Around 960 years before Christ appeared on the earth, King Solomon built the first Jewish Temple. In the 6th century B.C., King Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and its Temple fell in 586 B.C. In 539, King Cyrus of the Medo-Persian kingdom captured Babylon and permitted the Jews to rebuild their temple. It was completed in 516 …
Paul Harvey’s “If I Were the Devil,” Communism, and Following Jesus
In 1965, Paul Harvey’s essay “If I were the Devil” echoed a communist playbook outlined in Cleon Skousen’s “Naked Communist.” Both called for secularism in schools, the media, and the world. Both advocated pornography and the exploitation of young intellects. Both wanted to destroy the family, the church, and the belief in God. And both …
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Prophecies of Jesus’ Crucifixion and More from the Psalms
Jesus and the authors of the New Testament often drew our attention to the Psalms to marry the Old Testament (OT) to the New Testament (NT). In this blog, we will compare prophecies of and about Jesus from the Psalms with fulfillments in the Gospels and Epistles. In Psalm 2, we learn of His identity …
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Did Jesus Fulfill Ancient Jewish Expectations as the Messiah?
Modern Jews often say that Jesus was not the fulfillment of their expectations. They expect a conquering king who will restore Israel’s sovereignty. But are these modern ideas in alignment with all Jews’ expectations in ancient times? Who were the Jews expecting to be their Messiah around the time of Jesus’ arrival? Daniel (9:24-27) prophesied …
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How Christianity Influenced J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and Other Literary Works – by Harry Stark
How Tolkien's Christian worldview influenced his literary works: Lord of the Rings and beyondJ.R.R. Tolkien was a literary genius whose "Lord of the Rings" has captivated millions since its publication in the past century. In this post, we'll peruse through numerous embedded Christian symbols of which you may or may not have been aware. Harry …
Where is Judas Iscariot today?
Judas was one of the original twelve apostles of Jesus, always listed at the end and forever remembered as the traitor. We don’t know very much of how or when Jesus chose Judas to be in His inner circle, but we do know how it all ended. Judas expressed remorse, threw the thirty pieces of …
Jesus’ House and Our Almost Empty Nest
We have two sons and our oldest moved out recently to begin his freshmen year at a university. My husband and I really miss him and each time he calls, our eyes and ears light up. We love hearing from him and can't wait to see him again as we love him so very much. …
Modern Spiritual Attacks in Western Societies
In Ephesians 6:12, St. Paul issued a warning: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” As Christians, we know we’re in the midst of a spiritual battle between …
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Geological, Astronomical, and Historical Reasons for the Date of Jesus’ Crucifixion
Can we estimate the date of Jesus’ crucifixion? Yes, we can. The ancients have left us with multiple historical, geological, and astronomical reasons to support April 3 of 33. Let’s begin with Jewish expectations. 10. In the 6th century B.C., the prophet Daniel predicted the fates of four kingdoms while he was exiled by the …
