Does Leviticus 26 Contain a Time Prophecy of 2,520 Years?
An examination of Leviticus 26:18 in its context shows that it is not a prophecy but conditional statements of blessing and cursing depending on Israel’s response to God. Statements made by James and Ellen White support this interpretation.
Read MoreHermeneutics and Scripture in the Twenty-First Century
The “Methods of Bible Study” document voted by the 1986 Annual Council, which affirms Scripture’s divine inspiration and authority, as well as how to study the Bible, is explained and contrasted with more recent critical approaches to biblical interpretation. The role of culture is also addressed.
Read MoreOpen or Closed Communion?
Adventist historical practice relative to open or closed communion and the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 in connection with the question are explored.
Read MoreLessons from Matthew 1
The Gospel of Matthew heads the New Testament canon. This prominent placement, rather than being merely a historical accident, witnesses to its foundational significance for Christians. Just as the book of Genesis introduces us to our God and the Creator of all, so this first Gospel introduces us to Jesus Christ, “God with us,” our…
Read MoreLessons from Matthew 2
Matthew 2 continues the presentation of Jesus begun in chapter one, but the focus shifts from Jesus as “the Son of Abraham” (Matt 1:1) to His being “King of the Jews” (Matt 2:2). As we saw in “Lessons from Matthew 1,” David is introduced as “the king” (Matt 1:6) and Jesus is introduced as “the Son of David” (Matt 1:1).
Read MoreLessons from Matthew 3
All four gospels introduce Jesus’ ministry with the work of John the Baptist (cf. Mark 1:4; Luke 3:2–3; John 1:6–7). He is mentioned as baptizing in a wide area that included “the wilderness of Judea” (Matt 3:1), “all the region around the Jordan” (Luke 3:3), and “Bethabara beyond the Jordan” (John 1:28). His wide and…
Read MoreConversion, the Gift of the Holy Spirit, and New Testament Religious Practices
The New Testament consistently associates the gift of the Holy Spirit with repentance, conversion, and baptism. Yet there is no clear pattern as to whether the outpouring of the Spirit precedes or follows baptism.
Read MoreLessons from Matthew 4
Matthew 4 begins with Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness for forty days. As in Mark and Luke, it occurs immediately after Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist and prior to His ministry in Galilee.
Read MoreLessons from Matthew 5
The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7 is the first of Jesus’ five major discourses recorded by Matthew, each of which unfolds different facets of the kingdom of heaven. The first and last discourses act as bookends, describing the kingdom in its present and future dimensions respectively. The Sermon describes in far-reaching yet practical…
Read MoreLessons from Matthew 6
Matthew 6, in the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, contains some of Jesus’ most practical teachings. It begins by focusing on true worship, which is deeply personal, and it includes instruction on giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting (Matt 6:1–18).
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