The reality we can live in today — The Bible is filled with promises of a future kingdom of peace. Our hope in this fallen world is that Messiah Jesus will one day return and restore the earth to its original state. Then we will once again have conditions that are like those of the Garden of Eden. The promise of the new earth …

How we must fight for our calling — Parashat: Vayishlach Genesis 32:4–36:43 Obadiah 1:1–21; Matthew 2:13–23 When Jacob’s time with Laban came to an end, he set out to return to his father Isaac. But he knew he had to deal with his brother Esau first. When Jacob left home, Esau tried to kill him. So it was…

Well-founded acts of righteousness — Parashat: Vayetze Genesis 28:10–32:3 Hosea 12:13–14:10; John 1:41–51 In Parashat Vayetze we read of Jacob’s first meeting with his future wife Rachel. Let’s take a closer look at this story because it tells us a lot about Jacob and his family. …

Insights into divine order and the birthright — Parashat: Toldot Genesis 25:19–28:9 1 Samuel 20:18–42; Matthew 10:21–38 God has given us fathers an awesome responsibility. By blessing our sons (and daughters), we determine part of their lives. The words we speak into our children’s lives carry weight and can have an impact into old age and beyond. This…

Faith as the key to righteousness and life — Faith plays a very important role throughout the Scriptures. We are confronted with the concept of faith in many places. We can believe or not believe. Both have consequences for us. Examples of faith Let’s look at some examples of the consequences of active faith for us. And he believed in the LORD…

From handmaid to mother of many nations — Parashat: Chayeh Sarah Genesis 23:1–25:18 1 Kings 1:1–31; John 4:3–14 When Sarah died, Abraham took a new wife. Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. (Genesis 25:1, KJV) If we consider how extensively we have been informed about the first wife at Abraham’s side, Sarah, Keturah…

A defence of personal responsibility for one’s own health — Vaccination mandates have been discussed long before the Corona pandemic. In fact, the demand is as old as vaccination itself. The English physician and inventor of vaccination, Edward Jenner, toyed with the idea of compulsory vaccination. …

How God’s covenant makes gentiles new creatures — Parashat: Vayera Genesis 18:1–22,24 2 Kings 4:1–37; Luke 17:28–37 Some incidents in Scripture seem contradictory or misleading at first glance. In these passages, God continually challenges us to think around the corner and resolve the contradiction. Since the Almighty cannot lie (Titus 1:2), contradictions in His Word are also impossible…

The unmentioned war crimes against Germans — When we think of the bombing of German cities by the Allied Air Forces during World War II, we Germans inevitably think of Dresden. Although the attacks on Dresden on February 13, 1945 are probably the best known examples of the bombing raids, they are not the only ones. Between…