STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as…  Read More

So I swore in My wrath,`They shall not enter My rest’” (Psa 95:11). Please read Hebrews 4:1-10 It was a tragic story with which every Hebrew was familiar; how, at the brink of Canaan, the Israelites refused to go in. “Our enemies are too big,” they said, implying their God was too small. They wept,…  Read More

“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this he is required as for…  Read More

(Hebrews 6:1-8) Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do…  Read More

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” without father, without mother,…  Read More

“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. For every high priest…  Read More

“Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating…  Read More

“For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept…  Read More

For most of us, the name Moses evokes powerful images. Moses standing before mighty Pharaoh. Moses leading the exodus from Egypt. Moses raising his staff over the Red Sea. Moses ascending Mount Sinai as it quaked and flamed with the presence of God. Moses smashing the tablets on which God Himself had written the Ten…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT He is known to history as “Cyrus the Great”; born 590 B.C., died 529 B.C. A skilled military strategist, Cyrus united the tribes of Persia (modern-day Iran), defeated the Medes and Babylonians, extended the Persian Empire westward to Macedonia and eastward to India, and showed extraordinary compassion to the people…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “Then the men of Israel took some of their [the Gibeonites’] provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.” (Joshua 9:14) After forty years of wilderness wanderings, the Israelites finally entered the Promised Land to conquer and possess it. Cities fell, kings fled, nations trembled—not because of Israel’s power…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.” (Isaiah 49:15-16a) For nearly seven centuries, from the time of Moses to…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?” Is anything too hard for the Lord?’” (Genesis 18:13-14a) Outside the tent the men were talking. Inside the tent, near the entrance, Sarah was listening. When she heard one…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT Life is a journey. As Christian travelers, we’re simply passing through the Temporary on our way to the Eternal. During the trip, we often face dangers, difficult terrain, ups and downs. What can prepare us for the journey? Psalm 121, often called the Traveler’s Psalm, provides the answers. I will…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT The Bible mentions more than one hundred plants, herbs, and trees; everything from acacia and aloe to wheat and wormwood. Knowing the appearance and properties of these plants can help us better understand their use in Scripture. For example, consider the mandrake plants referenced in Genesis 30:14-16. “Now Reuben went…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT THE HYSSOP PLANT is mentioned twelve times in Scripture1—ten times in the Old Testament and twice in the New. The most familiar reference may be Psalm 51:7, where David writes, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Of the…  Read More

“And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 As a boy, I often puzzled over the gifts of the Magi. Gold was certainly a treasure. But what was myrrh, and who was Frank? Eventually, I realized that “Frank” was not a person but a nation;…  Read More

“I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8) “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep.” Our first reaction to these words may be, “Well, of course David slept in peace. He was the king of Israel; powerful, popular, wealthy. He…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8) “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep.” Our first reaction to these words may be, “Well, of course David slept in peace. He was the king of…  Read More

GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT (Read Psalm 1) If you are on the right path, God’s path, happiness will come. It cannot be otherwise. The Hebrew word for “blessed” in Psalm 1 also means happy, whole, and full. Wherever it is used in the Old Testament, it always appears in the plural; literally, HAPPINESS-ES. When…  Read More