Related: Pharisees; Sadducees   Essenes. This was one of three primary sects of the Jews in the first century. The sect arose apparently out of disgust for both the Pharisees and Sadducees. They were a monastic order, emphasizing isolation, a vegetarian diet, and celibacy. The name “Essenes” is not found in scripture, but they were […]

Related: The Assembly; The Body of Christ; The Bride of Christ; Office   The House of God. The term ‘House of God’ basically means the “dwelling-place” of God. In a greater sense, the universe is the house of God (Heb. 3:4; Acts 7:48-50; Isa. 66:1). But on earth, God had a physical house in the […]

Dispensational Days. There are three time periods referred to in scripture as “days”. They provide a simple yet helpful way to organize world history: not only past and present, but future as well. The “day of man” (1 Cor. 4:3) began in Genesis, either with Adam when he fell, or (more likely) with Cain, who went out from the […]

Judgment of the Quick. “The judgment of the quick” (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5). The judgment of the “quick” or living is when the Lord will deal with the living persons on earth, at the START of the Millennium. It includes: The Harvest Judgment (Rev. 14:14-16, Matt. 13:39-43), The Vintage or Winepress Judgment (Rev. 14:17-20; Isa. […]

Redemption. The term “redemption” means to be “bought back and set free”. It is often compared with the term “purchased” or “bought”, as redemption includes purchase, but goes beyond to include setting the purchased object free! The subject of redemption is introduced in the book of Exodus,1 where Israel were slaves in the land of […]

Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. “For this reason I say unto you, Every sin and injurious speaking shall be forgiven to men, but speaking injuriously of the Spirit shall not be forgiven to men. And whosoever shall have spoken a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against […]

Main article: The Prophetic Week Related: The Great Tribulation   The Beginning of Sorrows. The first 3 1/2 years of Daniel’s seventieth week is called “The Beginning of Sorrows” (Matt. 24:8). During this period the first six seals of Revelation are unfolded. It begins when The Beast makes a covenant with Israel, and ends when “the […]

Related: Pharisees; Sadducees   The Sanhedrin (the Council, Acts 23:1) was made up of both Pharisees and Sadducees. The word sanhedrin or sanhedrim means ‘a sitting together’, and is most often translated “the council”. The word comes up an number of times in scripture; e.g. Matt. 5:22; Matt. 26:59; Mark 14:55; Mark 15:1. The Sanhedrin was […]

Ages. The following references give us the bible’s definition of ages, this age, the conclusion of this age, and the age to come. It should be noticed that ages (or, eons) have to do with this world, or a display to this world of some kind. As no longer Jews and Gentiles, but part of […]

Death in scripture is always connected with separation: Physical death – the body separate from Spirit (Jam. 2:26). For the believer who dies, scripture says they are “fallen asleep through Jesus” or “put to sleep by Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:14). Physical death is a temporary state of the body without the soul and spirit. Hades (the intermediate […]

Related: The Kingdom of Heaven; The Gospel of the Kingdom   The Kingdom of God is a moral kingdom that God has in this world, where His authority is recognized and His character is reflected. We are not told of it’s beginning, although it is never spoken of as being present until Jesus was here on earth. […]

Related: Cleansing or Washing; Sanctification; New Birth   Regeneration. The word “regenerate” means “to give a new and more vigorous life to something”. It doesn’t mean “to give a new life when there was none before”, but “to give a new lifestyle”. It is the same word from which we get the English word “Renaissance” or “re-birth”. In […]

This generation. Twelve times over in Matthew’s gospel the term “this generation” is used.  Matt. 3:7; 11:16; 12:34, 39, 41, 42, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:33, 36; 24:34. Half of those are found in ch.11-12. It refers to the moral class of individuals among the nations of Israel that have been the rejecters of God’s testimony […]

Main article: The Prophetic Week Related: The Beginning of Sorrows   The Great Tribulation. The last 3 1/2 years of Daniel’s seventieth week is called “the Great Tribulation” (Matt. 24:21, Rev. 7:14). During this period the 7th seal, the Seven Trumpets, and the Seven Vials/Bowl are unfolded. It begins when the “abomination of desolations” is set […]

Related: Pharisees; Herodians; Sanhedrin; Essenes; Leaven    Sadducees. This name comes from ‘Zadok’, or ‘Sadoc’, the promised line of priests in Israel who descended through Phinehas. In the gospel narratives, the Sadducees are more closely connected with the chief priests (Acts 5:17), although the office of High Priest moved between the Pharisees and Sadducees at times. During the […]

Main article: The Sufferings of Christ   Christ’s Sympathetic Sufferings are what Christ felt as He sympathized with others in their circumstances. There are at least two reasons for these sufferings: (1) His deep compassion for others, and (2) that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest.    With joy we meditate the […]

Related: Gabriel; Michael   Angels are mentioned in three ways in scripture: Conventional angels are created intelligences with great power who serve God, Heb. 1:13 A disembodied spirit, as in Matt. 18:10, Acts 12:15, Heb. 12:23 Men set in a place of authority and responsibility on earth, as in Ecc. 5:6, Mal. 2:7, Rev. 1-3. Conventional Angels. […]

What is a disciple? A disciple is a follower. It comes from the same root word as ‘discipline’, or training. To be someone’s disciple is to be trained by that person. The “following” is a theological and ideological following; it is not a simple as “becoming a fan of Jesus”.   How do we become a […]

Related: The Resurrection of Christ   The resurrection. There is a progression of understanding through scripture with regard to the resurrection. Old Testament saints knew of a resurrection from the dead in a general way, that is all (John 11:24). The resurrection was spoken of in the Old Testament, but not in great detail (see […]