Apocalipsa 2
1 Îngerului Bisericii din Efes scrie-i: ,,Iată ce zice Cel ce ţine cele şapte stele în mâna dreaptă, şi Cel ce umblă prin mijlocul celor şapte sfeşnice de aur:
2 ,,Ştiu faptele tale, osteneala ta şi răbdarea ta, şi că nu poţi suferi pe cei răi; că ai pus la încercare pe cei ce zic că sânt apostoli şi nu sânt, şi i-ai găsit mincinoşi.
3 Ştiu că ai răbdare, că ai suferit din pricina Numelui meu, şi că n-ai obosit.
4 Dar ce am împotriva ta, este că ţi-ai părăsit dragostea dintâi.
5 Adu-ţi dar aminte de unde ai căzut; pocăieşte-te, şi întoarce-te la faptele tale dintâi. Altfel, voi veni la tine, şi-ţi voi lua sfeşnicul din locul lui, dacă nu te pocăieşti.
6 Ai însă lucrul acesta bun: că urăşti faptele Nicolaiţilor, pe cari şi Eu le urăsc.
7 Cine are urechi, să asculte ce zice Bisericilor Duhul: ,,Celui ce va birui, îi voi da să mănânce din pomul vieţii, care este în raiul lui Dumnezeu.``
8 Îngerului Bisericii din Smirna scrie-i: ,,Iată ce zice Cel dintâi şi Cel de pe urmă, Cel ce a murit şi a înviat:
9 ,,Ştiu necazul tău şi sărăcia ta (dar eşti bogat), şi batjocurile, din partea celor ce zic că sânt Iudei şi nu sânt, ci sânt o sinagogă a Satanei.
10 Nu te teme nicidecum de ce ai să suferi. Iată că diavolul are să arunce în temniţă pe unii din voi, ca să vă încerce. Şi veţi avea un necaz de zece zile. Fii credincios până la moarte, şi-ţi voi da cununa vieţii.``
11 Cine are urechi, să asculte ce zice Bisericilor Duhul: ,,Cel ce va birui, nicidecum nu va fi vătămat de a doua moarte.``
12 Îngerului Bisericii din Pergam scrie-i: ,,Iată ce zice Cel ce are sabia ascuţită cu două tăişuri:
13 ,,Ştiu unde locuieşti: acolo unde este scaunul de domnie al Satanei. Tu ţii Numele Meu, şi n-ai lepădat credinţa Mea nici chiar în zilele acelea când Antipa, marturul Meu credincios, a fost ucis la voi, acolo unde locuieşte Satana.
14 Dar am ceva împotriva ta. Tu ai acolo nişte oameni cari ţin de învăţătura lui Balaam, care a învăţat pe Balac să pună o piatră de poticnire înaintea copiilor lui Israel, ca să mănânce din lucrurile jertfite idolilor, şi să se dedea la curvie.
15 Tot aşa, şi tu ai cîţiva cari, deasemenea, ţin învăţătura Nicolaiţilor, pe care Eu o urăsc.
16 Pocăieşte-te dar. Altfel, voi veni la tine curând, şi Mă voi război cu ei cu sabia gurii Mele.``
17 Cine are urechi, să asculte ce zice Bisericilor Duhul: ,,Celuice va birui, îi voi da să mănânce din mana ascunsă, şi-i voi da o piatră albă; şi pe piatra aceasta este scris un nume nou, pe care nu-l ştie nimeni decât acela care-l primeşte.``
18 Îngerului Bisericii din Tiatira, scrie-i: ,,Iată ce zice Fiul lui Dumnezeu, care are ochii ca para focului, şi ale cărui picioare sânt ca arama aprinsă:
19 ,,Ştiu faptele tale, dragostea ta, credinţa ta, slujba ta, răbdarea ta şi faptele tale depe urmă, că sânt mai multe decât cele dintâi.
20 Dar iată ce am împotriva ta: tu laşi ca Iezabela, femeia aceea, care se zice proorociţă, să înveţe şi să amăgească pe robii Mei să se dedea la curvie, şi să mănânce din lucrurile jertfite idolilor.
21 I-am dat vreme să se pocăiască, dar nu vrea să se pocăiască de curvia ei!
22 Iată că am s-o arunc bolnavă în pat; şi celor ce preacurvesc cu ea, am să le trimet un necaz mare, dacă nu se vor pocăi de faptele lor.
23 Voi lovi cu moartea pe copiii ei. Şi toate Bisericile vor cunoaşte că ,,Eu sânt Cel ce cercetez rărunchii şi inima``: şi voi răsplăti fiecăruia din voi după faptele lui.
24 Vouă, însă, tuturor celorlalţi din Tiatira, cari nu aveţi învăţătura aceasta, şi n-aţi cunoscut ,,adâncimile Satanei``, cum le numesc ei, vă zic: ,,Nu pun peste voi altă greutate.
25 Numai ţineţi cu tărie ce aveţi, până voi veni!
26 Celui ce va birui şi celui ce va păzi până la sfârşit lucrările Mele, îi voi da stăpânire peste Neamuri.
27 Le va cârmui cu un toiag de fer, şi le va zdrobi ca pe nişte vase de lut, cum am primit şi Eu putere dela Tatăl Meu.
28 Şi-i voi da luceafărul de dimineaţă.``
29 Cine are urechi, să asculte ce zice Bisericilor Duhul.
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As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","summary_ro":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). 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The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). 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As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","summary_ro":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). 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At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":125622,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Ephesus","title_en":"Ephesus","content_ro":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","summary_ro":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","summary_en":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":22984,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Letter Writing*, Ancient","title_en":"Letter Writing*, Ancient","content_ro":"<h3>LETTER WRITING*, Ancient<\/h3>\n<p>A communication, especially from a king or high official, usually containing commands, promulgations, or reports. There are letters extant from Arad-Nana, the royal physician, to his master Ashurbanipal on the matter of the monarch’s spondylitis and a young prince’s eye trouble. The famous Amarna letters are reports and appeals from petty subject princes in Palestine disturbed over the weakness of Pharaoh Akhnaton’s foreign policy in the area. There is a tantalizing letter from Tutankhamen’s widow to a Hittite king on the subject of a marriage arrangement.<\/p>\n<p>Examples of OT letters are David’s deadly letter to Joab about Uriah (2 Sm 11:14-15), Jezebel’s equally evil letter over Ahab’s forged signature to the elders of Jezreel (1 Kgs 21:8-9), and the Syrian king’s letter to the king of Israel about Naaman’s leprosy (2 Kgs 5:5-7). All these are reported in the OT record without the customary greetings and the polite forms of address. In Ezra (Ezr 4:11-23; 5:7-17; 7:11-26), Nehemiah (Neh 6:5-7), and Jeremiah, correspondence appears that purports to be the full text. Commonly there is paraphrase, abbreviation, or mere report of content (Neh 2:8; Est 9:20-31).<\/p>\n<p>Official communications in letter form like those noted in the OT are found in the Egyptian papyri. For example, there is the letter of Claudius sent in <span>AD<\/span> 42 to the turbulent Alexandrians about the Jewish problem in that city. A circular letter of the early second century <span>AD<\/span> from the governor of Egypt about the approaching census, and highly relevant to the story of the Nativity, is known. The letters of Cicero provide invaluable information on the stormy period in which senatorial rule ended and the Roman Empire was established. The letters of Pliny show Roman society at its best at the turn of the first century of the Christian era, when the writer was governor of Bithynia, and they give much information about the first clash between the state and the church.<\/p>\n<p>Ancient correspondence throws vivid light on common life and the mundane occupations of ordinary people in Greco-Roman times and the early Christian centuries in a manner only to be paralleled in the documents of the NT. It provides background, illustration, comment, and sometimes direct historical evidence—as, for example, the letter file of the leader of the second rebellion of the Jews (<span>AD<\/span> 132–35), Bar-Kochba. A cache of Bar-Kochba’s letters and campaign documents was discovered in a cave by the Dead Sea. In one letter he orders, “Whatever Elisha says, do.” Another orders the arrest of Tahnun ben Ishmael and the confiscation of his wheat. Another calls for punishment of some who had repaired their homes in defiance of some scorched-earth policy.<\/p>\n<p>Paul observed, with some care, the forms of letter writing common in his day. There is an opening word of salutation, followed by thanksgiving and prayer for the person or company addressed. Then comes the special subject of communication, greetings to friends, and perhaps a closing word of prayer. Here is a second-century letter that shows strikingly the Pauline style in brief:<\/p>\n<p>Ammonous to her sweetest father, greeting. When I received your letter and recognized that by the will of the gods you were preserved, I rejoiced greatly. And as at the same time an opportunity here presented itself, I am writing you this letter being anxious to pay my respects. Attend as quickly as possible to the matters that are pressing. Whatever the little one asks shall be done. If the bearer of this letter hands over a small basket to you, it is I who sent it. All your friends greet you by name. Celer greets you and all who are with him. I pray for your health.<\/p>\n<p>In subject matter Paul ranges from delicate irony over Corinthian pretensions to stern rebuke for heresy, and from news of friends to some precious books and the warm cloak he left at Troas.<\/p>\n<p>The NT letters continue and adapt a mode of didactic correspondence that can be traced back to Plato and Aristotle, except that the NT writers address themselves to groups or communities (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Hebrews), to the church at large (the letters of Peter, Jude, James, and John’s first epistle), or to individuals or a specific Christian community. The apostolic letter recorded in Acts 15 may have inspired this practice. Revelation 2 and 3 are genuine letters to seven churches on John’s Asian circuit.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Lachish Letters; Writing.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>LETTER WRITING*, Ancient<\/h3>\n<p>A communication, especially from a king or high official, usually containing commands, promulgations, or reports. There are letters extant from Arad-Nana, the royal physician, to his master Ashurbanipal on the matter of the monarch’s spondylitis and a young prince’s eye trouble. The famous Amarna letters are reports and appeals from petty subject princes in Palestine disturbed over the weakness of Pharaoh Akhnaton’s foreign policy in the area. There is a tantalizing letter from Tutankhamen’s widow to a Hittite king on the subject of a marriage arrangement.<\/p>\n<p>Examples of OT letters are David’s deadly letter to Joab about Uriah (2 Sm 11:14-15), Jezebel’s equally evil letter over Ahab’s forged signature to the elders of Jezreel (1 Kgs 21:8-9), and the Syrian king’s letter to the king of Israel about Naaman’s leprosy (2 Kgs 5:5-7). All these are reported in the OT record without the customary greetings and the polite forms of address. In Ezra (Ezr 4:11-23; 5:7-17; 7:11-26), Nehemiah (Neh 6:5-7), and Jeremiah, correspondence appears that purports to be the full text. Commonly there is paraphrase, abbreviation, or mere report of content (Neh 2:8; Est 9:20-31).<\/p>\n<p>Official communications in letter form like those noted in the OT are found in the Egyptian papyri. For example, there is the letter of Claudius sent in <span>AD<\/span> 42 to the turbulent Alexandrians about the Jewish problem in that city. A circular letter of the early second century <span>AD<\/span> from the governor of Egypt about the approaching census, and highly relevant to the story of the Nativity, is known. The letters of Cicero provide invaluable information on the stormy period in which senatorial rule ended and the Roman Empire was established. The letters of Pliny show Roman society at its best at the turn of the first century of the Christian era, when the writer was governor of Bithynia, and they give much information about the first clash between the state and the church.<\/p>\n<p>Ancient correspondence throws vivid light on common life and the mundane occupations of ordinary people in Greco-Roman times and the early Christian centuries in a manner only to be paralleled in the documents of the NT. It provides background, illustration, comment, and sometimes direct historical evidence—as, for example, the letter file of the leader of the second rebellion of the Jews (<span>AD<\/span> 132–35), Bar-Kochba. A cache of Bar-Kochba’s letters and campaign documents was discovered in a cave by the Dead Sea. In one letter he orders, “Whatever Elisha says, do.” Another orders the arrest of Tahnun ben Ishmael and the confiscation of his wheat. Another calls for punishment of some who had repaired their homes in defiance of some scorched-earth policy.<\/p>\n<p>Paul observed, with some care, the forms of letter writing common in his day. There is an opening word of salutation, followed by thanksgiving and prayer for the person or company addressed. Then comes the special subject of communication, greetings to friends, and perhaps a closing word of prayer. Here is a second-century letter that shows strikingly the Pauline style in brief:<\/p>\n<p>Ammonous to her sweetest father, greeting. When I received your letter and recognized that by the will of the gods you were preserved, I rejoiced greatly. And as at the same time an opportunity here presented itself, I am writing you this letter being anxious to pay my respects. Attend as quickly as possible to the matters that are pressing. Whatever the little one asks shall be done. If the bearer of this letter hands over a small basket to you, it is I who sent it. All your friends greet you by name. Celer greets you and all who are with him. I pray for your health.<\/p>\n<p>In subject matter Paul ranges from delicate irony over Corinthian pretensions to stern rebuke for heresy, and from news of friends to some precious books and the warm cloak he left at Troas.<\/p>\n<p>The NT letters continue and adapt a mode of didactic correspondence that can be traced back to Plato and Aristotle, except that the NT writers address themselves to groups or communities (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Hebrews), to the church at large (the letters of Peter, Jude, James, and John’s first epistle), or to individuals or a specific Christian community. The apostolic letter recorded in Acts 15 may have inspired this practice. Revelation 2 and 3 are genuine letters to seven churches on John’s Asian circuit.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Lachish Letters; Writing.<\/p>","summary_ro":"LETTER WRITING*, Ancient A communication, especially from a king or high official, usually containing commands, promulgations, or reports. There are letters extant from Arad-Nana, the royal physician, to his master Ashurbanipal on the matter of the monarch’s spondylitis and a young prince’s eye trouble. The famous Amarna letters are reports and appeals from petty subject princes in Palestine disturbed over the weakness of Pharaoh Akhnaton’s foreign policy in the area. There is a tantalizing l...","summary_en":"LETTER WRITING*, Ancient A communication, especially from a king or high official, usually containing commands, promulgations, or reports. There are letters extant from Arad-Nana, the royal physician, to his master Ashurbanipal on the matter of the monarch’s spondylitis and a young prince’s eye trouble. The famous Amarna letters are reports and appeals from petty subject princes in Palestine disturbed over the weakness of Pharaoh Akhnaton’s foreign policy in the area. There is a tantalizing l...","source":"Articles\/L.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":25100,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Menorah*","title_en":"Menorah*","content_ro":"<h3>MENORAH*<\/h3>\n<p>Lamp or lampstand in the tabernacle. It refers to the seven-branched lamp (candelabrum) that was to lighten the tabernacle: these seven lamps gave light in front of the lampstand (Nm 8:2). In Solomon’s temple there were ten such lampstands, five on each side before the inner sanctuary (1 Kgs 7:49). The design of the original lamp was conceived by Bezalel, the son of Uri and the grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, a man filled with the Spirit of God who was an excellent craftsmen (Ex 31:1-4). Bezalel was also responsible for designing the other utensils for the tabernacle.<\/p>\n<p>Exodus 25:31-40 and 37:17-24 provide us with details regarding the lamp and its decorations. Made of a single piece of pure gold and ornamented with almond flowers and knobs in the shape of apples, it consisted of a central shaft branching out into three arms on either side. Each branch was surmounted with a cup narrowed into a lip to hold the wick and the special olive oil.<\/p>\n\n<p>Archaeologists have dug up clay bowls with seven spouts, which date back to the middle Bronze Period. According to Josephus, the central shaft was fixed to a base, and from it extended slender branches placed like prongs of a trident—with the end of each one forged into a lamp. Josephus’s account of the temple lamp tallies well with that of Zechariah in his vision of the restored temple after the exile (Zec 4:2-3). Several facsimiles have come down to us from archaeological finds, as well as the famous sculpture of the menorah with some of the other temple vessels on the Arch of Titus in Rome. The menorah on the panel in Rome differs from Josephus’s description, being a massive object with thick arms carried by five men on either side.<\/p>\n<p>According to Exodus 37:24, the weight of the menorah was one <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">kikar<\/span> in pure gold. This equals a Babylonian talent, which is computed to weigh 34 kilograms (or 75 pounds). But from Exodus 25:39 it would appear that this weight included accessories, such as snuffers, trays, etc. (cf. 2 Chr 4:22). There is also another discrepancy regarding the base of the lamp. On the panel of Titus’s Arch the pedestal consists of two tiers and is rectangular, whereas archaeologists have uncovered ancient designs of the lamp that end in a tripod. Scholars are undecided which is the more original, and there are several theories to explain the difference. In Jewish mystical lore the menorah symbolizes the tree of life, the seven planets, and the seven days of creation.<\/p>\n<p>In the NT the lampstand in the book of Revelation is a carryover of the temple tradition, with special reference to Zechariah 4:2, 11. By an association of ideas it refers to the witness of the seven churches, to Christ who is the Light of the World, and to God, who is the source of all light (Rv 1:12-13, 20; 2:1; 11:4).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>MENORAH*<\/h3>\n<p>Lamp or lampstand in the tabernacle. It refers to the seven-branched lamp (candelabrum) that was to lighten the tabernacle: these seven lamps gave light in front of the lampstand (Nm 8:2). In Solomon’s temple there were ten such lampstands, five on each side before the inner sanctuary (1 Kgs 7:49). The design of the original lamp was conceived by Bezalel, the son of Uri and the grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, a man filled with the Spirit of God who was an excellent craftsmen (Ex 31:1-4). Bezalel was also responsible for designing the other utensils for the tabernacle.<\/p>\n<p>Exodus 25:31-40 and 37:17-24 provide us with details regarding the lamp and its decorations. Made of a single piece of pure gold and ornamented with almond flowers and knobs in the shape of apples, it consisted of a central shaft branching out into three arms on either side. Each branch was surmounted with a cup narrowed into a lip to hold the wick and the special olive oil.<\/p>\n\n<p>Archaeologists have dug up clay bowls with seven spouts, which date back to the middle Bronze Period. According to Josephus, the central shaft was fixed to a base, and from it extended slender branches placed like prongs of a trident—with the end of each one forged into a lamp. Josephus’s account of the temple lamp tallies well with that of Zechariah in his vision of the restored temple after the exile (Zec 4:2-3). Several facsimiles have come down to us from archaeological finds, as well as the famous sculpture of the menorah with some of the other temple vessels on the Arch of Titus in Rome. The menorah on the panel in Rome differs from Josephus’s description, being a massive object with thick arms carried by five men on either side.<\/p>\n<p>According to Exodus 37:24, the weight of the menorah was one <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">kikar<\/span> in pure gold. This equals a Babylonian talent, which is computed to weigh 34 kilograms (or 75 pounds). But from Exodus 25:39 it would appear that this weight included accessories, such as snuffers, trays, etc. (cf. 2 Chr 4:22). There is also another discrepancy regarding the base of the lamp. On the panel of Titus’s Arch the pedestal consists of two tiers and is rectangular, whereas archaeologists have uncovered ancient designs of the lamp that end in a tripod. Scholars are undecided which is the more original, and there are several theories to explain the difference. In Jewish mystical lore the menorah symbolizes the tree of life, the seven planets, and the seven days of creation.<\/p>\n<p>In the NT the lampstand in the book of Revelation is a carryover of the temple tradition, with special reference to Zechariah 4:2, 11. By an association of ideas it refers to the witness of the seven churches, to Christ who is the Light of the World, and to God, who is the source of all light (Rv 1:12-13, 20; 2:1; 11:4).<\/p>","summary_ro":"MENORAH* Lamp or lampstand in the tabernacle. It refers to the seven-branched lamp (candelabrum) that was to lighten the tabernacle: these seven lamps gave light in front of the lampstand (Nm 8:2). In Solomon’s temple there were ten such lampstands, five on each side before the inner sanctuary (1 Kgs 7:49). The design of the original lamp was conceived by Bezalel, the son of Uri and the grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, a man filled with the Spirit of God who was an excellent craftsmen ...","summary_en":"MENORAH* Lamp or lampstand in the tabernacle. It refers to the seven-branched lamp (candelabrum) that was to lighten the tabernacle: these seven lamps gave light in front of the lampstand (Nm 8:2). In Solomon’s temple there were ten such lampstands, five on each side before the inner sanctuary (1 Kgs 7:49). The design of the original lamp was conceived by Bezalel, the son of Uri and the grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, a man filled with the Spirit of God who was an excellent craftsmen ...","source":"Articles\/M.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":32926,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Book of Revelation","title_en":"Book of Revelation","content_ro":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","summary_en":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","source":"Articles\/R.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":36629,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Tabernacle","title_en":"Tabernacle","content_ro":"<h3>TABERNACLE<\/h3>\n<p>Place of worship during the earliest years of the history of Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Introduction<\/p>\n<p>• Names for the Tabernacle<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• The Tabernacle and Its Furniture<\/p>\n<p>• The Tabernacle Proper<\/p>\n<p>• The Outer Court and Its Furnishings<\/p>\n<p>• The Construction and Consecration of the Tabernacle<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Introduction\">Introduction<\/p>\n<p>The tabernacle was the precursor of the temple during most of the period between the formation of Israel at Sinai and its final establishment in the Promised Land in the early period of the monarchy. A portable sanctuary in keeping with the demand for easy mobility, it was the symbol of God’s presence with his people and, therefore, of his availability, as well as a place where his will was communicated. At an early period it was anticipated that, when peace and security had been secured, a permanent national shrine would be established (Dt 12:10-11). This was not realized until the time of Solomon, when the temple was erected (2 Sm 7:10-13; 1 Kgs 5:1-5). Historical events, as well as the similarities in construction and underlying theology, illustrate the close connection between the tabernacle and temple.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"NamesfortheTabernacle\">Names for the Tabernacle<\/p>\n<p>Several words and descriptive phrases are used:<\/p>\n<p>1. “Sacred residence,” “sanctuary,“ or “holy place” (Ex 25:8; Lv 10:17-18) derive from the verb “to be holy.”<\/p>\n<li>2. “The tent” occurs 19 times and is also found in expressions such as “the tent of the testimony” (Nm 9:15), “the tent of the Lord” (1 Kgs 2:28-30), “the house of the tent” (1 Chr 9:23), and “the tent of meeting” (e.g., Ex 33:7). The last name appears approximately 130 times. The word involves the concept of meeting by appointment and designates the tabernacle as the place where God met with Moses and his people to make known his will.<\/li>\n<li>3. “Dwelling place” is the literal meaning of “tabernacle.” In Exodus 25:9 the word indicates the whole tabernacle (including the outer court), but in Exodus 26:1 it refers to the tabernacle proper (that included the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies). A variant of this is “the tabernacle of the testimony” (Ex 38:21; <span>nlt<\/span> “Tabernacle of the Covenant”), which, with other expressions like “the tent of the testimony,” stresses the presence of the two tablets of the law.<\/li>\n<li>4. “The house of the <span>Lord<\/span>” (Ex 23:19).<\/li>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The three-part construction of the tabernacle, composed of a general area and two restricted areas, was not unique. In other developed religions that included an organized priesthood there were three main levels of approach: one for all members of the community; one for the priests generally; and one for the chief religious leaders, which was an inner sanctuary, conceived as the dwelling place of the deity. Excavations of heathen sanctuaries in Palestine and Syria in the pre-Israelite period have revealed this type of divided sanctuary.<\/p>\n<p>There is also widespread evidence of the use of portable, often complex, prefabricated structures during the second millennium <span>BC<\/span>, usually as either staterooms for kings and other high dignitaries, or as sanctuaries. Rulers of settled communities used these structures when traveling to other areas within their kingdoms (e.g., Egypt and, to a lesser extent, Canaan). Also, nomadic or seminomadic peoples, such as the Midianites, used portable sanctuaries. In pre-Mosaic Egypt, craftsmen used techniques similar to those used in the construction of the tabernacle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheTabernacleandItsFurniture\">The Tabernacle and Its Furniture<\/p>\n<p>The book of Exodus (Ex 25–40) describes the tabernacle and its furnishings in detail. The materials used included items ranging from precious to common materials. Three metals are mentioned in descending order of importance: gold, copper, and silver. Gold alone was employed in the principal sanctuary furnishings. The total amount of metals used was approximately one ton (.9 metric ton) of gold, three of copper, and four of silver (38:24-31). The relatively large amount of silver came from an offering (30:11-16), which augmented the silver and gold already given by the Egyptians (12:35).<\/p>\n<p>Significantly, in God’s building specifications, the starting point was the furniture of the inner sanctuary (the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies). In the actual construction, this furniture was made after the tabernacle itself, presumably so that it could be immediately and adequately housed (Ex 25:9–27:19; cf. 36:8–37:28).<\/p>\n<p>The first item listed was the ark, the only furniture in the Holy of Holies. It was a wooden box sheathed in gold, approximately three and three-quarters feet (1.1 meters) long, with a width and height of two and a quarter feet (.7 meter). The supreme symbol of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, it was often called “the ark of the covenant of the <span>Lord<\/span>” (Dt 10:8). Unlike contemporary arks in some neighboring countries, it contained no representation of the deity, only the Ten Commandments (Ex 25:16), a jar of manna (16:33), and Aaron’s rod (Nm 17:10)—all symbolic of various aspects of God’s provision (see Heb 9:4).<\/p>\n<p>The ark was transported by two poles that passed through rings attached to each lower corner (Ex 25:13-15). These poles, left in place, projected underneath the veil into the Holy Place, serving as a reminder of the presence of the unseen ark.<\/p>\n<p>Resting upon the ark was the mercy seat (<span>nlt<\/span> “atonement cover”), a rectangular slab of solid gold, to which were attached two cherubim. The inward-looking cherubim and the mercy seat formed a throne for the invisible God (Ex 25:22), who is frequently described as enthroned above or upon the cherubim (Pss 80:1; 99:1). The noun “mercy seat” comes from a verb meaning “to make atonement.” The mercy seat was sprinkled with blood at the climax of the annual Day of Atonement (Lv 16:14). The fact that the ark was placed <em>under<\/em> the mercy seat (Ex 25:21) signifies that the law was under God’s protection and explains the references to the ark as his footstool (e.g., Ps 132:7). Like the cherubim in the Garden of Eden (Gn 3:24), those in the Holy of Holies probably had a similar protective function. In the ancient world, symbolic winged creatures like the cherubim were frequently placed as guardians of thrones and important buildings.<\/p>\n<p>Like the ark, the portable table of the bread of the Presence (Ex 25:30) was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. It was marginally smaller, with a length of three feet (.9 meter), a width of one and a half feet (.5 meter) and a height of two and a quarter feet (.7 meter). The various auxiliary vessels and implements are detailed (v 29); presumably the dishes would be used for carrying the bread. On each Sabbath day, 12 loaves, symbolizing God’s provision for the 12 tribes of Israel, were placed in two rows on the table (Lv 24:5-9). The table was located in the Holy Place, on the north side.<\/p>\n<p>On the south side was the seven-branched golden lampstand (Ex 25:31-39; 37:17-24; 40:24). It was the most impressive item of furniture in the Holy Place; like the cherubim and the mercy seat, it was made of pure gold. Six golden branches, three on either side, extended from a central shaft, and the whole lampstand was ornamented with almond flowers. From the biblical evidence, it is not clear whether the lampstand gave continuous illumination (Ex 27:20; Lv 24:2) or night light only (1 Sm 3:3 in most versions). Leviticus 24:4 strongly supports the former, and the reference in 1 Samuel probably reflects the laxity that had crept in during the period of the judges. In Scripture, the golden lampstand symbolizes the continuing witness of the covenant community (Zec 4:1-7; Rv 2:1). The precise attention to the smallest detail is well illustrated in the listing of the supplementary items, all made of pure gold, required for the servicing of the lamps. Without this precise attention, the light would soon grow dim, and the sanctuary itself be defiled by carbon deposits (Ex 25:38). Moreover, only the best-quality olive oil was used, thus ensuring the brightest possible light (27:20).<\/p>\n<p>The altar of incense (Ex 30:1-10) may have been deliberately played down to give greater prominence to the sacrificial altar in the outer court, which is frequently referred to as <em>“the<\/em> altar.” In order to distinguish the altar of incense from the bronze altar of sacrifice, the former was called “the golden altar” (40:5). The altar of incense was located in the Holy Place, immediately opposite the ark in the Holy of Holies but just outside the veil, between the table of the bread of the Presence and the lampstand. Made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, it was 18 inches (45.7 centimeters) square and 3 feet (.9 meter) high, with horns and a golden molding around the four sides. Like the ark, it was made readily portable by the provision of rings and carrying poles. The altar was used for the offering of incense every morning and evening and for anointing the horns for the yearly atonement (30:7-10). The incense from a special recipe was forbidden for secular use. Originally, incense indicated something that ascended from a sacrifice, a pleasing aroma to God. Incense acknowledged God in worship (Mal 1:11) and at an early date signified the prayers of the godly (Ps 141:2). It also concealed God from human eyes (Lv 16:13).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheTabernacleProper\">The Tabernacle Proper<\/p>\n<p>The tabernacle was fundamentally a tent structure supported on a rigid framework. As with most of the other items, a triplication of detail underlines the importance of the tabernacle proper. The specifications are given in Exodus 26, the construction in Exodus 36:8-38, and the final erection in Exodus 40:16-19. The overall dimensions were approximately 45 feet (13.7 meters) long, 15 feet (4.6 meters) wide, and 15 feet high.<\/p>\n<p>The basic framework was a series of upright supports, each 15 feet (4.6 meters) high and 2½ feet (.7 meters) wide, and each standing on two silver bases (Ex 26:15-25). Scholars used to think these supports or frames were solid planks of acacia wood, but most modern scholars accept that each comprised two upright sides connected by horizontal pieces like a ladder. Such sections would be considerably stronger, would keep their shape better, and would allow a view of the beautiful inner layer of curtains from within the sanctuary. On the south and north sides were 20 such frames, with 6 more at the western end. In addition, on the western side were two corner pieces to which all the walls were attached by clasps (vv 23-25). A series of bars, which passed through gold rings attached to each upright frame, provided further security and alignment (vv 26-29). There were five such bars on each of the three sides. The central one on both the south and the north sides extended the entire length; the other four probably extended halfway, so that each frame was effectively secured by three bars. All the wooden sections were sheathed in gold.<\/p>\n<p>Over this framework several layers of coverings formed the top, sides, and back of the tabernacle. The first layer of ten linen curtains was dyed blue, purple, and scarlet, and embroidered with cherubim (Ex 26:1-6; 36:8-13). Each measured 42 feet by 6 feet (12.8 meters by 1.8 meters). Pairs joined along their length formed five sets of curtains. The two large curtains were themselves attached with 50 golden clasps that passed through a similar number of loops in each. Probably the curtains were stretched over the structure like a tablecloth.<\/p>\n<p>Eleven curtains or tarpaulins of goat hair, each 45 feet by 6 feet (13.7 meters by 1.8 meters), formed the next layer. These were divided into two sets by joining together five and six curtains respectively, and were linked using a similar method as the under curtain, except that bronze clasps instead of gold were used. The extra length of the goat-hair tarpaulins provided an overlap to protect the under curtain, and the larger tarpaulin overlapped at both the front and the rear of the tabernacle (Ex 26:7-9, 12-13). Two further layers ensured complete weatherproofing, one of ram’s skins dyed red and one of goatskins.<\/p>\n<p>A veil made of the same material as the under curtaining divided the sanctuary and hung under the golden clasps that joined the two curtains, supported by four pillars of acacia wood plated with gold and resting in silver bases. The cherubim on both the veil and the curtains were symbolic guardians of the sanctuary. The positioning of the veil made the Holy of Holies a perfect cube of 15 feet (4.6 meters). The layers of overlapping material and the attention given to the joints emphasizes the darkness of the innermost shrine. God was surrounded by darkness, carefully isolated from any unauthorized sight (Ps 97:2). The Holy Place occupied an area 30 feet by 15 feet (9.1 meters by 4.6 meters), exactly twice the area of the Holy of Holies. A screen made from the same fabric as the main curtain stood between the Holy Place and the outer court and hung from golden hooks on five posts of acacia wood, overlaid with gold and resting on bronze sockets. There is no mention of embroidered seraphim on this section, which formed the tabernacle’s eastern wall.<\/p>\n<p>The tabernacle, while probably having a somewhat squat appearance suggestive of strength, could be easily dismantled, transported, and reassembled. By the standards of that age, it was a fit dwelling place for God, constructed by the best human skills and the highest quality materials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheOuterCourtandItsFurnishings\">The Outer Court and Its Furnishings<\/p>\n<p>The court of the tabernacle was a rectangle 150 feet (45.7 meters) long on the north and south sides and 75 feet (22.9 meters) wide on the east and west (Ex 27:9-18; 38:9-19). The tabernacle itself was at the western end. Curtains of fine-twined linen 7½ feet (2.3 meters) high screened the entire tabernacle area. In the eastern section, there was a central entrance, 30 feet (9.1 meters) wide. An embroidered curtain of the same height screened this doorway, which was probably recessed to facilitate entrance on either side. Silver rods supported all the curtains. These rods passed through silver hooks attached to the silver-plated posts that rested on bronze bases (38:17).<\/p>\n<p>The altar of burnt offering (Ex 27:1-8; 38:1-7), at the eastern end of the court adjacent to the entrance (40:29), was a reminder that there could be no approach to God except by the place of sacrifice. Seven feet (2.1 meters) square and four and a half feet (1.4 meters) high, it was small in comparison to the gigantic altar in Solomon’s temple (2 Chr 4:1). Basically, it was a hollow wooden framework overlaid with bronze, light enough to be carried on bronze-plated poles that passed through bronze rings at each corner. The grating (Ex 27:4-5) was probably inside the altar at the middle, although some scholars believe that it extended around the lower, outer sides of the altar, to provide draft and to allow the sacrificial blood to flow to the base of the altar. The horns, possibly symbolizing the sacrificial victims, could be used to tether the animals about to be sacrificed. In Israel, a person could claim sanctuary by clinging to the horns of the altar (e.g., 1 Kgs 1:50), with the possible symbolism that he was offering himself as a sacrifice to God and so claiming his protection. The lower part of the altar may have been partly filled with earth to absorb the blood (Ex 20:24). All the accessories were bronze: ash buckets, shovels for removing the ashes and filling the base with earth, basins for the blood, carcass hooks, and fire pans (27:3).<\/p>\n<p>No specifications concerning the size of the laver (<span>nlt<\/span> “washbasin”) have survived (Ex 30:17-20; 38:8). It was made from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the court. The laver stood between the altar of sacrifice and the tabernacle. Failure to wash at the laver prior to ministering was punishable by death—a solemn reminder of the need for cleanliness and obedience before undertaking any task for God. The bronze pedestal may have been merely a support for the laver, but possibly it incorporated a lower basin in which the priests could wash their feet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheConstructionandConsecrationoftheTabernacle\">The Construction and Consecration of the Tabernacle<\/p>\n<p>The God-given specifications required skills beyond the capabilities of Moses and Aaron. Prominent in the construction were Bezalel and Oholiab (Ex 30:1-11), with a large supporting group of experts, who must have learned their craftsmanship in Egypt. In a remarkable community effort, the Israelites gave so generously that the flow of gifts had to be stopped (35:20-24; 36:4-7). In addition, many gave of their special skills (35:25-29).<\/p>\n<p>When all the items had been completed and placed in position (Ex 40:1-33), every piece except the mercy seat and the cherubim was anointed with special oil (30:22-33; 40:9-11) and symbolically consecrated for its particular function. The climax came when the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (40:34). He came to be present among his people, and thereafter the cloud by day and fire by night provided reassurance concerning his presence and guidance. Yet there could be no laxity in approaching him, and even Moses was excluded from the Holy of Holies. The tabernacle was erected exactly one year after the deliverance from Egypt and a mere nine months after the Sinai revelation.<\/p>\n<p>Thereafter, when Israel camped, the Levites surrounded the tabernacle on three sides (Nm 1:53), with the families of Moses and Aaron occupying the remaining eastern side (Nm 3:14-38). This prevented any unauthorized intrusion into the sacred area. When the tabernacle was moved, the dismantlement was carefully regulated (4:5-15). The Kohathites were responsible for transporting the more sacred items, using the carrying poles; the Gershonites dealt with all the soft furnishings, the altar of sacrifice, and its accessories; and the Merarites carried the hard furnishings, such as the frames, bars, and bases. Even on the march, the tabernacle remained central, with six tribes preceding and the remaining six following (Nm 2).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Temple.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>TABERNACLE<\/h3>\n<p>Place of worship during the earliest years of the history of Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Introduction<\/p>\n<p>• Names for the Tabernacle<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• The Tabernacle and Its Furniture<\/p>\n<p>• The Tabernacle Proper<\/p>\n<p>• The Outer Court and Its Furnishings<\/p>\n<p>• The Construction and Consecration of the Tabernacle<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Introduction\">Introduction<\/p>\n<p>The tabernacle was the precursor of the temple during most of the period between the formation of Israel at Sinai and its final establishment in the Promised Land in the early period of the monarchy. A portable sanctuary in keeping with the demand for easy mobility, it was the symbol of God’s presence with his people and, therefore, of his availability, as well as a place where his will was communicated. At an early period it was anticipated that, when peace and security had been secured, a permanent national shrine would be established (Dt 12:10-11). This was not realized until the time of Solomon, when the temple was erected (2 Sm 7:10-13; 1 Kgs 5:1-5). Historical events, as well as the similarities in construction and underlying theology, illustrate the close connection between the tabernacle and temple.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"NamesfortheTabernacle\">Names for the Tabernacle<\/p>\n<p>Several words and descriptive phrases are used:<\/p>\n<p>1. “Sacred residence,” “sanctuary,“ or “holy place” (Ex 25:8; Lv 10:17-18) derive from the verb “to be holy.”<\/p>\n<li>2. “The tent” occurs 19 times and is also found in expressions such as “the tent of the testimony” (Nm 9:15), “the tent of the Lord” (1 Kgs 2:28-30), “the house of the tent” (1 Chr 9:23), and “the tent of meeting” (e.g., Ex 33:7). The last name appears approximately 130 times. The word involves the concept of meeting by appointment and designates the tabernacle as the place where God met with Moses and his people to make known his will.<\/li>\n<li>3. “Dwelling place” is the literal meaning of “tabernacle.” In Exodus 25:9 the word indicates the whole tabernacle (including the outer court), but in Exodus 26:1 it refers to the tabernacle proper (that included the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies). A variant of this is “the tabernacle of the testimony” (Ex 38:21; <span>nlt<\/span> “Tabernacle of the Covenant”), which, with other expressions like “the tent of the testimony,” stresses the presence of the two tablets of the law.<\/li>\n<li>4. “The house of the <span>Lord<\/span>” (Ex 23:19).<\/li>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The three-part construction of the tabernacle, composed of a general area and two restricted areas, was not unique. In other developed religions that included an organized priesthood there were three main levels of approach: one for all members of the community; one for the priests generally; and one for the chief religious leaders, which was an inner sanctuary, conceived as the dwelling place of the deity. Excavations of heathen sanctuaries in Palestine and Syria in the pre-Israelite period have revealed this type of divided sanctuary.<\/p>\n<p>There is also widespread evidence of the use of portable, often complex, prefabricated structures during the second millennium <span>BC<\/span>, usually as either staterooms for kings and other high dignitaries, or as sanctuaries. Rulers of settled communities used these structures when traveling to other areas within their kingdoms (e.g., Egypt and, to a lesser extent, Canaan). Also, nomadic or seminomadic peoples, such as the Midianites, used portable sanctuaries. In pre-Mosaic Egypt, craftsmen used techniques similar to those used in the construction of the tabernacle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheTabernacleandItsFurniture\">The Tabernacle and Its Furniture<\/p>\n<p>The book of Exodus (Ex 25–40) describes the tabernacle and its furnishings in detail. The materials used included items ranging from precious to common materials. Three metals are mentioned in descending order of importance: gold, copper, and silver. Gold alone was employed in the principal sanctuary furnishings. The total amount of metals used was approximately one ton (.9 metric ton) of gold, three of copper, and four of silver (38:24-31). The relatively large amount of silver came from an offering (30:11-16), which augmented the silver and gold already given by the Egyptians (12:35).<\/p>\n<p>Significantly, in God’s building specifications, the starting point was the furniture of the inner sanctuary (the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies). In the actual construction, this furniture was made after the tabernacle itself, presumably so that it could be immediately and adequately housed (Ex 25:9–27:19; cf. 36:8–37:28).<\/p>\n<p>The first item listed was the ark, the only furniture in the Holy of Holies. It was a wooden box sheathed in gold, approximately three and three-quarters feet (1.1 meters) long, with a width and height of two and a quarter feet (.7 meter). The supreme symbol of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, it was often called “the ark of the covenant of the <span>Lord<\/span>” (Dt 10:8). Unlike contemporary arks in some neighboring countries, it contained no representation of the deity, only the Ten Commandments (Ex 25:16), a jar of manna (16:33), and Aaron’s rod (Nm 17:10)—all symbolic of various aspects of God’s provision (see Heb 9:4).<\/p>\n<p>The ark was transported by two poles that passed through rings attached to each lower corner (Ex 25:13-15). These poles, left in place, projected underneath the veil into the Holy Place, serving as a reminder of the presence of the unseen ark.<\/p>\n<p>Resting upon the ark was the mercy seat (<span>nlt<\/span> “atonement cover”), a rectangular slab of solid gold, to which were attached two cherubim. The inward-looking cherubim and the mercy seat formed a throne for the invisible God (Ex 25:22), who is frequently described as enthroned above or upon the cherubim (Pss 80:1; 99:1). The noun “mercy seat” comes from a verb meaning “to make atonement.” The mercy seat was sprinkled with blood at the climax of the annual Day of Atonement (Lv 16:14). The fact that the ark was placed <em>under<\/em> the mercy seat (Ex 25:21) signifies that the law was under God’s protection and explains the references to the ark as his footstool (e.g., Ps 132:7). Like the cherubim in the Garden of Eden (Gn 3:24), those in the Holy of Holies probably had a similar protective function. In the ancient world, symbolic winged creatures like the cherubim were frequently placed as guardians of thrones and important buildings.<\/p>\n<p>Like the ark, the portable table of the bread of the Presence (Ex 25:30) was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. It was marginally smaller, with a length of three feet (.9 meter), a width of one and a half feet (.5 meter) and a height of two and a quarter feet (.7 meter). The various auxiliary vessels and implements are detailed (v 29); presumably the dishes would be used for carrying the bread. On each Sabbath day, 12 loaves, symbolizing God’s provision for the 12 tribes of Israel, were placed in two rows on the table (Lv 24:5-9). The table was located in the Holy Place, on the north side.<\/p>\n<p>On the south side was the seven-branched golden lampstand (Ex 25:31-39; 37:17-24; 40:24). It was the most impressive item of furniture in the Holy Place; like the cherubim and the mercy seat, it was made of pure gold. Six golden branches, three on either side, extended from a central shaft, and the whole lampstand was ornamented with almond flowers. From the biblical evidence, it is not clear whether the lampstand gave continuous illumination (Ex 27:20; Lv 24:2) or night light only (1 Sm 3:3 in most versions). Leviticus 24:4 strongly supports the former, and the reference in 1 Samuel probably reflects the laxity that had crept in during the period of the judges. In Scripture, the golden lampstand symbolizes the continuing witness of the covenant community (Zec 4:1-7; Rv 2:1). The precise attention to the smallest detail is well illustrated in the listing of the supplementary items, all made of pure gold, required for the servicing of the lamps. Without this precise attention, the light would soon grow dim, and the sanctuary itself be defiled by carbon deposits (Ex 25:38). Moreover, only the best-quality olive oil was used, thus ensuring the brightest possible light (27:20).<\/p>\n<p>The altar of incense (Ex 30:1-10) may have been deliberately played down to give greater prominence to the sacrificial altar in the outer court, which is frequently referred to as <em>“the<\/em> altar.” In order to distinguish the altar of incense from the bronze altar of sacrifice, the former was called “the golden altar” (40:5). The altar of incense was located in the Holy Place, immediately opposite the ark in the Holy of Holies but just outside the veil, between the table of the bread of the Presence and the lampstand. Made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, it was 18 inches (45.7 centimeters) square and 3 feet (.9 meter) high, with horns and a golden molding around the four sides. Like the ark, it was made readily portable by the provision of rings and carrying poles. The altar was used for the offering of incense every morning and evening and for anointing the horns for the yearly atonement (30:7-10). The incense from a special recipe was forbidden for secular use. Originally, incense indicated something that ascended from a sacrifice, a pleasing aroma to God. Incense acknowledged God in worship (Mal 1:11) and at an early date signified the prayers of the godly (Ps 141:2). It also concealed God from human eyes (Lv 16:13).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheTabernacleProper\">The Tabernacle Proper<\/p>\n<p>The tabernacle was fundamentally a tent structure supported on a rigid framework. As with most of the other items, a triplication of detail underlines the importance of the tabernacle proper. The specifications are given in Exodus 26, the construction in Exodus 36:8-38, and the final erection in Exodus 40:16-19. The overall dimensions were approximately 45 feet (13.7 meters) long, 15 feet (4.6 meters) wide, and 15 feet high.<\/p>\n<p>The basic framework was a series of upright supports, each 15 feet (4.6 meters) high and 2½ feet (.7 meters) wide, and each standing on two silver bases (Ex 26:15-25). Scholars used to think these supports or frames were solid planks of acacia wood, but most modern scholars accept that each comprised two upright sides connected by horizontal pieces like a ladder. Such sections would be considerably stronger, would keep their shape better, and would allow a view of the beautiful inner layer of curtains from within the sanctuary. On the south and north sides were 20 such frames, with 6 more at the western end. In addition, on the western side were two corner pieces to which all the walls were attached by clasps (vv 23-25). A series of bars, which passed through gold rings attached to each upright frame, provided further security and alignment (vv 26-29). There were five such bars on each of the three sides. The central one on both the south and the north sides extended the entire length; the other four probably extended halfway, so that each frame was effectively secured by three bars. All the wooden sections were sheathed in gold.<\/p>\n<p>Over this framework several layers of coverings formed the top, sides, and back of the tabernacle. The first layer of ten linen curtains was dyed blue, purple, and scarlet, and embroidered with cherubim (Ex 26:1-6; 36:8-13). Each measured 42 feet by 6 feet (12.8 meters by 1.8 meters). Pairs joined along their length formed five sets of curtains. The two large curtains were themselves attached with 50 golden clasps that passed through a similar number of loops in each. Probably the curtains were stretched over the structure like a tablecloth.<\/p>\n<p>Eleven curtains or tarpaulins of goat hair, each 45 feet by 6 feet (13.7 meters by 1.8 meters), formed the next layer. These were divided into two sets by joining together five and six curtains respectively, and were linked using a similar method as the under curtain, except that bronze clasps instead of gold were used. The extra length of the goat-hair tarpaulins provided an overlap to protect the under curtain, and the larger tarpaulin overlapped at both the front and the rear of the tabernacle (Ex 26:7-9, 12-13). Two further layers ensured complete weatherproofing, one of ram’s skins dyed red and one of goatskins.<\/p>\n<p>A veil made of the same material as the under curtaining divided the sanctuary and hung under the golden clasps that joined the two curtains, supported by four pillars of acacia wood plated with gold and resting in silver bases. The cherubim on both the veil and the curtains were symbolic guardians of the sanctuary. The positioning of the veil made the Holy of Holies a perfect cube of 15 feet (4.6 meters). The layers of overlapping material and the attention given to the joints emphasizes the darkness of the innermost shrine. God was surrounded by darkness, carefully isolated from any unauthorized sight (Ps 97:2). The Holy Place occupied an area 30 feet by 15 feet (9.1 meters by 4.6 meters), exactly twice the area of the Holy of Holies. A screen made from the same fabric as the main curtain stood between the Holy Place and the outer court and hung from golden hooks on five posts of acacia wood, overlaid with gold and resting on bronze sockets. There is no mention of embroidered seraphim on this section, which formed the tabernacle’s eastern wall.<\/p>\n<p>The tabernacle, while probably having a somewhat squat appearance suggestive of strength, could be easily dismantled, transported, and reassembled. By the standards of that age, it was a fit dwelling place for God, constructed by the best human skills and the highest quality materials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheOuterCourtandItsFurnishings\">The Outer Court and Its Furnishings<\/p>\n<p>The court of the tabernacle was a rectangle 150 feet (45.7 meters) long on the north and south sides and 75 feet (22.9 meters) wide on the east and west (Ex 27:9-18; 38:9-19). The tabernacle itself was at the western end. Curtains of fine-twined linen 7½ feet (2.3 meters) high screened the entire tabernacle area. In the eastern section, there was a central entrance, 30 feet (9.1 meters) wide. An embroidered curtain of the same height screened this doorway, which was probably recessed to facilitate entrance on either side. Silver rods supported all the curtains. These rods passed through silver hooks attached to the silver-plated posts that rested on bronze bases (38:17).<\/p>\n<p>The altar of burnt offering (Ex 27:1-8; 38:1-7), at the eastern end of the court adjacent to the entrance (40:29), was a reminder that there could be no approach to God except by the place of sacrifice. Seven feet (2.1 meters) square and four and a half feet (1.4 meters) high, it was small in comparison to the gigantic altar in Solomon’s temple (2 Chr 4:1). Basically, it was a hollow wooden framework overlaid with bronze, light enough to be carried on bronze-plated poles that passed through bronze rings at each corner. The grating (Ex 27:4-5) was probably inside the altar at the middle, although some scholars believe that it extended around the lower, outer sides of the altar, to provide draft and to allow the sacrificial blood to flow to the base of the altar. The horns, possibly symbolizing the sacrificial victims, could be used to tether the animals about to be sacrificed. In Israel, a person could claim sanctuary by clinging to the horns of the altar (e.g., 1 Kgs 1:50), with the possible symbolism that he was offering himself as a sacrifice to God and so claiming his protection. The lower part of the altar may have been partly filled with earth to absorb the blood (Ex 20:24). All the accessories were bronze: ash buckets, shovels for removing the ashes and filling the base with earth, basins for the blood, carcass hooks, and fire pans (27:3).<\/p>\n<p>No specifications concerning the size of the laver (<span>nlt<\/span> “washbasin”) have survived (Ex 30:17-20; 38:8). It was made from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the court. The laver stood between the altar of sacrifice and the tabernacle. Failure to wash at the laver prior to ministering was punishable by death—a solemn reminder of the need for cleanliness and obedience before undertaking any task for God. The bronze pedestal may have been merely a support for the laver, but possibly it incorporated a lower basin in which the priests could wash their feet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheConstructionandConsecrationoftheTabernacle\">The Construction and Consecration of the Tabernacle<\/p>\n<p>The God-given specifications required skills beyond the capabilities of Moses and Aaron. Prominent in the construction were Bezalel and Oholiab (Ex 30:1-11), with a large supporting group of experts, who must have learned their craftsmanship in Egypt. In a remarkable community effort, the Israelites gave so generously that the flow of gifts had to be stopped (35:20-24; 36:4-7). In addition, many gave of their special skills (35:25-29).<\/p>\n<p>When all the items had been completed and placed in position (Ex 40:1-33), every piece except the mercy seat and the cherubim was anointed with special oil (30:22-33; 40:9-11) and symbolically consecrated for its particular function. The climax came when the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (40:34). He came to be present among his people, and thereafter the cloud by day and fire by night provided reassurance concerning his presence and guidance. Yet there could be no laxity in approaching him, and even Moses was excluded from the Holy of Holies. The tabernacle was erected exactly one year after the deliverance from Egypt and a mere nine months after the Sinai revelation.<\/p>\n<p>Thereafter, when Israel camped, the Levites surrounded the tabernacle on three sides (Nm 1:53), with the families of Moses and Aaron occupying the remaining eastern side (Nm 3:14-38). This prevented any unauthorized intrusion into the sacred area. When the tabernacle was moved, the dismantlement was carefully regulated (4:5-15). The Kohathites were responsible for transporting the more sacred items, using the carrying poles; the Gershonites dealt with all the soft furnishings, the altar of sacrifice, and its accessories; and the Merarites carried the hard furnishings, such as the frames, bars, and bases. Even on the march, the tabernacle remained central, with six tribes preceding and the remaining six following (Nm 2).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Temple.<\/p>","summary_ro":"TABERNACLE Place of worship during the earliest years of the history of Israel. Preview • Introduction • Names for the Tabernacle • Background • The Tabernacle and Its Furniture • The Tabernacle Proper • The Outer Court and Its Furnishings • The Construction and Consecration of the Tabernacle Introduction The tabernacle was the precursor of the temple during most of the period between the formation of Israel at Sinai and its final establishment in the Promised Land in the early period of the ...","summary_en":"TABERNACLE Place of worship during the earliest years of the history of Israel. Preview • Introduction • Names for the Tabernacle • Background • The Tabernacle and Its Furniture • The Tabernacle Proper • The Outer Court and Its Furnishings • The Construction and Consecration of the Tabernacle Introduction The tabernacle was the precursor of the temple during most of the period between the formation of Israel at Sinai and its final establishment in the Promised Land in the early period of the ...","source":"Articles\/T.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":39930,"type":"textbox","type_label":"Notă explicativă","type_icon":"💡","type_color":"#8b5cf6","title_ro":"Angels of the Seven Churches","title_en":"Angels of the Seven Churches","content_ro":"<h3>Angels of the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>This term is used in Revelation 1:20 and repeated in its singular form in 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14. The word “angel” is translated from the Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">angelos<\/span> (one who delivers a message). Hence, some versions render this word as “messenger” in these chapters. The word could also be translated “guardian” or “representative” in this context. There is no consensus as to the significance of this term in the first three chapters of Revelation. In fact, although the seven churches addressed here were actual places where churches existed, some have suggested that they are symbolic of the various conditions of the church throughout her history. With this view, the angel of each church could be considered a human messenger, minister, or representative of the local church. However, some say that an angel here is simply the personification of the prevailing spirit of each church. A third opinion holds that consistent usage of the word elsewhere in the book provides a persuasive argument that the epistles of Revelation were addressed to a true spiritual guardian angel of each church.<\/p><\/blockquote>","content_en":"<h3>Angels of the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>This term is used in Revelation 1:20 and repeated in its singular form in 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14. The word “angel” is translated from the Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">angelos<\/span> (one who delivers a message). Hence, some versions render this word as “messenger” in these chapters. The word could also be translated “guardian” or “representative” in this context. There is no consensus as to the significance of this term in the first three chapters of Revelation. In fact, although the seven churches addressed here were actual places where churches existed, some have suggested that they are symbolic of the various conditions of the church throughout her history. With this view, the angel of each church could be considered a human messenger, minister, or representative of the local church. However, some say that an angel here is simply the personification of the prevailing spirit of each church. A third opinion holds that consistent usage of the word elsewhere in the book provides a persuasive argument that the epistles of Revelation were addressed to a true spiritual guardian angel of each church.<\/p><\/blockquote>","summary_ro":"Angels of the Seven Churches This term is used in Revelation 1:20 and repeated in its singular form in 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14. The word “angel” is translated from the Greek word angelos (one who delivers a message). Hence, some versions render this word as “messenger” in these chapters. The word could also be translated “guardian” or “representative” in this context. There is no consensus as to the significance of this term in the first three chapters of Revelation. In fact, although the ...","summary_en":"Angels of the Seven Churches This term is used in Revelation 1:20 and repeated in its singular form in 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14. The word “angel” is translated from the Greek word angelos (one who delivers a message). Hence, some versions render this word as “messenger” in these chapters. The word could also be translated “guardian” or “representative” in this context. There is no consensus as to the significance of this term in the first three chapters of Revelation. In fact, although the ...","source":"Textboxes\/Textboxes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59317,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1–3:22<\/strong> The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1–3:22<\/strong> The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.","summary_en":"2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59318,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1-7<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Ephesus<\/em> addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1-7<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Ephesus<\/em> addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).","summary_en":"2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59319,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1<\/strong> <em>Write . . . to the angel:<\/em> This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • <em>Ephesus<\/em> had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s <span>BC<\/span>), arguing adroitly that one god should not stoop to build a temple to another god (see Strabo, <em>Geography<\/em> 14.1.22). The Ephesians’ protective pride also led to the uproar against Paul (Acts 19:23-41).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1<\/strong> <em>Write . . . to the angel:<\/em> This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • <em>Ephesus<\/em> had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s <span>BC<\/span>), arguing adroitly that one god should not stoop to build a temple to another god (see Strabo, <em>Geography<\/em> 14.1.22). The Ephesians’ protective pride also led to the uproar against Paul (Acts 19:23-41).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1 Write . . . to the angel: This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • Ephesus had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s BC), arguing adroitly that one god should ...","summary_en":"2:1 Write . . . to the angel: This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • Ephesus had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s BC), arguing adroitly that one god should ...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86943,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1–3:22<\/strong> The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1–3:22<\/strong> The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.","summary_en":"2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86944,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1-7<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Ephesus<\/em> addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1-7<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Ephesus<\/em> addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).","summary_en":"2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86945,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1<\/strong> <em>Write . . . to the angel:<\/em> This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • <em>Ephesus<\/em> had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s <span>BC<\/span>), arguing adroitly that one god should not stoop to build a temple to another god (see Strabo, <em>Geography<\/em> 14.1.22). The Ephesians’ protective pride also led to the uproar against Paul (Acts 19:23-41).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1<\/strong> <em>Write . . . to the angel:<\/em> This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • <em>Ephesus<\/em> had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s <span>BC<\/span>), arguing adroitly that one god should not stoop to build a temple to another god (see Strabo, <em>Geography<\/em> 14.1.22). The Ephesians’ protective pride also led to the uproar against Paul (Acts 19:23-41).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1 Write . . . to the angel: This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • Ephesus had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s BC), arguing adroitly that one god should ...","summary_en":"2:1 Write . . . to the angel: This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • Ephesus had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s BC), arguing adroitly that one god should ...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114569,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1–3:22<\/strong> The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1–3:22<\/strong> The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.","summary_en":"2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114570,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1-7<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Ephesus<\/em> addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1-7<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Ephesus<\/em> addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).","summary_en":"2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114571,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1<\/strong> <em>Write . . . to the angel:<\/em> This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • <em>Ephesus<\/em> had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s <span>BC<\/span>), arguing adroitly that one god should not stoop to build a temple to another god (see Strabo, <em>Geography<\/em> 14.1.22). The Ephesians’ protective pride also led to the uproar against Paul (Acts 19:23-41).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1<\/strong> <em>Write . . . to the angel:<\/em> This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • <em>Ephesus<\/em> had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s <span>BC<\/span>), arguing adroitly that one god should not stoop to build a temple to another god (see Strabo, <em>Geography<\/em> 14.1.22). The Ephesians’ protective pride also led to the uproar against Paul (Acts 19:23-41).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1 Write . . . to the angel: This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • Ephesus had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s BC), arguing adroitly that one god should ...","summary_en":"2:1 Write . . . to the angel: This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • Ephesus had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s BC), arguing adroitly that one god should ...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142195,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1–3:22<\/strong> The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1–3:22<\/strong> The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.","summary_en":"2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142196,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1-7<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Ephesus<\/em> addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1-7<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Ephesus<\/em> addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).","summary_en":"2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142197,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:1","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:1","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:1<\/strong> <em>Write . . . to the angel:<\/em> This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • <em>Ephesus<\/em> had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s <span>BC<\/span>), arguing adroitly that one god should not stoop to build a temple to another god (see Strabo, <em>Geography<\/em> 14.1.22). The Ephesians’ protective pride also led to the uproar against Paul (Acts 19:23-41).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:1<\/strong> <em>Write . . . to the angel:<\/em> This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • <em>Ephesus<\/em> had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s <span>BC<\/span>), arguing adroitly that one god should not stoop to build a temple to another god (see Strabo, <em>Geography<\/em> 14.1.22). The Ephesians’ protective pride also led to the uproar against Paul (Acts 19:23-41).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:1 Write . . . to the angel: This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • Ephesus had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s BC), arguing adroitly that one god should ...","summary_en":"2:1 Write . . . to the angel: This repeated command that introduces each of the seven letters suggests the importance of the message. • Ephesus had become the main city of the Roman province of Asia. It contained the temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:23-35) and became the richest banking center in that part of the world. The people of Ephesus were very independent; they declined help from Alexander in rebuilding their temple after it was destroyed (300s BC), arguing adroitly that one god should ...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":61852,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"God’s Judgment of His People","title_en":"God’s Judgment of His People","content_ro":"<h3>God’s Judgment of His People<\/h3>\n<p>Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4).<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes during this period, God’s people are portrayed positively. The people of Judah rejoiced over the removal of Athaliah and the installation of Joash as king (11:12, 18-20). At times, the people were instrumental in the succession of kings (14:21; 23:30) or were responsive to godly leadership (11:17; 18:36; 23:1-3, 21-23).<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite God’s repeated warnings through his prophets (17:13), the people of both kingdoms became set in their apostasy (17:14-19, 22). So God’s righteous wrath burned against them and their leaders, and he brought his threatened judgment upon them (17:22-23; 21:10-15; 22:17; 23:26-27; 24:20; 25:21). God acted in accordance with the stipulations in his covenant with them (Lev 26:27-39), even though he loved his people and longed to restore them (see Hos 11:1-11).<\/p>\n<p>God never gave up caring for his people. He rescued them from Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and promised that a remnant would again thrive in the land (19:30-31). Even the good treatment Jehoiachin received in Babylon (25:27-30) no doubt renewed hope among the repentant of God’s people. God promised to one day restore his people from exile and give them fellowship with him in the land once again, ruling over them through his chosen king, the descendant of David (Jer 23:3-6; see also Isa 11; Rom 11:5-36).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lev 26:27-39; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; 21:9-16; 23:26-27; 24:20–25:21; Ps 62:12; Prov 11:31; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 1:16; 17:10; 23:3-6; Ezek 7:1-9; 33:18-20; 34:17-24; 39:23-24; Hos 11:1-11; Amos 3:2; Matt 25:24-30; Luke 12:47-48; 13:6-9; John 5:45-47; Rom 11:5-36; Col 3:23-25; Heb 12:25; Jas 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>God’s Judgment of His People<\/h3>\n<p>Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4).<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes during this period, God’s people are portrayed positively. The people of Judah rejoiced over the removal of Athaliah and the installation of Joash as king (11:12, 18-20). At times, the people were instrumental in the succession of kings (14:21; 23:30) or were responsive to godly leadership (11:17; 18:36; 23:1-3, 21-23).<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite God’s repeated warnings through his prophets (17:13), the people of both kingdoms became set in their apostasy (17:14-19, 22). So God’s righteous wrath burned against them and their leaders, and he brought his threatened judgment upon them (17:22-23; 21:10-15; 22:17; 23:26-27; 24:20; 25:21). God acted in accordance with the stipulations in his covenant with them (Lev 26:27-39), even though he loved his people and longed to restore them (see Hos 11:1-11).<\/p>\n<p>God never gave up caring for his people. He rescued them from Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and promised that a remnant would again thrive in the land (19:30-31). Even the good treatment Jehoiachin received in Babylon (25:27-30) no doubt renewed hope among the repentant of God’s people. God promised to one day restore his people from exile and give them fellowship with him in the land once again, ruling over them through his chosen king, the descendant of David (Jer 23:3-6; see also Isa 11; Rom 11:5-36).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lev 26:27-39; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; 21:9-16; 23:26-27; 24:20–25:21; Ps 62:12; Prov 11:31; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 1:16; 17:10; 23:3-6; Ezek 7:1-9; 33:18-20; 34:17-24; 39:23-24; Hos 11:1-11; Amos 3:2; Matt 25:24-30; Luke 12:47-48; 13:6-9; John 5:45-47; Rom 11:5-36; Col 3:23-25; Heb 12:25; Jas 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","summary_ro":"God’s Judgment of His People Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4). Sometimes during this p...","summary_en":"God’s Judgment of His People Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4). Sometimes during this p...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":62062,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Apostasy and Renewal","title_en":"Apostasy and Renewal","content_ro":"<h3>Apostasy and Renewal<\/h3>\n<p>During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread false worship (28:24-25). His apostasy was so great that more righteousness was found in the north at that time than in Judah (see 28:9-15).<\/p>\n<p>The Chronicler wrote to inspire hope that God would restore Judah. He showed that God is always willing to forgive those who repent. Repentance can make restoration and reconciliation possible, as shown by the northern leaders’ response to the prophet who confronted the victorious northern army (28:8-15). The renewal of Judah under Hezekiah also provided a paradigm for restoration and unification, a time that could be compared with Solomon’s reign. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah began to restore the Temple (29:3); and when Hezekiah celebrated the Passover, he invited people from the northern kingdom, showing that both kingdoms could worship together at the place God had chosen (30:18-20). The glory of Solomon’s time was temporarily restored (30:26; cp. 7:8-10).<\/p>\n<p>Even exile did not bring an end to the covenant community. Healing was possible at any time the people chose to seek the Lord, whether at the occasion of returning with spoils of war, or reuniting at the Passover festival. Many of the Old Testament prophets who proclaimed judgment on apostate Judah or Israel also spoke of future renewal and restoration. The continual hope of renewal also holds true for the church, even when threatened with extinction from persecution or corruption (see Rev 2–3). God’s Kingdom stands on the solid rock of his promises (see Matt 16:18).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 21:1-29; 2 Chr 11:13-17; 28:1–31:21; 33:1-20; Jer 18:7-17; Ezek 16:1-63; 33:10-16; Joel 2:12-32; Luke 19:2-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:15-17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Apostasy and Renewal<\/h3>\n<p>During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread false worship (28:24-25). His apostasy was so great that more righteousness was found in the north at that time than in Judah (see 28:9-15).<\/p>\n<p>The Chronicler wrote to inspire hope that God would restore Judah. He showed that God is always willing to forgive those who repent. Repentance can make restoration and reconciliation possible, as shown by the northern leaders’ response to the prophet who confronted the victorious northern army (28:8-15). The renewal of Judah under Hezekiah also provided a paradigm for restoration and unification, a time that could be compared with Solomon’s reign. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah began to restore the Temple (29:3); and when Hezekiah celebrated the Passover, he invited people from the northern kingdom, showing that both kingdoms could worship together at the place God had chosen (30:18-20). The glory of Solomon’s time was temporarily restored (30:26; cp. 7:8-10).<\/p>\n<p>Even exile did not bring an end to the covenant community. Healing was possible at any time the people chose to seek the Lord, whether at the occasion of returning with spoils of war, or reuniting at the Passover festival. Many of the Old Testament prophets who proclaimed judgment on apostate Judah or Israel also spoke of future renewal and restoration. The continual hope of renewal also holds true for the church, even when threatened with extinction from persecution or corruption (see Rev 2–3). God’s Kingdom stands on the solid rock of his promises (see Matt 16:18).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 21:1-29; 2 Chr 11:13-17; 28:1–31:21; 33:1-20; Jer 18:7-17; Ezek 16:1-63; 33:10-16; Joel 2:12-32; Luke 19:2-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:15-17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Apostasy and Renewal During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread...","summary_en":"Apostasy and Renewal During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67885,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Letters to the Seven Churches","title_en":"Letters to the Seven Churches","content_ro":"<h3>Letters to the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<p>In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.<\/p>\n<p>It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Letters to the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<p>In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.<\/p>\n<p>It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","summary_ro":"Letters to the Seven Churches In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each tim...","summary_en":"Letters to the Seven Churches In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each tim...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":89478,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"God’s Judgment of His People","title_en":"God’s Judgment of His People","content_ro":"<h3>God’s Judgment of His People<\/h3>\n<p>Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4).<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes during this period, God’s people are portrayed positively. The people of Judah rejoiced over the removal of Athaliah and the installation of Joash as king (11:12, 18-20). At times, the people were instrumental in the succession of kings (14:21; 23:30) or were responsive to godly leadership (11:17; 18:36; 23:1-3, 21-23).<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite God’s repeated warnings through his prophets (17:13), the people of both kingdoms became set in their apostasy (17:14-19, 22). So God’s righteous wrath burned against them and their leaders, and he brought his threatened judgment upon them (17:22-23; 21:10-15; 22:17; 23:26-27; 24:20; 25:21). God acted in accordance with the stipulations in his covenant with them (Lev 26:27-39), even though he loved his people and longed to restore them (see Hos 11:1-11).<\/p>\n<p>God never gave up caring for his people. He rescued them from Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and promised that a remnant would again thrive in the land (19:30-31). Even the good treatment Jehoiachin received in Babylon (25:27-30) no doubt renewed hope among the repentant of God’s people. God promised to one day restore his people from exile and give them fellowship with him in the land once again, ruling over them through his chosen king, the descendant of David (Jer 23:3-6; see also Isa 11; Rom 11:5-36).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lev 26:27-39; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; 21:9-16; 23:26-27; 24:20–25:21; Ps 62:12; Prov 11:31; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 1:16; 17:10; 23:3-6; Ezek 7:1-9; 33:18-20; 34:17-24; 39:23-24; Hos 11:1-11; Amos 3:2; Matt 25:24-30; Luke 12:47-48; 13:6-9; John 5:45-47; Rom 11:5-36; Col 3:23-25; Heb 12:25; Jas 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>God’s Judgment of His People<\/h3>\n<p>Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4).<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes during this period, God’s people are portrayed positively. The people of Judah rejoiced over the removal of Athaliah and the installation of Joash as king (11:12, 18-20). At times, the people were instrumental in the succession of kings (14:21; 23:30) or were responsive to godly leadership (11:17; 18:36; 23:1-3, 21-23).<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite God’s repeated warnings through his prophets (17:13), the people of both kingdoms became set in their apostasy (17:14-19, 22). So God’s righteous wrath burned against them and their leaders, and he brought his threatened judgment upon them (17:22-23; 21:10-15; 22:17; 23:26-27; 24:20; 25:21). God acted in accordance with the stipulations in his covenant with them (Lev 26:27-39), even though he loved his people and longed to restore them (see Hos 11:1-11).<\/p>\n<p>God never gave up caring for his people. He rescued them from Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and promised that a remnant would again thrive in the land (19:30-31). Even the good treatment Jehoiachin received in Babylon (25:27-30) no doubt renewed hope among the repentant of God’s people. God promised to one day restore his people from exile and give them fellowship with him in the land once again, ruling over them through his chosen king, the descendant of David (Jer 23:3-6; see also Isa 11; Rom 11:5-36).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lev 26:27-39; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; 21:9-16; 23:26-27; 24:20–25:21; Ps 62:12; Prov 11:31; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 1:16; 17:10; 23:3-6; Ezek 7:1-9; 33:18-20; 34:17-24; 39:23-24; Hos 11:1-11; Amos 3:2; Matt 25:24-30; Luke 12:47-48; 13:6-9; John 5:45-47; Rom 11:5-36; Col 3:23-25; Heb 12:25; Jas 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","summary_ro":"God’s Judgment of His People Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4). Sometimes during this p...","summary_en":"God’s Judgment of His People Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4). Sometimes during this p...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":89688,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Apostasy and Renewal","title_en":"Apostasy and Renewal","content_ro":"<h3>Apostasy and Renewal<\/h3>\n<p>During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread false worship (28:24-25). His apostasy was so great that more righteousness was found in the north at that time than in Judah (see 28:9-15).<\/p>\n<p>The Chronicler wrote to inspire hope that God would restore Judah. He showed that God is always willing to forgive those who repent. Repentance can make restoration and reconciliation possible, as shown by the northern leaders’ response to the prophet who confronted the victorious northern army (28:8-15). The renewal of Judah under Hezekiah also provided a paradigm for restoration and unification, a time that could be compared with Solomon’s reign. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah began to restore the Temple (29:3); and when Hezekiah celebrated the Passover, he invited people from the northern kingdom, showing that both kingdoms could worship together at the place God had chosen (30:18-20). The glory of Solomon’s time was temporarily restored (30:26; cp. 7:8-10).<\/p>\n<p>Even exile did not bring an end to the covenant community. Healing was possible at any time the people chose to seek the Lord, whether at the occasion of returning with spoils of war, or reuniting at the Passover festival. Many of the Old Testament prophets who proclaimed judgment on apostate Judah or Israel also spoke of future renewal and restoration. The continual hope of renewal also holds true for the church, even when threatened with extinction from persecution or corruption (see Rev 2–3). God’s Kingdom stands on the solid rock of his promises (see Matt 16:18).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 21:1-29; 2 Chr 11:13-17; 28:1–31:21; 33:1-20; Jer 18:7-17; Ezek 16:1-63; 33:10-16; Joel 2:12-32; Luke 19:2-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:15-17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Apostasy and Renewal<\/h3>\n<p>During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread false worship (28:24-25). His apostasy was so great that more righteousness was found in the north at that time than in Judah (see 28:9-15).<\/p>\n<p>The Chronicler wrote to inspire hope that God would restore Judah. He showed that God is always willing to forgive those who repent. Repentance can make restoration and reconciliation possible, as shown by the northern leaders’ response to the prophet who confronted the victorious northern army (28:8-15). The renewal of Judah under Hezekiah also provided a paradigm for restoration and unification, a time that could be compared with Solomon’s reign. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah began to restore the Temple (29:3); and when Hezekiah celebrated the Passover, he invited people from the northern kingdom, showing that both kingdoms could worship together at the place God had chosen (30:18-20). The glory of Solomon’s time was temporarily restored (30:26; cp. 7:8-10).<\/p>\n<p>Even exile did not bring an end to the covenant community. Healing was possible at any time the people chose to seek the Lord, whether at the occasion of returning with spoils of war, or reuniting at the Passover festival. Many of the Old Testament prophets who proclaimed judgment on apostate Judah or Israel also spoke of future renewal and restoration. The continual hope of renewal also holds true for the church, even when threatened with extinction from persecution or corruption (see Rev 2–3). God’s Kingdom stands on the solid rock of his promises (see Matt 16:18).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 21:1-29; 2 Chr 11:13-17; 28:1–31:21; 33:1-20; Jer 18:7-17; Ezek 16:1-63; 33:10-16; Joel 2:12-32; Luke 19:2-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:15-17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Apostasy and Renewal During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread...","summary_en":"Apostasy and Renewal During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95511,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Letters to the Seven Churches","title_en":"Letters to the Seven Churches","content_ro":"<h3>Letters to the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<p>In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.<\/p>\n<p>It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Letters to the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<p>In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.<\/p>\n<p>It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","summary_ro":"Letters to the Seven Churches In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each tim...","summary_en":"Letters to the Seven Churches In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each tim...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":117104,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"God’s Judgment of His People","title_en":"God’s Judgment of His People","content_ro":"<h3>God’s Judgment of His People<\/h3>\n<p>Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4).<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes during this period, God’s people are portrayed positively. The people of Judah rejoiced over the removal of Athaliah and the installation of Joash as king (11:12, 18-20). At times, the people were instrumental in the succession of kings (14:21; 23:30) or were responsive to godly leadership (11:17; 18:36; 23:1-3, 21-23).<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite God’s repeated warnings through his prophets (17:13), the people of both kingdoms became set in their apostasy (17:14-19, 22). So God’s righteous wrath burned against them and their leaders, and he brought his threatened judgment upon them (17:22-23; 21:10-15; 22:17; 23:26-27; 24:20; 25:21). God acted in accordance with the stipulations in his covenant with them (Lev 26:27-39), even though he loved his people and longed to restore them (see Hos 11:1-11).<\/p>\n<p>God never gave up caring for his people. He rescued them from Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and promised that a remnant would again thrive in the land (19:30-31). Even the good treatment Jehoiachin received in Babylon (25:27-30) no doubt renewed hope among the repentant of God’s people. God promised to one day restore his people from exile and give them fellowship with him in the land once again, ruling over them through his chosen king, the descendant of David (Jer 23:3-6; see also Isa 11; Rom 11:5-36).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lev 26:27-39; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; 21:9-16; 23:26-27; 24:20–25:21; Ps 62:12; Prov 11:31; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 1:16; 17:10; 23:3-6; Ezek 7:1-9; 33:18-20; 34:17-24; 39:23-24; Hos 11:1-11; Amos 3:2; Matt 25:24-30; Luke 12:47-48; 13:6-9; John 5:45-47; Rom 11:5-36; Col 3:23-25; Heb 12:25; Jas 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>God’s Judgment of His People<\/h3>\n<p>Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4).<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes during this period, God’s people are portrayed positively. The people of Judah rejoiced over the removal of Athaliah and the installation of Joash as king (11:12, 18-20). At times, the people were instrumental in the succession of kings (14:21; 23:30) or were responsive to godly leadership (11:17; 18:36; 23:1-3, 21-23).<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite God’s repeated warnings through his prophets (17:13), the people of both kingdoms became set in their apostasy (17:14-19, 22). So God’s righteous wrath burned against them and their leaders, and he brought his threatened judgment upon them (17:22-23; 21:10-15; 22:17; 23:26-27; 24:20; 25:21). God acted in accordance with the stipulations in his covenant with them (Lev 26:27-39), even though he loved his people and longed to restore them (see Hos 11:1-11).<\/p>\n<p>God never gave up caring for his people. He rescued them from Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and promised that a remnant would again thrive in the land (19:30-31). Even the good treatment Jehoiachin received in Babylon (25:27-30) no doubt renewed hope among the repentant of God’s people. God promised to one day restore his people from exile and give them fellowship with him in the land once again, ruling over them through his chosen king, the descendant of David (Jer 23:3-6; see also Isa 11; Rom 11:5-36).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lev 26:27-39; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; 21:9-16; 23:26-27; 24:20–25:21; Ps 62:12; Prov 11:31; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 1:16; 17:10; 23:3-6; Ezek 7:1-9; 33:18-20; 34:17-24; 39:23-24; Hos 11:1-11; Amos 3:2; Matt 25:24-30; Luke 12:47-48; 13:6-9; John 5:45-47; Rom 11:5-36; Col 3:23-25; Heb 12:25; Jas 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","summary_ro":"God’s Judgment of His People Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4). Sometimes during this p...","summary_en":"God’s Judgment of His People Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4). Sometimes during this p...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":117314,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Apostasy and Renewal","title_en":"Apostasy and Renewal","content_ro":"<h3>Apostasy and Renewal<\/h3>\n<p>During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread false worship (28:24-25). His apostasy was so great that more righteousness was found in the north at that time than in Judah (see 28:9-15).<\/p>\n<p>The Chronicler wrote to inspire hope that God would restore Judah. He showed that God is always willing to forgive those who repent. Repentance can make restoration and reconciliation possible, as shown by the northern leaders’ response to the prophet who confronted the victorious northern army (28:8-15). The renewal of Judah under Hezekiah also provided a paradigm for restoration and unification, a time that could be compared with Solomon’s reign. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah began to restore the Temple (29:3); and when Hezekiah celebrated the Passover, he invited people from the northern kingdom, showing that both kingdoms could worship together at the place God had chosen (30:18-20). The glory of Solomon’s time was temporarily restored (30:26; cp. 7:8-10).<\/p>\n<p>Even exile did not bring an end to the covenant community. Healing was possible at any time the people chose to seek the Lord, whether at the occasion of returning with spoils of war, or reuniting at the Passover festival. Many of the Old Testament prophets who proclaimed judgment on apostate Judah or Israel also spoke of future renewal and restoration. The continual hope of renewal also holds true for the church, even when threatened with extinction from persecution or corruption (see Rev 2–3). God’s Kingdom stands on the solid rock of his promises (see Matt 16:18).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 21:1-29; 2 Chr 11:13-17; 28:1–31:21; 33:1-20; Jer 18:7-17; Ezek 16:1-63; 33:10-16; Joel 2:12-32; Luke 19:2-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:15-17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Apostasy and Renewal<\/h3>\n<p>During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread false worship (28:24-25). His apostasy was so great that more righteousness was found in the north at that time than in Judah (see 28:9-15).<\/p>\n<p>The Chronicler wrote to inspire hope that God would restore Judah. He showed that God is always willing to forgive those who repent. Repentance can make restoration and reconciliation possible, as shown by the northern leaders’ response to the prophet who confronted the victorious northern army (28:8-15). The renewal of Judah under Hezekiah also provided a paradigm for restoration and unification, a time that could be compared with Solomon’s reign. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah began to restore the Temple (29:3); and when Hezekiah celebrated the Passover, he invited people from the northern kingdom, showing that both kingdoms could worship together at the place God had chosen (30:18-20). The glory of Solomon’s time was temporarily restored (30:26; cp. 7:8-10).<\/p>\n<p>Even exile did not bring an end to the covenant community. Healing was possible at any time the people chose to seek the Lord, whether at the occasion of returning with spoils of war, or reuniting at the Passover festival. Many of the Old Testament prophets who proclaimed judgment on apostate Judah or Israel also spoke of future renewal and restoration. The continual hope of renewal also holds true for the church, even when threatened with extinction from persecution or corruption (see Rev 2–3). God’s Kingdom stands on the solid rock of his promises (see Matt 16:18).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 21:1-29; 2 Chr 11:13-17; 28:1–31:21; 33:1-20; Jer 18:7-17; Ezek 16:1-63; 33:10-16; Joel 2:12-32; Luke 19:2-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:15-17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Apostasy and Renewal During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread...","summary_en":"Apostasy and Renewal During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123137,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Letters to the Seven Churches","title_en":"Letters to the Seven Churches","content_ro":"<h3>Letters to the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<p>In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.<\/p>\n<p>It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Letters to the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<p>In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.<\/p>\n<p>It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","summary_ro":"Letters to the Seven Churches In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each tim...","summary_en":"Letters to the Seven Churches In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each tim...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":144730,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"God’s Judgment of His People","title_en":"God’s Judgment of His People","content_ro":"<h3>God’s Judgment of His People<\/h3>\n<p>Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4).<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes during this period, God’s people are portrayed positively. The people of Judah rejoiced over the removal of Athaliah and the installation of Joash as king (11:12, 18-20). At times, the people were instrumental in the succession of kings (14:21; 23:30) or were responsive to godly leadership (11:17; 18:36; 23:1-3, 21-23).<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite God’s repeated warnings through his prophets (17:13), the people of both kingdoms became set in their apostasy (17:14-19, 22). So God’s righteous wrath burned against them and their leaders, and he brought his threatened judgment upon them (17:22-23; 21:10-15; 22:17; 23:26-27; 24:20; 25:21). God acted in accordance with the stipulations in his covenant with them (Lev 26:27-39), even though he loved his people and longed to restore them (see Hos 11:1-11).<\/p>\n<p>God never gave up caring for his people. He rescued them from Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and promised that a remnant would again thrive in the land (19:30-31). Even the good treatment Jehoiachin received in Babylon (25:27-30) no doubt renewed hope among the repentant of God’s people. God promised to one day restore his people from exile and give them fellowship with him in the land once again, ruling over them through his chosen king, the descendant of David (Jer 23:3-6; see also Isa 11; Rom 11:5-36).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lev 26:27-39; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; 21:9-16; 23:26-27; 24:20–25:21; Ps 62:12; Prov 11:31; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 1:16; 17:10; 23:3-6; Ezek 7:1-9; 33:18-20; 34:17-24; 39:23-24; Hos 11:1-11; Amos 3:2; Matt 25:24-30; Luke 12:47-48; 13:6-9; John 5:45-47; Rom 11:5-36; Col 3:23-25; Heb 12:25; Jas 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>God’s Judgment of His People<\/h3>\n<p>Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4).<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes during this period, God’s people are portrayed positively. The people of Judah rejoiced over the removal of Athaliah and the installation of Joash as king (11:12, 18-20). At times, the people were instrumental in the succession of kings (14:21; 23:30) or were responsive to godly leadership (11:17; 18:36; 23:1-3, 21-23).<\/p>\n<p>Yet despite God’s repeated warnings through his prophets (17:13), the people of both kingdoms became set in their apostasy (17:14-19, 22). So God’s righteous wrath burned against them and their leaders, and he brought his threatened judgment upon them (17:22-23; 21:10-15; 22:17; 23:26-27; 24:20; 25:21). God acted in accordance with the stipulations in his covenant with them (Lev 26:27-39), even though he loved his people and longed to restore them (see Hos 11:1-11).<\/p>\n<p>God never gave up caring for his people. He rescued them from Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and promised that a remnant would again thrive in the land (19:30-31). Even the good treatment Jehoiachin received in Babylon (25:27-30) no doubt renewed hope among the repentant of God’s people. God promised to one day restore his people from exile and give them fellowship with him in the land once again, ruling over them through his chosen king, the descendant of David (Jer 23:3-6; see also Isa 11; Rom 11:5-36).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lev 26:27-39; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; 21:9-16; 23:26-27; 24:20–25:21; Ps 62:12; Prov 11:31; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 1:16; 17:10; 23:3-6; Ezek 7:1-9; 33:18-20; 34:17-24; 39:23-24; Hos 11:1-11; Amos 3:2; Matt 25:24-30; Luke 12:47-48; 13:6-9; John 5:45-47; Rom 11:5-36; Col 3:23-25; Heb 12:25; Jas 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","summary_ro":"God’s Judgment of His People Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4). Sometimes during this p...","summary_en":"God’s Judgment of His People Although the kings of Israel and Judah had a major role in the history of the divided kingdom, the people also played a part in what occurred. As they followed their wicked rulers (2 Kgs 3:3; 17:22; 21:9, 11, 16), their own hearts strayed from God (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 17:9-11; 18:4; 22:17). They participated in the religious practices initiated by Jeroboam I (10:28-31; 17:21-22) and worshiped at pagan shrines (12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 18:4). Sometimes during this p...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":144940,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Apostasy and Renewal","title_en":"Apostasy and Renewal","content_ro":"<h3>Apostasy and Renewal<\/h3>\n<p>During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread false worship (28:24-25). His apostasy was so great that more righteousness was found in the north at that time than in Judah (see 28:9-15).<\/p>\n<p>The Chronicler wrote to inspire hope that God would restore Judah. He showed that God is always willing to forgive those who repent. Repentance can make restoration and reconciliation possible, as shown by the northern leaders’ response to the prophet who confronted the victorious northern army (28:8-15). The renewal of Judah under Hezekiah also provided a paradigm for restoration and unification, a time that could be compared with Solomon’s reign. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah began to restore the Temple (29:3); and when Hezekiah celebrated the Passover, he invited people from the northern kingdom, showing that both kingdoms could worship together at the place God had chosen (30:18-20). The glory of Solomon’s time was temporarily restored (30:26; cp. 7:8-10).<\/p>\n<p>Even exile did not bring an end to the covenant community. Healing was possible at any time the people chose to seek the Lord, whether at the occasion of returning with spoils of war, or reuniting at the Passover festival. Many of the Old Testament prophets who proclaimed judgment on apostate Judah or Israel also spoke of future renewal and restoration. The continual hope of renewal also holds true for the church, even when threatened with extinction from persecution or corruption (see Rev 2–3). God’s Kingdom stands on the solid rock of his promises (see Matt 16:18).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 21:1-29; 2 Chr 11:13-17; 28:1–31:21; 33:1-20; Jer 18:7-17; Ezek 16:1-63; 33:10-16; Joel 2:12-32; Luke 19:2-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:15-17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Apostasy and Renewal<\/h3>\n<p>During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread false worship (28:24-25). His apostasy was so great that more righteousness was found in the north at that time than in Judah (see 28:9-15).<\/p>\n<p>The Chronicler wrote to inspire hope that God would restore Judah. He showed that God is always willing to forgive those who repent. Repentance can make restoration and reconciliation possible, as shown by the northern leaders’ response to the prophet who confronted the victorious northern army (28:8-15). The renewal of Judah under Hezekiah also provided a paradigm for restoration and unification, a time that could be compared with Solomon’s reign. In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah began to restore the Temple (29:3); and when Hezekiah celebrated the Passover, he invited people from the northern kingdom, showing that both kingdoms could worship together at the place God had chosen (30:18-20). The glory of Solomon’s time was temporarily restored (30:26; cp. 7:8-10).<\/p>\n<p>Even exile did not bring an end to the covenant community. Healing was possible at any time the people chose to seek the Lord, whether at the occasion of returning with spoils of war, or reuniting at the Passover festival. Many of the Old Testament prophets who proclaimed judgment on apostate Judah or Israel also spoke of future renewal and restoration. The continual hope of renewal also holds true for the church, even when threatened with extinction from persecution or corruption (see Rev 2–3). God’s Kingdom stands on the solid rock of his promises (see Matt 16:18).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 21:1-29; 2 Chr 11:13-17; 28:1–31:21; 33:1-20; Jer 18:7-17; Ezek 16:1-63; 33:10-16; Joel 2:12-32; Luke 19:2-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:15-17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Apostasy and Renewal During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread...","summary_en":"Apostasy and Renewal During the divided monarchy, a distinction was often made between the apostate northern kingdom and the faithful remnant of Judah. When Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom, a number of righteous people went to Judah to escape Jeroboam’s wickedness (2 Chr 11:13-17). But eventually, the southern kingdom also fell into apostasy. Ahaz became like Jeroboam: He made metal images (28:2), worshiped the gods of Damascus (28:23), neglected the Temple (28:24; 29:7, 19), and spread...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150763,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Letters to the Seven Churches","title_en":"Letters to the Seven Churches","content_ro":"<h3>Letters to the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<p>In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.