Life is short and unpredictable. As James 4:14 reminds us, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.” We do not know if we will be here tomorrow or what challenges we may face. With life’s uncertainty, how then should we live? Trust in God’s Sovereignty We can find comfort and direction in remembering that God is sovereign over our lives. Not only does God know what tomorrow holds, but He holds tomorrow in His hands (Psalm 139:16). Though our lives are short and uncertain, God’s eternal plan and purposes for our lives remain steadfast. As we walk with…
Author: Erin Weitzman
The book of Ecclesiastes contains wisdom and teachings about how to live a meaningful life. In chapter 7 verse 18, the author makes an intriguing statement about avoiding extremes by fearing God: “It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.” (Ecclesiastes 7:18 ESV) This verse teaches an important principle – that the person who truly fears or reveres God will seek to avoid going to extremes in life. Let’s break down the meaning and application of this verse:…
The topic of divorce is a sensitive one that requires wisdom and discernment when approaching. The Bible provides guidance on the parameters for divorce, but there are also some gray areas that Christians have interpreted differently over the centuries. This article will examine what the Bible says about divorce, explore some of the debatable reasons that may potentially justify divorce, and provide perspective on how Christians can think through this nuanced issue. What the Bible Says About Divorce The most direct teachings on divorce come from Jesus himself in the Gospels. When asked about whether divorce was permissible, Jesus pointed…
The verse Isaiah 51:11 states “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” This verse falls within a passage in Isaiah describing God’s salvation and comfort for His people. The prophet Isaiah wrote these words to the Israelites during a time of exile and despair, offering hope of restoration and return to Jerusalem. This verse in particular points towards a future day when those redeemed by God will come back to Zion (Jerusalem) with…
The story of the Moabite king sacrificing his son on the wall and causing great indignation against Israel is found in 2 Kings 3. Here is a detailed explanation of this event in around 9000 words: The background leading up to this event starts earlier in 2 Kings 3. The nation of Moab had been subjugated by Israel during the days of King David (2 Samuel 8:2). But after the death of Ahab, king of Israel, the king of Moab rebelled against Israelite rule. So Jehoram, the new king of Israel, mustered his troops along with the help of Jehoshaphat,…
The book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah during a time of great suffering for the people of Judah. Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC and many of the people had been taken into exile. In the midst of this tragedy, Jeremiah wrote Lamentations as a lament over the destroyed city. Yet even in this mournful book, there are rays of hope. One of the most famous of these comes in Lamentations 3:22-23 where Jeremiah writes: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new…
This is an interesting question that requires looking at what the Bible says about the name Yahweh and about breathing. The name Yahweh is used over 6,800 times throughout the Old Testament and is the most holy name for God in the Hebrew tradition. It comes from the Hebrew verb “to be” and signifies God’s eternal, self-existent nature. When God revealed His name as Yahweh to Moses in Exodus 3:14, He was proclaiming “I AM WHO I AM.” The name Yahweh was so sacred to the Israelites that they would not even pronounce it out loud. Instead, they would say…
The phrase “healing in His wings” comes from Malachi 4:2, which says “But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” This verse paints a beautiful picture of the healing and restoration that Jesus brings. Here are a few key things to understand about the meaning behind “healing in His wings”: 1. It refers to the wings of the sunrise or the dawn. The literal Hebrew refers to the “wings of the dawn” or the “wings of the sunrise.” As the…
What does it mean to not love in words or tongue but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18)? The verse 1 John 3:18 says “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” This verse teaches us that true love is not just about talking about love or expressing love through words, but actually showing real love through our actions. Here are 9000 words exploring what this verse means and how we can apply it: Love should be expressed through actions more than words. It’s very easy to say “I love…
The phrase “the oracle of the Lord” appears several times throughout the Old Testament, including in Jeremiah 23:36. In the original Hebrew, this phrase is “massa YHWH” which literally means “burden or utterance of Yahweh.” It refers to a divinely inspired prophetic message from God. In Jeremiah 23, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to condemn the false prophets who were misleading the people of Judah. In verse 36, God instructs Jeremiah to no longer refer to these deceptive messages as “the oracle of the Lord,” because they did not actually come from Him. Jeremiah 23:36 states: “But ‘the…