The Flood: What’s the Point?
God decided to flood the entire world, and start over with humanity. God told one man to build a boat of specific dimensions, and load animals of every kind on the boat, along with his family. The rain began, flooding the world. When the rain stopped, the man sent out a dove, which came back (after finding no dry land). Later, he sent out a sparrow, which also came back. Finally, he sent out a raven, which never came back, so he knew dry land was close. When he landed on dry land, the man offered a sacrifice to God.
Why is Genesis 1 in the Bible?
There are Christians who have held up Genesis 1 as literal history. Some have demanded that we believe the historicity of Genesis 1, even suggesting that if we don’t accept Genesis 1 as historically accurate, then we can’t believe the rest of the Bible. Some have tried to identify the date of creation (around 6000 years ago), and have staunchly defended the “day” in the text as an actual 24-hour day. And to do this, many in the church have had to forget, discount, or ridicule the science of evolution.
Jonah and the Whale: Why Does the Whale get Top Billing?
Many people are familiar with Jonah and the whale. Jonah was a prophet, called to preach to the Assyrians. He didn’t really want to do that, so he got on a boat going the other way. He was thrown overboard in a storm, swallowed by a whale, and spit out on land three days later. Having learned his lesson, he went to the capital of Assyria and successfully preached to the Assyrians.
The Tower of Babel: What’s the Point?
Some people have thought that this is an origin story describing how the diversity of languages came to be. However, this does not appear to be the case. There were already many languages (see Genesis 10:5; 10:20; 10:31).
Was Job Patient?
Most everyone knows about the Biblical character of Job. He was a really patient guy. We always talk about “the patience of Job.” Just so darn patient.
Reading the Books of the Law
The covenant with Abraham (12:1-3) is the key event for Genesis. The rest of the book is how God fulfills the covenant through the twists and turns of the very human descendants of Abraham.
Read the Bible in a Year: Week 26, read: Isaiah 40-66
Isaiah 40-66 was written at the end of the Babylonian Exile. He told the people that it was time to go home—and God would not only bring them home geographically, but also spiritually.
What’s Going on in Genesis 2-3?
While Genesis 1 tells the story of creation in poetry, Genesis 2-3 tells the story in a narrative fashion. Some people have tried to integrate Genesis 1 with chapters 2-3 into a single coherent narrative. Others have simply called them “two different creation stories.”
Does Sodom and Gomorrah Show that Homosexuality is Wrong?
In Genesis 18:16-19:29, we hear about the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. They excelled at sin and wickedness. If you ask people in the church today, “what was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?” most would say, “homosexuality.”
Family Ministry as Youth Ministry
Trinity United Methodist Church is a large suburban parish, serving four hundred worshippers each Sunday. Trinity’s staff consists of an administrative pastor, an education director, and newly hired Ted Reed, the family life ministry director.
Geography and Kingdoms of the Bible
Who’s who and who lives where in the Bible?
Take a look at a map of the Middle East. The Old Testament takes place in area between Egypt and today’s Iraq. Much of the Bible action happens in what is today the State of Israel.
In the New Testament, the area is enlarged, with Paul travelling to what is today Turkey, Greece, and Rome.