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In the biblical stories of barren women, maternity is further complicated in order to heighten the drama of the arrival of the promised son, emphasizing the divine role in conception and birth. In the case of the patriarchal stories in Genesis, the matriarchs’ barrenness emphasizes that it is God who disrupts continuity, in the transition from one generation to the next, and then selects the true heir to the covenant… There are six barren women in the Bible: three of the four matriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel) in Genesis; Hannah, mother of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1-2); the anonymous...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a message to the people of Iran attacking the regime's support of failed terror organizations and regimes. 'You know what this regime is truly terrified of? It's terrified of you, the people of Iran.' .....

I created a new chart that lists 22 women from the Scriptures. There are more than 22 women I could cover, but I took the 22 most influential ones. Now, we all know who these women are, and their stories. From Eve to Mary, these women have had as great an impact on mankind as the men. Three, or maybe 4, are not known for their love of the One true GOD, while the others are remembered for their strength and courage in the face of adversity. From Eve falling for Satan's lie, Dinah's indiscretion of going to town without...

While talking with someone about a culturally moral issue, I referred to a statement made in Scripture to back up my opinion. At that point, the other person laughed and said, “Yeah, well the Bible also says not to wear clothing made of two different materials.” Ever had that happen to you? If so, how did you respond? Too many believers reply by dismissing the Old Testament and saying we now only follow the New. Saying that won’t get you far for two reasons. First, you won’t really defuse the primary objection of Christians indiscriminately picking and choosing what commands...

Experts believe they’ve finally found one of the holiest sites in the Bible — miles from where it was previously assumed to have existed. A biblical archaeologist organization, The Doubting Thomas Research Foundation, claims it has found the actual mountain where, according to the Old Testament, Moses lead the Israelites – a mountain that was enveloped in smoke, fire and thunder – and where, at the top, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. But in actuality, the society now claims, Mount Sinai, one of the most sacred places in the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions, is Jabal Maqla, which...

Full Title: Has the mystery of the Shapira Scroll finally been solved? Ancient manuscript dismissed as a fake since 1883 is actually the oldest known Biblical script, expert claims ...Reconstructing the text from the original 19th century transcriptions and drawings, Dershowitz claims the pieces date back to the time of the First Temple - as early as 957 BC, making them the oldest known biblical artefacts ever discovered.... ...The academic [Dershowitz[ said not only are they real but they date to before the Babylonian Exile.... ....If he is correct then they would present an 'unprecedented window' into the origin and...

U.S.—Scholars working at top divinity schools across the country now believe that Esau traded his birthright for a spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A, not a bowl of soup or lentils as originally thought. "It never really made sense to us that he traded his birthright for lentils," said one expert working at Southern Seminary. "Who likes lentils? Lentils are gross. But do you know what would have made sense? If he came back from hunting and smelled that delicious, patented Chick-fil-A scent." "Man, it's about lunchtime," he added. "I'd give my birthright for a 12-count nugget right about now."

Your hands are full of blood! 16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. (Isaiah 1)

Polygamy, which was common in the ancient world, has recently reemerged as a trending and hotly-debated topic. Popular TV shows such as Sister Wives and My Five Wives, along with our culture’s evolving definition of marriage, have reintroduced polygamy as a topic up for discussion. For Christians, this means an important question must be answered — why does God allow polygamy in the Old Testament, and what does that mean for us today?Bible teacher and speaker Allen Parr helps us answer this question in his video titled, Does God Support Polygamy? In the video, Parr breaks down both the unique...

David was one of the remarkable men of the Old Testament. He was a capable musician and beloved poet. He excelled as a military leader and king. And as “a man after God’s own heart” he was an exceptional religious leader. Yet, in spite of his illustrious achievements, Israel’s greatest king was not without some grievous faults — not the least of which was his shameful conduct with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:1-27). As the Pharisees of Jesus’ day possessed a diabolical skill at twisting the Scriptures to justify their own evil desires, even so, some today are equally adept at...

As Isaac and Rebekah struggled to become pregnant, God intervened. During the pregnancy there was a struggle in the womb, and “When she went to inquire about this from the Lord, she received a prediction from Him: Two nations, that is, twin progenitors of two nations, were struggling in her womb and the younger would triumph. Indeed the Israelites (Jacob’s descendants) and the Edomites (Esau’s descendants) fought continuously. God’s election of Jacob the younger over Esau the older was against the natural order. [1] Ancient Near Eastern customs for a family with multiple sons, would be once the father has...

