Most of the images we see of Jesus portrayed Him as someone with a European look. His skin was light, His hair was blonde, and His eyes were blue. I am not sure where this perception came from because the Bible does not paint a clear picture of what Jesus looked like. However, the Bible gives some references and clues, and when you combine that with historical records, we may find some answers – or at least they will point us in the right direction. 

While we will never know exactly what Jesus looked like, we can at least have a much better idea. To answer the question of what Jesus looks like, I want to consider where Jesus was born, where He lived, and specific biblical references that help us get a clearer image of how Jesus may have looked.

What Was Jesus’ Complexion?

The Bible tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and when He was still a baby, most likely under two years old, His parents took Him to Egypt to escape persecution from Herod. They stayed in Egypt for an unknown period before returning and settling in Nazareth, which became Jesus’ hometown.

The reason this correlates with Jesus’ appearance is that we can determine the characteristics of people who would have lived in this region during this time. Because Jesus lived in the Middle East and North Africa, His looks would resemble those of people from those areas.

According to the Mishnah, which is an early Jewish collection of Rabbinic teachings compiled around 200 AD, it describes Jewish people of this time was neither black nor white but of an intermediate shade.” This quote is attributed to Rabbi Ishmael.

Then you could say that Jesus did not have pale skin like a European, and He probably did not have darker skin like a Sub-Saharan African. His complexion was likely to be olive brown or light brown. If we are going to be fair, then we can say that Jesus was a person of color. 

What Did Jesus’ Hair Look Like?

For Jewish men in Galilee during this time, it was likely that they had dark brown or black hair. This would be consistent with the people of this region. It was also likely that his hair was wavy, curly, loosely coiled, and relatively short. Short means maybe three to four inches long.

Keeping the hair short was for cultural, religious, and social reasons. In the Jewish culture of this time, it was not acceptable for a man to have long hair. It was seen as an effeminate trait and disgraceful. Paul even addresses this in 1 Corinthians.

“Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Did Jesus Have Facial Hair?

Men at this time would also have had facial hair, which means Jesus most likely had a beard. The Messianic prophecy found in Isaiah backs this up.

“I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard” (Isaiah 50:6).

We also see from the law that men did not cut their beards off. While there was no requirement for how long it was to be kept, keeping a beard was part of Jewish culture.

“Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard” (Leviticus 19:27).

Based on this information, we can fairly reason that Jesus was a brown-skinned man with dark hair and a dark beard.

What Do We Know about Jesus’ General Appearance?

We know nothing of Jesus’ height, but he was most likely ordinary-looking and probably of ordinary height. We can glean this from Isaiah as well.

“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2b).

If you imagine Jesus as a tall, dark, handsome, strapping man, that imagery might be off. If we take Isaiah literally, then Jesus probably looked like the average Joe. This makes sense because Jesus would not want people following him based on how He looked. 

People were not drawn to Jesus because He looked the part; they were drawn to Him because of His character and who He was. His compassion, His  authority, His wisdom, and His love and care for people made Jesus attractive to many. His physical appearance was not the primary issue.

Why Does It Matter What Jesus Looked Like?

It really does not truly matter what His physical characteristics were. Whether He was tall or short, light-brown or dark-brown, has nothing to do with the work He did for us on the cross. However, the reason it matters is for historical context and to aid us in preaching a gospel that is inclusive of all people. 

When we create a European depiction of Jesus, this does two things wrong. First, it does not give an accurate historical context of how Jesus really looked. Most have tried to establish, the idea of a blonde, long-haired, blue-eyed Jesus is purely fictional. 

Second is that Jesus most likely looked like a typical Middle Eastern Jew or Arab, which means our redemption was from a man who was not a white, European savior. That statement may seem uncomfortable, but for many years and for many ethnic groups, the perception has been that Christianity is a white man’s religion. This has been further exacerbated because the images of Jesus we have often seen have reflected that. However, neither of those things is true. 

Thinking about what Jesus looked like can affect the way we share the gospel. Again, this might not seem important to some, but it may matter more than you think. Jesus, the olive-skinned or brown-skinned Jew, lived a sinless, perfect life and died to bring salvation to all humanity.

While we are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, it is highly likely and most probable that the blood that spilled, the body that was beaten, and ultimately the man who died, was a man of color. That does not make His death more impressive, because it is truly about the blood He shed and not the color of His skin. However, these simple but important facts make the message of the gospel more relevant and more accessible to people of all nations. It is for that reason that accurate representation matters, and it matters more than you may think.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Psalm 139:13-14).

As humans, we have a deep need to discover our purpose and to find meaning in life. So, answering the question of why the Lord created us is important. Learning what God put us here for helps us define who we are and what we are meant to do. And when we know His plans for us, we’ll have the right compass to guide us through life.

The Bible shows us that God “fearfully and wonderfully made” us for a very special purpose. And within its pages, we’ll also find insights on how to fulfill that mission.

Why Did God Create Us?

Genesis, the first book of the Bible, describes God’s decision to create people. And He already had work in mind for them to do in their new home, the Garden of Eden, and the rest of the world.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (Genesis 1:26-28).

What Are We to Do on Earth?

All people have a common purpose, which is to bring glory to God. Scripture shows us several ways to do this.

By giving Him worship

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker…” (Psalm 95:6).

By obeying His commands

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

The purposes of God point to one simple end - that we should be as He is, think the same thoughts, mean the same things, possess the same blessedness.

What Did God Create First?

People were not the first thing God made in forming the earth. In fact, the order of God’s work in forming our world seems to indicate that He “set the stage” for mankind – His final creation – before resting.

People were the last thing the Lord made to inhabit the earth, and Adam was immediately given work as a steward and protector. This anointing on Adam reflected God’s heart for the world He’d made.

Why Did God Make Man in His Image?

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

God meant Adam to live forever, without sickness or blemish, in perfect communionwith Him and the Garden. But the Fall (Genesis 3) changed all that. Because of man’s disobedience and God’s punishment, our connection to Him was broken, and our reflection of Him became colored. Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden, and mankind’s relationship with God, nature, and each other was forever marred.

But God had already planned to restore people to their original purpose. The work of Christ on the cross made a way for us to be in relationship with Him again. The awareness of what was done on our behalf should humble us, and lead to a greater desire to follow His call on our lives: to mirror His love, grace, mercy and righteousness to those around us.

Why Did God Create ME?

As believers, we have a God-given purpose. Stated simply, God gave us life so that we could praise Him and lead others to know Him. As clear as that sounds, though, that vision isn’t always easy to live out day-to-day. 

For one thing, such a broad idea can be challenging to act on in a personal and practical way. That’s where reading Scripturecan help. The book of Proverbs and passages like Matthew chapters 5-7 (The Sermon on the Mount) offer all sorts of advice we can put to use in our daily walk.  

How we are made - that is, our individual personalities, talents and abilities - is another thing to consider. The Bible shows all sorts of people who lived out God’s purposes for them, from the soulful warrior David, to the humble teacher Paul. Seeing how they used their unique design to glorify the Lord can inspire us to know and show ourselves better.

Above all, though, we must first seek a relationship with our Heavenly Father. If we ask, He will direct our minds and hearts, shaping us to be more and more like Him.

So many in the world today seem confused, and even discouraged, about finding and acting on their life purpose. But as Christians, we have the blessing of knowing that we were formed by the Master Craftsman, who has always had a marvelous plan for us.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Where is the Garden of Eden?

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. This as you know is the opening verse in Scripture, which represents the beginning of all creation. God in his wisdom and brilliance created this wonderful world that we see.

God also shaped and formed man from the dust of the ground and gave him dominion (Genesis 1:26). After creating man, the Bible tells us in Genesis 2 that God planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and put the man (Adam) into the garden he planted. Over the years many have wondered what the Garden of Eden represents and they have also questioned where is the Garden of Eden?

What Is the Garden of Eden in the Bible?

The Garden of Eden represented something more than just a location. For starters when you consider the term “Garden of Eden” in the original Hebrew language, you get the term Gan Eden which means Heaven or Paradise.

The garden represented a sinless paradise where Adam and Eve had perfect communionwith God the Father. Many scholars refer to it as “Paradise Lost.” Yet, in understanding the Garden of Eden, you see God’s desire for the life of every man or woman He created. There are three things specifically to consider:

1. Purpose

God created Adam and he gave him a specific task. Adam’s job was to work the ground and keep it in order (Genesis 2:15). In addition to fellowship with God, there was a reason for Adam’s existence. The same is true of you. God created you for fellowship with Him, but He placed you here on earth because He has a specific task or assignment for you to accomplish.

2. Provision

God allowed Adam to eat from any tree in the garden. God was establishing a simple principle – it’s ok to enjoy the fruits of your labor or the works of your hands. God had a specific assignment for Adam but He also made provision so he could complete the assignment. God not only has created you for a specific purpose, He will give you provision so you can accomplish what He desires you to do. One of the benefits of doing His work is He allows you to share and enjoy part of the works of your hands.  

3. Pleasure

The work was not back-breaking slave labor, but I believe Adam found pleasure in what he was doing. Remember there was no sin in the world, so nature responded in a perfect environment. He found pleasure in his pure fellowship with God and he also found pleasure in accomplishing what God desired him to do. It is the same with you. You will find ultimate pleasure when you complete the task God has created you for.     

The Garden of Eden or Paradise Lost can give us a picture of what our eternal destiny in heaven will be like. In eternity we will continue to have a purpose. We will experience God’s provision and we will have the perfect pleasure of God’s presence unhindered by sin.  

Where is the Garden of Eden Located? 

The biggest clue to help discover this answer is found in Genesis 2:10-14:

“A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.”

Scientists and scholars alike have used this information to try to pinpoint the exact location of the Garden. Many have tried to conclude that because of the mention of Cush (Ethiopia) or the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Garden was located somewhere between Ethiopia and the fertile crescent in the Middle East.

Unfortunately, what you will discover is that many come to the general conclusion that no one really knows. 

It’s quite possible and highly likely that the flood changed the makeup of the earth. This could have affected the very location of the Tigris and Euphrates, meaning they may be in different locations then they were before the flood. This change has made it difficult for scholars, historians, and archeologists to know exactly where the Garden of Eden is.

Was the Garden of Eden A Real Place?

The garden was planted in Eden. Not being able to find where the Garden is located does not mean it doesn’t exist. Furthermore, the garden was referenced by the prophets in Isaiah 51:3, Ezekiel 28:12-13, 31:9, 36:35, and Joel 2:3. What we also see is that Revelation 22:1-3 mentions the tree of life which was located in the Garden mentioned in Genesis.

Jesus also mentions the tree of life earlier in Revelation. In fact, the tree of life that Adam was not allowed to eat from once he sinned will be the tree of life we will be able to eat from in eternity.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).

Final Thoughts 

Despite the various ideas and opinions regarding the Garden of Eden, there is one truth that matters more than any other. Will you be there to experience it? Regardless of the exact location and whether we ever find it or not, God has made provision so you can taste the fruit from the tree of life in eternity. Regardless of where it is let’s make sure you are one of the overcomers so you too can enjoy eternal life in Paradise.

Heavenly Things to Focus Our Minds Upon

As we see the world around us self-destruct because of hatred, greed, wars, and weather conditions. It can be difficult to have a positive outlook on our furture and the future of our children.  But we as Christians have a lot to look forward to if we're in the Kingdom of God.

Here are some things we should always focus on and keep in mind that we serve a mighty God.

1. Our Spiritual Position in Christ

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he urged the believers to set their mind on heavenly things because that is where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. Christians have died to their old life and their new, eternal life is hidden in Jesus (Colossians 3:3). Such terminology may appear strange at first. How can our life be hidden in Christ, or our spiritual position united with Him?

In biblical terms, we are “in Christ,” which is why Paul so often mentioned this reality in his letters (see Romans 8:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10). We are already seated with Jesus in heaven in a spiritual sense (because we are “in Him”) while still being present here on earth (Ephesians 2:6). These two realities exist: We are currently physically separated from Jesus because He is in heaven, but we are also united to Him spiritually, and as such are acknowledged to be with Him, in Him, in the heavenly realm.

2. Our Great Hope in the Second Coming of Jesus

When we study the New Testament it lets us know that Christian hope is connected to the Second Coming of Christ. 

