Believers understand Esther as a historical account of God’s providential care for the Jewish people during the Persian exile, even though one version of the book never explicitly mentions God. What many Protestants may not realize is that there is another account of this text. And contrary to […]
July 2025 (9)
Monday, July 14 2025
The four prominent horns
Monday, July 14 2025.
"Thus the goat became very great, but at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off, and four prominent horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven." Dan 8:8 Note that the text says four "prominent" horns came up—not that there were only four […]
Sunday, July 13 2025
The Beatitudes - in the Book of Enoch
Sunday, July 13 2025.
I want to draw attention to the opening chapter of the Book of Enoch. Most are familiar with the beginning of the last verse from this chapter - because it's quoted verbatim by Jude. But there's another verse in this opening statement that is remarkably similar to the opening statements made by […]
Saturday, July 12 2025
Be careful of your approach to prosperity
Saturday, July 12 2025.
One presumption is that the quality of life we enjoy here - or the creature comforts we enjoy - is a consequence of our ability to follow a Biblical set of rules. In some circles that's described as "prosperity gospel". If you believe that, your thinking is flawed. And don't underestimate […]
The objective
Saturday, July 12 2025.
Jesus predicted wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, deception, and lawlessness before His return. I don't think His list is exhaustive in every detail. He's describing a deterioration in the human condition as well as occurrences in nature that work against us. He described them as […]
Adam and Enoch
Saturday, July 12 2025.
Since Adam lived 930 years, and Enoch was born 622 years after Adam's creation and lived for 365 years before he was taken (Gen 5:23), both would have been alive together on the earth for 308 years. See: Chronologies are important! Enoch is also described as the first scribe. "And he [Enoch] […]
Sunday, July 6 2025
The neglected Book of Enoch
Sunday, July 6 2025.
The Book of Enoch had a significant influence on Jewish angelology, demonology, and eschatology, even though it was ultimately excluded from the Hebrew canon and most later rabbinic tradition. Much of this happened after the destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE) when rabbinic sages (Tannaim and […]
Enoch's final instructions to his son Methuselah
Sunday, July 6 2025.
Enoch, before he was taken, was given one year to complete his task. "And those seven holy ones brought me and placed me on the earth before the door of my house, and said to me: "Declare everything to thy son Methuselah, and show to all thy children that no flesh is righteous in the sight […]
Tuesday, July 1 2025
The historical value of the Books of Maccabees
Tuesday, July 1 2025.
I suspect that for most, the first exposure to the Books of Maccabees might be a bit of a turn-off. It was like that for me too on my first go-through. The reason? It reads like a war chronicle documenting: battles, diplomacy, and in particular the Seleucid influence on the vassal state of Israel. […]