The Bible talks about polygamy but that doesn't mean God endorsed it, said Peter Gentry, a professor of Old Testament interpretation who stressed the importance of understanding historical narratives in Scripture. In a video posted on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's YouTube channel on Monday, Gentry said readers must distinguish between what God commands versus how He treated His people and how His people, who were not faithful, treated Him."God is the one that designs marriage. God is the one who invents marriage. Marriage is not something invented by humans. God is the one who gives the first woman...

On Sunday, Kanye West took to Twitter to announce an opera. It’s titled, “Nebuchadnezzar” and will be performed at the Hollywood Bowl on November 24th, at 4pm. The announcement notes, “Music with Sunday Service, Peter Collins & Infinities Song*” As of right now, we don’t know what this opera will entail. The most obvious question some may have, though, is: why Nebuchadnezzar? Overall, one macro takeaway from the story of Nebuchadnezzar is this: you may not think God had anything to do with your success until one day you realize God had everything to do with your success. After the...

The Daughter of Jephthah. Alexandre Cabanel. Date 1879  The Case against Jephthah If Jephthah were to be arrested for the killing of his daughter, the prosecutor would have some evidence, though largely circumstantial. First there is his infamous and rash vow to God, that if God granted him victory over the Ammonites then the one who came out from the door of his house to greet him on his return would belong to the Lord and he would offer that person, or possibly animal, up as a burnt offering (Judges 11:30-31). Indeed Jephthah wins the victory, but the first to greet him...

Christian apologist William Craig has offered a response to atheist intellectual Richard Dawkins who called him "a deplorable apologist for genocide" in his column last week.In a speech at the Sheldonian Theater at Oxford University on Tuesday, Craig responded to Dawkins' allegations during the question and answer session.“There was no racial war here, no command to kill them all,” he said, alluding to extermination of the Canaanites in the Old Testament, “the command was to drive them out.”He then said: “I would say that God has the right to give and take life as He sees fit. Children die all...

Although the Bible is not an ancient history textbook, it does report events that have been confirmed by other historical works. Consider the following examples: Archeological digs and ancient Assyrian records confirm the Bible’s portrayal of King Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah (2 Kings 18:13–19:37). Until recent excavations at Tell Mardikh uncovered tablets mentioning Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1–29), scholars dismissed the existence of both cities as a biblical legend. The Hittites were also considered a biblical legend until their capital and records were discovered in modern-day Turkey. The palace of King Sargon, an Assyrian ruler mentioned in Isaiah, was uncovered...

Question One: How do we know the Bible is true? (Hebrews 4:12) According to the Bible, all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). Peter confirmed this when he said that those who wrote the Bible were not speaking on their own but spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). Many parts of Scripture are directly attributed to God through use of phrases like This is what the Lord says (e.g., Exodus 4:22). Finally, Jesus often quoted from the Old Testament and affirmed it as being God’s Word. Prophecies that were later fulfilled...

Is God’s perfect character compromised by the genocide of the Canaanites in the Old Testament? Is God good? The assault on theism by the so-called “New Atheists” has principally focused on three areas. People like Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett have argued, broadly, that reason is on their side, science is on their side, and morality is on their side.[1] One justification for the atheists’ claim to high moral ground is what seems to them to be the patently immoral conduct of the God of the Old Testament. According to Richard Dawkins, for example, God is not...

The Darkness and Light are both Alike to Thee By Philip Cottraux Psalm 139:1: O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. You can’t hide anything from God. This can be both terrifying and comforting. For the last blog, I examined the 34th Psalm, which David wrote while on the run for his life from Saul. He and his men lived as fugitives in the wilderness every day for ten years. Think of how many nights he cried out to God for it to end, to no response. Yet he still had the faith to say they that seek...

Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous By Philip Cottraux After being anointed king, David would spend the next ten years on the run from Saul. He and his band of loyal soldiers lived in the wilderness like fugitives, sleeping in caves, never knowing where their next meal was coming from, and on constant watch for Saul’s pursuing army. In a previous blog I wrote about David arriving at the tabernacle hungry and asking the high priest, Ahimelech, for food. A table with bread was located in front of the veil that concealed the holiest of holies. But this show...