He will come before or at the end of a detailed timeline; His arrival comes after His rule over a spiritual kingdom; His coming is in two parts, and other such views. But what the systems often overlook is the hope meant to be found in Jesus’ coming – for it is our great hope.

After urging the Colossians to set their mind on things above, Paul reminds the believers that when Jesus appears, they will also be with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4). Similarly, our Lord clarified that at His coming, His angels will gather the elect from around the world (Matthew 24:30-31). Those who are dead will be resurrected, and those who are alive will be transformed (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

His second coming marks the end of living in a dying body in a decaying and fallen world.

3. Eternity with the Lord

In John’s vision recorded in the book of Revelation, he provided details about the New Heaven and New Earth. The New Jerusalem will be there, a beautiful city reflecting the majesty and holiness of the Lord. Believers often talk about being in heaven with the Lord forever, and we will reside in heaven. Our eternal home, though, will be a restored earth where God will dwell with humankind, and there will be no more curse (Revelation 21:3-4).  Meditating on our future with the Lord can spur us on to greater faithfulness today.

4. Building Treasure in Heaven

Although we know the doctrinal truth that we will spend eternity with the Lord, a lot of us do not live as if this is true. We focus on the present with all our concerns and desires wrapped up in the here and now. Of course, our life on earth is important. However, many of us do not regularly consider our eternal home or focus on building true treasure. And according to our Lord, where we focus our energy and resources reveals the position of our hearts (Matthew 6:21).

To shift our focus, we need to regularly set our minds on preparing for our future home. If we made plans to travel somewhere, we would want to know about the place we will be visiting and to prepare before arriving. Likewise, one day believers will step through the door of eternity and find themselves in the presence of the living God. What we do with our lives today – whether living for eternity or ignoring our future home – will affect our experience of heaven.

Every believer will live in joyous union with the Lord, but some rewards will be lost if we chose to live unwisely, as poor stewards of what God has entrusted us. The wise Christian will think of heaven and prepare for their eternity by serving the Lord and, thus, storing up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:20).

5. The Will of Our Lord

After the Apostle Paul instructed the Colossian Christians to focus on heavenly things, he moved into the practical aspects of where our thoughts lead us. We should not dwell on earthly things (or things within the worldly realm of sin) because such thoughts will influence us to act according to our earthly nature. This includes sinful actions such as sexual immorality, greed, lying, giving into anger and rage, and using filthy language (see Colossians 3:5-9).

Instead, setting our minds on heavenly things will direct us toward honoring God with our lives. We will want to live according to our new identity “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12). This means walking in accordance with God’s righteous will. Our Lord does not want us enslaved to sin, but freed to walk in holiness, acting in kindness and gentleness by the fruit of the Spirit, loving as He has called us to love, and forgiving as we have been forgiven (Colossians 3:12-14).

Fixing our minds on things above includes dwelling on the righteous commands of our Lord, for those who love Him will keep His commands (John 14:15). As we focus on eternity, we will increasingly discover that our thoughts are tuned to how we might better glorify the Lord in our actions, attitudes, and words.

6. Our Inheritance in Heaven

Peter told the believers that they had a living hope because Jesus had risen from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). Through the matchless value of His blood, every Christian has an inheritance that can never be taken away. As Peter said, “This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

We see this fulfilment clearly in the New Heaven and New Earth, in which the Father, Son, and Spirit will dwell with humankind (Revelation 21:3). There will be no temple there, for the Lord will be with us and we will serve Him (Revelation 21:22). Our thoughts should, then, be focused on God because for all eternity we will live with Him and learn more about Him. After all, we were made to know and glorify Him.

Greater than any earthly inheritance we might have or receive is the inheritance stored up for us in heaven because of the work of Christ.

In our flesh, our focus is usually on ourselves, on our own desires, comforts, and fears. It's not surprising, then, that we look forward to Heaven because we want to see loved ones who have gone before us. Or that we look to eternity.

As we address the question, "Will I recognize my Loved Ones in Heaven?"

We need to remember that, while the Bible may give hints on this topic, Scripture does not provide an explicit answer. While it's natural to have a fear or unsettledness about the unknown, we need to trust God with the details of eternity, just as we need to trust him with the details of our lives here on earth.

Below are some popular accounts found in God's Word that seem to support the notion that we will, indeed, know one another in Heaven. But because we are limited in our knowledge and understanding, you may find that some of these accounts create even more questions about Heaven.

God Is Relational

Something we see throughout the entirety of the Bible is that God is relational. We see this as early as the book of Genesis when God established His kingdom on earth in the Garden of Eden. He didn't just have a relationship with Adam and Eve; He allowed them to have a deep, intimate, meaningful relationship with each other. Genesis 2:25tells us they were "naked and unashamed."

In 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul reminds us that in this life, our knowledge is limited, but those limitations will be removed in the next life. This suggests we will have relationships with one another that are deeper and more meaningful than we can even imagine, in part because our lives will no longer be hindered by sin and because our collective focus will be on Christ.

But the question still remains, will we recognize each other in Heaven?

We know from Scripture that in Heaven, we will not be married or given in marriage (Matt 22:30). This refers to the concept of marriage we're familiar with in this life. The exciting truth that awaits us in Heaven is that we, the church, are the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33).

As the bride of Christ, we, along with those we love, will turn our collective focus on Him. We will see Him in all His glory, and we will be completely satisfied. Whether happily married or not, your eternal existence as the bride of Christ will be the richest and most satisfying relationship imaginable.

The problem is we have no reference as to what it means to be fully satisfied. Even in our most joyful moments here on earth, we are still tainted by the effects of sin. For those who have had happy, healthy marriages, it's difficult to imagine being fully satisfied by Christ without our spouse by our side.

While I am fully convinced we will be fully satisfied by Christ regardless of who is or isn't with us in Heaven, I believe we can reason from Scripture that we will indeed know one another.

You Will Be You in Heaven

There's no reason to believe we will suddenly be someone else in Heaven or that we will lose our earthly memories, causing us to forget or not recognize one another. For one thing, we're told we will give an account of our lives on earth (Rom 14:12). How can we give an account of how we lived our lives if we can't remember how we lived or who we lived with?

Again, this leads to other questions. Will we all be the same age in Heaven?

How will a baby lost in infancy look compared to someone who died in their 90s? We simply don't have answers to these questions, but we know our bodies will be perfected and made new.

1 Corinthians 15:52 tells us that "the dead will be raised incorruptible" and that those who are alive at the time of Christ's return for His saints "shall be changed." What exactly does this look like? The Bible doesn't get more specific, but it's still a glorious promise!

Let's look at some popular references that seem to support the idea that we will recognize one another in Heaven.

The Resurrection

Our best example of knowing one another in Heaven is found in Jesus, who was recognized countless times by His disciples after His resurrection. They recognized Him on the shore as He cooked for them in John 21:1-14. They recognized Him when He appeared to Thomas in John 20:24-29. And in 1 Corinthians 15:6, the disciples recognize Jesus when He appears to five hundred people at once.

Consider John 20:15-16 when Jesus approached Mary at the tomb. She likely did not immediately recognize Jesus because she was weeping and in distress. But once Jesus said her name, she knew exactly who was talking to her.

The Transfiguration:

Consider the transfiguration in Matthew 17. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up high on a mountain. Jesus was transfigured before them and shone like the sun; His clothes became white as light. Two men appeared and were talking with Jesus. These men were Moses and Elijah.

Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." If you'll notice, Peter, James, and John were not only able to recognize Jesus in his glorified body, but they also knew the identity of Moses and Elijah.

Did Jesus introduce Moses and Elijah? Did Jesus allow Peter, James, and John to supernaturally know who they were seeing? Again, while the Bible doesn't give us those details, many use this account to support the idea that we will recognize one another in Heaven.

Paul's Anticipation of Heaven

Consider 2 Corinthians 1:14 and 1 Thessalonians 2:19. In both of these verses, Paul anticipates the joy of Heaven being increased by the presence of those whom he had the great privilege of winning to Christ. These verses speak of mutual recognition. Paul will recognize and boast in Christ on behalf of those he won to faith, and they will recognize and boast in Christ on behalf of Paul.

Paul speaks to this issue is in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. Paul addressed the Thessalonian Christians concerning their loved ones who had died. He comforted them with these words, "the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them…and so we will be with the Lord forever…Therefore encourage each other with these words."

The argument here is that there could be no encouragement in the promise of being caught up together with those who have gone before if we won't know and recognize them.

King David

Another popular argument for us recognizing one another in Heaven is in the account of King David and the death of his son found in 2 Samuel 12:15-23. King David spent seven days fasting and weeping over his son, who was sick. On the seventh day, his child died.

After being informed that his son had died, David washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Later, as David ate, one of his servants asked him why he wept and fasted while his son was still alive, but now that the child was dead, he arose and was eating.

David responded to his servant by saying, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."

This account often comforts parents who have lost infants or children because David is convinced he will see his child again. This account also shows David's confidence that he will recognize his son when he sees him again.

For many, these and other accounts in the Bible bring comfort and give hope that we will recognize our spouses in Heaven. Yet recognizing our spouses in Heaven shouldn't be our ultimate comfort or hope.

We know that Jesus has prepared a place for us (John 14:2-3), we know we can trust him in all things (Psalm 33:4 ) and we know that he is working for our good (Rom 8:28). With this in mind, we need to take all things that we hold dear on earth (in this case, our spouse) and be able to say, "I will be fully satisfied in Christ even if my spouse doesn't know me in Heaven."

I believe that we will, indeed, know one another in a deeper, more intimate way than we do now. But I am also convicted that our focus will not be on one another. Our focus will be on Christ, and our joy will be made complete in Him.

Death and Hades were not present in the beginning of the heavens and the earth, because everything God made was good. 

Death (and therefore Hades, which is another word for Hell) came about only because of sin (Genesis 3), and because God did not institute sin, Death is not good. 

As a result of Adam’s sinful action, his sin has been inherited by all of mankind (Romans 3:23). Thank God for the truth of Romans 6:23, which says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

What Is Hell? 

According to Scripture, Hell is portrayed as a place of eternal separation from the goodness of God. If God is present (and I would say He is), then He is present in judgment. Hell is often described as a lake of fire, outer darkness, or a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Revelation 20:14-15 paints a vivid picture: "Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

For our purpose of Bible study, we can simply say that hell is a place of judgment, where the wages of sin (death) are paid. Hell is a place of separation from the goodness of God, and all the good which He has created. How could we say that God could create such an awful place? We begin to answer this question when we consider who hell is for.

Who Is Hell For? 

In Matthew 25:41 Jesus speaks of judgment from the Son of Man, "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'" We see here that hell was originally created (or prepared) for the devil and his angels. It was not originally created for humanity. But we read in Revelation 21:8, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

It appears that this “lake of fire” prepared for the devil and his angels, becomes the destiny of some of humanity — those who continue to live in rebellion. Hell was initially prepared for spiritual entities (like fallen angels), but those who persist in rebellion against God place their lot with those who reject the goodness of God.

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in hell choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell. 

Why Would a Loving God Create Hell? 

If we think about hell being the sad result of humanity pitting itself against God and goodness, then it should inspires us to change the question. Rather than asking “How could a good God create hell,” we should now ask “How could he not?” 

It is here that God’s justice and holiness are on display. A loving and holy God will hate all that goes against His good creation and harms goodness.

How Can I Avoid Hell? 

Scripture tells us that “the wages of sin is death.” The list in Revelation 21:8 isn’t reserved for those who are especially wicked. It’s all of us. When Adam and Eve took the bite of the forbidden fruit, humanity was plunged into ruin. We were kicked out of the Garden — a symbol of humanity being cast out of God’s good presence.

Thankfully, ruin isn’t the end of the story. God has given us a plan of redemption. Jesus became a man, the second Adam, so that where humanity was once destined for ruin, we are now given hope of a future. Jesus takes us back to the Garden — back into the presence of God. When we are united to Jesus, then His destiny becomes our destiny.

 God created hell as a place for those who would harm, or trample His glory, take away goodness, and wreak havoc upon the beauty of God’s good creation. 

And when humanity joined sides with evil — hell becomes their permanent destiny. 

Thankfully, God has made a way for us to not only avoid hell, but to be restored to the goodness and glory which we were originally created to enjoy living forever in the presence of our Lord.

