The poetic books of the Bible refer to the books that contain poetry, lyrical verse, and songs. These books are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. They are written in a poetic style and often contain emotional and figurative language. Here is an overview of each of these five poetic books: Job The book of Job is considered a masterpiece of ancient Hebrew poetry. It deals with the difficult issue of why innocent people suffer. Job was a righteous man who lost everything – his wealth, health, and children. His friends try to provide an explanation, but they…
Author: Kristal Wheatley
What are the Heavenly Places/Realms? The Bible speaks of heavenly places or realms in several passages. Though the exact nature of these places is not fully revealed, Scripture gives us glimpses of the glory, power, and activities in the dwelling place of God and the angelic beings. Here is an overview of what the Bible teaches about the heavenly realms: The Dwelling Place of God Heaven is first and foremost the dwelling place of God. After Jesus’ ascension, Stephen in Acts 7:55-56 saw a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God in heaven. In Matthew 6:9, Jesus…
Pikuach nefesh is a Jewish legal principle that the preservation of human life overrides virtually any other religious rule. When the life of a specific person is in danger, almost any mitzvah lo ta’aseh (command to refrain from doing a specific act) of the Torah becomes inapplicable. The concept of pikuach nefesh is derived from the biblical verse “You shall therefore keep my statutes…which if a man does, he shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5). From this verse, the Rabbis deduced that life takes precedence over all of God’s other commandments. They reasoned that the verse implies one should live…
The Bible is composed of two main sections – the Old Testament and the New Testament. While both are the inspired Word of God, there are some key differences between the two that are important to understand. Authorship The Old Testament was written over a span of hundreds of years by numerous authors. Prominent authors include Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah and others. God inspired these writers to record His words and actions in history. The Old Testament contains 39 books covering history, poetry, prophecy and law. The New Testament was written within approximately a 70 year time span in…
The Living Church of God (LCG) is a church denomination founded in 1993 by Roderick C. Meredith, a former evangelist and high-ranking minister in the Worldwide Church of God. LCG adheres to the teachings and traditions of Herbert W. Armstrong and promotes his form of British Israelism, observing seventh-day Sabbath and annual Holy Days. Here is an overview of LCG’s key beliefs and practices: Church History and Leadership After being forced to resign from Worldwide Church of God in 1992, Meredith established the Global Church of God in San Diego, California in 1993. However, after a dispute over governance, Meredith…
The Ketuvim (Hebrew: כְּתוּבִים, “Writings”) is the third and final section of the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. It is a collection of books that were written largely in the post-Exilic period, after the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE. The Ketuvim consists of 11 books in the Jewish canon and some additional books in Christian Bibles. The contents of Ketuvim are: Psalms Proverbs Job Song of Songs Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Ezra-Nehemiah Chronicles Some of the books in Ketuvim, like Psalms, Proverbs and Job, are among the most well-known and beloved parts of the Bible. Other books…
The Bible does not directly address the issue of gay adoption, as this practice was not common in biblical times. However, there are some principles and passages that can provide guidance for Christians thinking through this issue. 1. The Bible upholds heterosexual marriage as God’s design for family Throughout Scripture, marriage is presented as a covenant relationship between one man and one woman. God instituted marriage at creation when He designed Eve as a complement and companion for Adam (Genesis 2:18-24). Jesus affirmed this standard for marriage being between male and female in Matthew 19:4-6. The New Testament writers consistently…
The question of whether or not one must believe in the inerrancy of the Bible in order to be saved is an important one for many Christians. There are differing views on this issue within the church. Some believe that affirming biblical inerrancy is absolutely essential for salvation. Others would say it is not required for salvation, though still important. Let’s explore what the Bible itself says about this topic. Understanding Biblical Inerrancy First, what exactly is meant by the “inerrancy” of Scripture? The doctrine of biblical inerrancy holds that the original manuscripts of the Bible were without error in…
Spiritual bondage refers to being bound or restricted spiritually in a way that prevents growth, freedom, and fulfillment. It is a state of being trapped, constrained, or dominated in the spiritual realm. The Bible has much to say about spiritual bondage and how to find freedom through faith in Jesus Christ. Sources of Spiritual Bondage According to the Bible, there are various sources of spiritual bondage: Sin: When we disobey God’s laws and precepts, we become enslaved to sinful desires and behaviors (John 8:34; Romans 6:16). Sin creates separation from God and keeps us chained to destructive patterns. Satan: The…
The term “Logos” is an important concept in Christianity that refers to Jesus Christ as the divine Word of God. The Greek word Logos (λόγος) has a rich history in ancient Greek philosophy and Jewish-Hellenistic thought before being used in the opening verses of the Gospel of John. Here is an overview of the meaning and significance of the Logos in the Bible: Logos in Ancient Greek Philosophy The word Logos had a long history of use in ancient Greek philosophy before the writing of the Gospel of John. The ancient Greek philosophers used Logos to refer to the rational…