Jim Parkinson
Cain and Abel
Genesis 4 The account of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 raises a number of questions in the mind of the reader, among which are these three. (1) When Cain murdered his brother, why was the penalty not death? Why “a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth?” And then, though he was not remorseful, why did God grant him a blessing? (2) Why [...]
How 535-542 AD Changed the World
Introduction to the Dark Ages Occasionally, a natural event has a dramatic effect on the world. Recent discovery shows how it shifted power from Constantinople back to Rome. A catastrophic volcanic eruption in 535-536 AD made 536 and 541 the worst years for trees in the past two millennia. [1] The effects were worldwide, as told by writers in Italy, Constantinople, and China. Sulfate spikes [...]
Allies Against Ancient Israel
There are many times enemies came against Israel or Judah and were defeated. These often appear to typify the destruction — often self‑destruction — of this world at the end of the Gospel Age, preparatory to the Resurrection in the Millennial Kingdom. In some cases, there are multiple nations allied against Israel, and three of these are of interest here. THREE ENEMIES AGAINST GIDEON [...]
An Introduction to the Exodus: A Picture of the Plan of the Ages
A people oppressed by cruel taskmasters are freed from oppression by the mighty acts of God: Israel's Exodus from Egypt. Who has not been moved by the recounting of it? But many scriptures in both Old and New Testaments point out a greater significance. By the Exodus our God has shown how He will eventually deliver His church and the world of mankind from [...]
A Difference Between Bulls and Goats
While religious Jews the world over look forward to the Atonement Day, Christians view the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the beginning of that day. The purpose of that day is to make atonement with the LORD. On the annual Atonement Day of the Jewish Age, the high priest was to offer first a bullock {1} as a sin-offering to make atonement for himself [...]
From Jordan to Golgotha
"And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age" (Luke 3:22, 23). How long was the spirit-begotten life of Jesus Christ? Nobody knows precisely. But from Autumn 29 AD [...]
The Seven Churches of Revelation 2-3
Ephesus Smyrna Pergamum Address To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: Christ These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: These things saith the first and [...]
Two Phases of Christ’s Return
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). When considering prophetic events post-1874, it is important to understand the time frame for the many scriptures referencing the Lord’s [...]
When the Seventh Angel Sounds
The Apostle John, who wrote down Revelation Revelation 10:7 seems to present a near‑certain contradiction as it is commonly read: “In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants [1] the prophets” (Revelation 10:7 ASV). Too easily, this verse [...]
Ancient Papyri Disprove Critics
Revolutionary ideas about the Bible that have been popularized over the past century include the notions: (1) that Constantine (312-337) excluded several valid gospels from our Bibles, (2) that the Epistle to the Hebrews was not writ ten by Paul or any other apostle, (3) that the writings of John could not possibly have been written before the late 3rd century since the dragon [...]
A Different View of Alpha and Omega
As soon as it is recognized that “A and Ω” is not supported by any of the ancient and best manuscripts of Revelation 1:11, the need goes away to allow that expression to apply to Jesus, rather than always to God.1 What results is a progression from 1:8, “I am the A and the Ω,” to adding “the beginning and the end” (21:6), to [...]
New Testament Greek Words Regarding Christ’s Second Presence
Below is a brief review of the relevant words, followed with a chart of their appearances in the Scriptures. Erchomai. The first thing one must do to be present is “to come.“ Thus the word erchomai is used more frequently of Christ's Second Advent than all others combined. The noun form, elevsis, means “coming.” Another form, ho erchomenos, means “the coming one,” or “he [...]
The Name of Jehovah
“And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am Jehovah” (Exodus 6:2). My observation is that many avoid all forms of Jehovah/ Yahweh/Yahavah in order to stay away from the Jehovah’s Witnesses sect. Often this may be so, as very often they lose arguments with Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Decades ago the local Baptist minister, in non-confrontational discussion, suggested that is likely why the [...]
Joshua, Jericho, and the Gospel Age
It was 1575 BC when Joshua led more than a million Israelites out of the wilderness to an encampment point a mile or so outside the high walls of Jericho. Archaeologists say those walls were approximately 20 feet high on three sides; a steep natural cliff dropping off toward the Jordan River protected its eastern side. This was the twentieth city to be constructed [...]
Thy Throne is the Throne of God Forever and Ever
Hebrews 1:8 reads, "but of the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; and the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom" (ASV text). Or, "but of the Son he saith, Thy throne is God forever and ever; and the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom" (ASV margin). When taken out of context, the Greek [...]
