Posts Tagged ‘history’
The Last Years of Paul’s Life
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/LastYearsOfPaulsLife.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 2:17-30 I. Paul had written the Roman brethren that he would like to go to Spain after seeing them – Romans 15:23-25, 28 A. Things didn’t go quite as Paul planned. B. After going to Jerusalem, he was arrested, but he did go to Rome – as a prisoner instead…
Read MoreWere the Kenites descendants of Cain?
Question: Who were and who are the Kenites (Hebrew word meaning children of Cain, the first murderer)? Answer: Names are not often unique to a single individual. There can be more than one Cain in world history. Thus, at best you can say that the Kenites trace their origins to a patriarch named Cain, but…
Read MoreAncient Prophets in a Modern World
by Homer Hailey via The Preceptor Vol. 1, No. 3, January 1952. One of the most, if not the most neglected portions of the Bible in our study today is that of the Prophets. No doubt the reason for this is that there has been so much speculation among modern dispensationalists, in which men of this error…
Read MoreWhat about other cultures that have different creation and flood accounts?
Question: Hey Jeffrey, I have a question: I just started a daily Bible reading program and went back over the history of mankind, creation, and the generations. I am wondering: Are these the only people who were living on the Earth at this time? How would you compare Genesis with other ancient civilizations’ generations or…
Read MoreAre the gospels not historical because they are theological documents?
Question: Hello. I just saw your study on Jesus being rejected at Nazareth after teaching in the synagogue. I am currently in a graduate-level course before I start my grad studies. I’ve been looking at your studies for quite some time since I became Christian, and I appreciate your loyalty to the authority of Scripture.…
Read MoreThe Dispersion
by Alan Jones via Truth Magazine, May 4, 2000 “Has Ezekiel gone mad?” This may have been the reaction of some after they watched Ezekiel shave his head and beard, weigh the hair, divide it into thirds, and then burn a third, strike a third with a sword, and scatter the remaining third to the wind.…
Read MoreHistorical References to Jesus Christ
by Scott Smelser
Read MoreHow could the Gentiles be guilty of sin when they did not have the Law?
Question: I was trying to figure out the comparison (or contrast) between Romans 2:12-16 and Romans 7:7-11 “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who…
Read MoreShould Abimelech be counted as a judge of Israel?
Question: I am teaching the Judges to the children. My question was Abimelech really a judge? I have read both sides, and am interested to hear what your evaluation is. Thank you for your input, Jeff. Answer: “After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and…
Read MoreWhy aren’t Samuel’s sons counted among the judges?
Question: Concerning your post recently about whether Abimelech was a judge or not: I remember a passage concerning the people wanting a king because of the evil of Samuel’s sons, whom he appointed to be judges over the people in I Samuel 8:1-5. I’m not sure if this would help your answer, but I remembered them…
Read MoreDid Isaiah’s prophecy that Damascus would cease being a city fail?
Question: I am having a conversation with an atheist online and so far I have done well handling the so-called failed prophecies and contradictions he claims. He seems rather shocked and open to studying. I do need a little help with this one because I have never heard of it nor come across anyone disputing…
Read MoreWere Jesus and his family refugees?
Question: I’m wondering if Jesus and his family were refugees of political violence, or are these web posts lies? I’ve seen comparisons to the Syrian refugees on the web. A Google search brought me to your site. Did they flee Bethlehem to Nazareth to escape? What is the best answer to those posts? Answer: About…
Read MoreCan we use the writings of the early Christians?
Question: I have been studying the writings of early Christians like Justin Martyr and Ignatius. I know their writings are not inspired or biblical, but can we use them as examples in any way? Also in Ignatius’ writings, I see the word Catholic. What does it mean? Answer: The word “catholic” is a Latin-based word…
Read MoreMyth or History?
by Forrest D. Moyer The Bible is either the product of God or the product of men. Christians believe that the Bible is from the hand of God and that it is to be believed and obeyed in order to have a good life now and in Heaven in eternity. There have always been those…
Read MoreWhat is the oldest recorded religion?
Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, I am here to ask a somewhat moderate question: What is the oldest religion ever recorded? The reason why I want to know is that earlier today, I had a discussion with a few of my fellow classmates on the topic of religion. It started when I said, “Well, if you…
Read MoreDid the Egyptians keep Hebrew slaves?