God’s voice will never deny Jesus Christ. Christians hearing and knowing God’s voice were the two things most people struggled with. How could they know whether they were hearing from God when they didn’t know His voice? How could they be sure the Lord was speaking to them while reading Scripture, listening to a sermon, or going to Sunday school or a Bible study lesson?  

As we began studying the Bible, we learn how God’s voice matched the Scriptures. If we wanted to know what God had to say on a particular topic, we only had to know what the Bible said on that topic. If we heard a voice and was unsure whether or not that voice was the Lord’s, the Bible would confirm whether it was Him. God’s voice will never contradict the Bible. If the voice you’re hearing is encouraging you to take Scripture out of context to make it fit your situation, the voice isn’t God. We can grow to learn and discern God’s voice by studying the Holy Scriptures, praying, and asking God to teach us.

God’s voice will never demean nor demoralize you.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

As sure as we are that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, that He is God’s Son, and that salvation comes only through belief in Him, many others are convinced otherwise. 

There are voices in the world, trying to convince Christians that Jesus is not the only way to God and heaven. Rest assured, any voice that tells you there are other avenues to God isn’t from the Lord. 

God will never ask you to place your faith in another savior.

God’s voice will never instruct you to sin.

“For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10)

God will convict believers. God will rebuke and reprove us. He will even chastise us. However, He will never demean nor demoralize His children. He will never put you down, nor will He intentionally hurt you. God loves us, and He pours that love upon us as a loving father would. Any voice that demeans you isn’t of God.

God’s voice will never cause division between Christians.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

God’s voice won’t entice you to sin. He won’t tell you it’s ok to live a sinful lifestyle. If you’re hearing a voice encouraging you to commit sin, rest assured that voice doesn’t belong to our Father God.

God’s voice will never tell you to hate someone

“A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:19)

Our Father is a God of love and unity. God hates division or discord. He doesn’t want His children to live in disunity. He wants us to love one another, work together in ministry, and be a family. He wants us to get along. He encourages us to live in peace toward one another. Any voice encouraging division within the body of Christ isn’t God.

God’s voice will never say someone can’t be saved.

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

God won’t tell you to hate someone because the Bible tells us to love our enemies as well as our neighbors. Thus, if you’re hearing a voice encouraging you to hate, you can rest assured that voice doesn’t belong to the Lord.

God’s voice will never tell you to doubt His will, His Word, or His way.

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Salvation is God’s will for all mankind. God wants everyone to come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He wants all of us to spend eternity in heaven with Him. Thus, God’s voice won’t tell you someone can’t be saved. We should continue to pray for our unsaved family, friends, strangers, and even our enemies.

God’s voice will never tell you to disobey godly authority.

“But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6-7)

Doubt never comes from God. Remember, when the serpent asked Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” Satan uses the same tactic on us today. He wants us to question God’s instructions. He wants us to doubt the Lord and disobey His voice. 

God’s voice won’t tell us to doubt Him. 

Doubt is not a sin. What matters is how you respond to doubt. Indeed, God’s voice will encourage us to trust in the Lord at all times.

“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.” (Romans 13:1-2)

We may not like nor enjoy godly authority, but we should obey it nonetheless. The key here is the word “godly.” Whether that authority is your spouse, your employer, or church leadership, we should obey. God won’t tell you to ignore your spouse, employer, or church leadership unless they require you to do something illegal, immoral, or sinful.

Whether we like it or not, every Christian must come to terms with the fact that there is a real enemy. Known by many names, including Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, and the devil, he makes it clear from his first encounter with mankind in Genesis 3 that he has nothing but malicious intent for God’s creation.

Jesus says this regarding his character, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

1. To Make You Doubt God's Word

There is no truth, no good, no love, and no hope that can come from the devil. When we allow the words of the enemy to have power in our lives, we come into agreement with things that directly oppose God’s Word. His desire is to “kill, steal, and destroy” anything that brings God glory, including bringing destruction to mankind themselves.Here are six things Satan wants more than anything else:

2. To Paralyze You with Fear

Satan shows his greatest trick during the first encounter with mankind in Genesis 3.“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, "You[a] shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”Satan has been convincing people to doubt God’s Word since the beginning of time.

Fear is another tactic of the enemy. Life becomes focused on what we can and cannot control versus putting complete faith in God. Fear will keep us from taking a step of faith into a new career, praying for a friend who may reject us, and even being able to rest. God does not give us fear. Instead, His Word brings peace, wisdom, love, and a sound mind.

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1 John 14:18)

3. To Silence You from Sharing the Gospel

A Christian who hoards the gospel to themselves is an ineffective Christian. One of our primary roles as a follower of Christ is to make more followers of Christ. In fact, Matthew 28:19, would deem it to be our greatest mission. Yet, one trick of the enemy is to silence Christians.

Some Christians prefer to worship quietly to not cause anyone to be offended. Yet, followers of Christ should take every moment they can to spread the gospel. When we shrink back from doing so, the enemy wins!

“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)

4. To Cause You to Live in Shame

Reminding you of your past indiscretions or current insecurities is another scheme of the enemy. In fact, if the enemy can convince you that your past has disqualified you from receiving God’s love or grace, you will never come to accept the Word of God fully.

The enemy has no issue reminding you of these things and making you feel like you aren’t worthy to worship God, do things that He has called you to do, or to receive His promises. Even more so, this shame will keep you from praying to God and even sharing the gospel with others.

5. For You to Worship an Idol

God’s love will show us how to live a life that is rewarding and where we can be free from condemnation."If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)

An idol can be anything that we place before the Lord. In the Old Testament, this was clear to see as they worshipped literal objects. Christians don’t have a golden calf or statue of Jesus that they praise, there are still many idols that have taken their place in our hearts.

From worshipping our favorite celebrity, to spending hours on social media, to living a life that is extremely focused on self, we can make anything an idol.

God wants us to have good things, we can never worship them more than the one who gives them to us. We must be willing to lay down whatever the Lord leads us to, if it is standing in the way of a life that is submitted to the Lord.

"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:3-6)

6. For You to Be Deceived

It has never been more important for Christians to stand on the Word of God. In today’s culture, we see so many accommodating the Word to fit their lifestyle instead of accommodating their lifestyle to match the Word. This form of trickery is Satan’s attempt to make Christians pick and choose which aspects of the Bible make them feel good.

Instead of seeking a life that follows the Spirit, we look to our own flesh and concept of morality to find truth. Satan will do anything to cause confusion, including using Christians with so many different beliefs that it appears to be dozens of different religions mixed into one. We must know that anything we believe that contradicts the Word of God is simply another ploy of the enemy. Let us not give the enemy any more power over our minds and action and walk fully in God’s Word.

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

What Do We Know about the Great Tribulation?

The Tribulation, also known as the Great Tribulation, is a period of time that will be experienced on the earth. There has never been a time like it before and there will never be one like it after. We often think of the tribulation as God’s judgment, but have you ever thought it is also about God’s covenant?

The word “tribulation” means severe trial or suffering, and the Great Tribulation is a time of God’s judgment for man’s rebellion. This period, which lasts seven years, begins with the rapture of the church and during this time God will complete His discipline of Israel and final judgment upon the unbelieving citizens of the world.

This will be a period of great trial and great suffering unmatched in human history. Here are two portions of Scripture that give you some insight into this period of tribulation.

“For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones” (Matthew 24:21-22).

“At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued” (Daniel 12:1).

What Will Happen at the Tribulation?

There is belief the rapture happens before the tribulation and the rapture of the church is the event that kicks off this seven-year period of tribulation. The rapture is when God will take believers from the world. It's is not a death but believers will be taken. (there will be a Bible study on the Rapture)

During the tribulation period, God is dealing with those who have chosen to reject Him, and He is dealing with Israel. God is disciplining Israel and calling them to repentance because of the covenant He established with Abraham.

God still offers mercy and the opportunity to repent. And some people will. What is fascinating is even in the face of horrific judgment, many people will still harden their hearts toward God. The judgement during the tribulation will push people deeper into their rejection and rebellion against God.

The tribulation is not just a period of judgment, it is also a period of redemption. During this time God will redeem Israel and this will happen because God has never forgotten the covenant He made with Abraham thousands of years ago.

During the tribulation, there will be a world leader who will arise, and he will be the most prominent leader on the earth during this time. We know the leader as the antichrist. When he comes, he will seem to accomplish on the earth what no other leader has been able to do, bring peace. He will sign a peace treaty with Israel however that will only last three and a half years because he will break the treaty. You can read more about this in Daniel 9.

“The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27).

Should Christians Worry about the Tribulation?

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, should you be worried about the tribulation? The answer is no.

As I mentioned earlier Christians will be taken in the rapture, therefore, we won’t be here and there is no need to worry about the tribulation. Just for the record, no one knows for certain when the rapture of the church will happen.

What if the rapture does not happen before the tribulation? Should Christians worry?

The answer again is no. Even if we must go through part of or all the tribulation (again no one knows for certain) our hope and confidence should always be in the God who is able to keep us in every circumstance. He will not fail us and He will never leave us or forsake us, so we do not have to worry. This does not mean there won’t be challenging times if we must go through the tribulation. It just means we have a hope that others outside of Christ will not have.

This is an overview of the Great Tribulation.

Knowing this information should create more urgency to share the gospel and reach more people. Since you understand what will happen in the future let’s try to rescue as many people as we can.

Let’s make the goal saving as many non-believers from the judgment of God as possible. I believe this is what God would want us to do anyway.

Defining Terms: Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees

There are different categories which often fall under the category of immigration, but there are legal definitions which separate them.

Who is a refugee?

“A refugee is a person who has fled their own country because they are at risk of serious human rights violations and persecution there.” When a person’s government cannot or will not provide protection for them, someone must flee. Often, they are fleeing war, violence, or persecution.

What is an asylum-seeker?

“An asylum seeker is a person who has left their country and is seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in another country, but who hasn’t yet been legally recognized as a refugee and is waiting to receive a decision on their asylum claim. Seeking asylum is a human right. This means everyone should be allowed to enter another country to seek asylum.”

What is a migrant?

There is no accepted definition of a migrant. But we know that a migrant is not an asylum seeker or a refugee. They are people who have left their home country seeking work, study, joining family, or simply starting a new life. Some leave because of difficult circumstances in their home country — but not those which would arise to the level of seeking asylum or refuge (like being devastated by a natural disaster).

Does the Bible Talk about Immigrants?

It’s somewhat difficult to separate these distinctions in the Scriptures though. In some instances, it is clear that a person is seeking asylum. But in many instances the Bible seems to use words like “stranger, sojourner, foreigner” somewhat interchangeably. It can mean those seeking asylum and it can simply mean someone migrating to another country to move away from hardship.

The Bible also has many examples of immigrants in the Scriptures.

Who Were Some Immigrants in the Bible?

Ruth’s story is one of immigration. Again, she’s seeking to leave hardship, not necessarily any sort of persecution or war. She is a Moabite woman who came to Israel with her mother-in-law Naomi. She became part of the community of Israel, though a foreigner.

Moses spent a significant part of his life as an immigrant in Midian after fleeing from Egypt. It was during this time that he encountered God at the burning bush and received his call to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

Some like to mention that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were immigrants. Technically, they would fall under the category of an asylum-seeker. The same would be true of David seeking asylum with the Philistines. The same could be said of the early Christians who scattered because of persecution.

How Does the Bible Say Christians Should Treat Immigrants?

We can debate laws and such within our nation when it comes to the receiving of immigrants, how to handle asylum-seekers, and whether or not to provide refuge as a nation. But the Scriptures call us to a certain response as individuals engaging flesh and blood immigrants.

First, we are called to compassion and empathy. The Bible calls Christians to treat immigrants and foreigners with compassion and empathy. Leviticus 19:24 is a reflection of God's heart for all people, regardless of their nationality or background.

Secondly, we are to respond with both justice and fair treatment. God is just, and His desire is for His people to act justly as well. Again, Deuteronomy 10:18-19 shows us God’s fatherly care.

It is also important for Christians to remember our own history. God called the Israelites to remember their own history of being migrants to Egypt who were eventually enslaved. Their freedom was bought for a price and they ought to reflect this in their interaction with others.

The Great Commission calls us to think missionally about this question of immigration. This commission underscores the global scope of the Gospel message and the importance of reaching out to people from every background.

