The Garden of Eden was the paradise that God created for the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, to live in. Though the exact location of Eden is unknown, the Bible provides some fascinating details about what this original paradise was like. A Special Garden Planted by God The Garden of Eden was a real physical place that was specifically planted by God. Genesis 2:8 says “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.” So this was no ordinary garden – it was divinely designed…
Author: Aaron Chin
The New World Translation (NWT) is a translation of the Bible published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. This organization is associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses. The NWT is controversial because some believe it distorts the meaning of the original biblical texts to support Jehovah’s Witness theology. Here are some key considerations when evaluating the validity of the NWT: Translation Methodology Most Bible translations are done by committees of scholars from various denominations. The NWT, in contrast, was produced by a committee appointed by the Watchtower Society. The committee members’ names were not revealed until 1950, and most did not…
The Holy Spirit is referenced numerous times throughout the Bible, yet His identity and divine nature are often misunderstood. By examining key Scripture passages, we can come to a biblical understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and His relationship to God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. The Holy Spirit is Fully God There are several clear biblical indications that the Holy Spirit is fully divine and equal with God the Father and Jesus the Son. First, the Holy Spirit possesses divine attributes that only God can possess, such as omnipresence (Psalm 139:7-10), omniscience (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), eternality…
The Parable of the Ten Virgins is found in Matthew 25:1-13. In this parable, Jesus tells the story of ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of the virgins were foolish and five were wise. The foolish virgins took their lamps but did not take any extra oil with them. The wise virgins, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was delayed and the virgins all fell asleep waiting for him. At midnight, a cry rang out that the bridegroom was coming. All the virgins woke up and trimmed…
In the Bible, a kinsman redeemer (or ga’al in Hebrew) was a male relative who had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need. The Hebrew word ga’al literally means ‘to redeem’ or ‘to buy back’. There are several examples of kinsman redeemers in the Old Testament. Their role was to help restore the dignity and property of their close relatives. There were four main responsibilities of the kinsman redeemer: To buy back or redeem family members who had been sold into slavery (Leviticus 25:47-49). To buy back family lands…
Matthew 24:8 refers to the “beginning of sorrows” or “birth pains” that will occur before Jesus’ second coming and the end times. This verse comes within Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, where He describes events that will happen before and during the tribulation period. The “sorrows” or “birth pains” referred to in Matthew 24:8 point to a period of escalating trouble and hardship on earth before Christ’s return. Just as labor pains increase in frequency and intensity leading up to the birth of a child, these sorrows will increase as we near the end times and second coming of Christ. Wars and…
Confidence is an important virtue that is discussed throughout the Bible. At its core, biblical confidence is rooted in faith and trust in God rather than in oneself. The Bible makes it clear that true confidence comes from recognizing our dependence on God and finding our identity in Him. Here is an overview of some of the key things the Bible says about confidence: True confidence is found in the Lord, not in man The Bible warns against putting confidence in man rather than in God. Passages like Psalm 118:8-9 state, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord…
The Essenes were a Jewish sect that flourished from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE. They are most well known for being the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were discovered in caves near the site of Qumran by the Dead Sea. The Essenes separated themselves from mainstream Jewish society because they objected to the corruption of the Temple leadership and sought a purer religious life. Here is an overview of what the Bible reveals about this mysterious group: They Lived in Isolation The Essenes lived in remote settlements, mostly in the vicinity of the Dead…
The topic of praying to angels is one that generates much debate among Christians. On one side, some believe that praying to angels is endorsed or even commanded in the Bible. On the other side, many argue that the Bible prohibits praying to any spiritual being other than God Himself. So what does the Bible really teach about this issue? When examining this topic, it is important first to define what “praying to angels” means. In this context, praying refers to petitioning or making requests of angels. It goes beyond merely talking to or interacting with angels, which the Bible…
Astrology and the zodiac have become incredibly popular in modern culture. You can find horoscopes in nearly every newspaper and magazine. Many people read their horoscopes daily and even plan their lives around what the stars supposedly say about their future. But what does the Bible say about astrology and the zodiac? Let’s take a look. The Basics of Astrology and the Zodiac Astrology is the belief that the positions of stars and planets affect events and people’s lives here on earth. The zodiac refers to the 12 constellations that make up the ecliptic, or the path that the sun…