John 8:58-59: Jesus said unto them Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them and so passed by.
This name that Jesus called Himself is the equivalent of the name with which God identified Himself to Moses at the burning bush.
Continue reading NAMES OF GOD (I AM)
This amazing event began when the people of Judah were threatened by armies from three countries. After God told King Jehoshaphat that he would protect Judah, the king planned for battle. He decided that a choir should go in from of the army, singing a hymn. When the enemy soldiers heard the choir, they began fighting among themselves and destroyed each other!
Continue reading DID YOU KNOW THAT A CHOIR ONCE WON A BATTLE?
From an early age we are taught to respect the belongings of others even if our size and strength make it possible to take them by force. In order to understand the actions of the people of the ancient Near East, we need to make a major adjustment in this thinking. Within the cultural construct of this world, the expectation was that those who were victorious in battle had the right to seize the personal property of those defeated and even enslave the owners of that property. This practice of plundering is mentioned repeatedly in the literature of the ancient world peatedly in the literature of the ancient world and illustrated in the art of the empires that rose to power during the Old Testament era.
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (PLUNDER)
Trust in God is not a bargain we offer in exchange for freedom from pain, persecution, or threat of natural disaster. Trusting God means we don’t waver when things are not turning out the way we planned. Daniel’s friends told the king they Continue reading DOES TRUSTING GOD MEAN NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO US?