Introduction to the Prophetic Books
Introduction to the Prophetic Books Arrangement of Books The books of Isaiah through Malachi (with the exceptions of Lamentations and Daniel) correspond to the section of the Hebrew canon known as…
Does God Change His Mind?
When we speak of God not changing we are speaking of his nature. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Theologically, this is called God's immutability (Num. 23:19; 1…
Does God use broken people?
Just by asking this question, God has used you. The Great Physician and Master Mender uses broken, repentant people. Vance Havner, a Baptist pastor, (1901-1986) once said: God uses broken things. It…
What is the Greatest Miracle in the Bible?
Essentially, a miracle is by definition something that someone can't explain naturally. While God can make use of natural means he is "yet free to work without, above, and against them, at his…
What are the consequences of a nation turning away from God?
Thanks for your question. Nations and individuals that turn away from God incur his wrath. Romans 1:18 states, " For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and…
Calvinism and Acts 7:51?
Acts 7:51 You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Reformed theology biblically teaches that people can and do…
What does Ephesians 2:8-9 mean?
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Some brief definitions may…
What is Islam?
Christianity and Islam are not the same religion. They serve different Gods, view Jesus and salvation differently, and vary on a host of other topics as well. Eternal life and death weigh in the…
Calvinism and Revelation 3:5?
Revelation 3:5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.…
Jonah - What's the Point?
It most definitely does appear that Jonah ends rather abruptly. Jonah and God are disputing. God asks Jonah a question in 4:9 and Jonah answers him. Then in verses 10 and 11, God asks another…
Are there two different accounts of Creation?
Genesis 1:1-2:3 and Genesis 2:4-25 both refer to the same account of Creation. Genesis 1:1-2:3 is arranged chronologically and Genesis 2:4-25 is arranged topically. There are many reasons for this.…
What are the Names of God?
We should begin by noting that there are a number of instances where no name of God is employed, but simply where some derivative of "the name of the Lord" is referenced. A few of these are: (1)…
Overview of the Book of Jonah
Overview of the Book of Jonah Author: The author is unknown. Purpose: To encourage the Israelites to embrace God's call to extend his mercy to the nations. Date: 750-613 B.C. Key Truths: God calls…
Was Jonah really swallowed by a whale?
Well, yes, I’d say Jonah really was swallowed by a great fish, probably a sperm whale or a white shark. But first let’s look into the context of the Jonah account and why Jesus would refer to the…
Annihilationism Error: Hebrew Word Definition Charts
Some "teachers" are twisting, turning, and torturing many words in the Hebrew and Greek language and stating that they mean "total annihilation or nothingness" - "ceasing to even exist," as they…
Christ in the Old Testament
This is a work in progress (no section is complete) The possibility of one man fulfilling only 8 OT prophecies is one in 10^17. That is a 10 with 17 zeroes after it! Imagine the state of Texas…
What are the Attributes of God?
God reveals himself in many ways to his creation; through his Word, power, creation, history, his names, and attributes, or the perfections of his being, etc. When referring to God's Attributes some…
Did the stone have to be removed before Jesus exited the grave?
Matthew 28:1-2: After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down…
What is apostasy?
1 John 2:19: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us…
Is Jonah a historical book or a parable?
In my assessment, the book is presented to us as a historical account. It is ascribed to a historical prophet (cf. 2 Kings 14:25), and it contains no authorial comments or literary clues that suggest…
All Dogs Go to Heaven?
I'm afraid that the Bible gives us no indication that our deceased pets will be in heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:19-22 does say that there is one fate for both man and animals, but the point of that text is…
Antinomianism and Homosexuality?
Such an assumption would be incorrect. First, Romans 6:14 (cf. Gal 3:23-25; Eph 2:15) states, "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." But Romans 6:14 is…
Kline on the Covenant of Works
Yes, our official position is that of the Westminster Standards (WCF 7.2; 19.1,6; WLC 30, 97). That being said, we tend to understand that position somewhat differently than do some others within the…
False Prophets
In both questions there is a similar problem: If God says (through a prophet) that he's going to do something, then he either says (through the prophet) that he isn't, or in fact he does not do it…