Volume 24, No.4, Nov. 2013
Balaam’s Talking Donkey
“And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?” (Numbers 22:28). Balaam’s ass is famous for refusing to carry Balaam forward as he wished, and then speaking to Balaam to defend himself against the beating that Balaam gave her. The verbal interchange between Balaam and his [...]
Six Lambs
“And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish” (Ezekiel 46:4). This text is part of the nine chapters that constitute the vision of Ezekiel’s Temple (Ezekiel 40-48). The vision is about the Millennial Kingdom, and the blessings of life that will flow to the world as they approach God during [...]
The Specialness of the Tribe of Levi
“Thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony ... and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle” (Numbers 1:50). Background — Following the Exodus from Egypt, Numbers chapters 13 and 14 recount that twelve spies, one selected from each tribe, were sent out to reconnoiter the Promised Land. Ten of the twelve spies brought back a bad [...]
Sources of Abraham’s Faith
Abraham was a wonderfully faithful man. He is referred to as the father of the faithful. “They which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). But one might ask, where did Abraham get this wonderful faith? There are at least three possible sources. (1) FROM PROMISES TO HIS FOREFATHERS Paul defines faith as, “the substance of things hoped for, [...]
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 [...]