The book of Revelation contains some puzzling imagery, including the list of the 144,000 sealed servants of God in Revelation 7. This list contains 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, with one glaring exception – the tribe of Dan is omitted. This has led to much speculation as to the reason behind this omission. Some key points about the 144,000 in Revelation 7: They are “sealed” which implies God’s divine protection (Revelation 7:3) They are called the “servants of our God” (Revelation 7:3) 12,000 are sealed from each tribe of Israel, except Dan (Revelation 7:4-8) They have…
Author: Matt Primack
2 Corinthians 3:17 states “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” This verse reveals a profound truth – that where God’s Spirit is present and at work, there is liberty. In order to fully understand this passage, we must first examine the context and then explore the meaning and implications of this freedom brought by God’s Spirit. The Context of 2 Corinthians 3:17 Paul wrote this verse as part of his second letter to the Corinthian church. In the preceding verses, he had been comparing and contrasting the old covenant…
The timing of the Last Supper in relation to Jesus’ crucifixion has puzzled Bible readers for centuries. Jesus and his disciples shared a meal together on the night before his crucifixion, which the Gospels refer to as the Last Supper. However, the Gospels also state that Jesus was crucified on the Day of Preparation, when the Passover lambs were slaughtered in preparation for the upcoming Passover festival. This has led to an apparent contradiction, since the Passover meal was eaten after the lambs were slaughtered. So how could Jesus eat the Last Supper Passover meal before he was crucified on…
Psalm 49:7 states “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life”. This verse is sometimes used to argue that Jesus could not have redeemed us on the cross, since the verse says no man can ransom another. However, a close examination of the context and meaning of this verse shows that it does not preclude Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross. The context of Psalm 49 is a meditation on the equality of all people before God. The psalmist observes that no man, regardless of wealth or status, can ransom his own life…
The question of whether God created the universe is one that has been pondered and debated for centuries. According to the Bible, the answer is yes – God did in fact create the universe and all that is in it. Here is an overview of what the Bible says about God’s role as Creator and the implications this has for our understanding of the origins of the cosmos. God as Creator in Genesis The Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, describes how God created the universe. Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and…
Paul’s statement about “forgetting those things which are behind” comes from Philippians 3:13, which says in full: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” To understand what Paul means here, we need to look at the context of his statement in the broader passage of Philippians 3. In this chapter, Paul is warning the Philippian Christians about the dangers of legalism and false teaching. He contrasts genuine faith in Christ with seeking to establish one’s own righteousness through works…
The Bible speaks extensively about marriage and romantic relationships. A careful examination of Scripture reveals that God intended marriage to be an exclusive, lifelong union between one man and one woman. While the Bible does not explicitly use the term “monogamy,” the principles and teachings throughout both the Old and New Testaments make clear that monogamy is God’s design and intent for marriage. Old Testament Teachings on Monogamy In the Old Testament, God’s original design for marriage was between one man and one woman. Genesis 2:24 states, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast…
Bible.org is a Christian ministry website that provides biblical resources for Christians seeking to grow in their faith and knowledge of God’s Word. The website contains articles, sermons, devotionals, and other materials to equip believers to better understand and apply the Bible to their lives. The name “Bible.org” reflects the website’s central focus on the Bible as the authoritative source of truth for Christians. The “.org” indicates it is an organizational website rather than a commercial or personal site. Bible.org takes a conservative evangelical perspective on biblical interpretation and theology. Some key things the Bible.org website offers include: In-depth biblical…
King Josiah was one of the most righteous and godly kings of Judah mentioned in the Bible. He reigned for 31 years from around 640 to 609 BC. Josiah became king at the young age of 8 after his father King Amon was assassinated. During Josiah’s reign, the Book of the Law (likely Deuteronomy) was rediscovered in the temple, which spurred Josiah to initiate extensive religious reforms in Judah to purify worship and return to proper obedience to God’s laws. Josiah reinstituted the celebration of Passover, destroyed pagan altars and idols, and repaired and purified the temple. He was a…
The story of the bronze serpent is found in Numbers 21:4-9. The Israelites were journeying through the wilderness after being freed from slavery in Egypt. Along the way, they became impatient and spoke against God and Moses. As punishment, God sent venomous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. The people confessed their sin and asked Moses to intercede for them. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it up on a pole. Anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze serpent and be healed. At first glance, this story…