Everything the portrait of God’s character in the Bible is that of integrity, trustworthiness, and honesty God hates lying (Proverbs 12:22). Lying is a human trait, not a divine one (Romans 3:4). Liars deserve condemnation (Revelation 21:8). God is totally opposed to lying and stands completely against it as a means of achieving His will. How then does God approve of lying in this instance? Continue reading DOES GOD ENDORSE DECEPTION?
This term is used both as the title of Jesus’ parable in Luke 15:11-32 and a description of the younger son’s lifestyle. English translations do not use the term prodigal to describe this lifestyle but describe it by saying that he “wasted” or “squandered” his inheritance in “wild” or “loose” living. Unfortunately this title, focusing on the younger son, causes one to miss the point that both Jesus and Luke are making. This parable Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (THE PRODIGAL SON)
The book of is curious. It’s the only book in the Bible that never overtly mentions God. It contains no references to the Mosaic law or to sacrifices. You don’t see priests making offerings here, or saints singing psalms, or prophets pointing the people back to God’s promise. Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (ESTHER: THE QUEEN OF PERSIA)
THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE
Hosea 1:2-3 “When the LORD first spoke to Hosea, He said this to him: ‘Go and marry a promiscuous wife and have children of promiscuity, for the land is committing blatant acts of promiscuity by abandoning the LORD’S. ‘ So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim.” Continue reading “WOMEN OF THE BIBLE” GOMER: THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE
True, Esther doesn’t mention the name of God, yet underlying the story are veiled references to God. Cousin Mordecai encourages Esther to go before King Xerxes saying. “Who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). He was implying that God might use Esther to deliver the Jews. Esther then asks Mordecai to gather the Jews and fast; she herself fasted for three days (Esther 4:3) showing her petition to God for assistance.
Continue reading THE BOOK OF ESTHER DOESN’T MENTION GOD, SO WHY IS IT INCLUDED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?
That’s a question that people of faith, Jews and Christians alike, have been asking for more than 2,000 years. Most believers in ancient times couldn’t handle what many scholars today insist is the truth about this book. And the truth is that it’s an erotic celebration of love between a man and a woman who graphically praise the physical features of each other and trade fantasies about making love. Though their words aren’t obscene, they are unapologetically sensual. Continue reading WHAT IS A SONG ABOUT SEX-WITH NO MENTION OF GOD-DOING IN THE BIBLE?
While we almost always think first of marriage when the subject of rings comes up, the Bible records no instances where a ring is used as a symbol of marriage or wedding vows. But surprisingly, the first time a ring is mentioned in Scripture involves an interesting account of surrogate courtship. When Abraham’s servant Eliezer arrive in Haran on a mission to find a wife for young Isaac, he met a young woman at the city well whose name was Rebekah (Gen. 24:1-67). Discovering that Rebekah’s parents were relations of