1st century Christianity in the 21st century
An email sent my way compared the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ to mythological stories such as Krishna, Mithras, Attis, and others. The inference, of course, being that Jesus as we read about Him in the Bible is merely a myth. The Jesus myth.
Continue reading “The Jesus Myth: Separating Fact From Fiction”
Finding Jesus in the Old Testament #8
2 Samuel 24:16-17
David had sinned against the LORD by numbering the people. The prophet Gad came to David, giving him a choice of three things which would come as a result. That day, the LORD brought a plague upon the land, and seventy thousand men of Israel died (1 Chronicles 21:14). After this great number had died, the LORD restrained the Angel of the LORD, for it was enough. In 1 Chronicles 21:16, we read:
Continue reading “Other References to the Angel of the LORD | Finding Jesus in the Old Testament”Finding Jesus in the Old Testament #7
YOU HAVE NOT OBEYED MY VOICE
After Israel had settled in the promised land, but before the death of Joshua (Judges 2:6), the Angel of the LORD came to the children of Israel. He rebuked them,
Continue reading “Gideon and Samson’s Parents | Finding Jesus in the Old Testament”Finding Jesus in the Old Testament #6
Standing Before Balaam
In Numbers 22, Balak (king of Moab) sent messengers to Balaam (prophet of God) asking him to curse the people of Israel, for they had settled near him and were too mighty for him (v 5-6). Balaam inquired of the LORD and was told that he should not go with Balak’s men, nor should he curse the people, for they were blessed (Numbers 22:12; cf. Genesis 12:3).
Continue reading “Standing Before Balaam and Joshua | Finding Jesus in the Old Testament”Finding Jesus in the Old Testament #5
RECEIVING THE LAW AT SINAI
Having come out of Egypt, the children of Israel arrived at the base of Horeb, the same place where God had appeared to Moses when He sent him to Egypt. Moses recorded,
Continue reading “On Mount Sinai and in the Wilderness | Finding Jesus in the Old Testament”Finding Jesus in the Old Testament #4
The BURNING BUSH
As we have noted already in the course of our study, “…no one has seen God at any time…” (John 1:18; cf. 6:46; 1 John 4:12). Yet there are times in the Old Testament where we read about God appearing to man. This is not the Father, but the Son, who has come to declare the Father to us (John 1:18; 14:9-10).
Continue reading “The Burning Bush and Pillar of Fire | Finding Jesus In The Old Testament”Finding Jesus in the Old Testament #3
The Hebrew word har (ra’ah), rendered “appeared,” means to gaze upon, show or behold. As we noted last week, the LORD appeared to Abraham—that is, he had seen the LORD. And yet, since “…no one has seen God (the Father) at any time…” (John 1:18; 1 John 4:12; cf. John 6:46), we must conclude that it was not the Father, but the Son who spoke to and appeared to him. So it was with Isaac.
Continue reading “Isaac And Jacob See The LORD | Finding Jesus In The Old Testament”Finding Jesus in the Old Testament #2
At the beginning of Genesis 12, God calls Abram to depart from his father’s house and to go to a land which God would show to him. In verse 1, it simply says, “…the LORD had said…” However, when we get to verse 7, it is no longer just a matter of hearing a voice from heaven, but “…the LORD appeared to Abram…”
Continue reading “The God Who Sees & Provides | Finding Jesus In The Old Testament”Finding Jesus in the Old Testament #1
At the beginning of John’s unique gospel account, he makes the monumental statement, “No one has seen God at any time” (John 1:18). Later, in the first epistle by the same writer, he repeats verbatim, “No one has seen God at any time” (1 John 4;12).
Continue reading “Who Is The God That Is Seen? | Finding Jesus In The Old Testament”
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?”
—2 Corinthians 2:17—
