When we think of doubt and scepticism, we often think of something that is incompatible with faith. However, the Bible has a positive attitude towards being sceptical — in fact, it commands us to be! For example, in 1Thess. 5:21 (NIV) Paul says: Test everything. Hold on to the good. God knows there are a […]
How long did it take Joseph’s brothers to take his bones to Canaan?
It wasn’t Joseph’s brothers who took his bones to Canaan, as they had long since died. It was the people of Israel, the descendants of Joseph and his brothers. The chronology of this period is outlined in my book The Times: a Chronology of the Bible, chapter 3. Joseph died in about 1585 BC. The Israelites […]
Were the bodies of Joseph’s brothers returned to Canaan after the Exodus?
Joseph asked his family to take his bones back to the promised land when they returned: Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” (Gen 50:25) When Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt, he did take Joseph’s […]
Did Goliath have other brothers besides Lahmi?
Lahmi is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 20:5 And there was again war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair struck down Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. However, other versions translate the verse differently. For example, the NET has There was another battle […]
At what age are children responsible to God?
We are not told anywhere in scripture what the age of responsibility is. That is not surprising as it will vary depending on the personality, experiences and environment of the child. In addition, “responsibility” can mean several things. A child learns what sin is as soon as they understand the word “no”. They grow in […]
How does God view sins after we are baptised?
God is disappointed whenever we sin, before or after baptism. But he promises forgiveness for our sins. When we are baptised, our sins are “washed away” (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21). So anything we have done before then is wiped clean and God no longer sees us as sinners, but as his children, faithfully trying […]
Who will be living on the new earth?
After Jesus returns to earth and establishes his kingdom, there will be two groups of people on earth — those who have been made immortal and those who are still mortal. The immortal saints are those who have been faithful believers and are welcomed by Jesus into his kingdom (Matthew 25:34-40,46). They will assist Jesus […]
Does the Old Testament predict two comings of the Messiah?
It was a surprise to almost every Jew that the Messiah was to come twice. Even Jesus’ disciples were confused about this, right up until the time he went to heaven (Acts 1:6). So any indications in the Old Testament are not going to be obvious. Probably the main indication in the Old Testament was […]
What does Proverbs 25:13 mean?
Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. (Proverbs 25:13) Harvest time is during summer and can be hot in Israel. In Bible times, there were no refrigerators so it would have been difficult to get a […]
What is the devil’s Bible?
The devil’s Bible is a name given to a 13th century manuscript also known as Codex Gigas (or Giant Book). The name “Devil’s Bible” came about because of a large illustration of the devil it contains (shown below). (Of course, there is nothing in the Bible that supports this image of the devil, or even […]