<\/p>\n<p>It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Letters to the Seven Churches<\/h3>\n<p>In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.<\/p>\n<p>It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rev 2:1–3:22<\/p>","summary_ro":"Letters to the Seven Churches In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each tim...","summary_en":"Letters to the Seven Churches In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each tim...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"2":[{"id":59320,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:2","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:2","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:2-3<\/strong> <em>I know:<\/em> This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had <em>examined<\/em> various <em>claims<\/em><em>,<\/em> exercised discipline on <em>evil people<\/em><em>,<\/em> could tell what is true and what is false, and had <em>patiently suffered<\/em> for their faith in Christ.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:2-3<\/strong> <em>I know:<\/em> This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had <em>examined<\/em> various <em>claims<\/em><em>,<\/em> exercised discipline on <em>evil people<\/em><em>,<\/em> could tell what is true and what is false, and had <em>patiently suffered<\/em> for their faith in Christ.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.","summary_en":"2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86946,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:2","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:2","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:2-3<\/strong> <em>I know:<\/em> This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had <em>examined<\/em> various <em>claims<\/em><em>,<\/em> exercised discipline on <em>evil people<\/em><em>,<\/em> could tell what is true and what is false, and had <em>patiently suffered<\/em> for their faith in Christ.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:2-3<\/strong> <em>I know:<\/em> This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had <em>examined<\/em> various <em>claims<\/em><em>,<\/em> exercised discipline on <em>evil people<\/em><em>,<\/em> could tell what is true and what is false, and had <em>patiently suffered<\/em> for their faith in Christ.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.","summary_en":"2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114572,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:2","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:2","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:2-3<\/strong> <em>I know:<\/em> This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had <em>examined<\/em> various <em>claims<\/em><em>,<\/em> exercised discipline on <em>evil people<\/em><em>,<\/em> could tell what is true and what is false, and had <em>patiently suffered<\/em> for their faith in Christ.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:2-3<\/strong> <em>I know:<\/em> This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had <em>examined<\/em> various <em>claims<\/em><em>,<\/em> exercised discipline on <em>evil people<\/em><em>,<\/em> could tell what is true and what is false, and had <em>patiently suffered<\/em> for their faith in Christ.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.","summary_en":"2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142198,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:2","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:2","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:2-3<\/strong> <em>I know:<\/em> This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had <em>examined<\/em> various <em>claims<\/em><em>,<\/em> exercised discipline on <em>evil people<\/em><em>,<\/em> could tell what is true and what is false, and had <em>patiently suffered<\/em> for their faith in Christ.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:2-3<\/strong> <em>I know:<\/em> This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had <em>examined<\/em> various <em>claims<\/em><em>,<\/em> exercised discipline on <em>evil people<\/em><em>,<\/em> could tell what is true and what is false, and had <em>patiently suffered<\/em> for their faith in Christ.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.","summary_en":"2:2-3 I know: This repeated refrain (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) shows Christ’s total knowledge of his people, their activities, and their circumstances. • The Ephesian Christians had a correct theology marked by perseverance and faithfulness. They had examined various claims, exercised discipline on evil people, could tell what is true and what is false, and had patiently suffered for their faith in Christ.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67882,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95508,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123134,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150760,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"4":[{"id":42738,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Ephesus","title_en":"Ephesus","content_ro":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","summary_ro":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","summary_en":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":70364,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Ephesus","title_en":"Ephesus","content_ro":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","summary_ro":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","summary_en":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":97990,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Ephesus","title_en":"Ephesus","content_ro":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","summary_ro":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","summary_en":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":125616,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Ephesus","title_en":"Ephesus","content_ro":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Ephesus<\/h3>\n<p>Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 <span>BC<\/span> on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 <span>BC<\/span>. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most important city of the Roman province of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was nearly as ancient as the city itself. The temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a key to the wealth and commerce of Ephesus, because the worship of Artemis brought many pilgrims to Ephesus and provided many commercial opportunities for idol makers and other vendors of goods and services.<\/p>\n<p>When Paul arrived on his third missionary journey in <span>AD<\/span> 53 (Acts 19), Ephesus had been a city continuously for over a thousand years and was deeply devoted to its patron goddess and her temple. As Paul’s message began to gain more adherents, Christianity threatened the pagan temple and the commerce it produced for the makers of idols. The ensuing riot almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 28-31).<\/p>\n<p>The church of Ephesus became strong under Paul’s teaching and leadership, and churches in the surrounding communities were founded by people who had learned from Paul in Ephesus (e.g., Colosse; see Colossians Book Introduction, “Setting”). But Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian church that they would be troubled by false teachers (Acts 20:29-31).<\/p> \n<p>The apostle John is thought to have settled in Ephesus around <span>AD<\/span> 70; from there he was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), where he wrote Revelation (probably in the <span>AD<\/span> 90s). At that time, the commendable love and good works of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned (Rev 2:4). Irenaeus records that, after John’s exile on Patmos, the apostle returned to live in Ephesus and lived there until the end of his life during the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus also finished her days on earth in Ephesus under John’s care (see John 19:25-27).<\/p>\n<p>The temple of Artemis was burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, and Artemis was no longer influential among the Ephesians when the third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in <span>AD<\/span> 431, thus illustrating the truth of Paul’s message that “handmade gods” like Artemis “aren’t really gods at all” (Acts 19:26).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 18:19–19:41; 20:16-38; Eph 1:1; Rev 2:1-7<\/p>","summary_ro":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","summary_en":"Ephesus Ephesus stood at the crossroads of both north-south and east-west trade routes and was well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis (Acts 19:35). It was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1044 BC on a natural harbor where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea (the site of the ancient city is now well inland). The city came under Roman rule in 41 BC. At the time of the apostles, Ephesus was a wealthy city, a commercial and religious hub, and thus the most import...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":10936,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Ephesus","title_en":"Ephesus","content_ro":"<h3>EPHESUS<\/h3>\n<p>Most important city of the Roman province of Asia, located on the western shore of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Ephesus was built on a natural harbor whose waves, according to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, “used to wash up to the temple of Diana.” Ephesus was described by Strabo, an early Greek geographer, as the largest commercial center west of the Taurus Mountains. It was also well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis, or as the Romans called her, Diana (Acts 19:34).<\/p>\n<p>Christianity’s threat to that pagan temple and to the commerce it produced for the makers of idols almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 30-31). Priscilla and Aquila were associated with the early preaching in Ephesus (18:18-19), as were Timothy (1 Tm 1:3) and Erastus (Acts 19:22). According to Irenaeus, an early Christian writer, the apostle John, after his exile on the island of Patmos (Rv 1:9), returned to live in Ephesus until the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). The commendable practices of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned by the time John wrote the book of Revelation (Rv 2:4).<\/p>\n\n<p>Ephesus was founded by Ionian Greeks at a location where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea. It had been a city for about 1,000 years when Paul arrived there on his third missionary journey. The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was as ancient as the city itself. The temple, built in the middle of the sixth century <span>BC<\/span>, was the largest edifice in the Hellenistic world and the first of monumental size ever to be constructed entirely of marble. Two excavated images of Artemis, magnificently sculpted in marble, date to the period of the emperors Domitian and Hadrian (the lifetime of the apostle John). The temple of Diana, “mother of the gods,” was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Although persistent effort by British archaeologist J. T. Wood resulted in the temple’s discovery in 1869, its great altar was not found until recently. Excavation has shown the altar to be larger than the later altar of Zeus at Pergamum. The original temple was partially destroyed in 356 <span>BC<\/span> but was later rebuilt on its original plan.<\/p>\n<p>Excavations have also uncovered the theater mentioned in Acts 19:29. Situated next to the main shopping area (Greek <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">agora<\/span>), it is known to have seated 24,000 people in three tiers. The theater was 495 feet (151 meters) in diameter with two doors opening to the most impressive street in Ephesus. That street, leading to the harbor, was about 35 feet (10.5 meters) wide and was flanked by tall columns. It passed through a magnificent monumental gateway on its western end. In the other direction the road continued around the theater and marketplace, making its way southeast between Mt Koressos and Mt Pion. It became narrower and was bordered by lovely fountains, civic buildings, houses, shops, a library, baths, and a small theater, which probably doubled as a council chamber for city officials.<\/p>\n<p>Ephesus was a wealthy city. The multistoried residences of its upper-middle-class society rested on the north terraces of Mt Koressos. Some homes had mosaic floors and marble walls. Two were found with heated bathrooms. Many had running water. The moral status of the city can be partially ascertained from a centrally located house of prostitution and gambling tables; fertility motifs are evident in the exaggerated sexual features of the Diana statues.<\/p>\n<p>The impact of Christianity was felt in Ephesus for centuries. The third ecumenical council was held there in <span>AD<\/span> 431 (in the Church of Mary northwest of the theater), a council that established Mary’s place as the “Mother of God” in Western Catholic theology. By that time Diana, whose temple had been burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, was no longer influential among the Ephesians. The truth of Paul’s message that “gods made with hands are not gods” (Acts 19:26) had to some extent been realized.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Ephesians, Letter to the.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>EPHESUS<\/h3>\n<p>Most important city of the Roman province of Asia, located on the western shore of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Ephesus was built on a natural harbor whose waves, according to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, “used to wash up to the temple of Diana.” Ephesus was described by Strabo, an early Greek geographer, as the largest commercial center west of the Taurus Mountains. It was also well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis, or as the Romans called her, Diana (Acts 19:34).<\/p>\n<p>Christianity’s threat to that pagan temple and to the commerce it produced for the makers of idols almost cost the apostle Paul his life (Acts 19:24, 30-31). Priscilla and Aquila were associated with the early preaching in Ephesus (18:18-19), as were Timothy (1 Tm 1:3) and Erastus (Acts 19:22). According to Irenaeus, an early Christian writer, the apostle John, after his exile on the island of Patmos (Rv 1:9), returned to live in Ephesus until the time of the emperor Trajan (<span>AD<\/span> 98–117). The commendable practices of the Christian community described in the letter to the Ephesians had been largely abandoned by the time John wrote the book of Revelation (Rv 2:4).<\/p>\n\n<p>Ephesus was founded by Ionian Greeks at a location where the Cayster River emptied into a gulf of the Aegean Sea. It had been a city for about 1,000 years when Paul arrived there on his third missionary journey. The worship of Artemis in Ephesus was as ancient as the city itself. The temple, built in the middle of the sixth century <span>BC<\/span>, was the largest edifice in the Hellenistic world and the first of monumental size ever to be constructed entirely of marble. Two excavated images of Artemis, magnificently sculpted in marble, date to the period of the emperors Domitian and Hadrian (the lifetime of the apostle John). The temple of Diana, “mother of the gods,” was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Although persistent effort by British archaeologist J. T. Wood resulted in the temple’s discovery in 1869, its great altar was not found until recently. Excavation has shown the altar to be larger than the later altar of Zeus at Pergamum. The original temple was partially destroyed in 356 <span>BC<\/span> but was later rebuilt on its original plan.<\/p>\n<p>Excavations have also uncovered the theater mentioned in Acts 19:29. Situated next to the main shopping area (Greek <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">agora<\/span>), it is known to have seated 24,000 people in three tiers. The theater was 495 feet (151 meters) in diameter with two doors opening to the most impressive street in Ephesus. That street, leading to the harbor, was about 35 feet (10.5 meters) wide and was flanked by tall columns. It passed through a magnificent monumental gateway on its western end. In the other direction the road continued around the theater and marketplace, making its way southeast between Mt Koressos and Mt Pion. It became narrower and was bordered by lovely fountains, civic buildings, houses, shops, a library, baths, and a small theater, which probably doubled as a council chamber for city officials.<\/p>\n<p>Ephesus was a wealthy city. The multistoried residences of its upper-middle-class society rested on the north terraces of Mt Koressos. Some homes had mosaic floors and marble walls. Two were found with heated bathrooms. Many had running water. The moral status of the city can be partially ascertained from a centrally located house of prostitution and gambling tables; fertility motifs are evident in the exaggerated sexual features of the Diana statues.<\/p>\n<p>The impact of Christianity was felt in Ephesus for centuries. The third ecumenical council was held there in <span>AD<\/span> 431 (in the Church of Mary northwest of the theater), a council that established Mary’s place as the “Mother of God” in Western Catholic theology. By that time Diana, whose temple had been burned by the Goths in <span>AD<\/span> 262, was no longer influential among the Ephesians. The truth of Paul’s message that “gods made with hands are not gods” (Acts 19:26) had to some extent been realized.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Ephesians, Letter to the.<\/p>","summary_ro":"EPHESUS Most important city of the Roman province of Asia, located on the western shore of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Ephesus was built on a natural harbor whose waves, according to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, “used to wash up to the temple of Diana.” Ephesus was described by Strabo, an early Greek geographer, as the largest commercial center west of the Taurus Mountains. It was also well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis, or as the Romans called her, Diana (Acts 19:34)....","summary_en":"EPHESUS Most important city of the Roman province of Asia, located on the western shore of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Ephesus was built on a natural harbor whose waves, according to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, “used to wash up to the temple of Diana.” Ephesus was described by Strabo, an early Greek geographer, as the largest commercial center west of the Taurus Mountains. It was also well known as the “guardian” of the temple of Artemis, or as the Romans called her, Diana (Acts 19:34)....","source":"Articles\/E.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":32953,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Book of Revelation","title_en":"Book of Revelation","content_ro":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","summary_en":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","source":"Articles\/R.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":40274,"type":"textbox","type_label":"Notă explicativă","type_icon":"💡","type_color":"#8b5cf6","title_ro":"The Concept of Backsliding in the New Testament","title_en":"The Concept of Backsliding in the New Testament","content_ro":"<h3>The Concept of Backsliding in the New Testament<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>In the NT, the term “backsliding” does not appear, but the concept is present in a number of ways. It is usually viewed from an individual more than from a group perspective. In a conversation on the Mt of Olives, Jesus observed that toward the end of the age, evil would abound and most people’s love would grow cold (Mt 24:12). Steadfastness and perseverance were the only reliable antidotes to backsliding. Paul likewise warned believers of the dangers of falling away. Israel’s idolatry in the wilderness and God’s judgment upon their waywardness should serve as a stern warning (1 Cor 10:1-11). Paul instructed his converts in Galatia against forsaking their freedom in Christ and an enslaving religion of works. He marveled that the new believers had so quickly been deceived (Gal 3:1) and were abandoning the gospel of Christ (1:6). The new Christians who had begun so well were failing to obey the truth (5:7). In correspondence with Timothy, Paul was grieved to learn that some believers had already turned aside after Satan (1 Tm 5:15). Love of money and philosophical speculation had precipitated their downfall (6:10, 20-21). A Christian by the name of Demas turned back from serving God because he loved the world more than Christ (2 Tm 4:10). Finally, in Revelation, the risen Christ reproached the churches for the spiritual indifference and coldness of their backsliding (Rv 2:4; 3:16).<\/p><\/blockquote>","content_en":"<h3>The Concept of Backsliding in the New Testament<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>In the NT, the term “backsliding” does not appear, but the concept is present in a number of ways. It is usually viewed from an individual more than from a group perspective. In a conversation on the Mt of Olives, Jesus observed that toward the end of the age, evil would abound and most people’s love would grow cold (Mt 24:12). Steadfastness and perseverance were the only reliable antidotes to backsliding. Paul likewise warned believers of the dangers of falling away. Israel’s idolatry in the wilderness and God’s judgment upon their waywardness should serve as a stern warning (1 Cor 10:1-11). Paul instructed his converts in Galatia against forsaking their freedom in Christ and an enslaving religion of works. He marveled that the new believers had so quickly been deceived (Gal 3:1) and were abandoning the gospel of Christ (1:6). The new Christians who had begun so well were failing to obey the truth (5:7). In correspondence with Timothy, Paul was grieved to learn that some believers had already turned aside after Satan (1 Tm 5:15). Love of money and philosophical speculation had precipitated their downfall (6:10, 20-21). A Christian by the name of Demas turned back from serving God because he loved the world more than Christ (2 Tm 4:10). Finally, in Revelation, the risen Christ reproached the churches for the spiritual indifference and coldness of their backsliding (Rv 2:4; 3:16).<\/p><\/blockquote>","summary_ro":"The Concept of Backsliding in the New Testament In the NT, the term “backsliding” does not appear, but the concept is present in a number of ways. It is usually viewed from an individual more than from a group perspective. In a conversation on the Mt of Olives, Jesus observed that toward the end of the age, evil would abound and most people’s love would grow cold (Mt 24:12). Steadfastness and perseverance were the only reliable antidotes to backsliding. Paul likewise warned believers of the d...","summary_en":"The Concept of Backsliding in the New Testament In the NT, the term “backsliding” does not appear, but the concept is present in a number of ways. It is usually viewed from an individual more than from a group perspective. In a conversation on the Mt of Olives, Jesus observed that toward the end of the age, evil would abound and most people’s love would grow cold (Mt 24:12). Steadfastness and perseverance were the only reliable antidotes to backsliding. Paul likewise warned believers of the d...","source":"Textboxes\/Textboxes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59321,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:4","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:4","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:4<\/strong> <em>You don’t love me or each other as you did at first:<\/em> When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:4<\/strong> <em>You don’t love me or each other as you did at first:<\/em> When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).","summary_en":"2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86947,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:4","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:4","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:4<\/strong> <em>You don’t love me or each other as you did at first:<\/em> When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:4<\/strong> <em>You don’t love me or each other as you did at first:<\/em> When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).","summary_en":"2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114573,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:4","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:4","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:4<\/strong> <em>You don’t love me or each other as you did at first:<\/em> When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:4<\/strong> <em>You don’t love me or each other as you did at first:<\/em> When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).","summary_en":"2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142199,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:4","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:4","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:4<\/strong> <em>You don’t love me or each other as you did at first:<\/em> When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:4<\/strong> <em>You don’t love me or each other as you did at first:<\/em> When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).","summary_en":"2:4 You don’t love me or each other as you did at first: When the church was first established, their love for Christ and for each other had been strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution had caused that original love to grow cold. Correct theology, action, and even suffering (2:2-3) are just an empty shell of Christian life if dynamic love is absent (1 Cor 13).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67894,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95520,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123146,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150772,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"5":[{"id":7525,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Conversion","title_en":"Conversion","content_ro":"<h3>CONVERSION<\/h3>\n<p>Total change in one’s direction in life or moral orientation. For Christians this means a change from an orientation that does not take God into account to one in which the person is submitted to Christ. Conversion is the result of repentance.<\/p>\n<p>In the OT conversion is basically a turning or returning from one’s former course of life toward the Lord, the God of Israel. Israel often had to return to their God (Dt 4:30), either as individuals (Ps 51) or as a nation (Jer 4:1); foreign nations needed to turn to God for the first time (Ps 22:27). The characteristic feature is that one turns from wickedness (Jer 26:3; 36:3; Ez 18:21, 27; 33:9, 11), from a life of disloyalty to God to a life of obedience to God (Is 10:20-21; 14:2; Jer 34:15; Hos 14:4). Conversion means a change in inward orientation that finds expression in a changed lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>In the NT John the Baptist begins the call to conversion (Mt 3:2; Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3), giving a prophetic call for people to change their minds (which is the root meaning of the Greek term) in the light of the nearness of God’s kingdom. This change of life must include a change in actions to prove its reality (Mt 3:8; Lk 3:8). Jesus preached the same message (Mt 4:17; Mk 1:15), adding that since the kingdom had arrived in his person, obedience to him was part of the good news of conversion. Yet it could also be bad news, for one would be damned if he failed to make this radical change (Mt 11:20; Lk 13:3-5). Conversion is radical but also simple, for it requires the simplicity of a child who commits his whole self, not the calculating self-protectiveness of the adult (Mt 18:3).<\/p>\n<p>Outside the Gospels, “conversion” is not a frequently used term except in the book of Acts, where it forms the call to commitment climaxing evangelistic sermons (2:38; 3:19; 8:22), describes the commitment of new Christians to the Lord (9:35; 11:21), and pictures the change of life as a turning from darkness to light (26:18-20). Later writers look back upon conversion (2 Cor 3:16), worry about Christians converting to paganism or Judaism (Gal 4:9), and call for the reconversion of Christians who have left the faith and are in danger of judgment (Jas 5:19-20; Rv 2:5, 16, 22; 3:19).<\/p>\n<p>As in the OT and in the preaching of John and Jesus, conversion has three factors. First, it is a turning <em>from<\/em> something, which includes specific sins, false gods, or simply a life lived for oneself (1 Thes 1:9; Rv 9:20-21; 16:11). Second, conversion is a product of the will of God and his gracious working in the world (Acts 11:18; Rom 2:4; 2 Cor 7:10; 2 Tm 2:25; 2 Pt 3:9). Third, conversion is a turning <em>to<\/em> someone, a commitment of one’s whole life to God in Jesus Christ (Acts 14:15; 1 Thes 1:9; 1 Pt 2:25). It is thus a total reorientation, whether spectacular or undramatic, sudden or gradual, emotional or calm, in which a person transfers his or her total allegiance to God.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Faith; Grace; Justification, Justified; Repentance; Sanctification.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>CONVERSION<\/h3>\n<p>Total change in one’s direction in life or moral orientation. For Christians this means a change from an orientation that does not take God into account to one in which the person is submitted to Christ. Conversion is the result of repentance.<\/p>\n<p>In the OT conversion is basically a turning or returning from one’s former course of life toward the Lord, the God of Israel. Israel often had to return to their God (Dt 4:30), either as individuals (Ps 51) or as a nation (Jer 4:1); foreign nations needed to turn to God for the first time (Ps 22:27). The characteristic feature is that one turns from wickedness (Jer 26:3; 36:3; Ez 18:21, 27; 33:9, 11), from a life of disloyalty to God to a life of obedience to God (Is 10:20-21; 14:2; Jer 34:15; Hos 14:4). Conversion means a change in inward orientation that finds expression in a changed lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>In the NT John the Baptist begins the call to conversion (Mt 3:2; Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3), giving a prophetic call for people to change their minds (which is the root meaning of the Greek term) in the light of the nearness of God’s kingdom. This change of life must include a change in actions to prove its reality (Mt 3:8; Lk 3:8). Jesus preached the same message (Mt 4:17; Mk 1:15), adding that since the kingdom had arrived in his person, obedience to him was part of the good news of conversion. Yet it could also be bad news, for one would be damned if he failed to make this radical change (Mt 11:20; Lk 13:3-5). Conversion is radical but also simple, for it requires the simplicity of a child who commits his whole self, not the calculating self-protectiveness of the adult (Mt 18:3).<\/p>\n<p>Outside the Gospels, “conversion” is not a frequently used term except in the book of Acts, where it forms the call to commitment climaxing evangelistic sermons (2:38; 3:19; 8:22), describes the commitment of new Christians to the Lord (9:35; 11:21), and pictures the change of life as a turning from darkness to light (26:18-20). Later writers look back upon conversion (2 Cor 3:16), worry about Christians converting to paganism or Judaism (Gal 4:9), and call for the reconversion of Christians who have left the faith and are in danger of judgment (Jas 5:19-20; Rv 2:5, 16, 22; 3:19).<\/p>\n<p>As in the OT and in the preaching of John and Jesus, conversion has three factors. First, it is a turning <em>from<\/em> something, which includes specific sins, false gods, or simply a life lived for oneself (1 Thes 1:9; Rv 9:20-21; 16:11). Second, conversion is a product of the will of God and his gracious working in the world (Acts 11:18; Rom 2:4; 2 Cor 7:10; 2 Tm 2:25; 2 Pt 3:9). Third, conversion is a turning <em>to<\/em> someone, a commitment of one’s whole life to God in Jesus Christ (Acts 14:15; 1 Thes 1:9; 1 Pt 2:25). It is thus a total reorientation, whether spectacular or undramatic, sudden or gradual, emotional or calm, in which a person transfers his or her total allegiance to God.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Faith; Grace; Justification, Justified; Repentance; Sanctification.<\/p>","summary_ro":"CONVERSION Total change in one’s direction in life or moral orientation. For Christians this means a change from an orientation that does not take God into account to one in which the person is submitted to Christ. Conversion is the result of repentance. In the OT conversion is basically a turning or returning from one’s former course of life toward the Lord, the God of Israel. Israel often had to return to their God (Dt 4:30), either as individuals (Ps 51) or as a nation (Jer 4:1); foreign n...","summary_en":"CONVERSION Total change in one’s direction in life or moral orientation. For Christians this means a change from an orientation that does not take God into account to one in which the person is submitted to Christ. Conversion is the result of repentance. In the OT conversion is basically a turning or returning from one’s former course of life toward the Lord, the God of Israel. Israel often had to return to their God (Dt 4:30), either as individuals (Ps 51) or as a nation (Jer 4:1); foreign n...","source":"Articles\/C.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":32724,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Repentance","title_en":"Repentance","content_ro":"<h3>REPENTANCE<\/h3>\n<p>Literally a change of mind, not about individual plans, intentions, or beliefs, but rather a change in one’s attitude about God. Such repentance accompanies saving faith in Christ (Acts 20:21). It is inconsistent and unintelligible to suppose that anyone could believe in Christ yet not repent. Repentance is such an important aspect of conversion that it is often stressed rather than saving faith, as when Christ said that there is joy in heaven among the angels over one sinner who repents (Lk 15:7). The apostles described the conversion of the Gentiles to Christ as God granting them “repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). Evangelical repentance and faith in Christ are in fact inseparable, though a convert may be aware of one aspect more than another.<\/p>\n<p>Such penitence is not an isolated act but a disposition of the mind, providing a spur for behavior that accords with God’s declared will. Recognition of daily sins and shortcomings provides the occasion for renewed acts of penitence and for fresh exercises of faith in Christ. One of the deepest and most noteworthy expressions of such penitence is David’s account of his adultery with Bathsheba (Ps 51). Whole churches are, on occasion, called to repent (Rv 2:5). Second Corinthians 7 contains an interesting and full description of such corporate repentance involving the elements of sorrow for sin and a determined resolve to forsake old sinful ways and to behave properly. While repentance is often accompanied by deep feelings, it is not equivalent to such feelings but is rooted in convictions about the sinner’s own need before a holy God.<\/p>\n<p>Both John the Baptist (Mt 3:2; Mk 1:4) and Christ (Mk 1:15) were preachers of repentance, calling not the righteous but sinners to repent. And in accordance with the Great Commission (Lk 24:44-49), the apostles continued the same kind of preaching—beginning with Peter’s preaching on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), with noteworthy results. <em>See<\/em> Confession; Conversion; Forgiveness; Regeneration; Salvation.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>REPENTANCE<\/h3>\n<p>Literally a change of mind, not about individual plans, intentions, or beliefs, but rather a change in one’s attitude about God. Such repentance accompanies saving faith in Christ (Acts 20:21). It is inconsistent and unintelligible to suppose that anyone could believe in Christ yet not repent. Repentance is such an important aspect of conversion that it is often stressed rather than saving faith, as when Christ said that there is joy in heaven among the angels over one sinner who repents (Lk 15:7). The apostles described the conversion of the Gentiles to Christ as God granting them “repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). Evangelical repentance and faith in Christ are in fact inseparable, though a convert may be aware of one aspect more than another.<\/p>\n<p>Such penitence is not an isolated act but a disposition of the mind, providing a spur for behavior that accords with God’s declared will. Recognition of daily sins and shortcomings provides the occasion for renewed acts of penitence and for fresh exercises of faith in Christ. One of the deepest and most noteworthy expressions of such penitence is David’s account of his adultery with Bathsheba (Ps 51). Whole churches are, on occasion, called to repent (Rv 2:5). Second Corinthians 7 contains an interesting and full description of such corporate repentance involving the elements of sorrow for sin and a determined resolve to forsake old sinful ways and to behave properly. While repentance is often accompanied by deep feelings, it is not equivalent to such feelings but is rooted in convictions about the sinner’s own need before a holy God.<\/p>\n<p>Both John the Baptist (Mt 3:2; Mk 1:4) and Christ (Mk 1:15) were preachers of repentance, calling not the righteous but sinners to repent. And in accordance with the Great Commission (Lk 24:44-49), the apostles continued the same kind of preaching—beginning with Peter’s preaching on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), with noteworthy results. <em>See<\/em> Confession; Conversion; Forgiveness; Regeneration; Salvation.<\/p>","summary_ro":"REPENTANCE Literally a change of mind, not about individual plans, intentions, or beliefs, but rather a change in one’s attitude about God. Such repentance accompanies saving faith in Christ (Acts 20:21). It is inconsistent and unintelligible to suppose that anyone could believe in Christ yet not repent. Repentance is such an important aspect of conversion that it is often stressed rather than saving faith, as when Christ said that there is joy in heaven among the angels over one sinner who r...","summary_en":"REPENTANCE Literally a change of mind, not about individual plans, intentions, or beliefs, but rather a change in one’s attitude about God. Such repentance accompanies saving faith in Christ (Acts 20:21). It is inconsistent and unintelligible to suppose that anyone could believe in Christ yet not repent. Repentance is such an important aspect of conversion that it is often stressed rather than saving faith, as when Christ said that there is joy in heaven among the angels over one sinner who r...","source":"Articles\/R.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59322,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:5","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:5","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:5<\/strong> Christ calls even those who keep the faith to <em>turn back<\/em> to him and <em>repent<\/em> of cold-heartedness. The warning, <em>I will come and remove your lampstand<\/em><em>,<\/em> means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:5<\/strong> Christ calls even those who keep the faith to <em>turn back<\/em> to him and <em>repent<\/em> of cold-heartedness. The warning, <em>I will come and remove your lampstand<\/em><em>,<\/em> means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:5 Christ calls even those who keep the faith to turn back to him and repent of cold-heartedness. The warning, I will come and remove your lampstand, means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).","summary_en":"2:5 Christ calls even those who keep the faith to turn back to him and repent of cold-heartedness. The warning, I will come and remove your lampstand, means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86948,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:5","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:5","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:5<\/strong> Christ calls even those who keep the faith to <em>turn back<\/em> to him and <em>repent<\/em> of cold-heartedness. The warning, <em>I will come and remove your lampstand<\/em><em>,<\/em> means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:5<\/strong> Christ calls even those who keep the faith to <em>turn back<\/em> to him and <em>repent<\/em> of cold-heartedness. The warning, <em>I will come and remove your lampstand<\/em><em>,<\/em> means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:5 Christ calls even those who keep the faith to turn back to him and repent of cold-heartedness. The warning, I will come and remove your lampstand, means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).","summary_en":"2:5 Christ calls even those who keep the faith to turn back to him and repent of cold-heartedness. The warning, I will come and remove your lampstand, means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114574,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:5","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:5","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:5<\/strong> Christ calls even those who keep the faith to <em>turn back<\/em> to him and <em>repent<\/em> of cold-heartedness. The warning, <em>I will come and remove your lampstand<\/em><em>,<\/em> means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:5<\/strong> Christ calls even those who keep the faith to <em>turn back<\/em> to him and <em>repent<\/em> of cold-heartedness. The warning, <em>I will come and remove your lampstand<\/em><em>,<\/em> means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:5 Christ calls even those who keep the faith to turn back to him and repent of cold-heartedness. The warning, I will come and remove your lampstand, means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).","summary_en":"2:5 Christ calls even those who keep the faith to turn back to him and repent of cold-heartedness. The warning, I will come and remove your lampstand, means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142200,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:5","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:5","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:5<\/strong> Christ calls even those who keep the faith to <em>turn back<\/em> to him and <em>repent<\/em> of cold-heartedness. The warning, <em>I will come and remove your lampstand<\/em><em>,<\/em> means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:5<\/strong> Christ calls even those who keep the faith to <em>turn back<\/em> to him and <em>repent<\/em> of cold-heartedness. The warning, <em>I will come and remove your lampstand<\/em><em>,<\/em> means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:5 Christ calls even those who keep the faith to turn back to him and repent of cold-heartedness. The warning, I will come and remove your lampstand, means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).","summary_en":"2:5 Christ calls even those who keep the faith to turn back to him and repent of cold-heartedness. The warning, I will come and remove your lampstand, means that they would lose their status as a church; God would treat them as he did the apostates within Israel (see Rom 11).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67911,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95537,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123163,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150789,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"6":[{"id":27530,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Nicolaitans","title_en":"Nicolaitans","content_ro":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","summary_ro":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","summary_en":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","source":"Articles\/N.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59323,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:6","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:6","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:6<\/strong> Not much is known of <em>the Nicolaitans<\/em><em>,<\/em> but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about <span>AD<\/span> 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:6<\/strong> Not much is known of <em>the Nicolaitans<\/em><em>,<\/em> but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about <span>AD<\/span> 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).","summary_en":"2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86949,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:6","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:6","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:6<\/strong> Not much is known of <em>the Nicolaitans<\/em><em>,<\/em> but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about <span>AD<\/span> 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:6<\/strong> Not much is known of <em>the Nicolaitans<\/em><em>,<\/em> but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about <span>AD<\/span> 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).","summary_en":"2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114575,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:6","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:6","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:6<\/strong> Not much is known of <em>the Nicolaitans<\/em><em>,<\/em> but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about <span>AD<\/span> 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:6<\/strong> Not much is known of <em>the Nicolaitans<\/em><em>,<\/em> but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about <span>AD<\/span> 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).","summary_en":"2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142201,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:6","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:6","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:6<\/strong> Not much is known of <em>the Nicolaitans<\/em><em>,<\/em> but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about <span>AD<\/span> 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:6<\/strong> Not much is known of <em>the Nicolaitans<\/em><em>,<\/em> but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about <span>AD<\/span> 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).","summary_en":"2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"7":[{"id":8973,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Place of the Dead","title_en":"Place of the Dead","content_ro":"<h3>DEAD, Place of the<\/h3>\n<p>Term covering a number of descriptive biblical images of the whereabouts of those who have died. Those images include Sheol and “the pit” in the OT, plus hades, Gehenna, paradise, and “Abraham’s bosom” in the NT. As their understanding advanced, the Hebrews’ idea of what happens at death changed from rather hazy beginnings to a developed concept found in the NT.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheOldTestament\">In the Old Testament<\/p>\n<p>The OT contains meager information about the dead. At death, according to some OT passages, one descends to Sheol (often translated as “grave,” “hell,” “pit,” or simply “the dead”), which at times means merely that one is laid in a grave (Nm 16:30, 33), but more often indicates an underworld. The abode of the dead is pictured as a place beneath the earth to which one “goes down” (Gn 42:38; Prv 15:24; Ez 26:20) and as a place of gloomy darkness (Jb 10:21-22), silence (Pss 94:17; 115:17), and forgetfulness (Ps 88:12). God is not remembered there and his praises are never sung (Pss 6:5; 30:9; 115:17). Even God himself, it was believed, does not remember those who are there (Ps 88:5, 11; Is 38:18). The dead were seen as permanently cut off from contact with the Lord and from participating in his activity in history. Even though the border between life and death was considered fluid (as shown by a resurrection in 2 Kgs 4:32-37 and by Samuel’s ghost in 1 Sm 28:7-25), communication with the dead was forbidden to the Jews (Dt 18:11). (Worshiping the dead was a common practice in the nations surrounding Israel.)<\/p>\n<p>Although one’s fate in the underworld could not properly be called life, it was a kind of existence, perhaps even in the company of one’s countrymen and ancestors (Gn 25:8; Ez 32:17-30). The realm of the dead was not beyond the reach of God’s power (Ps 139:8; Am 9:2; Jon 2:2). Although Sheol was pictured as a hungry monster wolfing down the living (Prv 27:20; 30:16), God’s power could save one from its grasp (Pss 49:15; 86:13). By the end of the OT period, there was even hope that one would finally be delivered from Sheol (Jb 14:13-22; 19:25-27; Pss 49:15; 73:23-28), although only Daniel expressed that hope clearly (Dn 12:1-2). So although the ancient Hebrews never looked forward to death in the same way that the apostle Paul could in the NT (2 Cor 5:1-8; Phil 1:21-23), nevertheless they did come to understand that death was not a hopeless state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheIntertestamentalWritings\">In the Intertestamental Writings<\/p>\n<p>Between the exile and the beginning of the NT period (586 <span>BC<\/span>–<span>AD<\/span> 30, overlapping with the end of the OT), contact with the religions of Persia and Greece stimulated the Jews to clarify their ideas about life after death. When the OT was translated into Greek, the Greek name for the underworld, “hades,” was used to translate the Hebrew “Sheol.” In the NT, hades was carried over to become the common name for the abode of the dead.<\/p>\n<p>Along with new names came new ideas. Many different notions circulated about the place of the dead. A common one appears in the pseudepigraphal 1 Enoch 22, where the dead are said to be kept in hollow places in a great mountain waiting for the final judgment. One relatively pleasant section was reserved for the righteous and one full of torments for the wicked. Other writers continued the OT concept of hades or Sheol as a place of separation from God and from happiness (Ecclus 14:12, 16; 17:27-28).<\/p>\n<p>During that period, the Jews also began to use a new term, “Gehenna” (Hebrew “Hinnom”), the name of a valley south of Jerusalem. The valley was noted in the OT period for the abomination of child sacrifices (2 Kgs 16:3; 21:6; 23:10) and in the NT period for its smoldering garbage. Gehenna became a designation for the final place of the wicked dead, a place of fiery torment (1 Enoch 90:20-27; 2 Esd 7:70). Over against that place of punishment stood “paradise” (a Persian name for a pleasure garden), a place where the righteous would enjoy blessedness.<\/p>\n<p>All those concepts—hades, Gehenna, paradise—were molded by NT writers into forms most appropriate to the revelation of Christ.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheNewTestament\">In the New Testament<\/p>\n<p>Although the NT uses a variety of terms for the abode of the dead, it contains surprisingly few references to it—about 35 verses in all. Those passages are concentrated in the Gospels and the book of Revelation. The apostle Paul said a lot about heaven, but only Jesus and John said much about hell.<\/p>\n<p>The word “hades” is attributed to Jesus only once, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:23). In that parable hades is a place of torment where the wicked go at death. The torment is described as a “flame” that afflicts a person physically despite bodily death. All comfort is refused to those in agony.<\/p>\n<p>Although the wicked go to hades as soon as they die, their ultimate destination is Gehenna, a place of fire and worms, both indicating corruption (Mt 5:22, 29-30; 18:9; Mk 9:48, quoting from Is 66:24). Jesus also referred to Gehenna as “the outer darkness” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). Evidently, after the final judgment, the wicked are sent there at the command of Christ (Jn 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; 17:31; 2 Tm 4:1). That place of torment picks up the negative side of the OT concept of Sheol as a place of separation from God.<\/p>\n<p>As a preacher of repentance, Jesus stressed the danger of Gehenna. He had much less to say about the place of the righteous when they die. Ultimately, though, the righteous would enter into “the kingdom,” instead of Gehenna, after the last judgment (Mt 25:34). Jesus twice indicated that the righteous enter a blessed state immediately at death. Luke 16:22 refers to the dead Lazarus as being in “Abraham’s bosom,” a place of comfort and peace. Luke 23:43 calls the same place paradise in a promise that the dying thief would join Jesus there at death. Paul’s wording about paradise seems to align it with heaven (2 Cor 12:2-3), and John associates paradise with the new heaven and new earth (Rv 2:7; 21:1-2; 22:1-2).<\/p>\n<p>Paul and other writers of the NT epistles had little to say about the abode of the wicked dead. Paul spoke only in passing of “the abyss”—his term for the pit of Sheol (Rom 10:7). His reference to Christ’s descent to the “lower parts of the earth” (Eph 4:9) is probably only his way of saying that Christ, having died, went to the place of the dead. (“The lowest earth” was a term used by Jewish rabbis for Sheol\/hades\/Gehenna.) Peter spoke of Christ’s going in “spirit” after his death to some “prison” where he “preached to the spirits” (1 Pt 3:18-20). Interpretations of that passage differ. Some think that Christ entered hades and preached to the fallen angels of Noah’s day (“sons of God,” Gn 6:1-4), not that he preached to imprisoned human spirits. In 2 Peter 2:4 the prison for spirits (usually translated “hell”) comes from “Tartarus,” another Greek name for the underworld.<\/p>\n<p>Paul had much to say about the abode of the righteous dead. In his earliest letters he never mentioned their location, only that they would be resurrected (1 Cor 15; 1 Thes 4:13-17). After facing almost certain death himself (2 Cor 1:8-11), he began to discuss where the dead “went.” To die means to be with Christ, Paul said, and thus is better than life (Phil 1:23). To be “away from the body” is to be “at home with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8). Paul probably meant that the righteous dead went directly to paradise to be with Jesus (cf. 2 Cor 12:2-4, where Paul called paradise “the third heaven”). Death has absolutely no power to separate Christians from Christ (Rom 8:38-39). Instead, it brings them into the presence of God.<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation contains much about the abode of the dead, especially the wicked dead. It uses two names for that place: “the abyss,” the home or prison of all evil spirits; and “hades,” the name for the place of the human dead. From the abyss (or bottomless pit) come the demonic forms that torment humanity (Rv 9:1-11) and the satanic “beast,” who kills the two witnesses and carries the “great prostitute” on its back (11:7; 17). There Satan himself will be imprisoned (20:2-3). Jesus described it as a place prepared for the devil and his angels (cf. Mt 25:41). The good news for Christians is that the abyss, or hades, is not an autonomous realm. The book of Revelation begins with Jesus’ announcement that he has the keys to hades (Rv 1:18), and in the end he will force it to give up its dead (20:13). Until then, the key to the abyss is not in the hand of Satan, but hangs on a heavenly key ring to be distributed only to the messengers of God (9:1; 20:1). In the end, hades, death, and the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire (Gehenna), where they will suffer eternal torment (19:20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:8).<\/p>\n<p>John, the writer of the Revelation, agreed with Paul that the righteous will not share the fate of the wicked at death. Instead of going to hades, they go to heaven. The martyrs appear under the altar, calling to God to avenge them (Rv 6:9-11). In another image innumerable Christians appear before the throne of God, praising him (7:9-17). Those believers, shepherded by Christ himself, suffer no hunger, thirst, discomfort, or sorrow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/p>\n<p>In summary, the place of the dead began in the OT as an undifferentiated, hazy idea of a place of separation from life and God. Later writers came to see that instead of one place for all (Sheol), there must be two. According to Christian teaching, the wicked enter the underworld, hades, a place of torment, where they suffer until the time of judgment; ultimately they will be cast into Gehenna, the lake of fire. Christ—not the devil—is in control of hades, as he is of the rest of creation. The righteous do not go to hades, but go directly to paradise (“Abraham’s bosom” or heaven). There they are with Christ; faith has become sight, suffering has become blessedness, and prayer has become praise. Christians believe that death, although fearful as the “last enemy,” has no torment for them. It has no power to separate them from their Lord. Rather, it brings them face-to-face with the One they love.<\/p>\n<p>This meeting may occur as soon as one dies or as soon as one is resurrected—the intervening time is of no consequence, because it is nothing more than just a time of sleep. In other words, the very next experience after death for the believer will be that of meeting Christ.<\/p>\n<p>Both Old and New Testaments speak of death as sleep. Commonly in the OT, when a person dies, he is said to go to sleep with his fathers (e.g., Dt 31:16; 2 Sm 7:12). Jesus himself spoke of death as sleep (Mt 9:24; Jn 11:11). So did the apostle Paul (1 Cor 11:30; 15:20, 51; 1 Thes 4:14). At least in some of these references it would seem that it is the temporary nature of death that is the reason why it is spoken of as sleep. Even in the OT passage Daniel 12:2, it is said that death is a sleep, until the dead rise up—some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Gehenna; Hades; Heaven; Hell; Intermediate State; Paradise; Sheol.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>DEAD, Place of the<\/h3>\n<p>Term covering a number of descriptive biblical images of the whereabouts of those who have died. Those images include Sheol and “the pit” in the OT, plus hades, Gehenna, paradise, and “Abraham’s bosom” in the NT. As their understanding advanced, the Hebrews’ idea of what happens at death changed from rather hazy beginnings to a developed concept found in the NT.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheOldTestament\">In the Old Testament<\/p>\n<p>The OT contains meager information about the dead. At death, according to some OT passages, one descends to Sheol (often translated as “grave,” “hell,” “pit,” or simply “the dead”), which at times means merely that one is laid in a grave (Nm 16:30, 33), but more often indicates an underworld. The abode of the dead is pictured as a place beneath the earth to which one “goes down” (Gn 42:38; Prv 15:24; Ez 26:20) and as a place of gloomy darkness (Jb 10:21-22), silence (Pss 94:17; 115:17), and forgetfulness (Ps 88:12). God is not remembered there and his praises are never sung (Pss 6:5; 30:9; 115:17). Even God himself, it was believed, does not remember those who are there (Ps 88:5, 11; Is 38:18). The dead were seen as permanently cut off from contact with the Lord and from participating in his activity in history. Even though the border between life and death was considered fluid (as shown by a resurrection in 2 Kgs 4:32-37 and by Samuel’s ghost in 1 Sm 28:7-25), communication with the dead was forbidden to the Jews (Dt 18:11). (Worshiping the dead was a common practice in the nations surrounding Israel.)<\/p>\n<p>Although one’s fate in the underworld could not properly be called life, it was a kind of existence, perhaps even in the company of one’s countrymen and ancestors (Gn 25:8; Ez 32:17-30). The realm of the dead was not beyond the reach of God’s power (Ps 139:8; Am 9:2; Jon 2:2). Although Sheol was pictured as a hungry monster wolfing down the living (Prv 27:20; 30:16), God’s power could save one from its grasp (Pss 49:15; 86:13). By the end of the OT period, there was even hope that one would finally be delivered from Sheol (Jb 14:13-22; 19:25-27; Pss 49:15; 73:23-28), although only Daniel expressed that hope clearly (Dn 12:1-2). So although the ancient Hebrews never looked forward to death in the same way that the apostle Paul could in the NT (2 Cor 5:1-8; Phil 1:21-23), nevertheless they did come to understand that death was not a hopeless state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheIntertestamentalWritings\">In the Intertestamental Writings<\/p>\n<p>Between the exile and the beginning of the NT period (586 <span>BC<\/span>–<span>AD<\/span> 30, overlapping with the end of the OT), contact with the religions of Persia and Greece stimulated the Jews to clarify their ideas about life after death. When the OT was translated into Greek, the Greek name for the underworld, “hades,” was used to translate the Hebrew “Sheol.” In the NT, hades was carried over to become the common name for the abode of the dead.<\/p>\n<p>Along with new names came new ideas. Many different notions circulated about the place of the dead. A common one appears in the pseudepigraphal 1 Enoch 22, where the dead are said to be kept in hollow places in a great mountain waiting for the final judgment. One relatively pleasant section was reserved for the righteous and one full of torments for the wicked. Other writers continued the OT concept of hades or Sheol as a place of separation from God and from happiness (Ecclus 14:12, 16; 17:27-28).<\/p>\n<p>During that period, the Jews also began to use a new term, “Gehenna” (Hebrew “Hinnom”), the name of a valley south of Jerusalem. The valley was noted in the OT period for the abomination of child sacrifices (2 Kgs 16:3; 21:6; 23:10) and in the NT period for its smoldering garbage. Gehenna became a designation for the final place of the wicked dead, a place of fiery torment (1 Enoch 90:20-27; 2 Esd 7:70). Over against that place of punishment stood “paradise” (a Persian name for a pleasure garden), a place where the righteous would enjoy blessedness.<\/p>\n<p>All those concepts—hades, Gehenna, paradise—were molded by NT writers into forms most appropriate to the revelation of Christ.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheNewTestament\">In the New Testament<\/p>\n<p>Although the NT uses a variety of terms for the abode of the dead, it contains surprisingly few references to it—about 35 verses in all. Those passages are concentrated in the Gospels and the book of Revelation. The apostle Paul said a lot about heaven, but only Jesus and John said much about hell.<\/p>\n<p>The word “hades” is attributed to Jesus only once, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:23). In that parable hades is a place of torment where the wicked go at death. The torment is described as a “flame” that afflicts a person physically despite bodily death. All comfort is refused to those in agony.<\/p>\n<p>Although the wicked go to hades as soon as they die, their ultimate destination is Gehenna, a place of fire and worms, both indicating corruption (Mt 5:22, 29-30; 18:9; Mk 9:48, quoting from Is 66:24). Jesus also referred to Gehenna as “the outer darkness” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). Evidently, after the final judgment, the wicked are sent there at the command of Christ (Jn 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; 17:31; 2 Tm 4:1). That place of torment picks up the negative side of the OT concept of Sheol as a place of separation from God.<\/p>\n<p>As a preacher of repentance, Jesus stressed the danger of Gehenna. He had much less to say about the place of the righteous when they die. Ultimately, though, the righteous would enter into “the kingdom,” instead of Gehenna, after the last judgment (Mt 25:34). Jesus twice indicated that the righteous enter a blessed state immediately at death. Luke 16:22 refers to the dead Lazarus as being in “Abraham’s bosom,” a place of comfort and peace. Luke 23:43 calls the same place paradise in a promise that the dying thief would join Jesus there at death. Paul’s wording about paradise seems to align it with heaven (2 Cor 12:2-3), and John associates paradise with the new heaven and new earth (Rv 2:7; 21:1-2; 22:1-2).<\/p>\n<p>Paul and other writers of the NT epistles had little to say about the abode of the wicked dead. Paul spoke only in passing of “the abyss”—his term for the pit of Sheol (Rom 10:7). His reference to Christ’s descent to the “lower parts of the earth” (Eph 4:9) is probably only his way of saying that Christ, having died, went to the place of the dead. (“The lowest earth” was a term used by Jewish rabbis for Sheol\/hades\/Gehenna.) Peter spoke of Christ’s going in “spirit” after his death to some “prison” where he “preached to the spirits” (1 Pt 3:18-20). Interpretations of that passage differ. Some think that Christ entered hades and preached to the fallen angels of Noah’s day (“sons of God,” Gn 6:1-4), not that he preached to imprisoned human spirits. In 2 Peter 2:4 the prison for spirits (usually translated “hell”) comes from “Tartarus,” another Greek name for the underworld.<\/p>\n<p>Paul had much to say about the abode of the righteous dead. In his earliest letters he never mentioned their location, only that they would be resurrected (1 Cor 15; 1 Thes 4:13-17). After facing almost certain death himself (2 Cor 1:8-11), he began to discuss where the dead “went.” To die means to be with Christ, Paul said, and thus is better than life (Phil 1:23). To be “away from the body” is to be “at home with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8). Paul probably meant that the righteous dead went directly to paradise to be with Jesus (cf. 2 Cor 12:2-4, where Paul called paradise “the third heaven”). Death has absolutely no power to separate Christians from Christ (Rom 8:38-39). Instead, it brings them into the presence of God.<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation contains much about the abode of the dead, especially the wicked dead. It uses two names for that place: “the abyss,” the home or prison of all evil spirits; and “hades,” the name for the place of the human dead. From the abyss (or bottomless pit) come the demonic forms that torment humanity (Rv 9:1-11) and the satanic “beast,” who kills the two witnesses and carries the “great prostitute” on its back (11:7; 17). There Satan himself will be imprisoned (20:2-3). Jesus described it as a place prepared for the devil and his angels (cf. Mt 25:41). The good news for Christians is that the abyss, or hades, is not an autonomous realm. The book of Revelation begins with Jesus’ announcement that he has the keys to hades (Rv 1:18), and in the end he will force it to give up its dead (20:13). Until then, the key to the abyss is not in the hand of Satan, but hangs on a heavenly key ring to be distributed only to the messengers of God (9:1; 20:1). In the end, hades, death, and the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire (Gehenna), where they will suffer eternal torment (19:20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:8).<\/p>\n<p>John, the writer of the Revelation, agreed with Paul that the righteous will not share the fate of the wicked at death. Instead of going to hades, they go to heaven. The martyrs appear under the altar, calling to God to avenge them (Rv 6:9-11). In another image innumerable Christians appear before the throne of God, praising him (7:9-17). Those believers, shepherded by Christ himself, suffer no hunger, thirst, discomfort, or sorrow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/p>\n<p>In summary, the place of the dead began in the OT as an undifferentiated, hazy idea of a place of separation from life and God. Later writers came to see that instead of one place for all (Sheol), there must be two. According to Christian teaching, the wicked enter the underworld, hades, a place of torment, where they suffer until the time of judgment; ultimately they will be cast into Gehenna, the lake of fire. Christ—not the devil—is in control of hades, as he is of the rest of creation. The righteous do not go to hades, but go directly to paradise (“Abraham’s bosom” or heaven). There they are with Christ; faith has become sight, suffering has become blessedness, and prayer has become praise. Christians believe that death, although fearful as the “last enemy,” has no torment for them. It has no power to separate them from their Lord. Rather, it brings them face-to-face with the One they love.<\/p>\n<p>This meeting may occur as soon as one dies or as soon as one is resurrected—the intervening time is of no consequence, because it is nothing more than just a time of sleep. In other words, the very next experience after death for the believer will be that of meeting Christ.<\/p>\n<p>Both Old and New Testaments speak of death as sleep. Commonly in the OT, when a person dies, he is said to go to sleep with his fathers (e.g., Dt 31:16; 2 Sm 7:12). Jesus himself spoke of death as sleep (Mt 9:24; Jn 11:11). So did the apostle Paul (1 Cor 11:30; 15:20, 51; 1 Thes 4:14). At least in some of these references it would seem that it is the temporary nature of death that is the reason why it is spoken of as sleep. Even in the OT passage Daniel 12:2, it is said that death is a sleep, until the dead rise up—some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Gehenna; Hades; Heaven; Hell; Intermediate State; Paradise; Sheol.<\/p>","summary_ro":"DEAD, Place of the Term covering a number of descriptive biblical images of the whereabouts of those who have died. Those images include Sheol and “the pit” in the OT, plus hades, Gehenna, paradise, and “Abraham’s bosom” in the NT. As their understanding advanced, the Hebrews’ idea of what happens at death changed from rather hazy beginnings to a developed concept found in the NT. In the Old Testament The OT contains meager information about the dead. At death, according to some OT passages, ...","summary_en":"DEAD, Place of the Term covering a number of descriptive biblical images of the whereabouts of those who have died. Those images include Sheol and “the pit” in the OT, plus hades, Gehenna, paradise, and “Abraham’s bosom” in the NT. As their understanding advanced, the Hebrews’ idea of what happens at death changed from rather hazy beginnings to a developed concept found in the NT. In the Old Testament The OT contains meager information about the dead. At death, according to some OT passages, ...","source":"Articles\/D.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":28850,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Paradise","title_en":"Paradise","content_ro":"<h3>Paradise<\/h3>\n<p>Term borrowed from Persian that means “garden of god.” The Hebrews originally used a word that they applied not only to ordinary gardens but also to God’s garden in Eden (Gn 2–3; Is 51:3; Ez 28:13). Comparatively late in their history, they adapted from the Persian language the word that afterward became “paradise”; it appears three times in the OT referring to a park or orchard (Neh 2:8; Eccl 2:5; Sg 4:13). Later still, when the OT was translated into Greek, there was a Greek form of the same word, and the translators used it extensively for “garden”; for Greek-speaking Jews, the garden of Genesis 2 became <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">paradeisos<\/span><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The idea of the original Persian word was that of an enclosure or walled garden. It referred particularly to the royal parks of the Persian kings, and this was how the Greeks came to know it. Both ideas fit well with the Hebrews’ picture of a garden where the Lord God walked (Gn 3:8) and from which his subjects could be excluded (v 24). Further important features of the Genesis paradise were its fruit trees and its rivers.<\/p>\n<p>By NT times, this picture of God’s garden had developed in various ways, which are paralleled, not unexpectedly, in the folk beliefs of many nations. Like the Golden Age in Greek and Roman mythology, paradise was first of all something belonging to the remote past. But the Jews came to believe that it still existed in some undiscoverable place; like the Elysian fields, it was inhabited by the deserving dead. Then, with ever more elaborate descriptions of its glories, they wrote of its eventual reappearance at the end of this age.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, in the idea of paradise converge all myths of another world, past, present, and future, where death and evil have no place. The NT witnesses to the truth that is at the core of all such beliefs. Paradise is the place into which, as an actual but otherworldly reality, Paul was once mysteriously “caught up” during his lifetime (2 Cor 12:4). It is also the place where the repentant thief on the cross was promised he would be, with Christ, immediately after his death (Lk 23:43). The third and last NT reference, a similar promise (Rv 2:7), tells us in addition that paradise is where the tree of life grows, and so identifies it both with the original world of Genesis 2 and with the future world of Revelation 22, complete with the life-giving tree and river, the encircling wall, and the presence of the king.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Heaven; New Heavens and New Earth.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Paradise<\/h3>\n<p>Term borrowed from Persian that means “garden of god.” The Hebrews originally used a word that they applied not only to ordinary gardens but also to God’s garden in Eden (Gn 2–3; Is 51:3; Ez 28:13). Comparatively late in their history, they adapted from the Persian language the word that afterward became “paradise”; it appears three times in the OT referring to a park or orchard (Neh 2:8; Eccl 2:5; Sg 4:13). Later still, when the OT was translated into Greek, there was a Greek form of the same word, and the translators used it extensively for “garden”; for Greek-speaking Jews, the garden of Genesis 2 became <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">paradeisos<\/span><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The idea of the original Persian word was that of an enclosure or walled garden. It referred particularly to the royal parks of the Persian kings, and this was how the Greeks came to know it. Both ideas fit well with the Hebrews’ picture of a garden where the Lord God walked (Gn 3:8) and from which his subjects could be excluded (v 24). Further important features of the Genesis paradise were its fruit trees and its rivers.<\/p>\n<p>By NT times, this picture of God’s garden had developed in various ways, which are paralleled, not unexpectedly, in the folk beliefs of many nations. Like the Golden Age in Greek and Roman mythology, paradise was first of all something belonging to the remote past. But the Jews came to believe that it still existed in some undiscoverable place; like the Elysian fields, it was inhabited by the deserving dead. Then, with ever more elaborate descriptions of its glories, they wrote of its eventual reappearance at the end of this age.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, in the idea of paradise converge all myths of another world, past, present, and future, where death and evil have no place. The NT witnesses to the truth that is at the core of all such beliefs. Paradise is the place into which, as an actual but otherworldly reality, Paul was once mysteriously “caught up” during his lifetime (2 Cor 12:4). It is also the place where the repentant thief on the cross was promised he would be, with Christ, immediately after his death (Lk 23:43). The third and last NT reference, a similar promise (Rv 2:7), tells us in addition that paradise is where the tree of life grows, and so identifies it both with the original world of Genesis 2 and with the future world of Revelation 22, complete with the life-giving tree and river, the encircling wall, and the presence of the king.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Heaven; New Heavens and New Earth.<\/p>","summary_ro":"Paradise Term borrowed from Persian that means “garden of god.” The Hebrews originally used a word that they applied not only to ordinary gardens but also to God’s garden in Eden (Gn 2–3; Is 51:3; Ez 28:13). Comparatively late in their history, they adapted from the Persian language the word that afterward became “paradise”; it appears three times in the OT referring to a park or orchard (Neh 2:8; Eccl 2:5; Sg 4:13). Later still, when the OT was translated into Greek, there was a Greek form o...","summary_en":"Paradise Term borrowed from Persian that means “garden of god.” The Hebrews originally used a word that they applied not only to ordinary gardens but also to God’s garden in Eden (Gn 2–3; Is 51:3; Ez 28:13). Comparatively late in their history, they adapted from the Persian language the word that afterward became “paradise”; it appears three times in the OT referring to a park or orchard (Neh 2:8; Eccl 2:5; Sg 4:13). Later still, when the OT was translated into Greek, there was a Greek form o...","source":"Articles\/P.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":32947,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Book of Revelation","title_en":"Book of Revelation","content_ro":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","summary_en":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","source":"Articles\/R.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":37677,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Tree of Life","title_en":"Tree of Life","content_ro":"<h3>TREE OF LIFE<\/h3>\n<p>Tree placed by God in the midst of the Garden of Eden (Gn 2:8-9), a tree whose fruit could give eternal life. God told Adam that he could eat from every tree of the Garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (vv 16-17). When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were expelled from the garden lest they “take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever” (3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The Genesis narrative suggests that God intended the tree of life to provide Adam and Eve with a symbol of life in fellowship with and dependence on him. Human life, as distinguished from that of the animals, is much more than merely biological; it is also spiritual—it finds its deepest fulfillment in fellowship with God. Life in the fullness of its physical and spiritual dimensions, however, could remain a person’s possession only so long as he or she remained obedient to God’s command (Gn 2:17). Apart from Genesis, the only other OT occurrences of the phrase the “tree of life” are found in Proverbs (quoted here from <span>rsv<\/span>), where it symbolizes the enrichment of life in various ways. In Proverbs 3:18 wisdom is referred to as “a tree of life to those who lay hold of her”; in 11:30 “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life”; in 13:12 a fulfilled desire is as “a tree of life”; and in 15:4 “a gentle tongue is a tree of life.”<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation contains the only references to the tree of life in the NT (Rv 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19). The Bible begins and ends with a Paradise in the midst of which is a tree of life. The way to the tree of life, which was closed in Genesis 3, is open again for God’s believing people. This was made possible by the second Adam, Jesus Christ. Those who have washed their robes in the blood of Christ (cf. Rv 7:14) and have sought forgiveness of their sin through the redemptive work of Christ, receive the right to the tree of life (22:14), but the disobedient will have no access to it.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Adam (Person); Eve; Fall of Man; Garden of Eden; Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>TREE OF LIFE<\/h3>\n<p>Tree placed by God in the midst of the Garden of Eden (Gn 2:8-9), a tree whose fruit could give eternal life. God told Adam that he could eat from every tree of the Garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (vv 16-17). When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were expelled from the garden lest they “take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever” (3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The Genesis narrative suggests that God intended the tree of life to provide Adam and Eve with a symbol of life in fellowship with and dependence on him. Human life, as distinguished from that of the animals, is much more than merely biological; it is also spiritual—it finds its deepest fulfillment in fellowship with God. Life in the fullness of its physical and spiritual dimensions, however, could remain a person’s possession only so long as he or she remained obedient to God’s command (Gn 2:17). Apart from Genesis, the only other OT occurrences of the phrase the “tree of life” are found in Proverbs (quoted here from <span>rsv<\/span>), where it symbolizes the enrichment of life in various ways. In Proverbs 3:18 wisdom is referred to as “a tree of life to those who lay hold of her”; in 11:30 “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life”; in 13:12 a fulfilled desire is as “a tree of life”; and in 15:4 “a gentle tongue is a tree of life.”<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation contains the only references to the tree of life in the NT (Rv 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19). The Bible begins and ends with a Paradise in the midst of which is a tree of life. The way to the tree of life, which was closed in Genesis 3, is open again for God’s believing people. This was made possible by the second Adam, Jesus Christ. Those who have washed their robes in the blood of Christ (cf. Rv 7:14) and have sought forgiveness of their sin through the redemptive work of Christ, receive the right to the tree of life (22:14), but the disobedient will have no access to it.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Adam (Person); Eve; Fall of Man; Garden of Eden; Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.<\/p>","summary_ro":"TREE OF LIFE Tree placed by God in the midst of the Garden of Eden (Gn 2:8-9), a tree whose fruit could give eternal life. God told Adam that he could eat from every tree of the Garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (vv 16-17). When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were expelled from the garden lest they “take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever” (3:22). The Genesis narrative suggests that God intend...","summary_en":"TREE OF LIFE Tree placed by God in the midst of the Garden of Eden (Gn 2:8-9), a tree whose fruit could give eternal life. God told Adam that he could eat from every tree of the Garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (vv 16-17). When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were expelled from the garden lest they “take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever” (3:22). The Genesis narrative suggests that God intend...","source":"Articles\/T.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59324,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:7","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:7","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:7<\/strong> The reward for obedience is <em>fruit from the tree of life<\/em>—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:7<\/strong> The reward for obedience is <em>fruit from the tree of life<\/em>—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).","summary_en":"2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86950,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:7","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:7","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:7<\/strong> The reward for obedience is <em>fruit from the tree of life<\/em>—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:7<\/strong> The reward for obedience is <em>fruit from the tree of life<\/em>—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).","summary_en":"2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114576,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:7","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:7","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:7<\/strong> The reward for obedience is <em>fruit from the tree of life<\/em>—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:7<\/strong> The reward for obedience is <em>fruit from the tree of life<\/em>—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).","summary_en":"2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142202,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:7","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:7","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:7<\/strong> The reward for obedience is <em>fruit from the tree of life<\/em>—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:7<\/strong> The reward for obedience is <em>fruit from the tree of life<\/em>—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).","summary_en":"2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"8":[{"id":1134,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Alpha and Omega","title_en":"Alpha and Omega","content_ro":"<h3>ALPHA AND OMEGA<\/h3>\n<p>Phrase used as a title in the NT for both God (Rv 1:8; 21:6) and Jesus Christ (Rv 22:13). The English equivalent is “the A and the Z.” Similar epithets are “the beginning and the end” (Rv 21:6; 22:13) and “the first and the last” (Rv 1:17; 2:8; 22:13).<\/p>\n\n<p>Such affirmations, which have their counterpart in the OT (see Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12), stress the unique and faithful sovereignty of God and his Son, Jesus. They serve as reminders to the Christian reader that the creation of the universe and the end of all human history are both under control of the living God. <em>See<\/em> God, Names of.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>ALPHA AND OMEGA<\/h3>\n<p>Phrase used as a title in the NT for both God (Rv 1:8; 21:6) and Jesus Christ (Rv 22:13). The English equivalent is “the A and the Z.” Similar epithets are “the beginning and the end” (Rv 21:6; 22:13) and “the first and the last” (Rv 1:17; 2:8; 22:13).<\/p>\n\n<p>Such affirmations, which have their counterpart in the OT (see Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12), stress the unique and faithful sovereignty of God and his Son, Jesus. They serve as reminders to the Christian reader that the creation of the universe and the end of all human history are both under control of the living God. <em>See<\/em> God, Names of.<\/p>","summary_ro":"ALPHA AND OMEGA Phrase used as a title in the NT for both God (Rv 1:8; 21:6) and Jesus Christ (Rv 22:13). The English equivalent is “the A and the Z.” Similar epithets are “the beginning and the end” (Rv 21:6; 22:13) and “the first and the last” (Rv 1:17; 2:8; 22:13). Such affirmations, which have their counterpart in the OT (see Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12), stress the unique and faithful sovereignty of God and his Son, Jesus. They serve as reminders to the Christian reader that the creation of the...","summary_en":"ALPHA AND OMEGA Phrase used as a title in the NT for both God (Rv 1:8; 21:6) and Jesus Christ (Rv 22:13). The English equivalent is “the A and the Z.” Similar epithets are “the beginning and the end” (Rv 21:6; 22:13) and “the first and the last” (Rv 1:17; 2:8; 22:13). Such affirmations, which have their counterpart in the OT (see Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12), stress the unique and faithful sovereignty of God and his Son, Jesus. They serve as reminders to the Christian reader that the creation of the...","source":"Articles\/A.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":35681,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Smyrna","title_en":"Smyrna","content_ro":"<h3>SMYRNA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey.<\/p>\n<p>Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the Great in 334 <span>BC<\/span> at a site farther south along the gulf. Although built by the energy of the Seleucids, the city recognized the coming dominance of Pergamum and entered into an alliance with its king. Later, with remarkable foresight, she transferred her allegiance to Rome, and in 195 <span>BC<\/span> built a temple in which Rome was worshiped as a deity. As a reward for Smyrna’s early commitment to the rising Roman influence, the city prospered under Roman rule, partly as a rival to Pergamum and partly as a rival to the prosperous island of Rhodes. Because they had been an ally of the Romans, the people of Smyrna thought it would be to their credit to build (in <span>AD<\/span> 26) a temple in which the Roman emperor would be honored. This city became the seat of the Caesar cult that afflicted the church so seriously during the latter half of the first century.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation 2:8 speaks of the city as being “dead and then alive,” a possible allusion to the period of 300 years when it lay devastated until revived by Alexander and the Macedonians. Ancient writers, including Appollonius and Aristides, spoke of Smyrna as having the “crown of life.” This was a way of describing the hilltop behind the city as if it crowned Smyrna on top, with its feet at the seashore. The promise of “the crown of life” to the Smyrnean believers probably plays off this image. This promise was given to those believers in Smyrna who would remain faithful through persecution. The reference to the “synagogue of Satan” (Rv 2:9) and to the devil putting them in prison (v 10) reflects the tribulation probably experienced under the Roman emperor Domitian (c. <span>AD<\/span> 95). It became a crime punishable by death to refuse to worship the image of the Roman emperor as “lord.” Many Christians were compelled to choose between “Caesar as Lord” or “Jesus as Lord.” To choose Jesus was to choose martyrdom.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>SMYRNA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey.<\/p>\n<p>Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the Great in 334 <span>BC<\/span> at a site farther south along the gulf. Although built by the energy of the Seleucids, the city recognized the coming dominance of Pergamum and entered into an alliance with its king. Later, with remarkable foresight, she transferred her allegiance to Rome, and in 195 <span>BC<\/span> built a temple in which Rome was worshiped as a deity. As a reward for Smyrna’s early commitment to the rising Roman influence, the city prospered under Roman rule, partly as a rival to Pergamum and partly as a rival to the prosperous island of Rhodes. Because they had been an ally of the Romans, the people of Smyrna thought it would be to their credit to build (in <span>AD<\/span> 26) a temple in which the Roman emperor would be honored. This city became the seat of the Caesar cult that afflicted the church so seriously during the latter half of the first century.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation 2:8 speaks of the city as being “dead and then alive,” a possible allusion to the period of 300 years when it lay devastated until revived by Alexander and the Macedonians. Ancient writers, including Appollonius and Aristides, spoke of Smyrna as having the “crown of life.” This was a way of describing the hilltop behind the city as if it crowned Smyrna on top, with its feet at the seashore. The promise of “the crown of life” to the Smyrnean believers probably plays off this image. This promise was given to those believers in Smyrna who would remain faithful through persecution. The reference to the “synagogue of Satan” (Rv 2:9) and to the devil putting them in prison (v 10) reflects the tribulation probably experienced under the Roman emperor Domitian (c. <span>AD<\/span> 95). It became a crime punishable by death to refuse to worship the image of the Roman emperor as “lord.” Many Christians were compelled to choose between “Caesar as Lord” or “Jesus as Lord.” To choose Jesus was to choose martyrdom.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","summary_ro":"SMYRNA Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey. Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the G...","summary_en":"SMYRNA Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey. Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the G...","source":"Articles\/S.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59325,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:8","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:8-11<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Smyrna<\/em> pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:8-11<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Smyrna<\/em> pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:8-11 The letter to the church in Smyrna pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.","summary_en":"2:8-11 The letter to the church in Smyrna pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59326,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:8","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:8<\/strong> The seaport village of <em>Smyrna<\/em> had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been <em>dead<\/em> but was <em>now alive<\/em>. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:8<\/strong> The seaport village of <em>Smyrna<\/em> had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been <em>dead<\/em> but was <em>now alive<\/em>. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:8 The seaport village of Smyrna had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been dead but was now alive. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).","summary_en":"2:8 The seaport village of Smyrna had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been dead but was now alive. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86951,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:8","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:8-11<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Smyrna<\/em> pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:8-11<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Smyrna<\/em> pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:8-11 The letter to the church in Smyrna pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.","summary_en":"2:8-11 The letter to the church in Smyrna pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86952,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:8","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:8<\/strong> The seaport village of <em>Smyrna<\/em> had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been <em>dead<\/em> but was <em>now alive<\/em>. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:8<\/strong> The seaport village of <em>Smyrna<\/em> had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been <em>dead<\/em> but was <em>now alive<\/em>. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:8 The seaport village of Smyrna had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been dead but was now alive. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).","summary_en":"2:8 The seaport village of Smyrna had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been dead but was now alive. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114577,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:8","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:8-11<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Smyrna<\/em> pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:8-11<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Smyrna<\/em> pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:8-11 The letter to the church in Smyrna pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.","summary_en":"2:8-11 The letter to the church in Smyrna pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114578,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:8","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:8<\/strong> The seaport village of <em>Smyrna<\/em> had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been <em>dead<\/em> but was <em>now alive<\/em>. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:8<\/strong> The seaport village of <em>Smyrna<\/em> had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been <em>dead<\/em> but was <em>now alive<\/em>. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:8 The seaport village of Smyrna had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been dead but was now alive. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).","summary_en":"2:8 The seaport village of Smyrna had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been dead but was now alive. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142203,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:8","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:8-11<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Smyrna<\/em> pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:8-11<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Smyrna<\/em> pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:8-11 The letter to the church in Smyrna pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.","summary_en":"2:8-11 The letter to the church in Smyrna pictures suffering Christians under intense pressures who need a message of assurance. Smyrna typifies a small church that remains faithful to God despite difficult circumstances.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142204,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:8","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:8<\/strong> The seaport village of <em>Smyrna<\/em> had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been <em>dead<\/em> but was <em>now alive<\/em>. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:8<\/strong> The seaport village of <em>Smyrna<\/em> had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been <em>dead<\/em> but was <em>now alive<\/em>. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:8 The seaport village of Smyrna had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been dead but was now alive. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).","summary_en":"2:8 The seaport village of Smyrna had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Like Christ, the city had been dead but was now alive. It is the only city of the seven that has survived to this day (Izmir, Turkey).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":62014,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Trusting in Human Strength","title_en":"Trusting in Human Strength","content_ro":"<h3>Trusting in Human Strength<\/h3>\n<p>God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel demonstrated a lack of trust in the Lord, instead opting to trust in human strength.<\/p>\n<p>On one occasion, Asa, king of Judah, sought help from the king of Aram—a perennial enemy of God’s people—giving him the treasures of the Temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, king of Israel (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani chastised Asa, seeing in Aram a human foe who would continue to be a nemesis to the kingdom of Judah. Previous battles demonstrated that God was the only ally Asa needed (16:8).<\/p>\n<p>Asa’s reliance on the king of Aram revealed a much deeper spiritual problem. Asa forgot that “the eyes of the <span>Lord<\/span> search the whole earth” (16:9; see also Zech 4:10). So when Hanani confronted Asa with the error of his ways, Asa summarily threw the prophet into confinement, and the angry king arbitrarily inflicted cruelties on the people (2 Chr 16:10).<\/p>\n<p>Asa provides a sad example of the human propensity to rely on one’s own tangible resources (see Prov 11:7; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5-6) and to become angry when corrected. Even those who experience the power of the Lord in a very tangible fashion often have this leaning; this was quite true of the generation of Israelites who had been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt. It is much better to rely on the Lord and welcome his direction (cp. Pss 33:18; 37:7; Isa 50:10; Jer 17:7-8; Acts 13:43). Life is a long lesson in trusting God; we might begin by doing what is good and right (2 Chr 14:1-6), but our legacy is not settled until the last deed is done (see Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5). Faithfulness to the Kingdom of God must not be compromised by personal ambitions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 13:4; 2 Kgs 6:15-18; 2 Chr 16:1-10; 32:7-8; Pss 20:6-8; 37:3-7; 60:11-12; Prov 11:7-8; 18:10-12; Eccl 3:14; Isa 31:1-5; Jer 17:5-8; Matt 10:26-31; Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Rev 2:8-11<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Trusting in Human Strength<\/h3>\n<p>God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel demonstrated a lack of trust in the Lord, instead opting to trust in human strength.<\/p>\n<p>On one occasion, Asa, king of Judah, sought help from the king of Aram—a perennial enemy of God’s people—giving him the treasures of the Temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, king of Israel (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani chastised Asa, seeing in Aram a human foe who would continue to be a nemesis to the kingdom of Judah. Previous battles demonstrated that God was the only ally Asa needed (16:8).<\/p>\n<p>Asa’s reliance on the king of Aram revealed a much deeper spiritual problem. Asa forgot that “the eyes of the <span>Lord<\/span> search the whole earth” (16:9; see also Zech 4:10). So when Hanani confronted Asa with the error of his ways, Asa summarily threw the prophet into confinement, and the angry king arbitrarily inflicted cruelties on the people (2 Chr 16:10).<\/p>\n<p>Asa provides a sad example of the human propensity to rely on one’s own tangible resources (see Prov 11:7; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5-6) and to become angry when corrected. Even those who experience the power of the Lord in a very tangible fashion often have this leaning; this was quite true of the generation of Israelites who had been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt. It is much better to rely on the Lord and welcome his direction (cp. Pss 33:18; 37:7; Isa 50:10; Jer 17:7-8; Acts 13:43). Life is a long lesson in trusting God; we might begin by doing what is good and right (2 Chr 14:1-6), but our legacy is not settled until the last deed is done (see Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5). Faithfulness to the Kingdom of God must not be compromised by personal ambitions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 13:4; 2 Kgs 6:15-18; 2 Chr 16:1-10; 32:7-8; Pss 20:6-8; 37:3-7; 60:11-12; Prov 11:7-8; 18:10-12; Eccl 3:14; Isa 31:1-5; Jer 17:5-8; Matt 10:26-31; Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Rev 2:8-11<\/p>","summary_ro":"Trusting in Human Strength God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the pe...","summary_en":"Trusting in Human Strength God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the pe...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":89640,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Trusting in Human Strength","title_en":"Trusting in Human Strength","content_ro":"<h3>Trusting in Human Strength<\/h3>\n<p>God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel demonstrated a lack of trust in the Lord, instead opting to trust in human strength.<\/p>\n<p>On one occasion, Asa, king of Judah, sought help from the king of Aram—a perennial enemy of God’s people—giving him the treasures of the Temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, king of Israel (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani chastised Asa, seeing in Aram a human foe who would continue to be a nemesis to the kingdom of Judah. Previous battles demonstrated that God was the only ally Asa needed (16:8).<\/p>\n<p>Asa’s reliance on the king of Aram revealed a much deeper spiritual problem. Asa forgot that “the eyes of the <span>Lord<\/span> search the whole earth” (16:9; see also Zech 4:10). So when Hanani confronted Asa with the error of his ways, Asa summarily threw the prophet into confinement, and the angry king arbitrarily inflicted cruelties on the people (2 Chr 16:10).<\/p>\n<p>Asa provides a sad example of the human propensity to rely on one’s own tangible resources (see Prov 11:7; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5-6) and to become angry when corrected. Even those who experience the power of the Lord in a very tangible fashion often have this leaning; this was quite true of the generation of Israelites who had been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt. It is much better to rely on the Lord and welcome his direction (cp. Pss 33:18; 37:7; Isa 50:10; Jer 17:7-8; Acts 13:43). Life is a long lesson in trusting God; we might begin by doing what is good and right (2 Chr 14:1-6), but our legacy is not settled until the last deed is done (see Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5). Faithfulness to the Kingdom of God must not be compromised by personal ambitions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 13:4; 2 Kgs 6:15-18; 2 Chr 16:1-10; 32:7-8; Pss 20:6-8; 37:3-7; 60:11-12; Prov 11:7-8; 18:10-12; Eccl 3:14; Isa 31:1-5; Jer 17:5-8; Matt 10:26-31; Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Rev 2:8-11<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Trusting in Human Strength<\/h3>\n<p>God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel demonstrated a lack of trust in the Lord, instead opting to trust in human strength.<\/p>\n<p>On one occasion, Asa, king of Judah, sought help from the king of Aram—a perennial enemy of God’s people—giving him the treasures of the Temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, king of Israel (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani chastised Asa, seeing in Aram a human foe who would continue to be a nemesis to the kingdom of Judah. Previous battles demonstrated that God was the only ally Asa needed (16:8).<\/p>\n<p>Asa’s reliance on the king of Aram revealed a much deeper spiritual problem. Asa forgot that “the eyes of the <span>Lord<\/span> search the whole earth” (16:9; see also Zech 4:10). So when Hanani confronted Asa with the error of his ways, Asa summarily threw the prophet into confinement, and the angry king arbitrarily inflicted cruelties on the people (2 Chr 16:10).<\/p>\n<p>Asa provides a sad example of the human propensity to rely on one’s own tangible resources (see Prov 11:7; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5-6) and to become angry when corrected. Even those who experience the power of the Lord in a very tangible fashion often have this leaning; this was quite true of the generation of Israelites who had been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt. It is much better to rely on the Lord and welcome his direction (cp. Pss 33:18; 37:7; Isa 50:10; Jer 17:7-8; Acts 13:43). Life is a long lesson in trusting God; we might begin by doing what is good and right (2 Chr 14:1-6), but our legacy is not settled until the last deed is done (see Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5). Faithfulness to the Kingdom of God must not be compromised by personal ambitions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 13:4; 2 Kgs 6:15-18; 2 Chr 16:1-10; 32:7-8; Pss 20:6-8; 37:3-7; 60:11-12; Prov 11:7-8; 18:10-12; Eccl 3:14; Isa 31:1-5; Jer 17:5-8; Matt 10:26-31; Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Rev 2:8-11<\/p>","summary_ro":"Trusting in Human Strength God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the pe...","summary_en":"Trusting in Human Strength God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the pe...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":117266,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Trusting in Human Strength","title_en":"Trusting in Human Strength","content_ro":"<h3>Trusting in Human Strength<\/h3>\n<p>God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel demonstrated a lack of trust in the Lord, instead opting to trust in human strength.<\/p>\n<p>On one occasion, Asa, king of Judah, sought help from the king of Aram—a perennial enemy of God’s people—giving him the treasures of the Temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, king of Israel (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani chastised Asa, seeing in Aram a human foe who would continue to be a nemesis to the kingdom of Judah. Previous battles demonstrated that God was the only ally Asa needed (16:8).<\/p>\n<p>Asa’s reliance on the king of Aram revealed a much deeper spiritual problem. Asa forgot that “the eyes of the <span>Lord<\/span> search the whole earth” (16:9; see also Zech 4:10). So when Hanani confronted Asa with the error of his ways, Asa summarily threw the prophet into confinement, and the angry king arbitrarily inflicted cruelties on the people (2 Chr 16:10).<\/p>\n<p>Asa provides a sad example of the human propensity to rely on one’s own tangible resources (see Prov 11:7; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5-6) and to become angry when corrected. Even those who experience the power of the Lord in a very tangible fashion often have this leaning; this was quite true of the generation of Israelites who had been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt. It is much better to rely on the Lord and welcome his direction (cp. Pss 33:18; 37:7; Isa 50:10; Jer 17:7-8; Acts 13:43). Life is a long lesson in trusting God; we might begin by doing what is good and right (2 Chr 14:1-6), but our legacy is not settled until the last deed is done (see Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5). Faithfulness to the Kingdom of God must not be compromised by personal ambitions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 13:4; 2 Kgs 6:15-18; 2 Chr 16:1-10; 32:7-8; Pss 20:6-8; 37:3-7; 60:11-12; Prov 11:7-8; 18:10-12; Eccl 3:14; Isa 31:1-5; Jer 17:5-8; Matt 10:26-31; Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Rev 2:8-11<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Trusting in Human Strength<\/h3>\n<p>God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel demonstrated a lack of trust in the Lord, instead opting to trust in human strength.<\/p>\n<p>On one occasion, Asa, king of Judah, sought help from the king of Aram—a perennial enemy of God’s people—giving him the treasures of the Temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, king of Israel (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani chastised Asa, seeing in Aram a human foe who would continue to be a nemesis to the kingdom of Judah. Previous battles demonstrated that God was the only ally Asa needed (16:8).