The book of Ruth is one of only two books in the Bible named after a woman (the other being Esther). Yet despite being named after Ruth, God is not directly mentioned very often throughout the book. This raises the question – why doesn’t God feature more prominently in a book named after one of the heroes of the faith? There are a few potential reasons why overt references to God are scarce in Ruth: The author may have deliberately chosen to emphasize human responsibility and relationships, rather than focus on God’s direct intervention. God may be working quietly behind…
Author: Erin Weitzman
The issue of Jesus’ ethnicity and skin color has been debated for centuries. Some claim Jesus was white, others argue he was black, while others say he was olive-skinned as a Middle Eastern Jew. What does the Bible actually say about Jesus’ appearance and ethnicity? The Bible does not explicitly state the skin color or ethnic background of Jesus. However, based on the textual and historical evidence, most Bible scholars agree that Jesus likely had an olive complexion typical of a Middle Eastern Jew of his time. Jesus was a Galilean Jew born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth. Galilee…
The Roman-Jewish wars refer to a series of conflicts between the Romans and the Jews in Judea during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. There were three major wars that decimated the Jewish population in Judea and led to the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. First Roman-Jewish War (66-73 AD) The First Roman-Jewish War, sometimes called The Great Revolt, began in 66 AD when the Jews in Judea rebelled against their Roman rulers. The rebellion was led by the Zealots, a radical militant group who incited the people to revolt. The Zealots succeeded in driving the Romans out…
The practice of lighting candles for the dead is common in many cultures and religious traditions. However, what does the Bible say about this practice? Here is an in-depth look at what Scripture teaches regarding lighting candles for the deceased. The Origin of Candle Lighting The custom of lighting candles for the dead has its roots in ancient pagan religions. In many ancient cultures, candles were lit to help guide the spirits of the dead to the afterlife. Candlelight was thought to illuminate the darkness and comfort souls as they transitioned to the next world. Pagan Greeks and Romans would…
How are idols connected to demons (Deuteronomy 32:16-17)? Idols are strongly connected to demons according to several passages in the Bible, including Deuteronomy 32:16-17. In these verses, God accuses the Israelites of abandoning Him and provoking Him to anger by worshiping foreign gods and idols. He calls these foreign gods they worshiped “demons” and not true gods at all. The verses say: “They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your…
Psalm 34:8 says “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” This verse encourages us to personally experience and “taste” God’s goodness for ourselves. Here are 9000 words exploring what this verse means and how we can taste and see God’s goodness in our lives: To “taste” something means to experience it directly through your senses, rather than just hearing about it secondhand. The psalmist is inviting us to encounter God for ourselves and “taste” His goodness, rather than just taking someone else’s word for it. When we spend time…
John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This profound verse has been the subject of much study and debate over the centuries as Christians have sought to understand the full meaning and significance of the apostle John’s words. By referring to Jesus Christ as “the Word,” John is drawing on an important concept from the Old Testament. God’s Word in the OT often refers to God’s divine self-expression, revelation, and action. So, by using this title for Jesus, John is teaching that Jesus is the ultimate revelation…
Complaining is a common tendency among humans. We can find ourselves complaining about all sorts of things – our circumstances, other people, even God. However, the Bible has a lot to say about complaining and teaches us to approach difficulties in a different way. Firstly, the Bible makes it clear that complaining is sinful. Complaining reveals a lack of faith in and dissatisfaction with God’s sovereignty. When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, they complained frequently about their hardships to Moses and Aaron. God was very displeased with their complaining and it showed that they did…
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” This verse encapsulates the call for every Christian to live by faith in Jesus Christ. But what exactly does it mean to “live by faith”? Let’s explore this important biblical concept. Faith Means Trusting in Jesus First and foremost, living by faith means trusting completely in Jesus Christ. It is having confidence…
Matthew 2:23 states that Jesus went to live in Nazareth, “so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.'” This verse has puzzled Bible scholars for centuries, as no specific Old Testament prophecy clearly predicts that the Messiah will be called a Nazarene. There are several theories on what prophecy Matthew might have had in mind: 1. It refers to prophecies about the Messiah’s humble origins Some argue Matthew meant the prophecies about the Messiah coming from humble beginnings, not the elite halls of power. Isaiah 53:2 states the Messiah will grow…