This is another of those interesting things in the Bible for which we aren’t given a reason, so we can take an informed guess. One of the best suggestions is that David took five stones, one for Goliath, and one for each of Goliath’s infamous relatives: Ishbi-benob, Saph, Goliath and someone identified as ‘a man […]
What are sin and iniquity? Why should we die for them?
What are sin and iniquity? Sin and iniquity are words God uses to describe the wrong behaviour of people. Although they have a similar meaning, according to Robert Young’s ‘Analytical Concordance to the Bible’ (First Published 1879) their definitions are different. The words vanity, perversity, wrong, unrighteousness and lawlessness are given as further definitions of […]
Why did the Jews become angry at what Jesus said in Luke 4:16-30?
In this passage, Jesus was visiting Nazareth, the place where he had grown up. Everyone knew who he was and who his family was, and so they were amazed at how well he spoke. However, it seems they also expected him to do some powerful miracles to show that he really was important, and […]
Can demon tattoos cause demon possession or other bad things to happen?
Some bad things can happen as a result of tattoos (e.g., infection or hepatitis), but these can happen regardless of what is illustrated by the tattoo. In fact, tattoos of any sort are probably best avoided. See “What does the Bible say about tattoos?” When the Bible talks about “demon possession”, it refers to illnesses that […]
What does the Bible say about parallel universes and different heavens?
The Bible never mentions other universes. It only describes God creating “the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1) and interacting with people on earth. However, it does describe different heavens. In fact, the word “heaven” is used in several different ways: to start with, it can mean the atmosphere, outer space and where God dwells. […]
Does God have a wife?
No. Although the Bible presents God as our Father, it doesn’t ever say that he had a wife. However, many of the pagan gods of the nations around Israel did have wives, so it was natural for the Israelites to wonder about this. There is some archaeological evidence that some people believed that the Israelite god […]
How was God formed?
Everyone and everything we know had a beginning, so it is natural to ask where God came from and how he was formed. However, God is different. He has always been God, and always will be God. In several places, the Bible describes God as “from everlasting to everlasting” (e.g. Psalm 41:13). In other words, he […]
What language did Jesus speak?
Jesus probably spoke three languages: Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek. Aramaic The common language of Galilee during the time of Jesus was Aramaic. It was an ancient Semitic language related to Hebrew. Although Jews had spoken Hebrew as their main language up to the time of the captivity, Aramaic became the dominant language after the captivity. […]
Can we lose the people we love by sinning?
Yes, we can lose people we love by sinning. We can lose them as friends, we can discourage them as believers and, in some cases, we may even lose them completely to unbelief and destruction. In particular, parents can lose their children. There are examples of each of these in the Bible. Believers are meant […]
Do we become less lovable when we sin against God?
The Apostle Paul tells us that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God was willing to give his son for us, however sinful we had become. But when we hear about God and the sacrifice of Jesus, how do we respond? Jesus […]