Bible Stories for Adults

Questions and Answers



The studies available on this Bible Stories for Adults web-site were developed by researching questions that arose during study of the Scriptures. Many Christians who make use of these studies have encountered other questions during their studies and submitted them. This page lists many of these questions and the answers that were returned to the student.

For quick access to specific questions and their answers, simply click on the question below:

What are the costs and rules for these studies?

What are your credentials?
Are your services free? Are the studies original?
How do I get started with this series? What is the background of these studies?
I don't understand one of your teacher notes. What Bible are you using?
Do you have Bible stories for children?

Is success in business consistent with a life in Christ?

I would like a personal study on the entire Bible.
How do I grow as a Christian? How can I find verses to memorize?
How do I have a God-pleasing wedding? Why are Bible covers black with gold letters?
Should we kneel, stand or lay prostrate when we pray? How do I find Bible codes?

What is the time line for Genesis?

Who is the author of Genesis?
What is the real meaning of Methuselah? From where did Cain's wife come?
How do I find information on Noah's Ark? Is Cain Adam's son and Eve the mother of all living?
What was the name of Lot's wife?
Why did the butler & baker in Genesis 40 go to prison?

How many children did Moses have?

Looking for info on King David.
Who was the Pharaoh when Moses lead the Exodus? What was the tribe of Judah?
What book tells about Barnum & the talking donkey? I need help about Daniel.
I would like information on the story of Samuel and Saul.

What Old Testament passages point to Jesus?

Is Jesus' lineage in Luke spiritual or actual?
How do you conclude that John the Baptist is Elijah? Did Judas repent to God or was he just sorry?
What are the names of the three wise men? Where is the Great Commission?
How many people did Jesus raise from the dead? Where do I find the Lamb's Book of Life?

Can you tell me about the Mormon?

I don't believe in your Jesus.


Bible Stories for Adults Series

What is the cost & rules to using this excellent aid.
    There is no cost. It is provided for you to use to grow in your spiritual life and into a more mature living relationship with Jesus Christ.

    The only real rule is that the material cannot be sold. You are free to duplicate for your own use in personal, small group or large group study.

    The main request I have is that you share this with others so they can take advantage of it as well. I would also like to hear back about your experiences and insights from using the Bible Stories for Adults study materials (http://www.biblestoriesforadults.com).
Thank you for your response. For your information I am presently giving a review of lessons 1 thru 11 of Mr. W, Gann who gives us the "Bible Survey" program at hiwaay.com/bible survey/. This was also done very well and is a "GODsend" to the likes of me, who do not have the skills to do that. I have been looking for something else to use when we finish the present one. I believe we have found it. Again, thank you, sir, and I will get back to you. As always, Peace and Joy in the love of CHRIST JESUS.


Are your services free?
    Absolutely. The Bible studies on the Bible Stories for Adults site are provided for you to use to personally grow into spiritual maturity in Christ and for you to share with others to help bring them into living relationships with Jesus Christ.

Thanks for the up date. I would be interested in taking the studies you offer. I want to start with lesson 1. Would you please tell me how to do this? Thank you and have a most blessed day. Christ child wanting to learn.
    The studies on the Bible Stories for Adults web-site are ready for you to take off with them right away. To start with the first lesson in the series, just click on "Old Testament, Year 1" from the main page:
      http://www.biblestoriesforadults.com

    This will take you to a listing of the studies available in the first year. Go to "Quarter 1 - Genesis" and click on "Handout" to see the study. You can use the study on-line, or you can hit the "Print" button on your browser to get a hard copy to study later.

    If you hit "Back" on your browser, you can then select "Notes" to get the Teacher Notes for the study. The "List" that is offered allows you to easily make reading slips which you can pass out to a class you may be teaching.

    I pray God blesses you through the study of His Word.

I just wanted you to know that after many hours of searching the Internet for a Bible study that I could do in the privacy of my own home and at my convenience (which involves many late night hours) I found yours.

I printed the lesson, Jesus is the Way to the Father, and answered the questions. Then I checked mine with yours to be sure yours weren't totally outlandish before I decided to proceed. I just wanted to make sure you weren't some fanatic that I shouldn't read. Please don't take it personally.

Anyway, I do have one question so far. Regarding the vast size of the Father's house, what is 1000/12th of God's people 144=122? I know that you are a very busy man, but I do hope that you can spare a moment to answer.

I am going to continue with the New Testament lessons and I'm really looking forward to them. Thank you so much for a workable and reliable Bible study.
    Thank you for your comments regarding the Bible Stories for Adults curriculum. I pray God's Spirit will lead you into His truth and spiritual maturity through the use of these studies.

    Regarding the entry in the Teacher's Notes of 1000/12th of God's people 144=122 in the study you used, you have encountered two things. First, I wrote the notes to guide me as I taught the studies. I have not fully reviewed them to make sure that others will understand what I put.

    Second, the original studies were done in Microsoft Word with full formatting. When you convert such a file to html (Internet page format), you lose all of the formatting. This turns 12 squared into 122.

    I have revised this line to where it will hopefully make more sense. Please check it out and let me know if you agree:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT1.html

    Thanks again for your feedback. I would like to hear more from you as you use these lessons further. If you are still uncertain of the doctrinal nature of these studies, I invite you to review the Questions and Answers page, as well as the User Comments page. These will give you further insights.

    You can reach these pages from links on the top left of the main page:
      http://www.biblestoriesforadults.com
I would appreciate it if you could send me a list of your credentials, including your faith background. I must have them in order to complete a research project using several of your questions from the Jeremiah study.
    Others have asked similar questions. Without going into a lot of detail, you can find some basic background on the User Comments page at:
    http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/comments.html#Background
    I am glad to hear that you have been able to find helpful information in the Bible Stories for Adults material for your research project. I pray God will bless your work.

Took a look at your Bible study webpage series on books of the Bible. Quite well done and organized. You are to be congratulated and to offer all this for free is amazing for original work. It is original work right?
    Yes, everything on the site is original work by me. I offer it free because I see a need for such resources to be available to the masses. God has blessed me well and I have no desire to be compensated for the material beyond the blessing that others are growing through their use.