Lastly, we must consider our unity in Christ. In Christ, believers from various nations and backgrounds are brought together as one body

What Can I Do to Show the Love of Christ to Immigrants in My Area?

Regardless of your political opinions on this issue, we know that we are to show the love of Christ to immigrants in our area. That is not up for debate. 

How do we do this, though?

We can start by extending a warm welcome and practicing hospitality, inviting them into our community through social events and meals. What a great honor it would also be for us to take the time to learn about their culture and traditions and listen to their stories with genuine interest. They have likely been through an awful season. A listening ear could be comforting to their soul.

As we show the love of Christ, we should also pray for opportunities to share the Gospel. If we aren’t living the gospel before them, though, our words will be empty and perhaps even harmful. We can pray for them and love them well. Ultimately, your compassionate acts of kindness and friendship can make a significant impact on the lives of immigrants in our community, reflecting the love of Christ.

One of the sacraments of the church is communion. In short, communion is a remembrance of the celebration of Christ that is reserved for those who belong to Him.

The frequency and the way communion is served varies from church to church. Some churches make communion a part of every service, while some do it the first Sunday of every month. There are even churches that only serve communion on occasion with no set schedule.

What Is Communion?

Communion, which can also be known as the Eucharist or The Lord’s Supper, is a time when we come together to commemorate the death of Jesus for our sins. To celebrate this, we will take a bread element – in today’s church it is usually some type of cracker – and a wine element, which is usually grape juice, though some denominations use wine. Collectively as one body, we eat and drink together while remembering the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for us. We use these elements because Jesus used them in what is known as the Last Supper.

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom’” (Matthew 26:26-29).

When you take communion, the elements you are taking represent the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus.

Why Do We Take Communion?

The main reason we take communion is to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. This is what Jesus said in Luke:

“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:19).

Every time communion is being served, it should immediately become a time of reflection and remembrance.

What many people don’t realize is communion can be taken as often as you like. You could take communion everyday if you wanted to because it does not always have to be done in a church setting. Most people don’t do this, but you could have communion in your home. There is nowhere in Scripture that says communion must be administered by a pastor or priest.

Who Can Take Communion?

There are some differences among denominations as to who can take communion. Some make it open to anyone who is in the church.

Some other denominations will require you to be a member of the church in good standing, and others may say that you should be baptized before you take communion.

Whenever you have these types of differences, the best thing to do is find your instructions from what God has said in his word. The primary teaching on communion is found in the book of 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, which we will use as our guide to determine who can take communion.

1. Communion Is for Believers

The whole point of taking communion is to celebrate and remember Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins. This celebration is designed for those who will recognize that death and celebrate what he has done for us.

2. Communion Is for Those Who Are Willing to Repent

“Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).

3. Communion Is for Those Who Will Recognize the Body and Blood of Jesus

“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27).

It is so important that you recognize what the elements stand for. That’s why only those who truly know Jesus and can recognize and remember his sacrifice are the ones who can take communion – and are the only ones who should. As Paul mentioned to the Corinthian church, failure to do so was not only foolish, but led some people to experience judgement which included sickness and even death. That’s why we should make sure everyone knows what they are doing before they partake in communion.

Is It Ok for Christians to "Abstain" from Communion?

There is no Scripture that says you must take communion, but as a Christian when you recognize what it represents, then you should want to. The elements represent the price Jesus paid for your redemption and taking communion is not only a reminder of that, it is a celebration of that.

I would add this: If you are living in willful, unrepentant sin as a Christian then you should abstain from taking communion.

Look Forward to Communion in Heaven

I want to leave you with a thought. We don’t often think about this, but taking communion now is a precursor to heaven because there will be at least one communion celebration in heaven. Remember Jesus told his disciples this.

“I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29).

I don’t know how often we will take communion in heaven. If it will be one final celebration or if we will do it from time to time as an eternal reminder of the sacrifice that gave us the right to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Communion is reserved for those who belong to Jesus. If you are his, then the next time you take communion, whether in your church or in your home, remember what you are truly celebrating, and also know that doing this now is preparation for when we get to heaven.

When we pray, most Christians close with, “in Jesus’ name, amen.”

But what does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name? God doesn’t want our prayers to become overly religious or mindless, repeating words without any meaning for us. The Lord teaches us His ways as sons and daughters who will one day rule with Him in the Kingdom. Prayer becomes a primary way He teaches us about Himself and the ways of Heaven.

Therefore, we should better understand why we pray in Jesus’ name. This brings us into deeper relationship with the Father, and gives us power in our prayers.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray in His name in the Gospel of John as part of His farewell teachings given to His disciples the night before His crucifixion.

The specific passages where Jesus teaches to pray in His name are found in John 14:13-14, John 15:16, and John 16:23-24. In John 14:13-14, Jesus says, “And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it.” Here, Jesus assures the disciples that their prayers, offered in His name, will be answered to bring glory to the Father through the Son. This teaching underscores the authority and mediatory role of Jesus in the relationship between believers and God.

In John 15:16, Jesus reiterates the importance of asking in His name: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last — and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you.” This verse is part of the larger teaching about the vine and the branches (John 15:1-17), where Jesus emphasizes the necessity of abiding in Him to bear fruit. Praying in Jesus’ name connects to this abiding relationship, highlighting that effective prayer stems from a deep, ongoing connection with Christ.

Following this, in John 16:23-24, Jesus further explains, “In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Very truly I tell you, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” Here, Jesus prepares His disciples for the time after His resurrection and ascension, when they will pray directly to the Father in His name. This promise is intended to give them confidence and assurance in their prayers.

Before these teachings, Jesus had been preparing His disciples for His departure. In John 14:1-3, He comforts them with His promised return and the prepared place for them in His Father’s house. He also promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who will teach them and remind them of everything He has said (John 14:26). These promises set the stage for the disciples to understand the new dynamic of their relationship with God through Jesus.

Jesus’ teaching to pray in His name represents a significant shift from the Old Testament practices, reflecting a deeper and more personal relationship with God.

In the Old Testament, prayer was often characterized by formal petitions and was mediated through priests or prophets. The Israelites approached God with a sense of reverence and distance, often offering sacrifices and following specific rituals to communicate with Him. For instance, in Leviticus, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement to make atonement for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16). This practice highlighted the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity.

In contrast, Jesus introduced a new paradigm for prayer that emphasized direct and personal communication with God. His teaching underscores the authority given to believers to approach God directly through Jesus, bypassing the need for earthly mediators.

In the cultural context of Jesus’ time, doing something in someone’s name meant acting with their authority and on their behalf. This concept is seen in legal and official capacities where representatives or messengers carried out actions in the name of a higher authority.

To pray in Jesus’ name means to approach God the Father with the authority and righteousness of Jesus Himself. The Father will be glorified in the Son, and Jesus addresses this in relation to praying in His name (John 14:13-14). This instruction highlights that praying in Jesus’ name invokes His authority and aligns our requests with His will and character.

As the Son of God, Jesus has a unique relationship with the Father, granting Him unparalleled authority. In John 5:19-23, Jesus explains that the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Praying in Jesus’ name, therefore, means recognizing and appealing to His divine authority and relationship with the Father. It acknowledges that Jesus, being one with the Father, has the power to answer prayers and act on our behalf.

Praying in Jesus’ name teaches us to pray with confidence. Jesus encourages us to approach God boldly, trusting that our prayers are heard and will be answered according to His will. Because of the Father’s love for us, and knowing the finished work of Christ, we come before God under the authority and righteousness of Jesus.

Second, praying in Jesus’ name emphasizes the importance of aligning our prayers with God’s will (John 15:7). This connection between abiding in Christ and effective prayer highlights the necessity of aligning our desires and requests with His teachings and purposes.

Third, praying in Jesus’ name underscores our reliance on His authority and intercession. As our High Priest, Jesus mediates between us and God, making our prayers acceptable (Hebrews 7:25). This teaching highlights the shift from the old covenant, where priests interceded on behalf of the people, to the new covenant, where Jesus Himself intercedes for us.

Furthermore, praying in Jesus’ name fosters a deeper relationship with God, characterized by intimacy and trust.

By praying in Jesus’ name, we recognize our dependence on Him and seek to align our lives and desires with His purposes, confident that our prayers are heard and will be answered according to His perfect and complete will.

The Ark of the Covenant itself was not fictional but very real and extremely important to the nation of Israel. If you are not sure what the Ark of the Covenant is, let me give you a quick answer which I will expound on. The Ark represented the presence of God going with the people of Israel and His covenant to them.

What was in the Art of the Covenant?

The two stones of the ten commandments, a golden jar containing manna as a reminder how God fed them, Aaron’s staff as a sign of God’s chosen priesthood.

There was a slab of pure gold placed over the top of the Ark serving as a lid. Two gold Cherubim (angel figures) were placed at each end of the gold slab facing each other with their wings out.

What is the Ark of the Covenant?

In describing the Ark and the process for building it, God gives His people some very meticulous details. You can read the full description of these in Exodus 25. God made a request that the people of Israel bring an offering for the building of a sanctuary for Him.

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you” (Exodus 25:8-9).

In reading these verses we see that God’s desire was to live among His people. He required an offering, from those who were willing, to build a sanctuary for His presence to dwell among the people on earth.

What is also interesting is what is in the Ark of the Covenant. We see God’s commandments and the place for atonement. Keep in mind the building of the Ark of the Covenant was part of the larger building of the tabernacle. So as important as the Ark was, it was one piece of a larger framework.

When the tabernacle was completed, the Ark was eventually placed in the Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies. Exodus 40:1-3 tells us “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the new year. Place the Ark of the Covenant inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place.’”

One of the things about the Ark of the Covenant and the presence of God is that it was serious business. You couldn’t just enter the Most Holy Place any way you wanted to. If you did, it meant certain death.

The reason the Ark was so important to the Israelites was because it represented God’s presence being with them. They knew that as long as God was with them, then God’s provision and God’s protection would also be with them as well. Sadly, eventually the nation of Israel began to see the Ark not as representative of God’s presence but as a good luck charm.

In 1 Samuel 4 after being defeated by the Philistines they decided to bring out the Ark because that would ensure certain victory. It didn’t and they were soundly defeated losing 30,000 soldiers and facing the embarrassment of the Philistines capturing the Ark.

The Israelites completely missed what the Ark of the Covenant was supposed to be and sometimes we do the same to God. We treat God as the good luck charm to get us out of trouble regardless of how we have been living. The idea of living however you want, disregarding everything God asks you to do, living a life of total disobedience and then just saying a prayer when you are in trouble and everything will work out is not how it works. God is not obligated to help those who choose to live in willful disobedience. The person that God looks to help is the one who has completely put their trust in Him.

The Ark was not a good luck charm back then and God is not one now.

David sought to move the Ark to Jerusalem, however he did not move it according to the instructions God had previously given.

Even though the nation of Israel had great celebration and rejoicing over moving the Ark, they neglected to follow God’s instructions. This is a reminder that zeal alone is not enough and to make sure you are following what God tells you to do.

They decided to transport the Ark on a cart pulled by oxen and when one of the oxen stumbled Uzzah reach out to steady the Ark and he died when touching it. The reason Uzzah died is because David did not follow the instructions God had given for the way to transport the Ark. Only the Levites were allowed to transport the Ark. Later however David learned his lesson.

“David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent for it. Then he commanded, ‘No one except the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The Lord has chosen them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve Him forever’” (1 Chronicles 15:1-2).

This is a simple reminder of how important it is to do things God’s way. If you do then He will honor your obedience.

The truth is no one really knows. There are lots of thoughts and ideas but nothing concrete.

We know that after the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem they took over the temple, but we don’t know what became of the Ark.

As you can see the Ark was vital to Israel in the Old Testament. It played an important role in their everyday lives. If you look at the history of the kings in Israel however, it’s safe to say that over time the importance and value of the Ark shifted depending on who was king. What the Ark of the Covenant meant to some kings it did not have the same level of sacredness to other kings.

When you fast forward to today there is good news. Regardless of what happened to the Ark, you have access to God’s presence. There is no longer a curtain between you and the Most Holy Place. Because of the atonement for our sins made by Jesus Christ, you now can come into the presence of God. This is a special privilege reserved not just for the Levites but for all who carry Christ in their hearts as Savior and Lord. This gives you full access.

