I like reading this biblical account (Genesis 17-21). A broad smile moves across my face every time my eyes meet the words of this inspired text… Abraham and Sarah were “expecting” their first child. Nothing special about that; millions of couples have anticipated the same blessing. However, the circumstances surrounding this particular birth were “unique”: 1) God had actually been talking about it for some twenty-five years (Genesis 12:4), and 2) Abraham was one hundred years old (Genesis 17:17; 21:5), while Sarah was ninety (Genesis 18:11-12) when the birth occurred. She had “passed the age of childbearing” [lit., the manner of woman had ceased to be with her]. Beyond the obvious miraculous intervention, one of the things that affects me about this story is all of the laughter. When God broke the “good news” to Abraham (Genesis 17:16), Scripture says that the patriarch “fell on his face and laughed” (Genesis 17:17). When Sarah heard the news, she laughed too (Genesis 18:11). Interestingly, when their son was finally born, Sarah was laughing again (Genesis 21:6) and the infant was named “Isaac” (Genesis 17:19), which meant, of course, laughter. My intent is not to be irreverent, but I can’t help but notice that when God was talking, people were laughing. Perhaps Abraham and Sarah found it hard to take the Almighty seriously when he had made such an “outrageous” promise. But as I consider the “humor” of the promise and birth of Isaac, I don’t want to miss the application of this …

To make a rational conclusion on any subject, one must first examine all the evidence and then make a conclusion based on that evidence. Many people today have placed the proverbial cart before the horse. In matters of a spiritual nature, some have fallen into the realm of pre-established supposition, and, when this happens, facts are frequently ignored or the wrong conclusions drawn. Some modern presuppositions include: 1. All religions are alike; 2. the Bible is full of errors; 3. miracles are impossible; and, 4. God does not exist. If we begin a factual search of any of these issues, without prejudice, the conclusions that we draw are quite different from those attained by preconception. Much mysticism surrounds the story of Jesus Christ. Many people have difficulty rationalizing what they have heard about Jesus because much does not fit with their own personal experiences. They have not seen anyone turn water into wine, wither a fig tree with a word or make the lame walk by faith, thus they perceive it as impossible and incomprehensible. Probably the most significant element of the Christian faith is the most physically, scientifically, logically impossible event that could have ever occurred: the resurrection of Jesus from the dead! Nothing in our life experience could prepare us for such a metaphysical event! Oh, we have heard of those who have been brought back to life shortly after being pronounced dead by a physician, but this does not begin to compare with the Gospel accounts of …

The Gospels tell the story of Jesus’ birth, life and death. In order to get the entire story, we need to read from all four books (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We know that all four books were written through inspiration, so they will not contradict each other. By compiling the records from all four books, we get a full picture of the events of our Savior on the cross. In this full picture, we find the seven last sayings of our Lord, uttered while on the cross. Not all seven sayings are found in one book alone. In fact, only the final saying of Christ is recorded in all four books. The records of Matthew and Mark run the closest together. They show the same events, but Mark adds that Christ was crucified at the third hour. Luke runs closely to Matthew and Mark with the addition of two of the last sayings. John records the least amount of detail regarding the crucifixion, yet contains the majority of the last sayings. To make it easier to follow the whole story, these seven last sayings of our Lord will be presented in chronological order rather than book by book. The first of the last sayings of Christ is recorded only in Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. …

As far back as I can remember I have heard preachers say such things as, “It must be admitted that faith and hope will terminate at the coming of Christ. Love is the greatest because it will abide forever.” It is my judgment that a deeper study of the question will convince us that the conclusion is incorrect, and based on either faulty logic or faulty exegesis, or both. I believe the song says, “faith will be lost in heavenly sight,” and the idea, no doubt, partly comes from a misuse of 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight (eidos — appearance).” And Romans 8:24 says, “But hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopeth for that which he seeth?” If one takes those Scriptures and makes an improper application of them, he involves himself in some ridiculous absurdities. For example, a man may see a new car. Does the expression, “For who hopeth for that which he seeth?” negate the idea that he may yet hope for that car? Surely not! Let us examine with a little more care whether or not it must be admitted that “faith and hope will terminate at the coming of Christ.” It is true that we walk by faith, not by sight. It is true that by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, and we would not need to have faith in the truthfulness of that statement if we had …

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-19) Peter offered the definitive answer. Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Peter had not learned this from some other man, but from God himself. Exactly how this revelation may have been given to Peter is not stated, but the truth of our Lord’s identity is not a matter of doubt for Peter, nor should it be for us. Everything we know about Jesus validates Peter’s confession. In addition to Peter’s confession, and the Lord’s own acknowledgment that he was the Son of God, we have the testimony of John the Baptist. Further, on at least three occasions the voice of God …