<\/p>\n<p>Asa’s reliance on the king of Aram revealed a much deeper spiritual problem. Asa forgot that “the eyes of the <span>Lord<\/span> search the whole earth” (16:9; see also Zech 4:10). So when Hanani confronted Asa with the error of his ways, Asa summarily threw the prophet into confinement, and the angry king arbitrarily inflicted cruelties on the people (2 Chr 16:10).<\/p>\n<p>Asa provides a sad example of the human propensity to rely on one’s own tangible resources (see Prov 11:7; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5-6) and to become angry when corrected. Even those who experience the power of the Lord in a very tangible fashion often have this leaning; this was quite true of the generation of Israelites who had been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt. It is much better to rely on the Lord and welcome his direction (cp. Pss 33:18; 37:7; Isa 50:10; Jer 17:7-8; Acts 13:43). Life is a long lesson in trusting God; we might begin by doing what is good and right (2 Chr 14:1-6), but our legacy is not settled until the last deed is done (see Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5). Faithfulness to the Kingdom of God must not be compromised by personal ambitions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 13:4; 2 Kgs 6:15-18; 2 Chr 16:1-10; 32:7-8; Pss 20:6-8; 37:3-7; 60:11-12; Prov 11:7-8; 18:10-12; Eccl 3:14; Isa 31:1-5; Jer 17:5-8; Matt 10:26-31; Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Rev 2:8-11<\/p>","summary_ro":"Trusting in Human Strength God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the pe...","summary_en":"Trusting in Human Strength God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the pe...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":144892,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Trusting in Human Strength","title_en":"Trusting in Human Strength","content_ro":"<h3>Trusting in Human Strength<\/h3>\n<p>God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel demonstrated a lack of trust in the Lord, instead opting to trust in human strength.<\/p>\n<p>On one occasion, Asa, king of Judah, sought help from the king of Aram—a perennial enemy of God’s people—giving him the treasures of the Temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, king of Israel (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani chastised Asa, seeing in Aram a human foe who would continue to be a nemesis to the kingdom of Judah. Previous battles demonstrated that God was the only ally Asa needed (16:8).<\/p>\n<p>Asa’s reliance on the king of Aram revealed a much deeper spiritual problem. Asa forgot that “the eyes of the <span>Lord<\/span> search the whole earth” (16:9; see also Zech 4:10). So when Hanani confronted Asa with the error of his ways, Asa summarily threw the prophet into confinement, and the angry king arbitrarily inflicted cruelties on the people (2 Chr 16:10).<\/p>\n<p>Asa provides a sad example of the human propensity to rely on one’s own tangible resources (see Prov 11:7; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5-6) and to become angry when corrected. Even those who experience the power of the Lord in a very tangible fashion often have this leaning; this was quite true of the generation of Israelites who had been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt. It is much better to rely on the Lord and welcome his direction (cp. Pss 33:18; 37:7; Isa 50:10; Jer 17:7-8; Acts 13:43). Life is a long lesson in trusting God; we might begin by doing what is good and right (2 Chr 14:1-6), but our legacy is not settled until the last deed is done (see Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5). Faithfulness to the Kingdom of God must not be compromised by personal ambitions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 13:4; 2 Kgs 6:15-18; 2 Chr 16:1-10; 32:7-8; Pss 20:6-8; 37:3-7; 60:11-12; Prov 11:7-8; 18:10-12; Eccl 3:14; Isa 31:1-5; Jer 17:5-8; Matt 10:26-31; Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Rev 2:8-11<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Trusting in Human Strength<\/h3>\n<p>God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the people of Israel demonstrated a lack of trust in the Lord, instead opting to trust in human strength.<\/p>\n<p>On one occasion, Asa, king of Judah, sought help from the king of Aram—a perennial enemy of God’s people—giving him the treasures of the Temple and palace so he would attack Baasha, king of Israel (2 Chr 16:1-6). The prophet Hanani chastised Asa, seeing in Aram a human foe who would continue to be a nemesis to the kingdom of Judah. Previous battles demonstrated that God was the only ally Asa needed (16:8).<\/p>\n<p>Asa’s reliance on the king of Aram revealed a much deeper spiritual problem. Asa forgot that “the eyes of the <span>Lord<\/span> search the whole earth” (16:9; see also Zech 4:10). So when Hanani confronted Asa with the error of his ways, Asa summarily threw the prophet into confinement, and the angry king arbitrarily inflicted cruelties on the people (2 Chr 16:10).<\/p>\n<p>Asa provides a sad example of the human propensity to rely on one’s own tangible resources (see Prov 11:7; Isa 31:1; Jer 17:5-6) and to become angry when corrected. Even those who experience the power of the Lord in a very tangible fashion often have this leaning; this was quite true of the generation of Israelites who had been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt. It is much better to rely on the Lord and welcome his direction (cp. Pss 33:18; 37:7; Isa 50:10; Jer 17:7-8; Acts 13:43). Life is a long lesson in trusting God; we might begin by doing what is good and right (2 Chr 14:1-6), but our legacy is not settled until the last deed is done (see Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5). Faithfulness to the Kingdom of God must not be compromised by personal ambitions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 13:4; 2 Kgs 6:15-18; 2 Chr 16:1-10; 32:7-8; Pss 20:6-8; 37:3-7; 60:11-12; Prov 11:7-8; 18:10-12; Eccl 3:14; Isa 31:1-5; Jer 17:5-8; Matt 10:26-31; Rom 2:6-11; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Rev 2:8-11<\/p>","summary_ro":"Trusting in Human Strength God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the pe...","summary_en":"Trusting in Human Strength God had repeatedly displayed his power to his people throughout their history. He took a barren elderly couple and made them the progenitors of a great nation. He rescued this nation from the clutches of the powerful tyrant, Egypt. He performed numerous miracles in preserving them in the wilderness. And he had secured victory over their enemies many times during the conquest, the period of the judges, and the monarchical period. Yet, throughout their history, the pe...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"9":[{"id":5195,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Blasphemy","title_en":"Blasphemy","content_ro":"<h3>BLASPHEMY<\/h3>\n<p>Profane or contemptuous speech or writing about (or action toward) God. In a general sense, “blasphemy” can refer to any slander, including any word or action that insults or devalues another being. In Greek literature the term was used for insulting or deriding living or dead persons, but it was extended to cover the gods as well, including both doubting the power of and mocking the nature of a god.<\/p>\n<p>In the OT, “blasphemy” always means to insult God, either by attacking him directly or mocking him indirectly. Either way the glory and honor of God are lessened, so blasphemy is the opposite of praise. An Israelite might directly insult the “Name” by cursing God (Lv 24:10-16) or deliberately disobey God’s law (Nm 15:30). Either of those blasphemies was punishable by death, as was idolatry, the ultimate blasphemy (Is 66:3). It was thought that Gentiles, who had never experienced the power and majesty of the Lord, were the most likely blasphemers. Thus the king of Assyria blasphemed in equating the Lord with the gods of the nations he had already conquered (2 Kgs 19:4-6, 22). For his arrogance the king was doomed by the word of the prophet Isaiah. God was also mocked when Israel was exiled (Is 52:5), when Edom derided the desolate “mountains of Israel” (Ez 35:12, <span>kjv<\/span>), and when the enemy scoffed that God had not protected Jerusalem (Ps 74:18; 1 Macc 2:6).<\/p>\n<p>In the NT, blasphemy takes on the wider Greek meaning, for it includes slandering a human being (Mt 15:19; see also Rom 3:8; 1 Cor 10:30; Eph 4:31; Ti 3:2), as well as God. It even includes mocking angelic or demonic powers, which is just as wrong as mocking any other being (2 Pt 2:10-12, Jude 1:8-10). In other words, slander, derision, and mocking of any kind are totally condemned in the NT.<\/p>\n<p>The most common form of blasphemy in the NT is blasphemy against God. One might insult God directly (Rv 13:6; 16:9), mock his word (Ti 2:5), or reject his revelation and its bearer (Acts 6:11). Jesus was accused of blasphemy when he claimed to have a prerogative belonging to God—the power to forgive sins (Mk 2:7). John 10:33-36 reports an attempt to stone Jesus; his accusers said to him, “You, being a man, make yourself God” (v 33). Jesus was condemned by the highest Jewish court, the Sanhedrin, on the charge of blasphemy, because he claimed to be the Son of Man (the Messiah) but in their view had given no evidence that he was such an exalted personage, thus appearing to mock the Messiah and, by extension, to mock God himself (Mk 14:64).<\/p>\n<p>Naturally the early Christians viewed Jesus’ trial from another perspective: the guards insulting Jesus (Lk 22:64-65) and the crowds and two dying robbers mocking him on the cross (Mk 15:29-32) were the real blasphemers. Observing how their Lord had been treated, the church was prepared to accept insult as their own lot, both personally (1 Cor 4:13; 1 Tm 1:13; Rv 2:9) and as a response to their message (Acts 13:45; 18:6). On the other hand, the church recognized that even Christians could blaspheme by giving way under persecution (26:11), by teaching false doctrine (2 Pt 2:2), or by behaving in an unbecoming fashion, which would bring others to think less of Christ (Rom 2:24; Ti 2:5).<\/p>\n<p>The Bible makes clear that blasphemy is forgivable (Mt 12:32; Mk 3:28-29), but if a person will not repent, the only remedy is to turn him or her over to Satan to be taught the lesson (1 Tm 1:20).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>BLASPHEMY<\/h3>\n<p>Profane or contemptuous speech or writing about (or action toward) God. In a general sense, “blasphemy” can refer to any slander, including any word or action that insults or devalues another being. In Greek literature the term was used for insulting or deriding living or dead persons, but it was extended to cover the gods as well, including both doubting the power of and mocking the nature of a god.<\/p>\n<p>In the OT, “blasphemy” always means to insult God, either by attacking him directly or mocking him indirectly. Either way the glory and honor of God are lessened, so blasphemy is the opposite of praise. An Israelite might directly insult the “Name” by cursing God (Lv 24:10-16) or deliberately disobey God’s law (Nm 15:30). Either of those blasphemies was punishable by death, as was idolatry, the ultimate blasphemy (Is 66:3). It was thought that Gentiles, who had never experienced the power and majesty of the Lord, were the most likely blasphemers. Thus the king of Assyria blasphemed in equating the Lord with the gods of the nations he had already conquered (2 Kgs 19:4-6, 22). For his arrogance the king was doomed by the word of the prophet Isaiah. God was also mocked when Israel was exiled (Is 52:5), when Edom derided the desolate “mountains of Israel” (Ez 35:12, <span>kjv<\/span>), and when the enemy scoffed that God had not protected Jerusalem (Ps 74:18; 1 Macc 2:6).<\/p>\n<p>In the NT, blasphemy takes on the wider Greek meaning, for it includes slandering a human being (Mt 15:19; see also Rom 3:8; 1 Cor 10:30; Eph 4:31; Ti 3:2), as well as God. It even includes mocking angelic or demonic powers, which is just as wrong as mocking any other being (2 Pt 2:10-12, Jude 1:8-10). In other words, slander, derision, and mocking of any kind are totally condemned in the NT.<\/p>\n<p>The most common form of blasphemy in the NT is blasphemy against God. One might insult God directly (Rv 13:6; 16:9), mock his word (Ti 2:5), or reject his revelation and its bearer (Acts 6:11). Jesus was accused of blasphemy when he claimed to have a prerogative belonging to God—the power to forgive sins (Mk 2:7). John 10:33-36 reports an attempt to stone Jesus; his accusers said to him, “You, being a man, make yourself God” (v 33). Jesus was condemned by the highest Jewish court, the Sanhedrin, on the charge of blasphemy, because he claimed to be the Son of Man (the Messiah) but in their view had given no evidence that he was such an exalted personage, thus appearing to mock the Messiah and, by extension, to mock God himself (Mk 14:64).<\/p>\n<p>Naturally the early Christians viewed Jesus’ trial from another perspective: the guards insulting Jesus (Lk 22:64-65) and the crowds and two dying robbers mocking him on the cross (Mk 15:29-32) were the real blasphemers. Observing how their Lord had been treated, the church was prepared to accept insult as their own lot, both personally (1 Cor 4:13; 1 Tm 1:13; Rv 2:9) and as a response to their message (Acts 13:45; 18:6). On the other hand, the church recognized that even Christians could blaspheme by giving way under persecution (26:11), by teaching false doctrine (2 Pt 2:2), or by behaving in an unbecoming fashion, which would bring others to think less of Christ (Rom 2:24; Ti 2:5).<\/p>\n<p>The Bible makes clear that blasphemy is forgivable (Mt 12:32; Mk 3:28-29), but if a person will not repent, the only remedy is to turn him or her over to Satan to be taught the lesson (1 Tm 1:20).<\/p>","summary_ro":"BLASPHEMY Profane or contemptuous speech or writing about (or action toward) God. In a general sense, “blasphemy” can refer to any slander, including any word or action that insults or devalues another being. In Greek literature the term was used for insulting or deriding living or dead persons, but it was extended to cover the gods as well, including both doubting the power of and mocking the nature of a god. In the OT, “blasphemy” always means to insult God, either by attacking him directly...","summary_en":"BLASPHEMY Profane or contemptuous speech or writing about (or action toward) God. In a general sense, “blasphemy” can refer to any slander, including any word or action that insults or devalues another being. In Greek literature the term was used for insulting or deriding living or dead persons, but it was extended to cover the gods as well, including both doubting the power of and mocking the nature of a god. In the OT, “blasphemy” always means to insult God, either by attacking him directly...","source":"Articles\/B.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":19786,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Jew","title_en":"Jew","content_ro":"<h3>JEW<\/h3>\n<p>Judean, belonging to Judah. The short form of the English word was developed from the French. The underlying Hebrew word is used first in 2 Kings 16:6 as a national term, meaning citizens of Judah. It came into general use in the period of Jeremiah just before the exile (late sixth century <span>BC<\/span>; see Jer 32:12). It reflects a growing sense of national identity among foreign nations in an international world. In Jeremiah 34:9, a statement concerning the national principle that an individual citizen had the right to freedom from slavery uses the term “Jew.” In Jeremiah 52:28 it is poignantly used in giving the number of deported citizens.<\/p>\n<p>Once the people were in exile, the term’s national meaning was expanded with a religious one. The Jews were different from surrounding peoples in that they preserved a living religious tradition of one true God. A Jewish-Gentile polarization developed. Thus in Daniel 3:8-12 certain Jews are accused of deviating from otherwise acceptable Babylonian religious practices. The book of Esther is concerned with the problem of Jewish identity and survival in a hostile alien environment. Esther 8:17 speaks of Gentiles declaring themselves Jews in the religious sense of becoming proselytes.<\/p>\n<p>After the exile, the strongly religious meaning of “Jew” is expressed in the prophecy of Zechariah 8:23 that the Jew would be courted by Gentiles because God was with him. In Ezra 4:12 the term “Jews” is the national designation of the returned exiles, as it is in the book of Nehemiah (e.g., Neh 1:2; 4:2). In Nehemiah 13:24 there is a consciousness of the social exclusiveness of the Jews: on religious grounds, marriage to foreigners is deplored.<\/p>\n<p>In the NT “Jew” continues to have the same national and\/or religious meaning. Culturally, Jews have religious and other customs that NT documents addressed to Gentiles find it necessary to explain (Mk 7:3; Jn 5:1; 19:40). Jews are contrasted with Gentiles (Acts 11:19), Samaritans (Jn 4:9, 22), and proselytes (Acts 2:10). Jewish Christians can be called “Jews” (Gal 2:13), but there is an increasing stress on the religious distinctions between Jew and Christian. In Romans 2:17-29 Paul gives an interesting theological analysis of the term “Jew.” He is at pains to emphasize that the true meaning of the word lies not in outward religious profession but in an inward attitude to God. Paul was doubtless thinking of the inadequacy of his own life as a Jew before he was converted to the Christian faith (cf. Phil 3:3-6). His mention of “praise” in Romans 2:29 is the climax of the passage. It is a forceful play on words: in Hebrew, Judah means praise (Gn 29:35; cf. 49:8).<\/p>\n<p>The apostle Paul is here moving in the direction of regarding Christianity as the true heir of the faith of the OT. Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 express similar sentiments: to be truly a Jew is much more than a matter of birth and synagogue observance. Underlying these passages in both Revelation and Romans is obviously the issue of the messianic claims of Jesus (cf. Rom 9:3-5; 10:1-4). The NT bears sad testimony to the opposition of Jews to the Christian message. The gospel proved a cause of offense to the Jews (1 Cor 1:23). Paul himself, despite his claim of impeccable Jewish credentials (Acts 26:4-7), found himself the object of bitter Jewish attacks (21:11; 23:12, 27). Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 describe the Jews’ opposition as satanic: they were carrying out the work of God’s adversary, Satan.<\/p>\n<p>These negative overtones are especially attached to the use of the word “Jew” in John’s Gospel. It is found some 70 times, versus about five or six instances in each of the synoptic Gospels. Some passages, such as those already cited, have no associations of hostility. But in most cases the fourth Gospel uses “Jews” in the sense of the religious authorities, especially those in Jerusalem, who were hostile to Jesus (see, e.g., Jn 5:18; 9:18; 11:8; 18:36). It is noteworthy that in 9:22 the parents of the blind man, clearly Jews themselves, are said, literally, to fear the investigating Jews. In 18:14 “Jews” stands for the chief priests and Pharisees of 18:3. It must be emphasized that the author, who was obviously a Jew himself, was not expressing an anti-Semitic viewpoint as such. He condemned not race or people but those who opposed Jesus. He gladly acknowledged that some Jews put their faith in Jesus (8:31; 11:45: 12:11). Nathanael is featured as a type of the Christian Jew, a true Israelite “in whom is no guile” (1:47; cf. v 31; see Gn 27:35; 32:28).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Diaspora of the Jews; Israel, History of; Judaism; Judaizers; Pharisees; Postexilic Period.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>JEW<\/h3>\n<p>Judean, belonging to Judah. The short form of the English word was developed from the French. The underlying Hebrew word is used first in 2 Kings 16:6 as a national term, meaning citizens of Judah. It came into general use in the period of Jeremiah just before the exile (late sixth century <span>BC<\/span>; see Jer 32:12). It reflects a growing sense of national identity among foreign nations in an international world. In Jeremiah 34:9, a statement concerning the national principle that an individual citizen had the right to freedom from slavery uses the term “Jew.” In Jeremiah 52:28 it is poignantly used in giving the number of deported citizens.<\/p>\n<p>Once the people were in exile, the term’s national meaning was expanded with a religious one. The Jews were different from surrounding peoples in that they preserved a living religious tradition of one true God. A Jewish-Gentile polarization developed. Thus in Daniel 3:8-12 certain Jews are accused of deviating from otherwise acceptable Babylonian religious practices. The book of Esther is concerned with the problem of Jewish identity and survival in a hostile alien environment. Esther 8:17 speaks of Gentiles declaring themselves Jews in the religious sense of becoming proselytes.<\/p>\n<p>After the exile, the strongly religious meaning of “Jew” is expressed in the prophecy of Zechariah 8:23 that the Jew would be courted by Gentiles because God was with him. In Ezra 4:12 the term “Jews” is the national designation of the returned exiles, as it is in the book of Nehemiah (e.g., Neh 1:2; 4:2). In Nehemiah 13:24 there is a consciousness of the social exclusiveness of the Jews: on religious grounds, marriage to foreigners is deplored.<\/p>\n<p>In the NT “Jew” continues to have the same national and\/or religious meaning. Culturally, Jews have religious and other customs that NT documents addressed to Gentiles find it necessary to explain (Mk 7:3; Jn 5:1; 19:40). Jews are contrasted with Gentiles (Acts 11:19), Samaritans (Jn 4:9, 22), and proselytes (Acts 2:10). Jewish Christians can be called “Jews” (Gal 2:13), but there is an increasing stress on the religious distinctions between Jew and Christian. In Romans 2:17-29 Paul gives an interesting theological analysis of the term “Jew.” He is at pains to emphasize that the true meaning of the word lies not in outward religious profession but in an inward attitude to God. Paul was doubtless thinking of the inadequacy of his own life as a Jew before he was converted to the Christian faith (cf. Phil 3:3-6). His mention of “praise” in Romans 2:29 is the climax of the passage. It is a forceful play on words: in Hebrew, Judah means praise (Gn 29:35; cf. 49:8).<\/p>\n<p>The apostle Paul is here moving in the direction of regarding Christianity as the true heir of the faith of the OT. Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 express similar sentiments: to be truly a Jew is much more than a matter of birth and synagogue observance. Underlying these passages in both Revelation and Romans is obviously the issue of the messianic claims of Jesus (cf. Rom 9:3-5; 10:1-4). The NT bears sad testimony to the opposition of Jews to the Christian message. The gospel proved a cause of offense to the Jews (1 Cor 1:23). Paul himself, despite his claim of impeccable Jewish credentials (Acts 26:4-7), found himself the object of bitter Jewish attacks (21:11; 23:12, 27). Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 describe the Jews’ opposition as satanic: they were carrying out the work of God’s adversary, Satan.<\/p>\n<p>These negative overtones are especially attached to the use of the word “Jew” in John’s Gospel. It is found some 70 times, versus about five or six instances in each of the synoptic Gospels. Some passages, such as those already cited, have no associations of hostility. But in most cases the fourth Gospel uses “Jews” in the sense of the religious authorities, especially those in Jerusalem, who were hostile to Jesus (see, e.g., Jn 5:18; 9:18; 11:8; 18:36). It is noteworthy that in 9:22 the parents of the blind man, clearly Jews themselves, are said, literally, to fear the investigating Jews. In 18:14 “Jews” stands for the chief priests and Pharisees of 18:3. It must be emphasized that the author, who was obviously a Jew himself, was not expressing an anti-Semitic viewpoint as such. He condemned not race or people but those who opposed Jesus. He gladly acknowledged that some Jews put their faith in Jesus (8:31; 11:45: 12:11). Nathanael is featured as a type of the Christian Jew, a true Israelite “in whom is no guile” (1:47; cf. v 31; see Gn 27:35; 32:28).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Diaspora of the Jews; Israel, History of; Judaism; Judaizers; Pharisees; Postexilic Period.<\/p>","summary_ro":"JEW Judean, belonging to Judah. The short form of the English word was developed from the French. The underlying Hebrew word is used first in 2 Kings 16:6 as a national term, meaning citizens of Judah. It came into general use in the period of Jeremiah just before the exile (late sixth century BC; see Jer 32:12). It reflects a growing sense of national identity among foreign nations in an international world. In Jeremiah 34:9, a statement concerning the national principle that an individual c...","summary_en":"JEW Judean, belonging to Judah. The short form of the English word was developed from the French. The underlying Hebrew word is used first in 2 Kings 16:6 as a national term, meaning citizens of Judah. It came into general use in the period of Jeremiah just before the exile (late sixth century BC; see Jer 32:12). It reflects a growing sense of national identity among foreign nations in an international world. In Jeremiah 34:9, a statement concerning the national principle that an individual c...","source":"Articles\/J.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":33988,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Satan","title_en":"Satan","content_ro":"<h3>SATAN<\/h3>\n<p>Spirit being who opposes God and seeks to frustrate his plans and lead his people into rebellion.<\/p>\n<p>Satan is seldom mentioned in the OT. He is pictured as an angel who acts as the heavenly prosecutor (Jb 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Zec 3:1-2). As such, he is called “the satan” or “the accuser,” and there is nothing in the context to indicate that the angel is evil. It is not until the late OT period that Satan appears as a tempter: in 1 Chronicles 21:1, the story of 2 Samuel 24:1 is retold with Satan (used for the first time as a proper name) substituted for God and pictured as an evil figure. The OT, then, has no developed doctrine of Satan but contains the raw material from which the later doctrine came. (Some people see Lucifer of Is 14:12 as a reference to Satan, but the context is clearly referring to the king of Babylon; it is therefore unlikely that any reference to Satan was intended.)<\/p>\n<p>The Jews further developed the idea of Satan during the intertestamental period, also calling him Belial, Mastema, and Sammael. Three differing conceptions appear. First, the Satan of the OT reappears in the roles of tempting people, of accusing them in heaven before God, and of hindering God’s saving plan (Jubilees 11:5; 17:16; Assumption of Moses 17; 1 Enoch 40:7). Second, the Dead Sea Scrolls present Satan (Belial) as the leader of the evil forces and attacker of the righteous. This development was probably influenced by the evil god of Zoroastrian religion. But unlike the Zoroastrian idea, the scrolls never present two gods but rather one God who has created both Belial and the Prince of Light (who is sure to win in the end, for God is with him). Third, in this literature Satan is often identified with OT stories from which his name was originally absent: he lusted after Eve and therefore caused the fall (Wisd of Sol 2:24), he controls the angels who fell in Genesis 6:1-4 (Jubilees 10:5-8; 19:28), or he is a fallen angel himself (2 Enoch 29:4).<\/p>\n<p>The NT has a developed portrayal of Satan, and he comes with a whole list of names: Satan (Hebrew for “accuser”), devil (the Greek translation of Satan), Belial, Beelzebul, the Adversary, the Dragon, the Enemy, the Serpent, the Tester, and the Wicked One. Satan is pictured as the ruler of a host of angels (Mt 25:41) and the controller of the world (Lk 4:6; Acts 26:18; 2 Cor 4:4), who especially governs all who are not Christians (Mk 4:15; Jn 8:44; Acts 13:10; Col 1:13). He is opposed to God and seeks to alienate all people from God; therefore, he is an especially dangerous foe of Christians (Lk 8:33; 1 Cor 7:5; 1 Pt 5:8), who must steadfastly resist him and see through his cunning (2 Cor 2:11; Eph 6:11; Jas 4:7). Satan works his evil will by tempting persons (Jn 13:2; Acts 5:3), by hindering God’s workers (1 Thes 2:18), by accusing Christians before God (Rv 12:10), and by controlling the evil persons who resist the gospel (2 Thes 2:9; Rv 2:9, 13; 13:2).<\/p>\n<p>Most importantly, however, the NT teaches us that this being, who has been evil from the beginning (1 Jn 3:8), has now been bound and cast out of heaven through the ministry of Jesus (Lk 10:18; Rv 12). While Satan is still a dangerous enemy, Jesus himself prays for us and has given us the powerful weapons of prayer, faith, and the efficacy of his blood. Satan can still cause physical illness when allowed by God (2 Cor 12:7), and persons can be delivered over to him for punishment (1 Cor 5:5; 1 Tm 1:20). Satan will always be under God’s control, who will eventually destroy him (Rom 16:20; Rv 20:10).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Angel; Demon; Demon-possession; Lucifer.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>SATAN<\/h3>\n<p>Spirit being who opposes God and seeks to frustrate his plans and lead his people into rebellion.<\/p>\n<p>Satan is seldom mentioned in the OT. He is pictured as an angel who acts as the heavenly prosecutor (Jb 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Zec 3:1-2). As such, he is called “the satan” or “the accuser,” and there is nothing in the context to indicate that the angel is evil. It is not until the late OT period that Satan appears as a tempter: in 1 Chronicles 21:1, the story of 2 Samuel 24:1 is retold with Satan (used for the first time as a proper name) substituted for God and pictured as an evil figure. The OT, then, has no developed doctrine of Satan but contains the raw material from which the later doctrine came. (Some people see Lucifer of Is 14:12 as a reference to Satan, but the context is clearly referring to the king of Babylon; it is therefore unlikely that any reference to Satan was intended.)<\/p>\n<p>The Jews further developed the idea of Satan during the intertestamental period, also calling him Belial, Mastema, and Sammael. Three differing conceptions appear. First, the Satan of the OT reappears in the roles of tempting people, of accusing them in heaven before God, and of hindering God’s saving plan (Jubilees 11:5; 17:16; Assumption of Moses 17; 1 Enoch 40:7). Second, the Dead Sea Scrolls present Satan (Belial) as the leader of the evil forces and attacker of the righteous. This development was probably influenced by the evil god of Zoroastrian religion. But unlike the Zoroastrian idea, the scrolls never present two gods but rather one God who has created both Belial and the Prince of Light (who is sure to win in the end, for God is with him). Third, in this literature Satan is often identified with OT stories from which his name was originally absent: he lusted after Eve and therefore caused the fall (Wisd of Sol 2:24), he controls the angels who fell in Genesis 6:1-4 (Jubilees 10:5-8; 19:28), or he is a fallen angel himself (2 Enoch 29:4).<\/p>\n<p>The NT has a developed portrayal of Satan, and he comes with a whole list of names: Satan (Hebrew for “accuser”), devil (the Greek translation of Satan), Belial, Beelzebul, the Adversary, the Dragon, the Enemy, the Serpent, the Tester, and the Wicked One. Satan is pictured as the ruler of a host of angels (Mt 25:41) and the controller of the world (Lk 4:6; Acts 26:18; 2 Cor 4:4), who especially governs all who are not Christians (Mk 4:15; Jn 8:44; Acts 13:10; Col 1:13). He is opposed to God and seeks to alienate all people from God; therefore, he is an especially dangerous foe of Christians (Lk 8:33; 1 Cor 7:5; 1 Pt 5:8), who must steadfastly resist him and see through his cunning (2 Cor 2:11; Eph 6:11; Jas 4:7). Satan works his evil will by tempting persons (Jn 13:2; Acts 5:3), by hindering God’s workers (1 Thes 2:18), by accusing Christians before God (Rv 12:10), and by controlling the evil persons who resist the gospel (2 Thes 2:9; Rv 2:9, 13; 13:2).<\/p>\n<p>Most importantly, however, the NT teaches us that this being, who has been evil from the beginning (1 Jn 3:8), has now been bound and cast out of heaven through the ministry of Jesus (Lk 10:18; Rv 12). While Satan is still a dangerous enemy, Jesus himself prays for us and has given us the powerful weapons of prayer, faith, and the efficacy of his blood. Satan can still cause physical illness when allowed by God (2 Cor 12:7), and persons can be delivered over to him for punishment (1 Cor 5:5; 1 Tm 1:20). Satan will always be under God’s control, who will eventually destroy him (Rom 16:20; Rv 20:10).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Angel; Demon; Demon-possession; Lucifer.<\/p>","summary_ro":"SATAN Spirit being who opposes God and seeks to frustrate his plans and lead his people into rebellion. Satan is seldom mentioned in the OT. He is pictured as an angel who acts as the heavenly prosecutor (Jb 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Zec 3:1-2). As such, he is called “the satan” or “the accuser,” and there is nothing in the context to indicate that the angel is evil. It is not until the late OT period that Satan appears as a tempter: in 1 Chronicles 21:1, the story of 2 Samuel 24:1 is retold with Satan ...","summary_en":"SATAN Spirit being who opposes God and seeks to frustrate his plans and lead his people into rebellion. Satan is seldom mentioned in the OT. He is pictured as an angel who acts as the heavenly prosecutor (Jb 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Zec 3:1-2). As such, he is called “the satan” or “the accuser,” and there is nothing in the context to indicate that the angel is evil. It is not until the late OT period that Satan appears as a tempter: in 1 Chronicles 21:1, the story of 2 Samuel 24:1 is retold with Satan ...","source":"Articles\/S.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":35682,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Smyrna","title_en":"Smyrna","content_ro":"<h3>SMYRNA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey.<\/p>\n<p>Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the Great in 334 <span>BC<\/span> at a site farther south along the gulf. Although built by the energy of the Seleucids, the city recognized the coming dominance of Pergamum and entered into an alliance with its king. Later, with remarkable foresight, she transferred her allegiance to Rome, and in 195 <span>BC<\/span> built a temple in which Rome was worshiped as a deity. As a reward for Smyrna’s early commitment to the rising Roman influence, the city prospered under Roman rule, partly as a rival to Pergamum and partly as a rival to the prosperous island of Rhodes. Because they had been an ally of the Romans, the people of Smyrna thought it would be to their credit to build (in <span>AD<\/span> 26) a temple in which the Roman emperor would be honored. This city became the seat of the Caesar cult that afflicted the church so seriously during the latter half of the first century.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation 2:8 speaks of the city as being “dead and then alive,” a possible allusion to the period of 300 years when it lay devastated until revived by Alexander and the Macedonians. Ancient writers, including Appollonius and Aristides, spoke of Smyrna as having the “crown of life.” This was a way of describing the hilltop behind the city as if it crowned Smyrna on top, with its feet at the seashore. The promise of “the crown of life” to the Smyrnean believers probably plays off this image. This promise was given to those believers in Smyrna who would remain faithful through persecution. The reference to the “synagogue of Satan” (Rv 2:9) and to the devil putting them in prison (v 10) reflects the tribulation probably experienced under the Roman emperor Domitian (c. <span>AD<\/span> 95). It became a crime punishable by death to refuse to worship the image of the Roman emperor as “lord.” Many Christians were compelled to choose between “Caesar as Lord” or “Jesus as Lord.” To choose Jesus was to choose martyrdom.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>SMYRNA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey.<\/p>\n<p>Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the Great in 334 <span>BC<\/span> at a site farther south along the gulf. Although built by the energy of the Seleucids, the city recognized the coming dominance of Pergamum and entered into an alliance with its king. Later, with remarkable foresight, she transferred her allegiance to Rome, and in 195 <span>BC<\/span> built a temple in which Rome was worshiped as a deity. As a reward for Smyrna’s early commitment to the rising Roman influence, the city prospered under Roman rule, partly as a rival to Pergamum and partly as a rival to the prosperous island of Rhodes. Because they had been an ally of the Romans, the people of Smyrna thought it would be to their credit to build (in <span>AD<\/span> 26) a temple in which the Roman emperor would be honored. This city became the seat of the Caesar cult that afflicted the church so seriously during the latter half of the first century.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation 2:8 speaks of the city as being “dead and then alive,” a possible allusion to the period of 300 years when it lay devastated until revived by Alexander and the Macedonians. Ancient writers, including Appollonius and Aristides, spoke of Smyrna as having the “crown of life.” This was a way of describing the hilltop behind the city as if it crowned Smyrna on top, with its feet at the seashore. The promise of “the crown of life” to the Smyrnean believers probably plays off this image. This promise was given to those believers in Smyrna who would remain faithful through persecution. The reference to the “synagogue of Satan” (Rv 2:9) and to the devil putting them in prison (v 10) reflects the tribulation probably experienced under the Roman emperor Domitian (c. <span>AD<\/span> 95). It became a crime punishable by death to refuse to worship the image of the Roman emperor as “lord.” Many Christians were compelled to choose between “Caesar as Lord” or “Jesus as Lord.” To choose Jesus was to choose martyrdom.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","summary_ro":"SMYRNA Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey. Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the G...","summary_en":"SMYRNA Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey. Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the G...","source":"Articles\/S.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59327,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:9","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:9<\/strong> Jesus connected material <em>poverty<\/em> with the blessing of being <em>rich<\/em> in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • <em>Jews<\/em> who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with <em>Satan<\/em> in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and Gentile Christians.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:9<\/strong> Jesus connected material <em>poverty<\/em> with the blessing of being <em>rich<\/em> in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • <em>Jews<\/em> who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with <em>Satan<\/em> in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and Gentile Christians.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:9 Jesus connected material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • Jews who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with Satan in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and ...","summary_en":"2:9 Jesus connected material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • Jews who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with Satan in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and ...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86953,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:9","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:9<\/strong> Jesus connected material <em>poverty<\/em> with the blessing of being <em>rich<\/em> in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • <em>Jews<\/em> who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with <em>Satan<\/em> in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and Gentile Christians.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:9<\/strong> Jesus connected material <em>poverty<\/em> with the blessing of being <em>rich<\/em> in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • <em>Jews<\/em> who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with <em>Satan<\/em> in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and Gentile Christians.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:9 Jesus connected material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • Jews who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with Satan in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and ...","summary_en":"2:9 Jesus connected material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • Jews who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with Satan in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and ...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114579,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:9","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:9<\/strong> Jesus connected material <em>poverty<\/em> with the blessing of being <em>rich<\/em> in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • <em>Jews<\/em> who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with <em>Satan<\/em> in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and Gentile Christians.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:9<\/strong> Jesus connected material <em>poverty<\/em> with the blessing of being <em>rich<\/em> in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • <em>Jews<\/em> who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with <em>Satan<\/em> in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and Gentile Christians.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:9 Jesus connected material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • Jews who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with Satan in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and ...","summary_en":"2:9 Jesus connected material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • Jews who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with Satan in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and ...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142205,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:9","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:9<\/strong> Jesus connected material <em>poverty<\/em> with the blessing of being <em>rich<\/em> in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • <em>Jews<\/em> who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with <em>Satan<\/em> in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and Gentile Christians.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:9<\/strong> Jesus connected material <em>poverty<\/em> with the blessing of being <em>rich<\/em> in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • <em>Jews<\/em> who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with <em>Satan<\/em> in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and Gentile Christians.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:9 Jesus connected material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • Jews who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with Satan in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and ...","summary_en":"2:9 Jesus connected material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God’s Kingdom (Matt 5:3, 10-12; Luke 6:20). • Jews who had no faith are condemned for aligning themselves with Satan in hostile opposition to the Christian faith (Rev 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2-5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Gal 5:11; 1 Thes 2:14-16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, the Jews excluded Christians as unholy heretics. John was not anti-Semitic; he was a Jew describing the actions of fellow Jews against Jewish and ...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"10":[{"id":42571,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Stephen","title_en":"Stephen","content_ro":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","summary_en":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":70197,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Stephen","title_en":"Stephen","content_ro":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","summary_en":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":97823,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Stephen","title_en":"Stephen","content_ro":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","summary_en":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":125449,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Stephen","title_en":"Stephen","content_ro":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","summary_en":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":8180,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Crown","title_en":"Crown","content_ro":"<h3>CROWN<\/h3>\n<p>Headpiece symbolizing honor or high office. In addition to using the word metaphorically, the OT refers to three kinds of crowns. One type of crown was worn by the high priest and Hebrew kings. The high priest’s “holy crown” was a gold plate engraved with the words “Holy to the Lord” fastened to the front of a turban (Ex 29:6; 39:30). It symbolized his consecration as the people’s representative before God. The Hebrew kings wore a crown light enough to be worn into battle (2 Sm 1:10)—perhaps a narrow band of silk studded with jewels. Like the high priest’s, the king’s crown also indicated a divinely appointed office (2 Kgs 11:12; Pss 89:39; 132:18). A second type of crown was a massive gold and jeweled symbol of office worn by pagan kings and idols (2 Sm 12:30; Est 1:11). The prophet Zechariah placed such a crown on Joshua the high priest to indicate the union of royal and priestly functions (Zec 6:11, 14). A third type of crown was a wreath of flowers used at a banquet to symbolize joy and celebration (Sg 3:11; Is 28:1; Wisd of Sol 2:8).<\/p>\n<p>The word “crown” is used metaphorically to indicate rule or royalty (Na 3:17, <span>kjv<\/span>), glory or honor (Jb 19:9; Ps 8:5; Ez 16:12), joy (Ez 23:42), or pride (Jb 31:36; Is 28:3).<\/p>\n<p>In the NT the most common word for “crown” means a laurel wreath worn at banquets or a prize given as a civic or military honor. The apostle Paul alluded to its use as an athletic prize when he urged Christians to be disciplined in striving for a “crown” that would not wither (1 Cor 9:25; 2 Tm 2:5). Paul regarded his converts as his “joy and crown” (Phil 4:1; 1 Thes 2:19).<\/p>\n<p>A victor’s wreath symbolizes the eternal life inherited by Christians who have persevered (Jas 1:12; 1 Pt 5:4; Rv 2:10; 3:11). In the book of Revelation the victories of the locusts (9:7), the woman (12:1), and Christ (6:2; 14:14) are symbolized by laurel crowns. A different Greek word, meaning a royal crown, is used for the diadems on the heads of the dragon (12:3), the beast from the sea (13:1), and Christ (19:12).<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ crown of thorns was a circlet formed from a prickly shrub—an ironic parody of a victor’s wreath (Mk 15:17-18). Its combination with the robe, scepter (Mt 27:27-29), and satirical inscription on the cross that Jesus was “the King of the Jews” (Mk 15:26), were all meant to mock him as a defeated messianic aspirant.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>CROWN<\/h3>\n<p>Headpiece symbolizing honor or high office. In addition to using the word metaphorically, the OT refers to three kinds of crowns. One type of crown was worn by the high priest and Hebrew kings. The high priest’s “holy crown” was a gold plate engraved with the words “Holy to the Lord” fastened to the front of a turban (Ex 29:6; 39:30). It symbolized his consecration as the people’s representative before God. The Hebrew kings wore a crown light enough to be worn into battle (2 Sm 1:10)—perhaps a narrow band of silk studded with jewels. Like the high priest’s, the king’s crown also indicated a divinely appointed office (2 Kgs 11:12; Pss 89:39; 132:18). A second type of crown was a massive gold and jeweled symbol of office worn by pagan kings and idols (2 Sm 12:30; Est 1:11). The prophet Zechariah placed such a crown on Joshua the high priest to indicate the union of royal and priestly functions (Zec 6:11, 14). A third type of crown was a wreath of flowers used at a banquet to symbolize joy and celebration (Sg 3:11; Is 28:1; Wisd of Sol 2:8).<\/p>\n<p>The word “crown” is used metaphorically to indicate rule or royalty (Na 3:17, <span>kjv<\/span>), glory or honor (Jb 19:9; Ps 8:5; Ez 16:12), joy (Ez 23:42), or pride (Jb 31:36; Is 28:3).<\/p>\n<p>In the NT the most common word for “crown” means a laurel wreath worn at banquets or a prize given as a civic or military honor. The apostle Paul alluded to its use as an athletic prize when he urged Christians to be disciplined in striving for a “crown” that would not wither (1 Cor 9:25; 2 Tm 2:5). Paul regarded his converts as his “joy and crown” (Phil 4:1; 1 Thes 2:19).<\/p>\n<p>A victor’s wreath symbolizes the eternal life inherited by Christians who have persevered (Jas 1:12; 1 Pt 5:4; Rv 2:10; 3:11). In the book of Revelation the victories of the locusts (9:7), the woman (12:1), and Christ (6:2; 14:14) are symbolized by laurel crowns. A different Greek word, meaning a royal crown, is used for the diadems on the heads of the dragon (12:3), the beast from the sea (13:1), and Christ (19:12).<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ crown of thorns was a circlet formed from a prickly shrub—an ironic parody of a victor’s wreath (Mk 15:17-18). Its combination with the robe, scepter (Mt 27:27-29), and satirical inscription on the cross that Jesus was “the King of the Jews” (Mk 15:26), were all meant to mock him as a defeated messianic aspirant.<\/p>","summary_ro":"CROWN Headpiece symbolizing honor or high office. In addition to using the word metaphorically, the OT refers to three kinds of crowns. One type of crown was worn by the high priest and Hebrew kings. The high priest’s “holy crown” was a gold plate engraved with the words “Holy to the Lord” fastened to the front of a turban (Ex 29:6; 39:30). It symbolized his consecration as the people’s representative before God. The Hebrew kings wore a crown light enough to be worn into battle (2 Sm 1:10)—pe...","summary_en":"CROWN Headpiece symbolizing honor or high office. In addition to using the word metaphorically, the OT refers to three kinds of crowns. One type of crown was worn by the high priest and Hebrew kings. The high priest’s “holy crown” was a gold plate engraved with the words “Holy to the Lord” fastened to the front of a turban (Ex 29:6; 39:30). It symbolized his consecration as the people’s representative before God. The Hebrew kings wore a crown light enough to be worn into battle (2 Sm 1:10)—pe...","source":"Articles\/C.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":15843,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Heaven","title_en":"Heaven","content_ro":"<h3>HEAVEN<\/h3>\n<p>Realm (or realms) designated by a Hebrew term used to represent the sky and air and also heaven. The form of the word in Hebrew is dual (implying two of something). Although this dual form may only represent an ancient device for expressing the plural, it is supposed by some to imply the existence of a lower and an upper heaven—a physical and a spiritual heaven.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheOldTestament\">In the Old Testament<\/p>\n<p>The OT writers viewed the physical heavens as a “firmament” appearing as a great arch supported on foundations and pillars (2 Sm 22:8) and spread out above the earth, with rain descending through its doors (Ps 78:23). The keynote of the OT revelation about the physical heavens is set forth in Psalms 8 and 19:1-6. Elsewhere the OT speaks of the atmospheric heavens as the region of the clouds (Ps 147:8), winds (Zec 2:6), rain (Dt 11:11), thunder (1 Sm 2:10), dew (Dt 33:13), frost (Jb 38:29), and the abode of birds (Gn 1:26, 30). It is also the locale of such destructive forces as hail (Jos 10:11), fire, and brimstone (Gn 19:24). In the NT this notion of the vaulted expanse of the sky as the region in which the elements, clouds, and tempests gather (Mt 16:2; Lk 4:25) and birds fly (Lk 9:58) is continued.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the atmospheric regions, the Hebrew idea of the physical heavens includes stellar space, which ultimately embraces the universe. The heavenly bodies of the stellar heavens were viewed by the Hebrews as inexpressibly glorious manifestations of God’s handiwork without having any power or vitality of their own. These include the sun, moon, planets, and stars, which were but lights in the firmament of the heavens (Gn 1:14; 15:5). As such, they were regarded as unworthy of worship because God had, by his own will and grace, made humans superior to them. In fact, the Hebrews were expressly forbidden to worship the stellar bodies (Ex 20:4), the gods and goddesses who represented them (Jer 44:17-25), or to participate in astrological speculation (Is 47:13). Hence, this unique theological ordinance differentiated the Hebrews, who viewed the heavenly bodies as made and moved by the will of God, from the superstitious heathen, who worshiped them.<\/p>\n<p>The term “heaven of heavens” (Dt 10:14; see also <span>kjv<\/span> 1 Kgs 8:27; Pss 68:33; 148:4) is the literal English rendition of the Hebrew idiom for the superlative “the highest heaven.” Some have thought this the counterpart to Paul’s expression “the third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2), which parallels the classical Greek conception of three heavens. This notion was subsequently adopted by the Roman Catholic medieval church and in the Latin form of <em>Coelum Aqueum, Coelum Sidereum,<\/em> and <em>Coelum Empyreum.<\/em> The basic concept followed the Greek view, and it coincides with the OT view of the physical and spiritual heavens as indicated earlier. Those who follow this approach tend to regard this third heaven as the place reached by the souls of the blessed as they pass through the two lower regions of the atmosphere and outer space containing the celestial bodies, and enter into the uttermost reaches of the universe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheNewTestament\">In the New Testament<\/p>\n<p>The Lord Jesus indicated that heaven is the dwelling place of God (Mt 6:9). Jesus, during his earthly ministry, repeatedly claimed that he had come from heaven (Jn 3:13; 6:33-51); and on at least three occasions utterances from heaven confirmed these claims (Mt 3:16-17; 17:5; Jn 12:28). There is where the true tabernacle stands, of which the earthly tabernacle was merely a shadow (cf. Heb 8:1-5). That abode of God was in view when the apostle Paul wrote of “the third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2). As such, it is often seen as a synonym for God himself (cf. Mt 23:22; Lk 15:18).<\/p>\n<p>After Jesus’ ascension, recorded in Acts 1:6-11, two angels reminded the disciples that Jesus would return again from heaven. This was later confirmed by the apostle Paul (1 Cor 15:1-11; Eph 4:7-16; 1 Tm 3:16) and reiterated in the summary of the teachings of the NT known as the Apostles’ Creed. In all, the relationship of Jesus Christ to the heavenly abode of God is inextricably interwoven in the NT and is inseparable from the gospel message itself. Indeed, it is from the “right hand of God” that Christ forever lives to make intercession for those who have come to him by faith (Heb 7:25; cf. Mk 14:62).<\/p>\n<p>Paul asserts that the believer’s body will be made conformable to the glorious body of Jesus Christ when Christ returns from heaven (Phil 3:20-21). The believers need such a heavenly body to match their heavenly citizenship. The term “citizenship” (<span>kjv<\/span>) or “commonwealth” (<span>rsv<\/span>) implies a colony of individuals who live in a foreign country while observing the laws of their homeland instead of the land in which they reside (cf. Acts 22:28). The implication for believers is quite clear: They are to live according to the moral and ethical principles of God as revealed from heaven regardless of the standards proclaimed by the world. They have been raised together with Christ and have been instructed to “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). From there Christ has blessed his followers “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:3). The expression “in the heavenly places” is peculiar to Ephesians (see 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12), suggesting that the blessings of the spiritual world are not relegated to some remote future time or place but can be perceived by faith here and now. That is why believers are said to have been made partakers already in the heavenly calling (Heb 3:1; 6:4).<\/p>\n<p>In the meanwhile, believers look forward to a new heaven and a new earth with the new Jerusalem. There will be no tears, sorrow, pain, death, and night there because the Son of God will be there (Rv 21:1-4, 27; 22:1-5), and in the resurrected state there will be no marrying or giving in marriage (Lk 20:27-38). At least two OT saints, Enoch (Gn 5:22-24; Heb 11:5) and Elijah (2 Kgs 2:11), were translated directly into the presence of God—into heaven. In addition to Paul’s statement about the third heaven, John was called into heaven (Rv 4:1), a heaven that is intended to be populated (cf. 19:1). All believers will ultimately dwell in heaven in their resurrection bodies, which they will receive when the Lord comes for them from heaven (1 Thes 4:16-17; Rv 19:1-4). The Lord will also give treasures and rewards at that time (Mt 5:12; 1 Cor 9:25; 2 Cor 5:1; 2 Tm 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pt 1:4; 5:4; Rv 2:10; 4:10).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> “Abraham’s Bosom”; New Heavens and New Earth; Paradise.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>HEAVEN<\/h3>\n<p>Realm (or realms) designated by a Hebrew term used to represent the sky and air and also heaven. The form of the word in Hebrew is dual (implying two of something). Although this dual form may only represent an ancient device for expressing the plural, it is supposed by some to imply the existence of a lower and an upper heaven—a physical and a spiritual heaven.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheOldTestament\">In the Old Testament<\/p>\n<p>The OT writers viewed the physical heavens as a “firmament” appearing as a great arch supported on foundations and pillars (2 Sm 22:8) and spread out above the earth, with rain descending through its doors (Ps 78:23). The keynote of the OT revelation about the physical heavens is set forth in Psalms 8 and 19:1-6. Elsewhere the OT speaks of the atmospheric heavens as the region of the clouds (Ps 147:8), winds (Zec 2:6), rain (Dt 11:11), thunder (1 Sm 2:10), dew (Dt 33:13), frost (Jb 38:29), and the abode of birds (Gn 1:26, 30). It is also the locale of such destructive forces as hail (Jos 10:11), fire, and brimstone (Gn 19:24). In the NT this notion of the vaulted expanse of the sky as the region in which the elements, clouds, and tempests gather (Mt 16:2; Lk 4:25) and birds fly (Lk 9:58) is continued.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the atmospheric regions, the Hebrew idea of the physical heavens includes stellar space, which ultimately embraces the universe. The heavenly bodies of the stellar heavens were viewed by the Hebrews as inexpressibly glorious manifestations of God’s handiwork without having any power or vitality of their own. These include the sun, moon, planets, and stars, which were but lights in the firmament of the heavens (Gn 1:14; 15:5). As such, they were regarded as unworthy of worship because God had, by his own will and grace, made humans superior to them. In fact, the Hebrews were expressly forbidden to worship the stellar bodies (Ex 20:4), the gods and goddesses who represented them (Jer 44:17-25), or to participate in astrological speculation (Is 47:13). Hence, this unique theological ordinance differentiated the Hebrews, who viewed the heavenly bodies as made and moved by the will of God, from the superstitious heathen, who worshiped them.<\/p>\n<p>The term “heaven of heavens” (Dt 10:14; see also <span>kjv<\/span> 1 Kgs 8:27; Pss 68:33; 148:4) is the literal English rendition of the Hebrew idiom for the superlative “the highest heaven.” Some have thought this the counterpart to Paul’s expression “the third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2), which parallels the classical Greek conception of three heavens. This notion was subsequently adopted by the Roman Catholic medieval church and in the Latin form of <em>Coelum Aqueum, Coelum Sidereum,<\/em> and <em>Coelum Empyreum.<\/em> The basic concept followed the Greek view, and it coincides with the OT view of the physical and spiritual heavens as indicated earlier. Those who follow this approach tend to regard this third heaven as the place reached by the souls of the blessed as they pass through the two lower regions of the atmosphere and outer space containing the celestial bodies, and enter into the uttermost reaches of the universe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"IntheNewTestament\">In the New Testament<\/p>\n<p>The Lord Jesus indicated that heaven is the dwelling place of God (Mt 6:9). Jesus, during his earthly ministry, repeatedly claimed that he had come from heaven (Jn 3:13; 6:33-51); and on at least three occasions utterances from heaven confirmed these claims (Mt 3:16-17; 17:5; Jn 12:28). There is where the true tabernacle stands, of which the earthly tabernacle was merely a shadow (cf. Heb 8:1-5). That abode of God was in view when the apostle Paul wrote of “the third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2). As such, it is often seen as a synonym for God himself (cf. Mt 23:22; Lk 15:18).<\/p>\n<p>After Jesus’ ascension, recorded in Acts 1:6-11, two angels reminded the disciples that Jesus would return again from heaven. This was later confirmed by the apostle Paul (1 Cor 15:1-11; Eph 4:7-16; 1 Tm 3:16) and reiterated in the summary of the teachings of the NT known as the Apostles’ Creed. In all, the relationship of Jesus Christ to the heavenly abode of God is inextricably interwoven in the NT and is inseparable from the gospel message itself. Indeed, it is from the “right hand of God” that Christ forever lives to make intercession for those who have come to him by faith (Heb 7:25; cf. Mk 14:62).<\/p>\n<p>Paul asserts that the believer’s body will be made conformable to the glorious body of Jesus Christ when Christ returns from heaven (Phil 3:20-21). The believers need such a heavenly body to match their heavenly citizenship. The term “citizenship” (<span>kjv<\/span>) or “commonwealth” (<span>rsv<\/span>) implies a colony of individuals who live in a foreign country while observing the laws of their homeland instead of the land in which they reside (cf. Acts 22:28). The implication for believers is quite clear: They are to live according to the moral and ethical principles of God as revealed from heaven regardless of the standards proclaimed by the world. They have been raised together with Christ and have been instructed to “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). From there Christ has blessed his followers “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:3). The expression “in the heavenly places” is peculiar to Ephesians (see 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12), suggesting that the blessings of the spiritual world are not relegated to some remote future time or place but can be perceived by faith here and now. That is why believers are said to have been made partakers already in the heavenly calling (Heb 3:1; 6:4).<\/p>\n<p>In the meanwhile, believers look forward to a new heaven and a new earth with the new Jerusalem. There will be no tears, sorrow, pain, death, and night there because the Son of God will be there (Rv 21:1-4, 27; 22:1-5), and in the resurrected state there will be no marrying or giving in marriage (Lk 20:27-38). At least two OT saints, Enoch (Gn 5:22-24; Heb 11:5) and Elijah (2 Kgs 2:11), were translated directly into the presence of God—into heaven. In addition to Paul’s statement about the third heaven, John was called into heaven (Rv 4:1), a heaven that is intended to be populated (cf. 19:1). All believers will ultimately dwell in heaven in their resurrection bodies, which they will receive when the Lord comes for them from heaven (1 Thes 4:16-17; Rv 19:1-4). The Lord will also give treasures and rewards at that time (Mt 5:12; 1 Cor 9:25; 2 Cor 5:1; 2 Tm 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pt 1:4; 5:4; Rv 2:10; 4:10).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> “Abraham’s Bosom”; New Heavens and New Earth; Paradise.<\/p>","summary_ro":"HEAVEN Realm (or realms) designated by a Hebrew term used to represent the sky and air and also heaven. The form of the word in Hebrew is dual (implying two of something). Although this dual form may only represent an ancient device for expressing the plural, it is supposed by some to imply the existence of a lower and an upper heaven—a physical and a spiritual heaven. In the Old Testament The OT writers viewed the physical heavens as a “firmament” appearing as a great arch supported on found...","summary_en":"HEAVEN Realm (or realms) designated by a Hebrew term used to represent the sky and air and also heaven. The form of the word in Hebrew is dual (implying two of something). Although this dual form may only represent an ancient device for expressing the plural, it is supposed by some to imply the existence of a lower and an upper heaven—a physical and a spiritual heaven. In the Old Testament The OT writers viewed the physical heavens as a “firmament” appearing as a great arch supported on found...","source":"Articles\/H.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":32952,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Book of Revelation","title_en":"Book of Revelation","content_ro":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","summary_en":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","source":"Articles\/R.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":35683,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Smyrna","title_en":"Smyrna","content_ro":"<h3>SMYRNA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey.<\/p>\n<p>Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the Great in 334 <span>BC<\/span> at a site farther south along the gulf. Although built by the energy of the Seleucids, the city recognized the coming dominance of Pergamum and entered into an alliance with its king. Later, with remarkable foresight, she transferred her allegiance to Rome, and in 195 <span>BC<\/span> built a temple in which Rome was worshiped as a deity. As a reward for Smyrna’s early commitment to the rising Roman influence, the city prospered under Roman rule, partly as a rival to Pergamum and partly as a rival to the prosperous island of Rhodes. Because they had been an ally of the Romans, the people of Smyrna thought it would be to their credit to build (in <span>AD<\/span> 26) a temple in which the Roman emperor would be honored. This city became the seat of the Caesar cult that afflicted the church so seriously during the latter half of the first century.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation 2:8 speaks of the city as being “dead and then alive,” a possible allusion to the period of 300 years when it lay devastated until revived by Alexander and the Macedonians. Ancient writers, including Appollonius and Aristides, spoke of Smyrna as having the “crown of life.” This was a way of describing the hilltop behind the city as if it crowned Smyrna on top, with its feet at the seashore. The promise of “the crown of life” to the Smyrnean believers probably plays off this image. This promise was given to those believers in Smyrna who would remain faithful through persecution. The reference to the “synagogue of Satan” (Rv 2:9) and to the devil putting them in prison (v 10) reflects the tribulation probably experienced under the Roman emperor Domitian (c. <span>AD<\/span> 95). It became a crime punishable by death to refuse to worship the image of the Roman emperor as “lord.” Many Christians were compelled to choose between “Caesar as Lord” or “Jesus as Lord.” To choose Jesus was to choose martyrdom.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>SMYRNA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey.<\/p>\n<p>Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the Great in 334 <span>BC<\/span> at a site farther south along the gulf. Although built by the energy of the Seleucids, the city recognized the coming dominance of Pergamum and entered into an alliance with its king. Later, with remarkable foresight, she transferred her allegiance to Rome, and in 195 <span>BC<\/span> built a temple in which Rome was worshiped as a deity. As a reward for Smyrna’s early commitment to the rising Roman influence, the city prospered under Roman rule, partly as a rival to Pergamum and partly as a rival to the prosperous island of Rhodes. Because they had been an ally of the Romans, the people of Smyrna thought it would be to their credit to build (in <span>AD<\/span> 26) a temple in which the Roman emperor would be honored. This city became the seat of the Caesar cult that afflicted the church so seriously during the latter half of the first century.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation 2:8 speaks of the city as being “dead and then alive,” a possible allusion to the period of 300 years when it lay devastated until revived by Alexander and the Macedonians. Ancient writers, including Appollonius and Aristides, spoke of Smyrna as having the “crown of life.” This was a way of describing the hilltop behind the city as if it crowned Smyrna on top, with its feet at the seashore. The promise of “the crown of life” to the Smyrnean believers probably plays off this image. This promise was given to those believers in Smyrna who would remain faithful through persecution. The reference to the “synagogue of Satan” (Rv 2:9) and to the devil putting them in prison (v 10) reflects the tribulation probably experienced under the Roman emperor Domitian (c. <span>AD<\/span> 95). It became a crime punishable by death to refuse to worship the image of the Roman emperor as “lord.” Many Christians were compelled to choose between “Caesar as Lord” or “Jesus as Lord.” To choose Jesus was to choose martyrdom.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","summary_ro":"SMYRNA Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey. Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the G...","summary_en":"SMYRNA Location of one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation (Rv 1:11; 2:8-11). It is the modern Izmir, located in Turkey. Smyrna was inhabited at least 3,000 years before Christ. The Aeolian Greeks were replaced by the Ionians. The city, along with Miletus and Ephesus to the south, flourished under Ionian dominance. The city was conquered by the Lydians, whose capital was Sardis. The site was left in ruins for nearly three centuries until its refounding by Alexander the G...","source":"Articles\/S.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59328,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:10","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:10","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:10<\/strong> John saw <em>the devil<\/em> as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be <em>ten days<\/em><em>,<\/em> symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would <em>remain faithful<\/em><em>,<\/em> their reward would be the <em>crown<\/em> of eternal <em>life<\/em>. • <em>when facing death:<\/em> John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:10<\/strong> John saw <em>the devil<\/em> as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be <em>ten days<\/em><em>,<\/em> symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would <em>remain faithful<\/em><em>,<\/em> their reward would be the <em>crown<\/em> of eternal <em>life<\/em>. • <em>when facing death:<\/em> John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:10 John saw the devil as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be ten days, symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would remain faithful, their reward would be the crown of eternal life. • when facing death: John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s AD.","summary_en":"2:10 John saw the devil as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be ten days, symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would remain faithful, their reward would be the crown of eternal life. • when facing death: John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s AD.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86954,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:10","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:10","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:10<\/strong> John saw <em>the devil<\/em> as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be <em>ten days<\/em><em>,<\/em> symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would <em>remain faithful<\/em><em>,<\/em> their reward would be the <em>crown<\/em> of eternal <em>life<\/em>. • <em>when facing death:<\/em> John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:10<\/strong> John saw <em>the devil<\/em> as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be <em>ten days<\/em><em>,<\/em> symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would <em>remain faithful<\/em><em>,<\/em> their reward would be the <em>crown<\/em> of eternal <em>life<\/em>. • <em>when facing death:<\/em> John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:10 John saw the devil as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be ten days, symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would remain faithful, their reward would be the crown of eternal life. • when facing death: John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s AD.","summary_en":"2:10 John saw the devil as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be ten days, symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would remain faithful, their reward would be the crown of eternal life. • when facing death: John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s AD.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114580,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:10","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:10","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:10<\/strong> John saw <em>the devil<\/em> as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be <em>ten days<\/em><em>,<\/em> symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would <em>remain faithful<\/em><em>,<\/em> their reward would be the <em>crown<\/em> of eternal <em>life<\/em>. • <em>when facing death:<\/em> John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:10<\/strong> John saw <em>the devil<\/em> as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be <em>ten days<\/em><em>,<\/em> symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would <em>remain faithful<\/em><em>,<\/em> their reward would be the <em>crown<\/em> of eternal <em>life<\/em>. • <em>when facing death:<\/em> John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:10 John saw the devil as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be ten days, symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would remain faithful, their reward would be the crown of eternal life. • when facing death: John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s AD.","summary_en":"2:10 John saw the devil as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be ten days, symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would remain faithful, their reward would be the crown of eternal life. • when facing death: John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s AD.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142206,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:10","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:10","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:10<\/strong> John saw <em>the devil<\/em> as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be <em>ten days<\/em><em>,<\/em> symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would <em>remain faithful<\/em><em>,<\/em> their reward would be the <em>crown<\/em> of eternal <em>life<\/em>. • <em>when facing death:<\/em> John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:10<\/strong> John saw <em>the devil<\/em> as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be <em>ten days<\/em><em>,<\/em> symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would <em>remain faithful<\/em><em>,<\/em> their reward would be the <em>crown<\/em> of eternal <em>life<\/em>. • <em>when facing death:<\/em> John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:10 John saw the devil as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be ten days, symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would remain faithful, their reward would be the crown of eternal life. • when facing death: John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s AD.","summary_en":"2:10 John saw the devil as the source of human hostility against Christians. • The period of their suffering would be ten days, symbolizing a limited time of persecution (see 1 Pet 1:6). If they would remain faithful, their reward would be the crown of eternal life. • when facing death: John’s pupil Polycarp was a martyr in Smyrna in the mid-100s AD.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":61478,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings","title_en":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings","content_ro":"<h3>God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings<\/h3>\n<p>Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recognized that God had kept his promises to David (8:23-26).<\/p>\n<p>Several times during Solomon’s reign, God himself communicated the inviolability of his covenant with David (3:14; 9:4-5; 11:38). God ultimately judged Solomon and subsequent kings by their faithfulness to that covenant in comparison to David (11:12-13; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). God’s commendation and blessing or disapproval and judgment were consistently based on whether people kept or violated his law (see Deut 28). During the days of the kings, the people of Israel were condemned for willfully turning away from the clear precepts of the Lord contained in the law and spoken through God’s prophets (2 Kgs 17:13-17). Their rejection of God resulted in judgment (2 Kgs 17:18-23; 21:11-15).<\/p>\n<p>God’s dealings with the kings of Israel provide an example for those who are now in covenant with God through Christ. God’s people today are to love the Lord, keep his commandments (John 14:21), and be faithful to him in all things (Matt 25:21; Luke 16:10-12; 2 Tim 3:14; 4:7). Those who follow David’s example of faithfulness will similarly receive God’s praise (see Acts 13:22). Those who confess the name of Jesus, David’s heir (Acts 13:32-37), and who have a heart of devotion to God and his word will seek to live lives that are pure and pleasing to God (see Heb 13:20-21). They look forward to an abundant, eternal inheritance (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; cp. Gal 5:19-21).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Sam 7:5-17; 1 Kgs 2:2-4; 3:3-15; 8:22-26; 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 29-39; 14:7-16; 15:1-5, 11; 2 Kgs 17:13-23; 21:11-15; Acts 13:21-23<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings<\/h3>\n<p>Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recognized that God had kept his promises to David (8:23-26).<\/p>\n<p>Several times during Solomon’s reign, God himself communicated the inviolability of his covenant with David (3:14; 9:4-5; 11:38). God ultimately judged Solomon and subsequent kings by their faithfulness to that covenant in comparison to David (11:12-13; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). God’s commendation and blessing or disapproval and judgment were consistently based on whether people kept or violated his law (see Deut 28). During the days of the kings, the people of Israel were condemned for willfully turning away from the clear precepts of the Lord contained in the law and spoken through God’s prophets (2 Kgs 17:13-17). Their rejection of God resulted in judgment (2 Kgs 17:18-23; 21:11-15).<\/p>\n<p>God’s dealings with the kings of Israel provide an example for those who are now in covenant with God through Christ. God’s people today are to love the Lord, keep his commandments (John 14:21), and be faithful to him in all things (Matt 25:21; Luke 16:10-12; 2 Tim 3:14; 4:7). Those who follow David’s example of faithfulness will similarly receive God’s praise (see Acts 13:22). Those who confess the name of Jesus, David’s heir (Acts 13:32-37), and who have a heart of devotion to God and his word will seek to live lives that are pure and pleasing to God (see Heb 13:20-21). They look forward to an abundant, eternal inheritance (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; cp. Gal 5:19-21).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Sam 7:5-17; 1 Kgs 2:2-4; 3:3-15; 8:22-26; 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 29-39; 14:7-16; 15:1-5, 11; 2 Kgs 17:13-23; 21:11-15; Acts 13:21-23<\/p>","summary_ro":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recogni...","summary_en":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recogni...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":61768,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Dangers of Sin","title_en":"The Dangers of Sin","content_ro":"<h3>The Dangers of Sin<\/h3>\n<p>Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15).<\/p>\n<p>The sinful acts of God’s people are prominent throughout the late monarchical period. Words such as <em>sin<\/em>, <em>evil<\/em>, and <em>wicked<\/em> appear frequently to assert that the kings of both Israel (2 Kgs 3:2; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2) and Judah (8:18, 27; 21:2, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19) did “what was evil in the <span>Lord<\/span>’s sight.”<\/p>\n<p>The northern kingdom was particularly culpable. Its kings and people were uniformly condemned for their godless ways (17:16-17, 22); the basic sin of apostate worship, introduced by Jeroboam I, continued in Israel until the end (10:29; 17:21-23; 23:15). God repeatedly warned the people through his prophets (17:13) and brought the chastisement of foreign invaders (13:3, 7). Nothing moved the Israelites’ hearts, for they were set in their ways (13:6; 17:14-17). Eventually God allowed foreign invaders to defeat them and occupy their land, sending many into exile (17:18, 20-23).<\/p>\n<p>The people of Judah were not innocent either. Many of their kings were guilty of gross wickedness, and Judean society grew increasingly apostate and followed “the evil practices that Israel had introduced” (17:19). Despite God’s repeated acts of kindness (e.g., 19:32-36) and warnings delivered through his prophets (21:8-15), the people persisted in their sin, and God’s judgment once again fell (21:10-15; 23:26-27; 24:1-4; 25:1-21).<\/p>\n<p>Where there is genuine repentance, God will graciously forgive his people and remit the penalty. But how much better to be faithful to God’s Word (2 Kgs 18:5-6; 23:25; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; 2 Tim 4:7; Rev 2:10), so that God’s blessings (Ps 112:1; 119:1-2; 144:15) might bring success (2 Kgs 18:7; see also 2 Chr 26:4-5; Prov 3:1-10; 2 Cor 3:5). God’s people need to give God first place in their lives (1 Kgs 18:21, 36-39; see Deut 6:13; 10:12-13; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33), pray for God’s persevering grace (Ps 19:13), and let the word of God be their guide (Ps 119:9; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 18:20-21; Exod 34:7; Lev 26:14-46; Num 15:30-31; Deut 31:16-18; 1 Kgs 8:46-51; 2 Kgs 8:18, 27; 2 Kgs 13:1-7; 14:23-24; 17:13-23; 18:9-12; 21:8-16; 23:25-27; 24:1-3, 19–25:21; 2 Chr 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; Jer 44:2-6; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:7; Rev 2:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Dangers of Sin<\/h3>\n<p>Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15).<\/p>\n<p>The sinful acts of God’s people are prominent throughout the late monarchical period. Words such as <em>sin<\/em>, <em>evil<\/em>, and <em>wicked<\/em> appear frequently to assert that the kings of both Israel (2 Kgs 3:2; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2) and Judah (8:18, 27; 21:2, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19) did “what was evil in the <span>Lord<\/span>’s sight.”<\/p>\n<p>The northern kingdom was particularly culpable. Its kings and people were uniformly condemned for their godless ways (17:16-17, 22); the basic sin of apostate worship, introduced by Jeroboam I, continued in Israel until the end (10:29; 17:21-23; 23:15). God repeatedly warned the people through his prophets (17:13) and brought the chastisement of foreign invaders (13:3, 7). Nothing moved the Israelites’ hearts, for they were set in their ways (13:6; 17:14-17). Eventually God allowed foreign invaders to defeat them and occupy their land, sending many into exile (17:18, 20-23).<\/p>\n<p>The people of Judah were not innocent either. Many of their kings were guilty of gross wickedness, and Judean society grew increasingly apostate and followed “the evil practices that Israel had introduced” (17:19). Despite God’s repeated acts of kindness (e.g., 19:32-36) and warnings delivered through his prophets (21:8-15), the people persisted in their sin, and God’s judgment once again fell (21:10-15; 23:26-27; 24:1-4; 25:1-21).<\/p>\n<p>Where there is genuine repentance, God will graciously forgive his people and remit the penalty. But how much better to be faithful to God’s Word (2 Kgs 18:5-6; 23:25; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; 2 Tim 4:7; Rev 2:10), so that God’s blessings (Ps 112:1; 119:1-2; 144:15) might bring success (2 Kgs 18:7; see also 2 Chr 26:4-5; Prov 3:1-10; 2 Cor 3:5). God’s people need to give God first place in their lives (1 Kgs 18:21, 36-39; see Deut 6:13; 10:12-13; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33), pray for God’s persevering grace (Ps 19:13), and let the word of God be their guide (Ps 119:9; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 18:20-21; Exod 34:7; Lev 26:14-46; Num 15:30-31; Deut 31:16-18; 1 Kgs 8:46-51; 2 Kgs 8:18, 27; 2 Kgs 13:1-7; 14:23-24; 17:13-23; 18:9-12; 21:8-16; 23:25-27; 24:1-3, 19–25:21; 2 Chr 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; Jer 44:2-6; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:7; Rev 2:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Dangers of Sin Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). The sinful acts of God’s ...","summary_en":"The Dangers of Sin Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). The sinful acts of God’s ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":64235,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Choice of Life or Death","title_en":"The Choice of Life or Death","content_ro":"<h3>The Choice of Life or Death<\/h3>\n<p>In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people.<\/p>\n<p>The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your choice of life or death” (Jer 21:8). The prophet warned King Zedekiah and his people to submit to the Lord’s instruction. If they did, they would live; if not, they would die. Earlier in Jeremiah’s ministry, the Lord confronted the people of Judah with an opportunity to change and come home to him (3:12–4:4). If they rejected idol worship, admitted their guilt, and confessed that they were rebels, God would cleanse their minds and hearts, and they could live peacefully in the land. However, the people scornfully rejected this offer again and again (7:5-7; 18:8-11; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-13; 29:32; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5). So the Lord repeatedly warned them that if they rejected the path of life, they would experience judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In Jeremiah’s day, only a few chose life; the majority rebelled and experienced death. In the end, the people led by Zedekiah ignored the Lord, defied the Babylonian army, and indeed suffered judgment. They intentionally rejected the gift of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 11:26-29; 30:15-20; Prov 9:1-18; 11:19; 18:21; Isa 1:19-20; Jer 3:12-15; 4:3-4; 7:5-7; 18:7-11; 21:8-9; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-18; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5; Ezek 18:23-24; Rom 6:23; 8:6; Rev 2:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Choice of Life or Death<\/h3>\n<p>In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people.<\/p>\n<p>The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your choice of life or death” (Jer 21:8). The prophet warned King Zedekiah and his people to submit to the Lord’s instruction. If they did, they would live; if not, they would die. Earlier in Jeremiah’s ministry, the Lord confronted the people of Judah with an opportunity to change and come home to him (3:12–4:4). If they rejected idol worship, admitted their guilt, and confessed that they were rebels, God would cleanse their minds and hearts, and they could live peacefully in the land. However, the people scornfully rejected this offer again and again (7:5-7; 18:8-11; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-13; 29:32; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5). So the Lord repeatedly warned them that if they rejected the path of life, they would experience judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In Jeremiah’s day, only a few chose life; the majority rebelled and experienced death. In the end, the people led by Zedekiah ignored the Lord, defied the Babylonian army, and indeed suffered judgment. They intentionally rejected the gift of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 11:26-29; 30:15-20; Prov 9:1-18; 11:19; 18:21; Isa 1:19-20; Jer 3:12-15; 4:3-4; 7:5-7; 18:7-11; 21:8-9; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-18; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5; Ezek 18:23-24; Rom 6:23; 8:6; Rev 2:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Choice of Life or Death In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people. The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your...","summary_en":"The Choice of Life or Death In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people. The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":66036,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Remaining in Christ","title_en":"Remaining in Christ","content_ro":"<h3>Remaining in Christ<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek term <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō<\/span><em>,<\/em> often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō en,<\/span> ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when we remain in Christ, the Son is in us and we are in the Father and the Son (17:21-23). Both the Father and the Son come and make their home within disciples.<\/p>\n<p>This mutual indwelling is precisely what it means that the disciple remains in Christ. We cannot gain the permanence of our relationship by our own effort; this relationship is only made permanent by the gracious initiative of God indwelling our lives through his Spirit. This means commitment on the part of both God and the disciple. The mutual indwelling between God and the believer is not a fleeting or temporary commitment, but an enduring, permanent, and eternal relationship (see 1 Jn 2:14, 17).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 33:11; 34:28; Josh 7:11-12; 1 Sam 16:22; Pss 22:11, 19; 101:7; Dan 1:21; 2:49; Hag 2:5; Luke 15:31; 22:28; John 6:56; 8:31; 15:1-17; Phil 4:1; 1 Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:24; 2 Jn 1:9; Rev 2:10; 13:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Remaining in Christ<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek term <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō<\/span><em>,<\/em> often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō en,<\/span> ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when we remain in Christ, the Son is in us and we are in the Father and the Son (17:21-23). Both the Father and the Son come and make their home within disciples.<\/p>\n<p>This mutual indwelling is precisely what it means that the disciple remains in Christ. We cannot gain the permanence of our relationship by our own effort; this relationship is only made permanent by the gracious initiative of God indwelling our lives through his Spirit. This means commitment on the part of both God and the disciple. The mutual indwelling between God and the believer is not a fleeting or temporary commitment, but an enduring, permanent, and eternal relationship (see 1 Jn 2:14, 17).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 33:11; 34:28; Josh 7:11-12; 1 Sam 16:22; Pss 22:11, 19; 101:7; Dan 1:21; 2:49; Hag 2:5; Luke 15:31; 22:28; John 6:56; 8:31; 15:1-17; Phil 4:1; 1 Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:24; 2 Jn 1:9; Rev 2:10; 13:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"Remaining in Christ The Greek term menō, often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [menō en, ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when ...","summary_en":"Remaining in Christ The Greek term menō, often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [menō en, ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67349,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Overcoming the Devil","title_en":"Overcoming the Devil","content_ro":"<h3>Overcoming the Devil<\/h3>\n<p>The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).<\/p>\n<p>The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).<\/p>\n<p>Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).<\/p>\n<p>Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Overcoming the Devil<\/h3>\n<p>The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).<\/p>\n<p>The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).<\/p>\n<p>Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).<\/p>\n<p>Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Overcoming the Devil The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil c...","summary_en":"Overcoming the Devil The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil c...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67912,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":68003,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Symbolic Numbers","title_en":"Symbolic Numbers","content_ro":"<h3>Symbolic Numbers<\/h3>\n<p>Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events.<\/p>\n<p>The number <em>one<\/em> can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). <em>Two<\/em> is the minimum number required to give a legitimate witness (Deut 17:6; Rev 11:3), and <em>three<\/em> can imply divine representation (Gen 18:1-2; 2 Cor 13:14; Rev 1:4-5). <em>Four<\/em> can stand for the known world, represented in Revelation by living creatures, horsemen, winds, and angels (Rev 4:6-8; 6:1-8; 7:1) and in Genesis by <em>four<\/em> rivers (Gen 2:10-14). When <em>three<\/em> and <em>four<\/em> are added to make <em>seven,<\/em> they represent perfection or divine fulfillment, indicating that God and the world are in harmony. The multiplication of <em>three<\/em> by <em>four<\/em> yields <em>twelve,<\/em> the number associated with God’s people (Gen 35:22-26; Exod 24:4; 28:21; Num 17:2; Josh 4:3-8; 1 Kgs 18:31; Matt 10:1-4; 19:28; Jas 1:1; Rev 12:1; 21:12–22:2. The number <em>five<\/em> and its multiples, such as <em>ten,<\/em> represent human completeness (e.g., <em>five<\/em> fingers per hand); and <em>six<\/em> carries a negative sense or implication of evil, being neither humanly complete (<em>five<\/em>) nor divinely complete (<em>seven<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Multiples of <em>ten<\/em> (e.g., <em>forty<\/em>) are a symbolic way to indicate <em>many<\/em>, whereas <em>three sixes<\/em> (666) imply supreme evil (Rev 13:18). <em>One thousand<\/em> is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 indicates a large number of God’s people (Rev 7:5-8); and 144,000 represents the complete people of God (Rev 7:4; 14:1). The number 10,000 and its multiples are probably best transliterated from Greek as <em>myriads<\/em>, since they really mean “a huge number” rather than a precise count.<\/p>\n<p>While some of the numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings, using numbers to speculate on the time of Christ’s return or of the end of the world is highly dubious—only God possesses that knowledge (Mark 13:32). God did not intend for the symbolic numbers in Revelation to help us predict the future; rather, their symbolic meanings help to explain the significance of the visions. Because the numbers are symbolic, sometimes when we translate them into contemporary sizes, distances, and numbers for our ease of reading, it can result in the loss of theological significance. The use of these symbolic numbers can illuminate a vision’s relationship to the world or to the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 2:2-3; 4:15; 15:13; 41:53-54; Exod 20:6; 25:31-37; 32:15; Lev 16:14; 23:16; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 4:26; 17:21; 18:31, 43-44; Job 1:2; Ps 90:4; Jer 15:3; 49:36; Ezek 14:21; Dan 4:16, 23-25; 7:3, 17, 24; Zech 4:2; 6:1; Matt 10:1-5; 12:40; 18:21-22; Mark 6:7; Luke 15:8; Acts 6:3; 10:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6; 2 Pet 3:8; Rev 1:16; 2:10; 4:4; 6:1; 7:1, 4-8; 12:1, 3; 13:1; 17:3-14; 20:2-7; 21:12-21<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Symbolic Numbers<\/h3>\n<p>Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events.<\/p>\n<p>The number <em>one<\/em> can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). <em>Two<\/em> is the minimum number required to give a legitimate witness (Deut 17:6; Rev 11:3), and <em>three<\/em> can imply divine representation (Gen 18:1-2; 2 Cor 13:14; Rev 1:4-5). <em>Four<\/em> can stand for the known world, represented in Revelation by living creatures, horsemen, winds, and angels (Rev 4:6-8; 6:1-8; 7:1) and in Genesis by <em>four<\/em> rivers (Gen 2:10-14). When <em>three<\/em> and <em>four<\/em> are added to make <em>seven,<\/em> they represent perfection or divine fulfillment, indicating that God and the world are in harmony. The multiplication of <em>three<\/em> by <em>four<\/em> yields <em>twelve,<\/em> the number associated with God’s people (Gen 35:22-26; Exod 24:4; 28:21; Num 17:2; Josh 4:3-8; 1 Kgs 18:31; Matt 10:1-4; 19:28; Jas 1:1; Rev 12:1; 21:12–22:2. The number <em>five<\/em> and its multiples, such as <em>ten,<\/em> represent human completeness (e.g., <em>five<\/em> fingers per hand); and <em>six<\/em> carries a negative sense or implication of evil, being neither humanly complete (<em>five<\/em>) nor divinely complete (<em>seven<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Multiples of <em>ten<\/em> (e.g., <em>forty<\/em>) are a symbolic way to indicate <em>many<\/em>, whereas <em>three sixes<\/em> (666) imply supreme evil (Rev 13:18). <em>One thousand<\/em> is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 indicates a large number of God’s people (Rev 7:5-8); and 144,000 represents the complete people of God (Rev 7:4; 14:1). The number 10,000 and its multiples are probably best transliterated from Greek as <em>myriads<\/em>, since they really mean “a huge number” rather than a precise count.<\/p>\n<p>While some of the numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings, using numbers to speculate on the time of Christ’s return or of the end of the world is highly dubious—only God possesses that knowledge (Mark 13:32). God did not intend for the symbolic numbers in Revelation to help us predict the future; rather, their symbolic meanings help to explain the significance of the visions. Because the numbers are symbolic, sometimes when we translate them into contemporary sizes, distances, and numbers for our ease of reading, it can result in the loss of theological significance. The use of these symbolic numbers can illuminate a vision’s relationship to the world or to the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 2:2-3; 4:15; 15:13; 41:53-54; Exod 20:6; 25:31-37; 32:15; Lev 16:14; 23:16; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 4:26; 17:21; 18:31, 43-44; Job 1:2; Ps 90:4; Jer 15:3; 49:36; Ezek 14:21; Dan 4:16, 23-25; 7:3, 17, 24; Zech 4:2; 6:1; Matt 10:1-5; 12:40; 18:21-22; Mark 6:7; Luke 15:8; Acts 6:3; 10:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6; 2 Pet 3:8; Rev 1:16; 2:10; 4:4; 6:1; 7:1, 4-8; 12:1, 3; 13:1; 17:3-14; 20:2-7; 21:12-21<\/p>","summary_ro":"Symbolic Numbers Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events. The number one can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). Two is the minimum number required to give a legitimate wit...","summary_en":"Symbolic Numbers Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events. The number one can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). Two is the minimum number required to give a legitimate wit...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":89104,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings","title_en":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings","content_ro":"<h3>God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings<\/h3>\n<p>Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recognized that God had kept his promises to David (8:23-26).<\/p>\n<p>Several times during Solomon’s reign, God himself communicated the inviolability of his covenant with David (3:14; 9:4-5; 11:38). God ultimately judged Solomon and subsequent kings by their faithfulness to that covenant in comparison to David (11:12-13; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). God’s commendation and blessing or disapproval and judgment were consistently based on whether people kept or violated his law (see Deut 28). During the days of the kings, the people of Israel were condemned for willfully turning away from the clear precepts of the Lord contained in the law and spoken through God’s prophets (2 Kgs 17:13-17). Their rejection of God resulted in judgment (2 Kgs 17:18-23; 21:11-15).<\/p>\n<p>God’s dealings with the kings of Israel provide an example for those who are now in covenant with God through Christ. God’s people today are to love the Lord, keep his commandments (John 14:21), and be faithful to him in all things (Matt 25:21; Luke 16:10-12; 2 Tim 3:14; 4:7). Those who follow David’s example of faithfulness will similarly receive God’s praise (see Acts 13:22). Those who confess the name of Jesus, David’s heir (Acts 13:32-37), and who have a heart of devotion to God and his word will seek to live lives that are pure and pleasing to God (see Heb 13:20-21). They look forward to an abundant, eternal inheritance (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; cp. Gal 5:19-21).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Sam 7:5-17; 1 Kgs 2:2-4; 3:3-15; 8:22-26; 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 29-39; 14:7-16; 15:1-5, 11; 2 Kgs 17:13-23; 21:11-15; Acts 13:21-23<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings<\/h3>\n<p>Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recognized that God had kept his promises to David (8:23-26).<\/p>\n<p>Several times during Solomon’s reign, God himself communicated the inviolability of his covenant with David (3:14; 9:4-5; 11:38). God ultimately judged Solomon and subsequent kings by their faithfulness to that covenant in comparison to David (11:12-13; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). God’s commendation and blessing or disapproval and judgment were consistently based on whether people kept or violated his law (see Deut 28). During the days of the kings, the people of Israel were condemned for willfully turning away from the clear precepts of the Lord contained in the law and spoken through God’s prophets (2 Kgs 17:13-17). Their rejection of God resulted in judgment (2 Kgs 17:18-23; 21:11-15).<\/p>\n<p>God’s dealings with the kings of Israel provide an example for those who are now in covenant with God through Christ. God’s people today are to love the Lord, keep his commandments (John 14:21), and be faithful to him in all things (Matt 25:21; Luke 16:10-12; 2 Tim 3:14; 4:7). Those who follow David’s example of faithfulness will similarly receive God’s praise (see Acts 13:22). Those who confess the name of Jesus, David’s heir (Acts 13:32-37), and who have a heart of devotion to God and his word will seek to live lives that are pure and pleasing to God (see Heb 13:20-21). They look forward to an abundant, eternal inheritance (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; cp. Gal 5:19-21).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Sam 7:5-17; 1 Kgs 2:2-4; 3:3-15; 8:22-26; 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 29-39; 14:7-16; 15:1-5, 11; 2 Kgs 17:13-23; 21:11-15; Acts 13:21-23<\/p>","summary_ro":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recogni...","summary_en":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recogni...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":89394,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Dangers of Sin","title_en":"The Dangers of Sin","content_ro":"<h3>The Dangers of Sin<\/h3>\n<p>Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15).<\/p>\n<p>The sinful acts of God’s people are prominent throughout the late monarchical period. Words such as <em>sin<\/em>, <em>evil<\/em>, and <em>wicked<\/em> appear frequently to assert that the kings of both Israel (2 Kgs 3:2; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2) and Judah (8:18, 27; 21:2, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19) did “what was evil in the <span>Lord<\/span>’s sight.”<\/p>\n<p>The northern kingdom was particularly culpable. Its kings and people were uniformly condemned for their godless ways (17:16-17, 22); the basic sin of apostate worship, introduced by Jeroboam I, continued in Israel until the end (10:29; 17:21-23; 23:15). God repeatedly warned the people through his prophets (17:13) and brought the chastisement of foreign invaders (13:3, 7). Nothing moved the Israelites’ hearts, for they were set in their ways (13:6; 17:14-17). Eventually God allowed foreign invaders to defeat them and occupy their land, sending many into exile (17:18, 20-23).<\/p>\n<p>The people of Judah were not innocent either. Many of their kings were guilty of gross wickedness, and Judean society grew increasingly apostate and followed “the evil practices that Israel had introduced” (17:19). Despite God’s repeated acts of kindness (e.g., 19:32-36) and warnings delivered through his prophets (21:8-15), the people persisted in their sin, and God’s judgment once again fell (21:10-15; 23:26-27; 24:1-4; 25:1-21).<\/p>\n<p>Where there is genuine repentance, God will graciously forgive his people and remit the penalty. But how much better to be faithful to God’s Word (2 Kgs 18:5-6; 23:25; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; 2 Tim 4:7; Rev 2:10), so that God’s blessings (Ps 112:1; 119:1-2; 144:15) might bring success (2 Kgs 18:7; see also 2 Chr 26:4-5; Prov 3:1-10; 2 Cor 3:5). God’s people need to give God first place in their lives (1 Kgs 18:21, 36-39; see Deut 6:13; 10:12-13; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33), pray for God’s persevering grace (Ps 19:13), and let the word of God be their guide (Ps 119:9; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 18:20-21; Exod 34:7; Lev 26:14-46; Num 15:30-31; Deut 31:16-18; 1 Kgs 8:46-51; 2 Kgs 8:18, 27; 2 Kgs 13:1-7; 14:23-24; 17:13-23; 18:9-12; 21:8-16; 23:25-27; 24:1-3, 19–25:21; 2 Chr 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; Jer 44:2-6; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:7; Rev 2:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Dangers of Sin<\/h3>\n<p>Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15).<\/p>\n<p>The sinful acts of God’s people are prominent throughout the late monarchical period. Words such as <em>sin<\/em>, <em>evil<\/em>, and <em>wicked<\/em> appear frequently to assert that the kings of both Israel (2 Kgs 3:2; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2) and Judah (8:18, 27; 21:2, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19) did “what was evil in the <span>Lord<\/span>’s sight.”<\/p>\n<p>The northern kingdom was particularly culpable. Its kings and people were uniformly condemned for their godless ways (17:16-17, 22); the basic sin of apostate worship, introduced by Jeroboam I, continued in Israel until the end (10:29; 17:21-23; 23:15). God repeatedly warned the people through his prophets (17:13) and brought the chastisement of foreign invaders (13:3, 7). Nothing moved the Israelites’ hearts, for they were set in their ways (13:6; 17:14-17). Eventually God allowed foreign invaders to defeat them and occupy their land, sending many into exile (17:18, 20-23).<\/p>\n<p>The people of Judah were not innocent either. Many of their kings were guilty of gross wickedness, and Judean society grew increasingly apostate and followed “the evil practices that Israel had introduced” (17:19). Despite God’s repeated acts of kindness (e.g., 19:32-36) and warnings delivered through his prophets (21:8-15), the people persisted in their sin, and God’s judgment once again fell (21:10-15; 23:26-27; 24:1-4; 25:1-21).