One of the most mysterious things about faith is that we cannot see spiritual activity, but we know it is happening. We read about angels and demons all throughout the Bible. Colossians 1:16 tells us that visible and invisible was created through God and for Him.

Demons Know Jesus Is Lord

 What is a demon? The Bible teaches us that a demon is a spiritual being that was once an angel (Revelation 12:3-4). When Satan went against God, he took 1/3 of the angels with them, hence the fact that Satan has demons. When we think about Colossians 1:6 (that all things were created through and for God) this makes complete sense. Satan and the demons were originally created by the Lord, never intended for evil, but God allowed Satan and the demons to fall.

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder” (James 2:19).

We see Jesus’ encounter with Legion (many demons) whom He casts out. Mark 5 tells the account of a possessed man who meets Jesus. He had lived in the tombs and was wild and had to be chained down, but he broke the chains and no one could control him. Night and day he would cry out and cut himself. We read of an incredible moment in Mark 5:6-8, which says, “When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!’ For Jesus had said to him, ‘Come out of this man, you impure spirit!’”

The demon recognized Jesus as God. Then in verse 10 the demon says, “And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.” This reveals that demons fear Jesus because they know He is God. This was before Jesus ever died or rose. They knew who was in charge. They knew who was Lord.

Demons Cannot Possess Believers in Jesus

We can rest assured that demons cannot possess those sealed with the Holy Spirit. There are no examples of believers being controlled by a demon anywhere in Scripture.

The resisting is done in spiritual warfare, by prayer and resting in the identity of the child of God. We lean on the Holy Spirit, not our flesh, to have victory against such powers of darkness.

1 John 4:4 tells us clearly that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. We do not have to live in fear because we were bought by the blood of Christ and we are His. The attacks of the enemy are very real, but we can have a comfort and a confidence in knowing that we have the Holy Spirit in us and are able to use the full armor of God.

Demons Focus on the Body of Christ

Even though Christians cannot be possessed by demons, they do love to wreak havoc in the lives of believers everywhere. The truth is that demons love to try to divide and distract the global church’s great mission of sharing the gospel of Jesus. They want to bring down those who are making an impact for Christ.

Maybe you have had moments where you believed that you had an encounter with a demon? Spiritual attack is real, but we do not have to fear. God tells us to “fear not” 365 times in the Bible. Every day we can pray for discernment, pray for protection, pray for strength, pray for the Spirit to fight in our weakness, and pray for us individually and the body of Christ as a whole to stand firm and put on the armor of God and not allow the enemy to have any kind of foothold.

What Will Happen to the Demons?

Thankfully, like a story with a happy ending. This includes having the confidence of knowing that the Devil and his demons will be put away for good. Jesus already defeated Satan through His death and resurrection, but right now we share the gospel and await Jesus’ return. Matthew 25:41 says that: “Eternal fire is prepared for the devils and his angels.” We can take hope that their time is limited, and it is running out.

June has been selected as Pride Month to celebrate the LGBQT community.

Human sexuality is a complex and often difficult topic to discuss in our world today. The practice of homosexuality has become much more celebrated in western society and it has caused tremendous conversation around the shifting morality of our times. Many Christians today begin to wonder what the Bible really says about Pride Month or homosexuality.

Few subjects are more controversial today in the church than this: What does the Bible say about Pride Month?

If one regards the Bible as God-breathed and authoritative, then one must respect whatever the Lord says about every topic.

What we say and think about Pride Month or the LGBQT+ community should be derived from Scripture, including the ways in which we are to treat one another.

Christians must always start with the Bible in order to hear God’s Word on any subject. His commands are not optional, and He states clearly, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22).

Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Paul describes the relationship between Jesus and the church as one between a husband and wife (Ephesians 5:22-33). It is the ideal of an eternal, fruit-producing relationship. Reducing human sexuality to the physicality of sex and pleasure moves it outside of the guidelines that God has placed on it and makes it less than it is supposed to be.

Also, to be noted is that while it addresses issues in society, the following passage in Romans 2:1-4 should remind us that we are not the judges in these moments, rather we must be careful of God’s wrath.

Does Jesus Address the Issue of Homosexuality?

Jesus Himself does not come out and directly condemn homosexuality, nor does He support it. He died for that sin as well as all the sins of the world. 

The proper Christian response to homosexual individuals is to have compassion for them just as we do for others. They have the same needs for love and affection, comfort, acceptance, affirmation, security, encouragement, and respect as everyone else. How we respond to their human needs is incredibly important for their sakes and for ours … never forget that Jesus ate with tax collectors. He loved all people.

Does God Hate Homosexual People?

God does not hate homosexual people. They are created in the image of God and are precious, just like everyone else. In fact, Jesus died on the cross for their sin too! It misrepresents God for a person that calls themselves a follower of Jesus Christ to use slurs or harmful words of any type to describe a person with same-sex attraction, and it violates the basic love of the Christian faith to not walk beside someone that is struggling with this issue. Jesus would walk with a rejected sinner every single time, just like He walks with all sinful people.

Remember that there is no reason to allow the confusion surrounding homosexuality to shake our faith. Our faith rests in the death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) of Jesus Christ on Easter morning, not on our ability or inability to understand homosexuality.

Where Do We Go from Here?

The continuous message of the Bible is that homosexual practice is forbidden. However, this does not remove from those of us in the church the requirement to love beyond the world’s expectations. Start by praying and asking God not only to be with someone that is struggling with same-sex attraction, but ask God to help you be a source of comfort and security in their life.

The kingdom of God and its citizens should always present the message of grace and forgiveness to all people. Don’t let this particular sin be one that is lifted up above others; sin is sin and it separates us from God. Our sin is no worse or better than anyone else's and Jesus died to pay the price for it. Let us celebrate the love of God in all that we do and pray for those that struggle, even if their sin is different than ours.

The Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil were both in the middle of the garden – in other words, central to the life of Adam and Eve.

“The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground — trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:19).

The serpent (Satan) used the latter against Adam and Eve, causing them to question God’s Word. Can’t you just picture the Evil One speaking to the not-so innocents as he stood next to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, “Did God really say that? Seriously? C’mon – you won’t surely die.”

And thus, they were immediately cut off from the garden – and from the Tree of Life.

“After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24).

What we don’t read is, exactly what is the Tree of Life? After all, Adam and Eve were allowed to eat of its fruit, and experience all the joys and pleasures it had to offer. But surely there was more than just fruit. Surely it was more than purely physical life-giving.

A tree of life is mentioned a few times in the book of Proverbs. The first is Proverbs 3, when Solomon is talking about wisdom:

“Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed”
(Proverbs 3:17-18).

Solomon mentions a tree of life twice more: Proverbs 13:12 and Proverbs 15:4. Each time, in a pleasant, appealing manor, conveying the overriding sense of the goodness of what a tree of life has to offer.

When God cut Adam and Eve off from the Tree of Life – banished them from the Garden of Eden – this in itself speaks volumes as to what that special tree represents.

The Tree of Life symbolizes nothing less than a two-fold gift: eternal life and communion with God. It stood at the center of the garden and offered Adam and Eve the promise of life everlasting – and not just any life, but enduring, continual fellowship with God.

God knew when He took away access to the Tree of Life, we would not live forever while experiencing the consequences of sin – a life full of constant sorrow, toil, pain and suffering, of a fallen, broken body and a fallen, broken natural world.

However, God knew all along what He had planned. In His great love and mercy and grace, God provided the One who would redeem fallen mankind. And those who choose to accept the gift offered through the sacrifice of Christ will be resurrected to once again see the Tree of Life.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).

Jesus tells us that the Tree of Life remains in the paradise of God and is available to those who are victorious.

God’s desire was for all of humankind to enjoy eternal life and eternal fellowship with Him.

In the Book of Revelation, the Tree of Life reappears in the new heaven and new earth. Its fruit and even its leaves will bring healing to all nations. In other words, eternal satisfaction, contentment, and perfect eternal communion with God.

The Tree of Life was and remains nothing less than a powerful symbol of God's eternal plan for humanity's redemption and restoration.

The Bible gives some clear ideas about angels and their roles and how they affect our everyday lives.

Many people, regardless of religious affiliation, hold the belief in guardian angels. These are seen as personal angels assigned to individuals to offer protection, guidance, and support throughout their lives.

What Does the Bible Say About Who Angels Are?

In the Scripture, angels are consistently portrayed as heavenly beings created by God to serve in His presence.

The Bible does not provide a detailed account of the creation of angels, but it affirms their existence as part of God’s divine order. Colossians 1:16states that all things, including angels, were created by and for Christ, emphasizing their divine origin.

The Bible implies a hierarchy among angels. Michael is often referred to as an archangel and a warrior angel (Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7), suggesting different roles and ranks among celestial beings.

The Bible alludes to the fall of certain angels who rebelled against God. Revelation 12:9 speaks of the dragon, identified as Satan, and his angels being cast out of heaven. These fallen angels are often associated with demonic forces opposing God and His purposes.

What Does the Bible Say About What Angels Do?

Angels are frequently depicted as messengers delivering important announcements and revelations. In the Old Testament, Gabriel announces the births of John the Baptist and Jesus (Luke 1:11-38). Similarly, an angel appears to the shepherds to proclaim the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:8-14). Angels often announce significant future events. In the book of Revelation, angels play a crucial role in unveiling and proclaiming the unfolding of God's plan for the culmination of history and the establishment of His kingdom.

Angels serve as guides and protectors for individuals. In Exodus 23:20, God promises to send an angel to guard and lead the Israelites on their journey. Psalm 91:11-12affirms that God gives His angels charge over believers, protecting them from harm. Angels are described as ministering spirits sent to serve believers. Hebrews 1:14emphasizes their role in assisting those who will inherit salvation. While their specific activities may vary, the overarching theme is their involvement in the well-being of God’s people.

The Bible depicts angels as actively participating in heavenly worship. Revelation 4 and 5 describe angels surrounding the throne of God, joining in adoration and praise. Their worshipful activity emphasizes their devotion to God’s glory and majesty. According to Luke 15:10, angels also rejoice over one sinner who repents. This emphasizes their awareness of human decisions and the joy they experience when individuals turn to God.

What Are Some Famous Biblical Stories About Angels?

One of the most iconic angelic appearances is the announcement to Mary by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel informs Mary that she will conceive the Son of God, Jesus, through the Holy Spirit.

Abraham receives a visit from three angels who bring the announcement of Sarah’s impending pregnancy (Genesis 18:1-15).

Angels intervene to rescue Lot and his family from the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-22).

In the story of Daniel in the lion’s den (Daniel 6), an angel shuts the mouths of the lions, sparing Daniel's life.

An angel miraculously releases Peter from prison in Acts 12:1-7, guiding him past guards and iron gates.

In Matthew 28:1-10), angels appear at the empty tomb of Jesus, announcing His resurrection to the women who come to anoint His body.

How Do Angels Affect Our Everyday Lives Today?

One prominent way angels affect our daily lives is through their role as messengers. In numerous biblical accounts, angels are dispatched by God to deliver important messages to individuals or communities. These messages often contain guidance, assurance, or warnings. Therefore, we find comfort and direction in the belief that angels continue to convey God’s messages, providing guidance in times of uncertainty.

Angels also serve as protectors in the lives of Christians. While there isn’t scriptural support for a specific guardian angel for every person, the Bible does portray them as guardians assigned to watch over God’s people.

Angels act as guides, steering us along the paths of righteousness. The Bible recounts instances where angels directed individuals to make crucial decisions aligned with God’s will.

Angels are perceived as worshipers in the heavenly realm. This celestial worship serves as a source of inspiration for us in our daily lives.

Angels exist and still have roles, but we never confuse their role with our all sufficiency upon Christ.

What Does Casting Lots Mean?

Casting lots was a practice that was used in the ancient world to attempt to decipher what was the divine will in a particular matter. Because the outcome produced by casting lots was random, the result was seen as the divine answer to whatever question or situation they were considering. This practice was used within the nation of Israel, but also in other nations as well, and was a common part of the society. Even though the Bible mentions casting lots, we don’t know specifically how it was done because it does not give a specific description of how to cast lots. Here is a description of how casting lots was most likely done.