Hello. I am a graduate student working on a project regarding teaching the Bible to adults, and how it differs from teaching children. Your website intrigued me because it seems that you have devised a curriculum specifically geared toward the needs of the adult learner. Would you be willing to share with me some of the research behind the development of this program? How did you decide what should and should not be included and how it should be presented? Any information you can give me would be most appreciated.
    I would be happy to respond to questions you have about the development and teaching of the Bible Stories for Adults curriculum.

    To get you started, you can find some background on the User Comments page where I responded to a question from a user. To get there:
      1 - Go to the Bible Stories for Adults website
        http://www.biblestoriesforadults.com
      2 - Click on "User Comments".
        You will find this to the left of the subscription form.
      3 - Click on "Author's Background".
      4 - Especially read the entry on the top right of this section.

    Let me know what other questions you have after you have read this.

What Bible are you using? I really enjoy learning more about the culture during Jesus time. Thanks so much. God bless you.
    All of the studies are based upon the NIV (New International Version). I specifically use the NIV Study Bible from Zondervan and I recommend it highly. The study notes, cross-references and other resources are valuable for quick study.

    I must tell you that I also have and use a wealth of other Biblical resources. One of these days I'll get around to adding a Bibliography, or suggested references, on the site.
Thanks for the reply regarding which Bible you use. I use the NIV Life Application. However, I use several others for reference. One of my favorite is the Living Bible which flows so nicely it is like having a little dessert! I also enjoy the Message.

I've always done a lot of reading but have found in my walk with the Lord that concentrating one His Word is the best way to gain peace and understanding. I daily write in my "Experiencing God Journal". I think it will be interesting when I complete one year and then next year I will see the changes that have been made in my life.

Kurt, do you have Bible stories for children?
    No, all of my studies are designed for adults. There are hosts of children-focused curricula available through many Christian publishing houses. Most of these deal with the Bible Stories.



General Topics

How does the Bible define accomplishment? Is success in business consistent with a life in Christ?
    Regarding God's definition of success, and the consistency of business success with a life in Christ, I have not written a study specifically addressing these, but some come close. A couple are: Jesus Talks With a Rich Young Man -and- The Parable of the Foolish Rich Man. These are studies 10 and 11 from Quarter 1 of Year 3:
    http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT3.html#Q1

    The Bible has volumes to say on wealth, the way we should deal with it, and the nature of true riches. Here are a few verses to guide you in this:

    What riches should we work for?
      Matthew 6:19-21
    Does this mean that it is wrong to become wealthy?
      Job 1:7-10
    So is there any problem with earthly riches?
      Matthew 6:24
    Does this mean that money is evil, or the love of money?
      1 Timothy 6:6-10
    How should we respond if we find us loving money more than God?
      Mark 10:21
    Isn't this a bit severe?
      Mark 9:43-47
    What is important to God about how we respond to His blessings?
      Luke 16:10-12
    How does Jesus summarize the way we should approach all of this?
      Matthew 6:33

I'm a new Christian in Hong Kong. If I want to improve myself, what can I do?
    You have begun with the first step - opening your heart to welcome Jesus into your life. (Acts 2:37-39)

    The next step is to pray. Ask God to send His Spirit into your life to grow you into spiritual maturity in Christ. (Luke 11:13).

    Next, immerse yourself into God's Word to learn His truths and plan for your life as His child. (Hebrews 5:13-6:3)

    Finally, fulfill your calling and become an active member of His body in a local church where you can minister and be fed. Commit yourself to a lifetime of service to God and His people through the gifts He has given you. (Ephesians 4:7-16)

    In studying the scriptures, lots of reference materials are available to help illuminate the truths contained inside. The Bible Stories for Adults studies (http://www.biblestoriesforadults.com) will help you in this manner. As a beginning Christian, I suggest that you first work through the Word of God study.

    I pray that the Spirit will work in your life to build you into the servant God prepared you to be. (Ephesians 2:10)

My friend's wedding is very soon. I need Bible verses about wedding. Where I find about a wedding? Also please help me to study about God pleased wedding.
    The Bible has much to say about marriage, from its initial statement of divine intention in Genesis 2:24 and through many explanations and analogies in the New Testament.

    The Bible, however, offers no prescriptions for marriage ceremonies. Weddings are typically formatted according to the customs and cultures of the individuals involved. You can find some examples of weddings in the Bible and explanations of Biblical wedding customs in some of the studies in the Bible Stories for Adults series:

    Isaac Marries Rebekah - Year 1, Quarter 1, Study 8
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q1

    Jesus Turns Water Into Wine (Wedding at Cana) - Year 2, Quarter 2, Study 10
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT2.html#Q2

    The Ten Bridesmaids - Year 2, Quarter 3, Study 12
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT2.html#Q3

    God ordained marriage and is therefore a party to it (Matthew 19:6). We should recognize this in our wedding ceremonies. The bride and groom should recognize publicly that the commitment they are making is not only to one another, but also to the one and only Almighty God.

    Weddings are also a special opportunity to share the gospel with non-Christian witnesses. The couple's commitment to Christ should be evident in the ceremony and His Word should be shared to allow the Spirit to work on the hearts on those in attendance.

    I hope this helps and I pray that God blesses the new union between your friends.

Is there any information pertaining to the meaning, or reasons of kneeling, standing, or laying prostrate when we pray?
    The Bible has lots of examples of different postures used during prayer. The most common approach during Biblical times was with arms stretched upward in a worshipful mode (1 Kings 8:22; Psalm 141:2; 1 Timothy 2:8).

    You will also find references to heads bowed (Genesis 24:26; Luke 18:13), knees bent (Daniel 6:10; Ephesians 3:14) and laying prostrate (Joshua 7:6; Revelation 1:17). As you read these passages in context, you see that the posture used was related to the purpose of the prayer.

    God has not given us specific instructions on how we must be postured in prayer. The key is that effective prayer must be focused on God, not on ourselves or on other things. This is why many Christians pray with hands folded, heads bowed and eyes closed; it helps eliminate distractions of our environment.

    I pray that this is helpful to you.
I would like a personal study on the entire Bible.
    Many different studies are available that will guide you personally through the Bible. Which you use depends upon your goals. Below is a sampling from which you can choose. I suggest you use them all over the coming years since they will all give you important insight and understanding from different perspectives.