In the Beginning God Created the Heavens
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). “Thus saith the LORD, who stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the breath of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1). The Bible asserts the universe had a “beginning” and that it was subsequently “stretched.” The scientific community would not have supported the assertion that the universe [...]
Prophecies Against Rome Addressed to Tyre
TIRAS, THE ETRUSCANS, ROME The list of first‑generation nations from Japheth ends with Tiras. Their homeland was at the west and southwest of the Black Sea, where Romanians today call it Thracia, and in English we slur it to Thrace. Its capital was called Troy, or Troas, and the people were called Trojans. Like other seafaring nations, these people established colonies on faraway shores, [...]
Cleansing the Water
What made the water at Marah bitter? A huge underground water supply is underneath the Sinai desert, which drains near the eastern and western coasts. This water is rich in sulfates, which are bitter, and when ingested is a strong cathartic. (Glauber’s salt, sodium sulfate, is given medicinally as a cathartic, but it is too bitter for some people.) Not only is it bitter, [...]
Languages and Babel
“God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). But Nimrod and those like him rebelled and said, “Come, let us build a city and a tower ... lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:3-4). Therefore, God set about to punish them, or let them punish [...]
Translating No-Verb Sentences
Many languages do not require every complete sentence to have a verb, among them Hebrew and Greek, although English is not such a language.1 In the absence of a verb, the tense is usually unimportant or irrelevant. Therefore it is important that italics (or brackets) be used to indicate that a verb in English has been added in the translation. Grammatically, the tense of [...]
The People that Walked in Darkness
“In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them [...]
Matthew 5:32
A Usually-Misunderstood Text. What Does the Divorcer Cause? The common translation of Matthew 5:32 is: “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery” (KJV). However, the Greek word translated “to commit adultery” (moicheuthenai,1 from the verb moicheuo) is in [...]
How David Beat Goliath
In the 20th century endocrinology has shown that tall and strong people often have limited eyesight. [1] "Endocrinology has been marshalled to prove convincingly that limited eyesight, common in tall, strong people, could have hampered Goliath's capability to react correctly to David's aiming his sling." Consider highlights of this encounter: "And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that [...]
Table of Nations (Continued)
In the previous issue, we traced the descendents of Japheth, Ham, and Shem. We complete our article with the following supplementary information, and charts. HOW JOSEPHUS COMPARES The differences in the identification of nations between Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews I, vi, and this summary (last issue) can be seen in the attached table and may be commented on as follows: The association [...]
Memorial Dates
"For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7). What has been the historical record of Bible Student reckoning of the Memorial and what are some future dates? BIBLE STUDENTS RECKONING 1880-1920 The Christian Memorial is celebrated after sunset on Nisan 14. The Gregorian (European-American) calendar day corresponds to the Jewish Nisan 13 (which ends at sunset). The Gregorian dates for [...]
Return of the Jews to Israel
A brief look at what made possible the Jewish return to their homeland. Beginning with the Autumn 1874 planting and the Spring harvest of the winter crops in the Balkans, a number of seemingly-unrelated but rapid-fire events enabled the Jews to return to their land for the first time in about eighteen centuries. Within four years the first Jews were making Aliyah (return). BACKGROUND [...]
Matthew 5:32, A Usually Misunderstood Text
What Does the Divorcer Cause? The common translation of Matthew 5:32 is: “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery” (KJV). However, the Greek word translated “to commit adultery” (moi cheuthenai,1 from the verb moicheuo) is in a past [...]
Out of the Tomb(s)
“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matthew 27:52, 53). The expressions “out of the graves [tombs]” and “out of the tomb” are used occasionally in the New Testament, but apparently with a different shade of meaning. The [...]
A Note on the Abrahamic Promise
“In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). The Hebrew of this text, rendered literally, is “And will-be-blessed in thee all peoples of the land.” And of Genesis 22:18, “And will-bless-themselves in seed of thee all nations of the earth.” The latter is often carelessly translated. In both cases the verb has the letter “vav” (ו) prefixed, which is a [...]
Pure Nard, Very Costly
John 12:2-11, Mark 14:3-9, Matthew 14:3-9 It was Jesus’ last Sunday on earth when he and the twelve disciples arrived at Bethany, to the home of Simon the leper. (“Six days before the Passover,” John 12:1. That would be Sunday, six days before the Passover feast the following Saturday.) It is thought likely Simon the leper had died, and his heirs lived there: Martha, [...]