“Ancients commonly used small stones labeled to reflect the possible outcomes of the decision” the Israelites likely placed marked stones into a container, which was then shaken in such a way as to “cast” out a deciding stone.

Is Casting Lots the Same as Modern Gambling?

It might be easy to conclude that casting lots is similar to modern day gambling, but it is not. The only similarity to modern day gambling is the random nature of the activity. The major difference, as you can see, is that the ancient practice of casting lots was used to attempt to seek divine direction in a particular matter. This is not the motivation of gambling, which is to win money.

What Does the Bible Say about Casting Lots?

The Bible does not actually condemn casting lots – if anything, in the Old Testament we could at best say the Bible is okay with it.

Now before you go marking your stones and casting them, I think it is important to note that this practice was an ancient practice, and after the day of Pentecost there is no mention of casting lots in the Bible as a way of trying to find divine direction.

Why Did the Disciples Cast Lots to Choose Judas' Replacement?

When you come to this instance of casting lots in the New Testament, I believe you are witnessing a transition from the Old Testament way of making decisions and deciphering God’s will to the way we make decisions today.

There is a clear distinction between the decision making before Pentecost and after Pentecost. The difference is after Pentecost believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, which meant they no longer had to rely upon an outward witness to decipher what God’s will was in a particular situation. They now had an inward witness, mainly God the Holy Spirit who would now lead and direct them. This is what Jesus promised in John 16:13, that the Holy Spirit would guide us in all truth. At the time they were choosing Matthias, the Holy Spirit had not been given to them yet, so the disciples relied on the ancient custom of casting lots because this is what they were used to.

Casting lots was the attempt to figure out God’s direction, which is why the Bible does not condemn casting lots. What we must remember today is we don’t have to cast lots anymore it is simply not necessary. We don’t have to wonder what direction God wants us to take because He will guide us by His Holy Spirit.

Our job now is to make sure we are in tune with the Holy Spirit, because when we are we will know what God wants us to do, and most importantly we will have the ability to do it.

Pentecost commemorates the miraculous day when the Holy Spirit first came to live inside believers.

50 days after Jesus’s resurrection, flames burst forth from Heaven, and all those who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ were instantly filled with God’s Spirit.  

This empowered each Believer to live as a new creation in Christ—it united them with God and with each other to form the Body of Christ—otherwise known as the Church.

Christians today continue to commemorate Pentecost and celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after Easter in either May or June. In 2026, Pentecost Sunday is on May 24th.

Pentecost changed everything. Now, all who believe in Jesus are filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit and are made one in Christ from the moment they first believe.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6, emphasis added).

Acts 2 - Jesus’s apostles spent 40 days with their resurrected Lord and Savior before they watched Him ascend into Heaven. Before Jesus left, He promised never to abandon them. He told them to wait for a very special gift that would prove even more valuable than His earthly presence. The Spirit of Truth, their helper, their promised Spirit—would soon watch over them and prepare them for ministry (Acts 1:4).

So, they waited, not knowing how long the wait would last, the group fervently prayed day by day. Peter led the initiative to appoint a replacement for Judas Iscariot. “And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God” (Luke 24:51-53). With eager anticipation the faithful followers banded together with one goal, one purpose, and one hope—to receive the promised Holy Spirit.

Meanwhile, thousands upon thousands of God-fearing Jews from every nation flooded into Jerusalem to celebrate The Feast of Shavuot, one of the three pilgrimage feasts required by Jewish law (Deuteronomy 16:16). On the morning of the feast, all law-abiding Jews gathered at the Temple to hear the reading of the Torah and to offer the first harvest of their crops to the Lord.

The followers of Jesus were seated together on the day of the feast. It was their tenth day of waiting. Suddenly, the hiss of a violent wind filled their senses and the whole room. A blast of fire appeared and peeled into separate flames that rested upon each Believer. Instantly, each was filled with the Holy Spirit and began declaring the wonders of God in diverse languages that were not their own. Some of the onlookers questioned what the bizarre sign could mean. Others mocked the babbling disciples and accused them of drunkenness.

Ignited by the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter stood to address the crowd. He assured them that the anointed Believers were sober and of sound mind. Then he boldly proclaimed the Gospel message.

Upon hearing the Good News, the people had a change of heart. They begged Peter and the other apostles to tell them what they should do. Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call”(Acts 2:38).

Peter fervently warned and urged the crowd to flee from worldly corruption by receiving Jesus’s gift of new life. About 3,000 lost souls heard and heeded the call. They accepted Jesus, were baptized, and became the first fruits of the bountiful soul harvest that took place on Pentecost.

The word Pentecost comes from the Greek word pentekoste, which means fiftieth. Pentecost is celebrated by today’s Western Christian Church on the fiftieth Sunday (or seven weeks) after Easter Sunday. Which is this Sunday May 24th.

Although Pentecost receives little recognition as a holiday compared to Christmas and Easter, the day commemorates one of the most significant events in Christian history. The Holy Spirit is not a mystical force. He is literally the Spirit of God. The third person of the Godhead, equal with God the Father, and with God the Son.

On Pentecost, God sent His Spirit to live inside Believers to fulfill his overall plan of redemption through us, His Church. As the Christianity.com article "6 Ways Pentecost Reminds Us of God's Global Mission" says, "When the church celebrates Pentecost each year, we are reminded of the Lord’s global mission to make disciples of all nations.

Pentecost is rightfully known as the birthday of the Church because the Church is not a building or an organization. The Church is Believers.

Those who are indwelled by God’s Spirit are individually and collectively set apart to be God’s Holy Temple, His Body, His Bride—and that’s something truly worth celebrating on Pentecost for every Believer.

Learning about demons is unpleasant. But it’s important to know what the Bible says about demons in order to protect yourself from them.

A demon is a fallen angel – one of the angels who rebelled against God in a quest for even more power long ago and became evil as a result. God created all angels to be holy angels with purely good natures. However, whenever any creature separates from God (who is the source of all that’s good) that creature’s nature changes from good to evil because it no longer is connected to the source of goodness. A demon used to be a holy angel but now has an evil nature because it has become corrupted by sin.

The Bible says that demons were banished from heaven with Satan because they rebelled against God.

Jesus often delivered people from demons during His ministry on Earth. Throughout the Gospels, you’ll notice many different encounters between Jesus and demons. Each time, Jesus stopped the demons’ evil work and brought spiritual healing for diverse types of afflictions.

The Bible says that demons are working on Earth today, fighting to destroy God’s work and deceive people.  Demonic possession – in which demons enter the bodies of humans – can happen to vulnerable people who aren’t connected to God in saving relationships, as the Gospel stories of demon possession show. However, Christians cannot become bodily possessed, because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us (Romans 8:38-39 and 1 Corinthians 3:16).

Demons can harm you in a variety of ways, from lying to you and tempting you to sin, to causing mental anguish like depression and anxiety or physical illnesses or injuries in your life. Thankfully, with God’s help you can protect yourself from falling prey to demons.

 Here's how:

Put on Your Spiritual Battle Armor: Ephesians 6:11 urges you to: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Ephesians 6:13-17 describes the armor you should put on for the strength to win the unseen yet real spiritual battles around you: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the Gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. You can do all of that by asking God to help you day by day.

Test the Spiritual Messages You Receive: Don’t just accept whatever messages you may receive from angels as true without examining and testing those messages. 1 John 4:1 advises: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Beware of false messages. Satan, whom demons follow, is “a liar and the father of lies,” according to John 8:44, demons may speak as false prophets.

Pursue Wisdom Through a Close Relationship with God: While demons can easily influence you to sin if you’re not walking closely with God, you can gain the wisdom you need to overcome temptation by staying close to God.

Choose to Follow Where God Leads: Finally, it's important to intentionally base your daily decisions on the values that reflect what God says matters most. Choose to do what’s right, as God leads you, whenever you can. Don't compromise what you believe when you make choices each day. This is vital because demons are constantly tempting you to sin to try to pull you away from God.

Demons are fallen angels who are dangerous because of their evil actions toward humanity. However, through a relationship with Jesus, you have access to all the power you need to protect yourself from demons. Colossians 2:15 says that Jesus has “disarmed the powers and authorities,” and “made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross”. When you resist demons through God’s power, you have nothing to fear.

Like Joseph’s coat of many colors, the Bible is filled with an array of colors. Scriptures employ the colors of the rainbow in their various shades. But is there any significance to these colors?

While there may be some level of insight gained or helped from understanding a poetic or symbolic meaning of a color, it is not essential to the faith.

In Isaiah 1:18 we also see red as a symbol of sin that is contrasted with the purity of white. Red is connected with the life blood of people and animals (Genesis 9:4-6) as well as fiery passion. Because of the blood of Christ, this color also has become a color of redemption.

Many of the associations which we have with colors today were also held in biblical times. Often, they are more poetic than carrying some hidden meaning. Green is often used as a symbol of life and vigor. Grass, trees, etc. come to life with a vibrant green in the spring. As with green, so also purple carried some of the same associations we have today. Purple is the color of royalty and majesty. As such it is often associated with YHWH. And shades of blue/purple were woven into the priestly garments.

Color plays a significant role in providing the context of worship. Here are a few of these.

• In January, during the season of Epiphany, you’ll likely see the church decorated in Green
• During Lent (usually February-March) the color purple is prominent.
• In some churches the color changes to Red for the week immediately before Easter.
• For Easter the colors are white and/or gold
• Pentecost, because of the association of fire, give red the prominence during May-June
• At this point, because it is considered an ordinary time, the color moves back to green until the season of Advent.
• In early December, for Advent, the color is blue and purple.
• Once again during Christmas the birth of Christ is represented with white and/or gold

Colors are all throughout the Bible. They do carry some level of symbolic meaning, but not such that should be pressed too far. Colors can be emotive and carry associations with them. For this reason, the colors of a liturgical calendar can hold powerful reminders of the biblical truths which they represent.

Here are a few examples of the colors used in the Bible.

1. Red

Isaiah 1:18 - "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

2. White

Revelation 7:14 - "I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'"

3. Purple

Acts 16:14 - "One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul."

4. Blue

Exodus 25:4 - "Blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair."

5. Green

Psalm 23:2 - "He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."

6. Gold

Exodus 25:11 - "You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it."

7. Black

Isaiah 50:3 – “I clothe the heavens with blackness and make sackcloth their covering.”

8. Silver

Proverbs 25:11 - "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."

9. Bronze

Exodus 27:2 - "And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze."

10. Rainbow

Revelation 4:3 - "And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald."

The story of the flood is told in Genesis chapters six through nine. This passage starts with a strange description of the sons of God and daughters of men seemingly producing the Nephilim. Mixed in with this is God’s response to the wickedness of the world and His determination to destroy it all. Following this was God’s instruction to Noah to build a large boat and take on board pairs of all the animals. God was going to be sending a massive flood that would destroy all life not on board the ark.

So, Noah built the boat and loaded the animals that God brought to him. No sooner was this done than the rain began, and the springs erupted. It rained for 40 days, and the ground was flooded for over a year. Finally, the waters subsided enough for everyone to come out of the ark. Noah offered a sacrifice and God responded by committing Himself to never again destroy the earth by flood.

The most obvious answer to the question of why God flooded the world is the one given twice in the first few verses. Genesis 6:5-7 tells us that the Lord saw how wicked humanity had become, that every inclination of our hearts was to do evil. And He determined to wipe us from the face of the earth. Genesis 6:11-13 says essentially the same thing, going on to give instructions to Noah about saving a remnant of life on earth. So, it would seem like humanity had reached a point where, if God had not intervened, they would likely have destroyed themselves. And so God stepped in and put an end to the wickedness of those days.

Genesis 6:1-4 is a very puzzling passage. And one that we often just scratch our heads over and go on. In these first 4 verses there are three specific groups mentioned: the sons of God; the daughters of humans; and the Nephilim. Who are these three groups? One common response is to identify the sons of God as the descendants of Seth, and those who call on the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26). The daughters of humans would then be the descendants of Cain and the Nephilim would simply be their offspring.

I believe a more likely explanation identifies the sons of God as being the same group mentioned in Job 1:6 and Job 2:1. In Job, the NIV translates sons of God as angels. But it is the same expression as used in Genesis 6:1, 4. That would mean this passage then describes a sexual union between angels and humans. And their offspring were the Nephilim.

