BibleVersity

The Tragedy of Judas "Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders..." - Matt. 27:3-5, (NASB)    There is always a danger when we begin to speculate about possible outcomes in history "if this or that" would have happened. The story of Judas is one that most people, even non-Christians, know well.  A few years ago I thought about how things could have turned out different for Judas, had the religious leaders responded differently to him. After betraying Jesus, Judas felt remorse and went to the temple, the "house of God," to return the silver. There he confessed to the priests, "I have sinned..." Precisely what Judas was looking for or expecting is still a mystery, but it occurred to me that the priests were given an opportunity to "restore" this sinner. I mean, Judas was at the temple, where sacrifices were offe...

"For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord." - (Num. 15:15, ESV) Even a casual reading of the Apocrypha (Genesis - Deuteronomy, OT) will introduce the reader to the terms "the Stranger." The stranger refers to any outsider or non-Jew show chooses to dwell among the Israelites. We rarely hear of this as we are reading the OT works of God, but the Israelites were not the only ones enjoying the blessings and benefits of serving God. Anyone, regardless of their nationality or racial makeup could worship the God of the Jews, "...one statute for you and for the stranger." All were welcome.  The idea that God was only concerned with one group of people simply is not supported by Scripture. It was always the plan of God to offer salvation to the world, through the Israelites. We see it in the gospels,...

"And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth." - (Gen. 7:10, ESV) As many times as I have heard the story and read it myself, I still am amazed at God's mercy and grace. If you are not familiar with the Biblical account of the flood you may say, "Where's the mercy? Among the destruction and lives that were lost, I missed the part about mercy." For 100 years Noah built that massive boat on dry land, in obedience to God's command, knowing that judgment was coming. Even after the boat was built and after all the animals came aboard, and after Noah and his family boarded, the ark sat in "dry dock." Until God himself closed the door( see v. 16), thus sealing them in, and locking everyone else out.  You may have a theory or two as to why God did this, but I will share mine with you: God is always working to show mercy and grace to those who will accept it. I believe that God would have allowed anyone to walk into the a...

This week marks one year that I have been posting Biblical insights online. "Thank you" to each of you that have read, commented, shared, or have otherwise been encouraged in your faith. As a way of commemorating the first year, I have decided to post some of the most popular posts of 2013, chosen by your interactions with them. I look forward to many more years of encouraging and equipping believers in the Word. "… and shall let the live bird go free over the open field." - Lev. 14:7 (NASB)    Leviticus records that two birds were brought for the one who wanted to be made ceremonially clean. The unclean person (leper or other) would bring the two birds, one of which would be killed over the clay pot of fresh water. The live bird is dipped in the mixture of water, blood, along with the cedar wood, hyssop (a plant), and a scarlet thread. The priest would take these and sprinkle the unclean person, making them ceremonially clean. At this point a man is clean,...

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13, NKJV)      There are three baptisms mentioned in the New Testament writings. Each is unique, and each has it's own meaning and significance. This post, and the following three, will look at what Scripture says about each, although they will be covered in a different order than they chronologically appear in the NT.    The first baptism that the NT reveals to us is the baptism into Christ. The wording may seem odd, but Paul addressed it as such in the verse mentioned above: "By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body..." This baptism is the spiritual process in which the Holy Spirit makes us a part of the body of Christ. There is another term that we are more accustomed to using that speaks of the same spiritual act: salvation. When a person receives salvation by placing t...

"...He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." - Romans 8:11 (NASB)    Security is a word that is being thrown around a lot today. For a moment I want to focus on the most important security aspect, spiritual security. In Paul's words above, he writes that our mortal bodies receive spiritual life through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Although no one every used these exact words, there was a false idea that I was given about salvation as I was growing up. It was my understanding that  salvation was something like a gift or possession, something that I could hold onto and keep as my own. It was mine, for the LORD gave it to me. Since it is mine, I get to hang on to it forever. Salvation is certainly a gift, in that the LORD offers it to us freely, but salvation is not something that we possess. He does not simply drop life into our bodies and then go His own way.     Salv...

"Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD." - Ezek. 16:62 (NASB)      Ezekiel had the difficult task of prophesying in Israel prior to the invasion and captivity of its people. Many of the passages in this book are filled with painful words and metaphors that illustrate the depth of their rebellion. The verse that I am focusing on today lies at the end of one such passage. The part that struck me this morning is the last part of this brief verse, "and you shall know that I am the LORD."  As I meditate on this, the thought occurs to me that this is really the main thrust of  God's action in humanity. He wants us to know that He is the LORD. Knowing is comprised of two thoughts. The first is that of mere knowledge. The Bible is clear in revealing that this God, the LORD, is the only God. The historical, geographical, political, and prophetic events recorded in the Bible attest to its reliability. When we read or hear ...

"And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth..." - Rev. 14:6-7 (NASB)     We came to this passage during our verse-by-verse study last night at church and I wanted to share a couple of thoughts with you. The NT is clear that the preaching of the gospel is the responsibility and privilege of the church (see Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 1:7-8 ). The task was never left to an angelic being. In fact, after the birth of Jesus, the only angelic proclamations that we see is that which announced Jesus' resurrection at the tomb. If this is true, then why is this angel, in Revelation 14 , flying around preaching? There is no one else to preach. Dr. Stanley Horton and others agree that by this time in the tribulation all Jewish and Gentile believers across the globe have been decimated by the antichrist and his reign. Although there is no one to preach, the gospel message is still valid and available This is reminiscent o...

"Jesus answered and said to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'" - John 3:3 (NASB)    If you read the entire record of Jesus conversation with Nicodemus, it should become evident that Nic has not earthly idea what Jesus is talking about. Jesus himself even responded to Nic's confusion, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things." (v.10) It is relatively easy for us to look back at this encounter and be shocked at his lack of understanding; however I want to defend Nic's response for a moment. Nic had a major hurdle to overcome, but it had nothing to do with his knowledge of Scripture or his intelligence. His difficulty was spiritual blindness. Yes, he was educated in the Scriptures, but could not "see" the LORD, even though He was standing in front of him.    The NASB uses the word "see" in referencing God's kingdom, and for good reason. Certainly, ...