Halloween is a popular celebration that occurs on October 31st each year in many Western countries. Common activities people do on Halloween include trick-or-treating to collect candy from neighbors, dressing up in costumes, and carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. A common question Christians and non-Christians ask is what the Bible says about Halloween. The Bible doesn’t…
The Bible is one of the most-read and best-selling books of all time. It has two testaments, the Old and the New, with 66 total books. There are 39 books in the Old and 27 in the New. Many readers consider the Bible “long” because many editions employ a two-column format with font sizes as…
Some people, mainly associated with New Age teachings, believe there is spiritual significance to numbers in the Bible that lies hidden behind their literal meaning. Theoretically, readers can unlock the full importance of numbers through the connection of the mind, body, and spirit, as the New Age movement defines the terms. For example, one number…
Fasting is an expression of spiritual faithfulness to and dependence upon God. The Bible mentions fasting in both the Old and New Testaments. In addition, devout people in Scripture, like Moses, Elijah, Esther, and Jesus, fasted for different purposes. As a result, some people today practice one of the types of fasts that the Bible…
Many people are fascinated with the numbers they find in the Bible. Numbers mainly have literal meanings in the Old and New Testaments, yet sometimes their purpose is symbolic. An example of a symbolic meaning of a number is 666, which, according to Revelation 13:18, is associated with the name of the beast. Another number…
Lot is an important figure in the Bible. For thousands of years, readers have been learning lessons from his life on topics like God, family, faith, and selfishness. Lot’s family, especially his uncle, wife, and daughters, are notable characters in his narrative. The decisions Lot makes sometimes affect them negatively and significantly. Lot was the…
The Bible mentions Asaph in several places in the Bible, but he’s not as well-known as figures like Abraham, Moses, or David. When all the references to “Asaph” are read and understood, it’s clear that there are four different men called that name in the Old Testament. However, one, a worship leader in ancient Israel,…
When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, telling him to turn stones into bread, the God-Man responded: “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (ESV). Bible reading plans help Christians to live on every word of God each day of…
When people think of crystals, they often imagine a colorful, glass-like mineral that has both flat and rigid surfaces. Some people like the look of crystals so much that they use them to decorate their homes. Others wear them as jewelry. Some people have metaphysical beliefs about crystals, too. So what does the Bible teach…
Addiction is a craving, habit, or dependency, which often has temporary physical or emotional gratification, but in the long term is enslaving and destructive. Examples of addictions that people succumb to include alcohol, drugs, and pornography. Given the power of the Word of God, many people want to know what the Bible teaches about addiction….
According to the modern self-help movement, a “soul tie” is a unique connection that a person makes with someone else, often as the result of having sex with them. The word “soul” in the phrase “soul tie” is meant to describe the inner person. “Tie” refers to a deep connection, bond, or attachment that a…
Substance abuse, whether in the form of drugs or alcohol, is a serious problem in many parts of the world. Drugs provide a dangerous momentary release from the world and its problems, but they destroy lives, families, and communities in the process. Thankfully, God’s Word isn’t silent on the issue. Bible contains strong warnings against…
The name “Mary” appears many times in the New Testament and in some of its most significant stories. Readers encounter a woman named “Mary” in the Gospels, the book of Acts, and in one of Paul’s letters. A “Mary” was at Jesus’ birth, his death, his resurrection, and in a passage that describes the first…
Christianity has always valued the Bible, but segments of the tradition haven’t always encouraged individuals to read and study it. Protestants have a reputation for Bible reading, but Catholics don’t. Is this reputation deserved? What does the Catholic Church teach today about its members reading the Bible? According to recent research, 25% of Catholics read…
Readers of the New Testament find the name Simon multiple times in the Gospels and in the book of Acts. “Simon” appears in important stories in the life of Christ, like in the description of Jesus’ family and in the calling of the twelve apostles. The name also appears in passages that describe the establishment…
Mediums are people who say they can communicate with the dead. In the Bible, those who attempt to interact with the dead are referred to as mediums, necromancers, spiritists, or sorcerers, depending on the context and translation. What does the Bible teach about mediums? The practice of mediums is strictly forbidden in the Bible. The…
Certain teachings of Jesus Christ can result in questions, and even some confusion, for readers who are 2,000 years removed from their original context. Matthew 5:22 is an example of this, as Christ uses the term raca, which is unfamiliar to most modern readers. Since committing raca can result in going to hell according to…
There is more than one John mentioned in the New Testament, and sometimes readers find it challenging to distinguish one from the other. John Mark is an important person in the Gospels and the book of Acts. Paul also mentions him in Colossians and Philemon. Who was he? John Mark is the author of the…
Some people are fascinated with numerology in the Bible, especially the symbolic meaning of certain figures. There is general agreement that numbers like 3, 4, 7, and 12 have significant symbolic meaning in Scripture. But what about the number 5? The number 5 doesn’t have a clear symbolic meaning in the Bible, according to scholars,…
Reading the Bible is an important part of the Christian life. It helps a person learn about God’s nature, character, and promises. The Bible, whose writings are inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16-17), also has stories about faithful men and women, which convict and encourage believers today. But where should a person start…
As the History Channel’s series Ancient Aliens demonstrates, alleged encounters between people and extraterrestrials are popular stories, even if most people like them for entertainment value as opposed to serious history. Nevertheless, the Bible is one of the oldest books in human history so many people are interested to know if it refers to aliens…
Astrology is a worldview that people have practiced for thousands of years. Not to be confused with astronomy, astrology is the belief that stars, planets, and other phenomena in the solar system determine people’s emotions, finances, relationships, health, and more. Many people want to know what the Bible teaches about astrology. The Bible teaches that…
The Bible teaches that people of all races are descendants of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:20). Common ancestry and the fact that all people bear the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27), unite the human race, even though it’s made up of people of different nationalities, cultures, languages, and skin colors. A question many people have…
There are 66 individual books in the Bible. There are 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Many readers can read the shortest books in the Bible in 5 to 10 minutes. The longest book takes an average reader a few hours to complete. Many people want to know what book…
The Bible is a long book containing 66 individual books. Some common-use Bibles can weigh between 4 and 5 pounds. Some decorative church and family Bibles can weigh much more. It’s not uncommon for Bibles to exceed 2,500 pages in length in a two-column format. All 66 books are divided into verses, but how many…
There is a reason why the Bible is the most widely-read book in human history. There is a reason why nations have been founded upon it; universities have been started to study it; and men and women of different cultures, races, and social classes risk their lives in order to possess, read, and own it….
Covid 19 is a contagious disease that has reached every corner of the world. It has disrupted life for people on every continent, no matter their race, social class, financial status, or education level. The disease has made billions of people sick and ended the lives of millions. In many ways, the Covid 19 pandemic…
The description “strange flesh” in Jude 1:7 has two common interpretations among Bible scholars. Each interpretation is controversial in the 21st century. Both views attempt to explain the sexual desire of men in Sodom, but they disagree about the nature of those they sought as partners. “Strange flesh” in Jude 1:7 refers to those that…
God hates racism. Prejudice, discrimination, and antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their race or ethnic group is the result of sin and contrary to God’s desire for people to love one another. [1] What does the Bible say about racism? The Bible is adamantly opposed to racism in all…