    Quick Overview - A number of these are available, but I have yet to find any that get to a level where I feel they should. (That may be good for beginning Bible students.) I am in the process of writing such an overview. It will eventually consist of six studies. Only the first one (The Word of God) is done and can be found on the Bible Stories for Adults website
    (http://www.biblestoriesforadults.com).

    Story Highlights - This is the normal approach that is taken to introduce the Bible to children. I have found it works well for adults also. The Bible Stories for Adults curriculum is the only study I have found with this approach. This will introduce you to all of the key stories in the Bible which other Christians think they know, and you will learn alot about your faith in the process.

    Two Year Overviews - These are leader-led studies which I highly recommend. They are not just classes where you sit and listen to a lecture for an hour each week. They typically involve a two-hour weekly class and a few hours of weekly homework (you can get by with less, but you get more with greater commitment). My favorites are Crossways and the Bethel Series. Crossways walks you through the Bible and explains what you read. Bethel also walks you through the Bible, but focuses instead on the themes God presents. Both have their place and I recommend both.

    Through-the-Bible Devotionals - These give you Bible text to read every day that will get you through the whole Bible within one or two years. They also provide a devotional reading and prayer suggestions pertaining to the text you read. Some are available as books and others as monthly mailings. Bible Pathways is probably the most popular - and it is very good. I prefer Today's Light from Concordia Publishing. It is easier to read and more pertinent. Today's Light also takes a two-year pace while Bible Pathways takes a on-year pace.

    I hope this is helpful to you. I pray that God blesses you through the study of His Word and that He send His Spirit to you to show you His truths and will for your life.


I am just wondering if you could tell me how do I make or get a Bible memory verse. Could you possible tell me seeing as how you know so much about the Bible? Could you possibly send me some Bible memory verses?
    The verses you memorize should be verses which pertain to topics which you find important. Obvious important topics deal with our salvation and what God has done for us out of His love.

    My favorite verses that summarize God's gospel include Ephesians 2:8-9 and John 3:16. Our need for God's salvation comes from Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23.

    The best way to find Bible verses which will be important to you is to spend time studying the Bible and grabbing onto verses which stand out to you. If you use the Bible Stories for Adults studies to help, you should find a summary verse at the top of every study. Many of these are good verses to memorize.

    There are lots of resources available all over with memory verses. A few that I ran across that might be helpful (I have not reviewed their content) include:

    Bible Verse of the Day:
    http://www.crosssearch.com/cgi-bin/bounce?15217
    Bible Verse of the Week: http://www.crosssearch.com/cgi-bin/bounce?10887
    Any of many daily devotional studies: http://www.crosssearch.com/Bible/Bible_Studies/Devotionals/
    Here is a screen saver that will display verses: http://members.aol.com/shareware/front-d.htm

    I hope this helps get you started. Remember that while memorizing is important for keeping God's word within you (for future retrieval and application to life's situations), it will be most effective when built on a foundation of regular study of God's Word. Through this study, the Spirit will make these words come to life within you and give you the wisdom and understanding available to God's people.

Why has, in most of its editions, does the Bible have its title in gold and its cover in black? Have you some statistics about Bible sales in all the world or by countries?
    I can't say that I have much information and statistics on the Bible as a book. I am more interested in the extremely valuable and vital information held within its covers.

    Regarding your questions on Bibles with black covers and gold titles, there are lots of cover colors and styles on Bibles today. Gold lettering on black or red is probably used in many cases to uphold reverence for God's Word.

    I don't have any statistics on Bible sales, but I'm sure that you can find some. I do know, however, that the Bible is the best selling book of all time and has always been.

Good Morning Kurt, Can you please send me information over the Internet about Bible Codes and Decoders and what is the difference about these passages in the Bible? Are they confined to the New or Old Testaments-- Thanks I don't put any credence in the so-called Bible codes. There is plenty of important meat in the Bible to focus our attention on and listen to God's direct guidance without trying to create mystical insights that God didn't intend.

It is similar to the idea that you can likely prove anything you want to by taking the Bible out of context. If, on the other hand, you want to see what God has to tell you about a certain topic and you throw out your preconceived notions and listen to His voice, the Bible will speak volumes.



Genesis Topics

Hello! I am trying to find out the time line for Genesis. Well, really how many years before Christ was the creation? If you could answer this for me I would appreciate it and if you can't, I still appreciate your time.
    You have asked a question which many have asked and only limited information is available to answer.

    First the info God tells us. By adding the years in the genealogies recorded in the Bible, we get the following approximate dates:

      2100 BC - Abraham
      2000 BC - Isaac
      1900 BC - Jacob
      1800 BC - Joseph
      1500 BC - Moses
      1400 BC - Joshua
      1050 BC - Saul
      1000 BC - David
      950 BC - Solomon
      700 BC - Israel Falls
      600 BC - Judah Falls
      500 BC - Judah Restored
      0 BC - Messiah Arrives

    The genealogies do not allow such time definition before Abraham, so times preceding (Adam, Noah, etc.) can only be guessed. A lot of study has been committed to this over the years and most scholars seem to have settled on the creation of Adam around 6000 BC.

    Some say that this conflicts with scientific evidence that the universe is around 16 billion years. I have always felt that science can and will verify God's Word, rather than conflict with it, as long as we properly understand and interpret science. Look at the many things the Bible recorded thousands of years ago that have only recently been scientifically confirmed, now that we have the ability.

    I recommend to you the book, "The Science of God" by Dr. Gerald Schroeder (Simon & Schuster), a physicist who has compared science with Biblical and traditional religious teachings to find remarkable agreements.

    In this book, Dr. Schroeder presents Einstein's law of relativity and similar physics calculations to show that the six days of creation were six actual 24-hour days from the perspective of the start of day one and how these days are the same as 16 billion years when viewed from today's perspective.

    Using these same equations, he calculates the backward perspective duration of each creation day and finds that the events recorded for that day in the Bible exactly coincide with the dates identified by science for the same events.

    He then further explains that studies of the fossil record show that the various forms of life "exploded" at specific points of time with all the diversity we see today arriving at once. Long-term evolution from one species to another is not supported by the scientific evidence. How do you explain this, but by the hand of God?

    I know this is more than you asked, but it is important to recognize that although God did not give us all of the answers that science asks, His word has been and will continue to be confirmed as 100% truth. The information He gave us may appear to be lacking, but from His perspective, He gave us everything we need to know to know Him, to know His ways, to know His will for our lives, and to be saved.

