The Kingdom of God

The “Kingdom of God” is mentioned frequently in the Gospels (Mark 1:15, 10:15, 15:43; Luke 17:20) and in other parts of the New Testament (Acts 28:31; Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 15:50). “The Kingdom of God” and “the Kingdom of Heaven” are synonyms, though “the Kingdom of Heaven” is only found in the Gospel of Matthew. […]

Capernaum

Capernaum, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, served as the center of Jesus’ ministry in that region (Matthew 9:1-2; Mark 2:1-5). It was an important and bustling fishing and commercial hub, home to both Jews and Gentiles, with a population likely never exceeding 1,000 people in the first century. Capernaum was […]

Several Types of Baptisms Recorded in the Bible

In the New Testament, baptism symbolizes death, burial, and resurrection. When a Christian is baptized, it signifies that through this act, we are united with Christ in His death, buried with Him, and resurrected with Him through His resurrection. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly […]

The Sabbatical and Jubilee Years

The Sabbatical Year (Hebrew: Shemitah, meaning “release”) and the Jubilee Year were established by God. The Sabbatical Year was the seventh year in every seven-year cycle, and the Jubilee Year was the year after the seventh Sabbatical Year (the 50th year). The Sabbatical Year dates back to Exodus 23:10-11, which says, “For six years you […]

The Sabbath Day’s Journey

The Sabbath day’s journey refers to the distance Jews were permitted to travel on the Sabbath without violating God’s law given to Moses. As recorded in the book of Joshua, this was the distance between the Israelites’ camp and the Ark of the Covenant in the wilderness. The term appears only once in the book […]

The Sabbath

The Sabbath (Hebrew: Shabbat, meaning “to rest” or “to cease all work”) is one of the main Jewish holy days.  The Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between the Israelites and Jehovah God, and it is explicitly commanded in the Ten Commandments. The Israelites were required to observe the Sabbath on this holy day, […]

The Covenant of Salt

The Covenant of Salt refers to an “unbreakable covenant.” In the ancient Middle East’s hot climate, salt was used to preserve food for long periods because its antiseptic properties eliminated microbes that caused spoilage. It also served to flavor, clean, and prevent fermentation. Therefore, in Israelite tradition, salt symbolized “endurance” and was a sign of […]

The Nazirite

A Nazirite (Hebrew: Nazir, meaning “consecrated” or “separated”) was an ancient Hebrew who took a special vow of dedication to God. Both men and women could make this vow to “separate themselves to the LORD.” A Nazirite was forbidden to cut their hair, drink wine or any grape products, or touch a dead body. Initially, […]

Incarnation

The Bible states that the Incarnation (John 1:14) is when God’s Son, Jesus, came down to earth and became a human being. The “Word” mentioned here refers to Jesus Himself. John 1:1 says, “the Word was God,” which means Jesus is God. God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, […]

Moab and Ammon

Moab and Ammon are the names of two ancient Middle Eastern peoples. In the Old Testament, these names also referred to the regions they inhabited, east of the Dead Sea and the Jordan River. When Abraham moved to the land of Canaan, he brought his nephew Lot with him. Later, Lot separated from Abraham and […]