“An earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” That’s the answer commonly given to the question of how a parable should be defined, at least the one I’ve heard all my life. Is that truly the case, though?… Read More What Is A Parable?
On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. Zechariah 12:11 Almost 90 years before the prophet Zechariah started prophesying the message of Jehovah, the reign of Josiah, the last godly king of Judah before their Babylonian exile (cf. 2 Chr. 34), ended… Read More Zechariah: The Plain of Megiddo
Some of the first readers of 1 Peter were likely in Jerusalem years earlier on Pentecost. Jews from Pontus and Asia had heard the apostles speaking miraculously in their own native language on that day (Acts 2:8-11). Some of them were likely among the 3,000 who had obeyed the gospel that day (Acts 2:36-41). Thus, some of the original recipients of 1 Peter might have been there with Peter on the day the church began.… Read More 1 Peter: Elect Exiles of the Dispersion
As we conclude our study of church discipline which has taken place in two recent posts, let us turn our attention to some questions submitted by readers concerning this topic. It seems that church discipline is not practiced today in the Lord’s church as much as it has been in previous generations and in New… Read More Church Discipline: Let’s Answer Some Questions
Christ is speaking in first person through Zechariah’s prophecy. That is made clear when He cited Himself as the one “whom they have pierced,” a foretelling of the crucifixion. Thus, “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication” could be a prophecy that Christ would pour out the Holy Spirit. Speaking of Jesus on the Day of Pentecost, Peter said, “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear” (Acts 2:33). Thus, this prophecy could have its fulfillment in the beginning of the church on Pentecost, with “the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem” referring to the Jews in Jerusalem who obeyed the gospel that day (Acts 2:38-41), and as a secondary application to the church as a whole, the spiritual house of David and the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22-23).… Read More Zechariah: “They Will Look On Me Whom They Have Pierced”
Pre-Denominational Christianity 
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