Who is the author of Genesis?
    While no one added their name to the book identifying themselves as the author, it has been commonly accepted for thousands of years that Moses was the author of Genesis, as well as the other first five books of the Bible.

    These first five books (called the Torah, or the Law) are called the Book of Moses, or the Law of Moses. Even Jesus referred to them as such (see Mark 12:26, Luke 24:44, etc.).

    In recent years, a number of scholars have postulated that Genesis was not written by Moses, but by various people over time and then compiled by Jewish leaders during the Babylonian exile. These same scholars typically question the divine authority of Scripture and view it as a historical book.

    For me, I don't know that it really matters if Moses wrote Genesis or not. What matters is recognizing the hand, authority and truth of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 20-21).

You said the meaning of Methuselah was "When he is dead, it shall come." My sources says, "man of javelin?" I am wondering about your source.
    Thanks for your inquiry on Methuselah. I am not a Hebrew scholar, so I trust in my resources.

    My resources tell me that the Hebrew Methuselah (G/K 5500, Strong 4968) can be translated two ways:
      A) Man of dart, or man of the javelin
      B) When he is dead, it shall come

    A couple of references for you:
      From The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
        "man of dart, or he dies and it is sent"
      From Lockyer's All the Men of the Bible:
        "A man of the javelin or it shall be sent (deluge)"

    Given the significance of name meanings in those days, both can be appropriate. "A man of the javelin" would fit the sinfulness of the era while "when he dies it will come" fits the death he apparently received.

GOD Bless You. I need all the information you can get about Noah's Ark. Its recent discoveries? Have they found evidence that is real? etc.... It's for a research paper for school. Thank in advance for all of your help.

THANK YOU! May GOD give you more wisdom. Amen.
    First, let me state that with or without evidence or agreement between researchers, Noah's Ark was real and the story in Genesis was real.

    Just as you believe that you have particular organs inside your body although you, nor anyone else, has ever seen them - the things God tells us in His Word are true whether we or anyone else has ever seen what we would call physical truth (See Hebrews 11). It is amazing how archaeology and science continue to fall into place with what we already know from the Bible.

    In preparation of your school research paper, I suggest this approach:

    1 - Study the information the Bible gives you about Noah's Ark. I suggest that you use the Bible Stories for Adults study entitled "The Flood" to guide you through this. You can find this study at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q1

    2 - Do a search for Noah's Ark on a major Christian site. I was given ten good references when I typed in Noah's Ark on the CrossSearch website at:
      http://www.crosssearch.com/

    3 - Among the sites you visit, also visit the Wyatt Archaeological Research site. This details the results of ten years of searching for the ark and why they think they found it. Whether they found it or not is not important, but it is interesting. Just click on the Noah's Ark icon at:
      http://www.pilgrimpromo.com/WAR/index.html

    I hope this helps get your started.

We are trying to find out the name of Lot's wife. Do you know?
    No, no one today knows the name of Lot's wife. The first we even hear of Lot having a wife is in Genesis 19:15 when he is told to get his wife and daughters out of Sodom. The bulk of the info we have on her is the verse where she looked back longing for the life in Sodom she was told to flee (Genesis 19:26).

    Although nameless and little known, the story of Lot's wife teaches us a valuable lesson about keeping our eyes focused on the things of God rather than the things of this world (Matthew 6:19-21 and others). Jesus thought her story and its lesson was important enough that we should remember it (Luke 17:32-33).

Can you tell me what the chief butler and baker had done in chapter 40 of Genesis that the king sent them to prison?
    The Scripture doesn't tell us what the butler and baker did to lead to being thrown into prison. Maybe Pharaoh learned of a possible threat from one of them and imprisoned both until he could identify the guilty one. Maybe it was something else.

    This is an example where we see that God did not try to give us a complete novel for interesting reading. Rather, the content of the Bible is based upon what is needed or helpful for us to know Him, His ways and His will for our lives. It is not important in our spiritual lives to know why these guys went to prison, just that they did and that through this human act, God worked to accomplish His will.
Where did Cain's wife come from in the Bible?
    As you know, Cain was from the second generation of humanity (mom & dad were Eve & Adam). Gen 4:1

    Although Cain, Abel and Seth are the only children of Adam & Eve named in the Bible, they were in no way their only children. Gen 4:1, 2, 25

    For Eve to become the mother of all the living, she had to conceive other children, including daughters. Gen 3:20; 5:4

    Within the first few generations, humans had no choice but to marry within the family. Since men lived to be almost 1000 years old in those days, Cain's wife could have been his sister, his niece, his grand niece, etc. Gen 5:5, 8, 11,...

    You have to remember the long lives people had in those early days to understand the concept of cities and other families referenced at the end of Genesis 4.
Could you please shed some light as to why, when Cain killed Abel and was punished by God, he feared that someone would kill him for what he had done? (Genesis 4:13-15)

Exactly who is he afraid will kill him - especially if he has been sent out of the land he (and his family) knows? I understand your explanation of Eve having had more children than Cain and Abel and subsequently Seth. (Of course, Seth came after Cain left the land - to replace Abel.)

The Bible leads to the assumption that Cain and Abel were the first children, therefore, who would be around in another land to kill him? Following that, who would be there to have moved a sister, cousin, niece, etc. to the land of Nod? Is it possible that Cain had already had a wife at the time he killed Abel? It is apparent, in the scriptures that follow, that all knew of Cain's deed and what the Lord did to him as a result. (Because of this knowledge, who would allow their daughter, etc. to become his wife?) I also understand that people in the Old Testament lived many centuries. I also believe that they started out in their adult life much earlier than we do today.

This has always been a question to me growing up and still is to this day. Apparently, I need to sort this out some way or another. (I don't know why. I should just take what the bible tells me and let it go at that. But for some reason, I need to have it "make sense" to me.)

Please understand that I am not trying to be critical or difficult. I ask you because you seem to have an understanding of the Bible and of events at that time. In no way am I questioning your knowledge or credibility. On the contrary! I respect it and your counsel.

I appreciate your time in reading this and whatever light you can shed for me on this subject. May our Lord bless you abundantly as you serve Him!
    Thanks for your inquiry regarding Cain's wife. First, let me encourage you to continue to seek out God's truth in response to the questions you encounter. That is what Bible Study is all about. God's Word is the full truth and if there is any truth available to mankind on a particular scriptural topic, you will find it in His Word.