Sixty years ago, Gone With The Wind, arguably the most anticipated, best known and first favorite of all Hollywood epics, premiered in Atlanta. That sweeping story of the Old South, based on Margaret Mitchell’s best selling book, is still the one movie seen by more people than any other motion picture ever made. The film was destined to be a classic even before it was released. David Selznick was not only a master producer and creative power in Hollywood, but he was also a public relations expert. The country’s appetite for the movie was whetted by three years of delicious controversy and speculation. The international search for an actress to play the role of Scarlett O’Hara prompted heated debates in newspapers, magazines and society gatherings. When the movie premiered at last in Atlanta, that city of some three hundred thousand swelled to over one million! A list of “first” or “near firsts” for Gone With The Wind is noteworthy. The movie ran for nearly four hours, defying conventional wisdom that so long a film could not hold an audience’s attention. Technicolor technology had been around since 1917, but GWTW was the most ambitious movie to take advantage of the difficult — and expensive — process. In the bevy of Oscars and other awards showered on the film, an Academy Award was presented to the first black performer, Hattie McDaniel, for her portrayal of Mammy. And GWTW was the first big feature film to say “” on the screen. Rhett Butler’s parting jab at Scarlett is the most …

An acquaintance with three kingdoms, earthly, spiritual and heavenly, is enlightening. I. An Earthly Kingdom At Hebron, after the death of King Saul, “the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah” (2 Samuel 2:4). “In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty three years over all Israel and Judah” (2 Samuel 5:5). I am certain many godly men and women have been, and are today, “after [God’s] own heart,” though in Scripture only one is recorded: “I [God] have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all of my wishes” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). God swore to David that he would “set one of his descendants on his throne” (2 Samuel 7:16; Psalm 89:34-37; Acts 2:30), saying, “From the fruit of your body will I set [one] upon your throne” (Psalm 132:11). II. The Spiritual Kingdom In “the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4), an angel appeared to Mary, “a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David” (Luke 1:26-27). Mary also was of the house of David, being the daughter of Eli (TALMUD, Bava Bathra, sec. 110 a), whose fathers descended from David through his son Nathan (Luke 3:23:31). To that surprised virgin the angel said: You will become pregnant and bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus. He will be great, and he will be called the Son …

“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve” (John 6:70-71). Yes, Jesus had a devil! He had twelve apostles and one of them was a devil! In what sense was Judas a devil? Obviously, it was in the sense that he gave in to what the devil desired him to do. Was He a Devil From the Beginning? Some have said, “Judas was a devil from the beginning.” The Bible does not say this. When Jesus chose Judas along with the other eleven apostles, they all had the potential of being loyal to the Lord. At some time, Judas allowed Satan to lead him to be deceptive and covetous and to be a traitor. Jesus knew he became like this even before he actually betrayed the Lord. One of the efforts of Satan to persuade Judas to do this bidding is in John 13:2, which says, “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.” The devil put into the heart of Judas ideas and desires which caused him to betray the Lord. This cannot mean that the devil forced something into the heart (or mind) of Judas, because Judas was a person of freewill. Just like us, God gave him the power to make decisions. He could have …

Luke recorded in Acts 21:26-27 that Paul purified himself in the temple along with four other men and paid their expenses. Did Paul sin? Four possibilities have been suggested: (1) Yes, without question he sinned. (2) Yes, but qualified by saying it was a mistake but perhaps not a sin. (3) No, but with some reservation as to his doing what was right. (4) No, he did not sin but did absolutely what was right. All four answers pose some problems, but if number four is not the correct, we have some serious problems. Notice the following: (1) If Paul sinned, then he did so at the advice of James, Jesus’ inspired brother who wrote the book of James. (2) If Paul sinned, then he did so based on the advice of elders who were probably inspired. The letter sent to the Gentiles by these same Jerusalem elders stated that it seemed good to the “Holy Spirit” (Acts 15:28), which must mean that they were directed to their conclusion by the Holy Spirit. (3) If Paul sinned, he did so as an inspired apostle after calmly considering the rightness or wrongness of his act. Some have pointed out that Peter made a mistake (Galatians 2:11-13) by withdrawing from eating with the Gentiles. Peter did this under social pressure to conform to a social tradition not to an inspired brother of Jesus and Jerusalem elders. Paul acted based on a doctrinal principle not on a social principle. Peter was corrected by …