<\/p>\n<p>Where there is genuine repentance, God will graciously forgive his people and remit the penalty. But how much better to be faithful to God’s Word (2 Kgs 18:5-6; 23:25; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; 2 Tim 4:7; Rev 2:10), so that God’s blessings (Ps 112:1; 119:1-2; 144:15) might bring success (2 Kgs 18:7; see also 2 Chr 26:4-5; Prov 3:1-10; 2 Cor 3:5). God’s people need to give God first place in their lives (1 Kgs 18:21, 36-39; see Deut 6:13; 10:12-13; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33), pray for God’s persevering grace (Ps 19:13), and let the word of God be their guide (Ps 119:9; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 18:20-21; Exod 34:7; Lev 26:14-46; Num 15:30-31; Deut 31:16-18; 1 Kgs 8:46-51; 2 Kgs 8:18, 27; 2 Kgs 13:1-7; 14:23-24; 17:13-23; 18:9-12; 21:8-16; 23:25-27; 24:1-3, 19–25:21; 2 Chr 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; Jer 44:2-6; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:7; Rev 2:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Dangers of Sin Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). The sinful acts of God’s ...","summary_en":"The Dangers of Sin Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). The sinful acts of God’s ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":91861,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Choice of Life or Death","title_en":"The Choice of Life or Death","content_ro":"<h3>The Choice of Life or Death<\/h3>\n<p>In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people.<\/p>\n<p>The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your choice of life or death” (Jer 21:8). The prophet warned King Zedekiah and his people to submit to the Lord’s instruction. If they did, they would live; if not, they would die. Earlier in Jeremiah’s ministry, the Lord confronted the people of Judah with an opportunity to change and come home to him (3:12–4:4). If they rejected idol worship, admitted their guilt, and confessed that they were rebels, God would cleanse their minds and hearts, and they could live peacefully in the land. However, the people scornfully rejected this offer again and again (7:5-7; 18:8-11; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-13; 29:32; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5). So the Lord repeatedly warned them that if they rejected the path of life, they would experience judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In Jeremiah’s day, only a few chose life; the majority rebelled and experienced death. In the end, the people led by Zedekiah ignored the Lord, defied the Babylonian army, and indeed suffered judgment. They intentionally rejected the gift of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 11:26-29; 30:15-20; Prov 9:1-18; 11:19; 18:21; Isa 1:19-20; Jer 3:12-15; 4:3-4; 7:5-7; 18:7-11; 21:8-9; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-18; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5; Ezek 18:23-24; Rom 6:23; 8:6; Rev 2:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Choice of Life or Death<\/h3>\n<p>In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people.<\/p>\n<p>The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your choice of life or death” (Jer 21:8). The prophet warned King Zedekiah and his people to submit to the Lord’s instruction. If they did, they would live; if not, they would die. Earlier in Jeremiah’s ministry, the Lord confronted the people of Judah with an opportunity to change and come home to him (3:12–4:4). If they rejected idol worship, admitted their guilt, and confessed that they were rebels, God would cleanse their minds and hearts, and they could live peacefully in the land. However, the people scornfully rejected this offer again and again (7:5-7; 18:8-11; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-13; 29:32; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5). So the Lord repeatedly warned them that if they rejected the path of life, they would experience judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In Jeremiah’s day, only a few chose life; the majority rebelled and experienced death. In the end, the people led by Zedekiah ignored the Lord, defied the Babylonian army, and indeed suffered judgment. They intentionally rejected the gift of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 11:26-29; 30:15-20; Prov 9:1-18; 11:19; 18:21; Isa 1:19-20; Jer 3:12-15; 4:3-4; 7:5-7; 18:7-11; 21:8-9; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-18; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5; Ezek 18:23-24; Rom 6:23; 8:6; Rev 2:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Choice of Life or Death In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people. The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your...","summary_en":"The Choice of Life or Death In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people. The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":93662,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Remaining in Christ","title_en":"Remaining in Christ","content_ro":"<h3>Remaining in Christ<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek term <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō<\/span><em>,<\/em> often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō en,<\/span> ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when we remain in Christ, the Son is in us and we are in the Father and the Son (17:21-23). Both the Father and the Son come and make their home within disciples.<\/p>\n<p>This mutual indwelling is precisely what it means that the disciple remains in Christ. We cannot gain the permanence of our relationship by our own effort; this relationship is only made permanent by the gracious initiative of God indwelling our lives through his Spirit. This means commitment on the part of both God and the disciple. The mutual indwelling between God and the believer is not a fleeting or temporary commitment, but an enduring, permanent, and eternal relationship (see 1 Jn 2:14, 17).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 33:11; 34:28; Josh 7:11-12; 1 Sam 16:22; Pss 22:11, 19; 101:7; Dan 1:21; 2:49; Hag 2:5; Luke 15:31; 22:28; John 6:56; 8:31; 15:1-17; Phil 4:1; 1 Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:24; 2 Jn 1:9; Rev 2:10; 13:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Remaining in Christ<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek term <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō<\/span><em>,<\/em> often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō en,<\/span> ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when we remain in Christ, the Son is in us and we are in the Father and the Son (17:21-23). Both the Father and the Son come and make their home within disciples.<\/p>\n<p>This mutual indwelling is precisely what it means that the disciple remains in Christ. We cannot gain the permanence of our relationship by our own effort; this relationship is only made permanent by the gracious initiative of God indwelling our lives through his Spirit. This means commitment on the part of both God and the disciple. The mutual indwelling between God and the believer is not a fleeting or temporary commitment, but an enduring, permanent, and eternal relationship (see 1 Jn 2:14, 17).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 33:11; 34:28; Josh 7:11-12; 1 Sam 16:22; Pss 22:11, 19; 101:7; Dan 1:21; 2:49; Hag 2:5; Luke 15:31; 22:28; John 6:56; 8:31; 15:1-17; Phil 4:1; 1 Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:24; 2 Jn 1:9; Rev 2:10; 13:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"Remaining in Christ The Greek term menō, often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [menō en, ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when ...","summary_en":"Remaining in Christ The Greek term menō, often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [menō en, ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":94975,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Overcoming the Devil","title_en":"Overcoming the Devil","content_ro":"<h3>Overcoming the Devil<\/h3>\n<p>The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).<\/p>\n<p>The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).<\/p>\n<p>Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).<\/p>\n<p>Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Overcoming the Devil<\/h3>\n<p>The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).<\/p>\n<p>The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).<\/p>\n<p>Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).<\/p>\n<p>Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Overcoming the Devil The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil c...","summary_en":"Overcoming the Devil The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil c...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95538,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95629,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Symbolic Numbers","title_en":"Symbolic Numbers","content_ro":"<h3>Symbolic Numbers<\/h3>\n<p>Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events.<\/p>\n<p>The number <em>one<\/em> can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). <em>Two<\/em> is the minimum number required to give a legitimate witness (Deut 17:6; Rev 11:3), and <em>three<\/em> can imply divine representation (Gen 18:1-2; 2 Cor 13:14; Rev 1:4-5). <em>Four<\/em> can stand for the known world, represented in Revelation by living creatures, horsemen, winds, and angels (Rev 4:6-8; 6:1-8; 7:1) and in Genesis by <em>four<\/em> rivers (Gen 2:10-14). When <em>three<\/em> and <em>four<\/em> are added to make <em>seven,<\/em> they represent perfection or divine fulfillment, indicating that God and the world are in harmony. The multiplication of <em>three<\/em> by <em>four<\/em> yields <em>twelve,<\/em> the number associated with God’s people (Gen 35:22-26; Exod 24:4; 28:21; Num 17:2; Josh 4:3-8; 1 Kgs 18:31; Matt 10:1-4; 19:28; Jas 1:1; Rev 12:1; 21:12–22:2. The number <em>five<\/em> and its multiples, such as <em>ten,<\/em> represent human completeness (e.g., <em>five<\/em> fingers per hand); and <em>six<\/em> carries a negative sense or implication of evil, being neither humanly complete (<em>five<\/em>) nor divinely complete (<em>seven<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Multiples of <em>ten<\/em> (e.g., <em>forty<\/em>) are a symbolic way to indicate <em>many<\/em>, whereas <em>three sixes<\/em> (666) imply supreme evil (Rev 13:18). <em>One thousand<\/em> is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 indicates a large number of God’s people (Rev 7:5-8); and 144,000 represents the complete people of God (Rev 7:4; 14:1). The number 10,000 and its multiples are probably best transliterated from Greek as <em>myriads<\/em>, since they really mean “a huge number” rather than a precise count.<\/p>\n<p>While some of the numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings, using numbers to speculate on the time of Christ’s return or of the end of the world is highly dubious—only God possesses that knowledge (Mark 13:32). God did not intend for the symbolic numbers in Revelation to help us predict the future; rather, their symbolic meanings help to explain the significance of the visions. Because the numbers are symbolic, sometimes when we translate them into contemporary sizes, distances, and numbers for our ease of reading, it can result in the loss of theological significance. The use of these symbolic numbers can illuminate a vision’s relationship to the world or to the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 2:2-3; 4:15; 15:13; 41:53-54; Exod 20:6; 25:31-37; 32:15; Lev 16:14; 23:16; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 4:26; 17:21; 18:31, 43-44; Job 1:2; Ps 90:4; Jer 15:3; 49:36; Ezek 14:21; Dan 4:16, 23-25; 7:3, 17, 24; Zech 4:2; 6:1; Matt 10:1-5; 12:40; 18:21-22; Mark 6:7; Luke 15:8; Acts 6:3; 10:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6; 2 Pet 3:8; Rev 1:16; 2:10; 4:4; 6:1; 7:1, 4-8; 12:1, 3; 13:1; 17:3-14; 20:2-7; 21:12-21<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Symbolic Numbers<\/h3>\n<p>Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events.<\/p>\n<p>The number <em>one<\/em> can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). <em>Two<\/em> is the minimum number required to give a legitimate witness (Deut 17:6; Rev 11:3), and <em>three<\/em> can imply divine representation (Gen 18:1-2; 2 Cor 13:14; Rev 1:4-5). <em>Four<\/em> can stand for the known world, represented in Revelation by living creatures, horsemen, winds, and angels (Rev 4:6-8; 6:1-8; 7:1) and in Genesis by <em>four<\/em> rivers (Gen 2:10-14). When <em>three<\/em> and <em>four<\/em> are added to make <em>seven,<\/em> they represent perfection or divine fulfillment, indicating that God and the world are in harmony. The multiplication of <em>three<\/em> by <em>four<\/em> yields <em>twelve,<\/em> the number associated with God’s people (Gen 35:22-26; Exod 24:4; 28:21; Num 17:2; Josh 4:3-8; 1 Kgs 18:31; Matt 10:1-4; 19:28; Jas 1:1; Rev 12:1; 21:12–22:2. The number <em>five<\/em> and its multiples, such as <em>ten,<\/em> represent human completeness (e.g., <em>five<\/em> fingers per hand); and <em>six<\/em> carries a negative sense or implication of evil, being neither humanly complete (<em>five<\/em>) nor divinely complete (<em>seven<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Multiples of <em>ten<\/em> (e.g., <em>forty<\/em>) are a symbolic way to indicate <em>many<\/em>, whereas <em>three sixes<\/em> (666) imply supreme evil (Rev 13:18). <em>One thousand<\/em> is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 indicates a large number of God’s people (Rev 7:5-8); and 144,000 represents the complete people of God (Rev 7:4; 14:1). The number 10,000 and its multiples are probably best transliterated from Greek as <em>myriads<\/em>, since they really mean “a huge number” rather than a precise count.<\/p>\n<p>While some of the numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings, using numbers to speculate on the time of Christ’s return or of the end of the world is highly dubious—only God possesses that knowledge (Mark 13:32). God did not intend for the symbolic numbers in Revelation to help us predict the future; rather, their symbolic meanings help to explain the significance of the visions. Because the numbers are symbolic, sometimes when we translate them into contemporary sizes, distances, and numbers for our ease of reading, it can result in the loss of theological significance. The use of these symbolic numbers can illuminate a vision’s relationship to the world or to the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 2:2-3; 4:15; 15:13; 41:53-54; Exod 20:6; 25:31-37; 32:15; Lev 16:14; 23:16; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 4:26; 17:21; 18:31, 43-44; Job 1:2; Ps 90:4; Jer 15:3; 49:36; Ezek 14:21; Dan 4:16, 23-25; 7:3, 17, 24; Zech 4:2; 6:1; Matt 10:1-5; 12:40; 18:21-22; Mark 6:7; Luke 15:8; Acts 6:3; 10:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6; 2 Pet 3:8; Rev 1:16; 2:10; 4:4; 6:1; 7:1, 4-8; 12:1, 3; 13:1; 17:3-14; 20:2-7; 21:12-21<\/p>","summary_ro":"Symbolic Numbers Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events. The number one can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). Two is the minimum number required to give a legitimate wit...","summary_en":"Symbolic Numbers Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events. The number one can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). Two is the minimum number required to give a legitimate wit...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":116730,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings","title_en":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings","content_ro":"<h3>God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings<\/h3>\n<p>Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recognized that God had kept his promises to David (8:23-26).<\/p>\n<p>Several times during Solomon’s reign, God himself communicated the inviolability of his covenant with David (3:14; 9:4-5; 11:38). God ultimately judged Solomon and subsequent kings by their faithfulness to that covenant in comparison to David (11:12-13; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). God’s commendation and blessing or disapproval and judgment were consistently based on whether people kept or violated his law (see Deut 28). During the days of the kings, the people of Israel were condemned for willfully turning away from the clear precepts of the Lord contained in the law and spoken through God’s prophets (2 Kgs 17:13-17). Their rejection of God resulted in judgment (2 Kgs 17:18-23; 21:11-15).<\/p>\n<p>God’s dealings with the kings of Israel provide an example for those who are now in covenant with God through Christ. God’s people today are to love the Lord, keep his commandments (John 14:21), and be faithful to him in all things (Matt 25:21; Luke 16:10-12; 2 Tim 3:14; 4:7). Those who follow David’s example of faithfulness will similarly receive God’s praise (see Acts 13:22). Those who confess the name of Jesus, David’s heir (Acts 13:32-37), and who have a heart of devotion to God and his word will seek to live lives that are pure and pleasing to God (see Heb 13:20-21). They look forward to an abundant, eternal inheritance (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; cp. Gal 5:19-21).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Sam 7:5-17; 1 Kgs 2:2-4; 3:3-15; 8:22-26; 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 29-39; 14:7-16; 15:1-5, 11; 2 Kgs 17:13-23; 21:11-15; Acts 13:21-23<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings<\/h3>\n<p>Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recognized that God had kept his promises to David (8:23-26).<\/p>\n<p>Several times during Solomon’s reign, God himself communicated the inviolability of his covenant with David (3:14; 9:4-5; 11:38). God ultimately judged Solomon and subsequent kings by their faithfulness to that covenant in comparison to David (11:12-13; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). God’s commendation and blessing or disapproval and judgment were consistently based on whether people kept or violated his law (see Deut 28). During the days of the kings, the people of Israel were condemned for willfully turning away from the clear precepts of the Lord contained in the law and spoken through God’s prophets (2 Kgs 17:13-17). Their rejection of God resulted in judgment (2 Kgs 17:18-23; 21:11-15).<\/p>\n<p>God’s dealings with the kings of Israel provide an example for those who are now in covenant with God through Christ. God’s people today are to love the Lord, keep his commandments (John 14:21), and be faithful to him in all things (Matt 25:21; Luke 16:10-12; 2 Tim 3:14; 4:7). Those who follow David’s example of faithfulness will similarly receive God’s praise (see Acts 13:22). Those who confess the name of Jesus, David’s heir (Acts 13:32-37), and who have a heart of devotion to God and his word will seek to live lives that are pure and pleasing to God (see Heb 13:20-21). They look forward to an abundant, eternal inheritance (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; cp. Gal 5:19-21).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Sam 7:5-17; 1 Kgs 2:2-4; 3:3-15; 8:22-26; 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 29-39; 14:7-16; 15:1-5, 11; 2 Kgs 17:13-23; 21:11-15; Acts 13:21-23<\/p>","summary_ro":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recogni...","summary_en":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recogni...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":117020,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Dangers of Sin","title_en":"The Dangers of Sin","content_ro":"<h3>The Dangers of Sin<\/h3>\n<p>Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15).<\/p>\n<p>The sinful acts of God’s people are prominent throughout the late monarchical period. Words such as <em>sin<\/em>, <em>evil<\/em>, and <em>wicked<\/em> appear frequently to assert that the kings of both Israel (2 Kgs 3:2; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2) and Judah (8:18, 27; 21:2, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19) did “what was evil in the <span>Lord<\/span>’s sight.”<\/p>\n<p>The northern kingdom was particularly culpable. Its kings and people were uniformly condemned for their godless ways (17:16-17, 22); the basic sin of apostate worship, introduced by Jeroboam I, continued in Israel until the end (10:29; 17:21-23; 23:15). God repeatedly warned the people through his prophets (17:13) and brought the chastisement of foreign invaders (13:3, 7). Nothing moved the Israelites’ hearts, for they were set in their ways (13:6; 17:14-17). Eventually God allowed foreign invaders to defeat them and occupy their land, sending many into exile (17:18, 20-23).<\/p>\n<p>The people of Judah were not innocent either. Many of their kings were guilty of gross wickedness, and Judean society grew increasingly apostate and followed “the evil practices that Israel had introduced” (17:19). Despite God’s repeated acts of kindness (e.g., 19:32-36) and warnings delivered through his prophets (21:8-15), the people persisted in their sin, and God’s judgment once again fell (21:10-15; 23:26-27; 24:1-4; 25:1-21).<\/p>\n<p>Where there is genuine repentance, God will graciously forgive his people and remit the penalty. But how much better to be faithful to God’s Word (2 Kgs 18:5-6; 23:25; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; 2 Tim 4:7; Rev 2:10), so that God’s blessings (Ps 112:1; 119:1-2; 144:15) might bring success (2 Kgs 18:7; see also 2 Chr 26:4-5; Prov 3:1-10; 2 Cor 3:5). God’s people need to give God first place in their lives (1 Kgs 18:21, 36-39; see Deut 6:13; 10:12-13; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33), pray for God’s persevering grace (Ps 19:13), and let the word of God be their guide (Ps 119:9; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 18:20-21; Exod 34:7; Lev 26:14-46; Num 15:30-31; Deut 31:16-18; 1 Kgs 8:46-51; 2 Kgs 8:18, 27; 2 Kgs 13:1-7; 14:23-24; 17:13-23; 18:9-12; 21:8-16; 23:25-27; 24:1-3, 19–25:21; 2 Chr 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; Jer 44:2-6; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:7; Rev 2:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Dangers of Sin<\/h3>\n<p>Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15).<\/p>\n<p>The sinful acts of God’s people are prominent throughout the late monarchical period. Words such as <em>sin<\/em>, <em>evil<\/em>, and <em>wicked<\/em> appear frequently to assert that the kings of both Israel (2 Kgs 3:2; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2) and Judah (8:18, 27; 21:2, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19) did “what was evil in the <span>Lord<\/span>’s sight.”<\/p>\n<p>The northern kingdom was particularly culpable. Its kings and people were uniformly condemned for their godless ways (17:16-17, 22); the basic sin of apostate worship, introduced by Jeroboam I, continued in Israel until the end (10:29; 17:21-23; 23:15). God repeatedly warned the people through his prophets (17:13) and brought the chastisement of foreign invaders (13:3, 7). Nothing moved the Israelites’ hearts, for they were set in their ways (13:6; 17:14-17). Eventually God allowed foreign invaders to defeat them and occupy their land, sending many into exile (17:18, 20-23).<\/p>\n<p>The people of Judah were not innocent either. Many of their kings were guilty of gross wickedness, and Judean society grew increasingly apostate and followed “the evil practices that Israel had introduced” (17:19). Despite God’s repeated acts of kindness (e.g., 19:32-36) and warnings delivered through his prophets (21:8-15), the people persisted in their sin, and God’s judgment once again fell (21:10-15; 23:26-27; 24:1-4; 25:1-21).<\/p>\n<p>Where there is genuine repentance, God will graciously forgive his people and remit the penalty. But how much better to be faithful to God’s Word (2 Kgs 18:5-6; 23:25; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; 2 Tim 4:7; Rev 2:10), so that God’s blessings (Ps 112:1; 119:1-2; 144:15) might bring success (2 Kgs 18:7; see also 2 Chr 26:4-5; Prov 3:1-10; 2 Cor 3:5). God’s people need to give God first place in their lives (1 Kgs 18:21, 36-39; see Deut 6:13; 10:12-13; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33), pray for God’s persevering grace (Ps 19:13), and let the word of God be their guide (Ps 119:9; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 18:20-21; Exod 34:7; Lev 26:14-46; Num 15:30-31; Deut 31:16-18; 1 Kgs 8:46-51; 2 Kgs 8:18, 27; 2 Kgs 13:1-7; 14:23-24; 17:13-23; 18:9-12; 21:8-16; 23:25-27; 24:1-3, 19–25:21; 2 Chr 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; Jer 44:2-6; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:7; Rev 2:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Dangers of Sin Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). The sinful acts of God’s ...","summary_en":"The Dangers of Sin Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). The sinful acts of God’s ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":119487,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Choice of Life or Death","title_en":"The Choice of Life or Death","content_ro":"<h3>The Choice of Life or Death<\/h3>\n<p>In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people.<\/p>\n<p>The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your choice of life or death” (Jer 21:8). The prophet warned King Zedekiah and his people to submit to the Lord’s instruction. If they did, they would live; if not, they would die. Earlier in Jeremiah’s ministry, the Lord confronted the people of Judah with an opportunity to change and come home to him (3:12–4:4). If they rejected idol worship, admitted their guilt, and confessed that they were rebels, God would cleanse their minds and hearts, and they could live peacefully in the land. However, the people scornfully rejected this offer again and again (7:5-7; 18:8-11; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-13; 29:32; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5). So the Lord repeatedly warned them that if they rejected the path of life, they would experience judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In Jeremiah’s day, only a few chose life; the majority rebelled and experienced death. In the end, the people led by Zedekiah ignored the Lord, defied the Babylonian army, and indeed suffered judgment. They intentionally rejected the gift of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 11:26-29; 30:15-20; Prov 9:1-18; 11:19; 18:21; Isa 1:19-20; Jer 3:12-15; 4:3-4; 7:5-7; 18:7-11; 21:8-9; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-18; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5; Ezek 18:23-24; Rom 6:23; 8:6; Rev 2:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Choice of Life or Death<\/h3>\n<p>In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people.<\/p>\n<p>The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your choice of life or death” (Jer 21:8). The prophet warned King Zedekiah and his people to submit to the Lord’s instruction. If they did, they would live; if not, they would die. Earlier in Jeremiah’s ministry, the Lord confronted the people of Judah with an opportunity to change and come home to him (3:12–4:4). If they rejected idol worship, admitted their guilt, and confessed that they were rebels, God would cleanse their minds and hearts, and they could live peacefully in the land. However, the people scornfully rejected this offer again and again (7:5-7; 18:8-11; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-13; 29:32; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5). So the Lord repeatedly warned them that if they rejected the path of life, they would experience judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In Jeremiah’s day, only a few chose life; the majority rebelled and experienced death. In the end, the people led by Zedekiah ignored the Lord, defied the Babylonian army, and indeed suffered judgment. They intentionally rejected the gift of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 11:26-29; 30:15-20; Prov 9:1-18; 11:19; 18:21; Isa 1:19-20; Jer 3:12-15; 4:3-4; 7:5-7; 18:7-11; 21:8-9; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-18; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5; Ezek 18:23-24; Rom 6:23; 8:6; Rev 2:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Choice of Life or Death In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people. The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your...","summary_en":"The Choice of Life or Death In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people. The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":121288,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Remaining in Christ","title_en":"Remaining in Christ","content_ro":"<h3>Remaining in Christ<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek term <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō<\/span><em>,<\/em> often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō en,<\/span> ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when we remain in Christ, the Son is in us and we are in the Father and the Son (17:21-23). Both the Father and the Son come and make their home within disciples.<\/p>\n<p>This mutual indwelling is precisely what it means that the disciple remains in Christ. We cannot gain the permanence of our relationship by our own effort; this relationship is only made permanent by the gracious initiative of God indwelling our lives through his Spirit. This means commitment on the part of both God and the disciple. The mutual indwelling between God and the believer is not a fleeting or temporary commitment, but an enduring, permanent, and eternal relationship (see 1 Jn 2:14, 17).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 33:11; 34:28; Josh 7:11-12; 1 Sam 16:22; Pss 22:11, 19; 101:7; Dan 1:21; 2:49; Hag 2:5; Luke 15:31; 22:28; John 6:56; 8:31; 15:1-17; Phil 4:1; 1 Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:24; 2 Jn 1:9; Rev 2:10; 13:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Remaining in Christ<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek term <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō<\/span><em>,<\/em> often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō en,<\/span> ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when we remain in Christ, the Son is in us and we are in the Father and the Son (17:21-23). Both the Father and the Son come and make their home within disciples.<\/p>\n<p>This mutual indwelling is precisely what it means that the disciple remains in Christ. We cannot gain the permanence of our relationship by our own effort; this relationship is only made permanent by the gracious initiative of God indwelling our lives through his Spirit. This means commitment on the part of both God and the disciple. The mutual indwelling between God and the believer is not a fleeting or temporary commitment, but an enduring, permanent, and eternal relationship (see 1 Jn 2:14, 17).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 33:11; 34:28; Josh 7:11-12; 1 Sam 16:22; Pss 22:11, 19; 101:7; Dan 1:21; 2:49; Hag 2:5; Luke 15:31; 22:28; John 6:56; 8:31; 15:1-17; Phil 4:1; 1 Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:24; 2 Jn 1:9; Rev 2:10; 13:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"Remaining in Christ The Greek term menō, often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [menō en, ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when ...","summary_en":"Remaining in Christ The Greek term menō, often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [menō en, ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":122601,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Overcoming the Devil","title_en":"Overcoming the Devil","content_ro":"<h3>Overcoming the Devil<\/h3>\n<p>The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).<\/p>\n<p>The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).<\/p>\n<p>Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).<\/p>\n<p>Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Overcoming the Devil<\/h3>\n<p>The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).<\/p>\n<p>The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).<\/p>\n<p>Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).<\/p>\n<p>Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Overcoming the Devil The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil c...","summary_en":"Overcoming the Devil The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil c...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123164,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123255,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Symbolic Numbers","title_en":"Symbolic Numbers","content_ro":"<h3>Symbolic Numbers<\/h3>\n<p>Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events.<\/p>\n<p>The number <em>one<\/em> can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). <em>Two<\/em> is the minimum number required to give a legitimate witness (Deut 17:6; Rev 11:3), and <em>three<\/em> can imply divine representation (Gen 18:1-2; 2 Cor 13:14; Rev 1:4-5). <em>Four<\/em> can stand for the known world, represented in Revelation by living creatures, horsemen, winds, and angels (Rev 4:6-8; 6:1-8; 7:1) and in Genesis by <em>four<\/em> rivers (Gen 2:10-14). When <em>three<\/em> and <em>four<\/em> are added to make <em>seven,<\/em> they represent perfection or divine fulfillment, indicating that God and the world are in harmony. The multiplication of <em>three<\/em> by <em>four<\/em> yields <em>twelve,<\/em> the number associated with God’s people (Gen 35:22-26; Exod 24:4; 28:21; Num 17:2; Josh 4:3-8; 1 Kgs 18:31; Matt 10:1-4; 19:28; Jas 1:1; Rev 12:1; 21:12–22:2. The number <em>five<\/em> and its multiples, such as <em>ten,<\/em> represent human completeness (e.g., <em>five<\/em> fingers per hand); and <em>six<\/em> carries a negative sense or implication of evil, being neither humanly complete (<em>five<\/em>) nor divinely complete (<em>seven<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Multiples of <em>ten<\/em> (e.g., <em>forty<\/em>) are a symbolic way to indicate <em>many<\/em>, whereas <em>three sixes<\/em> (666) imply supreme evil (Rev 13:18). <em>One thousand<\/em> is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 indicates a large number of God’s people (Rev 7:5-8); and 144,000 represents the complete people of God (Rev 7:4; 14:1). The number 10,000 and its multiples are probably best transliterated from Greek as <em>myriads<\/em>, since they really mean “a huge number” rather than a precise count.<\/p>\n<p>While some of the numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings, using numbers to speculate on the time of Christ’s return or of the end of the world is highly dubious—only God possesses that knowledge (Mark 13:32). God did not intend for the symbolic numbers in Revelation to help us predict the future; rather, their symbolic meanings help to explain the significance of the visions. Because the numbers are symbolic, sometimes when we translate them into contemporary sizes, distances, and numbers for our ease of reading, it can result in the loss of theological significance. The use of these symbolic numbers can illuminate a vision’s relationship to the world or to the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 2:2-3; 4:15; 15:13; 41:53-54; Exod 20:6; 25:31-37; 32:15; Lev 16:14; 23:16; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 4:26; 17:21; 18:31, 43-44; Job 1:2; Ps 90:4; Jer 15:3; 49:36; Ezek 14:21; Dan 4:16, 23-25; 7:3, 17, 24; Zech 4:2; 6:1; Matt 10:1-5; 12:40; 18:21-22; Mark 6:7; Luke 15:8; Acts 6:3; 10:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6; 2 Pet 3:8; Rev 1:16; 2:10; 4:4; 6:1; 7:1, 4-8; 12:1, 3; 13:1; 17:3-14; 20:2-7; 21:12-21<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Symbolic Numbers<\/h3>\n<p>Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events.<\/p>\n<p>The number <em>one<\/em> can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). <em>Two<\/em> is the minimum number required to give a legitimate witness (Deut 17:6; Rev 11:3), and <em>three<\/em> can imply divine representation (Gen 18:1-2; 2 Cor 13:14; Rev 1:4-5). <em>Four<\/em> can stand for the known world, represented in Revelation by living creatures, horsemen, winds, and angels (Rev 4:6-8; 6:1-8; 7:1) and in Genesis by <em>four<\/em> rivers (Gen 2:10-14). When <em>three<\/em> and <em>four<\/em> are added to make <em>seven,<\/em> they represent perfection or divine fulfillment, indicating that God and the world are in harmony. The multiplication of <em>three<\/em> by <em>four<\/em> yields <em>twelve,<\/em> the number associated with God’s people (Gen 35:22-26; Exod 24:4; 28:21; Num 17:2; Josh 4:3-8; 1 Kgs 18:31; Matt 10:1-4; 19:28; Jas 1:1; Rev 12:1; 21:12–22:2. The number <em>five<\/em> and its multiples, such as <em>ten,<\/em> represent human completeness (e.g., <em>five<\/em> fingers per hand); and <em>six<\/em> carries a negative sense or implication of evil, being neither humanly complete (<em>five<\/em>) nor divinely complete (<em>seven<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Multiples of <em>ten<\/em> (e.g., <em>forty<\/em>) are a symbolic way to indicate <em>many<\/em>, whereas <em>three sixes<\/em> (666) imply supreme evil (Rev 13:18). <em>One thousand<\/em> is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 indicates a large number of God’s people (Rev 7:5-8); and 144,000 represents the complete people of God (Rev 7:4; 14:1). The number 10,000 and its multiples are probably best transliterated from Greek as <em>myriads<\/em>, since they really mean “a huge number” rather than a precise count.<\/p>\n<p>While some of the numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings, using numbers to speculate on the time of Christ’s return or of the end of the world is highly dubious—only God possesses that knowledge (Mark 13:32). God did not intend for the symbolic numbers in Revelation to help us predict the future; rather, their symbolic meanings help to explain the significance of the visions. Because the numbers are symbolic, sometimes when we translate them into contemporary sizes, distances, and numbers for our ease of reading, it can result in the loss of theological significance. The use of these symbolic numbers can illuminate a vision’s relationship to the world or to the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 2:2-3; 4:15; 15:13; 41:53-54; Exod 20:6; 25:31-37; 32:15; Lev 16:14; 23:16; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 4:26; 17:21; 18:31, 43-44; Job 1:2; Ps 90:4; Jer 15:3; 49:36; Ezek 14:21; Dan 4:16, 23-25; 7:3, 17, 24; Zech 4:2; 6:1; Matt 10:1-5; 12:40; 18:21-22; Mark 6:7; Luke 15:8; Acts 6:3; 10:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6; 2 Pet 3:8; Rev 1:16; 2:10; 4:4; 6:1; 7:1, 4-8; 12:1, 3; 13:1; 17:3-14; 20:2-7; 21:12-21<\/p>","summary_ro":"Symbolic Numbers Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events. The number one can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). Two is the minimum number required to give a legitimate wit...","summary_en":"Symbolic Numbers Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events. The number one can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). Two is the minimum number required to give a legitimate wit...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":144356,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings","title_en":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings","content_ro":"<h3>God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings<\/h3>\n<p>Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recognized that God had kept his promises to David (8:23-26).<\/p>\n<p>Several times during Solomon’s reign, God himself communicated the inviolability of his covenant with David (3:14; 9:4-5; 11:38). God ultimately judged Solomon and subsequent kings by their faithfulness to that covenant in comparison to David (11:12-13; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). God’s commendation and blessing or disapproval and judgment were consistently based on whether people kept or violated his law (see Deut 28). During the days of the kings, the people of Israel were condemned for willfully turning away from the clear precepts of the Lord contained in the law and spoken through God’s prophets (2 Kgs 17:13-17). Their rejection of God resulted in judgment (2 Kgs 17:18-23; 21:11-15).<\/p>\n<p>God’s dealings with the kings of Israel provide an example for those who are now in covenant with God through Christ. God’s people today are to love the Lord, keep his commandments (John 14:21), and be faithful to him in all things (Matt 25:21; Luke 16:10-12; 2 Tim 3:14; 4:7). Those who follow David’s example of faithfulness will similarly receive God’s praise (see Acts 13:22). Those who confess the name of Jesus, David’s heir (Acts 13:32-37), and who have a heart of devotion to God and his word will seek to live lives that are pure and pleasing to God (see Heb 13:20-21). They look forward to an abundant, eternal inheritance (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; cp. Gal 5:19-21).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Sam 7:5-17; 1 Kgs 2:2-4; 3:3-15; 8:22-26; 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 29-39; 14:7-16; 15:1-5, 11; 2 Kgs 17:13-23; 21:11-15; Acts 13:21-23<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings<\/h3>\n<p>Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recognized that God had kept his promises to David (8:23-26).<\/p>\n<p>Several times during Solomon’s reign, God himself communicated the inviolability of his covenant with David (3:14; 9:4-5; 11:38). God ultimately judged Solomon and subsequent kings by their faithfulness to that covenant in comparison to David (11:12-13; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). God’s commendation and blessing or disapproval and judgment were consistently based on whether people kept or violated his law (see Deut 28). During the days of the kings, the people of Israel were condemned for willfully turning away from the clear precepts of the Lord contained in the law and spoken through God’s prophets (2 Kgs 17:13-17). Their rejection of God resulted in judgment (2 Kgs 17:18-23; 21:11-15).<\/p>\n<p>God’s dealings with the kings of Israel provide an example for those who are now in covenant with God through Christ. God’s people today are to love the Lord, keep his commandments (John 14:21), and be faithful to him in all things (Matt 25:21; Luke 16:10-12; 2 Tim 3:14; 4:7). Those who follow David’s example of faithfulness will similarly receive God’s praise (see Acts 13:22). Those who confess the name of Jesus, David’s heir (Acts 13:32-37), and who have a heart of devotion to God and his word will seek to live lives that are pure and pleasing to God (see Heb 13:20-21). They look forward to an abundant, eternal inheritance (2 Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; cp. Gal 5:19-21).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Sam 7:5-17; 1 Kgs 2:2-4; 3:3-15; 8:22-26; 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 29-39; 14:7-16; 15:1-5, 11; 2 Kgs 17:13-23; 21:11-15; Acts 13:21-23<\/p>","summary_ro":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recogni...","summary_en":"God’s Covenant with Israel’s Kings Solomon understood his role as David’s successor (1 Kgs 3:7). The aged King David had admonished his son Solomon to keep all of God’s requirements in the law of Moses in order to “be successful in all you do and wherever you go” (2:3). Solomon’s faithfulness would allow the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (1 Kgs 2:4; see 2 Sam 7:5-16). Early in his reign, he consciously emulated his father’s love for and faithfulness to God (1 Kgs 3:3), and he recogni...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":144646,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Dangers of Sin","title_en":"The Dangers of Sin","content_ro":"<h3>The Dangers of Sin<\/h3>\n<p>Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15).<\/p>\n<p>The sinful acts of God’s people are prominent throughout the late monarchical period. Words such as <em>sin<\/em>, <em>evil<\/em>, and <em>wicked<\/em> appear frequently to assert that the kings of both Israel (2 Kgs 3:2; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2) and Judah (8:18, 27; 21:2, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19) did “what was evil in the <span>Lord<\/span>’s sight.”<\/p>\n<p>The northern kingdom was particularly culpable. Its kings and people were uniformly condemned for their godless ways (17:16-17, 22); the basic sin of apostate worship, introduced by Jeroboam I, continued in Israel until the end (10:29; 17:21-23; 23:15). God repeatedly warned the people through his prophets (17:13) and brought the chastisement of foreign invaders (13:3, 7). Nothing moved the Israelites’ hearts, for they were set in their ways (13:6; 17:14-17). Eventually God allowed foreign invaders to defeat them and occupy their land, sending many into exile (17:18, 20-23).<\/p>\n<p>The people of Judah were not innocent either. Many of their kings were guilty of gross wickedness, and Judean society grew increasingly apostate and followed “the evil practices that Israel had introduced” (17:19). Despite God’s repeated acts of kindness (e.g., 19:32-36) and warnings delivered through his prophets (21:8-15), the people persisted in their sin, and God’s judgment once again fell (21:10-15; 23:26-27; 24:1-4; 25:1-21).<\/p>\n<p>Where there is genuine repentance, God will graciously forgive his people and remit the penalty. But how much better to be faithful to God’s Word (2 Kgs 18:5-6; 23:25; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; 2 Tim 4:7; Rev 2:10), so that God’s blessings (Ps 112:1; 119:1-2; 144:15) might bring success (2 Kgs 18:7; see also 2 Chr 26:4-5; Prov 3:1-10; 2 Cor 3:5). God’s people need to give God first place in their lives (1 Kgs 18:21, 36-39; see Deut 6:13; 10:12-13; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33), pray for God’s persevering grace (Ps 19:13), and let the word of God be their guide (Ps 119:9; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 18:20-21; Exod 34:7; Lev 26:14-46; Num 15:30-31; Deut 31:16-18; 1 Kgs 8:46-51; 2 Kgs 8:18, 27; 2 Kgs 13:1-7; 14:23-24; 17:13-23; 18:9-12; 21:8-16; 23:25-27; 24:1-3, 19–25:21; 2 Chr 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; Jer 44:2-6; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:7; Rev 2:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Dangers of Sin<\/h3>\n<p>Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15).<\/p>\n<p>The sinful acts of God’s people are prominent throughout the late monarchical period. Words such as <em>sin<\/em>, <em>evil<\/em>, and <em>wicked<\/em> appear frequently to assert that the kings of both Israel (2 Kgs 3:2; 13:2, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:2) and Judah (8:18, 27; 21:2, 16, 20; 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19) did “what was evil in the <span>Lord<\/span>’s sight.”<\/p>\n<p>The northern kingdom was particularly culpable. Its kings and people were uniformly condemned for their godless ways (17:16-17, 22); the basic sin of apostate worship, introduced by Jeroboam I, continued in Israel until the end (10:29; 17:21-23; 23:15). God repeatedly warned the people through his prophets (17:13) and brought the chastisement of foreign invaders (13:3, 7). Nothing moved the Israelites’ hearts, for they were set in their ways (13:6; 17:14-17). Eventually God allowed foreign invaders to defeat them and occupy their land, sending many into exile (17:18, 20-23).<\/p>\n<p>The people of Judah were not innocent either. Many of their kings were guilty of gross wickedness, and Judean society grew increasingly apostate and followed “the evil practices that Israel had introduced” (17:19). Despite God’s repeated acts of kindness (e.g., 19:32-36) and warnings delivered through his prophets (21:8-15), the people persisted in their sin, and God’s judgment once again fell (21:10-15; 23:26-27; 24:1-4; 25:1-21).<\/p>\n<p>Where there is genuine repentance, God will graciously forgive his people and remit the penalty. But how much better to be faithful to God’s Word (2 Kgs 18:5-6; 23:25; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; 2 Tim 4:7; Rev 2:10), so that God’s blessings (Ps 112:1; 119:1-2; 144:15) might bring success (2 Kgs 18:7; see also 2 Chr 26:4-5; Prov 3:1-10; 2 Cor 3:5). God’s people need to give God first place in their lives (1 Kgs 18:21, 36-39; see Deut 6:13; 10:12-13; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33), pray for God’s persevering grace (Ps 19:13), and let the word of God be their guide (Ps 119:9; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 18:20-21; Exod 34:7; Lev 26:14-46; Num 15:30-31; Deut 31:16-18; 1 Kgs 8:46-51; 2 Kgs 8:18, 27; 2 Kgs 13:1-7; 14:23-24; 17:13-23; 18:9-12; 21:8-16; 23:25-27; 24:1-3, 19–25:21; 2 Chr 7:14; 33:12-13; Ps 119:9-11, 33-37; Jer 44:2-6; Mic 6:8; Matt 6:33; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:7; Rev 2:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Dangers of Sin Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). The sinful acts of God’s ...","summary_en":"The Dangers of Sin Choosing sin rather than faithfulness to the only true God invites disaster. This has been true since the very beginning, when Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought curses and banishment from their initial home (Gen 3). And it was true throughout Israel’s history (see, e.g., Num 16; Josh 7; 2 Sam 11:1–12:19). The New Testament offers numerous warnings about the eternal consequences of unrepented sinful behavior (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15). The sinful acts of God’s ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":147113,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Choice of Life or Death","title_en":"The Choice of Life or Death","content_ro":"<h3>The Choice of Life or Death<\/h3>\n<p>In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people.<\/p>\n<p>The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your choice of life or death” (Jer 21:8). The prophet warned King Zedekiah and his people to submit to the Lord’s instruction. If they did, they would live; if not, they would die. Earlier in Jeremiah’s ministry, the Lord confronted the people of Judah with an opportunity to change and come home to him (3:12–4:4). If they rejected idol worship, admitted their guilt, and confessed that they were rebels, God would cleanse their minds and hearts, and they could live peacefully in the land. However, the people scornfully rejected this offer again and again (7:5-7; 18:8-11; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-13; 29:32; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5). So the Lord repeatedly warned them that if they rejected the path of life, they would experience judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In Jeremiah’s day, only a few chose life; the majority rebelled and experienced death. In the end, the people led by Zedekiah ignored the Lord, defied the Babylonian army, and indeed suffered judgment. They intentionally rejected the gift of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 11:26-29; 30:15-20; Prov 9:1-18; 11:19; 18:21; Isa 1:19-20; Jer 3:12-15; 4:3-4; 7:5-7; 18:7-11; 21:8-9; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-18; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5; Ezek 18:23-24; Rom 6:23; 8:6; Rev 2:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Choice of Life or Death<\/h3>\n<p>In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people.<\/p>\n<p>The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your choice of life or death” (Jer 21:8). The prophet warned King Zedekiah and his people to submit to the Lord’s instruction. If they did, they would live; if not, they would die. Earlier in Jeremiah’s ministry, the Lord confronted the people of Judah with an opportunity to change and come home to him (3:12–4:4). If they rejected idol worship, admitted their guilt, and confessed that they were rebels, God would cleanse their minds and hearts, and they could live peacefully in the land. However, the people scornfully rejected this offer again and again (7:5-7; 18:8-11; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-13; 29:32; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5). So the Lord repeatedly warned them that if they rejected the path of life, they would experience judgment.<\/p>\n<p>In Jeremiah’s day, only a few chose life; the majority rebelled and experienced death. In the end, the people led by Zedekiah ignored the Lord, defied the Babylonian army, and indeed suffered judgment. They intentionally rejected the gift of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Deut 11:26-29; 30:15-20; Prov 9:1-18; 11:19; 18:21; Isa 1:19-20; Jer 3:12-15; 4:3-4; 7:5-7; 18:7-11; 21:8-9; 23:22; 26:13; 27:12-18; 35:15; 36:3-7; 44:5; Ezek 18:23-24; Rom 6:23; 8:6; Rev 2:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Choice of Life or Death In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people. The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your...","summary_en":"The Choice of Life or Death In Moses’ instructions to the Israelites when they were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, the people were presented with a choice: Obey the covenant—life as God designed it—and live, or refuse to obey the Creator’s design and die (Deut 30:19). This choice—and its ramifications—resounded throughout God’s covenant dealings with his people. The specific terminology of Deuteronomy 30 resurfaces in Jeremiah, in the context of the Babylonian invasion: “Take your...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":148914,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Remaining in Christ","title_en":"Remaining in Christ","content_ro":"<h3>Remaining in Christ<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek term <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō<\/span><em>,<\/em> often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō en,<\/span> ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when we remain in Christ, the Son is in us and we are in the Father and the Son (17:21-23). Both the Father and the Son come and make their home within disciples.<\/p>\n<p>This mutual indwelling is precisely what it means that the disciple remains in Christ. We cannot gain the permanence of our relationship by our own effort; this relationship is only made permanent by the gracious initiative of God indwelling our lives through his Spirit. This means commitment on the part of both God and the disciple. The mutual indwelling between God and the believer is not a fleeting or temporary commitment, but an enduring, permanent, and eternal relationship (see 1 Jn 2:14, 17).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 33:11; 34:28; Josh 7:11-12; 1 Sam 16:22; Pss 22:11, 19; 101:7; Dan 1:21; 2:49; Hag 2:5; Luke 15:31; 22:28; John 6:56; 8:31; 15:1-17; Phil 4:1; 1 Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:24; 2 Jn 1:9; Rev 2:10; 13:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Remaining in Christ<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek term <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō<\/span><em>,<\/em> often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">menō en,<\/span> ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when we remain in Christ, the Son is in us and we are in the Father and the Son (17:21-23). Both the Father and the Son come and make their home within disciples.<\/p>\n<p>This mutual indwelling is precisely what it means that the disciple remains in Christ. We cannot gain the permanence of our relationship by our own effort; this relationship is only made permanent by the gracious initiative of God indwelling our lives through his Spirit. This means commitment on the part of both God and the disciple. The mutual indwelling between God and the believer is not a fleeting or temporary commitment, but an enduring, permanent, and eternal relationship (see 1 Jn 2:14, 17).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 33:11; 34:28; Josh 7:11-12; 1 Sam 16:22; Pss 22:11, 19; 101:7; Dan 1:21; 2:49; Hag 2:5; Luke 15:31; 22:28; John 6:56; 8:31; 15:1-17; Phil 4:1; 1 Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:24; 2 Jn 1:9; Rev 2:10; 13:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"Remaining in Christ The Greek term menō, often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [menō en, ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when ...","summary_en":"Remaining in Christ The Greek term menō, often translated “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” occurs frequently in relation to Jesus’ descriptions of profound, intimate, and enduring relationships. For example, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to [menō en, ‘stay in’] my teachings” (John 8:31). The idea is that a disciple’s life is fully formed by Jesus’ word. Jesus also described how the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son (John 14:10-11). Likewise, when ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150227,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Overcoming the Devil","title_en":"Overcoming the Devil","content_ro":"<h3>Overcoming the Devil<\/h3>\n<p>The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).<\/p>\n<p>The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).<\/p>\n<p>Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).<\/p>\n<p>Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Overcoming the Devil<\/h3>\n<p>The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8).<\/p>\n<p>The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil can blind the minds of unbelievers (see 2 Cor 4:4; cp. Matt 13:19). While Satan opposes God and seeks to destroy his people (Rev 12:12, 17), Jesus came to destroy Satan’s work (1 Jn 3:8). God turns what the devil intends for evil into good. Following this principle, Paul instructs the church at Corinth to expel someone from Christian fellowship in order that, by being exposed to the devil’s destructive power, that person might repent and be saved (see 1 Cor 5:5).<\/p>\n<p>Christians are to stand firm and resist the devil (Jas 4:7), praying for God’s deliverance (Matt 6:13) and availing themselves of the armor that God provides for their defense (Eph 6:10-20). Those who yield to Satan’s influence suffer the consequences (see Acts 5:1-5). But believers who walk with Christ are secure because they know that the cross has broken the devil’s power (see Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22) and that the Lord protects them (see 1 Jn 5:18). They also know that the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the devil (see 1 Jn 4:4). By the word of God, they can overcome the evil one (see 1 Jn 2:14; cp. Rev 12:11).<\/p>\n<p>Although believers need to be wary of the devil and protect themselves from his power, they need not live in fear. The power of the devil is no match for the power of God. And in the end, the devil will be ultimately and totally defeated (see Rev 20:7-10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Matt 6:13; 13:19; Acts 5:3-5; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 5:5; 15:24; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:10-20; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Thes 2:18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 3:22; 5:8; 1 Jn 2:14; 3:8; 4:4; 5:18-19; Rev 2:10; 12:7-9, 11-12, 17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Overcoming the Devil The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil c...","summary_en":"Overcoming the Devil The New Testament writers were convinced of the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. So they took Satan (the evil one, the devil) seriously as a real threat. The devil inhibits the work of God’s people (see 1 Thes 2:18; Rev 2:10), and he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). The entire unbelieving world is subject to the power of sin and the devil (see Eph 2:2; 1 Jn 5:19). As the “god of this world,” the devil c...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150790,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150881,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Symbolic Numbers","title_en":"Symbolic Numbers","content_ro":"<h3>Symbolic Numbers<\/h3>\n<p>Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events.<\/p>\n<p>The number <em>one<\/em> can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). <em>Two<\/em> is the minimum number required to give a legitimate witness (Deut 17:6; Rev 11:3), and <em>three<\/em> can imply divine representation (Gen 18:1-2; 2 Cor 13:14; Rev 1:4-5). <em>Four<\/em> can stand for the known world, represented in Revelation by living creatures, horsemen, winds, and angels (Rev 4:6-8; 6:1-8; 7:1) and in Genesis by <em>four<\/em> rivers (Gen 2:10-14). When <em>three<\/em> and <em>four<\/em> are added to make <em>seven,<\/em> they represent perfection or divine fulfillment, indicating that God and the world are in harmony. The multiplication of <em>three<\/em> by <em>four<\/em> yields <em>twelve,<\/em> the number associated with God’s people (Gen 35:22-26; Exod 24:4; 28:21; Num 17:2; Josh 4:3-8; 1 Kgs 18:31; Matt 10:1-4; 19:28; Jas 1:1; Rev 12:1; 21:12–22:2. The number <em>five<\/em> and its multiples, such as <em>ten,<\/em> represent human completeness (e.g., <em>five<\/em> fingers per hand); and <em>six<\/em> carries a negative sense or implication of evil, being neither humanly complete (<em>five<\/em>) nor divinely complete (<em>seven<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Multiples of <em>ten<\/em> (e.g., <em>forty<\/em>) are a symbolic way to indicate <em>many<\/em>, whereas <em>three sixes<\/em> (666) imply supreme evil (Rev 13:18). <em>One thousand<\/em> is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 indicates a large number of God’s people (Rev 7:5-8); and 144,000 represents the complete people of God (Rev 7:4; 14:1). The number 10,000 and its multiples are probably best transliterated from Greek as <em>myriads<\/em>, since they really mean “a huge number” rather than a precise count.<\/p>\n<p>While some of the numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings, using numbers to speculate on the time of Christ’s return or of the end of the world is highly dubious—only God possesses that knowledge (Mark 13:32). God did not intend for the symbolic numbers in Revelation to help us predict the future; rather, their symbolic meanings help to explain the significance of the visions. Because the numbers are symbolic, sometimes when we translate them into contemporary sizes, distances, and numbers for our ease of reading, it can result in the loss of theological significance. The use of these symbolic numbers can illuminate a vision’s relationship to the world or to the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 2:2-3; 4:15; 15:13; 41:53-54; Exod 20:6; 25:31-37; 32:15; Lev 16:14; 23:16; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 4:26; 17:21; 18:31, 43-44; Job 1:2; Ps 90:4; Jer 15:3; 49:36; Ezek 14:21; Dan 4:16, 23-25; 7:3, 17, 24; Zech 4:2; 6:1; Matt 10:1-5; 12:40; 18:21-22; Mark 6:7; Luke 15:8; Acts 6:3; 10:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6; 2 Pet 3:8; Rev 1:16; 2:10; 4:4; 6:1; 7:1, 4-8; 12:1, 3; 13:1; 17:3-14; 20:2-7; 21:12-21<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Symbolic Numbers<\/h3>\n<p>Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events.<\/p>\n<p>The number <em>one<\/em> can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). <em>Two<\/em> is the minimum number required to give a legitimate witness (Deut 17:6; Rev 11:3), and <em>three<\/em> can imply divine representation (Gen 18:1-2; 2 Cor 13:14; Rev 1:4-5). <em>Four<\/em> can stand for the known world, represented in Revelation by living creatures, horsemen, winds, and angels (Rev 4:6-8; 6:1-8; 7:1) and in Genesis by <em>four<\/em> rivers (Gen 2:10-14). When <em>three<\/em> and <em>four<\/em> are added to make <em>seven,<\/em> they represent perfection or divine fulfillment, indicating that God and the world are in harmony. The multiplication of <em>three<\/em> by <em>four<\/em> yields <em>twelve,<\/em> the number associated with God’s people (Gen 35:22-26; Exod 24:4; 28:21; Num 17:2; Josh 4:3-8; 1 Kgs 18:31; Matt 10:1-4; 19:28; Jas 1:1; Rev 12:1; 21:12–22:2. The number <em>five<\/em> and its multiples, such as <em>ten,<\/em> represent human completeness (e.g., <em>five<\/em> fingers per hand); and <em>six<\/em> carries a negative sense or implication of evil, being neither humanly complete (<em>five<\/em>) nor divinely complete (<em>seven<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Multiples of <em>ten<\/em> (e.g., <em>forty<\/em>) are a symbolic way to indicate <em>many<\/em>, whereas <em>three sixes<\/em> (666) imply supreme evil (Rev 13:18). <em>One thousand<\/em> is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 indicates a large number of God’s people (Rev 7:5-8); and 144,000 represents the complete people of God (Rev 7:4; 14:1). The number 10,000 and its multiples are probably best transliterated from Greek as <em>myriads<\/em>, since they really mean “a huge number” rather than a precise count.<\/p>\n<p>While some of the numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings, using numbers to speculate on the time of Christ’s return or of the end of the world is highly dubious—only God possesses that knowledge (Mark 13:32). God did not intend for the symbolic numbers in Revelation to help us predict the future; rather, their symbolic meanings help to explain the significance of the visions. Because the numbers are symbolic, sometimes when we translate them into contemporary sizes, distances, and numbers for our ease of reading, it can result in the loss of theological significance. The use of these symbolic numbers can illuminate a vision’s relationship to the world or to the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 2:2-3; 4:15; 15:13; 41:53-54; Exod 20:6; 25:31-37; 32:15; Lev 16:14; 23:16; 2 Sam 24:13; 1 Kgs 4:26; 17:21; 18:31, 43-44; Job 1:2; Ps 90:4; Jer 15:3; 49:36; Ezek 14:21; Dan 4:16, 23-25; 7:3, 17, 24; Zech 4:2; 6:1; Matt 10:1-5; 12:40; 18:21-22; Mark 6:7; Luke 15:8; Acts 6:3; 10:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6; 2 Pet 3:8; Rev 1:16; 2:10; 4:4; 6:1; 7:1, 4-8; 12:1, 3; 13:1; 17:3-14; 20:2-7; 21:12-21<\/p>","summary_ro":"Symbolic Numbers Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events. The number one can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). Two is the minimum number required to give a legitimate wit...","summary_en":"Symbolic Numbers Numbers used in Scripture have often inspired wild speculation. An understanding of the symbolism of numbers in the ancient world can help ground our interpretation. Such symbolism, however, is not rigid or exact, so great care must be exercised when numbers are used in interpretation, so as not to push fanciful predictions about future events. The number one can refer to God’s oneness (Deut 6:4; Gal 3:20; Jas 2:19). Two is the minimum number required to give a legitimate wit...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"11":[{"id":9096,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Death","title_en":"Death","content_ro":"<h3>DEATH<\/h3>\n<p>Cessation of life (physical death) or separation from God (spiritual death).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"OldTestamentView\">Old Testament View<\/p>\n<p>In the OT death was accepted as the natural end of life. The goal of an Israelite was to live a long and full life, produce many descendants, and die in peace with the children and grandchildren gathered about. The OT contains many protests against an early death (e.g., Hezekiah’s, 2 Kgs 20:1-11). An early death might appear to be the result of God’s judgment; hence, Job saw the need to vindicate his character prior to death (Jb 19:25-26). Only in Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 is outright pessimism expressed in the face of death—and that book probably shows considerable non-Hebraic influence.<\/p>\n<p>Death, although a natural ending to life, was never viewed as pleasant. Death cut one off from human community as well as from the presence and service of God. God may offer comfort in the face of death (Ps 73:23-28), but he is rarely portrayed as present with the dead, and that only in later biblical literature (Ps 139:8). For that reason, death was never viewed as the threshold to a better life.<\/p>\n<p>The relationship of sin to death is seen in the death penalty in the law of Moses. A serious offender was put to death. The punitive phrase “he shall be cut off” implied that although the nation went on living, the criminal was separated from it by death. The Israelites were warned that to disobey God’s commandments could bring premature death as a consequence of breaking fellowship with God (Dt 30:15-20; Jer 21:8; Ez 18:21-32).<\/p>\n<p>In the intertestamental period, as Jewish ideas of afterlife and resurrection developed more explicitly, so too did Jewish thinking about death. Death itself, not just a premature death, came to be seen as an evil result of sin (2 Esd 3:7; Ecclus 25:24). Sometimes all death is depicted as the result of the “first sin” (Adam and Eve’s disobedience). In other references, everyone dies as a result of his or her own sin. The first clear indication in Scripture of a resurrection of the dead and a final judgment or punishment occurs in the book of Daniel (Dn 12:2), one of the last OT books to be written. That teaching is echoed throughout the intertestamental period (2 Esd 7:31-44). During that time, it was believed that the soul survived death either in some immortal form (Wisd of Sol 3:4; 4:1; 4 Macc 16:13; 17:12) or awaiting the resurrection (1 Enoch 102). Some of those extrabiblical writings incorporated Greek ideas that the body was a burden to be gotten rid of—a notion foreign to Hebrew thought.<\/p>\n<p>The concept of resurrection and a life redeemed from death, however, set the stage for the NT revelation focusing on Christ’s resurrection and his conquest of death.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"NewTestamentView\">New Testament View<\/p>\n<p>In the NT, death is seen more as a theological problem than as a personal event. Death goes beyond the simple ending of physical life, which the authors accept almost without difficulty. Death is seen as affecting every part of a person’s life. God alone is immortal, the source of all life in the world (Rom 4:17; 1 Tm 6:16). Only as human beings are properly related to God’s life can they live. But it has been unnatural for people to be in personal communion with the divine source of life since sin was introduced into the world (Rom 5:12, 17-18; 1 Cor 15:22). When Adam separated himself from God, that separation brought death. Each human being has followed in Adam’s footsteps (Rom 3:23; 5:12), bringing death for everyone as the absolutely necessary result (Rom 6:23; Heb 9:27). Death, then, is not merely something that happens to people at the end of their lives; it is also the living out of their lives apart from fellowship with God.<\/p>\n<p>The extent of death’s domination is vast. It affects every aspect of culture. All of human life is lived under the shadow of the fear of death (Rom 8:15; Heb 2:15). Death reigns over all that is “of the flesh” (Rom 8:6). Anyone not living in relationship to Christ lives in a state of death (Jn 3:16-18; 1 Jn 5:12). The devil, who rules the world, is the lord of death (Heb 2:14). Death is sometimes personified as a demonic power at large in the world but finally brought to bay by Christ himself, the only one who could master it (1 Cor 15:26-27; Rv 6:8; 20:13-14).<\/p>\n<p>Christ died, was buried, and rose again on the third day (Rom 4:25; 1 Cor 15:3-4; 1 Thes 4:14). Through that historic event, the power of death was broken. The NT in various ways expresses Christ’s subjection to death in payment for sin. He became obedient to death (Phil 2:8); he died as a sacrifice for the sins of all (1 Cor 5:7; 2 Cor 5:15); and he descended into hades, the place of the dead (1 Pt 3:18-19). The major point of all such passages is that he did not remain dead but defeated the devil, took the power (keys) of death, and ascended in victory (Heb 2:14-15; Rv 1:17-18). Jesus Christ worked not for his own benefit but for those who commit themselves to him (Mk 10:45; Rom 5:6-8; 1 Thes 5:9-10). By accepting a death he did not deserve, Christ has broken the power of death for his followers.<\/p>\n<p>The Christian is thus delivered from “this body of death” (Rom 7:24) by the power of Christ. Salvation comes through being baptized into Christ’s death (6:3-4), and “dying with Christ” to the world and the law (Rom 7:6; Gal 6:14; Col 2:20). That is, the death of Christ is counted by God as the believer’s death. The rebellious world’s sin (Rom 6:6) and self-idolatry (living for oneself, 2 Cor 5:14-15) become things of the past. The death of Jesus for his people is the means by which his life is given to them (4:10). The result is that believers are separated from the world just as they were once separated from God. From the world’s point of view, they are dead; Christ is their only life (Col 3:3).<\/p>\n<p>The apostle John expressed it somewhat differently. Jesus came into the world to give life to the dead (Jn 5:24). That life-giving will not happen at the resurrection; it is already happening. All who commit themselves to Jesus pass immediately from death to life. Or, to put it another way, those who keep (obey) his words will never see death (8:51-52). The point is that all who are outside Christ are already dead, and those trusting in Christ are already enjoying life. The radical difference between the Christian and the non-Christian is a difference between life and death.<\/p>\n<p>Naturally, the NT writers knew that Christians die; their problem was to find words to explain the difference from non-Christian death. Believers who die physically are said to be “dead in Christ” (1 Thes 4:16). Or they are not dead at all, but merely “asleep” (1 Cor 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thes 4:13-15; cf. Jesus’ words, Jn 11:11-14). Although their bodies are dead, deceased believers are not separated from Christ; that is, they are not really dead. All the powers of death and hell cannot separate believers from Christ (Rom 8:38-39). For them, death is not a loss but a gain; it brings them closer to Christ (2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 1:20-21). What is more, believers will share in Christ’s victory over physical death as well. Because he is the “firstfruits” of those rising from the dead (1 Cor 15:20; Col 1:18), those “in Christ” will rise “on the last day” to be with him, whole and complete.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, for those who do not belong to Christ, there is a final, total separation from God. At the last judgment, all whose names are not “written in the Book of Life” are consigned to a lake of fire, in the company of death itself and hades. That final separation from God is the “second death” (Rv 20:14). Christians, however, have been saved from death (Jas 5:20; 1 Jn 3:14). The second death has no power over those who are faithful to Christ (Rv 2:11; 20:6). Instead, they will live with God, in whose presence there can be no death, for he is life itself (21:4).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Dead, Place of the; Intermediate State; Wrath of God.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>DEATH<\/h3>\n<p>Cessation of life (physical death) or separation from God (spiritual death).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"OldTestamentView\">Old Testament View<\/p>\n<p>In the OT death was accepted as the natural end of life. The goal of an Israelite was to live a long and full life, produce many descendants, and die in peace with the children and grandchildren gathered about. The OT contains many protests against an early death (e.g., Hezekiah’s, 2 Kgs 20:1-11). An early death might appear to be the result of God’s judgment; hence, Job saw the need to vindicate his character prior to death (Jb 19:25-26). Only in Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 is outright pessimism expressed in the face of death—and that book probably shows considerable non-Hebraic influence.<\/p>\n<p>Death, although a natural ending to life, was never viewed as pleasant. Death cut one off from human community as well as from the presence and service of God. God may offer comfort in the face of death (Ps 73:23-28), but he is rarely portrayed as present with the dead, and that only in later biblical literature (Ps 139:8). For that reason, death was never viewed as the threshold to a better life.<\/p>\n<p>The relationship of sin to death is seen in the death penalty in the law of Moses. A serious offender was put to death. The punitive phrase “he shall be cut off” implied that although the nation went on living, the criminal was separated from it by death. The Israelites were warned that to disobey God’s commandments could bring premature death as a consequence of breaking fellowship with God (Dt 30:15-20; Jer 21:8; Ez 18:21-32).<\/p>\n<p>In the intertestamental period, as Jewish ideas of afterlife and resurrection developed more explicitly, so too did Jewish thinking about death. Death itself, not just a premature death, came to be seen as an evil result of sin (2 Esd 3:7; Ecclus 25:24). Sometimes all death is depicted as the result of the “first sin” (Adam and Eve’s disobedience). In other references, everyone dies as a result of his or her own sin. The first clear indication in Scripture of a resurrection of the dead and a final judgment or punishment occurs in the book of Daniel (Dn 12:2), one of the last OT books to be written. That teaching is echoed throughout the intertestamental period (2 Esd 7:31-44). During that time, it was believed that the soul survived death either in some immortal form (Wisd of Sol 3:4; 4:1; 4 Macc 16:13; 17:12) or awaiting the resurrection (1 Enoch 102). Some of those extrabiblical writings incorporated Greek ideas that the body was a burden to be gotten rid of—a notion foreign to Hebrew thought.<\/p>\n<p>The concept of resurrection and a life redeemed from death, however, set the stage for the NT revelation focusing on Christ’s resurrection and his conquest of death.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"NewTestamentView\">New Testament View<\/p>\n<p>In the NT, death is seen more as a theological problem than as a personal event. Death goes beyond the simple ending of physical life, which the authors accept almost without difficulty. Death is seen as affecting every part of a person’s life. God alone is immortal, the source of all life in the world (Rom 4:17; 1 Tm 6:16). Only as human beings are properly related to God’s life can they live. But it has been unnatural for people to be in personal communion with the divine source of life since sin was introduced into the world (Rom 5:12, 17-18; 1 Cor 15:22). When Adam separated himself from God, that separation brought death. Each human being has followed in Adam’s footsteps (Rom 3:23; 5:12), bringing death for everyone as the absolutely necessary result (Rom 6:23; Heb 9:27). Death, then, is not merely something that happens to people at the end of their lives; it is also the living out of their lives apart from fellowship with God.<\/p>\n<p>The extent of death’s domination is vast. It affects every aspect of culture. All of human life is lived under the shadow of the fear of death (Rom 8:15; Heb 2:15). Death reigns over all that is “of the flesh” (Rom 8:6). Anyone not living in relationship to Christ lives in a state of death (Jn 3:16-18; 1 Jn 5:12). The devil, who rules the world, is the lord of death (Heb 2:14). Death is sometimes personified as a demonic power at large in the world but finally brought to bay by Christ himself, the only one who could master it (1 Cor 15:26-27; Rv 6:8; 20:13-14).<\/p>\n<p>Christ died, was buried, and rose again on the third day (Rom 4:25; 1 Cor 15:3-4; 1 Thes 4:14). Through that historic event, the power of death was broken. The NT in various ways expresses Christ’s subjection to death in payment for sin. He became obedient to death (Phil 2:8); he died as a sacrifice for the sins of all (1 Cor 5:7; 2 Cor 5:15); and he descended into hades, the place of the dead (1 Pt 3:18-19). The major point of all such passages is that he did not remain dead but defeated the devil, took the power (keys) of death, and ascended in victory (Heb 2:14-15; Rv 1:17-18). Jesus Christ worked not for his own benefit but for those who commit themselves to him (Mk 10:45; Rom 5:6-8; 1 Thes 5:9-10). By accepting a death he did not deserve, Christ has broken the power of death for his followers.<\/p>\n<p>The Christian is thus delivered from “this body of death” (Rom 7:24) by the power of Christ. Salvation comes through being baptized into Christ’s death (6:3-4), and “dying with Christ” to the world and the law (Rom 7:6; Gal 6:14; Col 2:20). That is, the death of Christ is counted by God as the believer’s death. The rebellious world’s sin (Rom 6:6) and self-idolatry (living for oneself, 2 Cor 5:14-15) become things of the past. The death of Jesus for his people is the means by which his life is given to them (4:10). The result is that believers are separated from the world just as they were once separated from God. From the world’s point of view, they are dead; Christ is their only life (Col 3:3).<\/p>\n<p>The apostle John expressed it somewhat differently. Jesus came into the world to give life to the dead (Jn 5:24). That life-giving will not happen at the resurrection; it is already happening. All who commit themselves to Jesus pass immediately from death to life. Or, to put it another way, those who keep (obey) his words will never see death (8:51-52). The point is that all who are outside Christ are already dead, and those trusting in Christ are already enjoying life. The radical difference between the Christian and the non-Christian is a difference between life and death.<\/p>\n<p>Naturally, the NT writers knew that Christians die; their problem was to find words to explain the difference from non-Christian death. Believers who die physically are said to be “dead in Christ” (1 Thes 4:16). Or they are not dead at all, but merely “asleep” (1 Cor 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thes 4:13-15; cf. Jesus’ words, Jn 11:11-14). Although their bodies are dead, deceased believers are not separated from Christ; that is, they are not really dead. All the powers of death and hell cannot separate believers from Christ (Rom 8:38-39). For them, death is not a loss but a gain; it brings them closer to Christ (2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 1:20-21). What is more, believers will share in Christ’s victory over physical death as well. Because he is the “firstfruits” of those rising from the dead (1 Cor 15:20; Col 1:18), those “in Christ” will rise “on the last day” to be with him, whole and complete.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, for those who do not belong to Christ, there is a final, total separation from God. At the last judgment, all whose names are not “written in the Book of Life” are consigned to a lake of fire, in the company of death itself and hades. That final separation from God is the “second death” (Rv 20:14). Christians, however, have been saved from death (Jas 5:20; 1 Jn 3:14). The second death has no power over those who are faithful to Christ (Rv 2:11; 20:6). Instead, they will live with God, in whose presence there can be no death, for he is life itself (21:4).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Dead, Place of the; Intermediate State; Wrath of God.<\/p>","summary_ro":"DEATH Cessation of life (physical death) or separation from God (spiritual death). Old Testament View In the OT death was accepted as the natural end of life. The goal of an Israelite was to live a long and full life, produce many descendants, and die in peace with the children and grandchildren gathered about. The OT contains many protests against an early death (e.g., Hezekiah’s, 2 Kgs 20:1-11). An early death might appear to be the result of God’s judgment; hence, Job saw the need to vindi...","summary_en":"DEATH Cessation of life (physical death) or separation from God (spiritual death). Old Testament View In the OT death was accepted as the natural end of life. The goal of an Israelite was to live a long and full life, produce many descendants, and die in peace with the children and grandchildren gathered about. The OT contains many protests against an early death (e.g., Hezekiah’s, 2 Kgs 20:1-11). An early death might appear to be the result of God’s judgment; hence, Job saw the need to vindi...","source":"Articles\/D.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":9102,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"the Second Death","title_en":"the Second Death","content_ro":"<h3>DEATH, The Second<\/h3>\n<p>Term used in the NT only in the book of Revelation, to describe God’s eternal judgment on sin. Originally a rabbinic expression, the second death will be experienced by those whose names are not written in the “Book of Life” (Rv 20:15). The second death is equated with the “lake of fire” (v 14), or the lake that burns with “fire and brimstone” (21:8, <span>kjv<\/span>), and is described as the lot of “the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, . . . murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars” (<span>rsv<\/span>). Those who are victorious in this life have nothing to fear from the second death (2:11).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Death; Eschatology; Fall of Man; Last Judgment.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>DEATH, The Second<\/h3>\n<p>Term used in the NT only in the book of Revelation, to describe God’s eternal judgment on sin. Originally a rabbinic expression, the second death will be experienced by those whose names are not written in the “Book of Life” (Rv 20:15). The second death is equated with the “lake of fire” (v 14), or the lake that burns with “fire and brimstone” (21:8, <span>kjv<\/span>), and is described as the lot of “the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, . . . murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars” (<span>rsv<\/span>). Those who are victorious in this life have nothing to fear from the second death (2:11).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Death; Eschatology; Fall of Man; Last Judgment.<\/p>","summary_ro":"DEATH, The Second Term used in the NT only in the book of Revelation, to describe God’s eternal judgment on sin. Originally a rabbinic expression, the second death will be experienced by those whose names are not written in the “Book of Life” (Rv 20:15). The second death is equated with the “lake of fire” (v 14), or the lake that burns with “fire and brimstone” (21:8, kjv), and is described as the lot of “the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, . . . murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idol...","summary_en":"DEATH, The Second Term used in the NT only in the book of Revelation, to describe God’s eternal judgment on sin. Originally a rabbinic expression, the second death will be experienced by those whose names are not written in the “Book of Life” (Rv 20:15). The second death is equated with the “lake of fire” (v 14), or the lake that burns with “fire and brimstone” (21:8, kjv), and is described as the lot of “the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, . . . murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idol...","source":"Articles\/D.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59329,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:11","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:11","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:11<\/strong> Faithfulness until death is described as being <em>victorious<\/em><em>;<\/em> overcoming <em>the second death<\/em> means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:11<\/strong> Faithfulness until death is described as being <em>victorious<\/em><em>;<\/em> overcoming <em>the second death<\/em> means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:11 Faithfulness until death is described as being victorious; overcoming the second death means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).","summary_en":"2:11 Faithfulness until death is described as being victorious; overcoming the second death means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86955,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:11","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:11","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:11<\/strong> Faithfulness until death is described as being <em>victorious<\/em><em>;<\/em> overcoming <em>the second death<\/em> means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:11<\/strong> Faithfulness until death is described as being <em>victorious<\/em><em>;<\/em> overcoming <em>the second death<\/em> means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:11 Faithfulness until death is described as being victorious; overcoming the second death means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).","summary_en":"2:11 Faithfulness until death is described as being victorious; overcoming the second death means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114581,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:11","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:11","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:11<\/strong> Faithfulness until death is described as being <em>victorious<\/em><em>;<\/em> overcoming <em>the second death<\/em> means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:11<\/strong> Faithfulness until death is described as being <em>victorious<\/em><em>;<\/em> overcoming <em>the second death<\/em> means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:11 Faithfulness until death is described as being victorious; overcoming the second death means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).","summary_en":"2:11 Faithfulness until death is described as being victorious; overcoming the second death means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142207,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:11","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:11","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:11<\/strong> Faithfulness until death is described as being <em>victorious<\/em><em>;<\/em> overcoming <em>the second death<\/em> means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:11<\/strong> Faithfulness until death is described as being <em>victorious<\/em><em>;<\/em> overcoming <em>the second death<\/em> means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:11 Faithfulness until death is described as being victorious; overcoming the second death means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).","summary_en":"2:11 Faithfulness until death is described as being victorious; overcoming the second death means receiving eternal life (see 20:5-6, 14; 21:8).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"12":[{"id":29649,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Pergamos*, Pergamum","title_en":"Pergamos*, Pergamum","content_ro":"<h3>PERGAMOS*, PERGAMUM<\/h3>\n<p>City just north of the Caicus River, in the southern part of Mysia (western Turkey), and one of the greatest cultural centers of the Hellenistic era. The early geographer Strabo (63 <span>BC<\/span>–<span>AD<\/span> 24?) called the area around Pergamum the richest land in Mysia. It is mentioned only twice in the Bible (Rv 1:11; 2:12; <span>kjv<\/span> “Pergamos”), both times referring to one of the seven churches of Asia to which the last book of the NT was written.<\/p>\n<p>The province of Mysia was combined with Lydia and Caria to form the Roman district of Asia, comprising the western portion of modern Turkey. Pergamum lies less than 20 miles (32.3 kilometers) inland from the sea and about three miles (4.8 kilometers) north of the Caicus River on a large conical hill, 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) high, which is sandwiched between two smaller streams that flow into the Caicus, the Selinus on the west and the Cetius on the east. This natural position of strength, combined with its religious significance as a temple site, made it a desirable place to store wealth. Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, deposited an enormous sum of money here (9,000 talents), which was later used by Pergamene kings to create the glory of Pergamum. Although coins were minted in Pergamum before 400 <span>BC<\/span>, it was not a great city until long after the death of Alexander.<\/p>\n<p>The splendor of Pergamum began with Attalus I (241–197 <span>BC<\/span>), who took the title of king and founded the Attalic dynasty. His wealth, success in battle (defeating the Gauls who moved into Galatia in 278 <span>BC<\/span>), and his judicial alliance with the rising power of Rome contributed to his ability to embellish his kingdom with Hellenistic culture. He adorned it with temples, theaters, a library, and other public buildings.<\/p>\n<p>He was succeeded by his son Eumenes II, who, because of his help in Rome’s conquest of the Seleucid kingdom of Syria, was given in 189 <span>BC<\/span> all Seleucid territory northwest of the Taurus mountains, thus extending the Pergamene kingdom from the Taurus to the Dardanelles. Under Eumenes (197–159 <span>BC<\/span>), Pergamum attained the height of its power and glory. He expanded the library to 200,000 volumes, almost rivaling the great one at Alexandria, and he constructed the altar of Zeus, which stood on a hill 800 feet (243.8 meters) above the city and could be seen for miles. It is tempting to imagine this altar as the place “where Satan’s throne is” (Rv 2:13), especially since Pergamum was the chief center of worship for four of the greatest pagan deities—Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and Asclepius. However, it may be that Revelation is referring to the fact that Pergamum was the center of emperor worship in Asia at that time.<\/p>\n<p>The last king of the Attalic dynasty, Attalus III, died without leaving an heir in 133 <span>BC<\/span>. In his will he gave all of his kingdom to Rome, with the exception of Pergamum and other Greek cities, which were given freedom as independent administrative units and were exempt from tribute. In order to reduce its obligation to police, the Roman consul bequeathed the easternmost territory of Phrygia to Pontus and Cappadocia. Thus, the newly created Roman province of Asia was smaller than the Pergamene Empire had been. Even though after 120 <span>BC<\/span> Phrygia was reclaimed by the Roman senate (upon the death of Mithridates, king of Pontus), it was not actually incorporated into Asia until 85 <span>BC<\/span>. At that time, the Roman provincial unit was again roughly comparable in size to the old Pergamene kingdom.<\/p>\n\n<p>Pergamum was built across the centuries in three separate areas. The upper city on top of the mountain was the northernmost area and was largely the domain of the royal family, the nobility, and the military commanders. It had an air of officialdom. The middle city, further south and lower down the mountain, contained the part of the city visited by the common people and included sports fields for the youth and temples frequented by those of less education. These facilities were not controlled directly by the city and the priesthood, and the general citizenship of Pergamum had unrestricted access to them. The third area, across the Selinus River to the southwest, contained the famous Asclepian of Pergamum, a center for the healing arts. This center had a medical school that produced the celebrated physician Galen. Here the god Asclepius was worshiped in a cylindrical temple, which was a small replica of the famed Pantheon built in Rome some 20 years before (<span>AD<\/span> 130). There was also a lovely fountain, theater, pool, medical building, library, and various temples, the striking remains of which may still be seen.<\/p>\n<p>The references in Revelation 2:12-15 to the Nicolaitans and those who held the doctrine of Balaam probably refers to the extensive influence of the immoral and idolatrous worship of Dionysus and Aphrodite, which was especially offensive to the known Jewish population (Josephus’s <em>Antiquities<\/em> 14.10.22), as well as to true Christians. Pliny (<em>Natural History<\/em> 5.30) considered Pergamum to be the most distinguished city of Asia and as such it would have been the natural place for emperor worship. The reference to the martyrdom of Antipas, “my faithful witness” (Rv 2:13), can easily be understood in the light of the Jewish and Christian refusal to worship the emperor in this city.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the extensive manufacture of writing material from sheepskin in Pergamum, the name parchment (Latin, <em>pergamena<\/em>) was given to the product.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>PERGAMOS*, PERGAMUM<\/h3>\n<p>City just north of the Caicus River, in the southern part of Mysia (western Turkey), and one of the greatest cultural centers of the Hellenistic era. The early geographer Strabo (63 <span>BC<\/span>–<span>AD<\/span> 24?) called the area around Pergamum the richest land in Mysia. It is mentioned only twice in the Bible (Rv 1:11; 2:12; <span>kjv<\/span> “Pergamos”), both times referring to one of the seven churches of Asia to which the last book of the NT was written.<\/p>\n<p>The province of Mysia was combined with Lydia and Caria to form the Roman district of Asia, comprising the western portion of modern Turkey. Pergamum lies less than 20 miles (32.3 kilometers) inland from the sea and about three miles (4.8 kilometers) north of the Caicus River on a large conical hill, 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) high, which is sandwiched between two smaller streams that flow into the Caicus, the Selinus on the west and the Cetius on the east. This natural position of strength, combined with its religious significance as a temple site, made it a desirable place to store wealth. Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, deposited an enormous sum of money here (9,000 talents), which was later used by Pergamene kings to create the glory of Pergamum. Although coins were minted in Pergamum before 400 <span>BC<\/span>, it was not a great city until long after the death of Alexander.<\/p>\n<p>The splendor of Pergamum began with Attalus I (241–197 <span>BC<\/span>), who took the title of king and founded the Attalic dynasty. His wealth, success in battle (defeating the Gauls who moved into Galatia in 278 <span>BC<\/span>), and his judicial alliance with the rising power of Rome contributed to his ability to embellish his kingdom with Hellenistic culture. He adorned it with temples, theaters, a library, and other public buildings.<\/p>\n<p>He was succeeded by his son Eumenes II, who, because of his help in Rome’s conquest of the Seleucid kingdom of Syria, was given in 189 <span>BC<\/span> all Seleucid territory northwest of the Taurus mountains, thus extending the Pergamene kingdom from the Taurus to the Dardanelles. Under Eumenes (197–159 <span>BC<\/span>), Pergamum attained the height of its power and glory. He expanded the library to 200,000 volumes, almost rivaling the great one at Alexandria, and he constructed the altar of Zeus, which stood on a hill 800 feet (243.8 meters) above the city and could be seen for miles. It is tempting to imagine this altar as the place “where Satan’s throne is” (Rv 2:13), especially since Pergamum was the chief center of worship for four of the greatest pagan deities—Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and Asclepius. However, it may be that Revelation is referring to the fact that Pergamum was the center of emperor worship in Asia at that time.<\/p>\n<p>The last king of the Attalic dynasty, Attalus III, died without leaving an heir in 133 <span>BC<\/span>. In his will he gave all of his kingdom to Rome, with the exception of Pergamum and other Greek cities, which were given freedom as independent administrative units and were exempt from tribute. In order to reduce its obligation to police, the Roman consul bequeathed the easternmost territory of Phrygia to Pontus and Cappadocia. Thus, the newly created Roman province of Asia was smaller than the Pergamene Empire had been. Even though after 120 <span>BC<\/span> Phrygia was reclaimed by the Roman senate (upon the death of Mithridates, king of Pontus), it was not actually incorporated into Asia until 85 <span>BC<\/span>. At that time, the Roman provincial unit was again roughly comparable in size to the old Pergamene kingdom.<\/p>\n\n<p>Pergamum was built across the centuries in three separate areas. The upper city on top of the mountain was the northernmost area and was largely the domain of the royal family, the nobility, and the military commanders. It had an air of officialdom. The middle city, further south and lower down the mountain, contained the part of the city visited by the common people and included sports fields for the youth and temples frequented by those of less education. These facilities were not controlled directly by the city and the priesthood, and the general citizenship of Pergamum had unrestricted access to them. The third area, across the Selinus River to the southwest, contained the famous Asclepian of Pergamum, a center for the healing arts. This center had a medical school that produced the celebrated physician Galen. Here the god Asclepius was worshiped in a cylindrical temple, which was a small replica of the famed Pantheon built in Rome some 20 years before (<span>AD<\/span> 130). There was also a lovely fountain, theater, pool, medical building, library, and various temples, the striking remains of which may still be seen.<\/p>\n<p>The references in Revelation 2:12-15 to the Nicolaitans and those who held the doctrine of Balaam probably refers to the extensive influence of the immoral and idolatrous worship of Dionysus and Aphrodite, which was especially offensive to the known Jewish population (Josephus’s <em>Antiquities<\/em> 14.10.22), as well as to true Christians. Pliny (<em>Natural History<\/em> 5.30) considered Pergamum to be the most distinguished city of Asia and as such it would have been the natural place for emperor worship. The reference to the martyrdom of Antipas, “my faithful witness” (Rv 2:13), can easily be understood in the light of the Jewish and Christian refusal to worship the emperor in this city.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the extensive manufacture of writing material from sheepskin in Pergamum, the name parchment (Latin, <em>pergamena<\/em>) was given to the product.<\/p>","summary_ro":"PERGAMOS*, PERGAMUM City just north of the Caicus River, in the southern part of Mysia (western Turkey), and one of the greatest cultural centers of the Hellenistic era. The early geographer Strabo (63 BC–AD 24?) called the area around Pergamum the richest land in Mysia. It is mentioned only twice in the Bible (Rv 1:11; 2:12; kjv “Pergamos”), both times referring to one of the seven churches of Asia to which the last book of the NT was written. The province of Mysia was combined with Lydia an...","summary_en":"PERGAMOS*, PERGAMUM City just north of the Caicus River, in the southern part of Mysia (western Turkey), and one of the greatest cultural centers of the Hellenistic era. The early geographer Strabo (63 BC–AD 24?) called the area around Pergamum the richest land in Mysia. It is mentioned only twice in the Bible (Rv 1:11; 2:12; kjv “Pergamos”), both times referring to one of the seven churches of Asia to which the last book of the NT was written. The province of Mysia was combined with Lydia an...","source":"Articles\/P.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59330,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:12","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:12","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:12-17<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Pergamum<\/em> portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:12-17<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Pergamum<\/em> portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:12-17 The letter to the church in Pergamum portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.","summary_en":"2:12-17 The letter to the church in Pergamum portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59331,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:12","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:12","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:12<\/strong> Christ’s <em>sharp two-edged sword<\/em> indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The <em>two-edged sword<\/em> was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:12<\/strong> Christ’s <em>sharp two-edged sword<\/em> indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The <em>two-edged sword<\/em> was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:12 Christ’s sharp two-edged sword indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The two-edged sword was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.","summary_en":"2:12 Christ’s sharp two-edged sword indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The two-edged sword was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86956,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:12","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:12","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:12-17<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Pergamum<\/em> portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:12-17<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Pergamum<\/em> portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:12-17 The letter to the church in Pergamum portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.","summary_en":"2:12-17 The letter to the church in Pergamum portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86957,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:12","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:12","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:12<\/strong> Christ’s <em>sharp two-edged sword<\/em> indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The <em>two-edged sword<\/em> was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:12<\/strong> Christ’s <em>sharp two-edged sword<\/em> indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The <em>two-edged sword<\/em> was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:12 Christ’s sharp two-edged sword indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The two-edged sword was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.","summary_en":"2:12 Christ’s sharp two-edged sword indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The two-edged sword was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114582,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:12","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:12","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:12-17<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Pergamum<\/em> portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:12-17<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Pergamum<\/em> portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:12-17 The letter to the church in Pergamum portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.","summary_en":"2:12-17 The letter to the church in Pergamum portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114583,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:12","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:12","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:12<\/strong> Christ’s <em>sharp two-edged sword<\/em> indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The <em>two-edged sword<\/em> was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:12<\/strong> Christ’s <em>sharp two-edged sword<\/em> indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The <em>two-edged sword<\/em> was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:12 Christ’s sharp two-edged sword indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The two-edged sword was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.","summary_en":"2:12 Christ’s sharp two-edged sword indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The two-edged sword was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142208,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:12","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:12","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:12-17<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Pergamum<\/em> portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:12-17<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Pergamum<\/em> portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:12-17 The letter to the church in Pergamum portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.","summary_en":"2:12-17 The letter to the church in Pergamum portrays Christians who are tempted to compromise their morality and their loyalty to God. The city of Pergamum was the earliest capital of the Roman province of Asia. It contained a famous library, and its citizens developed the use of animal skins as writing materials.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142209,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:12","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:12","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:12<\/strong> Christ’s <em>sharp two-edged sword<\/em> indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The <em>two-edged sword<\/em> was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:12<\/strong> Christ’s <em>sharp two-edged sword<\/em> indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The <em>two-edged sword<\/em> was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:12 Christ’s sharp two-edged sword indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The two-edged sword was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.","summary_en":"2:12 Christ’s sharp two-edged sword indicates that these Christians would receive the Lord’s most severe judgment (see 2:16; see study note on 1:16). The two-edged sword was the Roman symbol of authority, which typified Pergamum as capital of the province. If the church failed, the true governor of the city (Christ) would turn his authority against them.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"13":[{"id":42572,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Stephen","title_en":"Stephen","content_ro":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","summary_en":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":70198,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Stephen","title_en":"Stephen","content_ro":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","summary_en":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":97824,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Stephen","title_en":"Stephen","content_ro":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","summary_en":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":125450,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Stephen","title_en":"Stephen","content_ro":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Stephen<\/h3>\n<p>Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did miraculous things (6:8) and proved to be a bold and effective evangelist and defender of the faith (6:9-10). His witness was so powerful, he was soon arrested by the authorities and brought before the high council for interrogation (6:9-12).