    Second, allow me to quote Walter Kaiser from his "Hard Sayings of the Old Testament" regarding where Cain got his wife: "This question has been asked so many times that it no doubt deserves a place in the Biblical Hall of Famous Questions".

    Your question revolves around population and timing, which are details God did not give us. There are two ways to look at the situation:

    1 - There were many other people on the earth at this time. Adam and Eve could have had many other children by this time and so could their children, etc. We do not know how old Cain and Abel were at the time, so there could have been time for there to be relatively many on the earth. In this case, Cain might have already had a wife.

    The problem with this explanation is Eve's response to the birth of Seth in Genesis 4:25 which is commonly understood to state that Seth was the third member of the second generation. A way to resolve this would be to consider that other children had been born to Adam and Eve, but Seth came at the time of Abel's death and was viewed by Eve as a timely "replacement".

    2 - Seth was the third child and there were no other humans on earth after Abel's death besides Adam, Eve and Cain. This fits with Genesis 4:25, but leads to questions such as yours. This would still allow for God to bless Adam and Eve and their descendants with fertility to populate the earth to justify cities, etc. (Genesis 1:28 and 4:17).

    We know that Adam had Seth when he was 130 and lived another 800 years while bearing other sons and daughters (Genesis 5:3-5) who also had their own children. Although we do not know how old Adam was when he had Cain or how old Cain was when he killed Abel, this could still result in a significant population in Cain's lifetime.

    So, if Cain was only one of three people on earth after he killed Abel, why would he be afraid that someone might take revenge on him? The only answer is that Cain would be afraid of capital punishment by Adam, or of vengeance by someone not yet born.

    Cain knew that Adam and Eve would have other children and grandchildren and great grandchildren, etc. (Genesis 1:28). He would not have known how long he would still live (no one had lived a lifetime yet) nor how other people would react to the story of their uncles. If Cain found it so easy to kill his brother out of jealousy, he could easily have expected another to find it easy to kill him out of justified revenge.

    As you implied yourself, there are some things we will never fully know in our time on earth. As humans, we naturally want to know details, but God was concerned with giving us only that which we need for eternal life, lest we get caught up in the details and miss His great truths (Matthew 23:23-24).

    Our desires for such details can help drive us deeper into His Word, however, and show us His truths, as long as we are open to them. We will never know the exact answers to your questions in this life, but we do know there are possibilities and that the facts we have been given are true, even if we do not fully understand.

    I pray that this helps and encourages you to continue to dig into His Word.
Thank you so much for your very honest and knowledgeable answers to my questions. You have been a great help and blessed me tremendously!

I also want to thank you for the encouragement you have given. It really means a lot to me to be taken seriously and have answers to questions that others don't feel deserve a response. You have shown me that not all people with knowledge are going to react the same way to those with questions. Thank you!

May God continue to bless you as you serve Him!

This is on the question of Cain's and his wife and if you notice that Cain is not listed as Adam's son...read of Cain's genealogy in Gen. ch 4 and Adam's genealogy is in Gen. ch 5. Cain isn't listed in Adam's genealogy. I can answer this question if you would like. Just reply and I'll help you all I can. And, there was more than Adam and Eve at that time, Cain married one of the 6th day creation, Adam was formed on the 8th day. Cain married a woman that was from the land of Nod and was of the 6th day creation. Many may tell you that all people came from Adam and Eve, but where is it written that Eve was the mother of all living? It's a figure of speech that who ever isn't in Christ won't be living after judgement day for through the womb of Eve would come Christ and through the blood of Christ you would either be living, or if not in Christ you would not have ever lasting life. So that's how Eve is the mother of all living. Either you're living forever by the blood of Christ that came through the womb of Eve or she is the mother of all living after the great day of judgment through His blood which came from Eve's womb.
    Please allow me to correct you on both accounts.

    First, it is clear that Adam is the father of Cain from the first mention of Cain in Genesis 4:1. Adam is not mentioned in Cain's genealogy (Genesis 4:17-24) because the list starts with Cain and goes forward, not backward - just like any other genealogical list in the Bible.

    Cain is further not included in Adam's genealogy in Genesis 5:1-32 because it is only intended to show the ancestry of Noah. It therefore includes only one name in each generation (through Noah's lineage) even though there were certainly many brothers and sisters to the individuals named. This is standard practice for genealogies in the Bible.

    Second, the Bible does clearly state that Eve was the mother of all the living - it's not just a catchy phrase someone made up. Look at Genesis 3:20. Likewise, the Bible clearly implies that Adam is the father of all the living. See Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 as examples.

    I hope this helps.



Old Testament Topics

Hi, I am trying to answer a quiz question, namely, how many children did Moses have. The only reference I can find thus far is in Exodus 2:22 which tells us of his son Gersom or Gershom.
    We know of two sons that Moses had. In addition to Gershom (Exodus 2:22), he also had Eliezer (Exodus 18:2-4).

    Although Gershom was the oldest, it is understood that Eliezer wasn't much younger. This is taken from Exodus 4:20 where Zipporah and their sons rode back to Egypt on a donkey. The boys had to be fairly young for all three to ride a donkey together.

I am working on an Egyptian project and I would like to ask you a question. At what time was Moses in Egypt? I have read books that place him there at two totally different times. Who was the Pharaoh at the time when Moses lead the Exodus? If you could respond it would greatly help my research. Thank you.
    We don't know exactly which Pharaoh was in power when Moses led the Exodus. While there is some discussion between those who study these things, the most common consensus is that Ramses II was Pharaoh when Moses was raised in the palace and that Merneptah was the Pharaoh of the Exodus.

    You can find this outlined in the study on the Birth and Flight of Moses. This study is in the second quarter of the Old Testament year:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q2.

Could you tell me what book in the Bible tells about I think his name is Barnum and the talking donkey?
    The story you are remembering deals with Balaam blessing Israel. You can find a study on this story (and the events leading up to it) at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT2.html#Q4

I would like information on the story of Samuel and Saul
    You can find studies pertaining to Samuel and Saul at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q3

    Study 11 of the list you will find (Israel's First King) should most directly fill what you are looking for. The study before it and studies following it (including some in the Fourth Quarter) should also be helpful.
Looking for info on King David and how he affected all of Israel.
    A lot of what you need in covered in the first few Bible Stories for Adults studies of the Third Quarter of the Old Testament (Year 1). You can quickly find these at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q3

    If this does not cover what you need, please reply with more specific questions or areas of interest.