Question: How can I prove to atheists that the Bible is true when some people claim that there were never records that the Egyptians kept Hebrew slaves? Why would there be no such records? Answer: See: Egyptian History and the Biblical Record – A Perfect Match There is evidence of Semites being used as slaves in…
Read MoreThe Historical Accuracy of the Bible
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/HistoricalAccuracyOfTheBible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 41:21-29 I. When we claim that the Bible is inspired, we are giving a vague notion that it uplifts a person (though it does) or that it is unique (though it is). A. Inspiration means it came from the mouth of God – II Timothy 3:16-17 B. But it is…
Read MoreArchaeology and the Old Testament
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/ArchaeologyAndTheBible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 41:21-29 I. Mankind’s memories of the past are poor at best A. In general, we don’t keep extensive records and those records we do keep are often on material that does not last. B. There is a branch of science, called archeology that attempts to bring the past to light.…
Read MoreConcerning the Jews excusing David’s eating of the showbread, what are your sources?
Question: I read an article in the Q&A section of your website in reference to I Samuel 21:1-6 and Matthew 12:1-5. Within the article you made this statement: “They (Jews) found ways to excuse the fact that David clearly violated the law of God by eating the bread from the table of showbread.” Can you give me…
Read MoreWhat about the claim that camels were not used during Abraham’s time?
Question: All these links keep popping up on my Facebook feed due to atheistic friends. Could you explain this one to me as well? It’s got me stumped, not enough to discredit the Bible or anything, but another to make me feel confused. Carbon Dating on Camel Bones Contradicts Bible’s Accuracy Thanks. Answer: The claim…
Read MoreHow can the world be 6,000 years old when there are empires and dynasties that are older?
Question: First of all, I wanted to thank you for all your help. Your site has definitely helped me get closer to God. Now, onto the question: When atheists look at the timeline it goes back billions of years or whatever, and it seems like everything falls into place over the course of that long…
Read MoreWhen was the gospel preached in Africa?
Question: My question is: What of Africa? Was the gospel preached there? Because I can still trace back to the times when the Gospel first came to these lands, and it wasn’t in those times. Answer: Among the visiting Jews who heard the first gospel sermon were people from Egypt, Libya, and Cyrene (Acts 2:10),…
Read MoreWas John ever put in a boiling pot of oil and came out still preaching?
Question: Was John ever put in a boiling pot of oil and came out still preaching? Answer: Tertullian in A.D. 200 wrote, “at Rome, the Apostle John, having been immersed in hot oil, suffered no harm at all from it” (The Prescription against Heretics, chapter 36). The claim is that because John wasn’t killed that…
Read MoreHow Long Was the Egyptian Bondage?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/HowLongWasTheEgyptianBondage.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Exodus 12:30-41 I. As Christians, we need to be prepared to make a defense – Jude 3; I Peter 3:15 A. People don’t want to follow God’s word, so they figure if they can cast doubt in one area, they can ignore the Bible in all areas. B. One way is…
Read MoreWhy did ancient cultures lose the story of God?
Question: I was discussing with a friend how there is literal scientific evidence to show that the world is less than 10,000 years old. Then the question was raised: “Why did ancient cultures (Olmec, etc.) lose the story of God?” In other words, we are asking what caused these ancient peoples to have a different…
Read MoreI’ve always heard about the three waves of the Babylonian captivity, but where is this found?
Question: I’ve always heard about the three waves of the Babylonian captivity, but where is this found? Answer: Three Captivities Jehoiakim, also called Eliakim, was put into power by Pharaoh Neco who had killed his brother. Babylon attacked Judah and Jehoiakim surrendered to Babylon for three years, but he rebelled and Judah suffered its first…
Read MoreI’ve always heard about the three waves of the Babylonian captivity, but where is this found?
Question: I’ve always heard about the three waves of the Babylonian captivity, but where is this found? Answer: Three Captivities Jehoiakim, also called Eliakim, was put into power by Pharaoh Neco who had killed his brother. Babylon attacked Judah and Jehoiakim surrendered to Babylon for three years, but he rebelled and Judah suffered its first…
Read MoreIsn’t Hinduism older than Judaism? And other questions about early history.
