What is grace? Simply put, grace is unmerited favor, and the grace of God is his love for the undeserving. And Scripture is clear that all things—from our election in Christ before the world began to our enjoyment of eternal life—is all to the praise God’s glorious grace. In Acts 13:48-51, Paul concluded his message […]
Isaiah declares that God will one day judge the world in righteousness and destroy evil forever, for he alone is the Lord of the nations. But how would Israel know that the Day of the Lord would really come to pass? Was Isaiah right? And what hope would they have on that day, when the […]
While the first section of Isaiah (1-12) dealt primarily with the nation of Israel, the next section (13-27) focuses on God’s plan for the nations of the world. Although the prophecies found here concern the fate of ancient nations like Babylon, Tyre, Moab, and Assyria, they are still part of God’s message to his people, […]
After learning about the church in Antioch (Acts 11:19-30), Luke includes a fascinating incident involving Herod and the Jerusalem church before transitioning to the missionary activity of Paul. Here, we read of the martyrdom of James, the miraculous deliverance of Peter, but also the earnest prayers of the church. We love to read exciting (and […]
Under the old covenant, the ceremonial laws communicated the truth that God is holy, and that he is totally separate from all that is not holy. This is why people with diseases or deformities were considered unclean and separated from the assembly of Israel. It wasn’t that these things made people evil; they symbolized the […]
From the very beginning of history, humanity has questioned God’s authority. We often find ourselves asking “Who’s running this show? If God is really in control, then why is this happening?” We then fall for all kinds of unbiblical answers to this question of who or what is in authority: Fate or destiny. Luck or […]
What comes to mind when you think about God? Do you begin with who he has revealed himself to be, or with your own ideas or preferences? The truth is, how we understand the person and character of God is the most important thing about us. We need to see God for who he truly […]
The Psalmist declares: “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3). Yet one of the staggering truths of Scripture is that our sovereign God is pleased to unfold his unchanging plans through prayer; the Almighty has purposed to act in response to the prayers of his people. And we […]
In the tapestry that is the history of redemption, the threads of God’s awesome holiness and covenant love are woven together. This brings about a tension as we read through the Old Testament: How can God’s holiness and love coexist? How can a holy God dwell among a sinful people? The answer to these important […]
