Year: 2014

Bible Term: Apocalypse

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

Apocalypse can generically refer to any prediction or prophecy about the future destruction of the world, that is, the end times. In a general sense, an apocalypse can refer to any prophecy or revelation.

Two books in the Bible align with this perspective and are called Apocalyptic books. They are Daniel and Revelation.

For a follower of Jesus (a Christian) there is hope amid this destruction because of a future anticipation of eternity in heaven.

The Bible doesn’t, however, use the word Apocalypse. But you can read about it in parts of Daniel and Revelation, such as:

“The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up” (Revelation 8:7, NIV).

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Antichrist

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

An antichrist is simply one who is against Christ (Jesus). As such, there were, are, and will be many antichrists.

The word antichrist only occurs four times in the Bible, all in John’s writings:
1 John 2:18, 1 John 2:22, 1 John 4:3, and 2 John 1:7.

Interestingly, antichrist does not appear in the book of Revelation, though the phrase, “the beast” is used often (as well as in Daniel’s prophecy: Daniel 7:11 and 19). Many consider the beast to be antichrist or the Antichrist. The idea of an ultimate Antichrist is perpetuated in pop culture and movies.

Key verse about Antichrist: Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Angel

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

An angel is a created spiritual being that serves God, worships him, and acts as his messenger.

Angels, like people, have free will; they can choose to serve God or rebel against him. Angels who rebel against God serve Satan or the devil (Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 12:9)

Though there are attempts in the Bible to describe what angels look like, the one inescapable conclusion is that they are awesome in appearance. This is because often the first thing angels say when they appear to people is “Do not be afraid” or “Fear not.”

Key verse about Angel: “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family (Genesis 24:40, NIV)

[Matthew 28:5, Luke 1:13, Luke 1:30, Luke 2:10,and Revelation 1:17]

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Ambassador

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

An ambassador is someone authorized to act on behalf of a higher authority; they serve as a representative. The common usage today is a person who represents their country to a foreign government.

Some translations of the Bible use the word ambassador in this sense, as someone who acts on God‘s behalf as his representative to others.

For example:

Jesus sent out his twelve disciples as his ambassadors (Mark 6:7, Amplified version).

Paul said he was Jesus’ ambassador (Ephesians 6:20 and Philemon 1:9, Amplified version).

Followers of Jesus serve as his ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), with the responsibility to act rightly and represent him properly.

Key verse about Ambassador: We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Altar

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

In general, an alter is a physical place were sacrifices are made to gods.

In the Old Testament, altars were places were animals were sacrificed to God as offerings or in payment for one’s sins. These sacrifices needed to be repeated again and again because people sinned again and again.

Alternately, altars were sometimes constructed to commemorate an event, agreement, or promise. Here their purpose was more like a monument, used to remind people of what happened.

In the New Testament, Jesus provided an all encompassing sacrifice once and for all for our sins.

Key verse about Altar: The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him (Genesis 12:7, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Almighty

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

Having absolute power, all-powerful, or omnipotent.

God is almighty or “all-mighty.” This word occurs throughout the Bible to describe God, usually in the form of a proper name, as in the Almighty, God Almighty, or the Lord God Almighty.

Key verse about Almighty: And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants (Genesis 35:11, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Adultery

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

Adultery is the sexual unfaithfulness of a husband or a wife; it is literally a married person having sex with another married person, who is not their husband or wife. This is prohibited in the Bible, as stated in the Ten Commandments and reiterated many other times.

Jesus extends the concept of adultery from the physical act to the mere thought of it; that is lust. “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart,” (Matthew 5:28).

[See Idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy, which are referred to as spiritual adultery, (Jeremiah 3:6-9 and Hosea 1:2), that is, being unfaithful to God.]

Key verse about Adultery: If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death (Leviticus 20:10, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Adoration

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

Adoration, is to adore; it is an act of worship or to profoundly love and highly regard.

Adoration is the response God desires — but does not demand — from us.

Key verse about adoration: “The crowds that went ahead of Him, and those that followed Him, were shouting [in praise and adoration], ‘Hosanna to the Son of David (Messiah); Blessed [praised, glorified] is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest [heaven]!'” (Matthew 21:9, AMP).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Abomination

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

In general, an abomination is something abhorrent or disgusting; things that are a cause for abhorrence or disgust.

Some translations of the Bible use this word often (such as the Amplified version), whereas others use it seldom or not at all.

It is used in several contexts, such as things that are unholy and an affront to God, various forms of moral depravity, or sins in general.

A list of “abominations” (or detestable things) is given in Proverbs 6:16-19: a proud look, lying, murder, planning evil, running towards evil, a false witness, and stirring up trouble.

Key verse about Abomination: But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations (Isaiah 66:3, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Abide

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 28, 2014

To abide means wait patiently for, to remain in place, to continue to be sure or firm, and to endure.

Jesus wants us to abide in him, in his love, and in his word (John 15:4, 7, 9, 10 in the Amplified Bible).

Although the Amplified version of the Bible makes frequent use of the word abide, other versions do not. Instead of saying “abide in me,” it might be rendered as “remain in me,” “stay joined to me,” or “[be] joined with me.”

The essence of this is that Jesus asks that we patiently and steadfastly remain connected with him.

Key verse about Abide: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4, NKJV).

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