Yahweh Shalom – The Lord is Peace
As our story opens, Israel is not at peace. In fact, they are being so oppressed they are hiding in caves. Little wonder that our hero, Gideon, voices that age-old question: (to paraphrase) “If there is a God, why are we in so much trouble?” But let’s back up. There is a pattern that repeats…
Yahweh Nissi – The Lord My Banner
Let’s put this in context. The Israelites has already experienced a miraculous escape through the Red Sea. They had already seen God turn bitter water sweet. Only a short time before this, while they were in the Desert of Sin, God had begun to provide daily bread and meat (manna and quail) for them. But…
Were the Days of Creation 24 Hours Long? An In-Depth Look at Genesis 1 – Part 1
Background Information The creation account begins with two verses of background information to help situate us for the narrative that will follow. Unlike English, Hebrew narrative uses a particular verbal form (it is referred to as the wayyiqtol) to distinguish the main storyline events from background information. In this account, the main events of the…
This Is Only a Test
I cannot even begin to tell you how many times it’s happened to me. I attend a spiritual retreat, or a weekend of immersion in Scriptures, and come away on a spiritual high. God is so good; God is so real; my spirit is rejoicing. And then, within a few days something happens that completely…
Yahweh Rapha* – The Lord Who Heals You
“He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the LORD [YHWH] your God [Elohim] and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals…
Yahweh-Jireh – The God Who Sees
We all know the story. Abraham has finally, at the age of 100, had the son God promised to him so many years before. It had been a long, long wait with many pitfalls along the way. Finally, Abraham could sit back and relax. His future looked secure. Ah, but God! “Some time later God…
Were the Days of Creation 24 Hours Long? An In-Depth Look at Genesis 1
Introduction: The age of the earth, or more specifically how the findings of modern science relate to Genesis 1, remains a heated topic. Sadly, many believers who together affirm the core doctrines of the Christian faith, including the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, have fiercely divided over this issue. Accusations often fly both ways: old-earthers…
Are All Sins Equal before God?
It is commonly said: “All sin is equal to God; no particular sin is worse than another.” But is this actually true? Does God view murder the same way as gluttony? Let’s look at if are all sins the same to God. No. All sins are not equal before God. Before outlining why this is,…
El Roi – The God Who Sees Me
The idea of a God who is all-seeing is common in Scripture, but the name El Roi is used only one time, and that by Hagar. Remember that Sarai tried to fulfill God’s promise of a son by offering her servant Hagar to Abram. But once Hagar became pregnant, the relationship between Hagar and Sarai…
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