This parable is a very important aspect of God’s people being prepared. In the previous chapter, Matthew 24, this state of preparedness and readiness is emphasised (see verses 36-44). This last verse states: “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.”

Ten virgins were waiting to welcome the bridegroom, five being wise and five being foolish.

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary observes that “Then—at the time referred to at the close of the preceding chapter, the time of the Lord’s Second Coming to reward His faithful servants and take vengeance on the faithless.” The word “then” can be overlooked as it comes at the start of a new chapter; had this man-made separation of chapters not occurred, it would have more easily have been seen as a continuation of the same theme at the end of the previous chapter.

Continue reading "What Can We Learn From the Parable in Matthew 25:1-12?"

The Bible provides an irrefutable answer, but practices of the majority of professing Christians regarding the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are clouded by misunderstandings and false teachings—especially concerning knowledge of what day of the week Jesus Christ died!

To begin, consider what Jesus said of His purpose:

“‘Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled’” (Matthew 5:17-18).

A part of what Jesus Christ fulfilled, that is, completed in God’s plan, was to die for the sins of mankind. Paul taught this as a foundational truth in the message he proclaimed:

Continue reading "On What Day of the Week Did Jesus Die?"

The Bible hints very strongly at the idea that the USA and the UK will be defeated in a nuclear war. However, the USA and the UK will not be attacked by Russia, but by a European power bloc under the leadership of a modern Assyrian ruler–the proverbial “beast” in the book of Revelation or the “king of the North” in the book of Daniel. Many of our booklets explain the biblical teaching in this regard, including, “Germany in Prophecy,” “Europe in Prophecy,” “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” “The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire,” “The Book of Zechariah–Prophecies for Today” and “Biblical Prophecy–From Now Until Forever.”

In these booklets, we are showing that the descendants of the ancient house of Israel can be found today in countries such as the USA and the UK, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and we are also quoting many passages which indicate that the European attack will be launched with nuclear weapons.

Continue reading "Will the USA and the UK Become Targets in a Nuclear War?"

It depends.

Before answering the particular question at issue, we need to understand that a true Christian is not obligated to avoid a certain practice or conduct, only because pagans are engaged in it. We addressed this question in two previous Q&As, titled “Should Christians Use Symbols which Are Used by Pagans?“ and “Should Christians Wear Wedding Rings?” .

We pointed out the following in the Q&A on wedding rings:

“… we must be careful that we do not… prohibit everything, whether it is used in worship services or otherwise, only because pagans might have engaged in it. We addressed this issue in a recent Q&A, which answered the question as to whether Christians should use symbols which are used by pagans. Among other symbols, we discussed the symbol of the heart, certain symbols which are being used in sign language, the Star of David and the symbols of stars in general. We also pointed out that the mere fact that pagans and occultists attach a particular meaning and human interpretation to certain symbols should not compel a Christian to refrain from using these symbols. This same principle applies to wedding rings…

Continue reading "Would It Be Wrong to Light a Candle in Memory of a Deceased Loved One?"

1 Timothy 5:8 reads as follows: “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

God tells us very clearly that we are not to work on the Sabbath to make money (Exodus 20:8-11). But does this command also apply when a family is in need of money?

Let us first look at the general responsibility of a husband in regard to his wife and family.

Ephesians 5:25 – 29 tells us:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.”

Continue reading "Does 1 Timothy 5:8 Allow Working on the Sabbath?"

Some have a totally wrong concept of God and view Him as an impersonal “Something” without “parts,” form and shape. That is not the God of the Bible who created man after His own image, and according to His likeness (Genesis 1:26-27)! In fact, God the Father created everything through His Son Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:1-2; John 1:1-3). The Father and the Son are a Family, and the Members of the God Family are described as Personalities with feelings and emotions.

The following sets forth descriptions of just some of God’s feelings and emotions:

We read in Psalm 16:11: “In Your presence is FULLNESS of JOY…”

Zephaniah 3:17 says: “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One… will REJOICE over you with gladness… He will REJOICE over you with singing.”

Continue reading "Does God Have Feelings and Emotions?"

At one time, the disciples asked Jesus Christ whether it would be just the FEW who would be saved and inherit eternal life (Luke 13:23).

Christ’s answer was illuminating and perplexing at the same time, when He responded: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for MANY, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (verse 24).

At first glance, this might seem to indicate that most will not end up in the Kingdom of God; especially in light of His further statement in verse 28 that there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.”

In addition, this conclusion might even find further support in Christ’s statement in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are MANY who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are FEW who find it.”

Continue reading "Will Only Few Be Saved?"

Are there prophecies about the Jews returning to the land of Israel to form a nation, in the present-day?

The modern State of Israel was established May 14, 1948. This event was the culmination of a vote in 1947 by the newly formed United Nations. The Israeli nation was born in spite of international opposition and the bitter resentment of Israel’s Arab neighbors.

The Bible reveals an earlier occurrence which finds parallels when some captive Jews were allowed to return from Babylon to rebuild the Temple and the Jewish nation. In this case, God very specifically told the Jewish people that He would make it possible for them to return:

“For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place” (Jeremiah 29:10).

Continue reading "Was the State of Israel Prophesied?"

Both the Old and the New Testament use the word “Hebrew” in several passages. However, the word has different meanings, depending on the context.

Technically, the first time the word “Hebrew” is used is in Genesis 14:13, where it is applied to Abram, in connection with the defeat of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah in battle and the captivity of Lot. We read: “Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew…”

Commentaries give several explanations for the use of this word in this passage.

The Ryrie Study Bible says:

“Abraham was the first person to be referred as a Hebrew, an ethnic designation that his descendants derived from him. The word comes from the name of his ancestor, Eber (11:10-14). It also had a wider use as a general designation for nomadic people like Abraham, who would have been considered a migrant by the Canaanites, since he came from Ur and Haran.”

Continue reading "Who is a Hebrew?"

In Matthew 19:16-26, Mark 10:17-27 and Luke 18:18-27, we are introduced to a young rich ruler who came to Christ and asked Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Christ told him that he had to keep the commandments and He added the need for him to sell what he had, and to follow Him. However, the rich man was unwilling to depart from his riches. We discuss Christ’s “invitation” to the rich man to become one of His disciples in previous Q&As, including whether God hears the prayers of sinners, and whether Christ offered the rich ruler a ministerial position. In that last Q&A, we said the following:

“Some commentaries agree that Christ offered the rich ruler a ministerial position. They point out that Christ’s command to the rich ruler to sell everything that he had  was specifically given to that ruler because Christ saw that one thing was lacking in his qualification to become a minister, and that one thing was his love for money and his trust in riches … it appears that He was indeed willing to call him into the ministry, but sadly, the ruler loved money more than God and he rejected this unique opportunity to follow Christ as a minister and to perhaps later become even one of His apostles. In refusing to accept his ministerial calling, Christ pointed out that it will be very difficult for a rich person to even enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:25-26; Mark 10:23-25).”

Continue reading "Is it Impossible for a Rich Man to Enter the Kingdom of God?"