<\/p>\n<p>When witnesses accused Stephen of speaking against the sacred Temple and the law of Moses (Acts 6:13-14; cp. Mark 13:2; John 2:19; 4:21), he defended himself before the Jewish high council (Acts 7:1-53). He spoke of Israel’s long history of resisting God and his servants—first Moses and now the Prophet whom Moses had predicted (7:51-53). The Jewish authorities, infuriated by Stephen’s bold accusations, dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death (7:54-60). As he died, Stephen prayed that they might be forgiven (7:60).<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s bold witness gave rise to the first wave of persecution of the early Christians (8:1-3). But this persecution resulted in the Good News spreading even wider as the believers fled Jerusalem and proclaimed the message of Jesus everywhere they went (8:4; 11:19-21). Stephen’s martyrdom thus marks the beginning of the spread of the Good News beyond the borders of Judea.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen’s life reminds us of the determined opposition that a faithful Christian witness can provoke. A bold testimony for Christ may be costly (see Rev 2:10, 13), but there is no insuperable barrier to the growth of the church (see Matt 16:18; Acts 8:1-4).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 6:5–8:2; 11:19; 22:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","summary_en":"Stephen Stephen was an exemplary early Christian who, as a result of the boldness of his witness, was arrested and killed by the Jewish authorities. He is known as the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to help administer the distribution of food to needy Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6). He was the most prominent of the seven and is singled out as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Manifesting the grace and power of God in an unusual measure, he did...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":2240,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Antipas","title_en":"Antipas","content_ro":"<h3>ANTIPAS<\/h3>\n<li>1. Early martyr in the church at Pergamum (Rv 2:13).<\/li>\n<li>2. Son of Herod the Great. <em>See<\/em> Herod, Herodian Family.<\/li>","content_en":"<h3>ANTIPAS<\/h3>\n<li>1. Early martyr in the church at Pergamum (Rv 2:13).<\/li>\n<li>2. Son of Herod the Great. <em>See<\/em> Herod, Herodian Family.<\/li>","summary_ro":"ANTIPAS 1. Early martyr in the church at Pergamum (Rv 2:13). 2. Son of Herod the Great. See Herod, Herodian Family.","summary_en":"ANTIPAS 1. Early martyr in the church at Pergamum (Rv 2:13). 2. Son of Herod the Great. See Herod, Herodian Family.","source":"Articles\/A.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":29650,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Pergamos*, Pergamum","title_en":"Pergamos*, Pergamum","content_ro":"<h3>PERGAMOS*, PERGAMUM<\/h3>\n<p>City just north of the Caicus River, in the southern part of Mysia (western Turkey), and one of the greatest cultural centers of the Hellenistic era. The early geographer Strabo (63 <span>BC<\/span>–<span>AD<\/span> 24?) called the area around Pergamum the richest land in Mysia. It is mentioned only twice in the Bible (Rv 1:11; 2:12; <span>kjv<\/span> “Pergamos”), both times referring to one of the seven churches of Asia to which the last book of the NT was written.<\/p>\n<p>The province of Mysia was combined with Lydia and Caria to form the Roman district of Asia, comprising the western portion of modern Turkey. Pergamum lies less than 20 miles (32.3 kilometers) inland from the sea and about three miles (4.8 kilometers) north of the Caicus River on a large conical hill, 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) high, which is sandwiched between two smaller streams that flow into the Caicus, the Selinus on the west and the Cetius on the east. This natural position of strength, combined with its religious significance as a temple site, made it a desirable place to store wealth. Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, deposited an enormous sum of money here (9,000 talents), which was later used by Pergamene kings to create the glory of Pergamum. Although coins were minted in Pergamum before 400 <span>BC<\/span>, it was not a great city until long after the death of Alexander.<\/p>\n<p>The splendor of Pergamum began with Attalus I (241–197 <span>BC<\/span>), who took the title of king and founded the Attalic dynasty. His wealth, success in battle (defeating the Gauls who moved into Galatia in 278 <span>BC<\/span>), and his judicial alliance with the rising power of Rome contributed to his ability to embellish his kingdom with Hellenistic culture. He adorned it with temples, theaters, a library, and other public buildings.<\/p>\n<p>He was succeeded by his son Eumenes II, who, because of his help in Rome’s conquest of the Seleucid kingdom of Syria, was given in 189 <span>BC<\/span> all Seleucid territory northwest of the Taurus mountains, thus extending the Pergamene kingdom from the Taurus to the Dardanelles. Under Eumenes (197–159 <span>BC<\/span>), Pergamum attained the height of its power and glory. He expanded the library to 200,000 volumes, almost rivaling the great one at Alexandria, and he constructed the altar of Zeus, which stood on a hill 800 feet (243.8 meters) above the city and could be seen for miles. It is tempting to imagine this altar as the place “where Satan’s throne is” (Rv 2:13), especially since Pergamum was the chief center of worship for four of the greatest pagan deities—Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and Asclepius. However, it may be that Revelation is referring to the fact that Pergamum was the center of emperor worship in Asia at that time.<\/p>\n<p>The last king of the Attalic dynasty, Attalus III, died without leaving an heir in 133 <span>BC<\/span>. In his will he gave all of his kingdom to Rome, with the exception of Pergamum and other Greek cities, which were given freedom as independent administrative units and were exempt from tribute. In order to reduce its obligation to police, the Roman consul bequeathed the easternmost territory of Phrygia to Pontus and Cappadocia. Thus, the newly created Roman province of Asia was smaller than the Pergamene Empire had been. Even though after 120 <span>BC<\/span> Phrygia was reclaimed by the Roman senate (upon the death of Mithridates, king of Pontus), it was not actually incorporated into Asia until 85 <span>BC<\/span>. At that time, the Roman provincial unit was again roughly comparable in size to the old Pergamene kingdom.<\/p>\n\n<p>Pergamum was built across the centuries in three separate areas. The upper city on top of the mountain was the northernmost area and was largely the domain of the royal family, the nobility, and the military commanders. It had an air of officialdom. The middle city, further south and lower down the mountain, contained the part of the city visited by the common people and included sports fields for the youth and temples frequented by those of less education. These facilities were not controlled directly by the city and the priesthood, and the general citizenship of Pergamum had unrestricted access to them. The third area, across the Selinus River to the southwest, contained the famous Asclepian of Pergamum, a center for the healing arts. This center had a medical school that produced the celebrated physician Galen. Here the god Asclepius was worshiped in a cylindrical temple, which was a small replica of the famed Pantheon built in Rome some 20 years before (<span>AD<\/span> 130). There was also a lovely fountain, theater, pool, medical building, library, and various temples, the striking remains of which may still be seen.<\/p>\n<p>The references in Revelation 2:12-15 to the Nicolaitans and those who held the doctrine of Balaam probably refers to the extensive influence of the immoral and idolatrous worship of Dionysus and Aphrodite, which was especially offensive to the known Jewish population (Josephus’s <em>Antiquities<\/em> 14.10.22), as well as to true Christians. Pliny (<em>Natural History<\/em> 5.30) considered Pergamum to be the most distinguished city of Asia and as such it would have been the natural place for emperor worship. The reference to the martyrdom of Antipas, “my faithful witness” (Rv 2:13), can easily be understood in the light of the Jewish and Christian refusal to worship the emperor in this city.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the extensive manufacture of writing material from sheepskin in Pergamum, the name parchment (Latin, <em>pergamena<\/em>) was given to the product.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>PERGAMOS*, PERGAMUM<\/h3>\n<p>City just north of the Caicus River, in the southern part of Mysia (western Turkey), and one of the greatest cultural centers of the Hellenistic era. The early geographer Strabo (63 <span>BC<\/span>–<span>AD<\/span> 24?) called the area around Pergamum the richest land in Mysia. It is mentioned only twice in the Bible (Rv 1:11; 2:12; <span>kjv<\/span> “Pergamos”), both times referring to one of the seven churches of Asia to which the last book of the NT was written.<\/p>\n<p>The province of Mysia was combined with Lydia and Caria to form the Roman district of Asia, comprising the western portion of modern Turkey. Pergamum lies less than 20 miles (32.3 kilometers) inland from the sea and about three miles (4.8 kilometers) north of the Caicus River on a large conical hill, 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) high, which is sandwiched between two smaller streams that flow into the Caicus, the Selinus on the west and the Cetius on the east. This natural position of strength, combined with its religious significance as a temple site, made it a desirable place to store wealth. Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, deposited an enormous sum of money here (9,000 talents), which was later used by Pergamene kings to create the glory of Pergamum. Although coins were minted in Pergamum before 400 <span>BC<\/span>, it was not a great city until long after the death of Alexander.<\/p>\n<p>The splendor of Pergamum began with Attalus I (241–197 <span>BC<\/span>), who took the title of king and founded the Attalic dynasty. His wealth, success in battle (defeating the Gauls who moved into Galatia in 278 <span>BC<\/span>), and his judicial alliance with the rising power of Rome contributed to his ability to embellish his kingdom with Hellenistic culture. He adorned it with temples, theaters, a library, and other public buildings.<\/p>\n<p>He was succeeded by his son Eumenes II, who, because of his help in Rome’s conquest of the Seleucid kingdom of Syria, was given in 189 <span>BC<\/span> all Seleucid territory northwest of the Taurus mountains, thus extending the Pergamene kingdom from the Taurus to the Dardanelles. Under Eumenes (197–159 <span>BC<\/span>), Pergamum attained the height of its power and glory. He expanded the library to 200,000 volumes, almost rivaling the great one at Alexandria, and he constructed the altar of Zeus, which stood on a hill 800 feet (243.8 meters) above the city and could be seen for miles. It is tempting to imagine this altar as the place “where Satan’s throne is” (Rv 2:13), especially since Pergamum was the chief center of worship for four of the greatest pagan deities—Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and Asclepius. However, it may be that Revelation is referring to the fact that Pergamum was the center of emperor worship in Asia at that time.<\/p>\n<p>The last king of the Attalic dynasty, Attalus III, died without leaving an heir in 133 <span>BC<\/span>. In his will he gave all of his kingdom to Rome, with the exception of Pergamum and other Greek cities, which were given freedom as independent administrative units and were exempt from tribute. In order to reduce its obligation to police, the Roman consul bequeathed the easternmost territory of Phrygia to Pontus and Cappadocia. Thus, the newly created Roman province of Asia was smaller than the Pergamene Empire had been. Even though after 120 <span>BC<\/span> Phrygia was reclaimed by the Roman senate (upon the death of Mithridates, king of Pontus), it was not actually incorporated into Asia until 85 <span>BC<\/span>. At that time, the Roman provincial unit was again roughly comparable in size to the old Pergamene kingdom.<\/p>\n\n<p>Pergamum was built across the centuries in three separate areas. The upper city on top of the mountain was the northernmost area and was largely the domain of the royal family, the nobility, and the military commanders. It had an air of officialdom. The middle city, further south and lower down the mountain, contained the part of the city visited by the common people and included sports fields for the youth and temples frequented by those of less education. These facilities were not controlled directly by the city and the priesthood, and the general citizenship of Pergamum had unrestricted access to them. The third area, across the Selinus River to the southwest, contained the famous Asclepian of Pergamum, a center for the healing arts. This center had a medical school that produced the celebrated physician Galen. Here the god Asclepius was worshiped in a cylindrical temple, which was a small replica of the famed Pantheon built in Rome some 20 years before (<span>AD<\/span> 130). There was also a lovely fountain, theater, pool, medical building, library, and various temples, the striking remains of which may still be seen.<\/p>\n<p>The references in Revelation 2:12-15 to the Nicolaitans and those who held the doctrine of Balaam probably refers to the extensive influence of the immoral and idolatrous worship of Dionysus and Aphrodite, which was especially offensive to the known Jewish population (Josephus’s <em>Antiquities<\/em> 14.10.22), as well as to true Christians. Pliny (<em>Natural History<\/em> 5.30) considered Pergamum to be the most distinguished city of Asia and as such it would have been the natural place for emperor worship. The reference to the martyrdom of Antipas, “my faithful witness” (Rv 2:13), can easily be understood in the light of the Jewish and Christian refusal to worship the emperor in this city.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the extensive manufacture of writing material from sheepskin in Pergamum, the name parchment (Latin, <em>pergamena<\/em>) was given to the product.<\/p>","summary_ro":"PERGAMOS*, PERGAMUM City just north of the Caicus River, in the southern part of Mysia (western Turkey), and one of the greatest cultural centers of the Hellenistic era. The early geographer Strabo (63 BC–AD 24?) called the area around Pergamum the richest land in Mysia. It is mentioned only twice in the Bible (Rv 1:11; 2:12; kjv “Pergamos”), both times referring to one of the seven churches of Asia to which the last book of the NT was written. The province of Mysia was combined with Lydia an...","summary_en":"PERGAMOS*, PERGAMUM City just north of the Caicus River, in the southern part of Mysia (western Turkey), and one of the greatest cultural centers of the Hellenistic era. The early geographer Strabo (63 BC–AD 24?) called the area around Pergamum the richest land in Mysia. It is mentioned only twice in the Bible (Rv 1:11; 2:12; kjv “Pergamos”), both times referring to one of the seven churches of Asia to which the last book of the NT was written. The province of Mysia was combined with Lydia an...","source":"Articles\/P.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":29739,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Persecution","title_en":"Persecution","content_ro":"<h3>PERSECUTION<\/h3>\n<p>Infliction of suffering, injury, or death on others because of their identity or beliefs. The Bible begins with an account of the persecution of the righteous by the unrighteous (Gn 4:3-7, “regard for Abel”; Mt 23:35; Heb 11:4). The Wisdom of Solomon (Wisd of Sol 2:12-20) dramatically illustrates the envy and guilt that prompt such persecution. Lot’s experience, likewise, illustrates the suffering involved in refusing to conform to popular behavior (Gn 19:9; 2 Pt 2:7-8). The ill-treatment of Israel in Egypt, like her later oppression by the Philistines, Midianites, and others, had economic and political grounds. For those refusing to accept the royal policy of syncretism, official tolerance of injustice, and pagan immoralities, persecution becomes frequent—from Elijah’s period onward (1 Kgs 19:10). Later prophets, as spokesmen of uncompromising truth and the claims of divine law in the face of social evils, suffered severely at the hands of the ruling classes, so that persecution became, in Jewish eyes, the hallmark of the true prophet (2 Chr 36:15-16; Mt 5:12; 23:29-37; Acts 7:52; Heb 11:32-38).<\/p>\n<p>Daniel’s stories illustrate persecution during the exile. On the return under foreign rule, strict Jews sought to preserve the nation’s identity and religion amid alien pressures and the compromises of lax Jews anxious for accommodation and prosperity (1 Macc 1:11-15; 2:42-48). The result was the social oppression and harassment that made the repeated pleas for vindication and divine intervention, in such psalms as 10, 69, 140, and 149, painfully relevant in postexilic worship. This persecution reached a horrifying climax of cruelty during the Maccabean age, provoking armed resistance in response (2 Macc 6–7; Heb 11:35-38).<\/p>\n<p>Thus, despite her confidence in God’s sovereignty and “protection,” Israel learned that right does not always prosper in this world, that faithfulness to truth does not ensure immunity from suffering, sacrifice, or martyrdom.<\/p>\n<p>This acceptance of the high cost of righteousness was inherited by Christianity. Jesus repeatedly warned of persecution, even within households, and urged “armed” preparation for it, promising the Spirit’s assistance at judicial examinations (Mt 5:11-12; 10:16-23, 34-36; 23:34; Lk 6:26; 22:35-36). Jesus was deeply angered by the murder of John the Baptist by Herod (Lk 23:9), and he foresaw his own fate. Because he criticized the legalism and nationalism of the Pharisees, and the compromises of the Sadducees to protect their own privileges (Jn 11:47-50), and because he disappointed the militaristic hopes set upon the Messiah by the common people, Jesus knew he would be rejected. His call to discipleship came to include warnings of danger, reviling, slander, accusation, flogging, arraignment before courts, hatred, and death. He frankly invited followers to prepare for his crucifixion, as the only way to life and the kingdom (Mt 16:21-26; 20:17-22; Mk 10:29-30; Jn 15:18-25; 16:1-4). Jesus was killed on the charges of subverting the nation, forbidding payment of taxes to the Romans, and claiming to be king (Lk 23:2).<\/p>\n<p>The first persecution of the church by Jewish authorities was provoked mainly by Peter’s accusations concerning the murder of the Messiah. As apostolic influence increased, official action came to include imprisonment and beating (Acts 5:17, 40). The powerful advocacy of the Hellenist Stephen provoked a Jewish mob to stone him (Acts 6–7)—the signal for “a great persecution,” scattering most Christians from Jerusalem. The conversion of the archpersecutor Saul of Tarsus marked a resounding victory over opposition, and Herod’s sudden death just after attacking the church “to please the Jews” was another (Acts 12:1-3, 20-24).<\/p>\n<p>As Christianity moved into the Gentile world, a new cause of Jewish persecution arose as disturbances began to occur in the synagogues (Acts 13:44-45, 50; 14:1-6, 19; 17:1, 5, 13; 18:4-6, 12). In addition, the healing of the slave girl at Philippi led to the disciples’ imprisonment (16:19-24); at Ephesus, the effect of Christian preaching on the trade of idol makers occasioned a dangerous threat, which the authorities averted (19:23-41). Paul averted the plot of more than 40 men who vowed to ambush him and kill him (21:4-36; 23:12-15). And the book of Acts closes with Paul awaiting trial before Caesar (28:30-31).<\/p>\n<p>Throughout this period, persecution of Christians was sporadic, local, and mainly Jewish, provoked by envy of the church’s missionary success. Officially, Christianity, as a Jewish sect (Acts 24:5, 14), shared the state’s legal recognition won by the Jews. Thus, Paul received Roman protection at Paphos, Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus, and Jerusalem from governors Felix and Festus and their adviser Herod Agrippa, as well as from the centurion conveying him to Rome. This explains Paul’s confident appeal to Caesar; an imperial acquittal would ensure Christianity freedom from harassment throughout the empire.<\/p>\n<p>Paul’s attitude to persecution included regretful remembrance of his own persecuting days (Acts 22:4; 26:9-11; Gal 1:22-24), deliberate acceptance of risks in obedience to Christ (Acts 20:22-24; 21:13), continual warning that tribulation is inseparable from discipleship (Acts 14:22; Rom 5:3; 12:12; 1 Thes 3:4), and assurance that in every form of tribulation Christians are more than conquerors (Rom 8:35-37).<\/p>\n<p>Almost certainly, Paul was beheaded during fierce persecution at Rome following the fire for which the Christians were blamed. Christians were often accused of “atheism” (rejecting polytheism), of appealing only to slave classes, of “scandalous” love feasts, and unsociable, austere behavior (cf. Jn 15:19), making them a popular target for blame.<\/p>\n<p>About this time, Peter warned Christians in the East of the danger confronting the church. For a little while, “various trials” only prove the genuineness of faith (1 Pt 1:6). Slander should be answered by blameless living. Honor should be paid to the authorities. Suffering for righteousness should be accepted without fear. Let Christians prepare respectful defenses, with consciences clear of blame. If they suffer for doing right, remember that Christ did too—for them. Thus they must “arm” themselves for suffering (4:1), and not be surprised at persecution as “something strange” (v 12). They are sharing Christ’s sufferings. His final word is “Stand fast!”<\/p>\n<p>Mark, too, is thought to have written at this time for the benefit of the suffering Roman church. His Gospel dwells upon Christ’s conflict, its causes and forms, and vividly portrays Christ’s own heroic death. Like Peter, Mark meets persecution by pointing back to the suffering Lord.<\/p>\n<p>Somewhat later, Christianity was exposed as an “illegal religion,” no longer a protected sect of Judaism, by the introduction into synagogue services of a prayer against “Nazarenes,” which Christians could not offer. Thereafter, the church was liable to official suppression. Rome readily incorporated old, national religions into state rituals for the sake of imperial unity, but she resisted new, nonconformist movements, especially those with secret meetings (i.e., the Eucharist), as politically dangerous (cf. Acts 17:6-7).<\/p>\n<p>Toward the end of the century, faced with a growing church and political unrest, the state required public “worship” of “the genius of Rome” alongside any other religious rites. In Domitian’s reign (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96) this became worship of the living emperor, with elaborate temples and an official priesthood. When Christians refused, acknowledging Jesus alone as divine Lord, official, and increasingly barbaric, persecution began. It is probable that Revelation reflects this situation (Rv 1:9; 2:13; 6:9; 13; 19:2). So the Bible ends as it began, with the theme of the persecution of the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Suffering; Tribulation.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>PERSECUTION<\/h3>\n<p>Infliction of suffering, injury, or death on others because of their identity or beliefs. The Bible begins with an account of the persecution of the righteous by the unrighteous (Gn 4:3-7, “regard for Abel”; Mt 23:35; Heb 11:4). The Wisdom of Solomon (Wisd of Sol 2:12-20) dramatically illustrates the envy and guilt that prompt such persecution. Lot’s experience, likewise, illustrates the suffering involved in refusing to conform to popular behavior (Gn 19:9; 2 Pt 2:7-8). The ill-treatment of Israel in Egypt, like her later oppression by the Philistines, Midianites, and others, had economic and political grounds. For those refusing to accept the royal policy of syncretism, official tolerance of injustice, and pagan immoralities, persecution becomes frequent—from Elijah’s period onward (1 Kgs 19:10). Later prophets, as spokesmen of uncompromising truth and the claims of divine law in the face of social evils, suffered severely at the hands of the ruling classes, so that persecution became, in Jewish eyes, the hallmark of the true prophet (2 Chr 36:15-16; Mt 5:12; 23:29-37; Acts 7:52; Heb 11:32-38).<\/p>\n<p>Daniel’s stories illustrate persecution during the exile. On the return under foreign rule, strict Jews sought to preserve the nation’s identity and religion amid alien pressures and the compromises of lax Jews anxious for accommodation and prosperity (1 Macc 1:11-15; 2:42-48). The result was the social oppression and harassment that made the repeated pleas for vindication and divine intervention, in such psalms as 10, 69, 140, and 149, painfully relevant in postexilic worship. This persecution reached a horrifying climax of cruelty during the Maccabean age, provoking armed resistance in response (2 Macc 6–7; Heb 11:35-38).<\/p>\n<p>Thus, despite her confidence in God’s sovereignty and “protection,” Israel learned that right does not always prosper in this world, that faithfulness to truth does not ensure immunity from suffering, sacrifice, or martyrdom.<\/p>\n<p>This acceptance of the high cost of righteousness was inherited by Christianity. Jesus repeatedly warned of persecution, even within households, and urged “armed” preparation for it, promising the Spirit’s assistance at judicial examinations (Mt 5:11-12; 10:16-23, 34-36; 23:34; Lk 6:26; 22:35-36). Jesus was deeply angered by the murder of John the Baptist by Herod (Lk 23:9), and he foresaw his own fate. Because he criticized the legalism and nationalism of the Pharisees, and the compromises of the Sadducees to protect their own privileges (Jn 11:47-50), and because he disappointed the militaristic hopes set upon the Messiah by the common people, Jesus knew he would be rejected. His call to discipleship came to include warnings of danger, reviling, slander, accusation, flogging, arraignment before courts, hatred, and death. He frankly invited followers to prepare for his crucifixion, as the only way to life and the kingdom (Mt 16:21-26; 20:17-22; Mk 10:29-30; Jn 15:18-25; 16:1-4). Jesus was killed on the charges of subverting the nation, forbidding payment of taxes to the Romans, and claiming to be king (Lk 23:2).<\/p>\n<p>The first persecution of the church by Jewish authorities was provoked mainly by Peter’s accusations concerning the murder of the Messiah. As apostolic influence increased, official action came to include imprisonment and beating (Acts 5:17, 40). The powerful advocacy of the Hellenist Stephen provoked a Jewish mob to stone him (Acts 6–7)—the signal for “a great persecution,” scattering most Christians from Jerusalem. The conversion of the archpersecutor Saul of Tarsus marked a resounding victory over opposition, and Herod’s sudden death just after attacking the church “to please the Jews” was another (Acts 12:1-3, 20-24).<\/p>\n<p>As Christianity moved into the Gentile world, a new cause of Jewish persecution arose as disturbances began to occur in the synagogues (Acts 13:44-45, 50; 14:1-6, 19; 17:1, 5, 13; 18:4-6, 12). In addition, the healing of the slave girl at Philippi led to the disciples’ imprisonment (16:19-24); at Ephesus, the effect of Christian preaching on the trade of idol makers occasioned a dangerous threat, which the authorities averted (19:23-41). Paul averted the plot of more than 40 men who vowed to ambush him and kill him (21:4-36; 23:12-15). And the book of Acts closes with Paul awaiting trial before Caesar (28:30-31).<\/p>\n<p>Throughout this period, persecution of Christians was sporadic, local, and mainly Jewish, provoked by envy of the church’s missionary success. Officially, Christianity, as a Jewish sect (Acts 24:5, 14), shared the state’s legal recognition won by the Jews. Thus, Paul received Roman protection at Paphos, Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus, and Jerusalem from governors Felix and Festus and their adviser Herod Agrippa, as well as from the centurion conveying him to Rome. This explains Paul’s confident appeal to Caesar; an imperial acquittal would ensure Christianity freedom from harassment throughout the empire.<\/p>\n<p>Paul’s attitude to persecution included regretful remembrance of his own persecuting days (Acts 22:4; 26:9-11; Gal 1:22-24), deliberate acceptance of risks in obedience to Christ (Acts 20:22-24; 21:13), continual warning that tribulation is inseparable from discipleship (Acts 14:22; Rom 5:3; 12:12; 1 Thes 3:4), and assurance that in every form of tribulation Christians are more than conquerors (Rom 8:35-37).<\/p>\n<p>Almost certainly, Paul was beheaded during fierce persecution at Rome following the fire for which the Christians were blamed. Christians were often accused of “atheism” (rejecting polytheism), of appealing only to slave classes, of “scandalous” love feasts, and unsociable, austere behavior (cf. Jn 15:19), making them a popular target for blame.<\/p>\n<p>About this time, Peter warned Christians in the East of the danger confronting the church. For a little while, “various trials” only prove the genuineness of faith (1 Pt 1:6). Slander should be answered by blameless living. Honor should be paid to the authorities. Suffering for righteousness should be accepted without fear. Let Christians prepare respectful defenses, with consciences clear of blame. If they suffer for doing right, remember that Christ did too—for them. Thus they must “arm” themselves for suffering (4:1), and not be surprised at persecution as “something strange” (v 12). They are sharing Christ’s sufferings. His final word is “Stand fast!”<\/p>\n<p>Mark, too, is thought to have written at this time for the benefit of the suffering Roman church. His Gospel dwells upon Christ’s conflict, its causes and forms, and vividly portrays Christ’s own heroic death. Like Peter, Mark meets persecution by pointing back to the suffering Lord.<\/p>\n<p>Somewhat later, Christianity was exposed as an “illegal religion,” no longer a protected sect of Judaism, by the introduction into synagogue services of a prayer against “Nazarenes,” which Christians could not offer. Thereafter, the church was liable to official suppression. Rome readily incorporated old, national religions into state rituals for the sake of imperial unity, but she resisted new, nonconformist movements, especially those with secret meetings (i.e., the Eucharist), as politically dangerous (cf. Acts 17:6-7).<\/p>\n<p>Toward the end of the century, faced with a growing church and political unrest, the state required public “worship” of “the genius of Rome” alongside any other religious rites. In Domitian’s reign (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96) this became worship of the living emperor, with elaborate temples and an official priesthood. When Christians refused, acknowledging Jesus alone as divine Lord, official, and increasingly barbaric, persecution began. It is probable that Revelation reflects this situation (Rv 1:9; 2:13; 6:9; 13; 19:2). So the Bible ends as it began, with the theme of the persecution of the people of God.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Suffering; Tribulation.<\/p>","summary_ro":"PERSECUTION Infliction of suffering, injury, or death on others because of their identity or beliefs. The Bible begins with an account of the persecution of the righteous by the unrighteous (Gn 4:3-7, “regard for Abel”; Mt 23:35; Heb 11:4). The Wisdom of Solomon (Wisd of Sol 2:12-20) dramatically illustrates the envy and guilt that prompt such persecution. Lot’s experience, likewise, illustrates the suffering involved in refusing to conform to popular behavior (Gn 19:9; 2 Pt 2:7-8). The ill-t...","summary_en":"PERSECUTION Infliction of suffering, injury, or death on others because of their identity or beliefs. The Bible begins with an account of the persecution of the righteous by the unrighteous (Gn 4:3-7, “regard for Abel”; Mt 23:35; Heb 11:4). The Wisdom of Solomon (Wisd of Sol 2:12-20) dramatically illustrates the envy and guilt that prompt such persecution. Lot’s experience, likewise, illustrates the suffering involved in refusing to conform to popular behavior (Gn 19:9; 2 Pt 2:7-8). The ill-t...","source":"Articles\/P.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":32935,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Book of Revelation","title_en":"Book of Revelation","content_ro":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","summary_en":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","source":"Articles\/R.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59332,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:13","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:13","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:13<\/strong> The <em>throne<\/em> of <em>Satan<\/em> might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as <em>Satan’s city<\/em> might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • <em>Antipas<\/em> is otherwise unknown.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:13<\/strong> The <em>throne<\/em> of <em>Satan<\/em> might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as <em>Satan’s city<\/em> might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • <em>Antipas<\/em> is otherwise unknown.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:13 The throne of Satan might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as Satan’s city might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • Antipas is otherwise unknown.","summary_en":"2:13 The throne of Satan might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as Satan’s city might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • Antipas is otherwise unknown.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86958,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:13","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:13","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:13<\/strong> The <em>throne<\/em> of <em>Satan<\/em> might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as <em>Satan’s city<\/em> might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • <em>Antipas<\/em> is otherwise unknown.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:13<\/strong> The <em>throne<\/em> of <em>Satan<\/em> might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as <em>Satan’s city<\/em> might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • <em>Antipas<\/em> is otherwise unknown.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:13 The throne of Satan might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as Satan’s city might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • Antipas is otherwise unknown.","summary_en":"2:13 The throne of Satan might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as Satan’s city might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • Antipas is otherwise unknown.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114584,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:13","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:13","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:13<\/strong> The <em>throne<\/em> of <em>Satan<\/em> might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as <em>Satan’s city<\/em> might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • <em>Antipas<\/em> is otherwise unknown.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:13<\/strong> The <em>throne<\/em> of <em>Satan<\/em> might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as <em>Satan’s city<\/em> might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • <em>Antipas<\/em> is otherwise unknown.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:13 The throne of Satan might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as Satan’s city might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • Antipas is otherwise unknown.","summary_en":"2:13 The throne of Satan might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as Satan’s city might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • Antipas is otherwise unknown.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142210,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:13","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:13","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:13<\/strong> The <em>throne<\/em> of <em>Satan<\/em> might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as <em>Satan’s city<\/em> might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • <em>Antipas<\/em> is otherwise unknown.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:13<\/strong> The <em>throne<\/em> of <em>Satan<\/em> might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as <em>Satan’s city<\/em> might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • <em>Antipas<\/em> is otherwise unknown.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:13 The throne of Satan might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as Satan’s city might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • Antipas is otherwise unknown.","summary_en":"2:13 The throne of Satan might refer to the altar of Zeus on the mountain above the city or to emperor worship at the temple of Augustus. For many years, the Roman proconsul had his throne there, and the great temple of Athena and other shrines were also located in Pergamum. Its description as Satan’s city might also refer to the temple of Asclepius, whose symbol was coiled snakes. The city was dedicated to the Roman pantheon and emperor worship. • Antipas is otherwise unknown.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"14":[{"id":41046,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Balaam","title_en":"Balaam","content_ro":"<h3>Balaam<\/h3>\n<p>Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say what God told him to say, and only to frustrate Balak’s purposes (Deut 23:4-5). On the road, Balaam’s donkey stopped and refused to move because the angel of the Lord was blocking the way. The donkey could see the angel, but Balaam was blind and foolish. Still, Balaam was smart enough not to curse the Israelites when God told him to bless them, and to Balak’s great frustration, that was all Balaam could do.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, an inscription was found that mentions Balaam son of Beor, a diviner who had visions at night (cp. Num 22:9-12, 20). The inscription was written on a plaster wall at Deir ‘Alla, eight miles east of the Jordan River, not far north of where the Hebrews were camped at the time of the Balaam incident. This nonbiblical text, dated 800–750 <span>BC<\/span>, identifies Balaam as a “seer of the gods” and reports that the gods, whose names in the inscription are similar to <em>Shaddai<\/em> (“Almighty”; cp. Num 24:4, 16), delivered a message to Balaam and announced judgment upon the world (cp. Num 24:15-25). The inscription provides rare extrabiblical evidence about a Bible character.<\/p>\n<p>While Balaam’s character and motives appear somewhat mixed in Numbers 22–24, chapter 25 describes how the men of Israel sinned by sleeping with Moabite women and worshiping their gods, which made God angry with his people. While Balaam is not mentioned here, Numbers 31:16 names him as the originator of this plot. After his visions were finished, Balaam apparently remained in Moab and kept working the angles until he found a way to damage Israel and get the money. The Israelites killed him a short time later (Num 31:8). Balaam became known as a magician with bad motives (see Deut 23:4-5; Josh 13:22), a false teacher who was only interested in pay (see Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11), and someone who led Israel into idolatry and immorality (Num 31:16; see Rev 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Num 22:1–25:18; 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Balaam<\/h3>\n<p>Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say what God told him to say, and only to frustrate Balak’s purposes (Deut 23:4-5). On the road, Balaam’s donkey stopped and refused to move because the angel of the Lord was blocking the way. The donkey could see the angel, but Balaam was blind and foolish. Still, Balaam was smart enough not to curse the Israelites when God told him to bless them, and to Balak’s great frustration, that was all Balaam could do.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, an inscription was found that mentions Balaam son of Beor, a diviner who had visions at night (cp. Num 22:9-12, 20). The inscription was written on a plaster wall at Deir ‘Alla, eight miles east of the Jordan River, not far north of where the Hebrews were camped at the time of the Balaam incident. This nonbiblical text, dated 800–750 <span>BC<\/span>, identifies Balaam as a “seer of the gods” and reports that the gods, whose names in the inscription are similar to <em>Shaddai<\/em> (“Almighty”; cp. Num 24:4, 16), delivered a message to Balaam and announced judgment upon the world (cp. Num 24:15-25). The inscription provides rare extrabiblical evidence about a Bible character.<\/p>\n<p>While Balaam’s character and motives appear somewhat mixed in Numbers 22–24, chapter 25 describes how the men of Israel sinned by sleeping with Moabite women and worshiping their gods, which made God angry with his people. While Balaam is not mentioned here, Numbers 31:16 names him as the originator of this plot. After his visions were finished, Balaam apparently remained in Moab and kept working the angles until he found a way to damage Israel and get the money. The Israelites killed him a short time later (Num 31:8). Balaam became known as a magician with bad motives (see Deut 23:4-5; Josh 13:22), a false teacher who was only interested in pay (see Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11), and someone who led Israel into idolatry and immorality (Num 31:16; see Rev 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Num 22:1–25:18; 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14<\/p>","summary_ro":"Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15). Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say w...","summary_en":"Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15). Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say w...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":68672,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Balaam","title_en":"Balaam","content_ro":"<h3>Balaam<\/h3>\n<p>Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say what God told him to say, and only to frustrate Balak’s purposes (Deut 23:4-5). On the road, Balaam’s donkey stopped and refused to move because the angel of the Lord was blocking the way. The donkey could see the angel, but Balaam was blind and foolish. Still, Balaam was smart enough not to curse the Israelites when God told him to bless them, and to Balak’s great frustration, that was all Balaam could do.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, an inscription was found that mentions Balaam son of Beor, a diviner who had visions at night (cp. Num 22:9-12, 20). The inscription was written on a plaster wall at Deir ‘Alla, eight miles east of the Jordan River, not far north of where the Hebrews were camped at the time of the Balaam incident. This nonbiblical text, dated 800–750 <span>BC<\/span>, identifies Balaam as a “seer of the gods” and reports that the gods, whose names in the inscription are similar to <em>Shaddai<\/em> (“Almighty”; cp. Num 24:4, 16), delivered a message to Balaam and announced judgment upon the world (cp. Num 24:15-25). The inscription provides rare extrabiblical evidence about a Bible character.<\/p>\n<p>While Balaam’s character and motives appear somewhat mixed in Numbers 22–24, chapter 25 describes how the men of Israel sinned by sleeping with Moabite women and worshiping their gods, which made God angry with his people. While Balaam is not mentioned here, Numbers 31:16 names him as the originator of this plot. After his visions were finished, Balaam apparently remained in Moab and kept working the angles until he found a way to damage Israel and get the money. The Israelites killed him a short time later (Num 31:8). Balaam became known as a magician with bad motives (see Deut 23:4-5; Josh 13:22), a false teacher who was only interested in pay (see Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11), and someone who led Israel into idolatry and immorality (Num 31:16; see Rev 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Num 22:1–25:18; 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Balaam<\/h3>\n<p>Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say what God told him to say, and only to frustrate Balak’s purposes (Deut 23:4-5). On the road, Balaam’s donkey stopped and refused to move because the angel of the Lord was blocking the way. The donkey could see the angel, but Balaam was blind and foolish. Still, Balaam was smart enough not to curse the Israelites when God told him to bless them, and to Balak’s great frustration, that was all Balaam could do.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, an inscription was found that mentions Balaam son of Beor, a diviner who had visions at night (cp. Num 22:9-12, 20). The inscription was written on a plaster wall at Deir ‘Alla, eight miles east of the Jordan River, not far north of where the Hebrews were camped at the time of the Balaam incident. This nonbiblical text, dated 800–750 <span>BC<\/span>, identifies Balaam as a “seer of the gods” and reports that the gods, whose names in the inscription are similar to <em>Shaddai<\/em> (“Almighty”; cp. Num 24:4, 16), delivered a message to Balaam and announced judgment upon the world (cp. Num 24:15-25). The inscription provides rare extrabiblical evidence about a Bible character.<\/p>\n<p>While Balaam’s character and motives appear somewhat mixed in Numbers 22–24, chapter 25 describes how the men of Israel sinned by sleeping with Moabite women and worshiping their gods, which made God angry with his people. While Balaam is not mentioned here, Numbers 31:16 names him as the originator of this plot. After his visions were finished, Balaam apparently remained in Moab and kept working the angles until he found a way to damage Israel and get the money. The Israelites killed him a short time later (Num 31:8). Balaam became known as a magician with bad motives (see Deut 23:4-5; Josh 13:22), a false teacher who was only interested in pay (see Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11), and someone who led Israel into idolatry and immorality (Num 31:16; see Rev 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Num 22:1–25:18; 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14<\/p>","summary_ro":"Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15). Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say w...","summary_en":"Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15). Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say w...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":96298,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Balaam","title_en":"Balaam","content_ro":"<h3>Balaam<\/h3>\n<p>Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say what God told him to say, and only to frustrate Balak’s purposes (Deut 23:4-5). On the road, Balaam’s donkey stopped and refused to move because the angel of the Lord was blocking the way. The donkey could see the angel, but Balaam was blind and foolish. Still, Balaam was smart enough not to curse the Israelites when God told him to bless them, and to Balak’s great frustration, that was all Balaam could do.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, an inscription was found that mentions Balaam son of Beor, a diviner who had visions at night (cp. Num 22:9-12, 20). The inscription was written on a plaster wall at Deir ‘Alla, eight miles east of the Jordan River, not far north of where the Hebrews were camped at the time of the Balaam incident. This nonbiblical text, dated 800–750 <span>BC<\/span>, identifies Balaam as a “seer of the gods” and reports that the gods, whose names in the inscription are similar to <em>Shaddai<\/em> (“Almighty”; cp. Num 24:4, 16), delivered a message to Balaam and announced judgment upon the world (cp. Num 24:15-25). The inscription provides rare extrabiblical evidence about a Bible character.<\/p>\n<p>While Balaam’s character and motives appear somewhat mixed in Numbers 22–24, chapter 25 describes how the men of Israel sinned by sleeping with Moabite women and worshiping their gods, which made God angry with his people. While Balaam is not mentioned here, Numbers 31:16 names him as the originator of this plot. After his visions were finished, Balaam apparently remained in Moab and kept working the angles until he found a way to damage Israel and get the money. The Israelites killed him a short time later (Num 31:8). Balaam became known as a magician with bad motives (see Deut 23:4-5; Josh 13:22), a false teacher who was only interested in pay (see Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11), and someone who led Israel into idolatry and immorality (Num 31:16; see Rev 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Num 22:1–25:18; 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Balaam<\/h3>\n<p>Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say what God told him to say, and only to frustrate Balak’s purposes (Deut 23:4-5). On the road, Balaam’s donkey stopped and refused to move because the angel of the Lord was blocking the way. The donkey could see the angel, but Balaam was blind and foolish. Still, Balaam was smart enough not to curse the Israelites when God told him to bless them, and to Balak’s great frustration, that was all Balaam could do.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, an inscription was found that mentions Balaam son of Beor, a diviner who had visions at night (cp. Num 22:9-12, 20). The inscription was written on a plaster wall at Deir ‘Alla, eight miles east of the Jordan River, not far north of where the Hebrews were camped at the time of the Balaam incident. This nonbiblical text, dated 800–750 <span>BC<\/span>, identifies Balaam as a “seer of the gods” and reports that the gods, whose names in the inscription are similar to <em>Shaddai<\/em> (“Almighty”; cp. Num 24:4, 16), delivered a message to Balaam and announced judgment upon the world (cp. Num 24:15-25). The inscription provides rare extrabiblical evidence about a Bible character.<\/p>\n<p>While Balaam’s character and motives appear somewhat mixed in Numbers 22–24, chapter 25 describes how the men of Israel sinned by sleeping with Moabite women and worshiping their gods, which made God angry with his people. While Balaam is not mentioned here, Numbers 31:16 names him as the originator of this plot. After his visions were finished, Balaam apparently remained in Moab and kept working the angles until he found a way to damage Israel and get the money. The Israelites killed him a short time later (Num 31:8). Balaam became known as a magician with bad motives (see Deut 23:4-5; Josh 13:22), a false teacher who was only interested in pay (see Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11), and someone who led Israel into idolatry and immorality (Num 31:16; see Rev 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Num 22:1–25:18; 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14<\/p>","summary_ro":"Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15). Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say w...","summary_en":"Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15). Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say w...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123924,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Balaam","title_en":"Balaam","content_ro":"<h3>Balaam<\/h3>\n<p>Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say what God told him to say, and only to frustrate Balak’s purposes (Deut 23:4-5). On the road, Balaam’s donkey stopped and refused to move because the angel of the Lord was blocking the way. The donkey could see the angel, but Balaam was blind and foolish. Still, Balaam was smart enough not to curse the Israelites when God told him to bless them, and to Balak’s great frustration, that was all Balaam could do.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, an inscription was found that mentions Balaam son of Beor, a diviner who had visions at night (cp. Num 22:9-12, 20). The inscription was written on a plaster wall at Deir ‘Alla, eight miles east of the Jordan River, not far north of where the Hebrews were camped at the time of the Balaam incident. This nonbiblical text, dated 800–750 <span>BC<\/span>, identifies Balaam as a “seer of the gods” and reports that the gods, whose names in the inscription are similar to <em>Shaddai<\/em> (“Almighty”; cp. Num 24:4, 16), delivered a message to Balaam and announced judgment upon the world (cp. Num 24:15-25). The inscription provides rare extrabiblical evidence about a Bible character.<\/p>\n<p>While Balaam’s character and motives appear somewhat mixed in Numbers 22–24, chapter 25 describes how the men of Israel sinned by sleeping with Moabite women and worshiping their gods, which made God angry with his people. While Balaam is not mentioned here, Numbers 31:16 names him as the originator of this plot. After his visions were finished, Balaam apparently remained in Moab and kept working the angles until he found a way to damage Israel and get the money. The Israelites killed him a short time later (Num 31:8). Balaam became known as a magician with bad motives (see Deut 23:4-5; Josh 13:22), a false teacher who was only interested in pay (see Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11), and someone who led Israel into idolatry and immorality (Num 31:16; see Rev 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Num 22:1–25:18; 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Balaam<\/h3>\n<p>Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say what God told him to say, and only to frustrate Balak’s purposes (Deut 23:4-5). On the road, Balaam’s donkey stopped and refused to move because the angel of the Lord was blocking the way. The donkey could see the angel, but Balaam was blind and foolish. Still, Balaam was smart enough not to curse the Israelites when God told him to bless them, and to Balak’s great frustration, that was all Balaam could do.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, an inscription was found that mentions Balaam son of Beor, a diviner who had visions at night (cp. Num 22:9-12, 20). The inscription was written on a plaster wall at Deir ‘Alla, eight miles east of the Jordan River, not far north of where the Hebrews were camped at the time of the Balaam incident. This nonbiblical text, dated 800–750 <span>BC<\/span>, identifies Balaam as a “seer of the gods” and reports that the gods, whose names in the inscription are similar to <em>Shaddai<\/em> (“Almighty”; cp. Num 24:4, 16), delivered a message to Balaam and announced judgment upon the world (cp. Num 24:15-25). The inscription provides rare extrabiblical evidence about a Bible character.<\/p>\n<p>While Balaam’s character and motives appear somewhat mixed in Numbers 22–24, chapter 25 describes how the men of Israel sinned by sleeping with Moabite women and worshiping their gods, which made God angry with his people. While Balaam is not mentioned here, Numbers 31:16 names him as the originator of this plot. After his visions were finished, Balaam apparently remained in Moab and kept working the angles until he found a way to damage Israel and get the money. The Israelites killed him a short time later (Num 31:8). Balaam became known as a magician with bad motives (see Deut 23:4-5; Josh 13:22), a false teacher who was only interested in pay (see Neh 13:2; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11), and someone who led Israel into idolatry and immorality (Num 31:16; see Rev 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Num 22:1–25:18; 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15-16; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14<\/p>","summary_ro":"Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15). Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say w...","summary_en":"Balaam Balaam was a diviner—a person who read signs and omens to determine the future and performed rituals to change future events (see study note on Num 22:5-6; cp. Josh 13:22). He was a diviner for hire, so when Balak, king of Moab, wanted to hire him to curse Israel, he was eager to get started. Even when God told him not to go, he hoped God would change his mind because he was very interested in the money (2 Pet 2:15). Finally, God allowed Balaam to go, but only if Balaam agreed to say w...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":3523,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Balac*","title_en":"Balac*","content_ro":"<h3>BALAC*<\/h3>\n<p>KJV form of Balak, king of Moab in Moses’ time, in Revelation 2:14. <em>See<\/em> Balak.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>BALAC*<\/h3>\n<p>KJV form of Balak, king of Moab in Moses’ time, in Revelation 2:14. <em>See<\/em> Balak.<\/p>","summary_ro":"BALAC* KJV form of Balak, king of Moab in Moses’ time, in Revelation 2:14. See Balak.","summary_en":"BALAC* KJV form of Balak, king of Moab in Moses’ time, in Revelation 2:14. See Balak.","source":"Articles\/B.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":3533,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Balak","title_en":"Balak","content_ro":"<h3>BALAK<\/h3>\n<p>Zippor’s son, king of Moab. Balak became fearful after the Israelites defeated the Amorites, so he attempted to hire a soothsayer named Balaam to pronounce a curse against Israel (Nm 22:1-7). Balak escorted Balaam to three different mountains and offered three different sacrifices, only to have Balaam each time deliver a blessing to the Israelites (chs 22–24). Enraged, Balak sent Balaam away. That event was later remembered as an example of God’s special blessing on the Israelites and of the futility of trying to alter God’s will (Jos 24:9-10; Jgs 11:25; Mi 6:5; Rv 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Balaam.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>BALAK<\/h3>\n<p>Zippor’s son, king of Moab. Balak became fearful after the Israelites defeated the Amorites, so he attempted to hire a soothsayer named Balaam to pronounce a curse against Israel (Nm 22:1-7). Balak escorted Balaam to three different mountains and offered three different sacrifices, only to have Balaam each time deliver a blessing to the Israelites (chs 22–24). Enraged, Balak sent Balaam away. That event was later remembered as an example of God’s special blessing on the Israelites and of the futility of trying to alter God’s will (Jos 24:9-10; Jgs 11:25; Mi 6:5; Rv 2:14).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Balaam.<\/p>","summary_ro":"BALAK Zippor’s son, king of Moab. Balak became fearful after the Israelites defeated the Amorites, so he attempted to hire a soothsayer named Balaam to pronounce a curse against Israel (Nm 22:1-7). Balak escorted Balaam to three different mountains and offered three different sacrifices, only to have Balaam each time deliver a blessing to the Israelites (chs 22–24). Enraged, Balak sent Balaam away. That event was later remembered as an example of God’s special blessing on the Israelites and o...","summary_en":"BALAK Zippor’s son, king of Moab. Balak became fearful after the Israelites defeated the Amorites, so he attempted to hire a soothsayer named Balaam to pronounce a curse against Israel (Nm 22:1-7). Balak escorted Balaam to three different mountains and offered three different sacrifices, only to have Balaam each time deliver a blessing to the Israelites (chs 22–24). Enraged, Balak sent Balaam away. That event was later remembered as an example of God’s special blessing on the Israelites and o...","source":"Articles\/B.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":26386,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Moses","title_en":"Moses","content_ro":"<h3>MOSES<\/h3>\n<p>Great leader of the Hebrew people who brought them out of bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land in Canaan; also the one who gave them the law at Mt Sinai that became the basis for their religious faith through the centuries. Focused in this one person are the figures of prophet, priest, lawgiver, judge, intercessor, shepherd, miracle worker, and founder of a nation.<\/p>\n<p>The meaning of his name is uncertain. It has been explained as a Hebrew word meaning “to draw out” (Ex 2:10; cf. 2 Sm 22:17; Ps 18:16). If, however, it is an Egyptian name given him by the daughter of Pharaoh who found him, it is more likely from an Egyptian word for “son” (also found as part of many well-known Egyptian names such as Ahmose, Thutmose, and Ramses). No one else in the OT bears this name.<\/p>\n<p>Without question, the greatest figure in the OT (mentioned by name 767 times), his influence also extends to the pages of the NT (where he is mentioned 79 times). The first 40 years of his life were spent in the household of Pharaoh (Acts 7:23), where he was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. The next 40 years he spent in Midian as a fugitive from the wrath of Pharaoh, after killing an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew. His last 40 years were devoted to leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt to the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gn 12:1-3). He died at the age of 120 after leading the Israelites successfully through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness to the very edge of the Promised Land on the east side of the Jordan River (Dt 34:7). He is one of the great figures in all of history, a man who took a group of slaves and, under inconceivably difficult circumstances, molded them into a nation that has influenced and altered the entire course of history.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• The First 40 Years—In Egypt<\/p>\n<p>• The Second 40 Years—In Midian<\/p>\n<p>• The Third 40 Years—From Egypt to Canaan<\/p>\n<p>• Moses in the New Testament<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The only source of information for the life of Moses is the Bible. Archaeology confirms the credibility of the events associated with Moses, but it has never provided any specific confirmation of his existence or work. His story begins with the arrival in Egypt of Jacob, his sons, and their families during a time of famine in Canaan. Invited by Joseph and welcomed by Pharaoh, the family settled down in northeast Egypt in an area known as Goshen, where they remained for 430 years (Ex 12:40). With the passing of time, their numbers grew rapidly, so that the land was filled with them (1:7). A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. The biblical account does not give the name of this pharaoh, and there has never been agreement as to his identity. He has most frequently been identified as Thutmose III (1504–1451 <span>BC<\/span>), Seti I (1304–1290 <span>BC<\/span>), or Ramses II (1290–1224 <span>BC<\/span>). Out of fear that their growing numbers might become a threat to the security of his nation, Pharaoh determined to take measures to reduce their number. He put them to work building the store cities of Pithom and Rameses, but the severity of the work did not diminish them. He next tried to enlist the cooperation of the midwives to destroy the male babies, but they would not carry out his orders. He then ordered his own people to drown the male infants in the Nile River. Against the background of this first-known Jewish persecution, the baby Moses was born.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheFirst40YearsInEgypt\">The First 40 Years—In Egypt<\/p>\n<h5>Birth and Early Life<\/h5>\n<p>A man of the family of Levi named Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed (Ex 6:20; cf. 2:1). Their first son, Aaron, three years older than Moses, was born before the command to drown the Hebrew babies was given, as there is no indication that his life was in danger. However, the cruel order was in force when Moses was born, and after three months, when his mother could no longer hide him, she took a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the baby into the basket and placed it among the reeds along the banks of the river. An older sister, Miriam, stayed near the river to see what would happen. Soon the daughter of Pharaoh (identified by Josephus as Thermuthis and by others as Hatshepsut, but whose actual identity cannot be determined) came to the river to bathe, as was her custom. She discovered the baby, recognized it as one of the Hebrew children, and determined that she would raise the child as her own. Miriam emerged from her hiding place and offered to secure a Hebrew woman to nurse the child, an arrangement that was agreeable to the princess. Miriam took the baby to his own mother, who kept him for perhaps two or three years (cf. 1 Sm 1:19-24). Nothing is recorded of those formative years. Whether his mother continued seeing him during his later childhood and young manhood or revealed his true identity to him or taught him the Hebrew faith are matters of speculation. Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, as would befit a member of the royal household, and he became mighty in his words and deeds (Acts 7:22).<\/p>\n<h5>Identification with His Own People<\/h5>\n<p>Just when Moses became aware that he was a Hebrew rather than Egyptian cannot be known, but it is clear that he knew it by the time he was 40 years old. One day he went out to visit his people and to observe their treatment, for the cruel measures taken against them by Pharaoh at the time of Moses’ birth had not been lifted. Seeing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, Moses in great anger killed the Egyptian and buried him. He thought the deed had gone unnoticed until the next day when he encountered two Hebrews fighting with each other. When he tried to act as peacemaker, they both turned on him and accused him of murder: “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?” (Ex 2:14, <span>rsv<\/span>). Acts 7:25 adds: “He supposed that his brethren understood that God was giving them deliverance by his hand” (<span>rsv<\/span>). Aware that being a member of Pharaoh’s household would not exempt him from punishment now that the deed was known, Moses fled for his life to the land of Midian.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheSecond40YearsInMidian\">The Second 40 Years—In Midian<\/p>\n<h5>Marriage into the Family of Jethro<\/h5>\n<p>Soon after arriving in Midian, Moses sat down by a well, where he observed the seven daughters of the priest of Midian who had come to the well to draw water for their father’s flock. Shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses intervened and helped them water their animals. When Jethro (Ex 3:1; also called Reuel, 2:18; Hobab, Nm 10:29) learned what had happened, he invited Moses to stay with his family and gave him Zipporah as his wife. (There is some disagreement among scholars regarding the identity of Hobab in Numbers 10:29; some think he was Moses’ father-in-law, while others maintain that Hobab was Moses’ brother-in-law. <em>See also<\/em> Hobab). Two children, Gershom (Ex 2:22) and Eliezer (18:4), were born to Moses and Zipporah during the years in Midian. Forty years passed, and Moses’ thoughts about his former life in Egypt must have faded into the past. He could not have foreseen that God would soon thrust him back into the midst of the court in Egypt, where he would confront the son of the now-dead pharaoh with the demand to release the Hebrew people from the bondage they had endured for so many years. God had not forgotten his people and was now ready to deliver them.<\/p>\n<h5>Encounter with God at the Burning Bush<\/h5>\n<p>One day, while Moses was taking care of the flocks of his father-in-law, he led them to Mt Horeb (known also as Sinai), where God appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush that burned but was not consumed. Moses approached to observe the strange sight more closely and heard God speak to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” Moses replied, “Here am I.” Before he could come any nearer to the bush, God said, “Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Ex 3:4-5, <span>rsv<\/span>). He further identified himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He assured Moses that he was aware of the cruel afflictions of his people and had heard their cries. Then he told of his plan to send Moses to Egypt to deliver his people from their bondage.<\/p>\n<p>Faced with a challenge that seemed beyond his capabilities, the aged Moses began making excuses for not accepting the task. God assured Moses that he would be with him (Ex 3:11-12). To his excuse that he would not be able to give an answer if the people asked him the name of the God he represented, God revealed his name in the cryptic statement, “ ‘<span>I Am the One Who Always Is<\/span>’ . . . Just tell them, ‘I <span>Am<\/span> has sent me to you’ ” (vv 13-14, <span>nlt<\/span>). Many interpretations have been proposed for the name. Whatever else it means, it undoubtedly suggests the self-existence and all-sufficiency of God. Moses then argued that the people would not believe him when he told them that God had sent him to deliver them from Egypt. In response God gave him three signs: When he cast his shepherd’s rod to the ground, it became a serpent. When he put his hand to his bosom, it became leprous. He was also told that when he would pour water from the Nile on the ground, it would become blood (Ex 4:1-9). Even armed with these powerful evidences of the presence of God with him, Moses raised still another objection, “O Lord, I’m just not a good speaker. I never have been, and I’m not now, even after you have spoken to me. I’m clumsy with words” (v 10, <span>nlt<\/span>). God told him that he would teach him what to say, but despite such assurance, Moses asked God to send someone else. In anger mingled with compassion, God made Moses’ brother, Aaron, the spokesman, but said his instructions would still be given directly to Moses.<\/p>\n<h5>Return to Egypt<\/h5>\n<p>Moses took his wife and sons and set out for Egypt, telling his father-in-law only that he wanted to go back to Egypt to visit his kinsmen there (Ex 4:18). The biblical account says he put his wife and sons on the same donkey to journey back to Egypt (v 20). The fact that all three rode the same animal indicates that both children were quite young and had not been born in the early years of Moses’ marriage. At a lodging place along the way a strange thing happened. The Lord met him and sought to kill him (v 24), apparently because Moses had failed to circumcise the baby before leaving Midian. When Zipporah realized that Moses’ life was in danger, she performed the rite herself and said to her husband, “What a blood-smeared bridegroom you are to me!” (v 25, <span>nlt<\/span>). Whatever else may have been involved in this unusual encounter with God, it was a solemn reminder that the one who was to be the leader of the covenant people must not himself neglect any part of the covenant (Gn 17:10-14).<\/p>\n<p>God told Aaron (who was still in Egypt) to go to the mountain where Moses had encountered God at the burning bush and meet his brother there. Moses told Aaron everything that had happened, and together they went to Egypt, gathered the elders together, and informed them of these matters. When Moses and Aaron performed the signs in the presence of the people, they believed these leaders had been sent by God to deliver them from their affliction (Ex 4:30-31).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheThird40YearsFromEgypttoCanaan\">The Third 40 Years—From Egypt to Canaan<\/p>\n<h5>The Encounter with Pharaoh<\/h5>\n<p>Soon after his return to Egypt, Moses, accompanied by Aaron, went to Pharaoh and repeated the demands of the Lord, “Let my people go, for they must go out into the wilderness to hold a religious festival in my honor” (Ex 5:1, <span>nlt<\/span>). Pharaoh rejected the demand with the observation that he had never heard of this God of Moses. When one realizes that Egyptian kings considered themselves to be gods, the affront to Pharaoh becomes even more acute. Not only did he reject Moses’ demands, but he intensified the burdens of the Hebrews. Their work had up until then required them to make brick using straw provided for them, but now Pharaoh said they would have to gather their own straw and still produce the same number of bricks. The Hebrews turned in anguish and anger to Moses and blamed him for making them offensive in the sight of Pharaoh. Even Moses could not understand the turn of events and complained bitterly to God. God reassured Moses that he would deliver the Hebrews from their bondage, and moreover, he would bring them into the land he had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He then instructed Moses to return to Pharaoh and repeat the demand to release the Hebrews upon threat of severe reprisal if the demand were ignored.<\/p>\n<p>Ushered again into Pharaoh’s presence, Moses repeated his request for release of the Israelites. He attempted to impress Pharaoh by turning his rod into a serpent, but the Egyptian wise men, through their secret arts, were able to duplicate the miracle, so Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened and he would not listen to Moses. In rapid succession Moses brought nine plagues upon the land of Egypt to show the omnipotence of God to force the compliance of Pharaoh. These included a plague in which the water of the Nile turned to blood, a plague of frogs, one of gnats, then of flies, a plague on the livestock, boils on the people, plagues of hail, locusts, and complete darkness. During the plagues of the frogs, flies, hail, locusts, and darkness, Pharaoh was distraught and would temporarily relent and agree to Moses’ demands, but as soon as the plague was lifted, his heart hardened and he would retract his promise. The outcome of the first nine plagues was terrible devastation of the land of Egypt, but the Israelites were not released. There was yet one more plague in store, the most terrible of all.<\/p>\n<h5>The First Passover<\/h5>\n<p>God told Moses that there remained one more plague in store for the Egyptians: “All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest slave. Even the firstborn of the animals will die” (Ex 11:5, <span>nlt<\/span>). Furthermore, he assured Moses that the plague would not touch a single household of the Hebrews, “Then you will know that the <span>Lord<\/span> makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites” (v 7, <span>nlt<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p>God instructed the people through Moses and Aaron to make their preparations for leaving the land in haste. They were to go to the Egyptians and ask them for their jewels of silver and gold (Ex 11:2-3), a request to which the Egyptians agreed, perhaps out of fear of the Hebrews and in the belief that the gifts would bring about an end of the terrors that had struck the land. The Hebrews were also instructed to prepare a lamb for each family—small families could share—for the last meal to be eaten in the land of Egypt (a rite that became the pattern for the Jewish observance of the Passover for many centuries). Blood of the lamb was to be put on the doorposts and lintels of the houses in which the Passover meal was being eaten that night. The Hebrews were promised that wherever the blood was on the door, no harm would come to that household. They were also instructed to prepare unleavened bread. At midnight the death angel of the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh himself to the lowest captive in a dungeon; not a single house of the Egyptians escaped tragedy. When Pharaoh saw what had happened, he ordered Moses and the people to leave the land at once (12:31-32). The biblical record says that about 600,000 Hebrew men left Egypt. Together with women and children, the total would have been in excess of 2 million people.<\/p>\n<h5>The Exodus from Egypt<\/h5>\n<p>The exodus is the central event of the OT and marks the birth of Israel as a nation. The Jewish people still look back to that event as the great redemptive act of God in history on behalf of his people, much as Christians look upon the cross as the great redemptive act of their faith.<\/p>\n\n<p>The exact route taken by the Hebrews out of Egypt cannot be determined today, though many possibilities have been proposed. They did not take the shortest, most direct route to Canaan (which would have been about a 10 days’ journey along the Mediterranean coastline), but set out in the direction of Mt Sinai, where Moses had earlier met God at the burning bush. As a sign that Moses had been sent to deliver the people, God told Moses he would bring them to that same spot, where they would worship God (Ex 3:12). The Hebrews did not forget the request of Joseph to carry his bones with them when they returned to their own land (Gn 50:25; Ex 13:19).<\/p>\n<p>As the people journeyed, they were preceded by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. The cloud represented the presence of God with his people and guided them along the route they should travel.<\/p>\n<p>Back in Egypt, Pharaoh was having second thoughts about letting the Hebrews leave the land and decided to pursue them with his army and bring them back. When the Hebrews saw the approaching cloud of dust and realized that the Egyptian army was pursuing them, they were terrified. The sea lay ahead of them and the Egyptians were behind; there seemed to be no way of escape. The people turned on Moses, blaming him for bringing them out of Egypt. God again assured them that they did not need to be afraid or do anything to defend themselves. He promised to fight the battle for them and give them victory (Ex 14:14).<\/p>\n<p>The Lord parted the water of the Sea of Reeds (traditionally but erroneously referred to as the Red Sea) by a strong east wind and allowed the Israelites to pass through the sea on dry ground to the other side. The Egyptians rushed after the Israelites, following them into the dry bed of the sea. But before they reached the other side, the waters rushed back together, destroying the Egyptian army in the midst of the sea and leaving the Israelites safe on the other side. The people celebrated their great deliverance in song (Ex 15) and then continued their journey. The narrative that follows describes the struggle of the Israelites to survive in the desert—problems of food and water, internal dissension, murmurings against Moses, and battles with enemies. Through all their experiences, Moses towers as the unifying force and great spiritual leader.<\/p>\n<p>In spite of having seen God’s great act of deliverance so recently, the faith of the Israelites was not strong. Three days later they came to a place where the water was not fit to drink, and they began complaining against Moses. The Lord showed Moses how to purify the water, and the people’s needs were satisfied (Ex 15:22-25). When they reached the wilderness of Sin, they complained again, this time because of lack of food. God met their need by supplying manna, a breadlike substance that would serve as their food until they came to Canaan (16:1-21). Later, camped at Rephidim, the people complained again, this time for lack of water. Once again God met their needs by supplying water from the rock at Horeb (17:1-7). The Amalekites attacked them while they were still camped at Rephidim, but God gave a great victory to the Israelites (vv 8-13).<\/p>\n<p>Moses and the people reached Sinai and camped there. Jethro came to visit, bringing Moses’ wife and sons. Zipporah had apparently decided to return with her children to stay with her father rather than to go on to Egypt with Moses. It was a joyful reunion, and Jethro made a burnt offering and sacrifices to God (an act that has evoked the suggestion that Jethro was a true worshiper of God, though nothing is known of his links to the Hebrew faith). When Jethro observed Moses trying to settle all the disputes and problems of the Hebrews unaided, he proposed that Moses delegate responsibility for some of the lesser matters to able men chosen from among the people. Moses accepted the suggestion, and shortly afterward Jethro returned to his own land. He did not remain at Sinai to participate in the ratification of the covenant (Ex 18:13-27).<\/p>\n<h5>Giving of the Law at Sinai<\/h5>\n<p>God had kept his promises to Moses. He had delivered the Hebrews from their Egyptian bondage and brought them to the very place where he had commissioned Moses to be their leader. He was now ready to enter into a covenant relationship with Israel. Amid a spectacular and terrifying scene of lightning, thunder, thick clouds, fire, smoke, and earthquake, God descended to the top of Sinai and called Moses to come up the mountain, where he remained 40 days to receive the law that would become the basis of the covenant.<\/p>\n<p>At Sinai, God was revealed as the God who demands exclusive allegiance in all areas of life and, at the same time, as the God who desires personal fellowship with his people.<\/p>\n<h5>Apostasy of the People<\/h5>\n<p>While Moses tarried on Mt Sinai, the people below became impatient and skeptical about his return, so they went to Aaron and asked him to make idols for them to worship. They contributed the gold earrings they were wearing. “Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded and tooled it into the shape of a calf. The people exclaimed, ‘O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ ” (Ex 32:4, <span>nlt<\/span>). The next day they joined in the worship of the idol with sacrifices and revelry. God told Moses what was taking place below and angrily declared that he was going to destroy the people but would make a great nation of Moses and his descendants. Moses immediately interceded on behalf of the people, and God’s wrath abated. Moses descended the mountain, carrying the two tablets of stone on which the law had been written, but when he entered the camp and saw what was taking place, he could not restrain his anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, ground the golden calf to powder, mixed it with water, and forced the people to drink it. He turned angrily to Aaron and demanded an explanation for the great sin that had been committed. Aaron lamely tried to shift the blame by minimizing his own role: “I threw them [the gold] into the fire—and out came this calf!” (v 24, <span>nlt<\/span>). Moses called for volunteers to carry out God’s judgment on the people for the great sin they had committed. Men of the tribe of Levi responded and executed about 3,000 men. Later they were commended and rewarded (Dt 33:9-10). Moses again interceded for the people, requesting that he be destroyed with the rest if God could not forgive them. God relented and promised Moses that the angel of the Lord would go with them still (Ex 32:34).<\/p>\n<p>Then Moses made a special request that he might be allowed to see the glory of the Lord. God instructed Moses to hew out two more tablets of stone like the ones he had destroyed and to return to the top of the mountain the next day. There the Lord passed before him and proclaimed his name: “I am the <span>Lord<\/span>, I am the <span>Lord<\/span>, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6, <span>nlt<\/span>). Moses remained on the mountain another 40 days, where he received renewed warnings against idolatry and further instructions from the Lord, together with another copy of the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone. When Moses came down from the mountain, he was not aware that the skin of his face shone as a result of talking with God. At first the people were afraid to come near him, but he called them together and repeated all the Lord had said to him on the mountain. Afterward, he covered his face with a veil, which he removed only when he went into the presence of the Lord. Paul said the purpose of the veil was to prevent the people from seeing the heavenly light gradually fade from Moses’ face (2 Cor 3:13).<\/p>\n<h5>The Tabernacle and Establishment of the Priesthood<\/h5>\n<p>When Moses went up to the mountain the first time to receive the law from God, he was instructed to collect materials to be used in the construction of the tabernacle or tent. Gold, silver, bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarn, fine twined linen, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, and acacia wood would be needed, along with oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting (Ex 25:3-7). The pattern for construction was also given to him, together with the ritual to be used for the consecration of the priests. A man named Bezalel was put in charge of the construction of the tabernacle, assisted by Oholiab (31:1-6). The tabernacle was portable like a tent so that it could be taken down and moved from place to place as the Hebrews continued their journey toward Canaan.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to giving Moses directions for the tabernacle, God also instructed him concerning the sacrifices that were to be brought: the burnt offering, grain offering, peace offering, sin offering, and guilt offering (Lv 1–7). The solemn ceremony for ordaining Aaron and his sons as priests and for inaugurating the worship practices were to be performed by Moses (chs 8–9).<\/p>\n<p>Sometime after this solemn inauguration of the religious ritual actually took place, Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s four sons, offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. A fire came out from the Lord and destroyed them. Moses forbade Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar to express grief because of the sinfulness of the act (Lv 10:1-7). The nature of their sin is difficult to determine, but it surely involved a violation of God’s holiness. Therefore, it is appropriate that a large part of the remainder of the book of Leviticus gives regulations that stress the holy living that God expected from his people.<\/p>\n<h5>From Sinai to Kadesh<\/h5>\n<p>A year had elapsed from the time the Israelites left Egypt until the census was taken (Nm 9:1). God reminded the people that it was time to observe the Passover, which they did, and a month later they set out from Sinai and came to the wilderness of Paran. Along the way they complained about the unvarying diet of manna and they longed for the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic they had eaten in Egypt (11:4-6). In anger God sent quail in abundance, but even while the people were devouring the meat, God sent a great plague that killed many Israelites. The complaining attitude of the people was shared even by Miriam and Aaron. They began to speak against the Cushite woman Moses had married (12:1-2). It is not certain whether the Cushite was an Ethiopian or whether this was another way of referring to Zipporah. If Moses did marry a second time, no mention is made of it elsewhere in the OT. Moses made no reply to the accusations of his brother and sister. It was not necessary, for God intervened in defense of his servant. He smote Miriam with leprosy for her part in speaking against Moses, and when Aaron saw what had happened to Miriam, he acknowledged that they both had sinned. Miriam’s leprosy was removed in response to Moses’ fervent intercession.<\/p>\n\n<p>While the people were encamped at Kadesh (also called Kadesh-barnea—Nm 32:8) in the wilderness of Paran, Moses sent 12 men into Canaan, one from each tribe, to spy out the land in preparation for the Israelite entry. After 40 days the spies returned and, though they acknowledged that the land was fertile and inviting, 10 of them were afraid of the Canaanite inhabitants and advised against going into the land. Only Joshua and Caleb were willing to go ahead and occupy the territory. The entire congregation joined the protest against going in and determined to choose a new leader and return to Egypt rather than risk death by the sword in Canaan. They threatened to stone Moses and Aaron. At that moment God intervened and would have destroyed all the people on the spot except for the intervention of Moses (13:1–14:19). He declared that, if God did not bring the people into Canaan, the nations round about would conclude that the God of the Israelites was unable to bring them into the land. Once again God acquiesced to Moses’ request to pardon the people but said that none of them 20 years and older who had complained against him would be allowed to enter the land. All the people would wander in the wilderness for 40 years until that generation died, and then their children would be allowed to enter Canaan (14:29-33). When they heard the Lord’s sentence upon them, the people quickly decided to lift the sentence of judgment by entering the land at once, but God was not with them, and they suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of the Amalekites and Canaanites.<\/p>\n<h5>Forty Years in the Wilderness<\/h5>\n<p>Very little is known about events during the 40 years of wilderness wanderings. In spite of the judgment that had already come upon them, the people did not seem to change their ways. A man named Korah led another rebellion against the authority of Moses and Aaron. God would not listen to the pleas of Moses and Aaron on behalf of these dissidents (Nm 16:22-24), but told the congregation to separate itself from the tents of Korah and his conspirators. While the people watched, the ground split open and swallowed up the rebellious factions together with their households and all their possessions. Though the rest of the Israelites witnessed the fate of the rebels, it did not deter them from again turning on Moses and Aaron. At this, God told Moses to remove himself from the murmuring congregation in order that he could take vengeance. Though Moses offered atonement for the people’s sins, 14,700 died by plague before the punishment was ended. To demonstrate further to the people that Moses was his chosen leader, the Lord instructed Moses to take rods, one for each tribe, and to deposit them in the tent of meeting. God would cause the rod of the man chosen by him to sprout, and so silence the murmurings of the people. The rod belonging to Aaron sprouted and budded and bloomed, but the people only complained more.<\/p>\n<p>As the people neared the end of their years of wilderness wanderings, Miriam died in Kadesh and was buried there (Nm 20:1). Soon after, the people began to complain once more for lack of water. God instructed Moses to speak to a rock that would bring forth water to satisfy the needs of the people. Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses struck it twice with his rod. The water came forth, but God rebuked Moses and Aaron: “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” (v 12, <span>nlt<\/span>). The nature of the sin is not clear, but Moses and Aaron were apparently taking to themselves honor that belonged to God alone. Because of the sin, they were denied the privilege of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. The punishment may seem too severe for the sin, but it shows that the privileged role of leadership given to Moses and Aaron carried with it an unusual measure of responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>The people then journeyed from Kadesh to Mt Hor on the border of the land of Edom, where Aaron died. Moses took his priestly garments from him and gave them to Eleazar, his son, thereby transferring the priestly office (Nm 20:28).<\/p>\n<p>As the people came closer to their destination, resistance on the part of the native population increased. There was a skirmish with the king of Arad and his forces at Hormah, resulting in a victory for Israel (Nm 21:1-3). As they journeyed around Edom, some of the Israelites began speaking against God and Moses because there was no food or water and they were tired of eating manna. This time the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many of them died of the venomous bites. Those who had not yet been bitten came to Moses, acknowledged their sin, and asked that the serpents be removed from their midst. God instructed Moses to make a serpent of bronze and set it on a pole. If a person bitten by a serpent looked up at the bronze serpent, he or she would live.<\/p>\n<p>As the Israelites approached the territory of Sihon, king of the Amorites, they sent messengers asking permission to pass peaceably through his land. Instead of granting the request, Sihon gathered his army together and fought against Israel. He was killed in the battle, and his land and cities were taken and occupied by the Hebrews (Nm 21:21-25).<\/p>\n<h5>Arrival at the Jordan River<\/h5>\n<p>After their victory over Sihon, the Israelites set out again and encamped in the plains of Moab on the east side of the Jordan River facing Jericho, in full view of the Promised Land. The Moabites were terrified by the presence of these people because they had heard what happened to the Amorites. Their king, Balak, hired a magician named Balaam to curse the Israelites. Three times Balaam attempted to curse them, but each time God turned his words into a blessing (Nm 22–24). Though unable to curse the Israelites, Balaam was responsible for an even greater calamity. He advised the Moabites to entice the Israelites to sacrifice to their gods and bow down to them (Nm 25:1-3; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Rv 2:14). While the people were worshiping the Moabite deity, Baal of Peor, God’s anger was kindled against them, and he sent a plague that killed 24,000 of them (Nm 25:9). It was Israel’s first encounter with the seductive allurement of licentious idolatry and an ominous foreview of what would happen after they settled down in Canaan. Their continued attraction to idolatry would be their final undoing.<\/p>\n<p>After the plague, God instructed Moses and Eleazar to take another census of the people like the one almost 40 years earlier. A whole generation of Israelites had died in the wilderness, but they had been replaced by an almost equal number, so that now there were 601,730 men 20 years and older who were able to go to war (Nm 26:51). Not a man remained of those who had been counted in the first census, except Caleb and Joshua.<\/p>\n<p>The Lord instructed Moses to lay hands on Joshua and commission him as the new leader in the sight of Eleazar the priest and all the congregation (Nm 27:12-23). In addition, the Lord gave Moses instructions concerning feasts and offerings and vows (chs 28–30). God ordered Moses, as his last act as leader, to avenge the Israelites on the Midianites. In that battle the armies of Israel gained a great victory over the Midianites, killing their kings, their men, and also Balaam.<\/p>\n<p>The Lord gave instructions to Moses concerning the boundaries that would mark the Promised Land and named the men who would divide the land among the tribes (Nm 34). He also ordered that 48 cities be given to the Levites, the priestly tribe, as their portion. Six of these were designated as cities of refuge where murderers could flee so that they would not be killed by those seeking vengeance without having an opportunity to stand before the congregation for judgment (ch 35).<\/p>\n<h5>Moses’ Death<\/h5>\n<p>The book of Deuteronomy has often been called Moses’ valedictory speech to the people, for in it Moses is not merely the chief speaker but the only speaker. With the congregation of his people gathered before him, he rehearsed all that God had done for them since leaving Sinai, and he reminded them of their failure to enter the Promised Land 38 years earlier (Dt 2:14). He recalled his plea that God would let him cross the Jordan and see the land that was to be the home of the people, but God responded that Moses would only be allowed to view the land from the top of Pisgah. Moses then exhorted the people to obey the statutes and ordinances that had been given to them in order to experience God’s blessings in the land.<\/p>\n\n<p>As the day of Moses’ death approached, the Lord ordered Moses and Joshua to present themselves at the tent of meeting in order for Joshua to be commissioned as the new leader (Dt 31:14-23). Before his death, Moses pronounced a blessing upon all the Israelites (ch 33). Having completed these tasks, Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mt Nebo, and to the top of Pisgah. From there God showed him the land promised long ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the land that was soon to be the home of the wandering Israelite tribes. Again God told him that he would not be allowed to cross over the Jordan. Moses died there and God buried him somewhere in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor (34:6). Moses was 120 years old when he died, and the Israelites mourned his death for 30 days. The finest tribute to Moses is found in the closing words of the book of Deuteronomy, “There has never been another prophet like Moses, whom the <span>Lord<\/span> knew face to face” (v 10).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MosesintheNewTestament\">Moses in the New Testament<\/p>\n<p>All Jews and Christians in apostolic times considered Moses the author of the Pentateuch. Such expressions as “the law of Moses” (Lk 2:22), “Moses commanded” (Mt 19:7), “Moses said” (Mk 7:10) “and Moses wrote” (12:19) shows that his name was synonymous with the OT books attributed to him. He is mentioned in the NT more than any other OT figure, a total of 79 times. His role as lawgiver is emphasized more than any other aspect of his life (Mt 8:4; Mk 7:10; Jn 1:17; Acts 15:1). He appears at the transfiguration of Jesus as the representative of OT law, along with Elijah as the representative of OT prophets (Mt 17:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Moses’ role as prophet is also mentioned in the NT. As a prophet, he spoke of the coming Messiah and his sufferings (Lk 24:25-27; Acts 3:22). The NT also draws from the life and experiences of Moses to show patterns of life under the new covenant. The nativity story of Jesus parallels the Mosaic story of the infant deliverer being rescued from the evil designs of an earthly despot (Mt 2:13-18). Jesus’ proclamation of a new law in his Sermon on the Mount parallels the giving of the law at Sinai (Mt 5–7) and presents Jesus as the authoritative interpreter of the will of God. Contrast between the old law and the new relationship with God is especially marked in the book of Galatians. The comparison of Moses with Christ is an important emphasis of the book of Hebrews (Heb 3:5-6; 9:11-22). John contrasted the law that was given through Moses with the grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ (Jn 1:17). He also contrasted the manna in the wilderness to Jesus as “the bread of life” (6:30-35).<\/p>\n<p>Other references to Moses or to events associated with him include his birth (Acts 7:20; Heb 11:23), the burning bush (Lk 20:37), the magicians of Egypt (2 Tm 3:8), the Passover (Heb 11:28), the exodus (3:16), crossing of the sea (1 Cor 10:2), the covenant sacrifice at Sinai (Mt 26:28), the manna (1 Cor 10:3), the glory on Moses’ face (2 Cor 3:7-18), water from the rock (1 Cor 10:4), the bronze serpent (Jn 3:14), and the song of Moses (Rv 15:3).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Egypt, Egyptian; Exodus, The; Israel, History of; Plagues upon Egypt; Priests and Levites; Tabernacle; Temple; Commandments, The Ten; Wilderness Wanderings.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>MOSES<\/h3>\n<p>Great leader of the Hebrew people who brought them out of bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land in Canaan; also the one who gave them the law at Mt Sinai that became the basis for their religious faith through the centuries. Focused in this one person are the figures of prophet, priest, lawgiver, judge, intercessor, shepherd, miracle worker, and founder of a nation.<\/p>\n<p>The meaning of his name is uncertain. It has been explained as a Hebrew word meaning “to draw out” (Ex 2:10; cf. 2 Sm 22:17; Ps 18:16). If, however, it is an Egyptian name given him by the daughter of Pharaoh who found him, it is more likely from an Egyptian word for “son” (also found as part of many well-known Egyptian names such as Ahmose, Thutmose, and Ramses). No one else in the OT bears this name.<\/p>\n<p>Without question, the greatest figure in the OT (mentioned by name 767 times), his influence also extends to the pages of the NT (where he is mentioned 79 times). The first 40 years of his life were spent in the household of Pharaoh (Acts 7:23), where he was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. The next 40 years he spent in Midian as a fugitive from the wrath of Pharaoh, after killing an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew. His last 40 years were devoted to leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt to the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gn 12:1-3). He died at the age of 120 after leading the Israelites successfully through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness to the very edge of the Promised Land on the east side of the Jordan River (Dt 34:7). He is one of the great figures in all of history, a man who took a group of slaves and, under inconceivably difficult circumstances, molded them into a nation that has influenced and altered the entire course of history.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• The First 40 Years—In Egypt<\/p>\n<p>• The Second 40 Years—In Midian<\/p>\n<p>• The Third 40 Years—From Egypt to Canaan<\/p>\n<p>• Moses in the New Testament<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The only source of information for the life of Moses is the Bible. Archaeology confirms the credibility of the events associated with Moses, but it has never provided any specific confirmation of his existence or work. His story begins with the arrival in Egypt of Jacob, his sons, and their families during a time of famine in Canaan. Invited by Joseph and welcomed by Pharaoh, the family settled down in northeast Egypt in an area known as Goshen, where they remained for 430 years (Ex 12:40). With the passing of time, their numbers grew rapidly, so that the land was filled with them (1:7). A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. The biblical account does not give the name of this pharaoh, and there has never been agreement as to his identity. He has most frequently been identified as Thutmose III (1504–1451 <span>BC<\/span>), Seti I (1304–1290 <span>BC<\/span>), or Ramses II (1290–1224 <span>BC<\/span>). Out of fear that their growing numbers might become a threat to the security of his nation, Pharaoh determined to take measures to reduce their number. He put them to work building the store cities of Pithom and Rameses, but the severity of the work did not diminish them. He next tried to enlist the cooperation of the midwives to destroy the male babies, but they would not carry out his orders. He then ordered his own people to drown the male infants in the Nile River. Against the background of this first-known Jewish persecution, the baby Moses was born.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheFirst40YearsInEgypt\">The First 40 Years—In Egypt<\/p>\n<h5>Birth and Early Life<\/h5>\n<p>A man of the family of Levi named Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed (Ex 6:20; cf. 2:1). Their first son, Aaron, three years older than Moses, was born before the command to drown the Hebrew babies was given, as there is no indication that his life was in danger. However, the cruel order was in force when Moses was born, and after three months, when his mother could no longer hide him, she took a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the baby into the basket and placed it among the reeds along the banks of the river. An older sister, Miriam, stayed near the river to see what would happen. Soon the daughter of Pharaoh (identified by Josephus as Thermuthis and by others as Hatshepsut, but whose actual identity cannot be determined) came to the river to bathe, as was her custom. She discovered the baby, recognized it as one of the Hebrew children, and determined that she would raise the child as her own. Miriam emerged from her hiding place and offered to secure a Hebrew woman to nurse the child, an arrangement that was agreeable to the princess. Miriam took the baby to his own mother, who kept him for perhaps two or three years (cf. 1 Sm 1:19-24). Nothing is recorded of those formative years. Whether his mother continued seeing him during his later childhood and young manhood or revealed his true identity to him or taught him the Hebrew faith are matters of speculation. Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, as would befit a member of the royal household, and he became mighty in his words and deeds (Acts 7:22).<\/p>\n<h5>Identification with His Own People<\/h5>\n<p>Just when Moses became aware that he was a Hebrew rather than Egyptian cannot be known, but it is clear that he knew it by the time he was 40 years old. One day he went out to visit his people and to observe their treatment, for the cruel measures taken against them by Pharaoh at the time of Moses’ birth had not been lifted. Seeing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, Moses in great anger killed the Egyptian and buried him. He thought the deed had gone unnoticed until the next day when he encountered two Hebrews fighting with each other. When he tried to act as peacemaker, they both turned on him and accused him of murder: “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?” (Ex 2:14, <span>rsv<\/span>). Acts 7:25 adds: “He supposed that his brethren understood that God was giving them deliverance by his hand” (<span>rsv<\/span>). Aware that being a member of Pharaoh’s household would not exempt him from punishment now that the deed was known, Moses fled for his life to the land of Midian.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheSecond40YearsInMidian\">The Second 40 Years—In Midian<\/p>\n<h5>Marriage into the Family of Jethro<\/h5>\n<p>Soon after arriving in Midian, Moses sat down by a well, where he observed the seven daughters of the priest of Midian who had come to the well to draw water for their father’s flock. Shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses intervened and helped them water their animals. When Jethro (Ex 3:1; also called Reuel, 2:18; Hobab, Nm 10:29) learned what had happened, he invited Moses to stay with his family and gave him Zipporah as his wife. (There is some disagreement among scholars regarding the identity of Hobab in Numbers 10:29; some think he was Moses’ father-in-law, while others maintain that Hobab was Moses’ brother-in-law. <em>See also<\/em> Hobab). Two children, Gershom (Ex 2:22) and Eliezer (18:4), were born to Moses and Zipporah during the years in Midian. Forty years passed, and Moses’ thoughts about his former life in Egypt must have faded into the past. He could not have foreseen that God would soon thrust him back into the midst of the court in Egypt, where he would confront the son of the now-dead pharaoh with the demand to release the Hebrew people from the bondage they had endured for so many years. God had not forgotten his people and was now ready to deliver them.<\/p>\n<h5>Encounter with God at the Burning Bush<\/h5>\n<p>One day, while Moses was taking care of the flocks of his father-in-law, he led them to Mt Horeb (known also as Sinai), where God appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush that burned but was not consumed. Moses approached to observe the strange sight more closely and heard God speak to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” Moses replied, “Here am I.” Before he could come any nearer to the bush, God said, “Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Ex 3:4-5, <span>rsv<\/span>). He further identified himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He assured Moses that he was aware of the cruel afflictions of his people and had heard their cries. Then he told of his plan to send Moses to Egypt to deliver his people from their bondage.<\/p>\n<p>Faced with a challenge that seemed beyond his capabilities, the aged Moses began making excuses for not accepting the task. God assured Moses that he would be with him (Ex 3:11-12). To his excuse that he would not be able to give an answer if the people asked him the name of the God he represented, God revealed his name in the cryptic statement, “ ‘<span>I Am the One Who Always Is<\/span>’ . . . Just tell them, ‘I <span>Am<\/span> has sent me to you’ ” (vv 13-14, <span>nlt<\/span>). Many interpretations have been proposed for the name. Whatever else it means, it undoubtedly suggests the self-existence and all-sufficiency of God. Moses then argued that the people would not believe him when he told them that God had sent him to deliver them from Egypt. In response God gave him three signs: When he cast his shepherd’s rod to the ground, it became a serpent. When he put his hand to his bosom, it became leprous. He was also told that when he would pour water from the Nile on the ground, it would become blood (Ex 4:1-9). Even armed with these powerful evidences of the presence of God with him, Moses raised still another objection, “O Lord, I’m just not a good speaker. I never have been, and I’m not now, even after you have spoken to me. I’m clumsy with words” (v 10, <span>nlt<\/span>). God told him that he would teach him what to say, but despite such assurance, Moses asked God to send someone else. In anger mingled with compassion, God made Moses’ brother, Aaron, the spokesman, but said his instructions would still be given directly to Moses.<\/p>\n<h5>Return to Egypt<\/h5>\n<p>Moses took his wife and sons and set out for Egypt, telling his father-in-law only that he wanted to go back to Egypt to visit his kinsmen there (Ex 4:18). The biblical account says he put his wife and sons on the same donkey to journey back to Egypt (v 20). The fact that all three rode the same animal indicates that both children were quite young and had not been born in the early years of Moses’ marriage. At a lodging place along the way a strange thing happened. The Lord met him and sought to kill him (v 24), apparently because Moses had failed to circumcise the baby before leaving Midian. When Zipporah realized that Moses’ life was in danger, she performed the rite herself and said to her husband, “What a blood-smeared bridegroom you are to me!” (v 25, <span>nlt<\/span>). Whatever else may have been involved in this unusual encounter with God, it was a solemn reminder that the one who was to be the leader of the covenant people must not himself neglect any part of the covenant (Gn 17:10-14).