Year: 2014

Bible Term: Promised Land

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

The Promised Land was literally the land, or territory, that God promised to give to Abraham (initially named Abram) and his descendants. This promise was repeated to Abraham’s son Isaac and grandson Jacob (who would later be called Israel).

Some 400 years later, the promise was reaffirmed to Moses when he led the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt to return to this area.

Since the Canaanites inhabited the land at that time, it’s sometimes called the land of Canaan or simply Canaan.

In addition to the Canaanite territory, the Promised Land also included the area inhabited by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.

Although God promised this territory, the Israelites still needed to conquer and overcome the people living there, to which they did with varying degrees of success.

The historical area of Canaan is approximately present-day Israel.

Key verse about Promised Land: By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country (Hebrews 11:9, 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.

Tags promised land

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Priest

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

A priest is someone set apart to act as God’s representative and to be a liaison between God and his people. The priesthood was established by Moses; the priests served the nation of Israel.

Some versions of the Bible use the phrase chief priests. This is likely a descriptive label and not a title; they can best be thought of as leading priests.

One priest was selected to be the high priest, a position they would hold for life The first high priest was Moses’ brother, Aaron.

Jesus effectively changed the role of the priests. It’s through him that we no longer need a liaison to God, as we can approach God directly. As such, Jesus became our high priest, forever (Hebrews 6:20).

Also see Melchizedek.

Key verse about Priest: “‘You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites” (Exodus 18:1, NIV)

Tags priest

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Prayer

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

Prayer is communication with God. This can be through spoken words, written words, thoughts, meditation, or song.

God desires us to commune with him; prayer is one way of doing this.

Prayer is not intended for us to selfishly ask God for things (as in “give me this”) but to honor and glorify God by spending time with him.

Many people think of prayer as being one-directional — us talking to God. Yet prayer should be bi-directional, with us also listening to what God has to tell us.

God can speak to us through the Bible, through others, through circumstances, but especially through his Holy Spirit, who can put specific words and thoughts in our minds and even communicate via audible words.

[For some verses on God’s audible communication, see 1 Samuel 3:4-14, Psalm 18:13, Luke 3:22, Acts 9:4, 2 Peter 1:18.]

Key verse about Prayer: I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers (Ephesians 1:16, NIV).

Tags prayer

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Praise

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

In the Bible, praise is to worship God; to express admiration or thanks to God.

The word praise is often used interchangeably with bless and exalt.

See blessing.

Key verse about Praise: saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives” (Genesis 24:27, NIV)

Tags praise

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Pharisee

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

The Pharisees were a prevalent Jewish sect that sought to separate themselves from others.

The Pharisees were frequently criticized by Jesus, who often called them hypocrites (Matthew 23:13).

Compare to Sadducees.

Key verse about Phraise: Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to (Matthew 23:13, NIV).

Tags Pharisee

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Persecuted

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

To be persecuted it to be harassed, tormented, or oppressed for one’s beliefs, faith, or conviction.

In some cultures, persecution can result in ostracism, torture, and death.

An interesting variation of usage occurs in the conversion of Saul (aka Paul), where God asks “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4)

Key verse about Persecuted: “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me (Matthew 24:9, NIV)

Tags persecute

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Pentecost

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

The word Pentecost is from the Greek word meaning fiftieth. It’s the fiftieth day after Jesus‘ death, when the Holy Spirit can to earth, as Jesus had promised (John 14:26) to comfort his followers and be their counselor (Acts 2).

Although the word Pentecost is only used in the New Testament, there was also a feast on that same day in the Old Testament. It was called “the feast of the harvest” or “the day of first fruits”(Exodus 23:16 and Numbers 28:26).

Key verse about Pentecost: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place (Acts 2 :1, NIV)

Tags Pentecost

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Passover

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

Passover is the main historical annual festival of the Jews. It commemorates God‘s passing over the houses of the Israelites, when the first born of each Egyptian family was killed (Exodus 12:13).

Passover is sometimes called the “feast of unleavened bread” because during its celebration no leavened bread was eaten or even kept in the house.

See leaven.

Key verse about Passover: then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped (Exodus 12:27, NIV)

Tags Passover

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Parable

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

A parable is a story that takes common, easily understandable situations to explain a spiritual truth or convey an important lesson.

A simple definition that I was taught as a child is that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

Key verse about Parable: Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable (Ezekiel 17:2, NIV)

Tags parable

Bible Terms

Bible Term: Our Father

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

Jesus‘ disciples saw that prayer was important to him – and had powerful results. They asked him to teach them out to pray.

The prayer Jesus taught them is commonly called the “Our Father” prayer after its opening line. It’s also called The Lord’s Prayer, but a more accurate label would be the disciple’s prayer since it was a prayer for the disciples to pray, not Jesus.

Some people recite the prayer as it is recorded in the Bible, whereas others use it as a template for prayer or illustrative example. The prayer is simple and succinct; it is:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, you will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” [For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen]

The Lord’s Prayer is recorded in Matthew 6:9-13; an alternate version is in Luke 11:2-4.

Key verse about Our Father: This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” Matthew 6:9 NIV)

Tags Father, Lord’s Prayer