A Primer on How to Think About History

The way I am defining “primer” in this review:  an introductory but comprehensive overview . A primer may be thought of as a first textbook. From the perspective of a Christian, here is review about a Christian primer dealing with producing different types of histories. A primer is not necessarily intended young people, but it may be used by them. Primarily, “Christian” has the idea of … Continue reading A Primer on How to Think About History

The Feast of Sukkot Suggest Premillennialism

There is abundant evidence that the early church was mostly Premillennial. An even better reason to read the bible’s end-time reality, as Premillennial, is that the N.T. strongly suggests it. Critics have cited the sparse overt mention of the 1000-year reign of Christ as contained in only one verse: He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him … Continue reading The Feast of Sukkot Suggest Premillennialism

1400 Years of Hand-Copying the New Testament

Since Paul’s epistles started to be copied the 2nd half of the first century (see Col. 4.16. 2Pet. 3.15-16), transcription has occurred by hand. Gutenberg’s adoption of moveable type in about 1450, and the subsequent printing of bibles shortly after, leaves 1400 years of hand-reproduction of the N.T. texts. Mistakes were inevitable, but, since so many different families of texts were preserved, it is not … Continue reading 1400 Years of Hand-Copying the New Testament

The Prophecies of Jesus

The disciples of Jesus were mistaken about the kingdom’s appearance both pre-crucifixion and (some) post-crucifixion; but, not because Jesus said Israel would be restored in the first century. In fact, Jesus gave the parable of the 10 Minas to show there would be an era where disciples needed to manage their gifts in faithful service (see Lk. 19.11-27). Also, Jesus never prophesied His immediate 2nd … Continue reading The Prophecies of Jesus

A Couple of Birds (Byrd) of the Same Feather Who Have Flown the Historic Coop

If all Christians were wrong since Pentecost, what new information changed the equation? What force is driving this current change, is it God’s Spirit or human reasoning? Has God’s original design failed that Christians now see a need to modify it? Males and females have inherent differences equipping them for divergent roles which haven’t changed throughout the history of the biblical narrative. Therefore, both the … Continue reading A Couple of Birds (Byrd) of the Same Feather Who Have Flown the Historic Coop

The Day of the Lord Described-Isaiah 30. 25-33

In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted. See, the Name of the Lord comes from afar, … Continue reading The Day of the Lord Described-Isaiah 30. 25-33

Eating God? A History of the Eucharist and a Glimpse of Roman Catholicism

Jesus, since His ascension into heaven, possesses a spiritual body. This spiritual body consists of His flesh, which He assumed at the incarnation and subsequent development, and Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (Lk. 2.52 NIV). This flesh of Jesus is enlivened by God’s Spirit, resulting in a spiritual body (more on this later). Jesus, in His resurrection, … Continue reading Eating God? A History of the Eucharist and a Glimpse of Roman Catholicism

You Will Strike His Heel-Gen. 3.15 (NIV)

The verbal root shoof is used for both actions in the judicial sentence and decree of Gen. 3.15. The text indicates a courtroom scene since the guilty parties were summoned to stand before the Lord (Yahweh Elohim). This was the Eternal Son, the image of the invisible God, the King through Whom all things were created (1 Cor. 8.6, Col. 1.15-16). In Gen. 3.15, Yesupenka … Continue reading You Will Strike His Heel-Gen. 3.15 (NIV)

The Function of the Weekly Christian Meeting

The layout of synagogues testifies to their function. Paul transfers the Shabbat “reading, teaching, and exhortation” to the Lord’s Day Christian meeting (1Tim. 4.13-anagnosei, paraklaysei, didaskalia). The Jerusalem Temple, by contrast, functioned daily in cultic worship by portraying shadows, symbols, and signs of greater realities. While both the individual Christian’s body and the collective Christian community are temples, these realities do not negate the weekly … Continue reading The Function of the Weekly Christian Meeting

He Makes All Things Beautiful… — Thoughts on Scripture

The Bible frequently employs the image of a tree which yields its fruit in its time/season. One place in which it does so is the outset of the book of Psalms, in Psalm 1. The man who doesn’t fall into temptation, but meditates on God’s law, is like a fruitful tree.Psalm 1’s use of different… He Makes All Things Beautiful… — Thoughts on Scripture Continue reading He Makes All Things Beautiful… — Thoughts on Scripture

The Weekly Gathering of Believers

Paul defines the duties for Timothy regarding the Christian weekly meeting in 1Tim. 4.13: Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Reading was more than one or two verses, instead, it was the source of access to the word of God in that time. While the scriptures are accessible to all today, an extended section of … Continue reading The Weekly Gathering of Believers

The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same

Signs of the Times | Zwinglius Redivivus Signs of the Times | Zwinglius Redivivus John Chrysostom 347-407 CE We run eagerly to dances and amusements. We listen with pleasure to the foolishness of singers. We enjoy the foul words of actors for hours without getting bored. And yet when God speaks we yawn, we scratch ourselves and feel dizzy. Most peoples would run rabidly to … Continue reading The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same

The Priesthood of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Recently, through personal correspondence, a Bible professor told me that the phrase “inquire of the Lord” (Gen. 25.22) means that the person went to a priest since that is the consistent usage of the term. He had it that Rebekah visited the local priest of the land when the text states that she “inquired of the Lord” about her twins struggling in her womb. I … Continue reading The Priesthood of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Truth Standing in the Way of Ramses’ News Agenda

https://mailchi.mp/27d078a4d900/what-do-egyptologists-think-of-the-exodus According to the Merneptah Stele Israel was already in Canaan during Merneptah’s rule (died 1215 BCE). This lends credence to the earlier date of the Exodus in about 1440 BCE. Also, nowhere in the bible does it say that Pharaoh died in the Red Sea pursuing Israel. The text only states that it was Pharaoh’s army and thus his prestige that was conquered (see … Continue reading Truth Standing in the Way of Ramses’ News Agenda