The Levitical priesthood refers to the priests and high priests who were descendants of the tribe of Levi in the Old Testament. They had the responsibility of performing sacrifices, offerings, and other rituals related to the tabernacle and later the temple. Here is an overview of the Levitical priesthood: Origin and Purpose After the Exodus from Egypt, God chose the tribe of Levi to be priests and assistants to the priests (Numbers 3:5-13). This was different from other nations where the firstborn son served as priest. God set apart the Levites for this special role (Numbers 8:14). The purpose of…
Author: Aaron Chin
Using God’s name as a curse word has become commonplace in our culture. Many people use phrases like “Oh my God” or abbreviations like “OMG” flippantly and irreverently. As Christians, how should we respond when we hear God’s holy name used in this way? Understanding Why It’s Offensive First, we need to understand why using God’s name as a curse word is so offensive. Exodus 20:7 commands us: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” This is the third of…
The Sermon on the Plain is an important teaching by Jesus recorded in Luke 6:17-49. After spending the night in prayer, Jesus came down from the mountain with his disciples and stood on a level place where a large crowd had gathered. There, Jesus delivered a powerful sermon addressing many important spiritual and ethical topics. The Sermon on the Plain is similar to the more well-known Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5-7. Both sermons contain many of the same teachings and parables. However, while the Sermon on the Mount focuses more on Jesus’ kingdom of heaven, the Sermon…
Guilt is a feeling that most of us experience at some point in our lives. We may feel guilty over something we’ve done or failed to do. For Christians, guilt can be especially troubling as it indicates that we’ve sinned and fallen short of God’s standards (Romans 3:23). Thankfully, the Bible has a lot to say about guilt and provides guidance on how to deal with it in a godly way. The Source of Guilt According to the Bible, the primary source of guilt is sin. When we disobey God’s commands, our conscience convicts us and we feel guilty (Romans…
The phrase “the sign of the Son of Man” refers to an event described by Jesus in Matthew 24:30, part of his teaching about the end times and his second coming. In this passage, Jesus states: “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30 ESV) Based on the context of Matthew 24, we can understand several key things about this sign: It will appear in…
The hand of Hamsa, also known as the Hand of Fatima or the Hand of Miriam, is an ancient Middle Eastern symbol of protection. The hand is shaped with an open right hand showing the palm, with the fingers together and the thumb apart. There are many interpretations of its meaning, ranging from luck, health, and fertility to offering defense against the evil eye. While historically present in various cultures, today the hamsa hand is most associated with Judaism and Kabbalah, as well as some sects of Islam. Origins and Significance The roots of the hamsa hand can be traced…
The story of David and Bathsheba is found in 2 Samuel chapters 11-12. Here is an overview of the key events: David was the king of Israel and commander of its army. One evening as David walked around on the roof of his palace in Jerusalem, he saw a woman bathing on a nearby rooftop. The woman was very beautiful, and David found out her name was Bathsheba. He sent messengers to bring her to the palace and he slept with her, even though she was married to a man named Uriah who was away fighting in David’s army. After…
The word “perfect” in 1 Corinthians 13:10 refers to a state of completeness and maturity in the Christian life and in the church. In the broader context of 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul is writing about love and spiritual gifts. He emphasizes that love is greater than any spiritual gift, and love will continue on even when the gifts like prophecy and tongues cease and pass away. In verse 10, Paul writes: “but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” The “partial” refers to the spiritual gifts which are incomplete and temporary. The “perfect” refers to something…
The book of Leviticus is one of the most fascinating yet challenging books in the Bible. As the third book of the Pentateuch, it picks up right where Exodus left off with the Israelites at Mount Sinai receiving laws and instructions from God through Moses. Leviticus provides laws and regulations for the spiritual life of Israel, focusing heavily on issues of purity, holiness, and right worship. Yet for modern readers, Leviticus can feel distant and irrelevant. With all its detailed laws about sacrifice, ritual purity, diseases, and civil ethics, it’s easy to get lost. Many struggle to understand how a…
The book of Exodus is one of the most important books in the Old Testament. It details the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and their journey to Mount Sinai under the leadership of Moses. Exodus provides foundational background for the rest of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) and the Old Testament as a whole. Here we will explore some common questions people have about the content and themes of Exodus. What is the basic storyline of Exodus? Exodus begins by recounting the multiplication of the Israelites in Egypt after the time of Joseph…