Who led the tribe of Judah, what book does it start in and what was it about? You don't have to tell me what its about. I can do that. I just want to find it. Can you help in any way? God bless and thank you.
    The patriarch of the tribe of Judah was Judah, one of Jacob's 12 sons. Like Jacob, Judah was not the firstborn son, yet God chose him out of His grace to receive the birthright to the promised Messiah (Genesis 49:10).

    One of the studies in the Bible Stories for Adults series deals directly with Judah and his birthright. It is Study 4 in the Fourth Quarter of Year 2 - Jacob Blesses Judah. You can find it at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT2.html#Q43

    The tribe of Judah played a very active and important role among the Israelite tribes. Some places you might want to look:
      Numbers 13:6; 34:19
      Deuteronomy 27:12
      Judges 1:1-20
      Joshua 15
      Judges 19:10-13
      Judges 3:8-11
      2 Samuel 2:1-4

    When the United Kingdom of Israel split after Solomon's death, Solomon's son Rehoboam was left with Judah (and Simeon which was encircled by Judah) while Jeroboam took the rest. Because of this, the northern kingdom under Jeroboam and his successors was called Israel while the southern kingdom under Rehoboam and his descendants was called Judah.

    You can learn more about this kingdom of Judah through Bible Stories for Adults studies beginning with number 9 in the Third Quarter of Year 1 (The Divided Kingdom). you can find these studies beginning at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q3

    I hope this adequately addresses your question. Please feel free to reply with any further questions you encounter as you study God's Word.

I was asked to do an introduction of a pastor by reading 1 book ( I chose Daniel). I have not done this before, yet I find this quite interesting and a challenge. I suppose I am to introduce the author of this book (which is Daniel, supposingly) as if I was introducing him as as a pastor.

I need help some if at all possible. This is due tomorrow night.
    Congratulations on your assignment to study and to introduce Daniel. It is through study like this that you will come to better know our Lord and His will and ways for our lives.

    In preparation of your presentation of Daniel, I suggest that you work through the two studies on Daniel which can be found from
    http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q4



New Testament Topics

I need to know passages that point out in the Old Testament about the coming of Jesus.
    There are hundreds of places in the Old Testament Scriptures that point to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus. Books have been written identifying and discussing these Messianic prophesies. Most good Study Bibles include a table of some of the key prophesies and how they were fulfilled by Jesus.

    Many New Testament authors also bring out some of these prophesies and show how Jesus fulfilled them. Matthew's gospel was written specifically to the Jews for the purpose of showing Jesus as the Messiah (Christ in Greek) they were awaiting. Matthew therefore quotes many Old Testament prophesies. A study of Matthew will show you many of these.

    The book of Hebrews was likewise written to Jews and presents Jesus as God's great Prophet, High Priest and King. Old Testament Messianic prophesies are often used in this discussion.

    No exhaustive effort to identify and present the Messianic prophesies has been made in the Bible Stories for Adults curriculum. There are, however, a few studies that will get you started.

    The first Messianic prophesy in the Bible was given in Genesis 3:15 as God's response of grace after giving His judgment for the first sin. You can find this in the 2nd study of Year 1 (The Fall) at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q1

    The last two studies of Year 2 focus on a couple of especially meaty Old Testament Messianic prophesy sections (Isaiah and Psalms) during a discussion of the humanity and divinity of Jesus. You can find these at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT2.html#Q4

    These should get you started. Use a good Study Bible (such as the NIV Study Bible) and follow some of the threads as you study. They will lead you to some great gems.

    For a more extensive look into Messianic prophesies, I have a number of books which I would recommend, such as "What the Bible Teaches About the Promised Messiah" by Dr. James Smith and "All the Messianic Prophesies of the Bible" by Herbert Lockyer.

    I pray this helps.
Kurt, thanks so much for your quick replied. I have a muslim friend that does not believe in Jesus as our messiah and the Son of God. I hope with the help of the Holy Spirit and your help will clarify this issue for him. We will see, I will let U know.
I need more understanding on your interpretation of the scripture. I read the verse before and following to gain full understanding. On your teacher notes for" Elijah goes to Heaven" (Paragraph - Elijah, God's Faithful Prophet): Has Elijah yet returned as promised?

How do you conclude that John the Baptist is Elijah? Do you believe that God has to just reuses souls instead of making new life? I can not see how John the Baptist is used this way. I'm understanding Jesus to say John was a prophet, as was Elijah. Convince me why I should believe you when I've always been taught that in the last days Elijah and Elisha will be laying in the street dead for 3 days and then come back to life.

I don't mean to sound controversial, it's just I question what purpose was served for Elijah to be there with Christ? Thank you for your time .
    This area of Scripture, as well as many others, are areas where I have difficulty fully understanding and trust that what is said is true, but that I may not completely understand until it is fully revealed to me in heaven.

    For the time being, my understanding is that John was sent "in the spirit and the power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17).

    I do not believe that John was the physical reincarnation of Elijah (or, the physical return of the never-died Elijah), but that he was fully the fulfillment of the promised return of Elijah to prepare the way for the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6).

    Jesus made it clear that John was the fulfillment of Malachi's prophesy (Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9).

    Why did God find it important to give this prophesy through Malachi? Why did God send any of His prophets and why did God provide the Jews and us with any of the prophesies He gave? Because He loves us and wants us to have hope through the understanding that God is in control of all - the past, the present and the future.

    I also feel that prophesies were given to the Jews for us. By seeing the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies through God's work in history ("His-Story"), we are assured of who He is and what He has done for us. Matthew saw this and wrote his gospel to show Jesus as the fulfillment of the promised Messiah which the Jews had longed for.

    Why the prophesy from Malachi and why the work of John the Baptist? The prophesy was given to comfort the Jews that the coming of the Messiah would be announced and that they wouldn't miss it. John's mission was to prepare the way by returning God's people to Him through showing them their sin and need for the Savior. Likewise, a key purpose of the Law is to show us our sin and our need for salvation through Christ.

    Thanks for your query and I pray that this helps.