One of the great things one cannot help but notice as he studies the Bible is that the Great Book does not merely talk to us in ways that are purely academic, or abstract, but often gives us some very concrete teachings concerning how we are to serve God here on the earth. God, for example, is not content to merely tell us that we are to live by faith, but he also shows us, from the lives of other people whom he approved, what it means to live by faith. That is a wonderful and powerful type of teaching, and one to which all can relate from the youngest to the oldest. As one goes through the Bible studying its sacred pages, he can see the mistakes and the successes of biblical characters, and from these learn what to do, and what not to do so far as living a successful life before God is concerned. He can look at the lives of such great people as Noah, Daniel, Josiah and others, and learn what God would have us do in order to be acceptable to him. He can look at other characters like Ahaz, Jezebel, Nabal and others in order to learn what he should avoid if he is to be acceptable in the sight of God. However, there is one thing that must never be forgotten about those characters who are approved of God in both the Old and New Testaments. They were not found acceptable in …

We have long understood that the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament make up God’s complete revelation to man. The Bible does mention other ancient books, however. Joshua 10:13 says, “The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher?” Among the other books mentioned are the acts of Solomon (1 Kings 14:11), the books of Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer (1 Chronicles 29:29), and the books of Shemaiah the prophet and Iddo the seer (2 Chronicles 12:15). Even more interestingly, Paul mentions a previous epistle: “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators” (1 Corinthians 5:9). Was the epistle telling them not to company with fornicators the original 1 Corinthians? Paul also wrote to the Christians of Colosse, “And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea” (Colossians 4:16). What is the “epistle from Laodicea?” The sixty-six books that make up the canon1 of Scripture are those books that have met the test of time, and have apostolic authority. For example, Peter warned that some of Paul’s writings are hard to understand, and thus were sometimes twisted by false teachers, as “also the other scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16). Thus he considered Paul’s writings to be scripture [inspired writings]. The books accepted in the canon claim inspiration …

I was amused by an article in the July/August 1993 issue of American Heritage magazine, entitled, “Predicting The Present,” which told of the American Press Syndicate, in 1893, interviewing certain “experts,” and asking them to make brief predictions about what American life would be like in the 1990’s. One respondent envisioned a populace so “educated and refined” that “the confinement and punishment of criminals will occupy but little of the thought or time of the men of 1993.” A prophet this man was not. The violence and crime in America is almost unbelievable. Of course violence and crime have been with us since the day that Cain rose up and slew his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8), but the callousness with which men now perpetrate their inhumanities against men certainly boggles the mind. The days of feeling safe in your home are gone. There is a debate that is currently raging about the effects of TV violence upon children. The average child views an estimated 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence before finishing elementary school, and some would have us to believe that they will not be adversely affected. School violence is raging out of control. Kids carry an estimated 270,000 guns to school each day. Gunfights are replacing fistfights. Schools in some parts of the country have bullet drills. Students learn to hit the floor when they hear gunfire. What is the answer to the problem? The politically correct posit some very simplistic solutions: take away all guns, build more prisons …

Somewhere buried in the recesses of my brain are the smells of paste, the textures of construction paper and No. 2 pencils, and the sounds of chalk writing out lessons on a chalkboard. Those memories of elementary school recall to mind teachers’ names and faces, and the classroom textbooks — textbooks such as the McGraw-Hill history book that I used in the fifth grade. Somewhere concealed in those pages was the story of Christopher Columbus and his famous journey to America. I remember, as most Americans do, being taught that ancient people during Columbus’ day believed the Earth was flat. As such, textbook pictures often showed a map with a boat at the edge ready to either fall off or be devoured by a wicked sea creature. While we do not know the exact date when people began accepting the fact that the Earth was round, we do know that the images that NASA provided — images from astronauts who had turned their cameras back towards the Earth — left little doubt in the minds of most people of the circularity of our home planet. The Earth is round — and here in the year 2002 we can pat ourselves on the back for recognizing such. Yet God’s Word foretold this fact literally thousands of years ago. Isaiah, in speaking of God, stated: “It is he who sitteth upon the circle of the earth” (40:22). The Hebrew word Isaiah used for “circle” is the word khug, which means literally something with “roundness,” a “sphere.” But, …

“And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it” (Joshua 6:26). There they stood in the smoking ruins of what’s left of Jericho. The Israelites had marched, shouted, blew, slaughtered and burned. What does God want them to do now? It is what he does not want them to do. He commands them to never rebuild the city that he had destroyed.1 The situation of Jericho was very pleasant; its nearness to Jordan was an advantage, which would tempt someone to build on the same spot. Nonetheless, they are warned of what would happen to the man who decided to rebuild the city. His oldest son would die when he began the work, and if he persisted in building, he would attend the funeral of his youngest son when he finished it.2 About five hundred and thirty years later (ca. 850 B.C.), during the reign of King Ahab, a man named Hiel3 of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. Just as God had said, when he laid the foundation, he lost his firstborn son (Abiram); and when he set up the gates, he lost his youngest son (Segub) (1 Kings 16:34). What a sacrifice to make for a city! It is interesting and instructive to place ourselves mentally in the position of this man from Bethel. What possibly could have been …