Living Clean in a Dirty World
Quotes from RVIC Living clean is embodied in the four attributes of Jehovah God Almighty: “Four living creatures ... they had the faces of a man; and they four had the faces of a lion on the right side; and they four had the faces of an ox on the left side; they four had also the faces of an eagle” (Ezekiel 1:5, 10). [...]
Languages and Babel
“God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). But Nimrod and those like him rebelled and said, “Come, let us build a city and a tower ... lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:3‑4). Therefore, God set about to punish them (or let them punish [...]
Lunar and Solar Calendar
"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Genesis 1:14). As is well known, 12 lunar months aggregate to somewhat shy of a solar year, 354 days as compared to 365 days. How did the Jews adjust the [...]
Bible Words for “Ransom”
"The Son of man came ... to give his life a ransom" (Matthew 20:28). There are three Hebrew root words and two Greek words that are translated "ransom" in the KJV. They are listed in the following chart. Included are the three Greek words used in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, and some examples of texts in which these words appear. The [...]
The Seven Last Plagues
An Update from 1991 The Seven Last Plagues were given a suggested interpretation in an article, “An Introduction to the Exodus: A Picture of the Plan of the Ages,” Beauties of the Truth, November 1991. Since that time, new information has surfaced, particularly for Plagues 1 and 6, as reflected in the table below and in the subsequent discussion. This writer had been unaware [...]
Locusts and John the Baptist
“His meat was locusts and wild honey” (Matthew 3:4) From time to time there are friendly discussions as to whether John the Baptist ate locust insects or locust bean (Matthew 3:4, Mark 1:6). One approach to resolving the question is to see how the Greek word for locust(s) is used in the rest of the Bible. If that is not sufficient to resolve the [...]
God’s Spirit Upon All Flesh
“I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28). After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, on Pentecost the Apostle Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32 to open up the Gospel Age for the church. However, in Acts 2:17 he reverses the sequence of two clauses, implying the sequence is not important. (Perhaps to draw more attention to clauses that introduce the new state of affairs.) [...]
The Table of Nations
After the Flood, exploration of the land must have been priority. Within two or three generations, Nimrod's rebellion exhibited continental awareness, "Come, let us build a city ... lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth" (Gen 11:4. Cf. Gen 9:1 for God's command). When peoples began fighting over the land, it appears portions of the earth were allotted to [...]
Locusts and John the Baptist
“John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey” (Matthew 3:4). From time to time there are friendly discussions as to whether John the Baptist ate locust insects or locust bean (Matthew 3:4, Mark 1:6). One approach to resolving the question is to see how the Greek word for locust(s) is [...]
Using the Enemy Against the Enemy
“And they cried, The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon” (Judges 7:20 ASV). Several times in the period of the Judges (Deliverers), we are told, “And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah” (Judges 3:12, 4:1, 10:6, 13:1). In the time of Deborah, Israel had sinned and was delivered into the hand of the king of [...]
Seven Pictures of Armageddon
Seven climactic battles are detailed in the time of the Judges; each typifying the Battle of Armageddon, but each offering a different facet of it. Judges 3:7‑11. Cushan‑rishathaim king of Mesopotamia (Hebrews, Aram Naharaim, “Aram of two rivers,” or “Highlands of two rivers,” Euphrates and Tigris) was the first king God permitted to punish Israel in their land, for eight years. His name means, [...]
The Exodus – Part II
A continuation of “An Introduction to the Exodus. A Picture of the Plan of the Ages,” appearing in the previous issue. THE PASSOVER The passover lamb is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 5:7). The Passover has been the subject of many good studies and summaries (e.g., Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 6, Study XI, “The Passover of the New Creation”), [...]
On the Addition question in Numbers Chapter Three
Numbers chapter three contains an inconsistency in the count of Levites. Numbers 3:22 records 7500 from Gershon, verse 28 records 8600 from Kohath, and verse 34 records 6200 from Merari. This totals 22,300, yet verse 39 gives the total as 22,000. Where is the error? It is clear from Numbers 3:43,46-47,50 that 22,273 firstborn were 273 more than the total number of Levite males [...]
What Did the Magi See?
What the Magi may have seen around the time of Jesus Christ's Birth. Magi in the East saw the "star" of the King of the Jews (Matthew 2). But what was it that they saw, and how did they interpret it? That question has been around for centuries, but astronomical information recently pointed out may answer it. An improved chronology of Roman history around [...]
In Our Image, After Our Likeness
“And God [1] said, Let us make man [2] in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (27) And God created the man in his own image, in the image [...]