In Luke’s gospel we read Luke 24:49-52. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” 50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed […]
Who did Cain marry?
In Genesis chapter 2 we are told that God created one man (Adam) and one woman (Eve). Adam is reported as having sons and daughters in Genesis 5:4. Cain must have married one of these or another close relative descended from Adam. By the time Adam died, he not only had children and grand-children, but […]
How long were cubits and furlongs?
Lengths in the Bible can be confusing when ancient measures are used. The Old Testament uses the following lengths. Biblical unit Approximate metric equivalent Cubit 48 centimetres Span 24 centimetres Handbreadth 8 centimetres These are based on body parts. The cubit was originally the length of the forearm, and the span was the width of […]
Where is the island of Patmos?
Patmos was where John was imprisoned when he received the vision recorded in the book of Revelation. I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. (Rev 1:9) […]
Which biblical prophet was called God’s angel?
The word translated “angel” in the Bible simply means “messenger”. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word is malak. Sometimes the word is used of a human being. For example, in 1 Kings 19:2, Queen Jezebel sent a messenger (malak) to Elijah. But often it refers to one of God’s heavenly messengers — his angels. Any […]
What does it mean, “faith without works is dead”? (James 2:17,26)
For the Jews, salvation was by obedience: your works showed that you believed in God, and that earned you salvation (see, for example, Proverbs 11:18). But when Jesus came, he taught them something new: salvation by grace and faith. A key verse in this regard is Luke 17:10 (NIV): So you also, when you have […]
What happened to Queen Vashti?
According to Esther 1, Queen Vashti was the wife of King Xerxes and therefore queen of Persia in about 480BC. During a week-long feast in his palace in Susa (and while he was affected by alcohol), Xerxes commanded Vashti to come and “display her beauty” (Esther 1:11) before all of his guests “for she was […]
What happen to Silas after he and Paul separated?
Almost everything we know about Silas comes in Acts 15-18. From these four chapters we learn He was a leader in the Jerusalem church around AD 50 (Acts 15:22). He was a prophet (Acts 15:32). He was a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37). He was sent to Antioch to encourage and strengthen the church, and to […]
What happen to Jonah after Nineveh?
Apart from the book named after him, Jonah is only mentioned once more in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 14:25. He [Jeroboam II, king of Israel] restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke […]
Who is the prince of the power of the air?
This description only appears in Ephesians 2:2: Eph 2:1-2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. So Paul equates the […]