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Is the furnace of fire in Matthew 13:40-42 a reference to hell?

I have a book on hell coming out in June, titled What is Hell? You can pre-order the Kindle version on Amazon. Between now and then, I will be focusing my podcasts studies on some of the content from the book. We will look at the eight key terms that are often equated with hell, and about a dozen key passages that are thought to teach about hell. If you want to learn the truth about hell, and what the Bible actually teaches about hell, make sure you get a copy of my book, What is Hell? In this study, we are considering the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares in Matthew 13:24-30, and specifically what it means when the tares are cast into a furnace of fire, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Is Matthew 13:40, 42 (Matt 13:50) a warning about hell? Let’s begin with the specific vers...

What Does Namaste Mean? Should Christians Say It?

Namaste is a Sanskrit phrase combining two phrases to mean “I bow to you” or “The divine in me bows to the divine in you.”It is a common Hindu/Indian greeting. Not only is it a salutation but it is used as a sign of reverence and respect. However, in some Hindu areas it simply means good morning as well. Namaste Definition and Meaning The word namaste, pronounced “NUHM-uh-stay,” is a Sanskrit phrase formed from namah, meaning, “adoration, bow” and the pronoun te meaning, “to you.” According to the Webster dictionary, the noun namah is a derivative of the verb namati, which means, “he or she bends, or bows.” It literally translates to, “I bow to you.” It is a common Hindu/Indian greeting. Not only is it a salutation but it is used as a sign of reverence and respect. However, in some Hi...

Does God Care about the Little Things that Happen in Our Lives?

The short answer – “yes.” God absolutely cares about the little things in our lives since He’s numbered the hairs of our head (Luke 12:7). From another perspective, if the nations are “as dust on the scales,” what is big to God? (Isaiah 40:15). Let’s look at a few little things in our lives that matter to God. 1. God Cares about Little Worries “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6). Don’t worry about – anything. Most of us allow a few worries to slip in like these: Will I be late; Will my child do well in this class? Did I make the right decision? After I spoke on worry, a young mother said, “It’s hard to see how worry is so bad. It’s not like murder or adultery.”            I reminded her that small choices add up over time. A shift of a few deg...

What Is Mercy? Why Is It Important?

In the Bible, God’s mercy means His pity, compassion, and kindness toward people. His mercy shows up in the believer’s life at salvation, and then God continues to show mercy in forgiveness. Mercy triumphs over judgment but refusing God’s mercy is disastrous. Mercy: Meaning and Definition Theologians have defined “mercy” in clear terms. In The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Edwards said it most graphically: “God is pleased to show mercy to His enemies, according to His own sovereign pleasure. Though He is infinitely above all, and stands in no need of creatures; yet He is graciously pleased to take a merciful notice of poor worms in the dust.” In a lighter vein, Millard Erickson wrote in Christian Theology, “God’s mercy is His tenderhearted, loving compassion for His people. It is His tenderne...

What Does 666 Mean in Christianity?

The number 666 is the mark of the beast, as referenced in the Book of Revelation. In apocalyptic end times, the mark of the beast is taken by those who value personal safety over fidelity to Christ. The mark of the beast is the mark of mankind. It is the opposite of the divine plan of salvation. 666 in the Bible Revelation 13:16-18 sounds as if it could be the script for one of those remarkable films about secret codes or fantastic beasts.  “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, ...

NICNT and NICOT on Sale at Logos

The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (NICOT) and New Testament (NICNT) is easily my favorite series of commentaries. I own almost all of them in the hardback versions, but recently had the chance to fill out my set through Logos Bible Software. I chose the volumes on Job, Psalms, Matthew, John, and Hebrews. Logos is having a major sale on the sets, with the full collection (53 vols) at 48% off. You can can individual volumes for $29.99 or less. If you don’t have Logos Bible Software, you can use my code, REDEEMINGGOD8, to get 10% of your purchase, PLUS 5 free books. Even though I have most of the NICNT and NICOT series on hardback, I love using Logos for these commentaries because I can search through the volumes much more quickly than with the paperback versions. For exam...

