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David as a Man after God’s Own Heart (1 Sam 13:14)
The Bible says David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22). Most people want to take this phrase as a reference to the moral character of David. As such, David was a man after God’s own heart in that he was committed to God’s ways and demonstrated fidelity to God’s Law. However, this viewpoint has a couple difficulties. On the one hand, David was far from morally pure. He was a murderous adulterer (2 Sam 11). He killed Uriah the Hittite, and committed adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. Can we say David was uniquely a man after God’s own heart when his actions seem to communicate otherwise? To get around this potential problem, some people will say that David never engaged in direct idolatry and that is the explanation for saying David was a man after God’s own heart. However, there are a couple other…
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Was Elijah Wrong? Looking at a ‘Failed Prophecy’ in 1 Kings 21 about Jezebel and Ahab
The stories of the Old Testament sometimes contain difficult-to-swallow elements. One such story is the account of King Ahab, his wife Jezebel, and the stolen vineyard belonging to Naboth. This story, found in 1 Kings 21, reveals both the depths of human treachery and the certainty of God’s justice. It also offers a vivid look at how prophecy, geography, and historical context come together to shape our understanding of Scripture and prophecy. Although this is a relatively well-known story, there is a particular prophecy here that merits further consideration. Was Elijah guilty of false prophecy concerning the death of Ahab? The Background of Ahab and Naboth Whenever I’m in Israel, it is always one of the highlights to visit the Jezreel Valley. As long as it is a clear day (and not foggy), the views are breathtaking. It is easy to visualize many of the stories that occurred (and will…
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Egyptian Wisdom Meets the Bible: Parallels Between Amenemope and Proverbs
It often comes as a surprise to people when they realize that there are striking similarities between the content found in biblical wisdom books and certain ancient texts from surrounding cultures. Although Scripture is unique in its monotheistic worldview, there are some interesting overlaps in the Bible’s wisdom writings with other wisdom sources from polytheistic cultures. As Christians, what are we to make of these similarities? For our purposes, we can illustrate this phenomenon by comparing Proverbs with an Egyptian document called The Instruction of Amenemope, a collection of wisdom sayings that are clearly polytheistic in nature. There is a lot of thematic overlap in both. For example, both teach the concept that wealth is not everything. They also both admonish us to practice integrity and fairness in daily transactions, caution us against the fleeting nature of riches, and emphasize what we could call contentment. Here are some notable examples.…
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Did the Old Testament Saints Believe in a Canon of Scripture?
From our perspective we sometimes take for granted that we have an authoritative canon—a collection of inspired Scripture from God. But it is worth thinking through how the Old Testament saints viewed the collection of authoritative writings. Did Old Testament believers recognize a specialized, authoritative collection of writings? Looking at the Old Testament evidence, it seems that the Jewish people recognized certain writings as authoritative from God, while at the same time acknowledging a different quality of other writings. The Law of Moses: A Special Collection with Special Rules We see early evidence of Scripture being regarded as authoritative in the book of Deuteronomy. For example, Moses instructed all the people to gather every seven years to hear “this law” (Deut 31:9-11). Further, Moses instructed the Levites to store the book of the law along with the ark of the covenant (Deut 31:24-26). Additionally, Israel was instructed that nothing could…
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Were Levites Allowed to Own Land? A Look at Acts 4:36-37
Levites weren’t supposed to own land—or so the common understanding goes. Yet in Acts 4:36-37, we read about Barnabas, a Levite, who sells a field and generously donates the proceeds to the Apostles. Was Barnabas acting in disobedience to his heritage? Or is this a possible contradiction in the details of Scripture? The answer is that the Levites’ relationship with land ownership is a bit more complex than we might initially expect. The Levites and Land Ownership It is a well-known fact that, as a tribe, the Levites were not given their own land allotment among their fellow tribes. While Joshua delegated specific tribal allotments to the eleven tribes of Israel (cf. Josh 12–22), the tribe of Levi did not receive any specific land allotment. The Levites were not left completely homeless, however, for they were given cities to dwell in among their brothers (cf. Josh 14:4). They would at…
