It is often suggested—sometimes even by Christians—that many of the most well-known events of the Old Testament aren’t to be taken literally. They are, we are told, merely stories intended to convey a message. The events of the first eleven chapters of Genesis are particularly questioned in this regard. How should we interpret Old Testament […]
On the Emmaus Road, the Lord began with Moses and the Prophets. The Old Testament makes up almost three-quarters of the Bible and yet it remains a closed book to many of us. How many of us, when asked to turn to the book of Obadiah, begin to feel queasy? How often do we read […]
The life of meaning The next time Christ’s feet touch the earth, the Mount of Olives will split from east to west (Zech. 14:4). Nevertheless, it was His first coming that was truly earth-shaking, for it divided not a mountain, but time, eternity, heaven and hell, the saved and the lost. No man, no celebrity, […]
Wanting for nothing Before the Lord Jesus, we were all lost in our trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1 refers to this as being dead. Our sin had separated us from God, and, in that state, we were unable to commune with Him. This spiritual darkness has defined every human being since Adam and still […]
A good meal has several courses. In his 1999 book How the News Makes us Dumb1, historian C. John Sommerville observes that the greatest problem with today’s news coverage is not so much that it is biased (which it is), as that it is daily. As a consequence, news is reduced to the lowest common […]
Read More… from Reader’s Guide to the Origins Debate (part 1)
Neutrality is not an option. “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Mt. 10:34). At first glance, this statement seems incongruous with the popular conception of Jesus Christ. No doubt guided by Hollywood’s unhistorical and imaginative depictions, He is often pictured as […]
Who can forgive sins but God alone? The synoptic gospels all record an event in the early public ministry of Christ that would, in many ways, define His ministry. Matthew, the tax collector, had just been called to be a follower of Christ. He immediately hosted a dinner, inviting his friends (many of whom […]
He made Himself of no reputation. Six times in Exodus 7-10 the Lord says, “let My people go that they may serve Me.” He wanted His people out of Egypt (the world) so that they would be free to serve their God. It is still the desire of our loving, heavenly Father that we […]
Know your adversary. But know your Advocate as well. In seeking to reclaim territory for the Rightful Heir, we will encounter the Enemy at every turn. Called Satan, the Dragon, the Devil, Lucifer, the Serpent, and the Accuser among other names, he is relentless in his opposition to all that glorifies the Lord, honors His […]