Question: Isn’t Hinduism older than Judaism? Why does my textbook always talk about dates as far as 10,000 years back? For example, “farming methods were discovered almost 10 thousand years ago in Mesopotamia” is in a 9th-grade geography book. In one post you said animals were herbivores before the flood. How, if some animals’ teeth…
Read MoreIs there any non-biblical evidence that proves the prophecies in the Bible?
Question: A friend and I talked for a little while tonight regarding Bible evidence, and when we talked about prophecy, he raised the argument that prophecies from the Bible verified purely from within the Bible can’t be used to prove the Bible. Is that a fair argument? And are there non-biblical evidence of prophecies coming…
Read MoreHow could there be cavemen?
Question: If Adam and Eve were the first people on earth, how did cavemen exist? I’m a Christian and don’t know how to answer people when they ask me that. Thank you! Answer: People have a strong tendency to assume that each prior generation lived more primitively than the current generation. It is true that…
Read MoreCan you comment on the video “Real proof that Jesus is not real”?
Question: Can you just watch this video, “Real proof that Jesus is NOT real” and disprove it if you can? I’m a Christian but watching this tossed a curveball at me. I need your overview. Answer: It is so easy to forget that just because a claim is made, it doesn’t make it true. The…
Read MoreHow long did Noah build the ark before his sons were born?
Question: How long did Noah build the ark before his sons were born? Answer: In Genesis 5:32, we are told that Noah was 500 when his sons were born. In Genesis 6:3, God said He would destroy mankind in 120 years. Since this was in Noah’s records, Genesis 6:9 being the closing line of that…
Read MoreCould the 40 years in the wilderness begin from the original Passover?
Question: I think there is a chronological mistake on the La Vista website in How Long Was the Egyptian Bondage? This page suggests that the 40 years in the wilderness commenced after Mt. Sinai. That isn’t upheld by Scripture. If you look for example at Deuteronomy 1:3 and Joshua 5:6 for example, it becomes quite clear…
Read MoreIs there no such thing as prehistoric times?
Question: Bible times start from the beginning of time. The Bible is recorded history and prehistoric means before recorded history. Dinosaurs were in the Bible, and dinosaurs are often referred to as prehistoric, but they were recorded, so does all this mean that there is no such thing as prehistoric times? Answer: Men typically assume…
Read MoreProclaimed in All Creation
by Jefferson David Tant via Biblical Insights, March 2011, page 9. Some thirty years after Christ’s death, Paul wrote to the Colossians. A year later, an earthquake destroyed Colossae along with Laodicea and Hierapolis. Among the interesting things in Paul’s letter is the statement in Colossians 1:23, wherein he urges them to “continue in the faith…
Read MoreWhy would kings name their children after other kings?
Question: One thing I still don’t understand is how the kings intertwined and started naming their children after relatives, which is very confusing. Why would kings do that when the entire pride of a king rests on the fact of all they have accomplished in their reign and in the hope that their lineage will…
Read MoreI’m confused by the story of Athaliah
Question: Okay, so in II Chronicles 21, we’re told that Jehoram was a very bad king and walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, so God sent a message to Him through Elijah stating that God would take away Jehoram’s children, wives, and possessions, and furthermore He would make Jehoram very sick until…
Read MoreWho are the descendants of the Canaanites?
Question: I was just wondering who are the descendants today of the “old” Canaanites? Since the Israelites never completely destroyed them as God had asked, surely they’re still around. Am I correct to think that the Palestinians today are the descendants of the people that were relocated by the Assyrian and Babylonian Kingdoms? This means…
Read MoreHow did casting lots work?
Question: I am studying the book of Jonah. The mariner’s cast lots to determine who the person was that was causing all the evil to happen to them. I would like to know in greater detail how this worked. Also, how did this compare to how Haman cast the lot to determine the date of slaughter for the…
Read MoreKings During the Divided Kingdom
From I Kings Judah Israel Prophets Solomon (Mostly Good) 40 years I Kings 1-11 Nathan I Kings 1 Ahijah I Kings 11 Iddo Rehoboam (Evil) 17 years I Kings 12:1-24; 14:21-31; 15:6 Jeroboam (Evil) 22 years I Kings 11:26-40; 12:1-14:20 Ahijah I Kings 14 Shemaiah Iddo Abijam (Abijah) (Evil ) 3 years Started 18th year…
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