In principle, repentance implies an utter rejection of former sin. For example, a thief who repents will not only ask forgiveness for his former thefts but will also change his ways so that he does not steal any longer. Jesus said to the woman taken in adultery “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). So, […]
How tall was Goliath?
Most English translations of the Bible (e.g. NASB, NIV, KJV, NRSV), following the Masoretic Text of the Old Testament,1 say that Goliath was six cubits and a span tall. The ESV, for example, says the following: And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. [1Sam. 17:4] […]
What did Adam look like?
This is one of those questions that we don’t know the answer to — the Bible doesn’t tell us much.1 We know that he was a male (Gen. 2:22-25), but nothing more than this. ———- Notes 1. Islam teaches that Adam was ~27.5 metres (90 feet) tall (see hadiths narrated by Abu Huraira [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. […]
Can a person lose favour with God?
…without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 God is pleased when we trust him and believe what he has said. If we want to be close to God we have to acknowledge […]
Is it permitted to make the holy oil and incense in Exodus 30?
The Law of Moses is not in effect any more (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14; Heb. 8:13). This means two things in regard to the question above: It is no longer forbidden to make the anointing oil or the incense. But also … It is pointless to make the anointing oil or incense because they are […]
What is the significance of the gruesome event in 2 Sam. 2:12-16?
2Sam. 2:12-17 {12} Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. {13} And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side […]
Was Paul married? If so, what happened to his wife?
The information that we have in the Bible says that Paul wasn’t married when he wrote 1 Corinthians: To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. [1Cor. 7:8] However, we don’t know with absolute certainty if Paul was married before or after this — […]
What is a cherub?
A cherub is an angelic being. They are sometimes described as the means by which God moves (2Sam. 22:11, cf. 1Chron. 28:18). The plural of ‘cherub’ is ‘cherubim’, as shown by passages like Exodus 25:18-19: And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of […]
Why does the Bible refer to Jesus as the “lily of the valley”?
The only place where “lily of the valley” occurs in the Bible is in Song of Solomon 2:1: I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Here, Solomon’s lover is using a beautiful flower as a metaphor for herself. Solomon takes up the metaphor in response: As a lily among brambles, so […]
Has anyone since Adam and Eve till today ever seen the face of God?
Before we look at other people seeing the face of God, let us consider what Adam and Eve saw. Genesis 3:8 says that Adam and Eve hid themselves from “the presence of the LORD God” (ESV). This verse also says that God “walked” in the garden. If we take these statements literally then they would […]