The First Great Awakening was a revival movement that swept Protestant Europe and British America in the 1730s and 1740s. It was characterized by an emphasis on spiritual conviction, repentance, and rebirth. Key figures included George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and John Wesley. The movement helped lay the groundwork for the American Revolution by promoting values like equality and individualism. The Second Great Awakening was a similar revival movement that occurred in the United States from around 1790 to the 1840s. It arose in response to the rationalism of the Enlightenment and was led by preachers like Charles Grandison Finney. The…
Author: Nicole Sands
The phrase “the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous” comes from 1 Peter 3:12, which states: “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” This verse provides great encouragement and hope for believers in Jesus Christ. Let’s explore the meaning and significance of God’s watchful eyes over those who follow Him. God Sees and Knows His Children The fact that God’s eyes are on the righteous means He is intimately aware of everything happening in their…
A peace offering in the Bible is a type of sacrificial offering made to God to restore fellowship and peace between God and man. The peace offering is one of several offerings prescribed in the Old Testament law given to Moses by God for the people of Israel. The primary purpose of a peace offering was to express thanksgiving and gratitude towards God, or to fulfill a vow. It was considered a “fellowship offering” where the offerer would eat a portion of the offering to signify peace and communion between them and God. Peace offerings were made for both spontaneous…
The concept of backmasking, or the practice of hiding reversed messages in music that can only be understood when played backwards, has stirred much controversy and debate among Christians. Some claim these hidden messages have demonic influences and can negatively impact listeners spiritually. What does the Bible say about this practice? Let’s explore what Scripture offers on this topic. What is Backmasking? Backmasking involves intentionally recording words, phrases or messages backwards into music. When played normally, these backmasked messages are unintelligible. But when reversed, the original message can be heard. Backmasking became popular in rock music starting in the 1960s…
The Bible provides details about Moses’ family, including his wife and children. Based on the biblical accounts, it is clear that Moses did have children. Moses’ Wife Moses married a Midianite woman named Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro (also called Reuel), a priest of Midian (Exodus 2:16-22). After God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Zipporah and their sons went with him back to Egypt (Exodus 4:20). Later, after the exodus from Egypt, Moses sent Zipporah and their sons back to Midian to stay with Jethro while he led the Israelites through the wilderness (Exodus 18:2-5). Moses’…
What does the Bible say about excellence? The Bible has a lot to say about pursuing excellence in all aspects of life. Here is an overview of some of the key biblical principles regarding excellence: God Calls Us to Excellence in Our Work Several verses encourage excellence and diligence in our work: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). We should work with excellence because ultimately our work is for God’s glory, not just to please our earthly bosses. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name…
The story of Abraham bargaining with God regarding the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is found in Genesis 18. This event provides insight into Abraham’s relationship with God and his concern for justice. In Genesis 18:16-33, God appears to Abraham along with two angels who are on their way to Sodom and Gomorrah to investigate reports of the extreme wickedness of the cities. Abraham walks with them part of the way, and God decides to inform Abraham of the plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their grievous sin. Abraham immediately becomes concerned about this plan. His nephew Lot…
The question of whether Jesus broke the Sabbath law is an important one for understanding Jesus’ ministry and relationship to Judaism. The Sabbath was one of the most sacred commandments in the Torah, requiring rest on the seventh day of the week. However, the Gospels record several instances where Jesus seemingly violated Sabbath laws by healing people and allowing his disciples to pick grains on the Sabbath. This has led many to ask: Did Jesus intentionally break God’s law? To answer this question, we need to first understand the Sabbath laws and their purpose. The command to observe the Sabbath…
The book of Esther stands unique among the books of the Bible in that the name of God does not appear anywhere in the story. There are no direct references to God, no quotes from God, and nothing is explicitly attributed to divine intervention. This has led many readers to wonder why God is left out of this book. There are several potential reasons Esther does not directly mention God: 1. To show God’s providence The events in the narrative of Esther exhibit God’s providence and care for His people, even though His name is not stated outright. For example,…
The Lollards were a pre-Protestant Christian movement that existed from the mid-14th century to the English Reformation. The Lollards were followers of John Wycliffe, a renowned theologian and early proponent of reform in the Catholic Church. Here is an overview of the Lollards and their beliefs: Origins The term “Lollard” likely derived from the Middle Dutch word “lollaert”, meaning “mumbler” – a reference to their habit of muttering prayers. The word later took on the connotation of “heretic.” John Wycliffe was an English scholastic philosopher and theology professor at the University of Oxford in the 1370s. He was critical of…