Midrash and Remez

He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD has said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.”  2 Kings 21:4  NASB Put – In the conversation with Nicodemus, Yeshua says that He must be “lifted up” just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.  This appears to be…

The Purpose of Suicide

For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.  John 18:37  NASB This – An ordinary pronoun with an extraordinary meaning.  Touto is the Greek pronoun for this.  There is nothing spectacular about it.  Except here.  Here Yeshua says that His entire reason…

Life After Death

Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?  Romans 6:3  NASB Baptized – For a moment, put away your familiar associations with the joy of baptism.  Set aside the usual celebration when someone expresses faith through this immersion.  Then ask yourself,…

Contagion

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned –   Romans 5:12  NASB Death – Why do we die?  Before you quickly respond, “Because we are sinners,” let’s examine the cultural thinking during the time when Paul wrote these…

The End of the Funeral

you will have the Lord for an everlasting light and the days of your mourning will be over.  Isaiah 60:20  NASB Mourning – The prophet Isaiah draws a picture of the time when God will restore heaven and earth to its intended form.  He says that we will no longer need the sun by day…

Nyquil Sheol

and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.  Matthew 27:52-53 NASB Who had fallen asleep – Matthew is the only gospel account that includes this very odd event. …

The Crucial Difference

And when He approached, He saw the city and wept over it.  Luke 19:41 NASB Wept – There are two Greek words for “wept” in the New Testament.  If you don’t know which one you’re reading, you will miss the whole point.  In this verse, the word is klaio.  It means to lament, wail, weep…

Fixed Future

Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me.  Why then have I been extremely wise?”  So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.”  Ecclesiastes 2:15  NASB Fate – Is your future already set in stone?  Have the fates declared what will come to be?  Does…

Anticipation

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6  NIV The day of Christ Jesus – How long will it take for God to finish the exclamation of your life?  Paul gives us the answer.  “Until the…

Our Father Abraham

Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.  Genesis 25:8  NASB Satisfied with life – Let’s talk about death.  In particular, let’s talk about the death of Abraham.  Abraham is the father of our faith.  Paul holds him…