This less obvious alternative to why God sent the flood is not really an alternative. Rather it provides additional information leading to God’s decision. At least a part of the reason for the rampant human wickedness had to do with the fall of this group of angels and their influence on humanity. God sent a flood to cleanse the physical earth. And he bound the fallen angels in chains awaiting a future judgement.

One final thought as to why God flooded the earth comes from 2 Peter 2:4-6 and 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. These passages both look at historical events described in the Scripture. These were times when God had punished the sinful activities of humanity. And both passages describe this punishment as being an example to us. The 2 Peter reference specifically identifies the fallen angels and the flood of Noah’s days as being an example of what will happen to the ungodly.

Clearly God does not immediately execute judgement and punishment on every transgression of humanity. But He has given us plenty of examples of what will happen to sinful humanity. Our punishment may be delayed, but it is just as certain as the flood.

I believe we can find two distinct reasons for the flood. The first, and most obvious reason, is because of the sinfulness of humanity. A sinfulness that seemed to have reached an all-time peak, potentially aided by a group of fallen angels.

A second and more significant reason for the flood is the example that it provides for us. God takes the sinfulness of humanity seriously. Even though the flood was a one-time event, it does remind us that judgement awaits those who persist in living in rebellion against our creator.

In 1 Corinthians 15:52, Paul tells us that at the resurrection, when the last trumpet sounds, “We will be changed.” What does this actually mean? Will we get new bodies? Does the Bible say we will have glorified bodies in heaven? The answer is yes, though it’s not actually new bodies we’ll be getting but transformed ones.

We know that those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior “shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:6). As Jesus continues in John 6:40, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

When we who believe get to heaven, we will be assured of a glorious, joyful existence, a reward gifted to us in God’s great mercy for our faith and obedience. There, Jesus said, we will live in His “Father’s house,” which has many rooms (John 14:2). Heaven is not an idea or a figment of imagination but a reality, a place we can count on.

It’s also our new home. In Philippians 3:20-21, Paul reminds us that our true citizenship is there, in heaven, where the Lord Jesus “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”

Paul also notes that Jesus will do this “by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control” (v. 21). He’ll take our current bodies, then, and transform them into a body “like His.”

In 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 Paul elaborates, sharing, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’”

Paul also notes in verse 49 that just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, “So shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” It’s a change we will experience, taking what we are now and perfecting it so we will be like Jesus — glorious.

The Bible doesn’t offer much detail about what our bodies will look like or even what kind of body this will be. But like the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, we can trust that it will be wonderful — perfectly determined by God, powerful, and imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:38-44). Our earthly bodies are decaying from the moment we are born, experiencing sickness, frailty, and disease.

The New Testament was written in Greek, so we must understand that all English versions of the Bible are translations from the original language. In Philippians 3:21, when Paul writes that Jesus “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body,” the original Greek for “transform” is metaschēmatizō, which translates to transfigure, disguise, transfer, or transform.

Consider the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17. Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountaintop, where he was “transfigured” — or “transformed” — before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.

The original Greek for “glorious” is doxa, meaning glory, splendor, and brilliance. The NIV Exhaustive Concordance says the word comes from the base meaning of the awesome light that radiates from God’s presence.

Reading the full verse, that we’ll “be like” his glorious body, the original Greek for “be like” is symmorphos, meaning conformed or similar in form. Symmorphos is the same word used in Romans 8:29, which also speaks to how we will “be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

The bottom line here is that, when we get to heaven, we’ll look and actually be similar to Jesus — glorified, splendorous, and brilliant — reflecting the awesome light of God. What a gift and a blessing.

Our old bodies bear the scars of sin. They are subject to sin as well as death; they are weak and prone to pain. They falter with age and succumb to illness and decay, from deteriorated bones to thickened arteries to our overall immune system decline. We’re also prone to spiritual attack, emotional ailments, mood swings, and other body-mind issues. These bodies aren’t fit for the glory of heaven.

As Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”

Consider what Jesus taught about putting new wine in new wineskins (Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22, and Luke 5:37-39). While the crux of the teaching points to the futility of trying to fit the transformative gospel into old, outdated ways of thinking, it also parallels the notion that our old bodies are meant for earth, while for heaven we’ll have newly transformed bodies suited in every way for our new home.

We don’t have to know exactly what our bodies will look like or what heaven will be like. Some things are yet a mystery. But we do know that we who believe are guaranteed a home forever in heaven. And when we get there, we’ll have glorious bodies to go along with our new glorious home. What a sight that will be!

Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 followers that Jesus anointed to be in His inner circle, later known as the apostles. Judas traveled with Jesus for three years, and apparently didn’t create many waves in the group.

Jesus and His disciples were staying with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. Mary took a jar of expensive perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping the perfume with her hair. Judas rebuked her for wasting the perfume when she could have sold it and given the money to the poor, although he didn’t actually care about the poor. He cared about the money because he was in charge of the group’s finances and would help himself to the bag (John 12:6). Jesus responded by telling Judas to leave Mary alone.

After this, Judas went to meet the religious leaders who were plotting to kill Jesus, and Lazarus as well since Jesus had raised him from the dead. He asked how much they would pay him to betray Jesus and got 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:1-6). Whether Judas did this meeting immediately after Jesus rebuked him or several days later is hard to say. Traditional church calendars commemorate the event happening on Spy Wednesday, the fourth day of Holy Week.

After the Last Supper, Judas brought some men to the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus, identifying Jesus by greeting Him with a kiss (Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-50, John 18:3-12). After this Jesus was arrested and condemned to die, which apparently surprised Judas. Matthew 27:3-10 states that Judas felt convicted, threw the bribe money back at the religious leaders, and hanged himself. Acts 1:15-18 claims that he used the money to buy a field and died in it, falling headfirst on the ground while his intestines burst.

We know that Judas Iscariot is mentioned in Mark 3:9’s list of all 12 disciples, and it’s generally believed that “Iscariot” specified where Judas came from: it meant “man of Kerioth.”

The disciples continue following Jesus, and He warned them that although He chose all 12 of them, “one of you is a devil!” (John 6:70).

So, Jesus knew even before reaching Jerusalem (possibly right from the start) who would betray Him.  Jesus also hinted that Judas didn’t believe in His mission from the start and described Judas’ unbelief as showing how “no one can come to Me unless it is granted Him by the Father” (John 6:65).

Why precisely Judas Iscariot chose to betray Jesus is not entirely clear.

Based on Jesus’ comment that Judas didn’t believe in Him, it seems that he joined Jesus’ group for selfish reasons.

We do know that Judas decided to betray Jesus after his greed was called out, so he may have worried that Jesus knew about him embezzling funds and wanted to avoid being caught. We also know that Mark 27 says Judas was convicted after learning that Jesus was condemned to die.

Judas thought Jesus would be arrested but not killed. However, he may not have expected Jesus to die by crucifixion (a brutal execution method normally reserved for the worst criminals). Therefore, it’s at least a little bit possible that Judas hadn’t considered the full consequences of his actions.

The question of how much Judas Iscariot chose of his free will to betray Jesus, and how much he was influenced by outside forces, is hard to say. Luke is the one Gospel that gives an explicit reason for Judas’ behavior, stating that once Jesus and His group had arrived in Jerusalem, “Satan entered into Judas Iscariot… and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them” (Luke 22:3-5).

it’s hard to say whether Judas was tempted by demons and took the bait or was possessed by demons. It is interesting that at the Last Supper, Jesus talks about Judas in a way that suggests some free will, a possibility to turn back. After telling His disciples that one will betray Him, Jesus adds, “the Son of Man goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born” (Mark 14:21). Jesus telling the whole room how bad things for His betrayer could have been a public warning, giving Judas a chance to reconsider.

The second prophecy describes how another would take Judas’ office (Psalms 109:8), which happened when Matthias took his spot among the apostles.

Given all this information, it’s possible that Judas did have a choice about whether he betrayed Jesus, a possibility to reject Satan’s suggestions. We won’t fully know this side of eternity the extent to which free will and God’s will played in his situation.

Without the resurrection, Christianity means nothing. Paul makes this argument in 1 Corinthians 15. In this chapter, he speaks about both Christ’s resurrection and ours at the end of the age. They are connected. Jesus rising from the dead and living now means that one day, for those who follow and live in Him, we will also be resurrected in a new body for eternity.

Every Christian should trust in the resurrection event 2,000 years ago. Because Jesus rose from the dead, it made it possible for us to live an eternal life with Jesus.

And yet Jesus wasn’t the only person who was raised from the dead. The Old Testament has several accounts where people came alive again after death. And resurrections happened in the New Testament, as well.

How many people were resurrected in the Bible? And what does that mean for us today?

The first recorded resurrection happens in 1 Kings 17:17-24 when the prophet Elijah raises the son of a widow in Zarephath. The boy had gotten sick and died. Elijah takes the boy’s body to the upper room where he stayed, puts him on the bed, and prays to God. Through the prophet’s prayer, God revives the child, and Elijah returns him to his mother. This event gave evidence to God’s power and Elijah’s call. “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth” (1 Kings 17:24).

Elijah’s successor, Elisha, performs a very similar miracle in 2 Kings 4:18-37. A Shunammite woman’s son dies suddenly. The woman seeks Elisha’s help. Elisha prays to God and lies on the boy. After doing this a few times, the boy sneezes seven times and opens his eyes. The son’s resurrection not only gives the mother joy and faith but also affirms Elisha’s ministry. God further revealed his compassionate love.

Finally, a strange resurrection occurs in 2 Kings 13:20-21. After Elisha’s death, a group of men place a corpse in Elisha’s grave. Raiders had arrived, and they threw the dead man in and ran. When the dead man’s body touches Elisha’s bones, he comes back to life and stands on his feet. The Old Testament records this to support the great spiritual anointing Elisha had, even in his bones.

God raised several people from the dead in the New Testament, both before and after Jesus’ resurrection.

In one instance, Jesus raises the son of a widow in Nain (Luke 7:11-17), somewhat reminiscent of Elijah and Elisha. As a funeral procession passes by, Jesus becomes moved by compassion. He touches the coffin and commands the young man to rise. The dead man sits up and starts to talk, stunning the crowd, who glorifies God.

In Mark 5:21-43, Jesus brings Jairus’ daughter back to life. Jairus is a synagogue leader, a local position of religious power, and he asks Jesus to heal his sick daughter. By the time they arrive, they get news the daughter is dead. However, Jesus enters the house, saying she only sleeps. People mock Christ, and He puts most of them out of the room and house before taking the girl by the hand. He says, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” Immediately, the girl gets up and walks, filling the people with awe.

In the Gospels, John 11:1-44 gives the most detail and drama of the story of Lazarus, Jesus’ close friend. The brother of Mary and Martha, Lazarus becomes ill and dies before Jesus arrives in Bethany. When Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Jesus expresses great grief, showing how much He loved him, and then Jesus tells the grieving crowd to move the stone from the grave. Christ prays to His Father then commands the dead man, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus walks out of the tomb, still wrapped in burial clothes. Jesus tells the crowd to remove the wrappings.

After Jesus’ resurrection, Peter raises Tabitha from the dead in Acts 9:36-42. A much beloved disciple in Joppa, Tabitha (also known as Dorcas) died. The disciples there ask for Peter to help her. He prays and commands her to rise. She opens her eyes and sits up.

Later, in Acts 20:7-12, Paul is preaching a sermon when a young man, Eutychus goes to sleep and falls from a third-story window, dying. Paul goes down to the street, hugs him, and declares him alive. Eutychus gets up, alive again. The church returns to the upstairs room, and Paul continues teaching.

God held power over life and death even before Jesus. Christ’s death and resurrection accomplished a great work because He was the Messiah, fully God and fully man, and He was sinless. But the idea of resurrection predates the New Testament. It wouldn’t have been beyond Jewish religious thought to believe a person could rise from the dead. The Old Testament stories show how God controls both the giving of life and death.

Second, these accounts reveal faith always made miracles possible. Jesus taught the power of faith, and He could easily reference narratives like when Elisha restored the widow’s son. The woman didn’t give into despair and sorrow. Instead, she calls for the prophet, an act of faith. Elisha also believed in God’s power. Their example reveals how we can have faith in seemingly impossible situations.