<\/p>\n<p>God told Aaron (who was still in Egypt) to go to the mountain where Moses had encountered God at the burning bush and meet his brother there. Moses told Aaron everything that had happened, and together they went to Egypt, gathered the elders together, and informed them of these matters. When Moses and Aaron performed the signs in the presence of the people, they believed these leaders had been sent by God to deliver them from their affliction (Ex 4:30-31).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"TheThird40YearsFromEgypttoCanaan\">The Third 40 Years—From Egypt to Canaan<\/p>\n<h5>The Encounter with Pharaoh<\/h5>\n<p>Soon after his return to Egypt, Moses, accompanied by Aaron, went to Pharaoh and repeated the demands of the Lord, “Let my people go, for they must go out into the wilderness to hold a religious festival in my honor” (Ex 5:1, <span>nlt<\/span>). Pharaoh rejected the demand with the observation that he had never heard of this God of Moses. When one realizes that Egyptian kings considered themselves to be gods, the affront to Pharaoh becomes even more acute. Not only did he reject Moses’ demands, but he intensified the burdens of the Hebrews. Their work had up until then required them to make brick using straw provided for them, but now Pharaoh said they would have to gather their own straw and still produce the same number of bricks. The Hebrews turned in anguish and anger to Moses and blamed him for making them offensive in the sight of Pharaoh. Even Moses could not understand the turn of events and complained bitterly to God. God reassured Moses that he would deliver the Hebrews from their bondage, and moreover, he would bring them into the land he had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He then instructed Moses to return to Pharaoh and repeat the demand to release the Hebrews upon threat of severe reprisal if the demand were ignored.<\/p>\n<p>Ushered again into Pharaoh’s presence, Moses repeated his request for release of the Israelites. He attempted to impress Pharaoh by turning his rod into a serpent, but the Egyptian wise men, through their secret arts, were able to duplicate the miracle, so Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened and he would not listen to Moses. In rapid succession Moses brought nine plagues upon the land of Egypt to show the omnipotence of God to force the compliance of Pharaoh. These included a plague in which the water of the Nile turned to blood, a plague of frogs, one of gnats, then of flies, a plague on the livestock, boils on the people, plagues of hail, locusts, and complete darkness. During the plagues of the frogs, flies, hail, locusts, and darkness, Pharaoh was distraught and would temporarily relent and agree to Moses’ demands, but as soon as the plague was lifted, his heart hardened and he would retract his promise. The outcome of the first nine plagues was terrible devastation of the land of Egypt, but the Israelites were not released. There was yet one more plague in store, the most terrible of all.<\/p>\n<h5>The First Passover<\/h5>\n<p>God told Moses that there remained one more plague in store for the Egyptians: “All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest slave. Even the firstborn of the animals will die” (Ex 11:5, <span>nlt<\/span>). Furthermore, he assured Moses that the plague would not touch a single household of the Hebrews, “Then you will know that the <span>Lord<\/span> makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites” (v 7, <span>nlt<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p>God instructed the people through Moses and Aaron to make their preparations for leaving the land in haste. They were to go to the Egyptians and ask them for their jewels of silver and gold (Ex 11:2-3), a request to which the Egyptians agreed, perhaps out of fear of the Hebrews and in the belief that the gifts would bring about an end of the terrors that had struck the land. The Hebrews were also instructed to prepare a lamb for each family—small families could share—for the last meal to be eaten in the land of Egypt (a rite that became the pattern for the Jewish observance of the Passover for many centuries). Blood of the lamb was to be put on the doorposts and lintels of the houses in which the Passover meal was being eaten that night. The Hebrews were promised that wherever the blood was on the door, no harm would come to that household. They were also instructed to prepare unleavened bread. At midnight the death angel of the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh himself to the lowest captive in a dungeon; not a single house of the Egyptians escaped tragedy. When Pharaoh saw what had happened, he ordered Moses and the people to leave the land at once (12:31-32). The biblical record says that about 600,000 Hebrew men left Egypt. Together with women and children, the total would have been in excess of 2 million people.<\/p>\n<h5>The Exodus from Egypt<\/h5>\n<p>The exodus is the central event of the OT and marks the birth of Israel as a nation. The Jewish people still look back to that event as the great redemptive act of God in history on behalf of his people, much as Christians look upon the cross as the great redemptive act of their faith.<\/p>\n\n<p>The exact route taken by the Hebrews out of Egypt cannot be determined today, though many possibilities have been proposed. They did not take the shortest, most direct route to Canaan (which would have been about a 10 days’ journey along the Mediterranean coastline), but set out in the direction of Mt Sinai, where Moses had earlier met God at the burning bush. As a sign that Moses had been sent to deliver the people, God told Moses he would bring them to that same spot, where they would worship God (Ex 3:12). The Hebrews did not forget the request of Joseph to carry his bones with them when they returned to their own land (Gn 50:25; Ex 13:19).<\/p>\n<p>As the people journeyed, they were preceded by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. The cloud represented the presence of God with his people and guided them along the route they should travel.<\/p>\n<p>Back in Egypt, Pharaoh was having second thoughts about letting the Hebrews leave the land and decided to pursue them with his army and bring them back. When the Hebrews saw the approaching cloud of dust and realized that the Egyptian army was pursuing them, they were terrified. The sea lay ahead of them and the Egyptians were behind; there seemed to be no way of escape. The people turned on Moses, blaming him for bringing them out of Egypt. God again assured them that they did not need to be afraid or do anything to defend themselves. He promised to fight the battle for them and give them victory (Ex 14:14).<\/p>\n<p>The Lord parted the water of the Sea of Reeds (traditionally but erroneously referred to as the Red Sea) by a strong east wind and allowed the Israelites to pass through the sea on dry ground to the other side. The Egyptians rushed after the Israelites, following them into the dry bed of the sea. But before they reached the other side, the waters rushed back together, destroying the Egyptian army in the midst of the sea and leaving the Israelites safe on the other side. The people celebrated their great deliverance in song (Ex 15) and then continued their journey. The narrative that follows describes the struggle of the Israelites to survive in the desert—problems of food and water, internal dissension, murmurings against Moses, and battles with enemies. Through all their experiences, Moses towers as the unifying force and great spiritual leader.<\/p>\n<p>In spite of having seen God’s great act of deliverance so recently, the faith of the Israelites was not strong. Three days later they came to a place where the water was not fit to drink, and they began complaining against Moses. The Lord showed Moses how to purify the water, and the people’s needs were satisfied (Ex 15:22-25). When they reached the wilderness of Sin, they complained again, this time because of lack of food. God met their need by supplying manna, a breadlike substance that would serve as their food until they came to Canaan (16:1-21). Later, camped at Rephidim, the people complained again, this time for lack of water. Once again God met their needs by supplying water from the rock at Horeb (17:1-7). The Amalekites attacked them while they were still camped at Rephidim, but God gave a great victory to the Israelites (vv 8-13).<\/p>\n<p>Moses and the people reached Sinai and camped there. Jethro came to visit, bringing Moses’ wife and sons. Zipporah had apparently decided to return with her children to stay with her father rather than to go on to Egypt with Moses. It was a joyful reunion, and Jethro made a burnt offering and sacrifices to God (an act that has evoked the suggestion that Jethro was a true worshiper of God, though nothing is known of his links to the Hebrew faith). When Jethro observed Moses trying to settle all the disputes and problems of the Hebrews unaided, he proposed that Moses delegate responsibility for some of the lesser matters to able men chosen from among the people. Moses accepted the suggestion, and shortly afterward Jethro returned to his own land. He did not remain at Sinai to participate in the ratification of the covenant (Ex 18:13-27).<\/p>\n<h5>Giving of the Law at Sinai<\/h5>\n<p>God had kept his promises to Moses. He had delivered the Hebrews from their Egyptian bondage and brought them to the very place where he had commissioned Moses to be their leader. He was now ready to enter into a covenant relationship with Israel. Amid a spectacular and terrifying scene of lightning, thunder, thick clouds, fire, smoke, and earthquake, God descended to the top of Sinai and called Moses to come up the mountain, where he remained 40 days to receive the law that would become the basis of the covenant.<\/p>\n<p>At Sinai, God was revealed as the God who demands exclusive allegiance in all areas of life and, at the same time, as the God who desires personal fellowship with his people.<\/p>\n<h5>Apostasy of the People<\/h5>\n<p>While Moses tarried on Mt Sinai, the people below became impatient and skeptical about his return, so they went to Aaron and asked him to make idols for them to worship. They contributed the gold earrings they were wearing. “Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded and tooled it into the shape of a calf. The people exclaimed, ‘O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ ” (Ex 32:4, <span>nlt<\/span>). The next day they joined in the worship of the idol with sacrifices and revelry. God told Moses what was taking place below and angrily declared that he was going to destroy the people but would make a great nation of Moses and his descendants. Moses immediately interceded on behalf of the people, and God’s wrath abated. Moses descended the mountain, carrying the two tablets of stone on which the law had been written, but when he entered the camp and saw what was taking place, he could not restrain his anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, ground the golden calf to powder, mixed it with water, and forced the people to drink it. He turned angrily to Aaron and demanded an explanation for the great sin that had been committed. Aaron lamely tried to shift the blame by minimizing his own role: “I threw them [the gold] into the fire—and out came this calf!” (v 24, <span>nlt<\/span>). Moses called for volunteers to carry out God’s judgment on the people for the great sin they had committed. Men of the tribe of Levi responded and executed about 3,000 men. Later they were commended and rewarded (Dt 33:9-10). Moses again interceded for the people, requesting that he be destroyed with the rest if God could not forgive them. God relented and promised Moses that the angel of the Lord would go with them still (Ex 32:34).<\/p>\n<p>Then Moses made a special request that he might be allowed to see the glory of the Lord. God instructed Moses to hew out two more tablets of stone like the ones he had destroyed and to return to the top of the mountain the next day. There the Lord passed before him and proclaimed his name: “I am the <span>Lord<\/span>, I am the <span>Lord<\/span>, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6, <span>nlt<\/span>). Moses remained on the mountain another 40 days, where he received renewed warnings against idolatry and further instructions from the Lord, together with another copy of the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone. When Moses came down from the mountain, he was not aware that the skin of his face shone as a result of talking with God. At first the people were afraid to come near him, but he called them together and repeated all the Lord had said to him on the mountain. Afterward, he covered his face with a veil, which he removed only when he went into the presence of the Lord. Paul said the purpose of the veil was to prevent the people from seeing the heavenly light gradually fade from Moses’ face (2 Cor 3:13).<\/p>\n<h5>The Tabernacle and Establishment of the Priesthood<\/h5>\n<p>When Moses went up to the mountain the first time to receive the law from God, he was instructed to collect materials to be used in the construction of the tabernacle or tent. Gold, silver, bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarn, fine twined linen, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, and acacia wood would be needed, along with oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting (Ex 25:3-7). The pattern for construction was also given to him, together with the ritual to be used for the consecration of the priests. A man named Bezalel was put in charge of the construction of the tabernacle, assisted by Oholiab (31:1-6). The tabernacle was portable like a tent so that it could be taken down and moved from place to place as the Hebrews continued their journey toward Canaan.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to giving Moses directions for the tabernacle, God also instructed him concerning the sacrifices that were to be brought: the burnt offering, grain offering, peace offering, sin offering, and guilt offering (Lv 1–7). The solemn ceremony for ordaining Aaron and his sons as priests and for inaugurating the worship practices were to be performed by Moses (chs 8–9).<\/p>\n<p>Sometime after this solemn inauguration of the religious ritual actually took place, Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s four sons, offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. A fire came out from the Lord and destroyed them. Moses forbade Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar to express grief because of the sinfulness of the act (Lv 10:1-7). The nature of their sin is difficult to determine, but it surely involved a violation of God’s holiness. Therefore, it is appropriate that a large part of the remainder of the book of Leviticus gives regulations that stress the holy living that God expected from his people.<\/p>\n<h5>From Sinai to Kadesh<\/h5>\n<p>A year had elapsed from the time the Israelites left Egypt until the census was taken (Nm 9:1). God reminded the people that it was time to observe the Passover, which they did, and a month later they set out from Sinai and came to the wilderness of Paran. Along the way they complained about the unvarying diet of manna and they longed for the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic they had eaten in Egypt (11:4-6). In anger God sent quail in abundance, but even while the people were devouring the meat, God sent a great plague that killed many Israelites. The complaining attitude of the people was shared even by Miriam and Aaron. They began to speak against the Cushite woman Moses had married (12:1-2). It is not certain whether the Cushite was an Ethiopian or whether this was another way of referring to Zipporah. If Moses did marry a second time, no mention is made of it elsewhere in the OT. Moses made no reply to the accusations of his brother and sister. It was not necessary, for God intervened in defense of his servant. He smote Miriam with leprosy for her part in speaking against Moses, and when Aaron saw what had happened to Miriam, he acknowledged that they both had sinned. Miriam’s leprosy was removed in response to Moses’ fervent intercession.<\/p>\n\n<p>While the people were encamped at Kadesh (also called Kadesh-barnea—Nm 32:8) in the wilderness of Paran, Moses sent 12 men into Canaan, one from each tribe, to spy out the land in preparation for the Israelite entry. After 40 days the spies returned and, though they acknowledged that the land was fertile and inviting, 10 of them were afraid of the Canaanite inhabitants and advised against going into the land. Only Joshua and Caleb were willing to go ahead and occupy the territory. The entire congregation joined the protest against going in and determined to choose a new leader and return to Egypt rather than risk death by the sword in Canaan. They threatened to stone Moses and Aaron. At that moment God intervened and would have destroyed all the people on the spot except for the intervention of Moses (13:1–14:19). He declared that, if God did not bring the people into Canaan, the nations round about would conclude that the God of the Israelites was unable to bring them into the land. Once again God acquiesced to Moses’ request to pardon the people but said that none of them 20 years and older who had complained against him would be allowed to enter the land. All the people would wander in the wilderness for 40 years until that generation died, and then their children would be allowed to enter Canaan (14:29-33). When they heard the Lord’s sentence upon them, the people quickly decided to lift the sentence of judgment by entering the land at once, but God was not with them, and they suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of the Amalekites and Canaanites.<\/p>\n<h5>Forty Years in the Wilderness<\/h5>\n<p>Very little is known about events during the 40 years of wilderness wanderings. In spite of the judgment that had already come upon them, the people did not seem to change their ways. A man named Korah led another rebellion against the authority of Moses and Aaron. God would not listen to the pleas of Moses and Aaron on behalf of these dissidents (Nm 16:22-24), but told the congregation to separate itself from the tents of Korah and his conspirators. While the people watched, the ground split open and swallowed up the rebellious factions together with their households and all their possessions. Though the rest of the Israelites witnessed the fate of the rebels, it did not deter them from again turning on Moses and Aaron. At this, God told Moses to remove himself from the murmuring congregation in order that he could take vengeance. Though Moses offered atonement for the people’s sins, 14,700 died by plague before the punishment was ended. To demonstrate further to the people that Moses was his chosen leader, the Lord instructed Moses to take rods, one for each tribe, and to deposit them in the tent of meeting. God would cause the rod of the man chosen by him to sprout, and so silence the murmurings of the people. The rod belonging to Aaron sprouted and budded and bloomed, but the people only complained more.<\/p>\n<p>As the people neared the end of their years of wilderness wanderings, Miriam died in Kadesh and was buried there (Nm 20:1). Soon after, the people began to complain once more for lack of water. God instructed Moses to speak to a rock that would bring forth water to satisfy the needs of the people. Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses struck it twice with his rod. The water came forth, but God rebuked Moses and Aaron: “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” (v 12, <span>nlt<\/span>). The nature of the sin is not clear, but Moses and Aaron were apparently taking to themselves honor that belonged to God alone. Because of the sin, they were denied the privilege of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. The punishment may seem too severe for the sin, but it shows that the privileged role of leadership given to Moses and Aaron carried with it an unusual measure of responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>The people then journeyed from Kadesh to Mt Hor on the border of the land of Edom, where Aaron died. Moses took his priestly garments from him and gave them to Eleazar, his son, thereby transferring the priestly office (Nm 20:28).<\/p>\n<p>As the people came closer to their destination, resistance on the part of the native population increased. There was a skirmish with the king of Arad and his forces at Hormah, resulting in a victory for Israel (Nm 21:1-3). As they journeyed around Edom, some of the Israelites began speaking against God and Moses because there was no food or water and they were tired of eating manna. This time the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many of them died of the venomous bites. Those who had not yet been bitten came to Moses, acknowledged their sin, and asked that the serpents be removed from their midst. God instructed Moses to make a serpent of bronze and set it on a pole. If a person bitten by a serpent looked up at the bronze serpent, he or she would live.<\/p>\n<p>As the Israelites approached the territory of Sihon, king of the Amorites, they sent messengers asking permission to pass peaceably through his land. Instead of granting the request, Sihon gathered his army together and fought against Israel. He was killed in the battle, and his land and cities were taken and occupied by the Hebrews (Nm 21:21-25).<\/p>\n<h5>Arrival at the Jordan River<\/h5>\n<p>After their victory over Sihon, the Israelites set out again and encamped in the plains of Moab on the east side of the Jordan River facing Jericho, in full view of the Promised Land. The Moabites were terrified by the presence of these people because they had heard what happened to the Amorites. Their king, Balak, hired a magician named Balaam to curse the Israelites. Three times Balaam attempted to curse them, but each time God turned his words into a blessing (Nm 22–24). Though unable to curse the Israelites, Balaam was responsible for an even greater calamity. He advised the Moabites to entice the Israelites to sacrifice to their gods and bow down to them (Nm 25:1-3; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Rv 2:14). While the people were worshiping the Moabite deity, Baal of Peor, God’s anger was kindled against them, and he sent a plague that killed 24,000 of them (Nm 25:9). It was Israel’s first encounter with the seductive allurement of licentious idolatry and an ominous foreview of what would happen after they settled down in Canaan. Their continued attraction to idolatry would be their final undoing.<\/p>\n<p>After the plague, God instructed Moses and Eleazar to take another census of the people like the one almost 40 years earlier. A whole generation of Israelites had died in the wilderness, but they had been replaced by an almost equal number, so that now there were 601,730 men 20 years and older who were able to go to war (Nm 26:51). Not a man remained of those who had been counted in the first census, except Caleb and Joshua.<\/p>\n<p>The Lord instructed Moses to lay hands on Joshua and commission him as the new leader in the sight of Eleazar the priest and all the congregation (Nm 27:12-23). In addition, the Lord gave Moses instructions concerning feasts and offerings and vows (chs 28–30). God ordered Moses, as his last act as leader, to avenge the Israelites on the Midianites. In that battle the armies of Israel gained a great victory over the Midianites, killing their kings, their men, and also Balaam.<\/p>\n<p>The Lord gave instructions to Moses concerning the boundaries that would mark the Promised Land and named the men who would divide the land among the tribes (Nm 34). He also ordered that 48 cities be given to the Levites, the priestly tribe, as their portion. Six of these were designated as cities of refuge where murderers could flee so that they would not be killed by those seeking vengeance without having an opportunity to stand before the congregation for judgment (ch 35).<\/p>\n<h5>Moses’ Death<\/h5>\n<p>The book of Deuteronomy has often been called Moses’ valedictory speech to the people, for in it Moses is not merely the chief speaker but the only speaker. With the congregation of his people gathered before him, he rehearsed all that God had done for them since leaving Sinai, and he reminded them of their failure to enter the Promised Land 38 years earlier (Dt 2:14). He recalled his plea that God would let him cross the Jordan and see the land that was to be the home of the people, but God responded that Moses would only be allowed to view the land from the top of Pisgah. Moses then exhorted the people to obey the statutes and ordinances that had been given to them in order to experience God’s blessings in the land.<\/p>\n\n<p>As the day of Moses’ death approached, the Lord ordered Moses and Joshua to present themselves at the tent of meeting in order for Joshua to be commissioned as the new leader (Dt 31:14-23). Before his death, Moses pronounced a blessing upon all the Israelites (ch 33). Having completed these tasks, Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mt Nebo, and to the top of Pisgah. From there God showed him the land promised long ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the land that was soon to be the home of the wandering Israelite tribes. Again God told him that he would not be allowed to cross over the Jordan. Moses died there and God buried him somewhere in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor (34:6). Moses was 120 years old when he died, and the Israelites mourned his death for 30 days. The finest tribute to Moses is found in the closing words of the book of Deuteronomy, “There has never been another prophet like Moses, whom the <span>Lord<\/span> knew face to face” (v 10).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MosesintheNewTestament\">Moses in the New Testament<\/p>\n<p>All Jews and Christians in apostolic times considered Moses the author of the Pentateuch. Such expressions as “the law of Moses” (Lk 2:22), “Moses commanded” (Mt 19:7), “Moses said” (Mk 7:10) “and Moses wrote” (12:19) shows that his name was synonymous with the OT books attributed to him. He is mentioned in the NT more than any other OT figure, a total of 79 times. His role as lawgiver is emphasized more than any other aspect of his life (Mt 8:4; Mk 7:10; Jn 1:17; Acts 15:1). He appears at the transfiguration of Jesus as the representative of OT law, along with Elijah as the representative of OT prophets (Mt 17:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Moses’ role as prophet is also mentioned in the NT. As a prophet, he spoke of the coming Messiah and his sufferings (Lk 24:25-27; Acts 3:22). The NT also draws from the life and experiences of Moses to show patterns of life under the new covenant. The nativity story of Jesus parallels the Mosaic story of the infant deliverer being rescued from the evil designs of an earthly despot (Mt 2:13-18). Jesus’ proclamation of a new law in his Sermon on the Mount parallels the giving of the law at Sinai (Mt 5–7) and presents Jesus as the authoritative interpreter of the will of God. Contrast between the old law and the new relationship with God is especially marked in the book of Galatians. The comparison of Moses with Christ is an important emphasis of the book of Hebrews (Heb 3:5-6; 9:11-22). John contrasted the law that was given through Moses with the grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ (Jn 1:17). He also contrasted the manna in the wilderness to Jesus as “the bread of life” (6:30-35).<\/p>\n<p>Other references to Moses or to events associated with him include his birth (Acts 7:20; Heb 11:23), the burning bush (Lk 20:37), the magicians of Egypt (2 Tm 3:8), the Passover (Heb 11:28), the exodus (3:16), crossing of the sea (1 Cor 10:2), the covenant sacrifice at Sinai (Mt 26:28), the manna (1 Cor 10:3), the glory on Moses’ face (2 Cor 3:7-18), water from the rock (1 Cor 10:4), the bronze serpent (Jn 3:14), and the song of Moses (Rv 15:3).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Egypt, Egyptian; Exodus, The; Israel, History of; Plagues upon Egypt; Priests and Levites; Tabernacle; Temple; Commandments, The Ten; Wilderness Wanderings.<\/p>","summary_ro":"MOSES Great leader of the Hebrew people who brought them out of bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land in Canaan; also the one who gave them the law at Mt Sinai that became the basis for their religious faith through the centuries. Focused in this one person are the figures of prophet, priest, lawgiver, judge, intercessor, shepherd, miracle worker, and founder of a nation. The meaning of his name is uncertain. It has been explained as a Hebrew word meaning “to draw out” (Ex 2:10; cf. 2 Sm 22:1...","summary_en":"MOSES Great leader of the Hebrew people who brought them out of bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land in Canaan; also the one who gave them the law at Mt Sinai that became the basis for their religious faith through the centuries. Focused in this one person are the figures of prophet, priest, lawgiver, judge, intercessor, shepherd, miracle worker, and founder of a nation. The meaning of his name is uncertain. It has been explained as a Hebrew word meaning “to draw out” (Ex 2:10; cf. 2 Sm 22:1...","source":"Articles\/M.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":27533,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Nicolaitans","title_en":"Nicolaitans","content_ro":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","summary_ro":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","summary_en":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","source":"Articles\/N.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59333,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:14","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:14","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:14-15<\/strong> <em>Some<\/em> in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to <em>Balaam<\/em><em>,<\/em> who lured <em>Israel<\/em> into <em>sin<\/em> (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • <em>Nicolaitans:<\/em> see study note on Rev 2:6.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:14-15<\/strong> <em>Some<\/em> in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to <em>Balaam<\/em><em>,<\/em> who lured <em>Israel<\/em> into <em>sin<\/em> (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • <em>Nicolaitans:<\/em> see study note on Rev 2:6.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:14-15 Some in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who lured Israel into sin (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • Nicolaitans: see study note on Rev 2:6.","summary_en":"2:14-15 Some in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who lured Israel into sin (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • Nicolaitans: see study note on Rev 2:6.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86959,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:14","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:14","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:14-15<\/strong> <em>Some<\/em> in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to <em>Balaam<\/em><em>,<\/em> who lured <em>Israel<\/em> into <em>sin<\/em> (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • <em>Nicolaitans:<\/em> see study note on Rev 2:6.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:14-15<\/strong> <em>Some<\/em> in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to <em>Balaam<\/em><em>,<\/em> who lured <em>Israel<\/em> into <em>sin<\/em> (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • <em>Nicolaitans:<\/em> see study note on Rev 2:6.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:14-15 Some in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who lured Israel into sin (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • Nicolaitans: see study note on Rev 2:6.","summary_en":"2:14-15 Some in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who lured Israel into sin (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • Nicolaitans: see study note on Rev 2:6.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114585,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:14","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:14","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:14-15<\/strong> <em>Some<\/em> in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to <em>Balaam<\/em><em>,<\/em> who lured <em>Israel<\/em> into <em>sin<\/em> (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • <em>Nicolaitans:<\/em> see study note on Rev 2:6.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:14-15<\/strong> <em>Some<\/em> in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to <em>Balaam<\/em><em>,<\/em> who lured <em>Israel<\/em> into <em>sin<\/em> (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • <em>Nicolaitans:<\/em> see study note on Rev 2:6.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:14-15 Some in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who lured Israel into sin (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • Nicolaitans: see study note on Rev 2:6.","summary_en":"2:14-15 Some in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who lured Israel into sin (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • Nicolaitans: see study note on Rev 2:6.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142211,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:14","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:14","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:14-15<\/strong> <em>Some<\/em> in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to <em>Balaam<\/em><em>,<\/em> who lured <em>Israel<\/em> into <em>sin<\/em> (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • <em>Nicolaitans:<\/em> see study note on Rev 2:6.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:14-15<\/strong> <em>Some<\/em> in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to <em>Balaam<\/em><em>,<\/em> who lured <em>Israel<\/em> into <em>sin<\/em> (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • <em>Nicolaitans:<\/em> see study note on Rev 2:6.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:14-15 Some in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who lured Israel into sin (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • Nicolaitans: see study note on Rev 2:6.","summary_en":"2:14-15 Some in Pergamum were syncretists, combining Christianity with paganism and engaging in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who lured Israel into sin (see Num 25:1-3; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11). • Nicolaitans: see study note on Rev 2:6.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":60485,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","title_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","content_ro":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","summary_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67883,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":88111,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","title_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","content_ro":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","summary_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95509,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":115737,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","title_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","content_ro":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","summary_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123135,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":143363,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","title_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","content_ro":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","summary_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150761,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"15":[{"id":27531,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Nicolaitans","title_en":"Nicolaitans","content_ro":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","summary_ro":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","summary_en":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","source":"Articles\/N.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"16":[{"id":67913,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95539,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123165,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150791,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"17":[{"id":7152,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Color","title_en":"Color","content_ro":"<h3>COLOR<\/h3>\n<p>The OT and NT have no exact word for “color,” although the word appears several times in our English Bibles. The words translated “color” have quite different meanings in the original languages.<\/p>\n<p>The word most frequently translated “colour” in the <span>kjv<\/span> literally means “eye” and suggests “appearance” (Lv 13:55; Nm 11:7; Prv 23:31; Ez 1:4, 7, 16, 22, 27; 8:2; 10:9; Dn 10:6). Only Leviticus 13:55 retains the translation “color” in the <span>rsv<\/span>. Other words translated as “color” in the <span>rsv<\/span> refer to facial appearance (Dn 5:6-10; 7:28), fabrics of variegated colors (Prv 7:16; Ez 17:3; 27:24), stones (1 Chr 29:2), and breastplates (Rv 9:17). Joseph’s “coat of many colours” (Gn 37:3, <span>kjv<\/span>) and Tamar’s “garment of divers colours” (2 Sm 13:18-19, <span>kjv<\/span>) were either long-sleeved robes or richly ornamented tunics that served as a mark of preferred status.<\/p>\n<p>In the NT, a word that means “pretense” is used archaically in Acts 27:30 and was interpreted as “colour” by the <span>kjv<\/span> translators. They also added the word “colour” to Revelation 17:4, evidently to clarify the meaning.<\/p>\n<p>Though many colors are mentioned in the Bible, colors are not particularly singled out for emphasis. Natural colors are seldom mentioned in descriptions. Colors that appear frequently and that are most carefully differentiated are manufactured colors, especially dyes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"ColorsMentionedintheBible\">Colors Mentioned in the Bible<\/p>\n<p>Because the Hebrews perceived color differently than we do in Western culture, it is sometimes difficult to translate precisely the various Hebrew words denoting colors. Thus there is often a wide variation in translations of such words in English Bibles. To provide a base for comparison, this article will follow the <span>rsv<\/span> except as noted.<\/p>\n<p>Colors mentioned most often in the OT and NT are the following:<\/p>\n<p>“Black” is the translation of five words in the OT and one in the NT, expressing varying degrees of darkness. The words describe the color of lambs (Gn 30:32-33, 35, 40), hair (Lv 13:31, 37; Sg 5:11; Mt 5:36), skin (Jb 30:30), horses (Zec 6:2, 6; Rv 6:5), the sky (1 Kgs 18:45; Is 50:3; Jer 4:28), the day (Jb 3:5; Mi 3:6), the darkened sun (Rv 6:12), and an invading army (Jl 2:2). Job’s “blackness” (Jb 30:28) has been understood as disease or sadness.<\/p>\n<p>“Blue” probably refers to a blue-purple dye obtained from Mediterranean mollusks. A popular color, it was considered less desirable in antiquity than “royal” purple. Both dyes were produced in Tyre, which at one time had a monopoly on the manufacture of blue and purple dye (2 Chr 2:7, 14; Ez 27:24). Ships of Tyre had awnings of blue and purple (Ez 27:7). Blue was used in the tabernacle fabrics (Ex 26:1; Nm 4:6-9), the priests’ garments (Ex 28:5-6), in Solomon’s temple (2 Chr 2:7, 14), and in the Persian court (Est 1:6; 8:15). Blue is not mentioned in the NT.<\/p>\n<p>“Crimson” is the English translation of three different Hebrew words. This red color of varying shades was derived from certain insects. The word describes certain fabrics in Solomon’s temple (2 Chr 2:7, 14; 3:14) and was used figuratively to describe sin (Is 1:18). The word translated “crimsoned” to describe garments from Bozrah (63:1) probably means “vivid colors” rather than a specific hue.<\/p>\n<p>“Gray,” a color found only in the OT, is used exclusively to describe old age—as in gray hair or gray-headed (Gn 42:38; 44:29-31; Dt 32:25; 1 Sm 12:2; 1 Kgs 2:6, 9; Jb 15:10; Ps 71:18; Prv 20:29; Is 46:4; Hos 7:9). A different word used to describe dappled gray horses (Zec 6:3) probably means “spotted” or “speckled.”<\/p>\n<p>“Green” translates seven words in the OT and two in the NT. Most of the words refer to vegetation and are descriptive of the fresh or moist condition of plants rather than their color. The following are described as “green”: plants (Gn 1:30), trees (1 Kgs 14:23), branches (Jb 15:32), pastures (Ps 23:2; Jl 2:22), herbs (Ps 37:2), olive trees (Ps 52:8; Jer 11:16), thorns (Ps 58:9), leaves (Jer 17:8), grass (Mk 6:39; Rv 8:7), and wood (Lk 23:31). In addition to various plants, a dove’s wing (Ps 68:13), a couch (Sg 1:16), and a righteous person (Ps 92:14) are also described as “green.” Idolatrous worship practices took place under “every green tree” (Dt 12:2; 2 Kgs 16:4; Is 57:5; Jer 2:20; Ez 6:13), although the word actually describes the luxurious growth of the leaves rather than their color.<\/p>\n<p>Another word, “greenish,” is derived from one of the OT words for “green” and refers to disease (Lv 13:49) and fungus that forms on the walls of houses (14:37).<\/p>\n<p>“Purple” was the most highly valued dye in the ancient world. Encompassing shades varying from actual purple to red, it was obtained from mollusks of the Gastropoda class. The first people to use the dye were perhaps the ancient Phoenicians, whose name may come from a Greek word meaning “bloodred.” At any rate, the Phoenicians monopolized the purple industry for many years. Some fabrics were described as being purple: those used in the tabernacle (Ex 25:4; 26:1), in the garments of the priests (28:5-8, 15, 33), in Solomon’s temple (2 Chr 2:7), in the upholstery of Solomon’s chariot (Sg 3:10), and in decorations of the Persian court (Est 1:6). Purple was customarily worn by wealthy people and royalty (Jgs 8:26; Prv 31:22; Dn 5:7). Mordecai was rewarded with a garment of purple (Est 8:15). Daniel was given a similar garment (Dn 5:29). It was worn by Assyrian soldiers (Ez 23:6). Jeremiah described idols that were robed in blue and purple garments (Jer 10:9). Ships of Tyre had awnings of blue and purple (Ez 27:7), and purple dye was an item of trade between Tyre and the people of Aram (v 16). It is used once to describe the color of hair (Sg 7:5).<\/p>\n<p>References to purple in the NT are fewer than in the OT but affirm the continued economic importance of the dye. Purple clothing denoted wealth (Lk 16:19). Jesus was robed in purple by Roman soldiers (Mk 15:17, 20; Jn 19:2, 5; cf. Mt 27:28, “scarlet”). The purple and scarlet garment of the harlot Babylon symbolized royal rank (Rv 17:4). Lydia of Thyatira was a seller of purple fabrics (Acts 16:14).<\/p>\n<p>“Red” frequently refers to the natural color of certain objects mentioned in the Bible: skin (Gn 25:25), pottage (v 30), the eye (49:12, though the word used here may mean “sparkling” or “dark”), a sacrificial heifer (Nm 19:2), water (2 Kgs 3:22), the face of a weeping person (Jb 16:16), wine (Prv 23:31), the eyes of one drinking wine (v 29), clothing (Is 63:2), a shield (Na 2:3), and horses (Zec 1:8; 6:2). It is used figuratively to describe sin (Is 1:18). A leprous disease (Lv 13:49), a spot on the skin (vv 19, 24, 42-43), and fungus on the wall of a house (14:37) were discolored with a reddish hue. The Red Sea is mentioned frequently in the OT (Ex 10:19; 15:4), but the Hebrew words thus translated actually mean “Sea of Reeds.” However, in the NT the Greek word is actually the word “red” (Acts 7:36; Heb 11:29). In the NT, red is used to describe the color of the sky (Mt 16:2-3), a horse (Rv 6:4), and a dragon (12:3).<\/p>\n<p>“Scarlet,” a brilliant red hue derived from certain insects, was used for fabrics and yarns and was highly valued in the ancient world (Rv 18:12). It is difficult to distinguish between “scarlet” and “crimson” in the Bible. A scarlet thread was bound to the hand of Zerah at birth (Gn 38:28, 30). The word describes certain fabrics in the tabernacle (Ex 25:4; 26:1, 31, 36; 27:16), the priests’ garments (28:5-8, 15, 33), rope (Jos 2:18, 21), clothing (2 Sm 1:24; Prv 31:21; Jer 4:30), lips (Sg 4:3), and soldiers’ uniforms (Na 2:3). Some kind of scarlet material was used during the ratification of the covenant at Sinai (Heb 9:19), for the cleansing of a leper (Lv 14:4-6) and of a house (vv 49-52), for covering the articles on the table of the bread of the Presence (Nm 4:8), and for the ritual of the red heifer (19:6). Matthew described Jesus’ robe at his trial as scarlet (Mt 27:28). The woman of Revelation 17:3-4 was dressed in purple and scarlet and seated upon a scarlet beast. The luxury associated with Rome is suggested by the description of clothing of purple and scarlet (Rv 18:16). Scarlet, like crimson and red, is also used figuratively of sins (Is 1:18).<\/p>\n<p> “White” translates a number of words found in the Bible. It is generally the color of natural objects such as goats (Gn 30:35), hair (Lv 13:10; Mt 5:36; Rv 1:14), diseased skin (Ex 4:6; Lv 13:4, 17), manna (Ex 16:31), snow (2 Kgs 5:27), milk and teeth (Gn 49:12), horses (Zec 1:8; 6:3; Rv 6:2; 19:11), a donkey (Jgs 5:10, <span>kjv<\/span>; <span>rsv<\/span> “tawny”), wool (Ez 27:18), special stones (Rv 2:17), light (Mt 17:2), clouds (Rv 14:14), and fields ready for harvest (Jn 4:35). It is used to describe the color of curtains (Est 1:6), clothing (Est 8:15; Eccl 9:8; Dn 7:9; Mk 16:5; Rv 3:5, 18; 4:4), the garments of angels (Jn 20:12; Acts 1:10), and a throne (Rv 20:11). It is used figuratively to describe cleansing from sin (Ps 51:7; Is 1:18; Dn 12:10) and the appearance of princes (Lam 4:7).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Cloth and Cloth Manufacturing; Dye, Dyeing, Dyer.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>COLOR<\/h3>\n<p>The OT and NT have no exact word for “color,” although the word appears several times in our English Bibles. The words translated “color” have quite different meanings in the original languages.<\/p>\n<p>The word most frequently translated “colour” in the <span>kjv<\/span> literally means “eye” and suggests “appearance” (Lv 13:55; Nm 11:7; Prv 23:31; Ez 1:4, 7, 16, 22, 27; 8:2; 10:9; Dn 10:6). Only Leviticus 13:55 retains the translation “color” in the <span>rsv<\/span>. Other words translated as “color” in the <span>rsv<\/span> refer to facial appearance (Dn 5:6-10; 7:28), fabrics of variegated colors (Prv 7:16; Ez 17:3; 27:24), stones (1 Chr 29:2), and breastplates (Rv 9:17). Joseph’s “coat of many colours” (Gn 37:3, <span>kjv<\/span>) and Tamar’s “garment of divers colours” (2 Sm 13:18-19, <span>kjv<\/span>) were either long-sleeved robes or richly ornamented tunics that served as a mark of preferred status.<\/p>\n<p>In the NT, a word that means “pretense” is used archaically in Acts 27:30 and was interpreted as “colour” by the <span>kjv<\/span> translators. They also added the word “colour” to Revelation 17:4, evidently to clarify the meaning.<\/p>\n<p>Though many colors are mentioned in the Bible, colors are not particularly singled out for emphasis. Natural colors are seldom mentioned in descriptions. Colors that appear frequently and that are most carefully differentiated are manufactured colors, especially dyes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"ColorsMentionedintheBible\">Colors Mentioned in the Bible<\/p>\n<p>Because the Hebrews perceived color differently than we do in Western culture, it is sometimes difficult to translate precisely the various Hebrew words denoting colors. Thus there is often a wide variation in translations of such words in English Bibles. To provide a base for comparison, this article will follow the <span>rsv<\/span> except as noted.<\/p>\n<p>Colors mentioned most often in the OT and NT are the following:<\/p>\n<p>“Black” is the translation of five words in the OT and one in the NT, expressing varying degrees of darkness. The words describe the color of lambs (Gn 30:32-33, 35, 40), hair (Lv 13:31, 37; Sg 5:11; Mt 5:36), skin (Jb 30:30), horses (Zec 6:2, 6; Rv 6:5), the sky (1 Kgs 18:45; Is 50:3; Jer 4:28), the day (Jb 3:5; Mi 3:6), the darkened sun (Rv 6:12), and an invading army (Jl 2:2). Job’s “blackness” (Jb 30:28) has been understood as disease or sadness.<\/p>\n<p>“Blue” probably refers to a blue-purple dye obtained from Mediterranean mollusks. A popular color, it was considered less desirable in antiquity than “royal” purple. Both dyes were produced in Tyre, which at one time had a monopoly on the manufacture of blue and purple dye (2 Chr 2:7, 14; Ez 27:24). Ships of Tyre had awnings of blue and purple (Ez 27:7). Blue was used in the tabernacle fabrics (Ex 26:1; Nm 4:6-9), the priests’ garments (Ex 28:5-6), in Solomon’s temple (2 Chr 2:7, 14), and in the Persian court (Est 1:6; 8:15). Blue is not mentioned in the NT.<\/p>\n<p>“Crimson” is the English translation of three different Hebrew words. This red color of varying shades was derived from certain insects. The word describes certain fabrics in Solomon’s temple (2 Chr 2:7, 14; 3:14) and was used figuratively to describe sin (Is 1:18). The word translated “crimsoned” to describe garments from Bozrah (63:1) probably means “vivid colors” rather than a specific hue.<\/p>\n<p>“Gray,” a color found only in the OT, is used exclusively to describe old age—as in gray hair or gray-headed (Gn 42:38; 44:29-31; Dt 32:25; 1 Sm 12:2; 1 Kgs 2:6, 9; Jb 15:10; Ps 71:18; Prv 20:29; Is 46:4; Hos 7:9). A different word used to describe dappled gray horses (Zec 6:3) probably means “spotted” or “speckled.”<\/p>\n<p>“Green” translates seven words in the OT and two in the NT. Most of the words refer to vegetation and are descriptive of the fresh or moist condition of plants rather than their color. The following are described as “green”: plants (Gn 1:30), trees (1 Kgs 14:23), branches (Jb 15:32), pastures (Ps 23:2; Jl 2:22), herbs (Ps 37:2), olive trees (Ps 52:8; Jer 11:16), thorns (Ps 58:9), leaves (Jer 17:8), grass (Mk 6:39; Rv 8:7), and wood (Lk 23:31). In addition to various plants, a dove’s wing (Ps 68:13), a couch (Sg 1:16), and a righteous person (Ps 92:14) are also described as “green.” Idolatrous worship practices took place under “every green tree” (Dt 12:2; 2 Kgs 16:4; Is 57:5; Jer 2:20; Ez 6:13), although the word actually describes the luxurious growth of the leaves rather than their color.<\/p>\n<p>Another word, “greenish,” is derived from one of the OT words for “green” and refers to disease (Lv 13:49) and fungus that forms on the walls of houses (14:37).<\/p>\n<p>“Purple” was the most highly valued dye in the ancient world. Encompassing shades varying from actual purple to red, it was obtained from mollusks of the Gastropoda class. The first people to use the dye were perhaps the ancient Phoenicians, whose name may come from a Greek word meaning “bloodred.” At any rate, the Phoenicians monopolized the purple industry for many years. Some fabrics were described as being purple: those used in the tabernacle (Ex 25:4; 26:1), in the garments of the priests (28:5-8, 15, 33), in Solomon’s temple (2 Chr 2:7), in the upholstery of Solomon’s chariot (Sg 3:10), and in decorations of the Persian court (Est 1:6). Purple was customarily worn by wealthy people and royalty (Jgs 8:26; Prv 31:22; Dn 5:7). Mordecai was rewarded with a garment of purple (Est 8:15). Daniel was given a similar garment (Dn 5:29). It was worn by Assyrian soldiers (Ez 23:6). Jeremiah described idols that were robed in blue and purple garments (Jer 10:9). Ships of Tyre had awnings of blue and purple (Ez 27:7), and purple dye was an item of trade between Tyre and the people of Aram (v 16). It is used once to describe the color of hair (Sg 7:5).<\/p>\n<p>References to purple in the NT are fewer than in the OT but affirm the continued economic importance of the dye. Purple clothing denoted wealth (Lk 16:19). Jesus was robed in purple by Roman soldiers (Mk 15:17, 20; Jn 19:2, 5; cf. Mt 27:28, “scarlet”). The purple and scarlet garment of the harlot Babylon symbolized royal rank (Rv 17:4). Lydia of Thyatira was a seller of purple fabrics (Acts 16:14).<\/p>\n<p>“Red” frequently refers to the natural color of certain objects mentioned in the Bible: skin (Gn 25:25), pottage (v 30), the eye (49:12, though the word used here may mean “sparkling” or “dark”), a sacrificial heifer (Nm 19:2), water (2 Kgs 3:22), the face of a weeping person (Jb 16:16), wine (Prv 23:31), the eyes of one drinking wine (v 29), clothing (Is 63:2), a shield (Na 2:3), and horses (Zec 1:8; 6:2). It is used figuratively to describe sin (Is 1:18). A leprous disease (Lv 13:49), a spot on the skin (vv 19, 24, 42-43), and fungus on the wall of a house (14:37) were discolored with a reddish hue. The Red Sea is mentioned frequently in the OT (Ex 10:19; 15:4), but the Hebrew words thus translated actually mean “Sea of Reeds.” However, in the NT the Greek word is actually the word “red” (Acts 7:36; Heb 11:29). In the NT, red is used to describe the color of the sky (Mt 16:2-3), a horse (Rv 6:4), and a dragon (12:3).<\/p>\n<p>“Scarlet,” a brilliant red hue derived from certain insects, was used for fabrics and yarns and was highly valued in the ancient world (Rv 18:12). It is difficult to distinguish between “scarlet” and “crimson” in the Bible. A scarlet thread was bound to the hand of Zerah at birth (Gn 38:28, 30). The word describes certain fabrics in the tabernacle (Ex 25:4; 26:1, 31, 36; 27:16), the priests’ garments (28:5-8, 15, 33), rope (Jos 2:18, 21), clothing (2 Sm 1:24; Prv 31:21; Jer 4:30), lips (Sg 4:3), and soldiers’ uniforms (Na 2:3). Some kind of scarlet material was used during the ratification of the covenant at Sinai (Heb 9:19), for the cleansing of a leper (Lv 14:4-6) and of a house (vv 49-52), for covering the articles on the table of the bread of the Presence (Nm 4:8), and for the ritual of the red heifer (19:6). Matthew described Jesus’ robe at his trial as scarlet (Mt 27:28). The woman of Revelation 17:3-4 was dressed in purple and scarlet and seated upon a scarlet beast. The luxury associated with Rome is suggested by the description of clothing of purple and scarlet (Rv 18:16). Scarlet, like crimson and red, is also used figuratively of sins (Is 1:18).<\/p>\n<p> “White” translates a number of words found in the Bible. It is generally the color of natural objects such as goats (Gn 30:35), hair (Lv 13:10; Mt 5:36; Rv 1:14), diseased skin (Ex 4:6; Lv 13:4, 17), manna (Ex 16:31), snow (2 Kgs 5:27), milk and teeth (Gn 49:12), horses (Zec 1:8; 6:3; Rv 6:2; 19:11), a donkey (Jgs 5:10, <span>kjv<\/span>; <span>rsv<\/span> “tawny”), wool (Ez 27:18), special stones (Rv 2:17), light (Mt 17:2), clouds (Rv 14:14), and fields ready for harvest (Jn 4:35). It is used to describe the color of curtains (Est 1:6), clothing (Est 8:15; Eccl 9:8; Dn 7:9; Mk 16:5; Rv 3:5, 18; 4:4), the garments of angels (Jn 20:12; Acts 1:10), and a throne (Rv 20:11). It is used figuratively to describe cleansing from sin (Ps 51:7; Is 1:18; Dn 12:10) and the appearance of princes (Lam 4:7).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Cloth and Cloth Manufacturing; Dye, Dyeing, Dyer.<\/p>","summary_ro":"COLOR The OT and NT have no exact word for “color,” although the word appears several times in our English Bibles. The words translated “color” have quite different meanings in the original languages. The word most frequently translated “colour” in the kjv literally means “eye” and suggests “appearance” (Lv 13:55; Nm 11:7; Prv 23:31; Ez 1:4, 7, 16, 22, 27; 8:2; 10:9; Dn 10:6). Only Leviticus 13:55 retains the translation “color” in the rsv. Other words translated as “color” in the rsv refer t...","summary_en":"COLOR The OT and NT have no exact word for “color,” although the word appears several times in our English Bibles. The words translated “color” have quite different meanings in the original languages. The word most frequently translated “colour” in the kjv literally means “eye” and suggests “appearance” (Lv 13:55; Nm 11:7; Prv 23:31; Ez 1:4, 7, 16, 22, 27; 8:2; 10:9; Dn 10:6). Only Leviticus 13:55 retains the translation “color” in the rsv. Other words translated as “color” in the rsv refer t...","source":"Articles\/C.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59334,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:17","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:17","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:17<\/strong> Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive <em>manna<\/em><em>,<\/em> nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • <em>hidden away in heaven:<\/em> During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A <em>white stone<\/em> was often given to victors in athletic competitions, and it was common for special banquets or festivities to use a white stone for admission. It therefore suggests acceptance and victory. • The <em>new name<\/em> probably refers to the recipient’s transformed nature in Christ (see Gen 17:5; 32:28; John 1:42).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:17<\/strong> Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive <em>manna<\/em><em>,<\/em> nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • <em>hidden away in heaven:<\/em> During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A <em>white stone<\/em> was often given to victors in athletic competitions, and it was common for special banquets or festivities to use a white stone for admission. It therefore suggests acceptance and victory. • The <em>new name<\/em> probably refers to the recipient’s transformed nature in Christ (see Gen 17:5; 32:28; John 1:42).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:17 Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive manna, nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • hidden away in heaven: During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A white stone was often given to victors in athletic comp...","summary_en":"2:17 Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive manna, nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • hidden away in heaven: During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A white stone was often given to victors in athletic comp...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86960,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:17","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:17","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:17<\/strong> Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive <em>manna<\/em><em>,<\/em> nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • <em>hidden away in heaven:<\/em> During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A <em>white stone<\/em> was often given to victors in athletic competitions, and it was common for special banquets or festivities to use a white stone for admission. It therefore suggests acceptance and victory. • The <em>new name<\/em> probably refers to the recipient’s transformed nature in Christ (see Gen 17:5; 32:28; John 1:42).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:17<\/strong> Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive <em>manna<\/em><em>,<\/em> nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • <em>hidden away in heaven:<\/em> During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A <em>white stone<\/em> was often given to victors in athletic competitions, and it was common for special banquets or festivities to use a white stone for admission. It therefore suggests acceptance and victory. • The <em>new name<\/em> probably refers to the recipient’s transformed nature in Christ (see Gen 17:5; 32:28; John 1:42).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:17 Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive manna, nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • hidden away in heaven: During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A white stone was often given to victors in athletic comp...","summary_en":"2:17 Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive manna, nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • hidden away in heaven: During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A white stone was often given to victors in athletic comp...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114586,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:17","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:17","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:17<\/strong> Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive <em>manna<\/em><em>,<\/em> nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • <em>hidden away in heaven:<\/em> During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A <em>white stone<\/em> was often given to victors in athletic competitions, and it was common for special banquets or festivities to use a white stone for admission. It therefore suggests acceptance and victory. • The <em>new name<\/em> probably refers to the recipient’s transformed nature in Christ (see Gen 17:5; 32:28; John 1:42).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:17<\/strong> Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive <em>manna<\/em><em>,<\/em> nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • <em>hidden away in heaven:<\/em> During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A <em>white stone<\/em> was often given to victors in athletic competitions, and it was common for special banquets or festivities to use a white stone for admission. It therefore suggests acceptance and victory. • The <em>new name<\/em> probably refers to the recipient’s transformed nature in Christ (see Gen 17:5; 32:28; John 1:42).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:17 Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive manna, nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • hidden away in heaven: During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A white stone was often given to victors in athletic comp...","summary_en":"2:17 Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive manna, nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • hidden away in heaven: During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A white stone was often given to victors in athletic comp...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142212,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:17","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:17","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:17<\/strong> Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive <em>manna<\/em><em>,<\/em> nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • <em>hidden away in heaven:<\/em> During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A <em>white stone<\/em> was often given to victors in athletic competitions, and it was common for special banquets or festivities to use a white stone for admission. It therefore suggests acceptance and victory. • The <em>new name<\/em> probably refers to the recipient’s transformed nature in Christ (see Gen 17:5; 32:28; John 1:42).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:17<\/strong> Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive <em>manna<\/em><em>,<\/em> nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • <em>hidden away in heaven:<\/em> During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A <em>white stone<\/em> was often given to victors in athletic competitions, and it was common for special banquets or festivities to use a white stone for admission. It therefore suggests acceptance and victory. • The <em>new name<\/em> probably refers to the recipient’s transformed nature in Christ (see Gen 17:5; 32:28; John 1:42).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:17 Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive manna, nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • hidden away in heaven: During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A white stone was often given to victors in athletic comp...","summary_en":"2:17 Those who remain faithful to Christ will receive manna, nourishment from heaven (see Exod 16:11-36). • hidden away in heaven: During the Exodus, a jar of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 16:33-36). Jewish tradition said that at the coming of the Messiah, the Ark would reappear and manna would be eaten at the messianic banquet. Jesus is the bread from heaven and the bread of life (John 6:32-35; cp. Exod 16:4-21). • A white stone was often given to victors in athletic comp...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":60598,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Bread from Heaven","title_en":"Bread from Heaven","content_ro":"<h3>Bread from Heaven<\/h3>\n<p>As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17).<\/p>\n<p>Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spiritual relationship with the Lord and as a sign of God’s miraculous provision for his people (see 1 Cor 10:3-4). At the same time, manna was associated with Israel’s complaining against God and with their lack of trust in his provision (Num 11:1-15; see 1 Cor 10:5).<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum about the “bread of life” (John 6:22-59). He identified himself as the “true bread of God” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32-35); he even linked eternal life with the need to “eat [his] flesh” and “drink his blood” (John 6:50-58). Just as the manna provided food in the wilderness, Jesus—the true bread from God—offers spiritual sustenance. Israel was humbled by their need for food in the wilderness (Deut 8:3). Now followers of Jesus must humble themselves and receive the fullness of his life by faith (John 6:35-40, 47-51, 63-64).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 16:1-36; Num 11:1-15; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:10-12; Neh 9:20-21; Pss 78:24; 105:40; John 6:1-15, 22-64; 1 Cor 10:3-5; Rev 2:17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Bread from Heaven<\/h3>\n<p>As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17).<\/p>\n<p>Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spiritual relationship with the Lord and as a sign of God’s miraculous provision for his people (see 1 Cor 10:3-4). At the same time, manna was associated with Israel’s complaining against God and with their lack of trust in his provision (Num 11:1-15; see 1 Cor 10:5).<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum about the “bread of life” (John 6:22-59). He identified himself as the “true bread of God” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32-35); he even linked eternal life with the need to “eat [his] flesh” and “drink his blood” (John 6:50-58). Just as the manna provided food in the wilderness, Jesus—the true bread from God—offers spiritual sustenance. Israel was humbled by their need for food in the wilderness (Deut 8:3). Now followers of Jesus must humble themselves and receive the fullness of his life by faith (John 6:35-40, 47-51, 63-64).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 16:1-36; Num 11:1-15; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:10-12; Neh 9:20-21; Pss 78:24; 105:40; John 6:1-15, 22-64; 1 Cor 10:3-5; Rev 2:17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Bread from Heaven As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17). Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spirit...","summary_en":"Bread from Heaven As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17). Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spirit...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":88224,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Bread from Heaven","title_en":"Bread from Heaven","content_ro":"<h3>Bread from Heaven<\/h3>\n<p>As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17).<\/p>\n<p>Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spiritual relationship with the Lord and as a sign of God’s miraculous provision for his people (see 1 Cor 10:3-4). At the same time, manna was associated with Israel’s complaining against God and with their lack of trust in his provision (Num 11:1-15; see 1 Cor 10:5).<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum about the “bread of life” (John 6:22-59). He identified himself as the “true bread of God” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32-35); he even linked eternal life with the need to “eat [his] flesh” and “drink his blood” (John 6:50-58). Just as the manna provided food in the wilderness, Jesus—the true bread from God—offers spiritual sustenance. Israel was humbled by their need for food in the wilderness (Deut 8:3). Now followers of Jesus must humble themselves and receive the fullness of his life by faith (John 6:35-40, 47-51, 63-64).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 16:1-36; Num 11:1-15; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:10-12; Neh 9:20-21; Pss 78:24; 105:40; John 6:1-15, 22-64; 1 Cor 10:3-5; Rev 2:17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Bread from Heaven<\/h3>\n<p>As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17).<\/p>\n<p>Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spiritual relationship with the Lord and as a sign of God’s miraculous provision for his people (see 1 Cor 10:3-4). At the same time, manna was associated with Israel’s complaining against God and with their lack of trust in his provision (Num 11:1-15; see 1 Cor 10:5).<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum about the “bread of life” (John 6:22-59). He identified himself as the “true bread of God” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32-35); he even linked eternal life with the need to “eat [his] flesh” and “drink his blood” (John 6:50-58). Just as the manna provided food in the wilderness, Jesus—the true bread from God—offers spiritual sustenance. Israel was humbled by their need for food in the wilderness (Deut 8:3). Now followers of Jesus must humble themselves and receive the fullness of his life by faith (John 6:35-40, 47-51, 63-64).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 16:1-36; Num 11:1-15; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:10-12; Neh 9:20-21; Pss 78:24; 105:40; John 6:1-15, 22-64; 1 Cor 10:3-5; Rev 2:17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Bread from Heaven As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17). Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spirit...","summary_en":"Bread from Heaven As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17). Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spirit...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":115850,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Bread from Heaven","title_en":"Bread from Heaven","content_ro":"<h3>Bread from Heaven<\/h3>\n<p>As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17).<\/p>\n<p>Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spiritual relationship with the Lord and as a sign of God’s miraculous provision for his people (see 1 Cor 10:3-4). At the same time, manna was associated with Israel’s complaining against God and with their lack of trust in his provision (Num 11:1-15; see 1 Cor 10:5).<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum about the “bread of life” (John 6:22-59). He identified himself as the “true bread of God” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32-35); he even linked eternal life with the need to “eat [his] flesh” and “drink his blood” (John 6:50-58). Just as the manna provided food in the wilderness, Jesus—the true bread from God—offers spiritual sustenance. Israel was humbled by their need for food in the wilderness (Deut 8:3). Now followers of Jesus must humble themselves and receive the fullness of his life by faith (John 6:35-40, 47-51, 63-64).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 16:1-36; Num 11:1-15; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:10-12; Neh 9:20-21; Pss 78:24; 105:40; John 6:1-15, 22-64; 1 Cor 10:3-5; Rev 2:17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Bread from Heaven<\/h3>\n<p>As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17).<\/p>\n<p>Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spiritual relationship with the Lord and as a sign of God’s miraculous provision for his people (see 1 Cor 10:3-4). At the same time, manna was associated with Israel’s complaining against God and with their lack of trust in his provision (Num 11:1-15; see 1 Cor 10:5).<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum about the “bread of life” (John 6:22-59). He identified himself as the “true bread of God” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32-35); he even linked eternal life with the need to “eat [his] flesh” and “drink his blood” (John 6:50-58). Just as the manna provided food in the wilderness, Jesus—the true bread from God—offers spiritual sustenance. Israel was humbled by their need for food in the wilderness (Deut 8:3). Now followers of Jesus must humble themselves and receive the fullness of his life by faith (John 6:35-40, 47-51, 63-64).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 16:1-36; Num 11:1-15; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:10-12; Neh 9:20-21; Pss 78:24; 105:40; John 6:1-15, 22-64; 1 Cor 10:3-5; Rev 2:17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Bread from Heaven As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17). Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spirit...","summary_en":"Bread from Heaven As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17). Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spirit...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":143476,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Bread from Heaven","title_en":"Bread from Heaven","content_ro":"<h3>Bread from Heaven<\/h3>\n<p>As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17).<\/p>\n<p>Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spiritual relationship with the Lord and as a sign of God’s miraculous provision for his people (see 1 Cor 10:3-4). At the same time, manna was associated with Israel’s complaining against God and with their lack of trust in his provision (Num 11:1-15; see 1 Cor 10:5).<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum about the “bread of life” (John 6:22-59). He identified himself as the “true bread of God” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32-35); he even linked eternal life with the need to “eat [his] flesh” and “drink his blood” (John 6:50-58). Just as the manna provided food in the wilderness, Jesus—the true bread from God—offers spiritual sustenance. Israel was humbled by their need for food in the wilderness (Deut 8:3). Now followers of Jesus must humble themselves and receive the fullness of his life by faith (John 6:35-40, 47-51, 63-64).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 16:1-36; Num 11:1-15; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:10-12; Neh 9:20-21; Pss 78:24; 105:40; John 6:1-15, 22-64; 1 Cor 10:3-5; Rev 2:17<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Bread from Heaven<\/h3>\n<p>As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17).<\/p>\n<p>Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spiritual relationship with the Lord and as a sign of God’s miraculous provision for his people (see 1 Cor 10:3-4). At the same time, manna was associated with Israel’s complaining against God and with their lack of trust in his provision (Num 11:1-15; see 1 Cor 10:5).<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum about the “bread of life” (John 6:22-59). He identified himself as the “true bread of God” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32-35); he even linked eternal life with the need to “eat [his] flesh” and “drink his blood” (John 6:50-58). Just as the manna provided food in the wilderness, Jesus—the true bread from God—offers spiritual sustenance. Israel was humbled by their need for food in the wilderness (Deut 8:3). Now followers of Jesus must humble themselves and receive the fullness of his life by faith (John 6:35-40, 47-51, 63-64).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 16:1-36; Num 11:1-15; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:10-12; Neh 9:20-21; Pss 78:24; 105:40; John 6:1-15, 22-64; 1 Cor 10:3-5; Rev 2:17<\/p>","summary_ro":"Bread from Heaven As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17). Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spirit...","summary_en":"Bread from Heaven As the Israelites left Egypt behind and entered the wilderness, God sent manna, a breadlike substance, to sustain them (Exod 16). The Lord gave them food adequate for their daily needs (see Neh 9:20-21). This “bread from heaven” showed God’s people his love and illustrated his special provision for Israel in the wilderness (see Deut 8:3, 16; Pss 78:24; 105:40; cp. Rev 2:17). Although manna was actual food, some passages use the term in a spiritual sense to symbolize a spirit...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"18":[{"id":25902,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Minerals* and Metals","title_en":"Minerals* and Metals","content_ro":"<h3>MINERALS* AND METALS<\/h3>\n<p>A “mineral” is a naturally occurring substance, normally an ore that must be mined and treated before the metal can be extracted. A “metal” is a chemical element such as iron or copper, which is free from contamination by other materials. Metals in a pure form generally do not occur in nature, though there are exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>In Palestine, mining and smelting are ancient arts, practiced long before the Israelites arrived. The quarrying of suitable stones, such as flint, for toolmaking goes back to the Stone Age; the quarrying of stone for building is also an ancient craft. In particular, metals, native gold, copper, and meteoric iron were known and used in the Middle East before 4000 <span>BC<\/span>. From 4000 to 3000 <span>BC<\/span>, native silver became known as well as copper and lead ores. The art of smelting was discovered probably almost by accident, resulting in the production of alloys like bronze. Then the reduction of oxidized iron was discovered. From 3000 to 2000 <span>BC<\/span>, important advances were made. Copper sulfides and tin oxides were reduced to metal, and metallic tin and copper became important items of trade.<\/p>\n<p>In the years 2000 to 1000 <span>BC<\/span>, bellows came into use for furnaces, and iron was reduced from its ores and forged. The art of making brass from copper and zinc was discovered about 1500 <span>BC<\/span> but did not become significant till somewhat later. Bronze, known for many centuries, was made sometimes with a high tin content to form speculum for mirrors. By this time the Israelites were settled in the land and the kingdom was established. From 1000 <span>BC<\/span> to the start of the Christian era, the production of metals, especially iron, greatly expanded. A form of steel was made and used for weapons and tools.<\/p>\n<p>By the time of David and Solomon, the Israelites had learned many skills in the preparation and working of metals. Under David, Edom, with its rich copper and iron deposits, was conquered (2 Sm 8:13-14) and there was a lot of activity in the casting of metals in the Jordan Valley (1 Kgs 7:13-14, 45-46). In this activity Solomon had the assistance of Hiram, a Phoenician artisan. Israelite tradition associated the origins of metallurgy with Tubal-cain (Gn 4:22), who is said to have forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Deuteronomy 8:9 refers to the presence of iron and copper in the land to which Israel was going.<\/p>\n<p>While the Israelites eventually undertook their own metalworking processes, it is evident from 1 Samuel 13:19-22 that on at least one occasion, in the days of Philistine domination, they were obliged to have their agricultural tools made by their enemies. Similarly, the manufacture of cult vessels for Solomon’s temple was supervised by Phoenician artisans (1 Kgs 7:13-50).<\/p>\n<p>Minerals, metals, and precious stones were also important items of trade. Israel was never a land rich in these commodities and was obliged to import a wide variety of them. The visit of the queen of Sheba was partly diplomatic and partly for trade (1 Kgs 10:2, 10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Metals and precious stones featured also among the booty carried off by invaders, notably—but not only—by the Egyptians and Assyrians. These items were in constant demand as they were needed for agriculture and making weapons of war, and for the manufacture of jewelry and items of personal adornment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Minerals\">Minerals<\/p>\n<p>A mineral is an inorganic substance with a definite chemical composition and structure, sometimes occurring alone or sometimes combined with others. “Ore” refers to any mineral or mineral aggregate containing chemical compounds of metals in sufficient quantity and grade to make the extraction of the metal commercially profitable. The essential element, the metal, occurs in nature as a chemical compound, such as a sulfide, an oxide, a carbonate, or some other compound, though the sulfides and oxides are the most common. Minerals exhibit a variety of properties, such as color, luster, crystal form, cleavage, fracture, hardness, and density, which help in their identification and exercise control on the commercial and industrial uses of the particular mineral.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Metals\">Metals<\/p>\n<p>A metal in its pure form is a chemically pure element with its own fixed physical properties, such as density, tensile strength, crystalline structure, melting point, ductility, conductivity, and the like. Metals form alloys with other metals, but this process destroys their purity. In both the ancient world and the modern world the alloy is extremely important.<\/p>\n<p>In order to obtain a pure metal, the ore in which the metal is contained must be smelted—a process known as metallurgy. In ancient Israel pure metals were widely used—among them were gold, silver, iron, and lead. Yet alloys such as bronze and brass were even more widely used.<\/p>\n<h5>Metallurgy and Metal Extraction<\/h5>\n<p>The method of producing hard wrought iron was discovered by the Hittites of Asia Minor about 1300 <span>BC<\/span>, and was taken up by the Philistines (1 Sm 13:19-20). At first, the iron obtained from simple furnaces was drawn off and hammered to drive out slag (Dt 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4). Later, the addition of carbon produced an early form of steel.<\/p>\n<p>The lead sulfide ore is heated with lime in a flow of air. A slag with rock particles forms. The air is then cut off and the temperature is raised. Finally, the lead flows free.<\/p>\n<p>The OT refers to the mining of silver (Jb 28:1), the refining of the metal (Zec 13:9; Mal 3:3), the melting of scrap metals or jeweler’s remnants (Ez 22:20-22), and of multiple refinings in a crucible (Prv 17:3; 27:21) to produce refined silver (1 Chr 29:4; Ps 12:6; Prv 10:20).<\/p>\n<h5>Specific Metals<\/h5>\n<p>Although several OT passages suggest that the science of metallurgy was known in biblical times, comparatively little archaeological evidence is available. The processing plants were small and were used for the treatment of copper and iron. The archaeological record is far from complete, but the general impression is that metallic ores were comparatively rare in Palestine; imports must have been considerable. However, numerous molds for casting agricultural and military tools have come to light in excavations. Evidently, some refined metal was available locally, but perhaps most of it was imported. The metal was then heated and poured into the appropriate earthenware or pottery mold.<\/p>\n<p>There are many references to metals in the Bible, but especially to gold, silver, iron, and lead. While copper was widely used, it was normally in the form of its alloys, bronze and brass. There are comparatively few references to tin as such, though it was used in manufacturing bronze. Similarly zinc, though used in the manufacture of brass, is not mentioned in the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>Gold is referred to hundreds of times in the OT and NT, more frequently than any other metal. It is often mentioned together with silver, and in the majority of cases silver is mentioned first, reflecting a time when gold was less valued.<\/p>\n<p>Gold was used in the manufacture of ornaments for personal use (Gn 24:53; 41:42; Ex 3:22; 11:2; 12:35). Gold was important in worship both in Israel and among the non-Israelites. References to pagan gods occur in several passages (Ex 20:23; 32:2-4; Ps 115:4; Is 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; 40:19; 46:6; Hos 8:4). It seems that the gold was melted down and later engraved so that the replicas could be called both molten images (Ex 32:24) and graven images. The tabernacle and the temple used a great deal of gold. The wooden ark was covered inside and outside with gold (25:11). Other timber pieces were overlaid with gold (25:11; 1 Kgs 6:20-22, 30).<\/p>\n<p>The vessels and utensils used in the tabernacle and temple were made of “pure gold”: the cherubim (Ex 25:18; 37:7), the mercy seat (25:17; 37:6), the candlestick (Ex 25:31; Zec 4:2), various vessels (Ex 25:38; 2 Kgs 24:13), chains to carry the ephod (Ex 28:14), and the bells on the high priest’s robe. The high priest’s crown, ephod, and breastplate were also of gold (39:2-30). The offerings collected for the manufacture of such articles in the wilderness include golden dishes weighing 120 shekels (Nm 7:86). The more lavishly adorned temple apparently used more gold than the tabernacle (1 Kgs 6:20-28; 1 Chr 29:2-7; 2 Chr 3:4–4:22). The number of specific references to gold in the tabernacle and temple is far too great to mention all of them here. The large amount of gold used in the temple was attractive to invaders, who would strip the temple of its gold and carry it off as booty (1 Kgs 14:26; 2 Kgs 16:8; 18:14; 24:13; 25:15; 2 Chr 12:9).<\/p>\n<p>Gold had commercial value. It was imported in Solomon’s day, and up to 666 talents were brought to Israel annually (1 Kgs 10:14). Hiram of Tyre gave Solomon 120 talents of gold (9:14), possibly as a loan. Certainly Solomon used a lot of gold in the temple (10:16-17). Gold was useful, too, for buying off an enemy (2 Kgs 16:8) or simply as tribute (18:14). Evidence of this comes also from the Assyrian annals, where the tribute taken from various lands often included gold.<\/p>\n<p>The possession of gold was not in itself an evil thing, but preoccupation with its accumulation was condemned (Jb 28:15-17; Prv 3:14; 8:10, 19; 16:16). The possession of wisdom and the knowledge of God was of greater value than the possession of much gold (Pss 19:10; 119:72, 127; Prv 20:15). Job rejected trust in gold (Jb 31:24). Gold would not save a man in the day of judgment (Zep 1:18).<\/p>\n<p>In the NT gold was regarded as perishable (Jas 5:3; 1 Pt 1:18) and as an unnecessary burden to carry (Mt 10:9; Acts 3:6). The wearing of a gold ring was certainly no measure of a man’s worth (Jas 2:2); indeed, both Paul and Peter forbade it (1 Tm 2:9; 1 Pt 3:3).<\/p>\n<p>The use of gold in itself was no measure of piety. The elders of Revelation 4:4 wore golden crowns, but the great harlot was “bedecked with gold” (Rv 17:4), as was the harlot city Babylon (18:16). By contrast, there are some positive statements in the NT about the value of gold (3:18). The wise men brought gold to the infant Jesus as a symbol of his kingly character (Mt 2:11), and the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, was a city of gold, clear as glass (Rv 21:18).<\/p>\n<p>In the OT, silver is mentioned in several connections. Being a precious metal, once considered more precious than gold, it was regularly used in commerce for the payments of debts. Small pieces of silver were weighed into a balance against a standard weight. Abraham bought the cave at Machpelah as a burial place for Sarah for 400 shekels of silver and weighed out the “money” according to the weight’s current value with the merchant (Gn 23:15-16). Joseph’s brothers received 20 pieces of silver in payment for Joseph (37:28), and Benjamin was given a money gift by Joseph in pieces of silver (45:22).<\/p>\n<p>There are other examples of payment in silver for commodities or services (Gn 20:16; Ex 21:32; Lv 27:16; Jos 24:32; Jgs 17:10; 2 Sm 24:24; Neh 7:72; Jb 28:15; Is 7:23; 46:6; Am 2:6; 8:6). Silver was a measure of a man’s wealth (Gn 13:2; 24:35; Ex 25:3; Nm 22:18; Dt 7:25; Zep 1:18; Hg 2:8; Zec 6:11). An unusual comment in 1 Kings 10:21 notes that in Solomon’s day “it was not considered as anything,” apparently because it was so plentiful. It was regularly taken as booty (Jos 6:19; 7:21; 1 Kgs 15:18). Sometimes the drinking cup of an important man was made of silver (Gn 44:2). Sometimes, too, a royal crown was made of gold and silver (Zec 6:11). It was important in the manufacture of personal ornaments (Gn 24:53; Ex 3:22; 12:35), and one example is given of ornaments of gold studded with silver (Sg 1:11).<\/p>\n<p>The process of refining silver was used as a metaphor for the trying of people’s hearts (Ps 66:10; Is 48:10), and the tarnishing and deterioration of silver was a picture of the disintegration of one’s character (Is 1:22; Jer 6:30). God’s Word is pictured as “pure” silver refined and purified in a furnace. Despite silver’s great value, wisdom excels it (Job 28:15; Prv 3:14; 8:19; 10:20; 16:16; 22:1; 25:11).<\/p>\n<p>Native copper is mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:9, though the reference may be to one of its ores. More commonly, biblical references are to brass, the alloy of copper and zinc. However, the chemical analysis of copper-based tools and implements during the middle and late Bronze Ages (c. 2000–1200 <span>BC<\/span>) shows that the material was bronze. References to brass in the <span>kjv<\/span> are therefore to bronze.<\/p>\n<p>By NT times, copper in the form of alloys (bronze and brass) was widely used. Bronze coinage was well known and this may be the sense of Matthew 10:9. The widow’s mite was a tiny bronze coin, the lepton. Bronze utensils and vessels were well known (Rv 9:20; 18:12). The reference to “sounding brass” (<span>kjv<\/span>) in 1 Corinthians 13:1 may actually be to brass, which was a bright, shining alloy, and was used in musical instruments. In the vision of John in Revelation (Rv 1:15; 2:18), the Son of Man had feet of fine brass (<span>nlt<\/span> “bronze”).<\/p>\n<p>The Iron Age began in Palestine about 1200 <span>BC<\/span>, that is, in the days of the judges, though native iron had been known in Egypt in the predynastic period. Archaeological evidence suggests that the smelting of iron ore was discovered by the Hittites about 1400 <span>BC<\/span>. The Philistines seem to have introduced iron to Palestine about 1300 <span>BC<\/span>. In the days of Moses an encounter with the Midianites produced much tribute, among which iron is mentioned (Nm 31:22). When Israel captured Jericho, the spoils included iron (Jos 6:24). Manasseh’s half-tribe also took booty including iron (22:8). In the days of the judges the Canaanites were equipped with chariots of iron (Jos 17:16-18; Jgs 1:19; 4:3).<\/p>\n<p>These early references point to the arrival of iron at the start of the Iron Age. The Philistines enjoyed a local monopoly in its use (1 Sm 13:19-21), and their mighty warrior Goliath was armed with an iron spear (17:7). It was not long, however, before Israel learned the use of iron (2 Sm 12:31; 23:7). Evidently, by Solomon’s time, iron was widely used, because builders of the temple were forbidden to use iron tools (1 Kgs 6:7). The false prophet Zedekiah in Ahab’s day used the horns of iron to thrust toward Syria as he spoke of their defeat (22:11).<\/p>\n<p>The prophet Isaiah in the eighth century <span>BC<\/span> referred to iron (Is 10:34), and Jeremiah later spoke of the metal in several places (Jer 1:18; 6:28; 11:4; 15:12; 17:1; 28:13-14). Ezekiel made use of an iron plate in one of his symbolic actions (Ez 4:3), referred to iron in his description of smelting (22:18, 20), and listed it as a commodity for trade (27:12, 19). The prophet Amos spoke of threshing instruments of iron (Am 1:3). Micah used iron as a symbol for military might (Mi 4:13). The book of Daniel makes several references to it (Dn 2:33-35, 40-45; 4:15, 23; 7:7, 19).<\/p>\n<p>By Roman times, iron weapons were the regular implements of war. Gates of iron were used to close prisons (Acts 12:10), and in a symbolic usage powerful rulers were said to rule with a rod of iron (Rv 2:27; 9:9; 12:5; 19:15). The term “iron” was used also in some metaphorical expressions. The smelting of iron was a symbol of testing and suffering (Dt 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4; Ez 22:18), a pillar of iron was symbolic of strength (Jer 1:18), and an iron rod of harsh rule (Ps 2:9; Rv 2:27; 12:5; 19:15).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Coppersmith; Goldsmith; Ironsmith; Mason, Masonry; Silversmith; Stones, Precious.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>MINERALS* AND METALS<\/h3>\n<p>A “mineral” is a naturally occurring substance, normally an ore that must be mined and treated before the metal can be extracted. A “metal” is a chemical element such as iron or copper, which is free from contamination by other materials. Metals in a pure form generally do not occur in nature, though there are exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>In Palestine, mining and smelting are ancient arts, practiced long before the Israelites arrived. The quarrying of suitable stones, such as flint, for toolmaking goes back to the Stone Age; the quarrying of stone for building is also an ancient craft. In particular, metals, native gold, copper, and meteoric iron were known and used in the Middle East before 4000 <span>BC<\/span>. From 4000 to 3000 <span>BC<\/span>, native silver became known as well as copper and lead ores. The art of smelting was discovered probably almost by accident, resulting in the production of alloys like bronze. Then the reduction of oxidized iron was discovered. From 3000 to 2000 <span>BC<\/span>, important advances were made. Copper sulfides and tin oxides were reduced to metal, and metallic tin and copper became important items of trade.<\/p>\n<p>In the years 2000 to 1000 <span>BC<\/span>, bellows came into use for furnaces, and iron was reduced from its ores and forged. The art of making brass from copper and zinc was discovered about 1500 <span>BC<\/span> but did not become significant till somewhat later. Bronze, known for many centuries, was made sometimes with a high tin content to form speculum for mirrors. By this time the Israelites were settled in the land and the kingdom was established. From 1000 <span>BC<\/span> to the start of the Christian era, the production of metals, especially iron, greatly expanded. A form of steel was made and used for weapons and tools.<\/p>\n<p>By the time of David and Solomon, the Israelites had learned many skills in the preparation and working of metals. Under David, Edom, with its rich copper and iron deposits, was conquered (2 Sm 8:13-14) and there was a lot of activity in the casting of metals in the Jordan Valley (1 Kgs 7:13-14, 45-46). In this activity Solomon had the assistance of Hiram, a Phoenician artisan. Israelite tradition associated the origins of metallurgy with Tubal-cain (Gn 4:22), who is said to have forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Deuteronomy 8:9 refers to the presence of iron and copper in the land to which Israel was going.<\/p>\n<p>While the Israelites eventually undertook their own metalworking processes, it is evident from 1 Samuel 13:19-22 that on at least one occasion, in the days of Philistine domination, they were obliged to have their agricultural tools made by their enemies. Similarly, the manufacture of cult vessels for Solomon’s temple was supervised by Phoenician artisans (1 Kgs 7:13-50).<\/p>\n<p>Minerals, metals, and precious stones were also important items of trade. Israel was never a land rich in these commodities and was obliged to import a wide variety of them. The visit of the queen of Sheba was partly diplomatic and partly for trade (1 Kgs 10:2, 10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Metals and precious stones featured also among the booty carried off by invaders, notably—but not only—by the Egyptians and Assyrians. These items were in constant demand as they were needed for agriculture and making weapons of war, and for the manufacture of jewelry and items of personal adornment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Minerals\">Minerals<\/p>\n<p>A mineral is an inorganic substance with a definite chemical composition and structure, sometimes occurring alone or sometimes combined with others. “Ore” refers to any mineral or mineral aggregate containing chemical compounds of metals in sufficient quantity and grade to make the extraction of the metal commercially profitable. The essential element, the metal, occurs in nature as a chemical compound, such as a sulfide, an oxide, a carbonate, or some other compound, though the sulfides and oxides are the most common. Minerals exhibit a variety of properties, such as color, luster, crystal form, cleavage, fracture, hardness, and density, which help in their identification and exercise control on the commercial and industrial uses of the particular mineral.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Metals\">Metals<\/p>\n<p>A metal in its pure form is a chemically pure element with its own fixed physical properties, such as density, tensile strength, crystalline structure, melting point, ductility, conductivity, and the like. Metals form alloys with other metals, but this process destroys their purity. In both the ancient world and the modern world the alloy is extremely important.<\/p>\n<p>In order to obtain a pure metal, the ore in which the metal is contained must be smelted—a process known as metallurgy. In ancient Israel pure metals were widely used—among them were gold, silver, iron, and lead. Yet alloys such as bronze and brass were even more widely used.<\/p>\n<h5>Metallurgy and Metal Extraction<\/h5>\n<p>The method of producing hard wrought iron was discovered by the Hittites of Asia Minor about 1300 <span>BC<\/span>, and was taken up by the Philistines (1 Sm 13:19-20). At first, the iron obtained from simple furnaces was drawn off and hammered to drive out slag (Dt 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4). Later, the addition of carbon produced an early form of steel.<\/p>\n<p>The lead sulfide ore is heated with lime in a flow of air. A slag with rock particles forms. The air is then cut off and the temperature is raised. Finally, the lead flows free.<\/p>\n<p>The OT refers to the mining of silver (Jb 28:1), the refining of the metal (Zec 13:9; Mal 3:3), the melting of scrap metals or jeweler’s remnants (Ez 22:20-22), and of multiple refinings in a crucible (Prv 17:3; 27:21) to produce refined silver (1 Chr 29:4; Ps 12:6; Prv 10:20).<\/p>\n<h5>Specific Metals<\/h5>\n<p>Although several OT passages suggest that the science of metallurgy was known in biblical times, comparatively little archaeological evidence is available. The processing plants were small and were used for the treatment of copper and iron. The archaeological record is far from complete, but the general impression is that metallic ores were comparatively rare in Palestine; imports must have been considerable. However, numerous molds for casting agricultural and military tools have come to light in excavations. Evidently, some refined metal was available locally, but perhaps most of it was imported. The metal was then heated and poured into the appropriate earthenware or pottery mold.<\/p>\n<p>There are many references to metals in the Bible, but especially to gold, silver, iron, and lead. While copper was widely used, it was normally in the form of its alloys, bronze and brass. There are comparatively few references to tin as such, though it was used in manufacturing bronze. Similarly zinc, though used in the manufacture of brass, is not mentioned in the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>Gold is referred to hundreds of times in the OT and NT, more frequently than any other metal. It is often mentioned together with silver, and in the majority of cases silver is mentioned first, reflecting a time when gold was less valued.<\/p>\n<p>Gold was used in the manufacture of ornaments for personal use (Gn 24:53; 41:42; Ex 3:22; 11:2; 12:35). Gold was important in worship both in Israel and among the non-Israelites. References to pagan gods occur in several passages (Ex 20:23; 32:2-4; Ps 115:4; Is 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; 40:19; 46:6; Hos 8:4). It seems that the gold was melted down and later engraved so that the replicas could be called both molten images (Ex 32:24) and graven images. The tabernacle and the temple used a great deal of gold. The wooden ark was covered inside and outside with gold (25:11). Other timber pieces were overlaid with gold (25:11; 1 Kgs 6:20-22, 30).<\/p>\n<p>The vessels and utensils used in the tabernacle and temple were made of “pure gold”: the cherubim (Ex 25:18; 37:7), the mercy seat (25:17; 37:6), the candlestick (Ex 25:31; Zec 4:2), various vessels (Ex 25:38; 2 Kgs 24:13), chains to carry the ephod (Ex 28:14), and the bells on the high priest’s robe. The high priest’s crown, ephod, and breastplate were also of gold (39:2-30). The offerings collected for the manufacture of such articles in the wilderness include golden dishes weighing 120 shekels (Nm 7:86). The more lavishly adorned temple apparently used more gold than the tabernacle (1 Kgs 6:20-28; 1 Chr 29:2-7; 2 Chr 3:4–4:22). The number of specific references to gold in the tabernacle and temple is far too great to mention all of them here. The large amount of gold used in the temple was attractive to invaders, who would strip the temple of its gold and carry it off as booty (1 Kgs 14:26; 2 Kgs 16:8; 18:14; 24:13; 25:15; 2 Chr 12:9).<\/p>\n<p>Gold had commercial value. It was imported in Solomon’s day, and up to 666 talents were brought to Israel annually (1 Kgs 10:14). Hiram of Tyre gave Solomon 120 talents of gold (9:14), possibly as a loan. Certainly Solomon used a lot of gold in the temple (10:16-17). Gold was useful, too, for buying off an enemy (2 Kgs 16:8) or simply as tribute (18:14). Evidence of this comes also from the Assyrian annals, where the tribute taken from various lands often included gold.<\/p>\n<p>The possession of gold was not in itself an evil thing, but preoccupation with its accumulation was condemned (Jb 28:15-17; Prv 3:14; 8:10, 19; 16:16). The possession of wisdom and the knowledge of God was of greater value than the possession of much gold (Pss 19:10; 119:72, 127; Prv 20:15). Job rejected trust in gold (Jb 31:24). Gold would not save a man in the day of judgment (Zep 1:18).<\/p>\n<p>In the NT gold was regarded as perishable (Jas 5:3; 1 Pt 1:18) and as an unnecessary burden to carry (Mt 10:9; Acts 3:6). The wearing of a gold ring was certainly no measure of a man’s worth (Jas 2:2); indeed, both Paul and Peter forbade it (1 Tm 2:9; 1 Pt 3:3).<\/p>\n<p>The use of gold in itself was no measure of piety. The elders of Revelation 4:4 wore golden crowns, but the great harlot was “bedecked with gold” (Rv 17:4), as was the harlot city Babylon (18:16). By contrast, there are some positive statements in the NT about the value of gold (3:18). The wise men brought gold to the infant Jesus as a symbol of his kingly character (Mt 2:11), and the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, was a city of gold, clear as glass (Rv 21:18).<\/p>\n<p>In the OT, silver is mentioned in several connections. Being a precious metal, once considered more precious than gold, it was regularly used in commerce for the payments of debts. Small pieces of silver were weighed into a balance against a standard weight. Abraham bought the cave at Machpelah as a burial place for Sarah for 400 shekels of silver and weighed out the “money” according to the weight’s current value with the merchant (Gn 23:15-16). Joseph’s brothers received 20 pieces of silver in payment for Joseph (37:28), and Benjamin was given a money gift by Joseph in pieces of silver (45:22).<\/p>\n<p>There are other examples of payment in silver for commodities or services (Gn 20:16; Ex 21:32; Lv 27:16; Jos 24:32; Jgs 17:10; 2 Sm 24:24; Neh 7:72; Jb 28:15; Is 7:23; 46:6; Am 2:6; 8:6). Silver was a measure of a man’s wealth (Gn 13:2; 24:35; Ex 25:3; Nm 22:18; Dt 7:25; Zep 1:18; Hg 2:8; Zec 6:11). An unusual comment in 1 Kings 10:21 notes that in Solomon’s day “it was not considered as anything,” apparently because it was so plentiful. It was regularly taken as booty (Jos 6:19; 7:21; 1 Kgs 15:18). Sometimes the drinking cup of an important man was made of silver (Gn 44:2). Sometimes, too, a royal crown was made of gold and silver (Zec 6:11). It was important in the manufacture of personal ornaments (Gn 24:53; Ex 3:22; 12:35), and one example is given of ornaments of gold studded with silver (Sg 1:11).<\/p>\n<p>The process of refining silver was used as a metaphor for the trying of people’s hearts (Ps 66:10; Is 48:10), and the tarnishing and deterioration of silver was a picture of the disintegration of one’s character (Is 1:22; Jer 6:30). God’s Word is pictured as “pure” silver refined and purified in a furnace. Despite silver’s great value, wisdom excels it (Job 28:15; Prv 3:14; 8:19; 10:20; 16:16; 22:1; 25:11).<\/p>\n<p>Native copper is mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:9, though the reference may be to one of its ores. More commonly, biblical references are to brass, the alloy of copper and zinc. However, the chemical analysis of copper-based tools and implements during the middle and late Bronze Ages (c. 2000–1200 <span>BC<\/span>) shows that the material was bronze. References to brass in the <span>kjv<\/span> are therefore to bronze.<\/p>\n<p>By NT times, copper in the form of alloys (bronze and brass) was widely used. Bronze coinage was well known and this may be the sense of Matthew 10:9. The widow’s mite was a tiny bronze coin, the lepton. Bronze utensils and vessels were well known (Rv 9:20; 18:12). The reference to “sounding brass” (<span>kjv<\/span>) in 1 Corinthians 13:1 may actually be to brass, which was a bright, shining alloy, and was used in musical instruments. In the vision of John in Revelation (Rv 1:15; 2:18), the Son of Man had feet of fine brass (<span>nlt<\/span> “bronze”).<\/p>\n<p>The Iron Age began in Palestine about 1200 <span>BC<\/span>, that is, in the days of the judges, though native iron had been known in Egypt in the predynastic period. Archaeological evidence suggests that the smelting of iron ore was discovered by the Hittites about 1400 <span>BC<\/span>. The Philistines seem to have introduced iron to Palestine about 1300 <span>BC<\/span>. In the days of Moses an encounter with the Midianites produced much tribute, among which iron is mentioned (Nm 31:22). When Israel captured Jericho, the spoils included iron (Jos 6:24). Manasseh’s half-tribe also took booty including iron (22:8). In the days of the judges the Canaanites were equipped with chariots of iron (Jos 17:16-18; Jgs 1:19; 4:3).<\/p>\n<p>These early references point to the arrival of iron at the start of the Iron Age. The Philistines enjoyed a local monopoly in its use (1 Sm 13:19-21), and their mighty warrior Goliath was armed with an iron spear (17:7). It was not long, however, before Israel learned the use of iron (2 Sm 12:31; 23:7). Evidently, by Solomon’s time, iron was widely used, because builders of the temple were forbidden to use iron tools (1 Kgs 6:7). The false prophet Zedekiah in Ahab’s day used the horns of iron to thrust toward Syria as he spoke of their defeat (22:11).<\/p>\n<p>The prophet Isaiah in the eighth century <span>BC<\/span> referred to iron (Is 10:34), and Jeremiah later spoke of the metal in several places (Jer 1:18; 6:28; 11:4; 15:12; 17:1; 28:13-14). Ezekiel made use of an iron plate in one of his symbolic actions (Ez 4:3), referred to iron in his description of smelting (22:18, 20), and listed it as a commodity for trade (27:12, 19). The prophet Amos spoke of threshing instruments of iron (Am 1:3). Micah used iron as a symbol for military might (Mi 4:13). The book of Daniel makes several references to it (Dn 2:33-35, 40-45; 4:15, 23; 7:7, 19).<\/p>\n<p>By Roman times, iron weapons were the regular implements of war. Gates of iron were used to close prisons (Acts 12:10), and in a symbolic usage powerful rulers were said to rule with a rod of iron (Rv 2:27; 9:9; 12:5; 19:15). The term “iron” was used also in some metaphorical expressions. The smelting of iron was a symbol of testing and suffering (Dt 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4; Ez 22:18), a pillar of iron was symbolic of strength (Jer 1:18), and an iron rod of harsh rule (Ps 2:9; Rv 2:27; 12:5; 19:15).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Coppersmith; Goldsmith; Ironsmith; Mason, Masonry; Silversmith; Stones, Precious.<\/p>","summary_ro":"MINERALS* AND METALS A “mineral” is a naturally occurring substance, normally an ore that must be mined and treated before the metal can be extracted. A “metal” is a chemical element such as iron or copper, which is free from contamination by other materials. Metals in a pure form generally do not occur in nature, though there are exceptions. In Palestine, mining and smelting are ancient arts, practiced long before the Israelites arrived. The quarrying of suitable stones, such as flint, for t...","summary_en":"MINERALS* AND METALS A “mineral” is a naturally occurring substance, normally an ore that must be mined and treated before the metal can be extracted. A “metal” is a chemical element such as iron or copper, which is free from contamination by other materials. Metals in a pure form generally do not occur in nature, though there are exceptions. In Palestine, mining and smelting are ancient arts, practiced long before the Israelites arrived. The quarrying of suitable stones, such as flint, for t...","source":"Articles\/M.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59335,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:18","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:18","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:18-29<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Thyatira<\/em> confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:18-29<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Thyatira<\/em> confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:18-29 The letter to the church in Thyatira confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.","summary_en":"2:18-29 The letter to the church in Thyatira confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59336,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:18","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:18","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:18<\/strong> <em>Thyatira<\/em> was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming <em>eyes<\/em> of the <em>Son of God<\/em> indicate penetrating perception; the solid <em>feet<\/em> portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:18<\/strong> <em>Thyatira<\/em> was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming <em>eyes<\/em> of the <em>Son of God<\/em> indicate penetrating perception; the solid <em>feet<\/em> portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:18 Thyatira was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming eyes of the Son of God indicate penetrating perception; the solid feet portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 BC.","summary_en":"2:18 Thyatira was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming eyes of the Son of God indicate penetrating perception; the solid feet portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 BC.