Jephthah was an Israelite leader and judge who is mentioned in the Book of Judges in the Old Testament. He lived during a turbulent time when the Israelites were engaged in conflict with some of the surrounding nations. Here is an overview of Jephthah’s story and significance: Jephthah’s Background Jephthah was the son of Gilead and a prostitute (Judges 11:1). His brothers were from his father Gilead’s wife, so Jephthah was considered an illegitimate son. When Jephthah grew up, his half-brothers drove him away and did not give him an inheritance in the family (Judges 11:2). Jephthah fled from his…
Author: Erin Weitzman
Ruth and Orpah were sisters-in-law, both married to sons of Elimelech and Naomi of Bethlehem. When Elimelech and his two sons died, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem and urged her daughters-in-law to go back to their families. Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and went back to her family and gods. Ruth clung to Naomi and said “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16). Ruth left her homeland of Moab to care for Naomi in Bethlehem. Why did these two women, who…
Living our lives for God requires commitment, discipline, and sacrifice. Here are some key principles from the Bible on how to live for God: 1. Seek God First Jesus taught that we should “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). When we put God first in our lives, it changes our priorities and perspective. We live to please and honor God rather than ourselves. Practically, this means spending time daily in prayer, Bible reading and obedience to God’s Word. It means making decisions based on biblical values rather than worldly priorities. We trust God to meet…
The Ammonites were an ancient nation that lived in the region east of the Jordan River and north of Moab. They descended from Ben-ammi, the son of Lot and his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38). The Ammonites were Israel’s distant relatives but were often in conflict with the Israelites. Here is an overview of what the Bible teaches about the Ammonites: The Origin of the Ammonites After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his two daughters fled to the mountains and settled in a cave (Genesis 19:30). Assuming they were the only survivors, Lot’s daughters got their father drunk…
This is an important question that many Christians wrestle with. Both baptism and circumcision are signs of belonging to God’s covenant people. So what role does each play in their respective covenants? To start, we should review what the Bible teaches about circumcision under the Old Covenant. God instituted circumcision as the sign of His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:10-14). All of Abraham’s descendants were to be circumcised on the 8th day after birth. This served as a physical reminder that they were part of God’s covenant people, the Israelites. It set them apart from the other nations. Circumcision continued…
Mentoring is a relational process in which a more experienced Christian provides wisdom, guidance, and support to a less experienced believer to help them grow in their faith and calling. The Bible provides many examples of mentoring relationships and encourages mature believers to invest in the lives of younger believers. Here is a biblical perspective on Christian mentoring: 1. Jesus modeled mentoring Jesus invested deeply in the lives of his twelve disciples. He called them to follow him, taught them through his words and example, gave them hands-on ministry opportunities, and patiently corrected them when needed. After his resurrection, Jesus…
The story of Hannah and Samuel is found in 1 Samuel chapters 1-3 in the Old Testament. Hannah was one of two wives of Elkanah, but she was unable to have children, which caused her great sadness. Each year Elkanah would go to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. Hannah would pray earnestly to the Lord for a son, vowing that if God gave her a son she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. One year when they went to Shiloh, Hannah was praying silently and Eli the priest thought she was drunk because her lips were…
In the Bible, Jesus Christ is referred to as the “second Adam” or “last Adam” in contrast to the first man, Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45). This analogy signifies that just as Adam was the head of the old creation, Christ is the head of the new creation. Let’s explore in more depth what it means that Jesus is the second Adam. Adam as the First Man Adam was the first man created by God and the representative head of the human race (Genesis 2:7). God created Adam in His own image and gave him dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28).…
The Bible mentions several times that Saul was “among the prophets” or “prophesied.” This refers to King Saul, the first king of Israel, who began as a humble man but later turned away from God. The phrase “Saul is also among the prophets” occurs in 1 Samuel 10 and 19. The Background Saul was anointed as the first king of Israel by Samuel the prophet (1 Samuel 10:1). When Samuel anointed Saul, he told him that he would meet a group of prophets and would “prophesy” with them as a sign that God was with him (1 Samuel 10:5-6). Later,…
The midtribulational view of the rapture, also known as midtribulationism, is one of the main interpretations of the timing of the rapture in relation to the tribulation period. This view holds that the rapture will occur at the midpoint of the seven-year tribulation period, specifically after three and a half years or 42 months into the tribulation. This means the church will go through the first half of the tribulation before being raptured before the worst of God’s wrath is poured out in the second half known as the Great Tribulation. Some of the key strengths and biblical support for…