Third, God’s miracles reach out to those in need. Especially in the instances with Elijah and Elisha with the boys, God responds to people in grief. The widow had suffered loss already – that of her husband – and now the boy she loved. The Shunammite woman also lost her son, one God gave her after being barren many years. God cares deeply for people and those in need, showing he isn’t some distant God without any compassion.

Fourth, God’s miracles revealed his special servants. Particularly with the dead man who lived again after touching Elisha’s bones, the Old Testament makes the point that God empowered his prophets and servants to accomplish great things and give him glory. Additionally, we see the lesson of persistent prayer with Elisha, how he didn’t give up when the intercession seemed to fail the first time. Both prophets continually called upon God.

Again, even before his own resurrection, Jesus demonstrated His authority over life and death – more than once. To show how the Kingdom of God was in the process of coming to earth, He cast out demons, healed the sick, and raised the dead. Christ’s supernatural activity in these areas fought the curse of death from the Fall, whose source was the Devil’s deception. Jesus held power over all aspects of this world (including nature when he calmed the storm), and when He raised people from the dead, He gave evidence of His identity – the Son of God.

Just as in the Old Testament, the Gospels point out how faith proves central in each instance. Jairus asks for Jesus specifically, despite the grim outlook. Jesus references people’s faith often when responding with a miracle. With Lazarus, Jesus teaches how resurrection isn’t something apart from Himself. “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).

God continued to express His love and compassion through the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus promised His disciples would do His same work, and even more, with the Holy Spirit (John 14:12). Acts records for us how the Spirit fulfilled this promise through Peter and Paul. Along with God’s continued love and care, these stories after Jesus’ resurrection reveal how God’s power and the supernatural still affirm His followers.

Other than Jesus, each resurrection holds one similarity: God used a person to resurrect the dead. Yet no one came to Jesus’ tomb and raised Him, not one of His disciples or anyone else. God Himself raised Jesus, completing the work all alone. This sets Jesus’ resurrection apart, and even more importantly, it fulfills his statement, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Every resurrection leads to Christ’s saving work on the cross. He paid the penalty for sin, and his resurrection proved His sacrifice sufficient for the task. Paul teaches that if Christ hadn’t been raised, faith is futile and we are still in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17). Jesus’ resurrection secures our salvation by grace through faith, and not of ourselves but in Him. This enables us to live in power over sin and death now through the Spirit and in the future as we are raised after death to new bodies as Jesus had. “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead … we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4).

Jesus’ resurrection now includes our own, in which the power of sin and all consequences were defeated. Death itself is conquered and left powerless. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

In preaching the cross and resurrection of Jesus, teaching the stories of raising people from the dead in the Bible, and hearing testimonies of how God still does so today, we have hope in our future resurrection and can call others to that same hope.

Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday, six days before the crucifixion, Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Both the Old Testament prophecy and Jesus’s fulfillment are chronicled in all four Gospels (Matthew 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19).

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:1-9)

Holy Monday

In the morning, Jesus cursed the out-of-season fig tree for having no figs. That was really symbolic. In the Old Testament, figs represented the nation of Israel. Jesus was declaring that the nation of Israel had become spiritually bankrupt. Israel was dead out of season (Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14):

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. (Mark 11:12-14)

Then, in the afternoon, Jesus entered Jerusalem and cleansed the Temple. The temple courts had devolved into a marketplace for the buying and selling of animals to be sacrificed on the Temple altar. There, moneychangers plied their cheating trade. What was once a sacred place had become a disaster.

Jesus was incensed: “This is My Father’s house and you have made it a den of thieves” (Luke 19:45-46, also see Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19;).

Holy Tuesday

Tuesday was a busy day.

Jesus spent all day in Jerusalem sparring with religious leaders, teaching parables, and healing the sick.

He taught the Parables of the Great Supper, the Good and Wicked Servants, the Ten Virgins, the Two Sons, The Owner of the Vineyard, The Wedding Banquet, and the Ten Talents (Matthew 21:23-39; Mark 11:20-12:44; Luke 20:1-21:4; John 12:20-50).

Jesus also declared the Greatest Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37).

He pronounced woes upon the Scribes and Pharisees:

“Woe to you” he said, “you don’t practice what you preach; you tie heavy loads upon the people’s shoulders, but you are unwilling to lift a finger to move them; you travel over land and sea to make one proselyte and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are; you hypocrites; snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?; etc.!” (Matthew 23:13-39, paraphrased)

But then, Jesus commended the Widow’s Mite when the widow placed all she had left into the Temple offering plate:

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)

When the Pharisees tried to trap him with an economic issue about Roman taxes, Jesus said, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17; Luke 20:20-26). He so astounded the Jewish leaders with His wisdom that they never tried to entrap Him again.

Secretly, to His disciples, Jesus once again predicted His coming death and resurrection. But the disciples had no idea what He was talking about As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. (Matthew 24).

Jesus spent the rest of the evening teaching the signs and wonders surrounding His second coming. This is the only place in Scripture where Jesus Himself shared His understanding of the end times (Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-38).

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:25-28)

Spy Wednesday

The highlight of the day occurred during the evening. Jesus was anointed by Mary in Bethany (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8).

In 36 hours, Jesus would be on the cross—and the only person who figured out the crucifixion and coming resurrection was Mary. The disciples had no idea what was going on! Later that night, immediately after supper, Judas arranged to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16):

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Maundy Thursday

Jesus and His disciples observed the Passover and the Lord’s Supper in the Upper Room (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-30; John 13:1-30).

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, He said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.” They were very sad and began to say to Him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born. ”Then Judas, the one who would betray Him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.

”While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,

“Take and eat; this is My body. ”Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:20-29)

Luke tells us that immediately after sharing the bread and wine, the disciples began arguing over which of them was the greatest (Luke 22:31-38). Jesus was giving His life away, and they were arguing about who was the best!

Then Jesus predicted Peter’s denial, and Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same (Matthew 26:31-35).

But Jesus knew. He knew they would run. That evening, Jesus gave His farewell comments to the Disciples: “All men will know that you are My disciples by your love for one another” (John 13:35). (Also see Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:31-John 16:33). 

Jesus shared that He was going away. The disciples were quite dismayed. Philip said, “You can’t leave now! We don’t know where You are going, and we don’t know how to get there, and besides, we don’t even know who You are!” Jesus said, “Philip, you still don’t know who I am?” 

Finally, before leaving the Upper Room, Jesus prayed His intercessory prayer for His disciples in John 17. 

Jesus took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. While He prayed in agony, begging God to avoid the cup of suffering, He asked them to pray for Him. Because He was fully human (as well as fully God), He actually needed their comfort and support. But they fell asleep and left Him all alone. Jesus said: “Could you not pray for Me one hour?” The disciples failed, so God sent angels to comfort Jesus (Matthew 26:30, 36-46; Mark 14:26, 32-42; Luke 22:39-46).

Now Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons.

Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”“ Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.“ I am He,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Again He asked them, “Who is it you want?”“ Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He. If you are looking for Me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words He had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave Me.” (John 18:2-9)

Jesus was arrested and taken to the house of Annas and then to Caiaphas the high priest early Friday morning.

Good Friday

Filled with deep remorse, Judas hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-11; Acts 1:18).

According to Jesus, Judas was predestined to betray Him.  No matter how we try to analyze predestination with free will, Judas could have returned to Jesus, repented, and asked for forgiveness. You know that Christ would have forgiven him. Jesus died for him, too.

Jesus was arrested and taken to the home of Annas and Caiaphas for an illegal trial by the Jewish leaders, who were making plans to have Jesus executed (Matthew 27:2).

The Jews dragged Him to Pilate and then to Herod where He was mocked, ridiculed, and crowned with thorns. Herod sent him back to Pilate. Neither ruler wanted to kill Him. But the people shouted to release Barabbas instead of Jesus (Matthew 27:11-31; Mark 15:1-20; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:18-John 19:16).

Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have Him punished and then release Him.” But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. (Luke 23:20-25)

While Jesus was being tossed around among Caiaphas, Pilate, and King Herod, Peter denied His Lord three times (Matthew 26:57-Matthew 27:10; Mark 14:53-72; Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27).

Jesus and Pilate talked about truth. Pilate then condemned Jesus to die, had Him scourged, and sent Him to the cross. Pilate washed his hands of being the cause of Jesus’s death (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-11).

Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27:32-61; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-47); 

“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals—one on His right, the other on His left” (Luke 23:33). 

Jesus’ last words from the cross were:

1. Matthew 27:46 tells us that about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

2. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

3. “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

4. “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

5. “Dear Woman, here is your son!” and “Here is your mother!” (John 19:26-27).

6. “I am thirsty” (John 19:28).

7. “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

That night, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. He and Nicodemus wrapped the body with spices and linen, per Jewish customs. Then they laid Him in the tomb, guarded by Roman soldiers (John 19:38-42).

Holy Saturday

Jesus was in the tomb. He preached to the spirits in prison.

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; which He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly did not obey when God’s patience waited. (2 Peter 3:18-20)

There is a lot of discussion about what Christ may or may not have done on Saturday. Some use this verse to Others teach that He went down into hell and experienced the horrors and suffering there. Maybe He just stayed in the tomb. We just don’t know for certain what He was doing on Saturday.

Resurrection Sunday

This is the Resurrection!

And the angel said to the women, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, He was crucified. He has risen. He is not here; see the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:5-6)

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen clothes lying, and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple [John] who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed. (John 20:3-8)

What led John to believe?

Jesus was prepared for burial with layer after layer of linen burial cloths encircling His body, with spices distributed within its folds. 

When Jesus rose from the dead, through the grave clothes and the wrappings, which then fell down intact where His body used to be.

Our salvation was completed in this Holy Week by our Savior’s ultimate sacrifice. 

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Jesus is Alive!

Open Arms Christian Ministries

Will We See Adam and Eve in Heaven?

Adam and Eve. These were the first two people God created and, as you know, he gave them one command about a tree and some fruit that unfortunately they could not keep. When Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden, we know they walked with God. After their sin, God kicked them out of the garden. As you read through the Bible, there is not much mentioned about Adam once you get past Genesis 5.

For the two people who introduced sin into the world by their disobedience, what is their eternal fate? Will we see Adam and Eve in heaven?

1. Adam and Eve Had a Relationship with God That We Have Never Had

Adam and Eve, for however long they were in the garden, enjoyed perfect fellowship with the Lord. They experienced him in a manner in which we never have. You may have had wonderful encounters in God’s presence, but you have never experienced God in a condition of perfection where you walked with him in a sinless state. Adam and Eve had this type of relationship with God when they were in the garden.It is safe to make the assumption they never forgot that experience and they longed to return to it. For this reason, I believe it is reasonable to speculate they remained true to their allegiance to God once they were out of the garden, because they desired to get back there.

2. Adam and Eve Maintained Their Relationship after They Left the GardenEvery sign from Genesis speaks to Adam and Eve maintaining their relationship with God after the garden. When Eve gave birth to their first son, she acknowledged God in it.“Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, ‘With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man’” (Genesis 4:1).3. Adam Passed on a Tradition of Faith to His ChildrenThe first two children Adam and Eve had were Cain and Abel. When you read about them in Genesis 4, it is safe to make an assertion that Adam and Eve passed on their belief in God to their children.“Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering — fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast” (Genesis 4:2-5).From this passage, you see Cain and Abel deciding to bring an offering to the Lord. They had to learn this from somewhere, and it is logical to assume their parents taught them to do this.

“Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, ‘God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.’ Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:25-26).

When Adam was 130 years old, Seth was born. The Bible tells us in Genesis 5 that Adam lived 800 years after Seth was born. It was during this period of 800 years that people began to call on the name of the Lord.

By comparison, consider his son Cain. In Genesis 4, after bringing their offerings, God accepts Abel’s offering but rejects Cain’s offering. Cain was angry over this and eventually ended up killing his brother. However, there is something interesting God told Cain.

By what God told Cain, we can deduce that Cain knew what the right thing to do was and if he did it, God would accept him. Yet we know Cain gave into his sin and did not do the right thing. From this inference, we can also assume that Adam and Eve knew what the right thing to do was. When you search the Scriptures after the garden, there is no mention of Adam or Eve doing the wrong thing or of God rejecting them after they left the garden.

all that happened after the garden, I believe you can conclude that we will see Adam and Eve in heaven.

Since Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, we can look for Adam and Eve together.