Whatever the ultimate meaning of Matthew 11:12, as we saw yesterday, it does help to reveal the reality of the great controversy. It depicts a struggle, a battle and—as we know from other Bible texts—this battle is, at the core, the one between Christ and Satan. Who do the following texts tell us about in … Continue reading –>
Bible students through the ages have struggled with Matthew 11:12 because the words that describe the kingdom and the people here can be used in either a positive or negative sense. The Greek verb basmati can mean either “forcefully advancing” or “suffering violence.” And the Greek word biastes can mean “forceful or eager men” or … Continue reading –>
Scripture is the Word of God, and in it the plan of salvation is made clear. Yet, some texts can be difficult to understand. This, though, should not be surprising. After all, in every aspect of natural life we find things hard to understand. How much more so will it be with parts of the … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 11:11-12; Rev. 5:5; Matt. 12:25-29; Isa. 27:1; Matt. 11:1-12; Heb. 2:14. Memory Text:“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12, NKJV). Each day we make important choices about lifestyle, relationships, careers, priorities, entertainment, … Continue reading –>
The Germans have a saying, “Einmal ist keinmal.” It means, literally, “One time is no time.” It’s an idiomatic expression for the idea that if something happens only once, then it doesn’t count. It doesn’t matter. If it happens only once, it might as well never have happened at all. Whether you agree or not, … Continue reading –>
Read Matthew 8:18-22. What is Jesus saying to these men here about what it means to follow Him? First, in Matthew 8:18-22, we see two men approach Jesus with the desire to be His disciples. Both are sincere; and yet, both seem to be held back by something. Jesus, who knows all our thoughts, goes … Continue reading –>
In Monday’s study, we noted that Jesus said that He hadn’t found anyone in Israel with such great faith. But, during these same hours in Israel, there was a man who had reached a place where his desire for healing of the heart was even greater than for healing of his body. Read Matthew 9:1-8. … Continue reading –>
Read Matthew 8:25-34. What do both these accounts teach us about the power of God? How can we draw comfort from what we see here about His power, especially as we struggle with things so much greater than ourselves? In Jewish thought it was the prerogative of God alone to rule over nature and demons. … Continue reading –>
There’s a good reason the book of Daniel spends a lot of time dealing with Rome (see Dan. 7:7-8, Dan. 7:19-21, Dan. 8:9-12, Dan. 8:23-25). And that’s because of its great power, which was prevalent also at the time of Christ. Nevertheless, a Roman officer, not only a symbol of the power of Rome but an … Continue reading –>
After preaching the Sermon on the Mount, where He’d described the principles of the kingdom of God, Jesus re-encountered the kingdom of Satan, a cold dark place filled with decaying people groaning for redemption, a place whose principles are often contrary to everything for which He stands. And at that time one of the greatest … Continue reading –>
