The Book of Enoch is probably best known for its imaginative take on the events recorded in Genesis 6, the chapter of the Bible that details the chain of events leading up to the deluge. As the chapter reveals, the degeneracy of this period rapidly increased after one particular act of apostasy mentioned in the opening verses…
The Bible showcases the valour of many fearless warriors. Jehu, the intimidating captain of Israel, was proverbial for the fury in which he drove his men into battle. Joab and his two brothers were similarly regarded for their dauntlessness in war. Yet among such fierce fighters as these, faith and goodness usually failed to balance the great strength and courage they possessed…
Fresh from its maker’s hand, the entire face of the newly created earth would be considered a garden by our standards. Even her remotest gully would have been beyond comparison with the most exquisite garden planted today. Across earth’s gorgeous mountains, valleys, and lakesides, the lower creatures happily roamed in abundance and safety. But God had something greater in store for man…
Alongside his brothers Abishai and Joab, Asahel was reckoned among the 37 mighty men of David. Regarding this young man’s prowess, we are told that ‘Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe’ (2 Samuel 2:18). With its quick turns to the right and the left, the roe, or gazelle, consistently evades even the fastest land animal on earth. Like the roe, Asahel was distinguished for his agility, which he had evidently demonstrated by dodging many a spear and sword thrust. But this great strength would be his undoing…
The orderly courses of the sun, moon, and stars have been tracked by man since time immemorial. As we may depend upon a grandfather clock to chime at midday, so the ancients knew when the sun or moon would enter an eclipse, even hundreds of years in advance. As punctual as these heavenly lights are, their luminescence is not without deviation…
The order in which God’s laws were given is not random. Upon the first table of stone, which deals with our obligations towards God, a sequence is clearly observed. If, as per the first commandment, we have no other gods before Jehovah, it follows that we will not bow down to the idols set up against Jehovah…In like manner, God has placed a hierarchy in the remaining six commandments….
It is difficult to imagine how life on Earth could continue to flourish without the seven seas. Given the environmental catastrophe that would result if these seas were deleted from our present world, how can it be that creation will thrive more abundantly on the new Earth when there is ‘no more sea’?
In addition to a set number of gears, motor vehicles have a neutral position which allows the engine to turn over while the wheels remain still. The human mind was not designed to idle in neutral, even if it can be hacked by engaging in occult practices such as meditation. Our Creator placed the desire to roam in our minds that we might grow in grace, and advance in truth and virtue as the wise man declared…
According to First and Second World War veteran Bernard Montgomery, ‘the morale of the soldier is the most important single factor in war’. The celebrated field marshal states that ‘[the soldier’s] home, his upbringing, and his historical tradition’ are of immense importance, being ‘fundamental factors which affect the morale of the soldier and lead to success in battle’…
The Greek word 'hypokrites' means ‘an actor’ – someone who pretends to be someone or something they aren’t before an audience. As a depraved Hollywood movie star might play the role of a virtuous hero on the silver screen, the scribes and pharisees assumed the roles of pious spiritual guides. While they failed miserably in their job description, these religious leaders were adept meteorologists…
The English words ‘emotion’ and ‘motion’ both stem from the Latin root ‘movere’, meaning to move. As oxygen is necessary to vitalise blood and muscle, emotion is vital to rouse a man to action and spur him on with zeal to accomplish the task at hand. Indeed, man has been granted a broad spectrum of emotions that he may be animated for every circumstance. And these emotional endowments would be deficient without the essential quality of anger…
Roman scholastics of the Middle Ages were steeped in heathen philosophy. These doctors of theology justified their predilection for paganism by the maxim that ‘philosophy is the handmaid of theology’. Romish schoolmen did not originate this sentiment but had received it as an inheritance from the schools of Alexandria…
At the opening of the 16th century, the people of Germany – and Europe at large – were stuck fast in a quagmire of Romish superstition. Perceiving the soul peril of their congregations, well-meaning priests sought reform by gentle means. But stopping short at a direct confrontation with the hierarchy, such attempts were in vain. A more brazen effort was needed…
The Roman centurion was the backbone of the Roman army. Renowned for its organisation, the Roman military was divided into legions of 5000 men, with each legion under the command of a legate – a politician appointed to duty by Caesar. Being largely inexperienced and incompetent, legion commanders relied heavily on the advice of their centurions…
