Category: Bible Study

“That evening my wife died, and the next morning I did as I had been commanded.” –Ezekiel 24:18 The Jewish people mourned the death of those they loved by crying and groaning, by taking off their turbans and sandals, by covering their beards, and by eating a special kind of bread (Ez 24:16-17). The Lord told Ezekiel not to do these customary things when his wife died. God told Ezekiel not to react normally for the purpose of showing His people that they did not react normally to the desecration of their sanctuary and the destruction of their children (Ez...

“Jesus said: ‘Let the children come to Me. Do not hinder them.’ ” –Matthew 19:14 Jesus loves children. This means not only that He gives them special graces but also that He expects us to provide the best circumstances for children to grow. This means Jesus expects us to: try hard to stop abortion and contraception, change our lifestyle and make any other decisions necessary to do something about the millions of starving children in the world, promote the covenant of marriage, in which children should be conceived and raised, not condone promiscuity, which often deprives children of two parents,...

“Let him accept this teaching who can.” –Matthew 19:12 God’s thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways (Is 55:8). “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are” His ways and thoughts above ours (Is 55:9). For example, man’s ways are divorce and re-marriage. All human societies have had divorce and re-marriage, because lifelong monogamy is very difficult for us with our fallen human nature. However, God’s ways are: No divorce and no re-marriage (without an annulment). He can have such extreme ways because He is God, Who has given us a new nature in...

” ‘Pay back what you owe,’ he demanded.” –Matthew 18:28 Jesus commands us to forgive people from our hearts (Mt 18:35). In the context of today’s parable, that means we must, in our hearts, consider the account paid off. The books have been balanced and the slate wiped clean. How can we determine if we’ve forgiven others from our hearts? If we continue to look for some kind of reward or return from those who hurt us, we have not truly forgiven from our hearts. If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you have not closed the books...