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The Premillennial Prophecy of Hosea
One of the most compelling aspects of premillennialism is its ability to weave together the prophecies of the Old Testament and the teachings of the New Testament into a unified, consistent narrative of the future. Far from being a patchwork of disconnected predictions, the Bible’s message offers a clear and cohesive vision of what lies ahead. While major prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah often take center stage in this discussion, the prophet Hosea offers a profound yet underappreciated glimpse into Israel’s future—a future marked by exile, repentance, and ultimate restoration. Hosea’s message may be lesser-known, but it holds vital insights into God’s plan for His people in the latter days. The Context of Hosea 3 Hosea 3 starts with a command to Hosea: “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress” (v. 1). Although some scholars think this refers to a different…
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Why the Levite Cut Up His Concubine in Judges 19
Having recently taught Judges 19 (the story about the Levite and his concubine) to a group of women who were keen to study their Bibles, I was asked afterward why the Levite would cut up his concubine. Further, what was the reason the Levite sent the pieces of the concubine to the other tribes? These are good questions, and after having done a little more research on the issue I wanted to provide some of my thoughts. First, it is evident that the story of the Levite and his concubine in Judges 19 is one of the most gruesome and tragic chapters in all of Scripture! The details of the story are intentionally crafted to chronicle the Canaanization of Israel for the reader. After reading the chapter, one cannot help but be struck by the wickedness of the people of Israel. They are not just wicked, but they have…
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Where Did the Hebrew Language Come From?
The Hebrew language is beloved by many Christians because it is the original language of the Old Testament. Thus, the Hebrew language makes up the majority of God’s revelation! Some people think Hebrew is a divine language. Others think Hebrew contains specialized codes from God. However, the history of the Hebrew language shows that it is not some mystical language with special codes. It is a real language that has had real development over time. Abraham and the Origin of the Hebrew Language Although some would argue Adam and Eve spoke Hebrew, that is unlikely. The first time we see the word “Hebrew” used is in reference to Abram in Genesis 14:13. Abram (later Abraham) was a sojourner from Ur of the Chaldees (Gen 11:31). Ur was a bustling Sumerian city-state, and during Abram’s time there he would have grown up fluent in Sumerian and Akkadian. Akkadian is the oldest…
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Does the Bible Teach us to Wrestle with God?
In the early morning hours by the Jabbok River, Jacob wrestled with a divine being in a struggle that has intrigued theologians for centuries. An article by Desiring God suggests this encounter serves as a model for believers to wrestle with God in their own lives. But is this interpretation faithful to the text, or does it overlook deeper truths about divine encounters and transformation? I have written before about the bad habit of reading Bible stories inappropriately, but this is a good example of how not to read a Bible story. Like many well-intentioned Bible readers, the author assumes that the actions of the characters in the story are to be emulated and the events of the story should form our expectations of how God operates with us. For example, the author from the above-mentioned article notes the following: God will meet you in your anguish, fear, and uncertainty.…
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Feeling Guilty and Being Guilty Are Different
According to the Bible, guilt is objective. Just because you feel guilty does not mean you have actually experienced guilt. On the other hand, just because you don’t feel guilty does not mean you have no guilt! Guilt is not an emotion, it is an objective status. You have probably heard people say things like, “Don’t you feel guilty?” Or, “I don’t feel guilty about that.” What they are actually talking about is what the Bible describes as the conscience. The conscience and guilt are related, but they are two separate concepts. The conscience is supposed to tell you when you have guilt, but sometimes feeling guilty can be confused with actual guilt. This is why it is important for the Bible to form our definitions. The Essence of Guilt According to the Bible The main word used to describe guilt in the Old Testament is asham (אשׁם). Within the…
