The mark of the beast is mentioned in Revelation 13:16-18, which says, “Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.” This passage describes a future time when…
Author: Erin Weitzman
Intimidation is a tactic often used to exert control or dominance over others through inducing fear. It can take many forms – threats, harassment, manipulation, or abuse of power. Though common in society, intimidation goes against biblical principles of love, respect, and self-control. The Bible makes clear that we are not to intimidate others. Passages such as Proverbs 3:31 instruct us, “Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways.” Intimidation often involves violence or threats to establish dominance. But as Christians, we are called to show humility and refrain from vengeance (Proverbs 20:22, Romans 12:19). Jesus…
What is Apostolic Action? Apostolic action refers to the work and ministry carried out by the apostles of Jesus Christ to spread the gospel message and establish the early Christian church. The term “apostolic” relates to the apostles who were the earliest followers of Jesus and the founders of the church. After Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, he commanded his apostles to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). This Great Commission launched the apostles into evangelistic action to preach the good news of salvation through Christ. The book of Acts records the apostles’ work…
Abimelech was an illegitimate son of Gideon who briefly ruled over Israel as a self-appointed king during the time of the judges. His story is found in Judges chapters 8 through 10. After Gideon’s death, Abimelech convinced the leaders of Shechem to make him king. He then murdered his 70 brothers, except for Jotham who escaped. Jotham pronounced a curse on Abimelech and the people of Shechem for their wickedness (Judges 9:7-21). Abimelech ruled over Israel for 3 years (Judges 9:22). He was a cruel and ruthless king. His biggest military victory was when he captured the city of Thebez…
God’s love is a central theme in the Bible. Yet there seems to be an apparent contradiction regarding the nature of God’s love. Is it conditional, meaning that God only loves us if we meet certain requirements? Or is it unconditional, meaning that He loves us regardless of what we do or don’t do? This apparent contradiction has led to much debate among Bible scholars over the centuries. Let’s take a comprehensive look at what the Bible says about the topic. To start, we must recognize that God’s love stems from His very nature and character. The Bible tells us…
Shamgar was a judge of ancient Israel who is mentioned briefly in the Book of Judges. Here is a detailed look at what the Bible tells us about this enigmatic figure: Shamgar’s Identity The Bible provides limited information about Shamgar’s identity and background. He is identified as “son of Anath” (Judges 3:31), but nothing more is known about his parentage or tribe. His non-Hebrew name suggests he may have been a foreigner who was accepted into Israelite society. Some scholars speculate he was of Canaanite origin. Shamgar is not described as a king or leader, but rather a “judge” or…
Jericho is an ancient city located near the Jordan River in the West Bank. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with evidence of settlement dating back to 9000 BCE. In the Bible, Jericho plays a prominent role in several key events: The Conquest of Canaan After the Exodus from Egypt, Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years. As they approached the Promised Land of Canaan, God instructed Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River to conquer the land (Joshua 1:2). The first city they were to conquer was Jericho.…
Semi-Pelagianism is a theological doctrine regarding the effects of the fall of man and the nature of salvation. It is a moderate position between Pelagianism and Augustinianism, rejecting the former’s teaching that humans can attain salvation through an act of free will alone, while also rejecting the latter’s emphasis on the total depravity of humankind and the absolute necessity of God’s grace for salvation. The term “Semi-Pelagian” emerged in the 5th century to describe the teachings of monks in Southern Gaul (modern-day France), led by John Cassian, who argued for a middle ground between the Pelagian view that humans can…
New Monasticism is a growing movement within evangelical Protestant Christianity that aims to combine the life of Christian community modeled in the Book of Acts and the call to service and social justice found throughout the Bible with commitment to personal spiritual disciplines and accountability found in traditional monastic movements. The goal is to find a new way of being the church that addresses the needs of contemporary society while remaining rooted in historic Christian faith and practice. The name “New Monasticism” comes from the idea that this movement seeks to recover the values of historical monastic communities like service,…
British Israelism, also known as Anglo-Israelism, is a theological belief that the British people are the direct descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. This belief originated in England in the 16th century and was promoted by several theologians and preachers over the following centuries. The central tenet of British Israelism is that the people of Britain (and other Northwest European nations) are the literal descendants of the “Lost Tribes” of Israel. These tribes were taken into captivity by the Assyrians in the 8th century BCE and supposedly migrated through Europe to eventually become the Anglo-Saxon peoples. British Israelists…