Who Is the Beast?
The two witnesses of Revelation 11 represent the church, who've been given the crucial task of prophesying to the nations. God's people must warn humanity that if they persist in…
A Time, Two Times and Half a Time
Revelation 11 is arguably the toughest chapter in the Bible, but it's key for understanding the book of Revelation as a whole. Chapter 11 unveils the contents of the scroll…
Measuring the Temple
We're now on the cusp of Revelation 11, perhaps the most bewildering chapter in the Bible. We've learned about the crucial scroll (introduced in chapter 5) which contains God's plan…
From Persecution to Empire
The third century was a tumultuous time for the Roman Empire. 30 emperors reigned during this century, but few died peacefully. Most were victims of bloody coups which triggered further…
Heresy and the Canon
Around 140 AD, a wealthy shipowner named Marcion arrived in Rome. He was originally from Sinope, a city in Asia Minor on the coast of the Black Sea. Although he…
New Wine & New Wineskins
The 27 books which were eventually included in the New Testament were all produced by the end of the 1st century. The gospel of Mark (which drew heavily upon the…
The Things Fulfilled Among Us
"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the…
The Other Joseph
The book of Genesis describes the dramatic story of Joseph, son of Jacob. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, he eventually rose to power in Egypt. But there is…
The New Exodus
Holy week is already upon us since Easter comes relatively early this year. The method used to calculate Easter Sunday is quite confusing: it's the Sunday following the first full…
Will the Real Israel Please Stand Up?
Events in Israel continue apace. The Israeli Defense Forces have initiated ground operations in the Gaza Strip in order to destroy Hamas and rescue Israeli hostages. The war has transfixed…