Noah’s obedience showed that he: would do what he was told by God – even if the instructions may have seemed silly to us (Genesis 6:22). was faithful to complete a very big job (Genesis 7:16). valued God’s opinion more than everybody else’s opinion (Genesis 6:9). Interesting aside: In building the ark Noah condemned the […]
Can prayer change God’s mind?
Let’s answer the question in two parts. Part 1 Examples from the Bible show that people understood that prayer would change God’s mind. One such example is King Hezekiah of Judah who was told by God through Isaiah the prophet that he was about to die (Isaiah 38:1-8; 2 Kings 20:1-11). Hezekiah prayed urgently for a […]
What is Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Dan. 2 about?
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream involves a statue of a man made from different materials (Dan. 2:31-33). A stone then hits the statue, destroys it, turns into a mountain, and fills the earth (Dan. 2:34-35). Like lots of other prophecies, these aren’t literal things; rather the items represent other things. In this prophecy Daniel tells us (Dan. 2:36-45) […]
Could Jesus have sinned when he was here on earth?
Yes, it was possible for Jesus to sin. Heb. 4:15 makes this clear when, talking about Jesus (v14), it says: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Temptation is the start […]
How many chapters and verses are in the Bible?
The number of chapters and verses in the Bible varies depending on which Bible you use. The chapter and verses numbers were added a long time after the Bible was written (they were added to help people find their way around the Bible more easily),1. Our modern chapter divisions first appeared in the 1200s with […]
Will the wicked be destroyed by a literal fire, or is it symbolic for destruction?
In one of his parables (Matthew 13:42) Jesus said that the wicked were to be thrown into a fiery furnace. In two others (Matthew 22:13, Matthew 25:30) they were to be cast into outer darkness, and in another parable (Matthew 24:51) they were to be cut in pieces. It seems likely, then, as you suggest, […]
What is the difference between the great tribulation and Armageddon?
The term ‘Armageddon’ has come to be associated with dreadful trouble at the time of the last days. However, in the Bible, Armageddon is mentioned only once, in Revelation 16:16. At this time, when Jesus says he will return unexpectedly, kings of the whole world are assembled to battle, “and they assembled them at the […]
What are the meanings of the words “divine” and “divinity”?
This is a fairly straightforward question. In any language there will be a word which describes “god-ness” or “being like God/a god”. In English we distinguish: divine a : of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God or a god <divine love> b : being a deity <the divine Savior> c : directed to a […]
What is “the kingdom” and what are “all these things” in Matthew 6:33?
The words are taken from Matthew 6:31-33, where Jesus says Do not be anxious, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and […]
Why does God test us even during our sorrowful times?
At times of sorrow we can find comfort from God if we pray to him. But it is true that God may be testing us at such times in the hope that our characters will be strengthened by the things that we suffer. Paul was able to say For the sake of Christ, then, I […]