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86961,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:18","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:18","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:18-29<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Thyatira<\/em> confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:18-29<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Thyatira<\/em> confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:18-29 The letter to the church in Thyatira confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.","summary_en":"2:18-29 The letter to the church in Thyatira confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86962,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:18","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:18","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:18<\/strong> <em>Thyatira<\/em> was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming <em>eyes<\/em> of the <em>Son of God<\/em> indicate penetrating perception; the solid <em>feet<\/em> portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:18<\/strong> <em>Thyatira<\/em> was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming <em>eyes<\/em> of the <em>Son of God<\/em> indicate penetrating perception; the solid <em>feet<\/em> portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:18 Thyatira was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming eyes of the Son of God indicate penetrating perception; the solid feet portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 BC.","summary_en":"2:18 Thyatira was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming eyes of the Son of God indicate penetrating perception; the solid feet portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 BC.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114587,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:18","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:18","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:18-29<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Thyatira<\/em> confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:18-29<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Thyatira<\/em> confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:18-29 The letter to the church in Thyatira confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.","summary_en":"2:18-29 The letter to the church in Thyatira confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114588,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:18","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:18","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:18<\/strong> <em>Thyatira<\/em> was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming <em>eyes<\/em> of the <em>Son of God<\/em> indicate penetrating perception; the solid <em>feet<\/em> portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:18<\/strong> <em>Thyatira<\/em> was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming <em>eyes<\/em> of the <em>Son of God<\/em> indicate penetrating perception; the solid <em>feet<\/em> portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:18 Thyatira was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming eyes of the Son of God indicate penetrating perception; the solid feet portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 BC.","summary_en":"2:18 Thyatira was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming eyes of the Son of God indicate penetrating perception; the solid feet portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 BC.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142213,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:18","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:18","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:18-29<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Thyatira<\/em> confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:18-29<\/strong> The letter to <em>the church in Thyatira<\/em> confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:18-29 The letter to the church in Thyatira confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.","summary_en":"2:18-29 The letter to the church in Thyatira confronts Christians who mix Christianity with pagan practices and a worldly lifestyle.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142214,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:18","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:18","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:18<\/strong> <em>Thyatira<\/em> was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming <em>eyes<\/em> of the <em>Son of God<\/em> indicate penetrating perception; the solid <em>feet<\/em> portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:18<\/strong> <em>Thyatira<\/em> was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming <em>eyes<\/em> of the <em>Son of God<\/em> indicate penetrating perception; the solid <em>feet<\/em> portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:18 Thyatira was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming eyes of the Son of God indicate penetrating perception; the solid feet portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 BC.","summary_en":"2:18 Thyatira was an outpost city known for its many trade guilds, including weavers and dyers (Acts 16:14). • The flaming eyes of the Son of God indicate penetrating perception; the solid feet portray Christ’s stability, in vivid contrast to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, an enormous statue which had once been thought to be firmly planted until an earthquake destroyed it in 226 BC.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":65468,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Son of God","title_en":"The Son of God","content_ro":"<h3>The Son of God<\/h3>\n<p>Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).<\/p>\n<p>In the Old Testament, the title “Son of God” is applied to the people of Israel (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6, 18-19; Ps 82:6; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Hos 11:1; Mal 2:10) and to angels (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps 29:1). It is also applied in a special way to Israel’s king—the anointed king was seen as God’s “son” (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). The title also appears in intertestamental Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls), possibly in reference to the coming Messiah. Jews in the first century would have likely considered the coming Messiah as a “Son of God.”<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God” was affirmed by God at his baptism (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22) and by demons he encountered during his ministry (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Later, the disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20) and Jesus immediately began to teach them of his forthcoming death (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Then, at Jesus’ transfiguration, God affirmed the disciples’ confession (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). As Jesus approached his death, he affirmed his unique identity as God’s Son, both through his teaching (Mark 12:1-12; 13:32) and at his trial (Mark 14:61-62).<\/p>\n<p>In the Gospels, the climactic confession of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son took place at the crucifixion, where a Roman centurion became the first human in the narrative to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God (Mark 15:39). While Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is demonstrated in his exorcisms and by his Father’s declarations, his sacrificial death and the way he died (Mark 15:33-39) provide the supreme evidence that he is the Son of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Matt 26:63-68; Mark 1:1, 11, 24; 4:35-41; 8:31; 9:7; 12:1-12; 14:61-62; 15:32-39; Luke 1:32-35; 4:41; John 1:18; 3:16-17, 35-36; 5:19-26; 17:5, 24; 20:31; Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; 5:10; 8:3, 32; 2 Cor 1:19; Gal 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph 4:13; 1 Thes 1:10; Heb 1:2-14; 3:6; 5:5; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:22; 3:23; 4:9-10, 14; 5:20; 2 Jn 1:3, 9; Rev 2:18<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Son of God<\/h3>\n<p>Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).<\/p>\n<p>In the Old Testament, the title “Son of God” is applied to the people of Israel (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6, 18-19; Ps 82:6; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Hos 11:1; Mal 2:10) and to angels (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps 29:1). It is also applied in a special way to Israel’s king—the anointed king was seen as God’s “son” (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). The title also appears in intertestamental Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls), possibly in reference to the coming Messiah. Jews in the first century would have likely considered the coming Messiah as a “Son of God.”<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God” was affirmed by God at his baptism (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22) and by demons he encountered during his ministry (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Later, the disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20) and Jesus immediately began to teach them of his forthcoming death (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Then, at Jesus’ transfiguration, God affirmed the disciples’ confession (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). As Jesus approached his death, he affirmed his unique identity as God’s Son, both through his teaching (Mark 12:1-12; 13:32) and at his trial (Mark 14:61-62).<\/p>\n<p>In the Gospels, the climactic confession of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son took place at the crucifixion, where a Roman centurion became the first human in the narrative to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God (Mark 15:39). While Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is demonstrated in his exorcisms and by his Father’s declarations, his sacrificial death and the way he died (Mark 15:33-39) provide the supreme evidence that he is the Son of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Matt 26:63-68; Mark 1:1, 11, 24; 4:35-41; 8:31; 9:7; 12:1-12; 14:61-62; 15:32-39; Luke 1:32-35; 4:41; John 1:18; 3:16-17, 35-36; 5:19-26; 17:5, 24; 20:31; Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; 5:10; 8:3, 32; 2 Cor 1:19; Gal 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph 4:13; 1 Thes 1:10; Heb 1:2-14; 3:6; 5:5; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:22; 3:23; 4:9-10, 14; 5:20; 2 Jn 1:3, 9; Rev 2:18<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Son of God Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: ...","summary_en":"The Son of God Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":93094,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Son of God","title_en":"The Son of God","content_ro":"<h3>The Son of God<\/h3>\n<p>Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).<\/p>\n<p>In the Old Testament, the title “Son of God” is applied to the people of Israel (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6, 18-19; Ps 82:6; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Hos 11:1; Mal 2:10) and to angels (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps 29:1). It is also applied in a special way to Israel’s king—the anointed king was seen as God’s “son” (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). The title also appears in intertestamental Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls), possibly in reference to the coming Messiah. Jews in the first century would have likely considered the coming Messiah as a “Son of God.”<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God” was affirmed by God at his baptism (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22) and by demons he encountered during his ministry (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Later, the disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20) and Jesus immediately began to teach them of his forthcoming death (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Then, at Jesus’ transfiguration, God affirmed the disciples’ confession (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). As Jesus approached his death, he affirmed his unique identity as God’s Son, both through his teaching (Mark 12:1-12; 13:32) and at his trial (Mark 14:61-62).<\/p>\n<p>In the Gospels, the climactic confession of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son took place at the crucifixion, where a Roman centurion became the first human in the narrative to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God (Mark 15:39). While Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is demonstrated in his exorcisms and by his Father’s declarations, his sacrificial death and the way he died (Mark 15:33-39) provide the supreme evidence that he is the Son of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Matt 26:63-68; Mark 1:1, 11, 24; 4:35-41; 8:31; 9:7; 12:1-12; 14:61-62; 15:32-39; Luke 1:32-35; 4:41; John 1:18; 3:16-17, 35-36; 5:19-26; 17:5, 24; 20:31; Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; 5:10; 8:3, 32; 2 Cor 1:19; Gal 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph 4:13; 1 Thes 1:10; Heb 1:2-14; 3:6; 5:5; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:22; 3:23; 4:9-10, 14; 5:20; 2 Jn 1:3, 9; Rev 2:18<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Son of God<\/h3>\n<p>Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).<\/p>\n<p>In the Old Testament, the title “Son of God” is applied to the people of Israel (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6, 18-19; Ps 82:6; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Hos 11:1; Mal 2:10) and to angels (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps 29:1). It is also applied in a special way to Israel’s king—the anointed king was seen as God’s “son” (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). The title also appears in intertestamental Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls), possibly in reference to the coming Messiah. Jews in the first century would have likely considered the coming Messiah as a “Son of God.”<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God” was affirmed by God at his baptism (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22) and by demons he encountered during his ministry (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Later, the disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20) and Jesus immediately began to teach them of his forthcoming death (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Then, at Jesus’ transfiguration, God affirmed the disciples’ confession (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). As Jesus approached his death, he affirmed his unique identity as God’s Son, both through his teaching (Mark 12:1-12; 13:32) and at his trial (Mark 14:61-62).<\/p>\n<p>In the Gospels, the climactic confession of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son took place at the crucifixion, where a Roman centurion became the first human in the narrative to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God (Mark 15:39). While Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is demonstrated in his exorcisms and by his Father’s declarations, his sacrificial death and the way he died (Mark 15:33-39) provide the supreme evidence that he is the Son of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Matt 26:63-68; Mark 1:1, 11, 24; 4:35-41; 8:31; 9:7; 12:1-12; 14:61-62; 15:32-39; Luke 1:32-35; 4:41; John 1:18; 3:16-17, 35-36; 5:19-26; 17:5, 24; 20:31; Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; 5:10; 8:3, 32; 2 Cor 1:19; Gal 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph 4:13; 1 Thes 1:10; Heb 1:2-14; 3:6; 5:5; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:22; 3:23; 4:9-10, 14; 5:20; 2 Jn 1:3, 9; Rev 2:18<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Son of God Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: ...","summary_en":"The Son of God Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":120720,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Son of God","title_en":"The Son of God","content_ro":"<h3>The Son of God<\/h3>\n<p>Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).<\/p>\n<p>In the Old Testament, the title “Son of God” is applied to the people of Israel (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6, 18-19; Ps 82:6; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Hos 11:1; Mal 2:10) and to angels (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps 29:1). It is also applied in a special way to Israel’s king—the anointed king was seen as God’s “son” (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). The title also appears in intertestamental Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls), possibly in reference to the coming Messiah. Jews in the first century would have likely considered the coming Messiah as a “Son of God.”<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God” was affirmed by God at his baptism (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22) and by demons he encountered during his ministry (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Later, the disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20) and Jesus immediately began to teach them of his forthcoming death (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Then, at Jesus’ transfiguration, God affirmed the disciples’ confession (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). As Jesus approached his death, he affirmed his unique identity as God’s Son, both through his teaching (Mark 12:1-12; 13:32) and at his trial (Mark 14:61-62).<\/p>\n<p>In the Gospels, the climactic confession of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son took place at the crucifixion, where a Roman centurion became the first human in the narrative to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God (Mark 15:39). While Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is demonstrated in his exorcisms and by his Father’s declarations, his sacrificial death and the way he died (Mark 15:33-39) provide the supreme evidence that he is the Son of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Matt 26:63-68; Mark 1:1, 11, 24; 4:35-41; 8:31; 9:7; 12:1-12; 14:61-62; 15:32-39; Luke 1:32-35; 4:41; John 1:18; 3:16-17, 35-36; 5:19-26; 17:5, 24; 20:31; Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; 5:10; 8:3, 32; 2 Cor 1:19; Gal 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph 4:13; 1 Thes 1:10; Heb 1:2-14; 3:6; 5:5; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:22; 3:23; 4:9-10, 14; 5:20; 2 Jn 1:3, 9; Rev 2:18<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Son of God<\/h3>\n<p>Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).<\/p>\n<p>In the Old Testament, the title “Son of God” is applied to the people of Israel (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6, 18-19; Ps 82:6; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Hos 11:1; Mal 2:10) and to angels (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps 29:1). It is also applied in a special way to Israel’s king—the anointed king was seen as God’s “son” (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). The title also appears in intertestamental Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls), possibly in reference to the coming Messiah. Jews in the first century would have likely considered the coming Messiah as a “Son of God.”<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God” was affirmed by God at his baptism (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22) and by demons he encountered during his ministry (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Later, the disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20) and Jesus immediately began to teach them of his forthcoming death (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Then, at Jesus’ transfiguration, God affirmed the disciples’ confession (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). As Jesus approached his death, he affirmed his unique identity as God’s Son, both through his teaching (Mark 12:1-12; 13:32) and at his trial (Mark 14:61-62).<\/p>\n<p>In the Gospels, the climactic confession of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son took place at the crucifixion, where a Roman centurion became the first human in the narrative to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God (Mark 15:39). While Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is demonstrated in his exorcisms and by his Father’s declarations, his sacrificial death and the way he died (Mark 15:33-39) provide the supreme evidence that he is the Son of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Matt 26:63-68; Mark 1:1, 11, 24; 4:35-41; 8:31; 9:7; 12:1-12; 14:61-62; 15:32-39; Luke 1:32-35; 4:41; John 1:18; 3:16-17, 35-36; 5:19-26; 17:5, 24; 20:31; Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; 5:10; 8:3, 32; 2 Cor 1:19; Gal 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph 4:13; 1 Thes 1:10; Heb 1:2-14; 3:6; 5:5; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:22; 3:23; 4:9-10, 14; 5:20; 2 Jn 1:3, 9; Rev 2:18<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Son of God Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: ...","summary_en":"The Son of God Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":148346,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Son of God","title_en":"The Son of God","content_ro":"<h3>The Son of God<\/h3>\n<p>Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).<\/p>\n<p>In the Old Testament, the title “Son of God” is applied to the people of Israel (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6, 18-19; Ps 82:6; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Hos 11:1; Mal 2:10) and to angels (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps 29:1). It is also applied in a special way to Israel’s king—the anointed king was seen as God’s “son” (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). The title also appears in intertestamental Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls), possibly in reference to the coming Messiah. Jews in the first century would have likely considered the coming Messiah as a “Son of God.”<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God” was affirmed by God at his baptism (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22) and by demons he encountered during his ministry (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Later, the disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20) and Jesus immediately began to teach them of his forthcoming death (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Then, at Jesus’ transfiguration, God affirmed the disciples’ confession (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). As Jesus approached his death, he affirmed his unique identity as God’s Son, both through his teaching (Mark 12:1-12; 13:32) and at his trial (Mark 14:61-62).<\/p>\n<p>In the Gospels, the climactic confession of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son took place at the crucifixion, where a Roman centurion became the first human in the narrative to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God (Mark 15:39). While Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is demonstrated in his exorcisms and by his Father’s declarations, his sacrificial death and the way he died (Mark 15:33-39) provide the supreme evidence that he is the Son of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Matt 26:63-68; Mark 1:1, 11, 24; 4:35-41; 8:31; 9:7; 12:1-12; 14:61-62; 15:32-39; Luke 1:32-35; 4:41; John 1:18; 3:16-17, 35-36; 5:19-26; 17:5, 24; 20:31; Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; 5:10; 8:3, 32; 2 Cor 1:19; Gal 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph 4:13; 1 Thes 1:10; Heb 1:2-14; 3:6; 5:5; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:22; 3:23; 4:9-10, 14; 5:20; 2 Jn 1:3, 9; Rev 2:18<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Son of God<\/h3>\n<p>Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).<\/p>\n<p>In the Old Testament, the title “Son of God” is applied to the people of Israel (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6, 18-19; Ps 82:6; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Hos 11:1; Mal 2:10) and to angels (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps 29:1). It is also applied in a special way to Israel’s king—the anointed king was seen as God’s “son” (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). The title also appears in intertestamental Jewish literature (including the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls), possibly in reference to the coming Messiah. Jews in the first century would have likely considered the coming Messiah as a “Son of God.”<\/p>\n<p>Jesus’ identity as “the Son of God” was affirmed by God at his baptism (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22) and by demons he encountered during his ministry (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Later, the disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20) and Jesus immediately began to teach them of his forthcoming death (Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Then, at Jesus’ transfiguration, God affirmed the disciples’ confession (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). As Jesus approached his death, he affirmed his unique identity as God’s Son, both through his teaching (Mark 12:1-12; 13:32) and at his trial (Mark 14:61-62).<\/p>\n<p>In the Gospels, the climactic confession of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son took place at the crucifixion, where a Roman centurion became the first human in the narrative to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God (Mark 15:39). While Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is demonstrated in his exorcisms and by his Father’s declarations, his sacrificial death and the way he died (Mark 15:33-39) provide the supreme evidence that he is the Son of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 4:22; Deut 32:5-6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 22:10; 28:6; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27; Jer 3:19; 31:9, 20; Matt 26:63-68; Mark 1:1, 11, 24; 4:35-41; 8:31; 9:7; 12:1-12; 14:61-62; 15:32-39; Luke 1:32-35; 4:41; John 1:18; 3:16-17, 35-36; 5:19-26; 17:5, 24; 20:31; Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; 5:10; 8:3, 32; 2 Cor 1:19; Gal 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph 4:13; 1 Thes 1:10; Heb 1:2-14; 3:6; 5:5; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:22; 3:23; 4:9-10, 14; 5:20; 2 Jn 1:3, 9; Rev 2:18<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Son of God Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: ...","summary_en":"The Son of God Time and again Jesus’ healings, exorcisms, raising of the dead, and teachings created wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (e.g., Mark 1:22, 27; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33; 7:37; 9:15; 10:24, 26, 32; 12:17; 15:5). This amazement emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel writers wanted their readers to ask themselves, “Who is this man? . . . Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25). Mark gives the answer at the very beginning of his Gospel: ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"19":[{"id":37279,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Thyatira","title_en":"Thyatira","content_ro":"<h3>THYATIRA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west.<\/p>\n<p>After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 <span>BC<\/span>), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeated invasions. The strength of the city lay largely in its strategic location and also upon the fertility of the area surrounding it. Its inhabitants were descendants of Macedonian solders and retained much of their ancestors’ militancy. They were formidable defenders of the city.<\/p>\n<p>When Rome defeated Antiochus in 189 <span>BC<\/span>, Thyatira was incorporated into the kingdom of Pergamum, Rome’s ally. Peace and prosperity followed. Under the Roman emperor Claudius (<span>AD<\/span> 41–54), Thyatira rose to new prominence and was permitted to issue its own coins. The emperor Hadrian included this city in his Middle East itinerary (<span>AD<\/span> 134), a hint of the importance of Thyatira in the second century <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Prosperity attracted many Jews to this area. Among the commercial activities of the city were textiles and bronze armor. The armorers were in a guild, like the silversmiths in Ephesus. The first known Christian convert in Europe was a businesswoman from Thyatira named Lydia (Acts 16:14-15, 40). She specialized in the costly purple garments that were exported from Thyatira to Macedonia. Here the purple dye, from the madder root, offered a much cheaper cloth to compete with costlier garments dyed with the expensive murex dye from Phoenicia.<\/p>\n<p>In the message to the church in Thyatira, the members are commended for their love, faith, service, and endurance (Rv 2:19). But the influence of paganism is still reflected in the sharp rebuke of those who tolerate the heresy of which “Jezebel” was the leader. Their temptation was similar to that of the Corinthian believers who were uncertain about eating food that had been dedicated to idols (1 Cor 8:1-13). The trade guilds held periodic festivals in which food offered to idols was consumed. This was sometimes accompanied by licentious rites in which religion and sex were mingled. This church was condemned for its accommodation to these pagan practices. Immorality was so rife among the pagans that the early church, with its uncompromising attitude toward unchastity, stood in constant tension with the mores of the community. Superstition and devil worship were apparently a great temptation as well. The “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24) is probably an allusion to one of the Gnostic sects that stressed “depth” and carried on secret rites in which only initiates participated. So serious was the temptation that the best hope was for survival of the remnant—hence, the exhortation “hold fast what you have, until I come” (v 25).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>THYATIRA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west.<\/p>\n<p>After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 <span>BC<\/span>), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeated invasions. The strength of the city lay largely in its strategic location and also upon the fertility of the area surrounding it. Its inhabitants were descendants of Macedonian solders and retained much of their ancestors’ militancy. They were formidable defenders of the city.<\/p>\n<p>When Rome defeated Antiochus in 189 <span>BC<\/span>, Thyatira was incorporated into the kingdom of Pergamum, Rome’s ally. Peace and prosperity followed. Under the Roman emperor Claudius (<span>AD<\/span> 41–54), Thyatira rose to new prominence and was permitted to issue its own coins. The emperor Hadrian included this city in his Middle East itinerary (<span>AD<\/span> 134), a hint of the importance of Thyatira in the second century <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Prosperity attracted many Jews to this area. Among the commercial activities of the city were textiles and bronze armor. The armorers were in a guild, like the silversmiths in Ephesus. The first known Christian convert in Europe was a businesswoman from Thyatira named Lydia (Acts 16:14-15, 40). She specialized in the costly purple garments that were exported from Thyatira to Macedonia. Here the purple dye, from the madder root, offered a much cheaper cloth to compete with costlier garments dyed with the expensive murex dye from Phoenicia.<\/p>\n<p>In the message to the church in Thyatira, the members are commended for their love, faith, service, and endurance (Rv 2:19). But the influence of paganism is still reflected in the sharp rebuke of those who tolerate the heresy of which “Jezebel” was the leader. Their temptation was similar to that of the Corinthian believers who were uncertain about eating food that had been dedicated to idols (1 Cor 8:1-13). The trade guilds held periodic festivals in which food offered to idols was consumed. This was sometimes accompanied by licentious rites in which religion and sex were mingled. This church was condemned for its accommodation to these pagan practices. Immorality was so rife among the pagans that the early church, with its uncompromising attitude toward unchastity, stood in constant tension with the mores of the community. Superstition and devil worship were apparently a great temptation as well. The “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24) is probably an allusion to one of the Gnostic sects that stressed “depth” and carried on secret rites in which only initiates participated. So serious was the temptation that the best hope was for survival of the remnant—hence, the exhortation “hold fast what you have, until I come” (v 25).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","summary_ro":"THYATIRA Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west. After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 BC), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeate...","summary_en":"THYATIRA Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west. After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 BC), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeate...","source":"Articles\/T.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59337,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:19","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:19","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:19<\/strong> Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:19<\/strong> Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:19 Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.","summary_en":"2:19 Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86963,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:19","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:19","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:19<\/strong> Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:19<\/strong> Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:19 Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.","summary_en":"2:19 Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114589,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:19","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:19","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:19<\/strong> Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:19<\/strong> Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:19 Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.","summary_en":"2:19 Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142215,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:19","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:19","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:19<\/strong> Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:19<\/strong> Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:19 Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.","summary_en":"2:19 Christ emphasizes knowing and seeing all things as he praises the Thyatirans.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"20":[{"id":41547,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Jezebel","title_en":"Jezebel","content_ro":"<h3>Jezebel<\/h3>\n<p>Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son Ahaziah’s reign. She was later executed when Jehu exterminated the ruling family, and God’s sentence against her was fulfilled (2 Kgs 9:30-37).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s corrupt influence spread to the southern kingdom of Judah when her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, King Jehoshaphat’s son (see 2 Kgs 8:18, 26-27).<\/p>\n<p>The long-standing association of her name with evil is seen in Revelation 2:20, where the name Jezebel is used to label a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to commit sexual sins and eat things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 16:31–21:28; 2 Kgs 9:1-37; Rev 2:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Jezebel<\/h3>\n<p>Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son Ahaziah’s reign. She was later executed when Jehu exterminated the ruling family, and God’s sentence against her was fulfilled (2 Kgs 9:30-37).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s corrupt influence spread to the southern kingdom of Judah when her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, King Jehoshaphat’s son (see 2 Kgs 8:18, 26-27).<\/p>\n<p>The long-standing association of her name with evil is seen in Revelation 2:20, where the name Jezebel is used to label a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to commit sexual sins and eat things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 16:31–21:28; 2 Kgs 9:1-37; Rev 2:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with...","summary_en":"Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":69173,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Jezebel","title_en":"Jezebel","content_ro":"<h3>Jezebel<\/h3>\n<p>Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son Ahaziah’s reign. She was later executed when Jehu exterminated the ruling family, and God’s sentence against her was fulfilled (2 Kgs 9:30-37).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s corrupt influence spread to the southern kingdom of Judah when her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, King Jehoshaphat’s son (see 2 Kgs 8:18, 26-27).<\/p>\n<p>The long-standing association of her name with evil is seen in Revelation 2:20, where the name Jezebel is used to label a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to commit sexual sins and eat things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 16:31–21:28; 2 Kgs 9:1-37; Rev 2:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Jezebel<\/h3>\n<p>Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son Ahaziah’s reign. She was later executed when Jehu exterminated the ruling family, and God’s sentence against her was fulfilled (2 Kgs 9:30-37).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s corrupt influence spread to the southern kingdom of Judah when her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, King Jehoshaphat’s son (see 2 Kgs 8:18, 26-27).<\/p>\n<p>The long-standing association of her name with evil is seen in Revelation 2:20, where the name Jezebel is used to label a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to commit sexual sins and eat things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 16:31–21:28; 2 Kgs 9:1-37; Rev 2:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with...","summary_en":"Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":96799,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Jezebel","title_en":"Jezebel","content_ro":"<h3>Jezebel<\/h3>\n<p>Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son Ahaziah’s reign. She was later executed when Jehu exterminated the ruling family, and God’s sentence against her was fulfilled (2 Kgs 9:30-37).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s corrupt influence spread to the southern kingdom of Judah when her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, King Jehoshaphat’s son (see 2 Kgs 8:18, 26-27).<\/p>\n<p>The long-standing association of her name with evil is seen in Revelation 2:20, where the name Jezebel is used to label a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to commit sexual sins and eat things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 16:31–21:28; 2 Kgs 9:1-37; Rev 2:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Jezebel<\/h3>\n<p>Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son Ahaziah’s reign. She was later executed when Jehu exterminated the ruling family, and God’s sentence against her was fulfilled (2 Kgs 9:30-37).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s corrupt influence spread to the southern kingdom of Judah when her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, King Jehoshaphat’s son (see 2 Kgs 8:18, 26-27).<\/p>\n<p>The long-standing association of her name with evil is seen in Revelation 2:20, where the name Jezebel is used to label a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to commit sexual sins and eat things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 16:31–21:28; 2 Kgs 9:1-37; Rev 2:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with...","summary_en":"Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":124425,"type":"profile","type_label":"Profil","type_icon":"👤","type_color":"#f59e0b","title_ro":"Jezebel","title_en":"Jezebel","content_ro":"<h3>Jezebel<\/h3>\n<p>Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son Ahaziah’s reign. She was later executed when Jehu exterminated the ruling family, and God’s sentence against her was fulfilled (2 Kgs 9:30-37).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s corrupt influence spread to the southern kingdom of Judah when her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, King Jehoshaphat’s son (see 2 Kgs 8:18, 26-27).<\/p>\n<p>The long-standing association of her name with evil is seen in Revelation 2:20, where the name Jezebel is used to label a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to commit sexual sins and eat things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 16:31–21:28; 2 Kgs 9:1-37; Rev 2:20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Jezebel<\/h3>\n<p>Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mount Carmel (18:19-40), where Elijah challenged Israel to follow the true God. Following a display of God’s power, the Israelites acknowledged God and helped Elijah slaughter the false prophets. When Jezebel heard this, she threatened Elijah, and he fled (19:1-3).<\/p>\n<p>Later, Jezebel advised her husband about how to steal a vineyard from his neighbor Naboth. When Naboth wouldn’t sell it, Jezebel coldly devised a plan to falsely convict Naboth of cursing God and the king, and he was executed. Ahab seized the vineyard, but God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on Jezebel and Ahab (21:20-24). Ahab soon died (22:29-40), but Jezebel survived throughout her son Ahaziah’s reign. She was later executed when Jehu exterminated the ruling family, and God’s sentence against her was fulfilled (2 Kgs 9:30-37).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s corrupt influence spread to the southern kingdom of Judah when her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, King Jehoshaphat’s son (see 2 Kgs 8:18, 26-27).<\/p>\n<p>The long-standing association of her name with evil is seen in Revelation 2:20, where the name Jezebel is used to label a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to commit sexual sins and eat things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Kgs 16:31–21:28; 2 Kgs 9:1-37; Rev 2:20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with...","summary_en":"Jezebel Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), married King Ahab of Israel, probably to confirm a political alliance between their countries. Jezebel promoted Baal worship and demanded absolute rights for the monarchy. Jezebel influenced Ahab into establishing Baal worship in Samaria and setting up an Asherah pole (16:30-33). She tried to exterminate God’s prophets (18:4) and supported large groups of Baal’s prophets in the royal palace (18:19). Elijah’s confrontation with...","source":"Profiles.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":19833,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Jezebel","title_en":"Jezebel","content_ro":"<h3>JEZEBEL<\/h3>\n<p>Daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31). She became the wife of Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel. The marriage was probably a continuation of the friendly relations between Israel and Phoenicia begun by Omri; it confirmed a political alliance between the two nations. Jezebel exerted a strong influence over the life of Israel, as she insisted on establishing the worship of Baal and demanded the absolute rights of the monarchy. So strong was her pagan influence that Scripture attributes the apostasy of Ahab directly to Jezebel (vv 30-33).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s efforts to establish Baal worship in Israel began with Ahab’s acceptance of Baal following the marriage (1 Kgs 16:31). Ahab followed Jezebel’s practices by building a house of worship and altar for Baal in Samaria, and by setting up a pole for worship of the Asherah. A campaign was then conducted to exterminate the prophets of God (18:4), while Jezebel organized and supported large groups of Baal prophets, housing and feeding large numbers of them in the royal palace (v 19). To meet this challenge, God sent Elijah to prophesy a drought that lasted three years (17:1; 18:1).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mt Carmel, where Elijah demanded that the prophets of Baal meet him (1 Kgs 18:19-40). As they and the people of Israel gathered, Elijah issued the challenge to Israel to follow the true God. To demonstrate who was the true God, Baal’s prophets and Elijah each took a bull for sacrifice. The prophets of Baal then prepared the sacrifice and called on their god to send fire to consume it. But no answer came. Elijah prepared his sacrifice and had it drenched in water. After his prayer, God sent fire that consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones of the altar, the dust, and the water in the trench. Following this, the Israelites fell down in tribute to God. Then Elijah directed the people to take the prophets of Baal to the brook Kishon, and he slaughtered all of them. When Jezebel heard of this, she flew into a rage and threatened Elijah with the same fate. In fear, Elijah fled for his life to the wilderness.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s unscrupulous nature is revealed in the account of Ahab’s desire for Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kgs 21:1-16). Although Ahab desired the vineyard, he recognized Naboth’s right to retain the family property. Jezebel recognized no such right in view of a monarch’s wishes. She arranged to have Naboth falsely accused of blaspheming God and consequently executed, leaving the vineyard for Ahab to seize. For this heinous crime, Elijah pronounced a violent death for Ahab and Jezebel (21:20-24), a prophecy which was ultimately fulfilled (1 Kgs 22:29-40; 2 Kgs 9:1-37).<\/p>\n<p>The corrupt influence of Jezebel spread to the southern kingdom of Judah through her daughter Athaliah, who married Jehoram, king of Judah. Thus the idolatry of Phoenicia infected both kingdoms of the Hebrews through this evil Sidonian princess.<\/p>\n<p>In Revelation 2:20 the name of Jezebel is used (probably symbolically) to refer to a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to fornication and to eating things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Ahab #1; Elijah; Sidon (Place), Sidonian.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>JEZEBEL<\/h3>\n<p>Daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31). She became the wife of Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel. The marriage was probably a continuation of the friendly relations between Israel and Phoenicia begun by Omri; it confirmed a political alliance between the two nations. Jezebel exerted a strong influence over the life of Israel, as she insisted on establishing the worship of Baal and demanded the absolute rights of the monarchy. So strong was her pagan influence that Scripture attributes the apostasy of Ahab directly to Jezebel (vv 30-33).<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s efforts to establish Baal worship in Israel began with Ahab’s acceptance of Baal following the marriage (1 Kgs 16:31). Ahab followed Jezebel’s practices by building a house of worship and altar for Baal in Samaria, and by setting up a pole for worship of the Asherah. A campaign was then conducted to exterminate the prophets of God (18:4), while Jezebel organized and supported large groups of Baal prophets, housing and feeding large numbers of them in the royal palace (v 19). To meet this challenge, God sent Elijah to prophesy a drought that lasted three years (17:1; 18:1).<\/p>\n<p>Elijah’s confrontation with Jezebel and Ahab culminated on Mt Carmel, where Elijah demanded that the prophets of Baal meet him (1 Kgs 18:19-40). As they and the people of Israel gathered, Elijah issued the challenge to Israel to follow the true God. To demonstrate who was the true God, Baal’s prophets and Elijah each took a bull for sacrifice. The prophets of Baal then prepared the sacrifice and called on their god to send fire to consume it. But no answer came. Elijah prepared his sacrifice and had it drenched in water. After his prayer, God sent fire that consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones of the altar, the dust, and the water in the trench. Following this, the Israelites fell down in tribute to God. Then Elijah directed the people to take the prophets of Baal to the brook Kishon, and he slaughtered all of them. When Jezebel heard of this, she flew into a rage and threatened Elijah with the same fate. In fear, Elijah fled for his life to the wilderness.<\/p>\n<p>Jezebel’s unscrupulous nature is revealed in the account of Ahab’s desire for Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kgs 21:1-16). Although Ahab desired the vineyard, he recognized Naboth’s right to retain the family property. Jezebel recognized no such right in view of a monarch’s wishes. She arranged to have Naboth falsely accused of blaspheming God and consequently executed, leaving the vineyard for Ahab to seize. For this heinous crime, Elijah pronounced a violent death for Ahab and Jezebel (21:20-24), a prophecy which was ultimately fulfilled (1 Kgs 22:29-40; 2 Kgs 9:1-37).<\/p>\n<p>The corrupt influence of Jezebel spread to the southern kingdom of Judah through her daughter Athaliah, who married Jehoram, king of Judah. Thus the idolatry of Phoenicia infected both kingdoms of the Hebrews through this evil Sidonian princess.<\/p>\n<p>In Revelation 2:20 the name of Jezebel is used (probably symbolically) to refer to a prophetess who seduced the Christians of Thyatira to fornication and to eating things sacrificed to idols.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Ahab #1; Elijah; Sidon (Place), Sidonian.<\/p>","summary_ro":"JEZEBEL Daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31). She became the wife of Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel. The marriage was probably a continuation of the friendly relations between Israel and Phoenicia begun by Omri; it confirmed a political alliance between the two nations. Jezebel exerted a strong influence over the life of Israel, as she insisted on establishing the worship of Baal and demanded the absolute rights of the monarchy. So strong was her pagan influence that...","summary_en":"JEZEBEL Daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31). She became the wife of Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel. The marriage was probably a continuation of the friendly relations between Israel and Phoenicia begun by Omri; it confirmed a political alliance between the two nations. Jezebel exerted a strong influence over the life of Israel, as she insisted on establishing the worship of Baal and demanded the absolute rights of the monarchy. So strong was her pagan influence that...","source":"Articles\/J.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":27532,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Nicolaitans","title_en":"Nicolaitans","content_ro":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","summary_ro":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","summary_en":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","source":"Articles\/N.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59338,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:20","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:20","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:20-21<\/strong> The mention of <em>Jezebel<\/em><em>,<\/em> who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called <em>herself a prophet<\/em> but was leading God’s people into various forms of <em>immorality<\/em><em>,<\/em> including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:20-21<\/strong> The mention of <em>Jezebel<\/em><em>,<\/em> who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called <em>herself a prophet<\/em> but was leading God’s people into various forms of <em>immorality<\/em><em>,<\/em> including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).","summary_en":"2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86964,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:20","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:20","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:20-21<\/strong> The mention of <em>Jezebel<\/em><em>,<\/em> who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called <em>herself a prophet<\/em> but was leading God’s people into various forms of <em>immorality<\/em><em>,<\/em> including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:20-21<\/strong> The mention of <em>Jezebel<\/em><em>,<\/em> who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called <em>herself a prophet<\/em> but was leading God’s people into various forms of <em>immorality<\/em><em>,<\/em> including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).","summary_en":"2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114590,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:20","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:20","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:20-21<\/strong> The mention of <em>Jezebel<\/em><em>,<\/em> who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called <em>herself a prophet<\/em> but was leading God’s people into various forms of <em>immorality<\/em><em>,<\/em> including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:20-21<\/strong> The mention of <em>Jezebel<\/em><em>,<\/em> who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called <em>herself a prophet<\/em> but was leading God’s people into various forms of <em>immorality<\/em><em>,<\/em> including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).","summary_en":"2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142216,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:20","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:20","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:20-21<\/strong> The mention of <em>Jezebel<\/em><em>,<\/em> who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called <em>herself a prophet<\/em> but was leading God’s people into various forms of <em>immorality<\/em><em>,<\/em> including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:20-21<\/strong> The mention of <em>Jezebel<\/em><em>,<\/em> who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called <em>herself a prophet<\/em> but was leading God’s people into various forms of <em>immorality<\/em><em>,<\/em> including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).","summary_en":"2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":60486,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","title_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","content_ro":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","summary_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":66614,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Gift of Prophecy","title_en":"The Gift of Prophecy","content_ro":"<h3>The Gift of Prophecy<\/h3>\n<p>As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also <em>The Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/em> 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1–5:17) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20; 2 Chr 34:22-28). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).<\/p>\n<p>Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23; 21:10-11; see Rom 9:24-33; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 2 Thes 2:3-4), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32; 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:3-4, 29-33; Rev 19:10). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-13). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22).<\/p>\n<p>Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1; see also Rev 2:20-23). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 15:20; Deut 13:1-5; Judg 4:4; 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 2 Kgs 22:14-20; Isa 20:2-6; 44:25; Jer 13:1-11; 23:25-32; Ezek 4:1-17; 13:2-9; Joel 2:28-32; Matt 7:15; 24:24; Acts 2:17-21; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 19:6; 20:23; Acts 21:9-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 11:5; 12:4-11; 14:1-40; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Thes 5:19-21; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-3; Rev 2:20-23; 19:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Gift of Prophecy<\/h3>\n<p>As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also <em>The Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/em> 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1–5:17) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20; 2 Chr 34:22-28). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).<\/p>\n<p>Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23; 21:10-11; see Rom 9:24-33; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 2 Thes 2:3-4), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32; 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:3-4, 29-33; Rev 19:10). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-13). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22).<\/p>\n<p>Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1; see also Rev 2:20-23). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 15:20; Deut 13:1-5; Judg 4:4; 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 2 Kgs 22:14-20; Isa 20:2-6; 44:25; Jer 13:1-11; 23:25-32; Ezek 4:1-17; 13:2-9; Joel 2:28-32; Matt 7:15; 24:24; Acts 2:17-21; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 19:6; 20:23; Acts 21:9-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 11:5; 12:4-11; 14:1-40; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Thes 5:19-21; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-3; Rev 2:20-23; 19:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek ...","summary_en":"The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67884,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":88112,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","title_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","content_ro":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","summary_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":94240,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Gift of Prophecy","title_en":"The Gift of Prophecy","content_ro":"<h3>The Gift of Prophecy<\/h3>\n<p>As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also <em>The Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/em> 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1–5:17) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20; 2 Chr 34:22-28). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).<\/p>\n<p>Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23; 21:10-11; see Rom 9:24-33; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 2 Thes 2:3-4), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32; 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:3-4, 29-33; Rev 19:10). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-13). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22).<\/p>\n<p>Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1; see also Rev 2:20-23). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 15:20; Deut 13:1-5; Judg 4:4; 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 2 Kgs 22:14-20; Isa 20:2-6; 44:25; Jer 13:1-11; 23:25-32; Ezek 4:1-17; 13:2-9; Joel 2:28-32; Matt 7:15; 24:24; Acts 2:17-21; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 19:6; 20:23; Acts 21:9-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 11:5; 12:4-11; 14:1-40; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Thes 5:19-21; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-3; Rev 2:20-23; 19:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Gift of Prophecy<\/h3>\n<p>As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also <em>The Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/em> 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1–5:17) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20; 2 Chr 34:22-28). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).<\/p>\n<p>Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23; 21:10-11; see Rom 9:24-33; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 2 Thes 2:3-4), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32; 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:3-4, 29-33; Rev 19:10). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-13). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22).<\/p>\n<p>Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1; see also Rev 2:20-23). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 15:20; Deut 13:1-5; Judg 4:4; 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 2 Kgs 22:14-20; Isa 20:2-6; 44:25; Jer 13:1-11; 23:25-32; Ezek 4:1-17; 13:2-9; Joel 2:28-32; Matt 7:15; 24:24; Acts 2:17-21; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 19:6; 20:23; Acts 21:9-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 11:5; 12:4-11; 14:1-40; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Thes 5:19-21; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-3; Rev 2:20-23; 19:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek ...","summary_en":"The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95510,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":115738,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","title_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","content_ro":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","summary_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":121866,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Gift of Prophecy","title_en":"The Gift of Prophecy","content_ro":"<h3>The Gift of Prophecy<\/h3>\n<p>As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also <em>The Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/em> 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1–5:17) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20; 2 Chr 34:22-28). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).<\/p>\n<p>Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23; 21:10-11; see Rom 9:24-33; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 2 Thes 2:3-4), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32; 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:3-4, 29-33; Rev 19:10). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-13). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22).<\/p>\n<p>Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1; see also Rev 2:20-23). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 15:20; Deut 13:1-5; Judg 4:4; 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 2 Kgs 22:14-20; Isa 20:2-6; 44:25; Jer 13:1-11; 23:25-32; Ezek 4:1-17; 13:2-9; Joel 2:28-32; Matt 7:15; 24:24; Acts 2:17-21; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 19:6; 20:23; Acts 21:9-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 11:5; 12:4-11; 14:1-40; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Thes 5:19-21; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-3; Rev 2:20-23; 19:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Gift of Prophecy<\/h3>\n<p>As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also <em>The Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/em> 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1–5:17) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20; 2 Chr 34:22-28). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).<\/p>\n<p>Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23; 21:10-11; see Rom 9:24-33; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 2 Thes 2:3-4), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32; 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:3-4, 29-33; Rev 19:10). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-13). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22).<\/p>\n<p>Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1; see also Rev 2:20-23). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 15:20; Deut 13:1-5; Judg 4:4; 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 2 Kgs 22:14-20; Isa 20:2-6; 44:25; Jer 13:1-11; 23:25-32; Ezek 4:1-17; 13:2-9; Joel 2:28-32; Matt 7:15; 24:24; Acts 2:17-21; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 19:6; 20:23; Acts 21:9-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 11:5; 12:4-11; 14:1-40; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Thes 5:19-21; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-3; Rev 2:20-23; 19:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek ...","summary_en":"The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123136,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":143364,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","title_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin","content_ro":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Family, Community, and Sexual Sin<\/h3>\n<p>In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close intimacy. By extension of the family model, the term often translated “brother” could also be used of a fellow Israelite (see Deut 1:16, “fellow Israelites”; Deut 3:18, “Israelite relatives”).<\/p>\n<p>Since Israel was seen as an extended family, its existence depended on the integrity of the home. Crimes such as incest and adultery were punished very severely because they weakened the foundation of the family. Incest introduced competition, threatening the safety of the home by violating the trust, intimacy, and sense of belonging shared by its members. Adultery fragmented the home by allowing intimacy with someone outside it to divide the loyalties of its participants. These powerful enemies of family solidarity weakened the clan and tribe (see Lev 18:6-23) and, by extension, the solidarity of the nation itself.<\/p>\n<p>Sexual sins—even those that are consensual—are not “victimless crimes” but sins that eventually threaten the community itself. The importance given in Old Testament law to such crimes is echoed in New Testament warnings against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 19:30-38; 49:3-4; Lev 18:6-30; 20:14, 21; 2 Sam 13:1-39; Matt 14:3-5; 1 Cor 5:1-2; 6:13-20; 7:2; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:3; Jude 1:7; Rev 2:14-16, 20<\/p>","summary_ro":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","summary_en":"Family, Community, and Sexual Sin In Israel, the family was the basic building block for the solidarity of the entire people. Each of the twelve tribes was a conglomeration of families and clans. The twelve tribes together comprised the people of Israel as a whole. Although the level of solidarity might decrease at a distance from one’s immediate family, this familial notion permeated all of Israelite society. A kinsman was often called a brother, not just a relative, to express the close int...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":149492,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Gift of Prophecy","title_en":"The Gift of Prophecy","content_ro":"<h3>The Gift of Prophecy<\/h3>\n<p>As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also <em>The Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/em> 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1–5:17) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20; 2 Chr 34:22-28). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).<\/p>\n<p>Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23; 21:10-11; see Rom 9:24-33; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 2 Thes 2:3-4), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32; 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:3-4, 29-33; Rev 19:10). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-13). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22).<\/p>\n<p>Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1; see also Rev 2:20-23). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 15:20; Deut 13:1-5; Judg 4:4; 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 2 Kgs 22:14-20; Isa 20:2-6; 44:25; Jer 13:1-11; 23:25-32; Ezek 4:1-17; 13:2-9; Joel 2:28-32; Matt 7:15; 24:24; Acts 2:17-21; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 19:6; 20:23; Acts 21:9-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 11:5; 12:4-11; 14:1-40; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Thes 5:19-21; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-3; Rev 2:20-23; 19:10<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Gift of Prophecy<\/h3>\n<p>As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also <em>The Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/em> 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek 4:1–5:17) and predicting events to come (Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Philip the Evangelist was the father of four young women who “had the gift of prophecy” (21:9). The apostle Paul also acknowledged the prophetic gift of some Christian women (1 Cor 11:5). In the Old Testament, most prophets were men, but several women are also described as prophets, for example, Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14-20; 2 Chr 34:22-28). In the New Testament, the gift of prophecy is given to both men and women, and both young and old, as Peter signaled in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18).<\/p>\n<p>Although prophecy sometimes involves foretelling the future (20:22-23; 21:10-11; see Rom 9:24-33; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 2 Thes 2:3-4), at its core prophecy is proclaiming God’s word by preaching, exhorting, and explaining the will of God (Acts 15:32; 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:3-4, 29-33; Rev 19:10). The gift of prophecy is clearly mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of Christ to the church (1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-13). It is to be used for the benefit of believers (1 Cor 14:22).<\/p>\n<p>Prophecy is always in need of testing (1 Thes 5:19-21), and the church is strongly warned against false prophets (1 Jn 4:1; see also Rev 2:20-23). When used faithfully and in submission to God’s word and his Spirit, courageous proclamation of God’s truth helps the church to determine what God’s will is and inspires God’s people to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 15:20; Deut 13:1-5; Judg 4:4; 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 2 Kgs 22:14-20; Isa 20:2-6; 44:25; Jer 13:1-11; 23:25-32; Ezek 4:1-17; 13:2-9; Joel 2:28-32; Matt 7:15; 24:24; Acts 2:17-21; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 19:6; 20:23; Acts 21:9-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 11:5; 12:4-11; 14:1-40; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Thes 5:19-21; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-3; Rev 2:20-23; 19:10<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek ...","summary_en":"The Gift of Prophecy As Peter had declared at Pentecost, the gift of prophecy was one of the results of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-21; see Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts names a few Christian prophets (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32; 21:9-11; see also The Martyrdom of Polycarp 12:3; 16:2). One of these prophets was Agabus, whose function was similar to that of an Old Testament prophet, performing symbolic acts (Acts 21:10-11; see 1 Kgs 11:29-32; Isa 20:2-6; Jer 13:1-11; Ezek ...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150762,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Early Christian Heresies","title_en":"Early Christian Heresies","content_ro":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Early Christian Heresies<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>, originally meaning “choice,” designates a <em>sect<\/em> or <em>faction.<\/em> For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span> denotes nothing more than a sect.<\/p>\n<p>After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">hairesis<\/span>—that is, a sect that held opinions contrary to the truths established by the apostles. This is what Paul meant when he warned the Corinthian church that factious <em>sects<\/em> would develop among them (1 Cor 11:19).<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the word <em>heresy<\/em> came to connote teaching that deviates from the norm and causes individuals to break away from orthodoxy. Thus, Peter warned Christians about false teachers who would try to deceive believers with their heretical teachings (2 Pet 2:1). In the modern era, this is how the word <em>heresy<\/em> is usually understood; it is unorthodox teaching that damages the faith of some believers and causes divisive factions within the church.<\/p>\n<p>Two heresies were particularly prevalent in the church around the time of John’s writings: Gnosticism and Docetism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gnosticism<\/strong> is characterized by claims to obscure and mystical knowledge. Many Gnostics believed in a hierarchy of beings in which there was an eternal god, from whom came a series of emanations of lesser spiritual beings, including the creator god, who was considered evil. This creator god fashioned the material world, including human beings. Thus, bearing similarities with Platonic thought, this strand of Gnostics believed that everything material was evil and that there was a more “real” spiritual realm. The goal for these Gnostics was to discover the spiritual seed within them—through secret knowledge (gnōsis)—which would enable them to leave the physical realm and join the spiritual realm. This generated varied responses to the physical realm, with some Gnostics practicing strict, ascetic avoidance of physical pleasure, while others indulged heavily in the “flesh,” regarding their actions in relation to this world as inconsequential.<\/p>\n<p>Gnosticism developed through the interweaving of Christianity with Greek philosophy and emphasizes the need for additional, special knowledge that redefines the terms and practices of orthodox Christianity into something quite different. The Gnostics often incorporated Christ into their belief system, considering the Christ to be one of the various emanations from the supreme being. According to many Gnostics, this Christ taught some of his followers how to discover the spiritual spark within them and join the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n<p>A significant amount of Christian writings from the first couple of centuries of the church’s existence were penned as a response to Gnostic heresy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Docetism<\/strong>, a form of Gnosticism, held that Christ only seemed to have a human body with physical birth, death, and resurrection (<span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">dokeō<\/span> is a Greek verb meaning “to seem”). An early Docetist was Cerinthus, who argued that the spiritual “Christ” came upon the human Jesus at his baptism and was present with him during his ministry, but departed prior to his suffering and death. This movement was concerned with protecting the divinity of God from being polluted by the human nature of Jesus. According to early church tradition, John vehemently opposed Cerinthus’s teachings (see Irenaeus, <em>Against Heresies<\/em> 3.3.4; cp. 1 Jn 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7).<\/p>\n<p>True Christians believe in the Incarnation—God becoming a real human being with flesh and blood. Jesus’ humanity was not a facade. He was truly human, sharing our flesh and blood, so that he could provide salvation for humanity through his own flesh and blood. Ignatius, a student of the apostle John and later the bishop of Antioch, wrote a series of letters refuting Docetism. Ignatius was the first one outside the New Testament writers to speak of the virgin birth of Jesus. He also emphasized the fact that the apostles touched the body of their risen Lord, and he said it was possible for him to face martyrdom with courage because of the real suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acts 8:9-24; 2 Cor 11:1-15; Col 1:23; 2:6-23; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 Jn 4:2-3; 5:5-8; 2 Jn 1:7-11; 3 Jn 1:9-12; Rev 2:2, 14-16, 20-25<\/p>","summary_ro":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","summary_en":"Early Christian Heresies The Greek word hairesis, originally meaning “choice,” designates a sect or faction. For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism (Acts 5:17), as were the Pharisees (Acts 15:5). The early believers in Jesus as the Messiah were known as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). In each of these verses, the word hairesis denotes nothing more than a sect. After the church grew and developed, any factious group within a local church was called a hairesis—that is, a...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"21":[{"id":59339,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:21","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:21","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:21<\/strong> Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to <em>repent<\/em> of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:21<\/strong> Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to <em>repent<\/em> of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:21 Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to repent of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).","summary_en":"2:21 Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to repent of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86965,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:21","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:21","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:21<\/strong> Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to <em>repent<\/em> of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:21<\/strong> Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to <em>repent<\/em> of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:21 Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to repent of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).","summary_en":"2:21 Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to repent of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114591,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:21","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:21","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:21<\/strong> Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to <em>repent<\/em> of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:21<\/strong> Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to <em>repent<\/em> of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:21 Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to repent of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).","summary_en":"2:21 Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to repent of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142217,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:21","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:21","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:21<\/strong> Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to <em>repent<\/em> of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:21<\/strong> Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to <em>repent<\/em> of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:21 Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to repent of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).","summary_en":"2:21 Through messengers such as John, Christ had given this false prophet opportunity to repent of her sinful teachings and actions, but like many, she had refused (cp. 9:20-21).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"22":[{"id":59340,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:22","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:22","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:22-23<\/strong> Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is <em>on a bed of suffering<\/em>; (2) her followers <em>will suffer greatly<\/em>; and (3) <em>her children<\/em> will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees <em>thoughts and intentions<\/em> (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people <em>deserve<\/em> (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:22-23<\/strong> Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is <em>on a bed of suffering<\/em>; (2) her followers <em>will suffer greatly<\/em>; and (3) <em>her children<\/em> will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees <em>thoughts and intentions<\/em> (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people <em>deserve<\/em> (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16...","summary_en":"2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86966,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:22","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:22","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:22-23<\/strong> Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is <em>on a bed of suffering<\/em>; (2) her followers <em>will suffer greatly<\/em>; and (3) <em>her children<\/em> will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees <em>thoughts and intentions<\/em> (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people <em>deserve<\/em> (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:22-23<\/strong> Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is <em>on a bed of suffering<\/em>; (2) her followers <em>will suffer greatly<\/em>; and (3) <em>her children<\/em> will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees <em>thoughts and intentions<\/em> (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people <em>deserve<\/em> (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16...","summary_en":"2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114592,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:22","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:22","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:22-23<\/strong> Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is <em>on a bed of suffering<\/em>; (2) her followers <em>will suffer greatly<\/em>; and (3) <em>her children<\/em> will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees <em>thoughts and intentions<\/em> (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people <em>deserve<\/em> (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:22-23<\/strong> Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is <em>on a bed of suffering<\/em>; (2) her followers <em>will suffer greatly<\/em>; and (3) <em>her children<\/em> will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees <em>thoughts and intentions<\/em> (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people <em>deserve<\/em> (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16...","summary_en":"2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142218,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:22","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:22","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:22-23<\/strong> Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is <em>on a bed of suffering<\/em>; (2) her followers <em>will suffer greatly<\/em>; and (3) <em>her children<\/em> will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees <em>thoughts and intentions<\/em> (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people <em>deserve<\/em> (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:22-23<\/strong> Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is <em>on a bed of suffering<\/em>; (2) her followers <em>will suffer greatly<\/em>; and (3) <em>her children<\/em> will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees <em>thoughts and intentions<\/em> (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people <em>deserve<\/em> (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16...","summary_en":"2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16...","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"23":[{"id":21686,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Kidney","title_en":"Kidney","content_ro":"<h3>KIDNEY<\/h3>\n<p>One of the body parts of sacrificial animals used for offerings to God. The kidneys, along with their fat, were to be burned on the altar (Ex 29:13; Lv 3:4-15) and represented the blood that the Israelites were not permitted to eat.<\/p>\n<p>In a more figurative sense the kidneys are thought of as the seat of human emotions (Ps 73:21) and the rational and moral faculties (Ps 16:7; Jer 12:2). They are closely associated with the “heart” and “soul,” standing for one’s innermost self-consciousness. The <span>nlt<\/span> translates the Hebrew word as “mind,” “heart,” and “soul” in several passages.<\/p>\n<p>As in the OT Jehovah had knowledge of man’s inmost thoughts (e.g., Pss 7:9; 26:2; Jer 20:12), so Christ was identified in the book of Revelation as the one who “searches the minds and hearts” (Rv 2:23), making an indirect but clear identification of Jesus with Jehovah. This is the only reference to the kidneys in the NT.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>KIDNEY<\/h3>\n<p>One of the body parts of sacrificial animals used for offerings to God. The kidneys, along with their fat, were to be burned on the altar (Ex 29:13; Lv 3:4-15) and represented the blood that the Israelites were not permitted to eat.<\/p>\n<p>In a more figurative sense the kidneys are thought of as the seat of human emotions (Ps 73:21) and the rational and moral faculties (Ps 16:7; Jer 12:2). They are closely associated with the “heart” and “soul,” standing for one’s innermost self-consciousness. The <span>nlt<\/span> translates the Hebrew word as “mind,” “heart,” and “soul” in several passages.<\/p>\n<p>As in the OT Jehovah had knowledge of man’s inmost thoughts (e.g., Pss 7:9; 26:2; Jer 20:12), so Christ was identified in the book of Revelation as the one who “searches the minds and hearts” (Rv 2:23), making an indirect but clear identification of Jesus with Jehovah. This is the only reference to the kidneys in the NT.<\/p>","summary_ro":"KIDNEY One of the body parts of sacrificial animals used for offerings to God. The kidneys, along with their fat, were to be burned on the altar (Ex 29:13; Lv 3:4-15) and represented the blood that the Israelites were not permitted to eat. In a more figurative sense the kidneys are thought of as the seat of human emotions (Ps 73:21) and the rational and moral faculties (Ps 16:7; Jer 12:2). They are closely associated with the “heart” and “soul,” standing for one’s innermost self-consciousness...","summary_en":"KIDNEY One of the body parts of sacrificial animals used for offerings to God. The kidneys, along with their fat, were to be burned on the altar (Ex 29:13; Lv 3:4-15) and represented the blood that the Israelites were not permitted to eat. In a more figurative sense the kidneys are thought of as the seat of human emotions (Ps 73:21) and the rational and moral faculties (Ps 16:7; Jer 12:2). They are closely associated with the “heart” and “soul,” standing for one’s innermost self-consciousness...","source":"Articles\/K.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":32949,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Book of Revelation","title_en":"Book of Revelation","content_ro":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","summary_en":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","source":"Articles\/R.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":68014,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Purpose of the Judgments","title_en":"The Purpose of the Judgments","content_ro":"<h3>The Purpose of the Judgments<\/h3>\n<p>What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues:<\/p>\n<li>At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure.<\/li>\n<li>The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet sought death rather than looking to God (9:6). Many prefer to die rather than to admit their sin.<\/li>\n<li>In the sixth seal (6:12-17), the people cried for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from “the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). Their seeking escape from judgment shows fear rather than trusting in God.<\/li>\n<li>Revelation emphasizes the ultimate justice of God (16:5-7) and the principle of retribution. Believers and unbelievers alike will receive exactly what they deserve (see 2:23; 11:18; 14:13; 18:6; 20:12-13; 22:12).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are God’s partial answer to the prayers of the saints for retribution. Judgment occurs in God’s time, not ours (6:9-11; 8:2-5).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments, like the plagues on Egypt, disprove the power of the earthly gods and of God’s enemies (Exod 7:8-12; 12:12; cp. Rev 13:4-17; 19:20-21; 20:9-10).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are a part of God’s mission and offer a last chance to repent (14:6-7; see 9:20-21; 16:9, 11, 21).<\/li>\n<p>Even though God has made it clear that sin is wrong and judgment is coming (Rom 2:5-11), many people still refuse to repent and accept God’s grace (Rom 1:32). Even in the final days, when God sends his witnesses to prophesy concerning the coming destruction, many people will prefer to align themselves with evil forces and will gloat over the demise of God’s prophets (11:3-10). Those who thus oppose God and flee from him will eventually be excluded from his presence.<\/p>\n<p>Judgment against disobedience and evil ways is inevitable (see Rom 1:18–2:11). Yet God patiently waits for repentance and offers his grace (see Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:8-10). As such, the warnings of these judgments can serve as an opportunity for change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 6:6; 12:12; Lev 26:25; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; Ps 103:6; Prov 16:11; Isa 13:11; 26:21; 59:18; Jer 5:1-9; Ezek 11:21; 39:21-24; Zeph 1:12; Mal 3:5; Luke 12:47; John 5:30; Rom 2:2-11; Heb 2:1-4; 10:29; Rev 9:20-21<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Purpose of the Judgments<\/h3>\n<p>What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues:<\/p>\n<li>At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure.<\/li>\n<li>The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet sought death rather than looking to God (9:6). Many prefer to die rather than to admit their sin.<\/li>\n<li>In the sixth seal (6:12-17), the people cried for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from “the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). Their seeking escape from judgment shows fear rather than trusting in God.<\/li>\n<li>Revelation emphasizes the ultimate justice of God (16:5-7) and the principle of retribution. Believers and unbelievers alike will receive exactly what they deserve (see 2:23; 11:18; 14:13; 18:6; 20:12-13; 22:12).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are God’s partial answer to the prayers of the saints for retribution. Judgment occurs in God’s time, not ours (6:9-11; 8:2-5).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments, like the plagues on Egypt, disprove the power of the earthly gods and of God’s enemies (Exod 7:8-12; 12:12; cp. Rev 13:4-17; 19:20-21; 20:9-10).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are a part of God’s mission and offer a last chance to repent (14:6-7; see 9:20-21; 16:9, 11, 21).<\/li>\n<p>Even though God has made it clear that sin is wrong and judgment is coming (Rom 2:5-11), many people still refuse to repent and accept God’s grace (Rom 1:32). Even in the final days, when God sends his witnesses to prophesy concerning the coming destruction, many people will prefer to align themselves with evil forces and will gloat over the demise of God’s prophets (11:3-10). Those who thus oppose God and flee from him will eventually be excluded from his presence.<\/p>\n<p>Judgment against disobedience and evil ways is inevitable (see Rom 1:18–2:11). Yet God patiently waits for repentance and offers his grace (see Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:8-10). As such, the warnings of these judgments can serve as an opportunity for change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 6:6; 12:12; Lev 26:25; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; Ps 103:6; Prov 16:11; Isa 13:11; 26:21; 59:18; Jer 5:1-9; Ezek 11:21; 39:21-24; Zeph 1:12; Mal 3:5; Luke 12:47; John 5:30; Rom 2:2-11; Heb 2:1-4; 10:29; Rev 9:20-21<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Purpose of the Judgments What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues: At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure. The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet s...","summary_en":"The Purpose of the Judgments What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues: At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure. The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95640,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Purpose of the Judgments","title_en":"The Purpose of the Judgments","content_ro":"<h3>The Purpose of the Judgments<\/h3>\n<p>What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues:<\/p>\n<li>At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure.<\/li>\n<li>The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet sought death rather than looking to God (9:6). Many prefer to die rather than to admit their sin.<\/li>\n<li>In the sixth seal (6:12-17), the people cried for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from “the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). Their seeking escape from judgment shows fear rather than trusting in God.<\/li>\n<li>Revelation emphasizes the ultimate justice of God (16:5-7) and the principle of retribution. Believers and unbelievers alike will receive exactly what they deserve (see 2:23; 11:18; 14:13; 18:6; 20:12-13; 22:12).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are God’s partial answer to the prayers of the saints for retribution. Judgment occurs in God’s time, not ours (6:9-11; 8:2-5).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments, like the plagues on Egypt, disprove the power of the earthly gods and of God’s enemies (Exod 7:8-12; 12:12; cp. Rev 13:4-17; 19:20-21; 20:9-10).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are a part of God’s mission and offer a last chance to repent (14:6-7; see 9:20-21; 16:9, 11, 21).<\/li>\n<p>Even though God has made it clear that sin is wrong and judgment is coming (Rom 2:5-11), many people still refuse to repent and accept God’s grace (Rom 1:32). Even in the final days, when God sends his witnesses to prophesy concerning the coming destruction, many people will prefer to align themselves with evil forces and will gloat over the demise of God’s prophets (11:3-10). Those who thus oppose God and flee from him will eventually be excluded from his presence.<\/p>\n<p>Judgment against disobedience and evil ways is inevitable (see Rom 1:18–2:11). Yet God patiently waits for repentance and offers his grace (see Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:8-10). As such, the warnings of these judgments can serve as an opportunity for change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 6:6; 12:12; Lev 26:25; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; Ps 103:6; Prov 16:11; Isa 13:11; 26:21; 59:18; Jer 5:1-9; Ezek 11:21; 39:21-24; Zeph 1:12; Mal 3:5; Luke 12:47; John 5:30; Rom 2:2-11; Heb 2:1-4; 10:29; Rev 9:20-21<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Purpose of the Judgments<\/h3>\n<p>What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues:<\/p>\n<li>At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure.<\/li>\n<li>The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet sought death rather than looking to God (9:6). Many prefer to die rather than to admit their sin.<\/li>\n<li>In the sixth seal (6:12-17), the people cried for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from “the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). Their seeking escape from judgment shows fear rather than trusting in God.<\/li>\n<li>Revelation emphasizes the ultimate justice of God (16:5-7) and the principle of retribution. Believers and unbelievers alike will receive exactly what they deserve (see 2:23; 11:18; 14:13; 18:6; 20:12-13; 22:12).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are God’s partial answer to the prayers of the saints for retribution. Judgment occurs in God’s time, not ours (6:9-11; 8:2-5).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments, like the plagues on Egypt, disprove the power of the earthly gods and of God’s enemies (Exod 7:8-12; 12:12; cp. Rev 13:4-17; 19:20-21; 20:9-10).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are a part of God’s mission and offer a last chance to repent (14:6-7; see 9:20-21; 16:9, 11, 21).<\/li>\n<p>Even though God has made it clear that sin is wrong and judgment is coming (Rom 2:5-11), many people still refuse to repent and accept God’s grace (Rom 1:32). Even in the final days, when God sends his witnesses to prophesy concerning the coming destruction, many people will prefer to align themselves with evil forces and will gloat over the demise of God’s prophets (11:3-10). Those who thus oppose God and flee from him will eventually be excluded from his presence.<\/p>\n<p>Judgment against disobedience and evil ways is inevitable (see Rom 1:18–2:11). Yet God patiently waits for repentance and offers his grace (see Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:8-10). As such, the warnings of these judgments can serve as an opportunity for change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 6:6; 12:12; Lev 26:25; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; Ps 103:6; Prov 16:11; Isa 13:11; 26:21; 59:18; Jer 5:1-9; Ezek 11:21; 39:21-24; Zeph 1:12; Mal 3:5; Luke 12:47; John 5:30; Rom 2:2-11; Heb 2:1-4; 10:29; Rev 9:20-21<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Purpose of the Judgments What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues: At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure. The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet s...","summary_en":"The Purpose of the Judgments What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues: At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure. The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123266,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Purpose of the Judgments","title_en":"The Purpose of the Judgments","content_ro":"<h3>The Purpose of the Judgments<\/h3>\n<p>What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues:<\/p>\n<li>At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure.<\/li>\n<li>The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet sought death rather than looking to God (9:6). Many prefer to die rather than to admit their sin.<\/li>\n<li>In the sixth seal (6:12-17), the people cried for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from “the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). Their seeking escape from judgment shows fear rather than trusting in God.<\/li>\n<li>Revelation emphasizes the ultimate justice of God (16:5-7) and the principle of retribution. Believers and unbelievers alike will receive exactly what they deserve (see 2:23; 11:18; 14:13; 18:6; 20:12-13; 22:12).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are God’s partial answer to the prayers of the saints for retribution. Judgment occurs in God’s time, not ours (6:9-11; 8:2-5).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments, like the plagues on Egypt, disprove the power of the earthly gods and of God’s enemies (Exod 7:8-12; 12:12; cp. Rev 13:4-17; 19:20-21; 20:9-10).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are a part of God’s mission and offer a last chance to repent (14:6-7; see 9:20-21; 16:9, 11, 21).<\/li>\n<p>Even though God has made it clear that sin is wrong and judgment is coming (Rom 2:5-11), many people still refuse to repent and accept God’s grace (Rom 1:32). Even in the final days, when God sends his witnesses to prophesy concerning the coming destruction, many people will prefer to align themselves with evil forces and will gloat over the demise of God’s prophets (11:3-10). Those who thus oppose God and flee from him will eventually be excluded from his presence.<\/p>\n<p>Judgment against disobedience and evil ways is inevitable (see Rom 1:18–2:11). Yet God patiently waits for repentance and offers his grace (see Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:8-10). As such, the warnings of these judgments can serve as an opportunity for change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 6:6; 12:12; Lev 26:25; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; Ps 103:6; Prov 16:11; Isa 13:11; 26:21; 59:18; Jer 5:1-9; Ezek 11:21; 39:21-24; Zeph 1:12; Mal 3:5; Luke 12:47; John 5:30; Rom 2:2-11; Heb 2:1-4; 10:29; Rev 9:20-21<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Purpose of the Judgments<\/h3>\n<p>What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues:<\/p>\n<li>At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure.<\/li>\n<li>The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet sought death rather than looking to God (9:6). Many prefer to die rather than to admit their sin.<\/li>\n<li>In the sixth seal (6:12-17), the people cried for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from “the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). Their seeking escape from judgment shows fear rather than trusting in God.<\/li>\n<li>Revelation emphasizes the ultimate justice of God (16:5-7) and the principle of retribution. Believers and unbelievers alike will receive exactly what they deserve (see 2:23; 11:18; 14:13; 18:6; 20:12-13; 22:12).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are God’s partial answer to the prayers of the saints for retribution. Judgment occurs in God’s time, not ours (6:9-11; 8:2-5).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments, like the plagues on Egypt, disprove the power of the earthly gods and of God’s enemies (Exod 7:8-12; 12:12; cp. Rev 13:4-17; 19:20-21; 20:9-10).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are a part of God’s mission and offer a last chance to repent (14:6-7; see 9:20-21; 16:9, 11, 21).<\/li>\n<p>Even though God has made it clear that sin is wrong and judgment is coming (Rom 2:5-11), many people still refuse to repent and accept God’s grace (Rom 1:32). Even in the final days, when God sends his witnesses to prophesy concerning the coming destruction, many people will prefer to align themselves with evil forces and will gloat over the demise of God’s prophets (11:3-10). Those who thus oppose God and flee from him will eventually be excluded from his presence.<\/p>\n<p>Judgment against disobedience and evil ways is inevitable (see Rom 1:18–2:11). Yet God patiently waits for repentance and offers his grace (see Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:8-10). As such, the warnings of these judgments can serve as an opportunity for change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 6:6; 12:12; Lev 26:25; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; Ps 103:6; Prov 16:11; Isa 13:11; 26:21; 59:18; Jer 5:1-9; Ezek 11:21; 39:21-24; Zeph 1:12; Mal 3:5; Luke 12:47; John 5:30; Rom 2:2-11; Heb 2:1-4; 10:29; Rev 9:20-21<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Purpose of the Judgments What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues: At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure. The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet s...","summary_en":"The Purpose of the Judgments What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues: At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure. The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150892,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"The Purpose of the Judgments","title_en":"The Purpose of the Judgments","content_ro":"<h3>The Purpose of the Judgments<\/h3>\n<p>What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues:<\/p>\n<li>At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure.<\/li>\n<li>The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet sought death rather than looking to God (9:6). Many prefer to die rather than to admit their sin.<\/li>\n<li>In the sixth seal (6:12-17), the people cried for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from “the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). Their seeking escape from judgment shows fear rather than trusting in God.<\/li>\n<li>Revelation emphasizes the ultimate justice of God (16:5-7) and the principle of retribution. Believers and unbelievers alike will receive exactly what they deserve (see 2:23; 11:18; 14:13; 18:6; 20:12-13; 22:12).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are God’s partial answer to the prayers of the saints for retribution. Judgment occurs in God’s time, not ours (6:9-11; 8:2-5).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments, like the plagues on Egypt, disprove the power of the earthly gods and of God’s enemies (Exod 7:8-12; 12:12; cp. Rev 13:4-17; 19:20-21; 20:9-10).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are a part of God’s mission and offer a last chance to repent (14:6-7; see 9:20-21; 16:9, 11, 21).<\/li>\n<p>Even though God has made it clear that sin is wrong and judgment is coming (Rom 2:5-11), many people still refuse to repent and accept God’s grace (Rom 1:32). Even in the final days, when God sends his witnesses to prophesy concerning the coming destruction, many people will prefer to align themselves with evil forces and will gloat over the demise of God’s prophets (11:3-10). Those who thus oppose God and flee from him will eventually be excluded from his presence.<\/p>\n<p>Judgment against disobedience and evil ways is inevitable (see Rom 1:18–2:11). Yet God patiently waits for repentance and offers his grace (see Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:8-10). As such, the warnings of these judgments can serve as an opportunity for change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 6:6; 12:12; Lev 26:25; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; Ps 103:6; Prov 16:11; Isa 13:11; 26:21; 59:18; Jer 5:1-9; Ezek 11:21; 39:21-24; Zeph 1:12; Mal 3:5; Luke 12:47; John 5:30; Rom 2:2-11; Heb 2:1-4; 10:29; Rev 9:20-21<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>The Purpose of the Judgments<\/h3>\n<p>What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues:<\/p>\n<li>At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure.<\/li>\n<li>The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet sought death rather than looking to God (9:6). Many prefer to die rather than to admit their sin.<\/li>\n<li>In the sixth seal (6:12-17), the people cried for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from “the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). Their seeking escape from judgment shows fear rather than trusting in God.<\/li>\n<li>Revelation emphasizes the ultimate justice of God (16:5-7) and the principle of retribution. Believers and unbelievers alike will receive exactly what they deserve (see 2:23; 11:18; 14:13; 18:6; 20:12-13; 22:12).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are God’s partial answer to the prayers of the saints for retribution. Judgment occurs in God’s time, not ours (6:9-11; 8:2-5).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments, like the plagues on Egypt, disprove the power of the earthly gods and of God’s enemies (Exod 7:8-12; 12:12; cp. Rev 13:4-17; 19:20-21; 20:9-10).<\/li>\n<li>The judgments are a part of God’s mission and offer a last chance to repent (14:6-7; see 9:20-21; 16:9, 11, 21).<\/li>\n<p>Even though God has made it clear that sin is wrong and judgment is coming (Rom 2:5-11), many people still refuse to repent and accept God’s grace (Rom 1:32). Even in the final days, when God sends his witnesses to prophesy concerning the coming destruction, many people will prefer to align themselves with evil forces and will gloat over the demise of God’s prophets (11:3-10). Those who thus oppose God and flee from him will eventually be excluded from his presence.<\/p>\n<p>Judgment against disobedience and evil ways is inevitable (see Rom 1:18–2:11). Yet God patiently waits for repentance and offers his grace (see Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:8-10). As such, the warnings of these judgments can serve as an opportunity for change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exod 6:6; 12:12; Lev 26:25; 2 Kgs 17:7-23; Ps 103:6; Prov 16:11; Isa 13:11; 26:21; 59:18; Jer 5:1-9; Ezek 11:21; 39:21-24; Zeph 1:12; Mal 3:5; Luke 12:47; John 5:30; Rom 2:2-11; Heb 2:1-4; 10:29; Rev 9:20-21<\/p>","summary_ro":"The Purpose of the Judgments What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues: At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure. The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet s...","summary_en":"The Purpose of the Judgments What is the purpose of God’s judgments? Are they meant to bring about redemption or are they simply intended to destroy? The account of judgments in Revelation gives us some clues: At the end of the sixth trumpet, in spite of all the plagues, people “still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (9:20-21). For some people, it does not matter what happens to them—they will not change even under pressure. The tormented sufferers of the fifth trumpet s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"24":[{"id":27538,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Nicolaitans","title_en":"Nicolaitans","content_ro":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>NICOLAITANS<\/h3>\n<p>Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15).