN DENIAL)
As a physical feature, darkness is nothing in and of itself. Darkness is instead defined as the absence of light. Synonymous with emptiness, darkness is used to describe the earth at the very beginning of creation when “darkness covered the deep water” (Gen 1:2). Out of this absence, the first thing God created was light. In the beginning, Scripture pictures light and darkness as balanced parts of a single day and night: “So God separated the light from the darkness. God named the light day, and the darkness he named night” Gen 1:4-5). Continue reading SIGNGS AND SYMBOLS OF THE BIBLE (DARKNESS)