Covenants are one of the central themes of the Bible. A covenant is a formal agreement between two parties that establishes a relationship and stipulates promises, commitments, privileges, and responsibilities. Scripture records several major covenants that God established with various people throughout history. Here is an overview of the major biblical covenants: The Noahic Covenant This covenant was made between God and Noah after the flood. God promised to never again destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:11) and that the seasons would remain stable (Genesis 8:22). God established the rainbow as a sign of this “everlasting covenant between…
Author: Emma Price
Should a Christian be a prepper or in any way be involved with doomsday prepping? Introduction Prepping and doomsday prepping have become increasingly popular in recent years. Many Christians wonder if they should get involved. What does the Bible say about preparing for disasters or the end times? This article will examine what Scripture teaches about living wisely and being prepared, while still trusting in God’s sovereignty and provision. The Heart Behind Prepping Why do people become preppers in the first place? There are a variety of motivations. Many preppers want to be self-reliant and ready to survive disasters without…
Who was John Newton? John Newton was an 18th century Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter who is best known as the writer of the hymn “Amazing Grace”. Newton had a turbulent early life which included being press-ganged into service in the Royal Navy, becoming involved in the Atlantic slave trade, experiencing a religious conversion, and eventually becoming an Anglican cleric and prominent abolitionist. Early Life John Newton was born in Wapping, London on July 24, 1725. His father was John Newton Sr., a shipmaster in the Mediterranean service, and his mother was Elizabeth. When John was seven, his mother died of…
The origins and background of Christmas have long been a topic of debate among Christians. Some claim that Christmas originated from pagan festivals like Saturnalia, while others maintain its roots in biblical events. When examining the evidence, there are some potential connections between Saturnalia and Christmas, but the Bible does not explicitly link the two. Ultimately, scripture encourages believers to focus on the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ. What was Saturnalia? Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival celebrated in mid-December in honor of the agricultural god Saturn. It involved feasting, role reversals, gift-giving, and general…
Covenant theology is a framework for understanding the overall storyline of the Bible. At its core, it sees God’s redemptive plan unfolding through various covenants that He makes with His people. Here is an overview of covenant theology and its key components: Covenants in the Bible In covenant theology, a covenant is a conditional promise or agreement made between God and man. The Bible speaks explicitly of several major covenants: The covenant of works – Made between God and Adam in the Garden of Eden before the fall into sin, promising life for obedience and death for disobedience (Genesis 2:16-17,…
Hellfire preaching refers to a style of Christian preaching that emphasizes the realities of hell and God’s judgment of sin. This type of preaching gained prominence during the First and Second Great Awakenings in America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Hellfire preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield warned their listeners of the dangers of hell and urged them to repent of their sins and turn to Christ for salvation. The name “hellfire preaching” comes from the content of the sermons, which often described hell in vivid detail. Hell was portrayed as a place of unimaginable torment, with flames…
What are some Bible verses about time? God is Eternal and Timeless One of the fundamental truths about God that the Bible teaches is that He is eternal and timeless (Psalm 90:2). He exists outside of time and is not limited by it like we are. He created time itself and is sovereign over it. Though we mark days and years, to God a thousand years is like a day and a day like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8). His eternal nature is contrasted with the fleeting lifespan of man (Psalm 102:25-27). As humans, we cannot fully comprehend what…
The books of 3 and 4 Maccabees are two texts that are included in some eastern Orthodox and eastern Catholic Bibles, but are not considered canonical by most Protestant Christians or Jews. They recount additional stories related to the Maccabean revolt in the 2nd century BC against the Seleucid Empire. 3 Maccabees is set in Egypt during the reign of Ptolemy IV Philopator (221–204 BC). It describes the conflict between the king and the Jews living in Egypt after the king’s failed attempt to enter the temple in Jerusalem. The king becomes enraged and attempts to have the Jews in…
A holy convocation is a sacred assembly or gathering that God commanded the Israelites to observe on certain feast days and Sabbaths. The Hebrew phrase translated as “holy convocation” is “miqra qodesh” which literally means “a sacred calling together.” It refers to holy meetings or gatherings that were set apart and dedicated to the Lord. Here is a 9000 word in-depth look at what the Bible teaches about holy convocations. Origins and Establishment of Holy Convocations The concept of the holy convocation originated at Mount Sinai when God gave Moses instructions regarding the observance of the Sabbath and appointed feasts.…
A hapax legomenon (often abbreviated to hapax) is a word that occurs only once in a document or corpus. The term comes from Greek, meaning “said once”. Hapax legomena are quite common in ancient texts, given that many words may be recorded only once due to the limited size of extant records. They also occur frequently in rapidly evolving fields like technology, where new terms are introduced often. The Bible contains many hapax legomena, words that appear only once across its entire text. Here is an overview of hapax legomena in the Bible and what they can teach us. Examples…