The “destroying angel” is a mysterious biblical figure that brings destruction and judgement upon people. While not explicitly named in the Bible, there are a few key passages that refer to an angel or divine messenger tasked with bringing death and calamity as an act of God’s judgement. One of the clearest references is in 2 Samuel 24, where God sends an angel to enact a plague against Israel for David’s sin of taking a census. Verse 16 states that when the angel stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said…
Author: Nicole Sands
This is a complex question that Christians have wrestled with for years. There are good arguments on both sides of the issue. Ultimately, it comes down to personal conviction and seeking God’s wisdom for your unique situation. On one hand, many Christians are wary of psychology because some branches and practitioners hold to beliefs that contradict a biblical worldview. For example, Sigmund Freud was an atheist who believed religion was an illusion arising from psychological neuroses. Some Christians argue we should avoid any field rooted in anti-Christian ideas. They believe the Bible and the church community provide sufficient resources for…
Who was the Queen of the South? The “Queen of the South” is a mysterious biblical figure who appears in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament. She is also referenced in some extra-biblical traditions and legends. Here is an overview of what the Bible reveals about this intriguing queen: The Queen of the South in the Gospels The Queen of the South is mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 12:42 and Luke 11:31. In both passages, Jesus states: “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn…
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was a Jew. He was born into a Jewish family, raised according to Jewish customs, regularly attended synagogue, and observed Jewish holy days such as Passover. Here is a summary of the biblical evidence showing that Jesus was Jewish: Jesus’ Jewish Lineage The Gospels provide detailed genealogies demonstrating that Jesus was descended from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and King David (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38). As a descendant of the Jewish patriarchs and kings, Jesus was born into a Jewish family and his Jewish identity was established from birth. Jesus Was Circumcised In keeping…
The statement that “Jesus is the answer” refers to the Christian belief that Jesus Christ, the son of God, provides the answers to life’s most fundamental questions and offers the solution to humanity’s deepest needs. This belief is rooted in the biblical testimony about who Jesus is and what he came to accomplish. At the heart of the Christian faith is the belief that all human beings have sinned and fallen short of God’s standards (Romans 3:23). This has separated people from God and caused brokenness in every aspect of life – relational, psychological, physical and spiritual. The Bible teaches…
The book of Proverbs in the Bible contains wisdom and teachings from various authors, one of whom is identified as “Agur son of Jakeh” in Proverbs 30. Very little is known about this man beyond this reference. Here is an examination of the relevant biblical details surrounding Agur son of Jakeh: The Sayings of Agur Proverbs 30 contains a collection of sayings attributed to Agur son of Jakeh. He is explicitly mentioned in the introduction: The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man’s utterance to Ithiel: “I am weary, God, but I can prevail. Surely I am…
Hagar is an important biblical figure who appears in the Book of Genesis. She was an Egyptian servant of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. Here is an overview of the key events involving Hagar in the Bible: Hagar becomes Sarah’s servant Genesis 16 provides the background on how Hagar came to be part of Abraham and Sarah’s household. When Abraham and Sarah were without children, Sarah gave her Egyptian servant Hagar to Abraham in order to bear him a child. This was culturally acceptable at the time based on customs regarding surrogate mothers. Hagar conceives a son Ishmael through Abraham…
The book of Susanna is a short story found in the Apocrypha section of some Bibles. It tells the story of a beautiful and godly woman named Susanna who is falsely accused of adultery by two elders who lust after her. The story highlights themes of sexual sin, false accusations, justice, and deliverance. Background The book of Susanna is considered part of the Additions to Daniel or supplements to the Book of Daniel. It is found in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) following the Book of Daniel. However, it is considered apocryphal by Protestants and so does…
What is Bible Study Fellowship? Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) is an interdenominational Bible study program that involves people gathering together in local groups to study the Bible. BSF aims to help people know God and equips them to effectively serve the Church throughout the world. The History of Bible Study Fellowship Bible Study Fellowship was founded in 1959 by Audrey Wetherell Johnson, a pastor’s wife from San Francisco. After leading Bible studies for women in her church, Audrey felt called by God to start a new interdenominational Bible study ministry focused on in-depth study of the Scriptures. She started the…
The Bible does not explicitly state whether it is acceptable for an engaged couple to have sex before marriage if they intend to marry. However, there are some biblical principles that can help guide Christians in making this decision. First, the Bible clearly teaches that sex outside of marriage is sinful. Passages like 1 Corinthians 6:18 instruct us to flee from sexual immorality. Hebrews 13:4 warns that the marriage bed should be kept pure and undefiled. So according to these verses, any sexual activity outside of the covenant of marriage is not permissible. However, one might argue that an engaged…