What are the names of the three wise men?
    Anybody's guess is as good as anybody else's. In fact, no one know how many there were (other than that there were more than one). Additionally, they were actually Magi.

    Legend and tradition has it that there were three and their names were Melchior, Balthazar and Kaspar.

    You can study more about them in study #5 under:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT2.html#Q2

How many people did Jesus raise from the dead? Thank you
    There are two ways to answer this question.

    First, Jesus was sent to give live to many, many people who were dead in their sins. This includes you and me and the many faithful who have passed before us.

    Second, and I believe more direct to your question, Jesus raised 3 dead people that we know of during His three-year ministry. You can find studies dealing with two of these on the Bible Stories for Adults web-site. The three resurrections and where you can find them are:

    Jairus' Daughter
      Matthew 9:18-25, Mark 5:22-42, Luke 8:41-56 http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT2.html#Q2
      (Study 11)

    Widow's Son at Nain
      Luke 7:11-15

    His Good Friend Lazarus
      John 11:1-44 http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SNT3.html#Q1
      (Study 7)

    I pray God blesses you as you study His Word and await your own resurrection by Jesus Christ.
Someone told me that the blood line of Mary (Jesus) in Luke 3:23-38 is not right, and that it's only spiritual and not actual.

How this came about is that we were talking about Jesus blood line being mixed or being pure from the beginning of time. I was looking at Rahab and Salmon and their offspring.

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!
    Although we don't have full explanations behind the lineages of Jesus recorded in Matthew and Luke, I believe the understanding that Matthew recorded Joseph's line (which would be important to the Jew) and Luke recorded Mary's line (who was likely interviewed directly by Luke) is very plausible and likely.

    The thought that the lineage recorded in Luke offers a spiritual rather than physical bloodline is flawed in two areas.

    First, it would imply that the lineage chosen by God was done according to the faithfulness of the individuals. If you look at stories revolving around individuals in the list, you find examples of all sorts of sinfulness and unfaithfulness (incest, prostitution, intermixing with other peoples, murder, etc.).

    This is the great thing about the Scriptures God has given us. The most common thread among all of the stories of people in the Bible is that despite even the best of intentions, even "the best" of us are sinful and greatly disappoint our Father.

    And though God justly punishes our sin, He also responds out of great love with His grace. These stories give us hope despite our sin by clinging in faith to the grace God has promised and demonstrated throughout HiStory.

    Second, it would also imply that God needed the ancestry for His Son to be as good as possible. From God's perspective, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. No one, including those recorded in the lineages, would have qualified for the lineage of God's perfect Son.

    God doesn't need us to be perfect to make us perfect. His perfection conquers our sinfulness and allows His Will to be completed despite our evils.

    So then, what is the purpose of the lineages we have been given? Matthew's lineage from Abraham shows that God is faithful to His promises, including a promise to Abraham to provide a Savior for the world through his descendants. He fulfilled that promise 2000 years later even though the individuals through whom the promise passed were totally undeserving.

    Luke's lineage shows that God kept His promise to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15) by sending His Son to save the world. The fact that members of the lineage included those who were not Jews reinforced God's promise that Jesus was sent to save all mankind.

    One last thing. There is an area where spiritual descendancy is important. It is the descendancy of Abaraham's faith by which we receive the promises God offered to Abraham. Paul discusses this in Galatians 3 (see esp. Galatians 3:29).

    You can find more about Jesus' lineage in the Bible Stories for Adults Study entitled "The Annunciation". It is Study 2 of the second quarter of Year 1. You can find it at:
      http://users2.ev1.net/~kurtr/SOT1.html#Q2

Did Judas repent to God or was he sorry because he didn't know that the priests were going to kill Christ? Also I heard that the Kennites were the ones that hanged Judas and cut him open. He gives the ref. Acts 1-18. Please explain as I don't agree with this.
    Everything we know about what happened to Judas after he had betrayed Jesus can be found in Matthew 27:3-10 and Acts 1:15-26.

    We are never told that Judas repented of his sin, but we are given indication in various ways that he did not.

    Starting with Matthew 27:3, we see that when he realized that Jesus would be executed, Judas "was seized with remorse" (NIV). As Wiersbe states (Bible Exposition Commentary):
    "The Greek word translated "repented himself" in Matthew 27:3 (KJV) indicates not a sorrow for sin that leads to a change of mind and action, but a regret at being caught, a remorse that leads to despair. Peter truly repented, and Jesus restored him. But Judas did not repent, and this led to suicide."

    Similarly, Alfred Edersheim (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah) and Ralph Earle (Word Meanings in the New Testament) differentiate the original Greek from repentance. As Earle puts it:

    "There are two Greek verbs that are always translated "repent" in the KJV: metamelomai (5 times) and metanoeo (34 times). It is metamelomai here (and in 21:29, 32; 2 Cor 7:8; Heb 7:21).

    "Metanoeo basically means to "change one's mind." So it is properly translated "repent" in most instances. It involves the intellect and will.

    "Metamelomai has to do more with the emotions, and so does not indicate true biblical repentance. If Judas Iscariot had really "repented," he would not have committed suicide (v5)."

    Many other expositors give similar explanations. One last I will give you is from the first century Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, who wrote, "Alongside metanoia, the change of will, is metamelos, remorse, through which man suffers the pain of self-accusation."

    The other comment I would add is that the apostles believed that Judas did not repent and therefore was damned to hell. We see this in Acts 1:25 where they said, "...to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."

    I hope this helps.

    Regarding your question about the Kenites hanging Judas and cutting him open, that's a new one to me. I am curious how someone could produce such a statement from the information God has given us. It is clear in Matthew 27:5 that Judas hanged himself. I further don't understand how any activity of the Kenites (a Canaanite tribe from whom Moses' in-laws descended) can be projected beyond the last we hear of them in 1 Chronicles 2:55 (other than maybe the Recabites in Jeremiah 35).

Is there a passage of the Great Commission in the Bible? If so what chapter should I be reading from the New or Old Testament?
    The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:19-20.

    There is a study in the Bible Stories for Adults series that specifically covers the Great Commission. It is in the third quarter of Year 3 and has not been converted to html (Internet code) yet.
Thanks Kurt... I hope to hear from you soon about the text on the Great Commission when it comes out on the study guides. You are one of God's Best friend as well mine too. Again thanks for the information about the whereabouts is the Great Commission in the Bible. In his name we pray AMEN.

