Did you know that Exodus 34:6-7 is one of the most quoted passages in the entire Bible? The biblical authors reference this list of God’s character traits throughout much of Scripture. But why? 1/8

In these verses, we learn that all of God’s actions are an expression of these attributes: compassion, grace, patience, loyal love, and faithfulness. But how do these traits relate to God’s passion for justice? 2/8

It’s the apocalypse! But that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. In the Bible, the word apocalypse means “to reveal.” It refers to moments when God uncovers the true nature of reality to someone, usually in a dream or vision.

And because this often happens in dreams, biblical apocalyptic literature is packed with fantastic imagery and strange symbols: dragons and beasts, bowls of blood and fire, cosmic collapse, and more.

1/10 Have you ever tried reading the letters in the New Testament and found yourself lost or asking, “What on earth is Paul talking about?!” You’re not alone! Even the apostle Peter found Paul’s letters difficult to read. (Check out his comments in 2 Peter 3:15-16). 2/10 But with an understanding of the literary context, you can learn to read these letters with more wisdom and insight.

It’s important to remember that in the first century world most people did not read, so the apostles designed these letters to be read aloud

Have you ever noticed how many streams, rivers, springs, and wells are highlighted in the story of the Bible? It’s a lot! In the beginning of the Bible, God transforms a desolate wilderness into a garden through a stream that waters the ground (Genesis 2:4-6). The clay created by the water becomes the origin place of humans (Genesis 2:7), trees (Genesis 2:9), and animals (Genesis 2:19), creating the ideal heaven-on-earth place called “the garden of delight” (“eden” means “delight” in Hebrew). God provides these waters from “the deep”

In the last couple of weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our entire world, creating a sense of instability and uncertainty that is new for a lot of people. Something happens inside of human beings in times of crisis. Our instincts for self-preservation kick in, and we begin to cultivate a scarcity mindset. It becomes very easy to focus on the well-being of ourselves and our family and forget the difficulties of others around us.

Jesus of Nazareth was no stranger to this kind of social instability.

In the opening pages of the Bible, humanity is portrayed as God's royal partner, his divine image. God orders a sacred space where heaven and earth are one, and then makes eternal life available to humans by means of a tree. While many throughout history have imagined this as a magical tree that imparts eternal life, the biblical story paints a bigger picture. Sacred trees that offer divine life were a major theme in the religious art of ancient Egypt and Babylon.

We don’t normally think of humans as “spiritual” beings, because in most languages, the word for “spiritual” means “non-physical.” However, in the opening pages of Genesis, humans are presented as creatures of the earth and of the heavens. God makes humanity from the dirt, but then he exhales his divine breath to bring the creature to life (Genesis 2:7). God also appoints humanity to rule over all creation as his image (Genesis 1:26-28)

We’ve received a lot of great questions about our recent Angels and Cherubim video. One question, in particular, has been: Who or what are the seraphim in Isaiah chapter 6, and how do they relate to the cherubim? The rabbit hole, as always, is deep and fascinating! Let’s recall that the cherubim function as guardians at the boundary between heaven and earth (as in Genesis 3:24). They support Yahweh’s throne in the heavenly temple (Psalm 99:1), or carry his mobile throne-chariot that appears to prophets on earth (as in Ezekiel 9:3 and 10:1).

We received quite a few questions/concerns surrounding the phrase, "Eden is a high mountain garden" in our latest video in the Spiritual Beings series. Here's the video: bit.ly/2X9JxvT

#TheBibleProject #SpiritualBeings #Eden @timmackie has issued a clarifying statement (see thread below).

Eden is a high mountain garden?

Yep. This idea surprised me too when I first encountered it in the work of Jon Levenson, "Sinai and Zion." (Link to book: amzn.to/2EiCauO)

We have received multiple questions surrounding our latest video on "The Prophets" found here: bit.ly/2HubSsW

This following question, or a variation of it, arose most prominently across all of our social channels, "Is Daniel among the Prophets?"

Here's our response... In our modern English translations of the Bible, the book of Daniel is located in between the prophetic books of Ezekiel and Hosea, which themselves are situated among the biblical books of the Prophets. So it seems simple: Daniel is among the Prophets.