Who Was Methuselah in the Bible?

What does the expression as “Old as Methuselah” mean? This idiom, rooted in the Bible, means someone or something is very old! The book of Genesis says that Methuselah lived for 969 years. Who was Methuselah? Methuselah is the oldest person mentioned in the Bible. He lived to be 969 years old (Genesis 5:27). In Genesis 5, Methuselah is listed as a descendent of Adam, who also lived nearly a millennium.  Methuselah and Adam are not the only persons mentioned in the Bible living over 900 years. Adam lived to be 930 years old Adam’s son Seth lived 912 years Seth’s son Enosh (or Enos) lived to be 905 years old Methuselah’s grandfather Jered lived to be 962 years old Methuselah’s grandson Noah lived to be 950 years old Though Methuselah lived 693 years after Adam, it is likely they knew ea...

Does the unquenchable fire of Matthew 3:10-12 refer to hell?

I have a book on hell coming out in June, titled What is Hell? You can pre-order the Kindle version on Amazon. Between now and then, I will be focusing my podcasts studies on some of the content from the book. We will look at the eight key terms that are often equated with hell, and about a dozen key passages that are thought to teach about hell. If you want to learn the truth about hell, and what the Bible actually teaches about hell, make sure you get a copy of my book, What is Hell?  Also, if you are part of my discipleship group, there will be an online course about hell as well. In this article, we will be discussing the topic of “unquenchable fire” as it is talked about by John the Baptist in Matthew 3:10-12 (and the parallel passage in Luke 3:16-17). Matthew 3:10-12 (Luke 3:16-...

Can Prayer Change God’s Will?

This is a complicated question. If, as Christians, we believe God’s will is perfect, then why would we want to change it, and isn’t it presumptuous to think that we could? “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30). Besides, we serve a God who does not change (Malachi 3:6), and the Bible tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). In Numbers 23:19-20, Balaam spoke this message from the Lord: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.” So can we change God’s will? I think when most of u...

What is the Unforgivable Sin? Can We Commit it Today?

Christianity.com: What is the unforgivable sin described in Mark Chapter 3?-Brian Hedges from christianitydotcom2 on GodTube. Transcription of the video above: One of the first people that I led to Christ many years ago was a young man who believed that he had committed the unforgivable sin. In fact, that was the thing. He had been raised in a Christian home, but that was the thing that had kept him from Christ for some time because he believed that he had blasphemed the Holy Spirit, and he had committed this sin that was unpardonable, and certainly Christians who have been haunted by these words of Jesus … We find them in the gospels. One of the places we find them is in Mark chapter 3 where Jesus says that, “All sins will be forgiven the children of men, and whatever blasphem...

What Is Hell? A Biblical Guide of Its Existence

“Hell is a place of total, conscious, eternal separation from the blessings of God,” Bryan Chapell, president of Covenant Theological Seminary, said in the video below. “And there’s a sense in which hell is people getting exactly what they want.” In that if a person rejects God all throughout life, never submitting to him in repentance, then the person will enter eternity after death without God. [embedded content] What Happens after Death? We know from Romans 3:23 that everyone has sinned and therefore stand condemned before a holy God. But John 3:16-17 tells us that because of God’s great love for the whole world, he stepped in to rescue people from this helpless trajectory, if they only trust in Christ Jesus – the Messiah (John 20:31), God incarnate (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-3; John ...

What Does Selah Mean in the Bible?

The true meaning of Selah in the Bible is a mystery. Bible Scholars have come up with multiple meanings and possible explanations for the meaning of the word. Selah Definition The New American Standard Hebrew Lexicon defines the Hebrew word (סֶֽלָה) as “to lift up, exalt.” Some scholars believe that Selah was a musical notation possibly meaning “silence” or “pause;” others, “end,” “a louder strain,” “piano,” etc. Still others think it is similar to a musical interlude, “a pause in the voices singing, while the instruments perform alone.”   Selah is translated as “intermission” in the Septuagint (LXX) which is the earliest Greek translation of the Old Testament. The Septuagint is significant because it was completed in 2n...

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