A careful consideration of the various texts in the Old Testament that mention the "angel of the LORD" (KJV) or the "angel of Jehovah" (ASV) reveals that this being was not of the ordinary angel cl...

The doctrine of "annihilation" is the idea that eventually, after a sufficient period of punishment, the souls of the wicked will go out of existence. This dogma is without biblical support.  The ...

In the Old Testament, anointing with oil was used ceremonially to set apart special roles, especially those of prophets (1 Kgs. 19:16), priests (Ex. 28:41), and kings (1 Sam. 9:16). The most comm...

This is the name of a figure of speech whereby things are described in human terms. The word derives from the Greek anthropos (man) and morphe (form), hence man-form.  Because God is "spirit" (Jn....

The Greek term antikristos is found five times in the New Testament -- all references being in John's writings (1 Jn. 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 Jn. 7). The meaning is "against Christ." John warns that man...

Though this word is not found in most English translations of the New Testament, the thought is there in the Greek text. It is an anglicized form of the original term antitupos. The term is rendere...

Apocalyptic language is a highly symbolic form of expression. Vivid figures of speech convey the ideas. When the figures are interpreted, the meaning of the message is uncovered. The word derives f...

This word originally meant "hidden things," suggesting a special body of information reserved for a select group. Eventually, it came to signify a collection of fourteen or fifteen books, some of w...

This word is an anglicized form of the Greek apologeia, literally meaning "a verbal defense." It is found eight times in the New Testament, and a verb form occurs some ten times. For example, Luke...

Apostasy is an English term based on the Greek apotasia. Originally, it meant to desert one's post; it was used for political revolt. In the Old Testament, the word implies a turning away from Go...

This word is related to a Greek verb, apostello, meaning "to send away, to send forth." It is used in several senses in the New Testament.  • Christ was God's "apostle," sent from heaven to reveal ...

The name "Armageddon" derives from a passage in the book of Revelation, where certain opposing forces were gathered at a place called Har-Magedon for a great battle (Rev. 16:16). It is believed t...

Astrology is a pagan superstition that believes the heavenly bodies influence human activity. Additionally, the theory often includes the belief that human events can be predicted by "reading" the ...

The term atheism derives from two Greek roots, a (meaning "no") and theos ("God"). It is a word that depicts the irrational ideology of the person who dogmatically says: "There is no God" (cf. Psa....

The English word "atonement" derives from an Anglo-Saxon term that practically signifies "a making at one." Though the English term "atonement" is common to the Old Testament, it is found only once...

The most popular Greek word for "authority" is exousia (sometimes translated as "power"). The term, with various usages, is found 102 times in the New Testament. The word, together with some parall...

Autonomy derives from two roots: auto ("self") and nomos ("law"). It can have a negative or positive connotation. It's crucial to remember that man is not autonomous. He is not empowered to rule ...

This is an expression used frequently in the Old Testament to describe those who forsook their loyalty to God and began to serve Satan again.  No fewer than thirteen times, the prophet Jeremiah re...

The noun "baptism" and the corresponding verb, "baptize," come directly from Greek to English with only slight spelling modification. The word used literally, denotes to immerse, dip, or submerge. ...

The practice of baptism "for the dead" is mentioned once in the New Testament. "If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?" (1 Cor. 15:29). Though the passage is somewh...