Ugaritic is an ancient Semitic language that was spoken in the northern region of ancient Canaan from roughly 1450 BCE to 1200 BCE. It was written in a cuneiform alphabet and has given us extensive mythological texts that provide insight into the religious beliefs of the Canaanite cultures. Understanding Ugaritic helps us better comprehend key parts of the Old Testament that reference Canaanite religion and culture. The Ugaritic texts were discovered in 1928 at the ancient city of Ugarit (modern day Ras Shamra, Syria), which was an important seaport on the Mediterranean Sea. The texts found at Ugarit contain literature,…
Author: Nicole Sands
The Valley of Siddim is mentioned a few times in the book of Genesis in the Old Testament. It was located near the Dead Sea in the region of Canaan and was known as the site of a major battle during the time of Abraham. The first reference to the Valley of Siddim is in Genesis 14:3 which states, “All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley).” This describes an alliance of four kings from the regions of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim who came together to fight against five other…
The Leviathan is a mysterious sea creature mentioned in several places in the Bible. Though its exact identity is debated, the Leviathan was clearly understood as a large, formidable beast that dwelt in the water. Here’s an overview of the key biblical passages that mention the Leviathan and what they suggest about this enigmatic creature. Job 41 The most detailed description of the Leviathan is found in Job 41, where God challenges Job’s understanding of his power by describing the incredible strength and prowess of the Leviathan. Some key verses include: Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or…
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea at the time. However, the Bible also indicates that Jesus laid down his life willingly for the salvation of humanity. Ultimately, it was human sin that made Jesus’ death necessary, even though God planned this sacrifice from the beginning for our redemption. The gospel accounts unanimously declare that Jesus was arrested by the Jewish religious authorities and brought before Pontius Pilate to be condemned to crucifixion (Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1, Luke 23:1, John 18:28). Pilate was hesitant to sentence Jesus, finding…
The Voice is a dynamic translation of the Bible that seeks to capture the tone, voice, and heart of the original texts. Published in 2011 by Thomas Nelson Publishing, The Voice aims to make the Bible more accessible and easier to understand for modern readers. Here are some key things to know about The Voice translation: It uses conversational language: The Voice uses contemporary language and grammar to make the Bible feel more relatable. For example, contractions are used (“don’t” instead of “do not”) along with common phrases like “hang in there.” It includes stage directions: The Voice adds stage…
The Bible encourages Christians to defend and promote the truth of the gospel message. Here are some key passages that speak to this topic: 1 Peter 3:15 – Always be prepared to give a defense “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” This verse instructs believers to be ready at all times to explain and defend their faith in Christ when asked. It emphasizes doing so gently and respectfully. Jude…
The question of how Jesus’ private words and deeds were recorded in the Gospels is an interesting one. Since Jesus often spent time alone in prayer or retreated to desolate places, how could the gospel writers have known what happened in those moments? There are a few possibilities: 1. Jesus told his disciples about his private experiences As close followers of Jesus, the disciples would have been interested to know about his personal spiritual life. Jesus likely shared stories with them about his times of prayer, temptation, and communing with the Father. For example, after spending 40 days in the…
The idea that God will fight our battles is a powerful and comforting one that appears several times in the Bible. Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” And Deuteronomy 1:30 tells us, “The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes.” What do these verses, and others like them, really mean? Let’s explore this topic in depth. God as Divine Warrior In the Old Testament, God is often depicted as a divine warrior who fights…
The popular saying “God helps those who help themselves” is commonly thought to be a Bible verse. However, this phrase does not actually appear anywhere in the Bible. The idea behind this saying is that we must take initiative and action to solve our problems, rather than passively waiting for God to fix everything for us. While personal responsibility and prudent action are certainly biblical concepts, the specific expression “God helps those who help themselves” is not found in Scripture. In this approximately 9,000 word article, we will examine what the Bible does and does not say about this popular…
Eternal life is the gift of everlasting life promised by God to those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The Bible teaches that eternal life begins at the moment of salvation, continues through death, and lasts for eternity in Heaven with God. Here is an overview of what the Bible says about eternal life: Eternal life starts at salvation When someone puts their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, they pass from death into life (John 5:24). The believer is given eternal life at that moment as a free gift from God (Romans 6:23). This new…