Posts

Does the New Covenant Abolish the Commandments

The Bible tells us that Christ came as the Mediator of a new covenant (Hebrews 8:6). The popular belief that the New Covenant abolishes God’s law reflects a misunderstanding of both covenants. God tells us that He altered the original covenant in making “a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). But it was not established on different laws.  The law stayed the same. There was, however, a weakness, or fault, in the original covenant. That fault was with the  people , not with the law. “Because finding fault  with them , He says: ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah’” (Hebrews 8:8). It was because the people “did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord” (Hebrews 8:9). In the Old Covenant, God wrote the law on tablets of stone. It was external, not part of the thinking and motives of the people. It was in their literature but not in thei
Post a Comment
Read more

If the dead don’t immediately go to heaven, how did Moses and Elijah appear at the transfiguration?

Texts in question:  Luke 9:29, 30; Matthew 17:1–3; Mark 9:3, 4 “As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah.” Proof texts:  2 Kings 2:11; Jude 9 One of the most powerful stories in the Gospels is that of Christ’s transfiguration. In the sight of Peter, James, and John, Jesus temporarily shed His earthly form and allowed them to see His divinity. The Father’s voice then pierced the sky, saying He was well pleased with Jesus, His son. The experience was so powerful to those who saw it that Peter affirms its validity in his epistle, 2 Peter 1:16–18. The text might be troubling, however, to those who otherwise understand that people go to sleep at death to await a bodily resurrection at Christ’s return. How can Moses and Elijah have been present at the transfiguration if they are waiting for the resurrection? To make sense of this, we must first understand two important p
Post a Comment
Read more

The Tabernacle of Moses and the Cross

The Tabernacle of Moses and the Cross Continued from The Tabernacle of Moses and Jesus The Tabernacle’s Position Israel was a large group of people, divided into 12 different tribes. As God is a God of order, this large group of people had to be arranged orderly. God set up the camp as follows: The Tabernacle was in the midst of the camp (Numbers 2:17)On the East side the tribes of Judah, Issachar and Zebulon campedOn the West side the tribes of Ephraim, Mannasseh and Benjamin campedOn the North side the tribes of Dan, Asher and Naphtali campedOn the South side the tribes of Rueben, Simeon and Gad camped Many experts believe that the view from heaven as God looked upon the camp was in the shape of a cross. Chuck Missler explains: “The tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun–collectively called the Camp of Judah–had to encamp east of the Levites. This poses a technical problem.  Notice that if the breadth of their camp was larger than that of the Levites, the excess would be southe
Post a Comment
Read more

"What is a burnt offering?"

"What is a burnt offering?" Answer: The burnt offering is one of the oldest and most common offerings in history. It’s entirely possible that Abel’s offering in Genesis 4:4 was a burnt offering, although the first recorded instance is in Genesis 8:20 when Noah offers burnt offerings after the flood. God ordered Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, in a burnt offering in Genesis 22, and then provided a ram as a replacement. After suffering through nine of the ten plagues, Pharaoh decided to let the people go from bondage in Egypt, but his refusal to allow the Israelites to take their livestock with them in order to offer burnt offerings brought about the final plague that led to the Israelites’ delivery (Exodus 10:24-29). The Hebrew word for “burnt offering” actually means to “ascend,“ literally to “go up in smoke.” The smoke from the sacrifice ascended to God, “a soothing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9). Technically, any offering burned over an altar was a burnt offering, bu
Post a Comment
Read more

Idols and icons

What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? By COGwriter Many who profess Christianity attend church services that have a variety of supposedly Christian idols and icons in the buildings. Many who profess Christ tend to wear or even revere crosses as a symbol for Christians. Does any of this come from the Bible? What did the early Church teach about these type of things? What about the second commandment? Is the prohibition against idolatry actually the 'second' of the ten commandments? This article will provide some Old Testament and New Testament quotes related to idols and icons. It will also show writings from early (mainly 2nd century) church writers which will help demonstrate what the early church really understood about this. Additionally, it will provide some information on when idols and icons were considered acceptable for the majority who profess Christ. A related sermon is available: The Second Commandment, Idols, and Icons. God's Position on
Post a Comment
Read more

What does the Bible mean by 'you are gods' / 'ye are gods' in Psalm 82:6 and John 10:34?"

Answer: Let’s start with a look at Psalm 82, the psalm that Jesus quotes in John 10:34. The Hebrew word translated “gods” in Psalm 82:6 is Elohim. It usually refers to the one true God, but it does have other uses. Psalm 82:1 says, “God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the gods.” It is clear from the next three verses that the word “gods” refers to magistrates, judges, and other people who hold positions of authority and rule. Calling a human magistrate a “god” indicates three things: 1) he has authority over other human beings, 2) the power he wields as a civil authority is to be feared, and 3) he derives his power and authority from God Himself, who is pictured as judging the whole earth in verse 8. This use of the word “gods” to refer to humans is rare, but it is found elsewhere in the Old Testament. For example, when God sent Moses to Pharaoh, He said, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1). This simply means that Moses, as the messenger of
Post a Comment
Read more

What Did Christ Pray in Gethsemane?

Our father among the saints, John Maximovitch, was a diocesan bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) who served widely from China to France to the United States. Countless miracles have been attributed to this holy bishop, both during his lifetime and since his repose. When the Lord had finished the Mystical Supper with His disciples and given them His Instructions, He went with them to the Mount of Olives (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26; Luke 22:39). On the way He continued His final teachings, after which He addressed the Heavenly Father with a prayer for His disciples and those who would believe their word (John 17). On crossing the stream of the Cedron, the Lord and His disciples went into the garden of Gethsemane, where He had been accustomed to gather with them earlier (Matt. 26:36; Mark 14:32; John 18:1-2). Here He left His disciples, except for Peter, James and John, telling them to sit down for a time while He prayed. Then He Himself with Peter, James and Jo
Post a Comment
Read more