<\/p>\n<p>Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was a leader of the Nicolaitans in that church. In the letter to Pergamum, their sins are equated with the teaching of Balaam (Rv 2:14; cf. Nm 25:1-2; 31:16; 2 Pt 2:15; Jude 1:11), who advised Balak, the king of the Moabites, to bring about Israel’s downfall by inviting them to worship the Moabite gods and engage in intermarriage and the sexual immoralities connected with Moabite religious practices. Thus, the Jews would have been separated from God and his protection. In Jewish thought, Balaam was the symbol of all that led men to obscene conduct and the forsaking of God. The ungodly practices at Thyatira are called the “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24).<\/p>\n<p>The early church was also threatened by the combination of idolatry and immorality so prevalent in the world. The necessity for frequent warning in the NT reveals the gravity of the problem. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20) called upon the Gentiles to abstain from eating food that had been offered to idols and sexual immorality. Paul called for a voluntary avoidance of this kind of fare for the sake of those who were weak or immature in the faith (1 Cor 8). He strongly condemned actual participation in idol feasts (1 Cor 10:14-22) as well as fornication in general and temple prostitution in particular (6:12-20).<\/p>\n<p>Who the Nicolaitans were is more difficult to determine. The tendency among the church fathers was to identify them as followers of Nicolaus of Antioch, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had become a Christian and was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons (Acts 6:5). Both Irenaeus and Hippolytus believed that he had fallen from the faith. Clement claimed that the heretical and immoral Nicolaitans were not actual followers of Nicolaus but falsely claimed him as their teacher. In any event, there is no direct evidence available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 19th century it has been common to view the name as a translation into Greek of the Hebrew name Balaam. This is in accord with the allegorical, symbolical nature of Revelation and the apparent linking of the two names in the letter to Pergamum (Rv 2:14-15).<\/p>","summary_ro":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","summary_en":"NICOLAITANS Heretical sect in the early church that is mentioned by name twice in the book of Revelation. The church at Ephesus was commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans (Rv 2:6), and the church at Pergamum was criticized for having some members who held their doctrine (v 15). Since the specific sins condemned at Pergamum—the eating of food sacrificed to idols and the practice of immorality—were also present at Thyatira (Rv 2:20), it is commonly thought that the woman Jezebel was ...","source":"Articles\/N.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":37281,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Thyatira","title_en":"Thyatira","content_ro":"<h3>THYATIRA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west.<\/p>\n<p>After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 <span>BC<\/span>), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeated invasions. The strength of the city lay largely in its strategic location and also upon the fertility of the area surrounding it. Its inhabitants were descendants of Macedonian solders and retained much of their ancestors’ militancy. They were formidable defenders of the city.<\/p>\n<p>When Rome defeated Antiochus in 189 <span>BC<\/span>, Thyatira was incorporated into the kingdom of Pergamum, Rome’s ally. Peace and prosperity followed. Under the Roman emperor Claudius (<span>AD<\/span> 41–54), Thyatira rose to new prominence and was permitted to issue its own coins. The emperor Hadrian included this city in his Middle East itinerary (<span>AD<\/span> 134), a hint of the importance of Thyatira in the second century <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Prosperity attracted many Jews to this area. Among the commercial activities of the city were textiles and bronze armor. The armorers were in a guild, like the silversmiths in Ephesus. The first known Christian convert in Europe was a businesswoman from Thyatira named Lydia (Acts 16:14-15, 40). She specialized in the costly purple garments that were exported from Thyatira to Macedonia. Here the purple dye, from the madder root, offered a much cheaper cloth to compete with costlier garments dyed with the expensive murex dye from Phoenicia.<\/p>\n<p>In the message to the church in Thyatira, the members are commended for their love, faith, service, and endurance (Rv 2:19). But the influence of paganism is still reflected in the sharp rebuke of those who tolerate the heresy of which “Jezebel” was the leader. Their temptation was similar to that of the Corinthian believers who were uncertain about eating food that had been dedicated to idols (1 Cor 8:1-13). The trade guilds held periodic festivals in which food offered to idols was consumed. This was sometimes accompanied by licentious rites in which religion and sex were mingled. This church was condemned for its accommodation to these pagan practices. Immorality was so rife among the pagans that the early church, with its uncompromising attitude toward unchastity, stood in constant tension with the mores of the community. Superstition and devil worship were apparently a great temptation as well. The “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24) is probably an allusion to one of the Gnostic sects that stressed “depth” and carried on secret rites in which only initiates participated. So serious was the temptation that the best hope was for survival of the remnant—hence, the exhortation “hold fast what you have, until I come” (v 25).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>THYATIRA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west.<\/p>\n<p>After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 <span>BC<\/span>), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeated invasions. The strength of the city lay largely in its strategic location and also upon the fertility of the area surrounding it. Its inhabitants were descendants of Macedonian solders and retained much of their ancestors’ militancy. They were formidable defenders of the city.<\/p>\n<p>When Rome defeated Antiochus in 189 <span>BC<\/span>, Thyatira was incorporated into the kingdom of Pergamum, Rome’s ally. Peace and prosperity followed. Under the Roman emperor Claudius (<span>AD<\/span> 41–54), Thyatira rose to new prominence and was permitted to issue its own coins. The emperor Hadrian included this city in his Middle East itinerary (<span>AD<\/span> 134), a hint of the importance of Thyatira in the second century <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Prosperity attracted many Jews to this area. Among the commercial activities of the city were textiles and bronze armor. The armorers were in a guild, like the silversmiths in Ephesus. The first known Christian convert in Europe was a businesswoman from Thyatira named Lydia (Acts 16:14-15, 40). She specialized in the costly purple garments that were exported from Thyatira to Macedonia. Here the purple dye, from the madder root, offered a much cheaper cloth to compete with costlier garments dyed with the expensive murex dye from Phoenicia.<\/p>\n<p>In the message to the church in Thyatira, the members are commended for their love, faith, service, and endurance (Rv 2:19). But the influence of paganism is still reflected in the sharp rebuke of those who tolerate the heresy of which “Jezebel” was the leader. Their temptation was similar to that of the Corinthian believers who were uncertain about eating food that had been dedicated to idols (1 Cor 8:1-13). The trade guilds held periodic festivals in which food offered to idols was consumed. This was sometimes accompanied by licentious rites in which religion and sex were mingled. This church was condemned for its accommodation to these pagan practices. Immorality was so rife among the pagans that the early church, with its uncompromising attitude toward unchastity, stood in constant tension with the mores of the community. Superstition and devil worship were apparently a great temptation as well. The “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24) is probably an allusion to one of the Gnostic sects that stressed “depth” and carried on secret rites in which only initiates participated. So serious was the temptation that the best hope was for survival of the remnant—hence, the exhortation “hold fast what you have, until I come” (v 25).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","summary_ro":"THYATIRA Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west. After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 BC), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeate...","summary_en":"THYATIRA Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west. After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 BC), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeate...","source":"Articles\/T.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59341,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:24","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:24","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:24<\/strong> The <em>depths of Satan<\/em> might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (<em>Bythos<\/em>), who with his partner “Silence” (<em>Sigē<\/em>) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:24<\/strong> The <em>depths of Satan<\/em> might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (<em>Bythos<\/em>), who with his partner “Silence” (<em>Sigē<\/em>) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:24 The depths of Satan might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (Bythos), who with his partner “Silence” (Sigē) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.","summary_en":"2:24 The depths of Satan might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (Bythos), who with his partner “Silence” (Sigē) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86967,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:24","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:24","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:24<\/strong> The <em>depths of Satan<\/em> might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (<em>Bythos<\/em>), who with his partner “Silence” (<em>Sigē<\/em>) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:24<\/strong> The <em>depths of Satan<\/em> might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (<em>Bythos<\/em>), who with his partner “Silence” (<em>Sigē<\/em>) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:24 The depths of Satan might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (Bythos), who with his partner “Silence” (Sigē) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.","summary_en":"2:24 The depths of Satan might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (Bythos), who with his partner “Silence” (Sigē) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114593,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:24","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:24","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:24<\/strong> The <em>depths of Satan<\/em> might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (<em>Bythos<\/em>), who with his partner “Silence” (<em>Sigē<\/em>) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:24<\/strong> The <em>depths of Satan<\/em> might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (<em>Bythos<\/em>), who with his partner “Silence” (<em>Sigē<\/em>) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:24 The depths of Satan might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (Bythos), who with his partner “Silence” (Sigē) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.","summary_en":"2:24 The depths of Satan might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (Bythos), who with his partner “Silence” (Sigē) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142219,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:24","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:24","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:24<\/strong> The <em>depths of Satan<\/em> might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (<em>Bythos<\/em>), who with his partner “Silence” (<em>Sigē<\/em>) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:24<\/strong> The <em>depths of Satan<\/em> might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (<em>Bythos<\/em>), who with his partner “Silence” (<em>Sigē<\/em>) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:24 The depths of Satan might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (Bythos), who with his partner “Silence” (Sigē) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.","summary_en":"2:24 The depths of Satan might be a striking reference to the Gnostic god named “Depth” (Bythos), who with his partner “Silence” (Sigē) formed a philosophic godhead. Gnosticism placed great emphasis on secret knowledge.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"25":[{"id":37282,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Thyatira","title_en":"Thyatira","content_ro":"<h3>THYATIRA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west.<\/p>\n<p>After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 <span>BC<\/span>), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeated invasions. The strength of the city lay largely in its strategic location and also upon the fertility of the area surrounding it. Its inhabitants were descendants of Macedonian solders and retained much of their ancestors’ militancy. They were formidable defenders of the city.<\/p>\n<p>When Rome defeated Antiochus in 189 <span>BC<\/span>, Thyatira was incorporated into the kingdom of Pergamum, Rome’s ally. Peace and prosperity followed. Under the Roman emperor Claudius (<span>AD<\/span> 41–54), Thyatira rose to new prominence and was permitted to issue its own coins. The emperor Hadrian included this city in his Middle East itinerary (<span>AD<\/span> 134), a hint of the importance of Thyatira in the second century <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Prosperity attracted many Jews to this area. Among the commercial activities of the city were textiles and bronze armor. The armorers were in a guild, like the silversmiths in Ephesus. The first known Christian convert in Europe was a businesswoman from Thyatira named Lydia (Acts 16:14-15, 40). She specialized in the costly purple garments that were exported from Thyatira to Macedonia. Here the purple dye, from the madder root, offered a much cheaper cloth to compete with costlier garments dyed with the expensive murex dye from Phoenicia.<\/p>\n<p>In the message to the church in Thyatira, the members are commended for their love, faith, service, and endurance (Rv 2:19). But the influence of paganism is still reflected in the sharp rebuke of those who tolerate the heresy of which “Jezebel” was the leader. Their temptation was similar to that of the Corinthian believers who were uncertain about eating food that had been dedicated to idols (1 Cor 8:1-13). The trade guilds held periodic festivals in which food offered to idols was consumed. This was sometimes accompanied by licentious rites in which religion and sex were mingled. This church was condemned for its accommodation to these pagan practices. Immorality was so rife among the pagans that the early church, with its uncompromising attitude toward unchastity, stood in constant tension with the mores of the community. Superstition and devil worship were apparently a great temptation as well. The “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24) is probably an allusion to one of the Gnostic sects that stressed “depth” and carried on secret rites in which only initiates participated. So serious was the temptation that the best hope was for survival of the remnant—hence, the exhortation “hold fast what you have, until I come” (v 25).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>THYATIRA<\/h3>\n<p>Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west.<\/p>\n<p>After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 <span>BC<\/span>), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeated invasions. The strength of the city lay largely in its strategic location and also upon the fertility of the area surrounding it. Its inhabitants were descendants of Macedonian solders and retained much of their ancestors’ militancy. They were formidable defenders of the city.<\/p>\n<p>When Rome defeated Antiochus in 189 <span>BC<\/span>, Thyatira was incorporated into the kingdom of Pergamum, Rome’s ally. Peace and prosperity followed. Under the Roman emperor Claudius (<span>AD<\/span> 41–54), Thyatira rose to new prominence and was permitted to issue its own coins. The emperor Hadrian included this city in his Middle East itinerary (<span>AD<\/span> 134), a hint of the importance of Thyatira in the second century <span>AD<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Prosperity attracted many Jews to this area. Among the commercial activities of the city were textiles and bronze armor. The armorers were in a guild, like the silversmiths in Ephesus. The first known Christian convert in Europe was a businesswoman from Thyatira named Lydia (Acts 16:14-15, 40). She specialized in the costly purple garments that were exported from Thyatira to Macedonia. Here the purple dye, from the madder root, offered a much cheaper cloth to compete with costlier garments dyed with the expensive murex dye from Phoenicia.<\/p>\n<p>In the message to the church in Thyatira, the members are commended for their love, faith, service, and endurance (Rv 2:19). But the influence of paganism is still reflected in the sharp rebuke of those who tolerate the heresy of which “Jezebel” was the leader. Their temptation was similar to that of the Corinthian believers who were uncertain about eating food that had been dedicated to idols (1 Cor 8:1-13). The trade guilds held periodic festivals in which food offered to idols was consumed. This was sometimes accompanied by licentious rites in which religion and sex were mingled. This church was condemned for its accommodation to these pagan practices. Immorality was so rife among the pagans that the early church, with its uncompromising attitude toward unchastity, stood in constant tension with the mores of the community. Superstition and devil worship were apparently a great temptation as well. The “deep things of Satan” (Rv 2:24) is probably an allusion to one of the Gnostic sects that stressed “depth” and carried on secret rites in which only initiates participated. So serious was the temptation that the best hope was for survival of the remnant—hence, the exhortation “hold fast what you have, until I come” (v 25).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Revelation, Book of.<\/p>","summary_ro":"THYATIRA Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west. After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 BC), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeate...","summary_en":"THYATIRA Location of one of the seven local churches in the book of Revelation. The city was founded by the Lydian kingdom and later captured by Seleucus, Alexander’s general. It then served as a border settlement to preserve his kingdom from Lysimachus, his rival to the west. After the kingdom of Pergamum was founded (282 BC), Thyatira became the borderline between Pergamum and the Syrians. The city was without natural defenses. It was not built on a hill and therefore was subject to repeate...","source":"Articles\/T.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"26":[{"id":33023,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Book of Revelation","title_en":"Book of Revelation","content_ro":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>REVELATION, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>• Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic authorship because it seemed to him that the writing style differed greatly from that found in the fourth Gospel, attributed to John. From the time of Dionysius, the apostolic origin of the book was disputed in the East until Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 350) turned the tide toward its acceptance. In the West, the book was widely accepted and was included in all the principal lists of canonical books from at least the middle of the second century on.<\/p>\n<p>From the internal evidence, the following things can be said about the author with some confidence. He calls himself John (Rv 1:4, 9; 22:8). This is most likely not a pseudonym but rather the name of a person well known among the Asian churches. This John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3; 22:6-10, 18-19) who was in exile because of his prophetic witness (1:9). As such, he speaks to the churches with great authority. His use of the OT and Targums makes it virtually certain that he was a Palestinian Jew, steeped in the ritual of the temple and synagogue. John the apostle fits this profile. The difference between the style of the fourth Gospel and that of Revelation can be explained by the radically different genres of the two books. The Gospel is a composed historical narrative, whereas the book of Revelation is a record of visionary experiences and direct divine revelation. The writer of the Gospel could take his time in crafting a narrative word by word and sentence by sentence. The writer of Revelation was compelled by God to write down immediately whatever he was told or was shown. Thus, the apostle John could easily have been the writer of both. In any event, no convincing argument has been advanced against his authorship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginDestination\">Date, Origin, Destination<\/p>\n<p>Only two dates for Revelation have received serious support. An early date, shortly after the reign of Nero (<span>AD<\/span> 54–68), is allegedly supported by references in the book to the persecution of Christians, to the <em>Nero redivivus<\/em> myth (a revived Nero would be the reincarnation of the evil genius of the whole Roman Empire), to the imperial cult (ch 13), and to the temple (ch 11), which was destroyed in <span>AD<\/span> 70. The alternate date rests primarily on the early witness of Irenaeus, who stated that the apostle John “saw the revelation . . . at the close of Domitian’s reign” (<span>AD<\/span> 81–96).<\/p>\n<p>The origin of the book is clearly identified with Patmos, one of the Sporades Islands, located about 37 miles (59.5 kilometers) southwest of Miletus, in the Icarian Sea (1:9). John was apparently exiled on the island due to religious and\/or government persecutions arising from his witness to Jesus (1:9).<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the recipients are clearly the seven historic churches in the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>The book of Revelation differs from the other NT writings, not in doctrine but in literary genre and subject matter. It is a book of prophecy (1:3; 22:7, 18-19) that contains both warning and consolation—announcements of future judgment and blessing— communicated by means of symbols and visions.<\/p>\n<p>The language and imagery were not as strange to first-century readers as they are today. Therefore, familiarity with the prophetic books of the OT, especially Daniel and Ezekiel, will help the reader grasp the message of the Apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>While the symbolic and visionary mode of presentation creates ambiguity and frustration for many, it actually lends to the description of unseen realities a poignancy and clarity unattainable by any other method. Such language can trigger a variety of ideas, associations, existential involvement, and mystical responses that the straight prose found in most of the NT cannot achieve.<\/p>\n<p>The letters to the churches indicate that five of the seven were in serious trouble. The major problem seemed to be disloyalty to Christ; this may indicate that the major thrust of Revelation is not sociopolitical but theological. John was more concerned with countering the heresy that was creeping into the churches toward the close of the first century than with addressing the political situation. This heresy seems to have been a type of Gnostic teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the group of writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature is derived from the Greek word for “revelation”: <span class=\"greek\" lang=\"el\">apokalupsis<\/span><em>.<\/em> The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 <span>BC<\/span> to <span>AD<\/span> 200. Although numerous similarities exist, there are also some clear differences.<\/p>\n<p>Much more important than the Jewish apocalyptic sources is the debt John owes to the eschatological teaching of Jesus, such as the Olivet discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). Revelation is unique in its use of the OT. Of the 404 verses of the Apocalypse, 278 contain references to the Jewish Scriptures. John refers frequently to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and also repeatedly to Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. However, he rarely quotes the OT directly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"MethodsofInterpretingRevelation\">Methods of Interpreting Revelation<\/p>\n<p>Four traditional ways of understanding Revelation 4–22 have emerged in the history of the church:<\/p>\n<h5>Futurist<\/h5>\n<p>This view holds that, with the exception of chapters 1–3, all the visions in Revelation relate to a period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ at the end of the age. The beasts (chs 13, 17) are identified with the future Antichrist, who will appear at the last moment in world history and will be defeated by Christ in his second coming to judge the world and to establish his earthly millennial kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Variations of this view were held by the earliest expositors, such as Justin Martyr (d. 164), Irenaeus (d. c. 195), Hippolytus (d. 236), and Victorinus (d. c. 303). This futurist approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held among evangelicals today.<\/p>\n<h5>Historicist<\/h5>\n<p>As the word implies, this view sees in Revelation a prophetic survey of history. It originated with Joachim of Floris (d. 1202), a monastic who claimed to have received a special vision that revealed to him God’s plan for the ages. He assigned a day-year value to the 1,260 days of Revelation. In his scheme, the book is a prophecy of the events of Western history from the time of the apostles until Joachim’s own time. In the various schemes that developed as this method was applied to history, one element became common: the Antichrist and Babylon were connected with Rome and the papacy. Later, Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers came to adopt this view.<\/p>\n<h5>Preterist<\/h5>\n<p>According to this view, Revelation deals with the time of its author; the main contents of chapters are thus viewed as describing events wholly limited to John’s own day. The beasts (ch 13) are identified as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. This is the view held by many contemporary scholars.<\/p>\n<h5>Idealist<\/h5>\n<p>This method of interpreting Revelation sees it as being basically poetic, symbolic, and spiritual in nature. Thus Revelation does not predict any specific historical events at all; on the contrary, it sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. As a system of interpretation, it is more recent than the other three schools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PurposeandTeaching\">Purpose and Teaching<\/p>\n<p>NT scholar H. B. Swete wrote of Revelation: “In form it is an epistle, containing an apocalyptic prophecy; in spirit and inner purpose, it is a pastoral.” As a prophet, John was called to separate true from false belief—to expose the failures of the congregations in Asia. He desired to encourage authentic Christian discipleship by explaining Christian suffering and martyrdom in light of the victory over evil won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. John was concerned to show that the martyrs (e.g., Antipas, 2:13) will be vindicated. He disclosed the end both of evil and of those who follow the Beast (19:20-21; 20:10, 15), and he described the ultimate victory of the Lamb and of those who follow him.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The main contents of Revelation are arranged in series of seven items, some explicit, some implied: seven churches (chs 2–3), seven seals (chs 6–7), seven trumpets (chs 8–11), seven bowls (chs 16–18), seven last things (chs 19–22). It is also possible to divide the contents around four key visions: (1) the vision of the Son of Man among the seven churches (chs 1–3); (2) the vision of the seven-sealed scroll, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls (4:1–19:10); (3) the vision of the return of Christ and the consummation of this age (19:11–20:15); and (4) the vision of the new heaven and new earth (chs 21–22).<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Introduction (1:1-8)<\/h5>\n<p>The first three chapters of Revelation form a unit and are comparatively easy to understand. They are the most familiar and contain an introduction to the whole book (1:1-8); the first vision, of the Son of Man among the seven lampstands (1:9-20); and the letters or messages to the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<p>The first eight verses introduce the whole book. They are freighted with theological content and detail. After a brief preface (1:1-3), John addresses the book to the seven churches of Asia in an expanded ancient letter form (vv 4-8).<\/p>\n<h5>The Son of Man among the Lampstands (1:9-20)<\/h5>\n<p>After a brief indication of the historical situation that occasioned it (1:9-11), John describes his vision of “someone, like a son of man,” walking among seven golden lampstands (vv 12-16). The person identifies himself as the exalted Lord, Jesus Christ (vv 17-18), and then explains the meaning of the symbolic vision (vv 19-20). Finally, the Lord addresses a rather detailed and specific message to each of the seven churches in Asia (2:1–3:22).<\/p>\n<h5>The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1–3:22)<\/h5>\n<p>These seven churches contained typical or representative qualities of both obedience and disobedience that are a constant reminder to all churches throughout every age (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; esp. 2:23). Their order (1:11; 2:1–3:22) reflects the natural ancient travel circuit beginning at Ephesus and arriving finally at Laodicea.<\/p>\n<p>Each message generally follows a common literary plan consisting of seven parts:<\/p>\n<p>1. The addressee is given first, following a common pattern in all seven letters: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write. . . .”<\/p>\n<li>2. Then the speaker is mentioned. In each case, some part of the great vision of Christ and of his self-identification (1:12-20) is repeated as the speaker identifies himself; for example, “This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” (2:1; cf. 1:13, 16).<\/li>\n<li>3. Next, the knowledge of the speaker is given. He intimately knows the works of the churches and the reality of their loyalty to him, despite outward appearances. In two cases (Sardis and Laodicea) the assessment proves totally negative. The enemy of Christ’s churches is the deceiver, Satan, who seeks to undermine the churches’ loyalty to Christ (2:10, 24).<\/li>\n<li>4. Following his assessment of the churches’ accomplishments, the speaker pronounces his verdict on their condition in such words as “You do not love me as you did at first” (2:4) or “You are dead” (3:1). Two letters contain no unfavorable verdict (Smyrna, Philadelphia) and two no word of commendation (Sardis, Laodicea). In the letters, all derelictions are viewed as forms of inner betrayals of a prior relation to Christ.<\/li>\n<li>5. To correct or alert each congregation, Jesus issues a penetrating command. These commands further expose the exact nature of the self-deception involved.<\/li>\n<li>6. Each letter contains the general exhortation: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ (cf. 19:10).<\/li>\n<li>7. Finally, each letter contains a promise of reward to the victor. Each is eschatological and correlates with the last two chapters of the book. Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2–3: what was lost by Adam in Eden is more than regained by Christ. We are probably to understand the seven promises as different facets that combine to make up one great promise to believers: wherever Christ is, there the “overcomers” will be.<\/li>\n<h5>The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1–8:1)<\/h5>\n<p>In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation, and in view of the question of how this material relates to chapters 1–3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters.<\/p>\n<h6>The Throne, the Scroll, and the Lamb (4:1–5:14)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapters 4–5 form one vision consisting of two parts: the throne (ch 4) and the Lamb and the scroll (ch 5). Actually, the throne vision (chs 4–5) and the breaking of all seven seals (chs 6–8) form a single, continuous vision and should not be separated; indeed, the throne vision should be viewed as dominating the entire vision of the seven-sealed scroll, and, for that matter, the rest of the book (cf. 22:3).<\/p>\n<p>A new view of God’s majesty and power is disclosed to John so that he can understand the events on earth that relate to the seven-sealed vision (4:1-11; cf. 1 Kgs 22:19). For the first time in Revelation, the reader is introduced to the frequent interchange between heaven and earth found in the remainder of the book. What happens on earth has its inseparable heavenly counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 5 is part of the vision that begins with chapter 4 and continues through the opening of the seven seals (Rv 6:1–8:1; cf. introduction to ch 4). The movement of the whole scene focuses on the slain Lamb as he takes the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne. The culminating emphasis is on the worthiness of the Lamb to receive worship because of his death.<\/p>\n<h6>Opening of the First Six Seals (6:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The opening of the seals continues the vision begun in chapters 4 and 5. Now the scene shifts to events on earth. The scroll itself involves the rest of Revelation and has to do with the consummation of the mystery of all things, the goal or end of history for both the overcomers and the worshipers of the beast. The writer tentatively suggests that the seals represent events preparatory to the final consummation. Whether these events come immediately before the end or whether they represent general conditions that will prevail throughout the period preceding the end is a more difficult question.<\/p>\n<p>The seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of by Jesus in his Olivet discourse (Mt 24:1-35; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-33). This parallel to major parts of Revelation is too striking to be ignored. Thus the seals would correspond to the “beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet discourse. The events are similar to those occurring under the trumpets (Rv 8:2–11:19) and bowls (15:1–16:21) but should not be confused with those late and more severe judgments.<\/p>\n<h6>First Interlude: The 144,000 Israelites and the White-Robed Multitude (7:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>The change in tone from the subject matter in the sixth seal, as well as the delay until 8:1 in opening the seventh seal, indicate that chapter 7 is a true interlude. John first sees the angels, who will unleash destruction on the earth, restrained until the 144,000 servants of God from every tribe of Israel are sealed (vv 1-8). Then he sees an innumerable multitude clothed in white standing before the throne of God; these are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation (vv 9-17).<\/p>\n<p>Some scholars separate the two groups into Jews and Gentiles at large, while others see the two groups as one group viewed from different perspectives.<\/p>\n<h6>The Opening of the Seventh Seal (8:1)<\/h6>\n<p>After the interlude (ch 7), the final seal is opened and silence for half an hour occurs in heaven to prepare for judgment on earth or to hear the cries of the martyrs on earth (cf. 6:10).<\/p>\n<h5>The First Six Trumpets (8:2–11:14)<\/h5>\n<p>After a preparatory scene in heaven (8:2-5), the six trumpets are blown in succession (8:6–9:19), followed again by an interlude (10:1–11:14).<\/p>\n<h6>The First Six Trumpets (8:6–9:21)<\/h6>\n<p>Opinion differs, but it may be best to see the first five seals as preceding the events of the trumpets and bowls. But the sixth seal enters into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17). The trumpet judgments thus occur during the seventh seal, and the bowl judgments (16:1-21), during the seventh trumpet’s sounding. Therefore, there is some overlapping, but also sequence and advancement, between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.<\/p>\n<p>As in the seals, there is a discernible literary pattern in the unfolding of the trumpets. The first four trumpets are separated from the last three, which are called “woes” (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) and are generally reminiscent of the plagues in the book of Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>The last three trumpets are emphasized and are also called “woes” (8:13) because they are so severe. The first of these involves an unusual plague of locusts (9:1-11) and the second a plague of scorpionlike creatures (vv 13-19). Both of these plagues can best be seen as demonic hordes (cf. vv 1, 11).<\/p>\n<h6>The Second Interlude: The Little Book and the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:14)<\/h6>\n<p>The major point of chapter 10 seems to be a confirmation of John’s prophetic call, as verse 11 indicates: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (<span>niv<\/span>). More specifically, the contents of the little scroll (book) may include chapters 11, 12, and 13.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 11 is notoriously difficult. It includes a reference to measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers, and to the trampling down of the Holy City for 42 months (11:1-2), as well as the description of the two prophet-witnesses who are killed and raised to life (vv 3-13). Opinions vary considerably here; some see this vision as depicting the restored Jewish nation, with the actual prophets Moses and Elijah being revived. Others see the temple as the true church being protected by God during the tribulation and the two witnesses representing the whole faithful church under persecution.<\/p>\n<h5>The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–14:20)<\/h5>\n<p>The seventh trumpet sounds, and in heaven loud voices proclaim the final triumph of God and Christ over the world. The theme is the kingdom of God and Christ—a dual kingdom, eternal in its duration. The image suggests the transference of the world empire once dominated by a usurping power, now taken by the hand of its true Owner and King. The announcement of the reign of the King is made here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur until the return of Christ (19:11-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-17)<\/h6>\n<p>In this chapter there are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv 13-17).<\/p>\n<p>Since the context indicates that the woman under attack represents a continuous entity from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later, her identity in the author’s mind must be the Christian community.<\/p>\n<p>The woman is in the throes of childbirth (v 2). The emphasis is on her pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual. The meaning of her anguish is that the faithful Christian community has been suffering as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah himself and of the new age (Is 26:17; 66:7-8; Mi 4:10; 5:3).<\/p>\n<h6>The Two Beasts (13:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>Turning from the inner dynamics of the struggle (ch 12), chapter 13 shifts to the actual earthly instruments of this assault against God’s people—namely, the two dragon-energized beasts. The activities of the two beasts constitute the way the dragon carries out his final attempts to wage war on the offspring of the woman (12:17).<\/p>\n<p>The dragon and the first beast enter into a conspiracy to seduce the whole world into worshiping the beast. The conspirators summon a third figure to their aid—the beast from the earth, who must be sufficiently similar to the Lamb to entice even the followers of Jesus. As the battle progresses, the dragon’s deception becomes more and more subtle. Thus, the readers are called on to discern the criteria that will enable them to separate the lamblike beast from the Lamb himself (cf. 13:11 with 14:1).<\/p>\n<h6>The Harvest of the Earth (14:1-20)<\/h6>\n<p>The two previous chapters have prepared Christians for the reality that, as the end draws near, they will be harassed and sacrificed like sheep. This section shows that their sacrifice is not meaningless. In chapter 7 the 144,000 were merely sealed; here, however, they are seen as already delivered. When the floods have passed, Mt Zion appears high above the waters; the Lamb is on the throne of glory, surrounded by the triumphant songs of his own; the gracious presence of God fills the universe.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed (vv 1-5)? What happens to the beast and his servants (vv 6-20)?<\/p>\n<h5>The Seven Bowls (15:1–19:10)<\/h5>\n<p>The series of bowl judgments constitutes the “third woe,” announced in 11:14 as “coming soon” (see comments on 11:14). These last plagues take place “immediately after the distress of those days” referred to by Jesus in the Olivet discourse and may well be the fulfillment of his apocalyptic words: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Mt 24:29, <span>niv<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h6>Preparation: The Seven Angels with the Seven Last plagues (15:1-8)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 15 is related to the OT account of the exodus and is strongly suggestive of the liturgical tradition of the ancient synagogue. The chapter has two main visions: the first portrays the victors who have emerged triumphant from the great ordeal (vv 2-4); the second relates the emergence from the heavenly temple of the seven angels clothed in white and gold who hold the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv 5-8).<\/p>\n<h6>The Pouring Out of the Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)<\/h6>\n<p>These occur in rapid succession with only a brief pause for a dialogue between the third angel and the altar, accentuating the justice of God’s punishments (vv 5-7). This rapid succession is probably due to John’s desire to give a telescopic view of the first six bowls and to hasten then on to the seventh, where the far more interesting judgment on Babylon occurs, concerning which the author will give a detailed account. The final three plagues are social and spiritual in their effect and shift from nature to humanity.<\/p>\n<h6>The Prostitute and the Beast (17:1-18)<\/h6>\n<p>To a majority of modern interpreters, Babylon represents the city of Rome. The beast stands for the Roman Empire as a whole, including its provinces and peoples. However, it is not sufficient simply to identify Babylon with Rome. For that matter, Babylon cannot be confined to any one historical manifestation, past or future; it has multiple equivalents (cf. 11:8). Babylon is found wherever there is satanic deception. Babylon is better understood here as the archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power; it is a divine mystery that can never be wholly reducible to empirical earthly institutions. Babylon represents the total culture of the world apart from God, while the divine system is depicted by the New Jerusalem. Rome is simply one manifestation of the total system.<\/p>\n<h6>The Fall of Babylon the Great (18:1-24)<\/h6>\n<p>Chapter 18 contains the description of the previously announced judgment on the prostitute (17:1). Under the imagery of the destruction of a great commercial city, John describes the final overthrow of the great prostitute, Babylon.<\/p>\n<h6>Thanksgiving for the Destruction of Babylon (19:1-5)<\/h6>\n<p>In stark contrast to the laments of Babylon’s consorts, the heavenly choirs burst forth in a great liturgy of celebration to God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)<\/h6>\n<p>Finally, the cycle of praise is completed with the reverberating sounds of another great multitude (v 6): the redeemed throng (cf. 7:9). They utter the final Hallel in words reminiscent of the great royal psalms (Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1).<\/p>\n<h5>The Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of the Age (19:11–20:15)<\/h5>\n<h6>The First and Second Last Things: The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of the Beast (19:11-21)<\/h6>\n<p>This vision, which depicts the return of Christ and the final overthrow of the beast, may be viewed as the climax of the previous section (vv 1-10) or as the first of a final series of seven last things—namely, the return of Christ; the defeat of the beast; the binding of Satan; the Millennium; the release and final end of Satan; the last judgment; and the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Although Satan has been dealt a death blow at the cross (cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11), he nevertheless continues to promulgate evil and deception during this present age (cf. Eph 2:2; 1 Thes 3:5; 1 Pt 5:8-9; Rv 2:10). Yet he is a deposed ruler who is now under the sovereign authority of Christ. Satan is allowed to continue his evil for a short time until God’s purposes are finished. In this scene of the overthrow of the beast, his kings, and their armies, John shows us the ultimate and swift destruction of these evil powers by the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have met their Master in this final and utterly real confrontation (Rv 19:17-21).<\/p>\n<h6>The Third and Fourth Last Things: The Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)<\/h6>\n<p>The Millennium has been called one of the most controversial and intriguing questions of eschatology. The main problem is whether the reference to a Millennium (thousand years) indicates an earthly historical reign of peace that will manifest itself at the close of this present age, or whether the whole passage is symbolic of some present experience of Christians or some future nonhistorical reality. The former view is called premillennial (i.e., Christ’s second coming precedes the Millennium), the latter is amillennial (i.e., there is no literal Millenium).<\/p>\n<p>The binding of Satan removes his deceptive activities from the earth (vv 1-3) during the time the martyred saints are resurrected and rule with Christ (vv 4-6).<\/p>\n<h6>The Fifth Last Thing: The Release and Final End of Satan (20:7-10)<\/h6>\n<p>In Ezekiel 38–39, “Gog” refers to the prince of a host of pagan invaders from the North, especially the Scythian hordes from the distant land of Magog. In Revelation, however, the names are symbolic of the final enemies of Christ duped by Satan into attacking the community of the saints.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sixth Last Thing: The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)<\/h6>\n<p>The language of poetic imagery captures the fading character of everything that is of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). Now the only reality is God seated on the throne of judgment, before whom all must appear (Heb 9:27). His verdict is holy and righteous (expressed symbolically by the white throne). This vision declares that even though it may have seemed that the course of earth’s history ran contrary to his holy will, no single day or hour in the world’s drama has ever detracted from the absolute sovereignty of God.<\/p>\n<h6>The Seventh Last Thing: The New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1–22:5)<\/h6>\n<p>John here discloses a theology in stone, gold as pure as glass, and color. Archetypal images abound. The church is called the bride (21:2). God gives the thirsty “the springs of the water of life without charge!” (v 6). Completeness is implied in the number 12 and its multiples (vv 12-14, 16-17, 21), and fullness in the cubical shape of the city (v 16). Colorful jewels abound, as do references to light and the glory of God (21:11, 18-21, 23-25; 22:5). There is the “river of the water of life” (22:1) and the “tree of life” (v 2). The “sea” is gone (21:1).<\/p>\n<p>Allusions to the OT abound. Most of John’s imagery in this chapter reflects Isaiah 60 and 65 and Ezekiel 40–48. John weaves Isaiah’s vision of the new Jerusalem together with Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple. The multiple OT promises converging in John’s mind seem to indicate that he viewed the new Jerusalem as the fulfillment of all these strands of prophecy. There are also allusions to Genesis 1–3: the absence of death and suffering, the dwelling of God with his people as in Eden, the tree of life, the removal of the curse. Creation is restored to its pristine character.<\/p>\n<p>The connection of this vision with the promises to the overcomers in the letters to the seven churches (Rv 2–3) is significant. For example, to the overcomers at Ephesus was granted the right to the tree of life (2:7; cf. 22:2); at Thyatira, the right to rule the nations (2:26; cf. 22:5); at Philadelphia, the name of the city of God, the new Jerusalem (3:12; cf. 21:2, 9-27). In a sense, a strand from every major section of the Apocalypse appears in chapters 21–22.<\/p>\n<h5>John’s Conclusion (22:6-21)<\/h5>\n<p>With consummate artistry, the words of the introduction (1:1-8) are sounded again in the conclusion: the book ends with the voices of the angel, Jesus, the Spirit, the bride, and finally John: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Apocalyptic; Daniel, Book of; Eschatology; John, the Apostle.<\/p>","summary_ro":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","summary_en":"REVELATION, Book of Last book of the Bible, containing revelations concerning the events of the last days. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, Destination • Background • Methods of Interpreting Revelation • Purpose and Teaching • Content Author The earliest witnesses ascribe the authorship of Revelation to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Dionysius, the distinguished bishop of Alexandria and student of Origen (early third century), was the first within the church to question its apostolic a...","source":"Articles\/R.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":59342,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:26","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:26","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:26-28<\/strong> Christ promises that those who are obedient will share <em>authority<\/em> with him, as symbolized by the <em>iron rod<\/em> that will <em>smash<\/em> the opposition <em>like clay pots<\/em> (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The <em>morning star<\/em> is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:26-28<\/strong> Christ promises that those who are obedient will share <em>authority<\/em> with him, as symbolized by the <em>iron rod<\/em> that will <em>smash<\/em> the opposition <em>like clay pots<\/em> (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The <em>morning star<\/em> is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:26-28 Christ promises that those who are obedient will share authority with him, as symbolized by the iron rod that will smash the opposition like clay pots (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The morning star is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).","summary_en":"2:26-28 Christ promises that those who are obedient will share authority with him, as symbolized by the iron rod that will smash the opposition like clay pots (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The morning star is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":86968,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:26","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:26","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:26-28<\/strong> Christ promises that those who are obedient will share <em>authority<\/em> with him, as symbolized by the <em>iron rod<\/em> that will <em>smash<\/em> the opposition <em>like clay pots<\/em> (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The <em>morning star<\/em> is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:26-28<\/strong> Christ promises that those who are obedient will share <em>authority<\/em> with him, as symbolized by the <em>iron rod<\/em> that will <em>smash<\/em> the opposition <em>like clay pots<\/em> (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The <em>morning star<\/em> is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:26-28 Christ promises that those who are obedient will share authority with him, as symbolized by the iron rod that will smash the opposition like clay pots (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The morning star is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).","summary_en":"2:26-28 Christ promises that those who are obedient will share authority with him, as symbolized by the iron rod that will smash the opposition like clay pots (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The morning star is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":114594,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:26","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:26","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:26-28<\/strong> Christ promises that those who are obedient will share <em>authority<\/em> with him, as symbolized by the <em>iron rod<\/em> that will <em>smash<\/em> the opposition <em>like clay pots<\/em> (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The <em>morning star<\/em> is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:26-28<\/strong> Christ promises that those who are obedient will share <em>authority<\/em> with him, as symbolized by the <em>iron rod<\/em> that will <em>smash<\/em> the opposition <em>like clay pots<\/em> (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The <em>morning star<\/em> is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:26-28 Christ promises that those who are obedient will share authority with him, as symbolized by the iron rod that will smash the opposition like clay pots (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The morning star is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).","summary_en":"2:26-28 Christ promises that those who are obedient will share authority with him, as symbolized by the iron rod that will smash the opposition like clay pots (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The morning star is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":142220,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Apocalipsa 2:26","title_en":"Study Note: Apocalipsa 2:26","content_ro":"<p><strong>2:26-28<\/strong> Christ promises that those who are obedient will share <em>authority<\/em> with him, as symbolized by the <em>iron rod<\/em> that will <em>smash<\/em> the opposition <em>like clay pots<\/em> (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The <em>morning star<\/em> is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>2:26-28<\/strong> Christ promises that those who are obedient will share <em>authority<\/em> with him, as symbolized by the <em>iron rod<\/em> that will <em>smash<\/em> the opposition <em>like clay pots<\/em> (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The <em>morning star<\/em> is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).<\/p>","summary_ro":"2:26-28 Christ promises that those who are obedient will share authority with him, as symbolized by the iron rod that will smash the opposition like clay pots (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The morning star is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).","summary_en":"2:26-28 Christ promises that those who are obedient will share authority with him, as symbolized by the iron rod that will smash the opposition like clay pots (quoting Ps 2:8-9; cp. Rev 12:5; 19:15). • The morning star is the planet Venus, which signals the coming of a new day. Here it refers to the promise of resurrection at Christ’s return (22:16; 2 Pet 1:19).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":67914,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":95540,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":123166,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":150792,"type":"theme_note","type_label":"Temă biblică","type_icon":"🎯","type_color":"#ef4444","title_ro":"Security and Obedience","title_en":"Security and Obedience","content_ro":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>Security and Obedience<\/h3>\n<p>The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?<\/p>\n<p>The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.<\/p>\n<p>At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Passages for Further Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12<\/p>","summary_ro":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","summary_en":"Security and Obedience The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure? The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of s...","source":"ThemeNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"27":[{"id":25929,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Minerals* and Metals","title_en":"Minerals* and Metals","content_ro":"<h3>MINERALS* AND METALS<\/h3>\n<p>A “mineral” is a naturally occurring substance, normally an ore that must be mined and treated before the metal can be extracted. A “metal” is a chemical element such as iron or copper, which is free from contamination by other materials. Metals in a pure form generally do not occur in nature, though there are exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>In Palestine, mining and smelting are ancient arts, practiced long before the Israelites arrived. The quarrying of suitable stones, such as flint, for toolmaking goes back to the Stone Age; the quarrying of stone for building is also an ancient craft. In particular, metals, native gold, copper, and meteoric iron were known and used in the Middle East before 4000 <span>BC<\/span>. From 4000 to 3000 <span>BC<\/span>, native silver became known as well as copper and lead ores. The art of smelting was discovered probably almost by accident, resulting in the production of alloys like bronze. Then the reduction of oxidized iron was discovered. From 3000 to 2000 <span>BC<\/span>, important advances were made. Copper sulfides and tin oxides were reduced to metal, and metallic tin and copper became important items of trade.<\/p>\n<p>In the years 2000 to 1000 <span>BC<\/span>, bellows came into use for furnaces, and iron was reduced from its ores and forged. The art of making brass from copper and zinc was discovered about 1500 <span>BC<\/span> but did not become significant till somewhat later. Bronze, known for many centuries, was made sometimes with a high tin content to form speculum for mirrors. By this time the Israelites were settled in the land and the kingdom was established. From 1000 <span>BC<\/span> to the start of the Christian era, the production of metals, especially iron, greatly expanded. A form of steel was made and used for weapons and tools.<\/p>\n<p>By the time of David and Solomon, the Israelites had learned many skills in the preparation and working of metals. Under David, Edom, with its rich copper and iron deposits, was conquered (2 Sm 8:13-14) and there was a lot of activity in the casting of metals in the Jordan Valley (1 Kgs 7:13-14, 45-46). In this activity Solomon had the assistance of Hiram, a Phoenician artisan. Israelite tradition associated the origins of metallurgy with Tubal-cain (Gn 4:22), who is said to have forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Deuteronomy 8:9 refers to the presence of iron and copper in the land to which Israel was going.<\/p>\n<p>While the Israelites eventually undertook their own metalworking processes, it is evident from 1 Samuel 13:19-22 that on at least one occasion, in the days of Philistine domination, they were obliged to have their agricultural tools made by their enemies. Similarly, the manufacture of cult vessels for Solomon’s temple was supervised by Phoenician artisans (1 Kgs 7:13-50).<\/p>\n<p>Minerals, metals, and precious stones were also important items of trade. Israel was never a land rich in these commodities and was obliged to import a wide variety of them. The visit of the queen of Sheba was partly diplomatic and partly for trade (1 Kgs 10:2, 10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Metals and precious stones featured also among the booty carried off by invaders, notably—but not only—by the Egyptians and Assyrians. These items were in constant demand as they were needed for agriculture and making weapons of war, and for the manufacture of jewelry and items of personal adornment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Minerals\">Minerals<\/p>\n<p>A mineral is an inorganic substance with a definite chemical composition and structure, sometimes occurring alone or sometimes combined with others. “Ore” refers to any mineral or mineral aggregate containing chemical compounds of metals in sufficient quantity and grade to make the extraction of the metal commercially profitable. The essential element, the metal, occurs in nature as a chemical compound, such as a sulfide, an oxide, a carbonate, or some other compound, though the sulfides and oxides are the most common. Minerals exhibit a variety of properties, such as color, luster, crystal form, cleavage, fracture, hardness, and density, which help in their identification and exercise control on the commercial and industrial uses of the particular mineral.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Metals\">Metals<\/p>\n<p>A metal in its pure form is a chemically pure element with its own fixed physical properties, such as density, tensile strength, crystalline structure, melting point, ductility, conductivity, and the like. Metals form alloys with other metals, but this process destroys their purity. In both the ancient world and the modern world the alloy is extremely important.<\/p>\n<p>In order to obtain a pure metal, the ore in which the metal is contained must be smelted—a process known as metallurgy. In ancient Israel pure metals were widely used—among them were gold, silver, iron, and lead. Yet alloys such as bronze and brass were even more widely used.<\/p>\n<h5>Metallurgy and Metal Extraction<\/h5>\n<p>The method of producing hard wrought iron was discovered by the Hittites of Asia Minor about 1300 <span>BC<\/span>, and was taken up by the Philistines (1 Sm 13:19-20). At first, the iron obtained from simple furnaces was drawn off and hammered to drive out slag (Dt 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4). Later, the addition of carbon produced an early form of steel.<\/p>\n<p>The lead sulfide ore is heated with lime in a flow of air. A slag with rock particles forms. The air is then cut off and the temperature is raised. Finally, the lead flows free.<\/p>\n<p>The OT refers to the mining of silver (Jb 28:1), the refining of the metal (Zec 13:9; Mal 3:3), the melting of scrap metals or jeweler’s remnants (Ez 22:20-22), and of multiple refinings in a crucible (Prv 17:3; 27:21) to produce refined silver (1 Chr 29:4; Ps 12:6; Prv 10:20).<\/p>\n<h5>Specific Metals<\/h5>\n<p>Although several OT passages suggest that the science of metallurgy was known in biblical times, comparatively little archaeological evidence is available. The processing plants were small and were used for the treatment of copper and iron. The archaeological record is far from complete, but the general impression is that metallic ores were comparatively rare in Palestine; imports must have been considerable. However, numerous molds for casting agricultural and military tools have come to light in excavations. Evidently, some refined metal was available locally, but perhaps most of it was imported. The metal was then heated and poured into the appropriate earthenware or pottery mold.<\/p>\n<p>There are many references to metals in the Bible, but especially to gold, silver, iron, and lead. While copper was widely used, it was normally in the form of its alloys, bronze and brass. There are comparatively few references to tin as such, though it was used in manufacturing bronze. Similarly zinc, though used in the manufacture of brass, is not mentioned in the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>Gold is referred to hundreds of times in the OT and NT, more frequently than any other metal. It is often mentioned together with silver, and in the majority of cases silver is mentioned first, reflecting a time when gold was less valued.<\/p>\n<p>Gold was used in the manufacture of ornaments for personal use (Gn 24:53; 41:42; Ex 3:22; 11:2; 12:35). Gold was important in worship both in Israel and among the non-Israelites. References to pagan gods occur in several passages (Ex 20:23; 32:2-4; Ps 115:4; Is 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; 40:19; 46:6; Hos 8:4). It seems that the gold was melted down and later engraved so that the replicas could be called both molten images (Ex 32:24) and graven images. The tabernacle and the temple used a great deal of gold. The wooden ark was covered inside and outside with gold (25:11). Other timber pieces were overlaid with gold (25:11; 1 Kgs 6:20-22, 30).<\/p>\n<p>The vessels and utensils used in the tabernacle and temple were made of “pure gold”: the cherubim (Ex 25:18; 37:7), the mercy seat (25:17; 37:6), the candlestick (Ex 25:31; Zec 4:2), various vessels (Ex 25:38; 2 Kgs 24:13), chains to carry the ephod (Ex 28:14), and the bells on the high priest’s robe. The high priest’s crown, ephod, and breastplate were also of gold (39:2-30). The offerings collected for the manufacture of such articles in the wilderness include golden dishes weighing 120 shekels (Nm 7:86). The more lavishly adorned temple apparently used more gold than the tabernacle (1 Kgs 6:20-28; 1 Chr 29:2-7; 2 Chr 3:4–4:22). The number of specific references to gold in the tabernacle and temple is far too great to mention all of them here. The large amount of gold used in the temple was attractive to invaders, who would strip the temple of its gold and carry it off as booty (1 Kgs 14:26; 2 Kgs 16:8; 18:14; 24:13; 25:15; 2 Chr 12:9).<\/p>\n<p>Gold had commercial value. It was imported in Solomon’s day, and up to 666 talents were brought to Israel annually (1 Kgs 10:14). Hiram of Tyre gave Solomon 120 talents of gold (9:14), possibly as a loan. Certainly Solomon used a lot of gold in the temple (10:16-17). Gold was useful, too, for buying off an enemy (2 Kgs 16:8) or simply as tribute (18:14). Evidence of this comes also from the Assyrian annals, where the tribute taken from various lands often included gold.<\/p>\n<p>The possession of gold was not in itself an evil thing, but preoccupation with its accumulation was condemned (Jb 28:15-17; Prv 3:14; 8:10, 19; 16:16). The possession of wisdom and the knowledge of God was of greater value than the possession of much gold (Pss 19:10; 119:72, 127; Prv 20:15). Job rejected trust in gold (Jb 31:24). Gold would not save a man in the day of judgment (Zep 1:18).<\/p>\n<p>In the NT gold was regarded as perishable (Jas 5:3; 1 Pt 1:18) and as an unnecessary burden to carry (Mt 10:9; Acts 3:6). The wearing of a gold ring was certainly no measure of a man’s worth (Jas 2:2); indeed, both Paul and Peter forbade it (1 Tm 2:9; 1 Pt 3:3).<\/p>\n<p>The use of gold in itself was no measure of piety. The elders of Revelation 4:4 wore golden crowns, but the great harlot was “bedecked with gold” (Rv 17:4), as was the harlot city Babylon (18:16). By contrast, there are some positive statements in the NT about the value of gold (3:18). The wise men brought gold to the infant Jesus as a symbol of his kingly character (Mt 2:11), and the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, was a city of gold, clear as glass (Rv 21:18).<\/p>\n<p>In the OT, silver is mentioned in several connections. Being a precious metal, once considered more precious than gold, it was regularly used in commerce for the payments of debts. Small pieces of silver were weighed into a balance against a standard weight. Abraham bought the cave at Machpelah as a burial place for Sarah for 400 shekels of silver and weighed out the “money” according to the weight’s current value with the merchant (Gn 23:15-16). Joseph’s brothers received 20 pieces of silver in payment for Joseph (37:28), and Benjamin was given a money gift by Joseph in pieces of silver (45:22).<\/p>\n<p>There are other examples of payment in silver for commodities or services (Gn 20:16; Ex 21:32; Lv 27:16; Jos 24:32; Jgs 17:10; 2 Sm 24:24; Neh 7:72; Jb 28:15; Is 7:23; 46:6; Am 2:6; 8:6). Silver was a measure of a man’s wealth (Gn 13:2; 24:35; Ex 25:3; Nm 22:18; Dt 7:25; Zep 1:18; Hg 2:8; Zec 6:11). An unusual comment in 1 Kings 10:21 notes that in Solomon’s day “it was not considered as anything,” apparently because it was so plentiful. It was regularly taken as booty (Jos 6:19; 7:21; 1 Kgs 15:18). Sometimes the drinking cup of an important man was made of silver (Gn 44:2). Sometimes, too, a royal crown was made of gold and silver (Zec 6:11). It was important in the manufacture of personal ornaments (Gn 24:53; Ex 3:22; 12:35), and one example is given of ornaments of gold studded with silver (Sg 1:11).<\/p>\n<p>The process of refining silver was used as a metaphor for the trying of people’s hearts (Ps 66:10; Is 48:10), and the tarnishing and deterioration of silver was a picture of the disintegration of one’s character (Is 1:22; Jer 6:30). God’s Word is pictured as “pure” silver refined and purified in a furnace. Despite silver’s great value, wisdom excels it (Job 28:15; Prv 3:14; 8:19; 10:20; 16:16; 22:1; 25:11).<\/p>\n<p>Native copper is mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:9, though the reference may be to one of its ores. More commonly, biblical references are to brass, the alloy of copper and zinc. However, the chemical analysis of copper-based tools and implements during the middle and late Bronze Ages (c. 2000–1200 <span>BC<\/span>) shows that the material was bronze. References to brass in the <span>kjv<\/span> are therefore to bronze.<\/p>\n<p>By NT times, copper in the form of alloys (bronze and brass) was widely used. Bronze coinage was well known and this may be the sense of Matthew 10:9. The widow’s mite was a tiny bronze coin, the lepton. Bronze utensils and vessels were well known (Rv 9:20; 18:12). The reference to “sounding brass” (<span>kjv<\/span>) in 1 Corinthians 13:1 may actually be to brass, which was a bright, shining alloy, and was used in musical instruments. In the vision of John in Revelation (Rv 1:15; 2:18), the Son of Man had feet of fine brass (<span>nlt<\/span> “bronze”).<\/p>\n<p>The Iron Age began in Palestine about 1200 <span>BC<\/span>, that is, in the days of the judges, though native iron had been known in Egypt in the predynastic period. Archaeological evidence suggests that the smelting of iron ore was discovered by the Hittites about 1400 <span>BC<\/span>. The Philistines seem to have introduced iron to Palestine about 1300 <span>BC<\/span>. In the days of Moses an encounter with the Midianites produced much tribute, among which iron is mentioned (Nm 31:22). When Israel captured Jericho, the spoils included iron (Jos 6:24). Manasseh’s half-tribe also took booty including iron (22:8). In the days of the judges the Canaanites were equipped with chariots of iron (Jos 17:16-18; Jgs 1:19; 4:3).<\/p>\n<p>These early references point to the arrival of iron at the start of the Iron Age. The Philistines enjoyed a local monopoly in its use (1 Sm 13:19-21), and their mighty warrior Goliath was armed with an iron spear (17:7). It was not long, however, before Israel learned the use of iron (2 Sm 12:31; 23:7). Evidently, by Solomon’s time, iron was widely used, because builders of the temple were forbidden to use iron tools (1 Kgs 6:7). The false prophet Zedekiah in Ahab’s day used the horns of iron to thrust toward Syria as he spoke of their defeat (22:11).<\/p>\n<p>The prophet Isaiah in the eighth century <span>BC<\/span> referred to iron (Is 10:34), and Jeremiah later spoke of the metal in several places (Jer 1:18; 6:28; 11:4; 15:12; 17:1; 28:13-14). Ezekiel made use of an iron plate in one of his symbolic actions (Ez 4:3), referred to iron in his description of smelting (22:18, 20), and listed it as a commodity for trade (27:12, 19). The prophet Amos spoke of threshing instruments of iron (Am 1:3). Micah used iron as a symbol for military might (Mi 4:13). The book of Daniel makes several references to it (Dn 2:33-35, 40-45; 4:15, 23; 7:7, 19).<\/p>\n<p>By Roman times, iron weapons were the regular implements of war. Gates of iron were used to close prisons (Acts 12:10), and in a symbolic usage powerful rulers were said to rule with a rod of iron (Rv 2:27; 9:9; 12:5; 19:15). The term “iron” was used also in some metaphorical expressions. The smelting of iron was a symbol of testing and suffering (Dt 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4; Ez 22:18), a pillar of iron was symbolic of strength (Jer 1:18), and an iron rod of harsh rule (Ps 2:9; Rv 2:27; 12:5; 19:15).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Coppersmith; Goldsmith; Ironsmith; Mason, Masonry; Silversmith; Stones, Precious.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>MINERALS* AND METALS<\/h3>\n<p>A “mineral” is a naturally occurring substance, normally an ore that must be mined and treated before the metal can be extracted. A “metal” is a chemical element such as iron or copper, which is free from contamination by other materials. Metals in a pure form generally do not occur in nature, though there are exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>In Palestine, mining and smelting are ancient arts, practiced long before the Israelites arrived. The quarrying of suitable stones, such as flint, for toolmaking goes back to the Stone Age; the quarrying of stone for building is also an ancient craft. In particular, metals, native gold, copper, and meteoric iron were known and used in the Middle East before 4000 <span>BC<\/span>. From 4000 to 3000 <span>BC<\/span>, native silver became known as well as copper and lead ores. The art of smelting was discovered probably almost by accident, resulting in the production of alloys like bronze. Then the reduction of oxidized iron was discovered. From 3000 to 2000 <span>BC<\/span>, important advances were made. Copper sulfides and tin oxides were reduced to metal, and metallic tin and copper became important items of trade.<\/p>\n<p>In the years 2000 to 1000 <span>BC<\/span>, bellows came into use for furnaces, and iron was reduced from its ores and forged. The art of making brass from copper and zinc was discovered about 1500 <span>BC<\/span> but did not become significant till somewhat later. Bronze, known for many centuries, was made sometimes with a high tin content to form speculum for mirrors. By this time the Israelites were settled in the land and the kingdom was established. From 1000 <span>BC<\/span> to the start of the Christian era, the production of metals, especially iron, greatly expanded. A form of steel was made and used for weapons and tools.<\/p>\n<p>By the time of David and Solomon, the Israelites had learned many skills in the preparation and working of metals. Under David, Edom, with its rich copper and iron deposits, was conquered (2 Sm 8:13-14) and there was a lot of activity in the casting of metals in the Jordan Valley (1 Kgs 7:13-14, 45-46). In this activity Solomon had the assistance of Hiram, a Phoenician artisan. Israelite tradition associated the origins of metallurgy with Tubal-cain (Gn 4:22), who is said to have forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Deuteronomy 8:9 refers to the presence of iron and copper in the land to which Israel was going.<\/p>\n<p>While the Israelites eventually undertook their own metalworking processes, it is evident from 1 Samuel 13:19-22 that on at least one occasion, in the days of Philistine domination, they were obliged to have their agricultural tools made by their enemies. Similarly, the manufacture of cult vessels for Solomon’s temple was supervised by Phoenician artisans (1 Kgs 7:13-50).<\/p>\n<p>Minerals, metals, and precious stones were also important items of trade. Israel was never a land rich in these commodities and was obliged to import a wide variety of them. The visit of the queen of Sheba was partly diplomatic and partly for trade (1 Kgs 10:2, 10-11).<\/p>\n<p>Metals and precious stones featured also among the booty carried off by invaders, notably—but not only—by the Egyptians and Assyrians. These items were in constant demand as they were needed for agriculture and making weapons of war, and for the manufacture of jewelry and items of personal adornment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Minerals\">Minerals<\/p>\n<p>A mineral is an inorganic substance with a definite chemical composition and structure, sometimes occurring alone or sometimes combined with others. “Ore” refers to any mineral or mineral aggregate containing chemical compounds of metals in sufficient quantity and grade to make the extraction of the metal commercially profitable. The essential element, the metal, occurs in nature as a chemical compound, such as a sulfide, an oxide, a carbonate, or some other compound, though the sulfides and oxides are the most common. Minerals exhibit a variety of properties, such as color, luster, crystal form, cleavage, fracture, hardness, and density, which help in their identification and exercise control on the commercial and industrial uses of the particular mineral.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Metals\">Metals<\/p>\n<p>A metal in its pure form is a chemically pure element with its own fixed physical properties, such as density, tensile strength, crystalline structure, melting point, ductility, conductivity, and the like. Metals form alloys with other metals, but this process destroys their purity. In both the ancient world and the modern world the alloy is extremely important.<\/p>\n<p>In order to obtain a pure metal, the ore in which the metal is contained must be smelted—a process known as metallurgy. In ancient Israel pure metals were widely used—among them were gold, silver, iron, and lead. Yet alloys such as bronze and brass were even more widely used.<\/p>\n<h5>Metallurgy and Metal Extraction<\/h5>\n<p>The method of producing hard wrought iron was discovered by the Hittites of Asia Minor about 1300 <span>BC<\/span>, and was taken up by the Philistines (1 Sm 13:19-20). At first, the iron obtained from simple furnaces was drawn off and hammered to drive out slag (Dt 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4). Later, the addition of carbon produced an early form of steel.<\/p>\n<p>The lead sulfide ore is heated with lime in a flow of air. A slag with rock particles forms. The air is then cut off and the temperature is raised. Finally, the lead flows free.<\/p>\n<p>The OT refers to the mining of silver (Jb 28:1), the refining of the metal (Zec 13:9; Mal 3:3), the melting of scrap metals or jeweler’s remnants (Ez 22:20-22), and of multiple refinings in a crucible (Prv 17:3; 27:21) to produce refined silver (1 Chr 29:4; Ps 12:6; Prv 10:20).<\/p>\n<h5>Specific Metals<\/h5>\n<p>Although several OT passages suggest that the science of metallurgy was known in biblical times, comparatively little archaeological evidence is available. The processing plants were small and were used for the treatment of copper and iron. The archaeological record is far from complete, but the general impression is that metallic ores were comparatively rare in Palestine; imports must have been considerable. However, numerous molds for casting agricultural and military tools have come to light in excavations. Evidently, some refined metal was available locally, but perhaps most of it was imported. The metal was then heated and poured into the appropriate earthenware or pottery mold.<\/p>\n<p>There are many references to metals in the Bible, but especially to gold, silver, iron, and lead. While copper was widely used, it was normally in the form of its alloys, bronze and brass. There are comparatively few references to tin as such, though it was used in manufacturing bronze. Similarly zinc, though used in the manufacture of brass, is not mentioned in the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>Gold is referred to hundreds of times in the OT and NT, more frequently than any other metal. It is often mentioned together with silver, and in the majority of cases silver is mentioned first, reflecting a time when gold was less valued.<\/p>\n<p>Gold was used in the manufacture of ornaments for personal use (Gn 24:53; 41:42; Ex 3:22; 11:2; 12:35). Gold was important in worship both in Israel and among the non-Israelites. References to pagan gods occur in several passages (Ex 20:23; 32:2-4; Ps 115:4; Is 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; 40:19; 46:6; Hos 8:4). It seems that the gold was melted down and later engraved so that the replicas could be called both molten images (Ex 32:24) and graven images. The tabernacle and the temple used a great deal of gold. The wooden ark was covered inside and outside with gold (25:11). Other timber pieces were overlaid with gold (25:11; 1 Kgs 6:20-22, 30).<\/p>\n<p>The vessels and utensils used in the tabernacle and temple were made of “pure gold”: the cherubim (Ex 25:18; 37:7), the mercy seat (25:17; 37:6), the candlestick (Ex 25:31; Zec 4:2), various vessels (Ex 25:38; 2 Kgs 24:13), chains to carry the ephod (Ex 28:14), and the bells on the high priest’s robe. The high priest’s crown, ephod, and breastplate were also of gold (39:2-30). The offerings collected for the manufacture of such articles in the wilderness include golden dishes weighing 120 shekels (Nm 7:86). The more lavishly adorned temple apparently used more gold than the tabernacle (1 Kgs 6:20-28; 1 Chr 29:2-7; 2 Chr 3:4–4:22). The number of specific references to gold in the tabernacle and temple is far too great to mention all of them here. The large amount of gold used in the temple was attractive to invaders, who would strip the temple of its gold and carry it off as booty (1 Kgs 14:26; 2 Kgs 16:8; 18:14; 24:13; 25:15; 2 Chr 12:9).<\/p>\n<p>Gold had commercial value. It was imported in Solomon’s day, and up to 666 talents were brought to Israel annually (1 Kgs 10:14). Hiram of Tyre gave Solomon 120 talents of gold (9:14), possibly as a loan. Certainly Solomon used a lot of gold in the temple (10:16-17). Gold was useful, too, for buying off an enemy (2 Kgs 16:8) or simply as tribute (18:14). Evidence of this comes also from the Assyrian annals, where the tribute taken from various lands often included gold.<\/p>\n<p>The possession of gold was not in itself an evil thing, but preoccupation with its accumulation was condemned (Jb 28:15-17; Prv 3:14; 8:10, 19; 16:16). The possession of wisdom and the knowledge of God was of greater value than the possession of much gold (Pss 19:10; 119:72, 127; Prv 20:15). Job rejected trust in gold (Jb 31:24). Gold would not save a man in the day of judgment (Zep 1:18).<\/p>\n<p>In the NT gold was regarded as perishable (Jas 5:3; 1 Pt 1:18) and as an unnecessary burden to carry (Mt 10:9; Acts 3:6). The wearing of a gold ring was certainly no measure of a man’s worth (Jas 2:2); indeed, both Paul and Peter forbade it (1 Tm 2:9; 1 Pt 3:3).<\/p>\n<p>The use of gold in itself was no measure of piety. The elders of Revelation 4:4 wore golden crowns, but the great harlot was “bedecked with gold” (Rv 17:4), as was the harlot city Babylon (18:16). By contrast, there are some positive statements in the NT about the value of gold (3:18). The wise men brought gold to the infant Jesus as a symbol of his kingly character (Mt 2:11), and the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, was a city of gold, clear as glass (Rv 21:18).<\/p>\n<p>In the OT, silver is mentioned in several connections. Being a precious metal, once considered more precious than gold, it was regularly used in commerce for the payments of debts. Small pieces of silver were weighed into a balance against a standard weight. Abraham bought the cave at Machpelah as a burial place for Sarah for 400 shekels of silver and weighed out the “money” according to the weight’s current value with the merchant (Gn 23:15-16). Joseph’s brothers received 20 pieces of silver in payment for Joseph (37:28), and Benjamin was given a money gift by Joseph in pieces of silver (45:22).<\/p>\n<p>There are other examples of payment in silver for commodities or services (Gn 20:16; Ex 21:32; Lv 27:16; Jos 24:32; Jgs 17:10; 2 Sm 24:24; Neh 7:72; Jb 28:15; Is 7:23; 46:6; Am 2:6; 8:6). Silver was a measure of a man’s wealth (Gn 13:2; 24:35; Ex 25:3; Nm 22:18; Dt 7:25; Zep 1:18; Hg 2:8; Zec 6:11). An unusual comment in 1 Kings 10:21 notes that in Solomon’s day “it was not considered as anything,” apparently because it was so plentiful. It was regularly taken as booty (Jos 6:19; 7:21; 1 Kgs 15:18). Sometimes the drinking cup of an important man was made of silver (Gn 44:2). Sometimes, too, a royal crown was made of gold and silver (Zec 6:11). It was important in the manufacture of personal ornaments (Gn 24:53; Ex 3:22; 12:35), and one example is given of ornaments of gold studded with silver (Sg 1:11).<\/p>\n<p>The process of refining silver was used as a metaphor for the trying of people’s hearts (Ps 66:10; Is 48:10), and the tarnishing and deterioration of silver was a picture of the disintegration of one’s character (Is 1:22; Jer 6:30). God’s Word is pictured as “pure” silver refined and purified in a furnace. Despite silver’s great value, wisdom excels it (Job 28:15; Prv 3:14; 8:19; 10:20; 16:16; 22:1; 25:11).<\/p>\n<p>Native copper is mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:9, though the reference may be to one of its ores. More commonly, biblical references are to brass, the alloy of copper and zinc. However, the chemical analysis of copper-based tools and implements during the middle and late Bronze Ages (c. 2000–1200 <span>BC<\/span>) shows that the material was bronze. References to brass in the <span>kjv<\/span> are therefore to bronze.<\/p>\n<p>By NT times, copper in the form of alloys (bronze and brass) was widely used. Bronze coinage was well known and this may be the sense of Matthew 10:9. The widow’s mite was a tiny bronze coin, the lepton. Bronze utensils and vessels were well known (Rv 9:20; 18:12). The reference to “sounding brass” (<span>kjv<\/span>) in 1 Corinthians 13:1 may actually be to brass, which was a bright, shining alloy, and was used in musical instruments. In the vision of John in Revelation (Rv 1:15; 2:18), the Son of Man had feet of fine brass (<span>nlt<\/span> “bronze”).<\/p>\n<p>The Iron Age began in Palestine about 1200 <span>BC<\/span>, that is, in the days of the judges, though native iron had been known in Egypt in the predynastic period. Archaeological evidence suggests that the smelting of iron ore was discovered by the Hittites about 1400 <span>BC<\/span>. The Philistines seem to have introduced iron to Palestine about 1300 <span>BC<\/span>. In the days of Moses an encounter with the Midianites produced much tribute, among which iron is mentioned (Nm 31:22). When Israel captured Jericho, the spoils included iron (Jos 6:24). Manasseh’s half-tribe also took booty including iron (22:8). In the days of the judges the Canaanites were equipped with chariots of iron (Jos 17:16-18; Jgs 1:19; 4:3).<\/p>\n<p>These early references point to the arrival of iron at the start of the Iron Age. The Philistines enjoyed a local monopoly in its use (1 Sm 13:19-21), and their mighty warrior Goliath was armed with an iron spear (17:7). It was not long, however, before Israel learned the use of iron (2 Sm 12:31; 23:7). Evidently, by Solomon’s time, iron was widely used, because builders of the temple were forbidden to use iron tools (1 Kgs 6:7). The false prophet Zedekiah in Ahab’s day used the horns of iron to thrust toward Syria as he spoke of their defeat (22:11).<\/p>\n<p>The prophet Isaiah in the eighth century <span>BC<\/span> referred to iron (Is 10:34), and Jeremiah later spoke of the metal in several places (Jer 1:18; 6:28; 11:4; 15:12; 17:1; 28:13-14). Ezekiel made use of an iron plate in one of his symbolic actions (Ez 4:3), referred to iron in his description of smelting (22:18, 20), and listed it as a commodity for trade (27:12, 19). The prophet Amos spoke of threshing instruments of iron (Am 1:3). Micah used iron as a symbol for military might (Mi 4:13). The book of Daniel makes several references to it (Dn 2:33-35, 40-45; 4:15, 23; 7:7, 19).<\/p>\n<p>By Roman times, iron weapons were the regular implements of war. Gates of iron were used to close prisons (Acts 12:10), and in a symbolic usage powerful rulers were said to rule with a rod of iron (Rv 2:27; 9:9; 12:5; 19:15). The term “iron” was used also in some metaphorical expressions. The smelting of iron was a symbol of testing and suffering (Dt 4:20; 1 Kgs 8:51; Jer 11:4; Ez 22:18), a pillar of iron was symbolic of strength (Jer 1:18), and an iron rod of harsh rule (Ps 2:9; Rv 2:27; 12:5; 19:15).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Coppersmith; Goldsmith; Ironsmith; Mason, Masonry; Silversmith; Stones, Precious.<\/p>","summary_ro":"MINERALS* AND METALS A “mineral” is a naturally occurring substance, normally an ore that must be mined and treated before the metal can be extracted. A “metal” is a chemical element such as iron or copper, which is free from contamination by other materials. Metals in a pure form generally do not occur in nature, though there are exceptions. In Palestine, mining and smelting are ancient arts, practiced long before the Israelites arrived. The quarrying of suitable stones, such as flint, for t...","summary_en":"MINERALS* AND METALS A “mineral” is a naturally occurring substance, normally an ore that must be mined and treated before the metal can be extracted. A “metal” is a chemical element such as iron or copper, which is free from contamination by other materials. Metals in a pure form generally do not occur in nature, though there are exceptions. In Palestine, mining and smelting are ancient arts, practiced long before the Israelites arrived. The quarrying of suitable stones, such as flint, for t...","source":"Articles\/M.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":30985,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Pottery","title_en":"Pottery","content_ro":"<h3>POTTERY<\/h3>\n<p>The manufacture of clayware and earthenware.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"HistoryandDevelopment\">History and Development<\/p>\n<p>The first pottery was made by hand, molded into the desired shape and dried in the sun. There are no records describing the work of the ancient potter and his or her place in society, although the walls of tombs and palaces in Egypt abound with pictures of potters at work and a great deal can be learned by observing the activities portrayed. The first potters are thought to have been women who, out of necessity, produced vessels for food preparation, while the men were out trying to bring in the food. This still seems to be the pattern in places like Africa, Anatolia, Kurdistan, and the southwestern United States. Eventually, the making of pottery became a profession, apparently practiced by certain people in a large village and often by itinerant craftsmen moving from village to village making pottery to meet the demand and then moving on.<\/p>\n\n<p>The discovery that moved pottery making from an occasional activity of a housewife to that of a profession was the invention of the potter’s wheel. The speed with which vessels could then be made industrialized the craft, and it eventually became primarily a male occupation, although there is evidence that people (one would assume women) continued to make some vessels at home. Until the discovery of the potter’s wheel, the techniques of making pots by laying coils of clay, one on top of the other, was the predominant method used, especially for large vessels. The first potter’s wheel found in excavations in the lands of the Bible come from Ur in Sumer around 3500 to 3000 <span>BC<\/span>. It may have been developed in emerging urban settlements due to a greater market for pottery. Jeremiah speaks of a potter’s workshop in the sixth century <span>BC<\/span>: “So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter squashed the jar into a lump of clay and started again” (Jer 18:3-4, <span>nlt<\/span>). There is evidence in Greece of large workshops in the classical period employing more than 50 workers.<\/p>\n<p>Clay must be spun at least 100 revolutions a minute to create the centrifugal force necessary to “throw” the vessel. The oldest wheels were made of two stones, a lower one with a hole in the center and an upper one with a protrusion that fits into the lower hole, allowing the upper stone to be turned. The upper stone, with a larger board attached to it on which the vessel rested, was undoubtedly turned by an apprentice. By the Hellenistic period, after 300 <span>BC<\/span>, the foot wheel was invented.<\/p>\n<p>Another technique used in ancient pottery making was the mold. Molds were carved out of soft stone or made from clay for use in mass production of the same kind of vessel. Lamp molds are rather common in museums of the Middle East from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Small oil lamps were made in two parts in the molds, an upper half and lower half, and then fused together before firing. Herodian lamps also had spatulated spouts that were formed independently of the other two parts.<\/p>\n<p>The amount of diversity in both the size and shape of ancient pottery is remarkable. An average ancient home would have within it large vessels (amphorae and pithoi) to hold liquids such as wine or water. These were pointed on the bottom and designed originally to lie against the slope of a ship’s hull while being transported. In homes of the common people they were partially set into the ground and leaned against the wall. In taverns in Pompeii and Herculaneum they were stored in wooden racks. Large, open-mouthed jars would be partially buried in the ground to keep the liquid contained in them cool. Also, grains of various kinds could be kept in these, some of which were four feet (1.2 meters) in height and three feet (.9 meter) wide. Smaller water decanters holding a quart (.9 liter) or more were commonly used. Globular jugs were used to serve wine, having spouts that prevented spilling the precious liquid. Round canteens, with handles on either shoulder, were used to carry water on a journey. Bowls and dishes were common in various sizes and depths in ancient homes. Large-mouth dishes known as kraters were used for drinking. Cooking was done in medium-sized (about one gallon, or 3.8 liters) pots with rounded bottoms that would sit easily in the fire or in a dug-out place in the floor after being taken from the fire. They also had two looped handles, which allowed them to be hung over the fire.<\/p>\n<p>Vessels were painted in classical Greece with vivid descriptions of religion, sex, warfare, and community life. Earlier vessels of Minoan and Mycenaean cultures contain beautiful artwork in the form of plants, animals, and marine life as well as geometric designs. From earliest times in the Middle East, variations in design were created by the use of dark and light shades of slip painted or poured randomly on vessels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PotteryinScripture\">Pottery in Scripture<\/p>\n<p>There are many references to the potter and his work in the Bible. Typical are the following: “Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand” (Jer 18:6, <span>nlt<\/span>); “<span>Lord<\/span>, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all formed by your hand” (Is 64:8, <span>nlt<\/span>). In the Creation story God is portrayed as a potter making man from the ground (Gn 2:7). His absolute sovereignty in the election of Israel is argued by Paul (Rom 9:20-21) from an illustration used by Isaiah (Is 45:9) concerning a pot arguing with its potter: “Does a clay pot ever argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you are doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be!’ ” (<span>nlt<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p>Jeremiah graphically prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem by breaking a potter’s earthen flask into so many pieces that it could not be restored (Jer 19:11). The Jews, at the time of the destruction, though precious in God’s sight, were “treated like pots of clay” (Lam 4:2)—an expression of their human frailty; they could be easily broken and destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>A broken pottery vessel in the ancient world was considered so worthless that the pieces were swept aside or thrown out the window and a new one made. The potter’s art was widely known and vessels were readily available at a cheap price. People normally did not transport their vessels when they moved. It was easier to make or buy new ones than to try to carry them, especially the larger ones. Broken pieces, however, were not without some use. Job scraped the secretion from his sores with a potsherd, which is a broken piece of pottery (Jb 2:8). At a much later time, potsherds were used to write notes on and were called ostraca. The psalmist spoke of his strength as having dried up like a potsherd (Ps 22:15)—a reference to the lack of moisture in a dried and fired pottery vessel. The eventual defeat of polytheistic and idolatrous pagan nations is described as vessels of pottery being dashed to the ground and broken to pieces by the righteous (Ps 2:9; Rv 2:27).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Archaeology and the Bible; Brick, Brick Kiln; Inscriptions.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>POTTERY<\/h3>\n<p>The manufacture of clayware and earthenware.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"HistoryandDevelopment\">History and Development<\/p>\n<p>The first pottery was made by hand, molded into the desired shape and dried in the sun. There are no records describing the work of the ancient potter and his or her place in society, although the walls of tombs and palaces in Egypt abound with pictures of potters at work and a great deal can be learned by observing the activities portrayed. The first potters are thought to have been women who, out of necessity, produced vessels for food preparation, while the men were out trying to bring in the food. This still seems to be the pattern in places like Africa, Anatolia, Kurdistan, and the southwestern United States. Eventually, the making of pottery became a profession, apparently practiced by certain people in a large village and often by itinerant craftsmen moving from village to village making pottery to meet the demand and then moving on.<\/p>\n\n<p>The discovery that moved pottery making from an occasional activity of a housewife to that of a profession was the invention of the potter’s wheel. The speed with which vessels could then be made industrialized the craft, and it eventually became primarily a male occupation, although there is evidence that people (one would assume women) continued to make some vessels at home. Until the discovery of the potter’s wheel, the techniques of making pots by laying coils of clay, one on top of the other, was the predominant method used, especially for large vessels. The first potter’s wheel found in excavations in the lands of the Bible come from Ur in Sumer around 3500 to 3000 <span>BC<\/span>. It may have been developed in emerging urban settlements due to a greater market for pottery. Jeremiah speaks of a potter’s workshop in the sixth century <span>BC<\/span>: “So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter squashed the jar into a lump of clay and started again” (Jer 18:3-4, <span>nlt<\/span>). There is evidence in Greece of large workshops in the classical period employing more than 50 workers.<\/p>\n<p>Clay must be spun at least 100 revolutions a minute to create the centrifugal force necessary to “throw” the vessel. The oldest wheels were made of two stones, a lower one with a hole in the center and an upper one with a protrusion that fits into the lower hole, allowing the upper stone to be turned. The upper stone, with a larger board attached to it on which the vessel rested, was undoubtedly turned by an apprentice. By the Hellenistic period, after 300 <span>BC<\/span>, the foot wheel was invented.<\/p>\n<p>Another technique used in ancient pottery making was the mold. Molds were carved out of soft stone or made from clay for use in mass production of the same kind of vessel. Lamp molds are rather common in museums of the Middle East from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Small oil lamps were made in two parts in the molds, an upper half and lower half, and then fused together before firing. Herodian lamps also had spatulated spouts that were formed independently of the other two parts.<\/p>\n<p>The amount of diversity in both the size and shape of ancient pottery is remarkable. An average ancient home would have within it large vessels (amphorae and pithoi) to hold liquids such as wine or water. These were pointed on the bottom and designed originally to lie against the slope of a ship’s hull while being transported. In homes of the common people they were partially set into the ground and leaned against the wall. In taverns in Pompeii and Herculaneum they were stored in wooden racks. Large, open-mouthed jars would be partially buried in the ground to keep the liquid contained in them cool. Also, grains of various kinds could be kept in these, some of which were four feet (1.2 meters) in height and three feet (.9 meter) wide. Smaller water decanters holding a quart (.9 liter) or more were commonly used. Globular jugs were used to serve wine, having spouts that prevented spilling the precious liquid. Round canteens, with handles on either shoulder, were used to carry water on a journey. Bowls and dishes were common in various sizes and depths in ancient homes. Large-mouth dishes known as kraters were used for drinking. Cooking was done in medium-sized (about one gallon, or 3.8 liters) pots with rounded bottoms that would sit easily in the fire or in a dug-out place in the floor after being taken from the fire. They also had two looped handles, which allowed them to be hung over the fire.<\/p>\n<p>Vessels were painted in classical Greece with vivid descriptions of religion, sex, warfare, and community life. Earlier vessels of Minoan and Mycenaean cultures contain beautiful artwork in the form of plants, animals, and marine life as well as geometric designs. From earliest times in the Middle East, variations in design were created by the use of dark and light shades of slip painted or poured randomly on vessels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"PotteryinScripture\">Pottery in Scripture<\/p>\n<p>There are many references to the potter and his work in the Bible. Typical are the following: “Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand” (Jer 18:6, <span>nlt<\/span>); “<span>Lord<\/span>, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all formed by your hand” (Is 64:8, <span>nlt<\/span>). In the Creation story God is portrayed as a potter making man from the ground (Gn 2:7). His absolute sovereignty in the election of Israel is argued by Paul (Rom 9:20-21) from an illustration used by Isaiah (Is 45:9) concerning a pot arguing with its potter: “Does a clay pot ever argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you are doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be!’ ” (<span>nlt<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p>Jeremiah graphically prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem by breaking a potter’s earthen flask into so many pieces that it could not be restored (Jer 19:11). The Jews, at the time of the destruction, though precious in God’s sight, were “treated like pots of clay” (Lam 4:2)—an expression of their human frailty; they could be easily broken and destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>A broken pottery vessel in the ancient world was considered so worthless that the pieces were swept aside or thrown out the window and a new one made. The potter’s art was widely known and vessels were readily available at a cheap price. People normally did not transport their vessels when they moved. It was easier to make or buy new ones than to try to carry them, especially the larger ones. Broken pieces, however, were not without some use. Job scraped the secretion from his sores with a potsherd, which is a broken piece of pottery (Jb 2:8). At a much later time, potsherds were used to write notes on and were called ostraca. The psalmist spoke of his strength as having dried up like a potsherd (Ps 22:15)—a reference to the lack of moisture in a dried and fired pottery vessel. The eventual defeat of polytheistic and idolatrous pagan nations is described as vessels of pottery being dashed to the ground and broken to pieces by the righteous (Ps 2:9; Rv 2:27).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Archaeology and the Bible; Brick, Brick Kiln; Inscriptions.<\/p>","summary_ro":"POTTERY The manufacture of clayware and earthenware. History and Development The first pottery was made by hand, molded into the desired shape and dried in the sun. There are no records describing the work of the ancient potter and his or her place in society, although the walls of tombs and palaces in Egypt abound with pictures of potters at work and a great deal can be learned by observing the activities portrayed. The first potters are thought to have been women who, out of necessity, prod...","summary_en":"POTTERY The manufacture of clayware and earthenware. History and Development The first pottery was made by hand, molded into the desired shape and dried in the sun. There are no records describing the work of the ancient potter and his or her place in society, although the walls of tombs and palaces in Egypt abound with pictures of potters at work and a great deal can be learned by observing the activities portrayed. The first potters are thought to have been women who, out of necessity, prod...","source":"Articles\/P.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"28":[{"id":26310,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Morning Star","title_en":"Morning Star","content_ro":"<h3>MORNING STAR<\/h3>\n<p>Literally, Venus. The phrase is closely related to the idea of the “dayspring” (Jb 38:12; Lk 1:78) and the “daystar” (2 Pt 1:19). The identity of the star is settled when Christ says, “I am the morning star” (Rv 22:16). It is another way of saying, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12; 9:5; 12:46). The central concept found in the symbol is that of Christ as light shining in darkness (Lk 2:32; Jn 1:4, 7-9; 3:19; 12:35; 2 Cor 4:6; Eph 5:14; 1 Pt 2:9; 1 Jn 2:8; Rv 21:23). With the birth of the Messiah, the morning star arose—the gospel light dawned (Is 9:1-2; Mt 4:15-16). The phrase points to Christ’s glory, as the source of light, and to his grace in the sharing of life. Christ not only described himself as the morning star but also declared that he gives the morning star to those who overcome (Rv 2:28).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>MORNING STAR<\/h3>\n<p>Literally, Venus. The phrase is closely related to the idea of the “dayspring” (Jb 38:12; Lk 1:78) and the “daystar” (2 Pt 1:19). The identity of the star is settled when Christ says, “I am the morning star” (Rv 22:16). It is another way of saying, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12; 9:5; 12:46). The central concept found in the symbol is that of Christ as light shining in darkness (Lk 2:32; Jn 1:4, 7-9; 3:19; 12:35; 2 Cor 4:6; Eph 5:14; 1 Pt 2:9; 1 Jn 2:8; Rv 21:23). With the birth of the Messiah, the morning star arose—the gospel light dawned (Is 9:1-2; Mt 4:15-16). The phrase points to Christ’s glory, as the source of light, and to his grace in the sharing of life. Christ not only described himself as the morning star but also declared that he gives the morning star to those who overcome (Rv 2:28).<\/p>","summary_ro":"MORNING STAR Literally, Venus. The phrase is closely related to the idea of the “dayspring” (Jb 38:12; Lk 1:78) and the “daystar” (2 Pt 1:19). The identity of the star is settled when Christ says, “I am the morning star” (Rv 22:16). It is another way of saying, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12; 9:5; 12:46). The central concept found in the symbol is that of Christ as light shining in darkness (Lk 2:32; Jn 1:4, 7-9; 3:19; 12:35; 2 Cor 4:6; Eph 5:14; 1 Pt 2:9; 1 Jn 2:8; Rv 21:23). With th...","summary_en":"MORNING STAR Literally, Venus. The phrase is closely related to the idea of the “dayspring” (Jb 38:12; Lk 1:78) and the “daystar” (2 Pt 1:19). The identity of the star is settled when Christ says, “I am the morning star” (Rv 22:16). It is another way of saying, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12; 9:5; 12:46). The central concept found in the symbol is that of Christ as light shining in darkness (Lk 2:32; Jn 1:4, 7-9; 3:19; 12:35; 2 Cor 4:6; Eph 5:14; 1 Pt 2:9; 1 Jn 2:8; Rv 21:23). With th...","source":"Articles\/M.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}]},"labels":{"article":"Articol","map":"Hartă","chart":"Diagramă","textbox":"Notă explicativă","picture":"Imagine","profile":"Profil","study_note":"Notă de studiu","theme_note":"Temă biblică"},"icons":{"article":"📖","map":"🗺️","chart":"📊","textbox":"💡","picture":"🖼️","profile":"👤","study_note":"📝","theme_note":"🎯"},"typeColors":{"article":"#d4af37","map":"#2d7d46","chart":"#3b82f6","textbox":"#8b5cf6","picture":"#ec4899","profile":"#f59e0b","study_note":"#06b6d4","theme_note":"#ef4444"}}
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