This expression generally refers to the apostasy of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which introduced the human family to heartache, disease, and ultimately death (Gen. 2:17; 3:16ff; Rom. 5:12)....

In the Old Testament, this term denoted the firstborn offspring of humans or animals. The firstborn was accorded a place of special prominence (cf. Gen. 48:13-18; Dt. 21:15-17; 2 Chron. 21:3). 

Th...

The Flood, recorded in Genesis 6-8, was the most widespread disaster ever to affect this planet. Waters from the atmosphere above and from chasms beneath the earth inundated the entire globe (Gen. ...

The Greek term porne is a comprehensive term, covering every form of illicit sexual activity by human beings. Note the following passages that help us understand this word.

Single people who wish ...

Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria. It was an exceedingly wicked city, but Jehovah loved even these alien Gentiles. Accordingly, he sent Jonah, a prophet from northern Palestine, to proclaim u...

A genealogy is a record of the names of a person’s ancestors or descendants.

Several genealogical lists are recorded in the Bible, for example, in Genesis, Chronicles, Matthew, and Luke. These ar...

The term “evangelist” is an Anglicized form of the Greek euanglistes, derived from eu (“well”) and angelos (“messenger”). 

An evangelist is someone who proclaims the good news, serving as a gospel...

“Gospel” derives from the Greek euangelion, literally “good tidings” (see Lk. 2:10, where it is fully translated). The gospel is mentioned more than 75 times in the New Testament. It is the good ne...

The term “grace” occurs about 155 times in the New Testament. The word relates to the Greek term chairo, meaning “to rejoice,” and grace itself comes to mean favor, gratification, or gratitude — d...

Sometime before the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians (586 B.C.), the prophet Habakkuk wonders why God appears to have ignored Judah’s sins. The Lord informs the bewildered prophet that he is pl...

After Judah’s initial return from Babylonian captivity (536 B.C.), God’s people had begun the work of rebuilding the temple. Then, due to opposition from certain enemies, the Hebrews became discour...

On several occasions the Scriptures speak of a “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1). What does the phrase mean? (a) It does not refer to a literal new heavens and earth. This is s...

Certain first-century Jews sought to persuade Christians (perhaps in the region of Jerusalem) to abandon the faith, return to Judaism, and wait for the real Messiah. The design of this letter, by a...

“Heresy” takes its rise from the Greek, hairesis (nine times in the N.T.). Originally, the term meant simply “to choose” (Lev. 22:18, 21 — LXX). Then it came to signify a choice, i.e., an opinion ...

Homosexual activity is sexual intimacy between two persons of the same gender. This form of sexual conduct is uniformly condemned in the Bible. (a) It stands outside the divinely prescribed realm o...

Hosea lived in that era just prior to the Assyrian invasion of the kingdom of Israel (722/21 B.C.). His mission was to admonish Israel for her idolatry (Baal worship), and to urge her to repentance...

Ethics concerns the system or code by which attitudes or actions are determined to be right or wrong. Only two sources can serve as the basis for ethical conduct: ethical conduct is either regulate...

The Greek term, found in various forms about forty-five times in the N.T., means “the possession of a lot,” or portion. Some ideas associated with the word are these: (a) It can suggest a possessio...

Isaiah was a prophet who lived in Judah in the eighth century before Christ. He foretold coming judgments from God to be visited upon Israel, Judah, and several heathen nations, because of their si...

After Jacob had his famous encounter with the “messenger” of Jehovah (Gen. 32:29; cf. Hos. 12:4-5), his name was changed to “Israel,” suggesting, “he who strove with God.” Later, the name is applie...