The Tenth Day of the First Month
God accomplishes His plans and promises perfectly, precisely, and without compromise. As we follow the steps of Jesus to His cross, things become more violent, and the flesh responds with increasing anger. It may feel like things are out of control, but we can have confidence that God is in control. He does not need…
Does God Still Speak to Us through Dreams?
There are many examples in Scripture, primarily in the Old Testament, where God has spoken to individuals through dreams. Obvious examples are Joseph (Genesis 37-44) and Daniel (Daniel 2, 7). In the New Testament we see another Joseph (Matthew 1:20-25), and Pontius Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19). In modern time, we hear many stories of Jesus…
The Bible vs. Other Religious Books Part 5 – The Grace of God in Four Acts
One of the most astonishing things about the Bible is that despite being a collection of 66 books, written by more than 40 people, over a period of 1500-plus years, it is united by a single theme. We’ll summarize that theme by calling it The Grace of God in Four Acts. Act 1: Creation Act…
Holy Week: Three Days and Three Nights in the Tomb
“Low in the grave He lay—Jesus my Savior! Waiting the coming day—Jesus my Lord.”[1] To all outward appearance, this is a tragic time. Jesus had been crucified. Once His death was confirmed, His body was taken down from the cross, and two of His followers, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, did a bare minimum job…
Holy Week: Our Passover Lamb
THE LAMB FOR ETERNITY The Bible concludes with the Revelation of Jesus Christ’s promised return, holy judgment, and Kingdom’s reign. Throughout its twenty-two chapters, various names and descriptors magnify His glory, nature, and character. One of the eternal references to Jesus is “The Lamb.” John’s vision in Revelation 5 describes the Sovereign One sitting on…
Holy Week: The Anointing at Bethany
Holy Week discussions most often begin with the account of Jesus entering Jerusalem, often referred to as the triumphal entry. It was a beautiful, public recognition of who Jesus was, with people publicly lavishing Him with praise. Even if the crowd in Jerusalem did not fully understand the importance and beauty of the Man before…
Holy Week: The Chiastic Parallels within Zechariah 9
Zechariah 9 unfolds around a chiastic structure that showcases a striking interplay of judgment and salvation, war and peace, desolation and flourishing — themes that twist and turn upon the central axis of Zechariah 9:9, a verse announcing God’s coming as a humble King. His arrival heralds a transition from the cycle of oppression and…
Parallels between Zechariah 2:8-12 and 9:9
Zechariah ties 2:8-12 to chapter 9 (especially verses 2:10 and 9:9) through several unique parallels that signal we are to read these texts in light of each. This is significant, because, in doing so, Zechariah signals that we are to see the coming figure in these passages as the same individual. This is noteworthy, for…
The “He-Me” Pattern in Zechariah 2:8-12 and Zechariah 9
Zechariah 2:8-12 and Zechariah 9 are both carefully constructed around a matching literary pattern. The pattern takes its shape around God alternating between speaking of Himself in the first and third person (for clarification, words like “I” or “Me” depict the first person; “He” or “the LORD” represent the third person). For ease of reference,…
Can Christianity Coexist with Other Religions?
We’ve all seen the bumper stickers: The word “COEXIST” is spelled out using the Islamic crescent moon, a peace sign, the Hindu Om symbol, a star of David, the “i” dotted with a pentacle (pentagram), the ying-yang symbol, and a Christian cross.[1] On the surface this sounds like a great idea, getting along with each…
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