Kurt... I need to know where does it say in the Bible that we are included in the Lamb's Book of Life. Is it located in the New or Old Testament?
    There are numerous references in the Bible to God's Book of Life. Without going into a full study on the subject, I will give you a few verses to look into yourself:

      Exodus 32:32-33
      Deuteronomy 9:14
      Deuteronomy 29:20
      Psalm 9:5
      Psalm 69:28
      Psalm 139:16

      Philippians 4:3
      Revelation 3:5
      Revelation 13:8
      Revelation 17:8
      Revelation 20:12, 15
      Revelation 21:27

    When considering these references, watch that you are not confused by the doctrine of predestination. Although God is eternal and is in control of everything, He has granted us tremendous freedom from the very beginning (Genesis 2:15-17 - Only one limit at the start).

    He does this because He loves us so much. What parent who loves their child will dictate and force every move that they make? And God loves us more than we can ever love our own children.

    Then, what do we do with verses such as Ephesians 2:10? We thank God that He has given us by His grace the faith and ability to live with Him and in His Book of Life (Ephesians 2:8-9).

    This freedom has another side to it. Just as God doesn't force us into being faithful, He also doesn't force us into staying faithful. We can fall from grace. We cannot say, "Once saved, always saved" and drop our faithfulness because we were faithful once. God will continue to test us, just as he tested Abraham and the other saints who preceded us.

    Some verses regarding this freedom to reject the gospel and grace we have once received:

      Galatians 1:6-9
      Galatians 5:4
      Hebrews 6:4-6

    I could go on, but would prefer to prepare a more exhaustive study before saying that I have well covered it. There are many resources available that discuss this topic, depending upon how deep you would like to get into it.
Kurt, Thanks for all the input about the Lamb's Book of Life for me to read upon. It is very unique that you have the inspiration of genius when it comes to reading your Bible everyday and every night because.. What could we do without reading our BIBLES to spread the WORD OF GOD towards our fellowship keeping IN TOUCH with all our nations around the world?

GOD BLESS YA and thank you again for your assistance for helping me out with the Study with the LAMB'S Book of Life.




Cultic Ideas

I believe in the Christian faith. Jesus is the truth. Can you tell me about the Mormon? Why do they talk about a man call Joseph Smith? Explain the difference about the prophets today and the prophets they call the Mormon Joseph Smith. Thank you.
    Your question is one that cannot be answered fully in a simple, short e-mail. Suffice it to say that Joseph Smith created a religion where everyone can be a god and create his own universe, just as long as you are a good enough Mormon. He claimed that Jesus, after his resurrection in Israel, came to America and revealed a totally different message for the western world.

    The Book of Mormon (called by them "Another Testament of Jesus Christ") revolves around stories of a couple of families and their descendants in America. The families fought against each other and the good guys were eliminated. The bad guys who were left ran around naked and became what we called the American Indians.

    One of the last good guys to die, a "prophet" named Mormon wrote down the story in a hidden code ("Reformed Egyptian" hieroglyphics) on golden plates and gave them to his son, Moroni, who then hid them on a hill in New York.

    In 1823, this Moroni "appeared" to Joseph Smith, showed him, via a salamander, the plates and some magical spectacles that would allow him to interpret the secret code. He then transcribed what he read into the Book of Mormon. Moroni took the plates back when Smith was finished (they were too sacred to be seen again).

    This is just a taste for you. You can see it has been said of Joseph Smith that "He convincingly demonstrated to the world that it is possible to deceive some people with the most absurd religious claims."

    I have a study which gives more detail on this. I will eventually add it to the Bible Stories for Adults site. Let me know if you need more info before then.
From another reader:

Your portrayal of Joseph Smith receiving the golden plates from a salamander is completely inaccurate. The salamander letter was proven to be a forgery, passed off by convicted bomber Mark Hoffman. As you know, the salamander is one of the ways that Satan shows himself to the world. It is totally irresponsible for you to perpetuate this myth, and you should apologize to all Latter-Day Saint members and check your sources the next time.
I don't believe in your black Jesus, he is not a product of my ancestral culture.
    I agree with you. Jesus was a Jew, not a European, nor an African. I don't see any room for interpretation of this.

    I am real curious about where you saw any reference in any of the Bible Stories for Adults studies regarding Jesus being black. If something is vague or misleading to you, it will likely be that way for others and I would like to correct it.
How do I know the real Jesus was black? First of all a real Hebrew is black, Hebrews along with Africans are penis cutters, a very non- white custom. Some Africans still today even circumcise their women a brutal and primitive custom for Men or Women. In addition the custom of sacrament, eating the flesh and drinking the blood is another African custom, cannibalism. The first popes were black and even today the pope wears a hat similar to those worn by Egyptian Pharoes of the upper and lower Nile. Even his Costume resembles the garb worn by the Pharoes and he carries a staff similar to the Pharoes. I imagine that even the Catholic Ceremony has many of the original elements as Pharoes Ceremony as a Living God. At the end of each Christian prayer worshippers still cry out to the Egyptian God Amen. Even the name Israel is the combination of 3 Egyptian Gods, Isis, Ra, and El. I have not read the story in quite some time, But an unworthy Hebrew wanted to marry a daughter of a Hebrew king , so the King told him go out and bring me 200 fore-skins of my enemies. Now do you think the King wanted foreskins? Heavens, No. The story is cleaned up for white culture. The unworthy Man did go out and brought back 200 penises and they all sat around the bon fire eating them. Another delightful custom of Africa that I have been told by a true African in secluded areas of Africa is still practiced by Natives as a fertility rite before two people marry. The husband to be goes out cuts off the penis of some poor unsuspecting man then he and his betrothed eat it together. I'm not making this up I was told this by a real African in the Know. If you want a good book that references every word in the Bible get Strongs Concordance. As far as a description of Jesus in the Bible , I think there is only one, and it describes his feet as the color of bronze and his hair as woolly. Two non white descriptions I'd say. I heard a radio talk show host describe the new Afro-American custom of Kawanza instead of Christmas as a fake holiday. When you think about it Christmas is another fake holiday that has combined The Pagan Rite of Winter Solstice with a Desert Religion. Please tell me why Santa Clause's sled isn't pulled by camels of the nativity scene instead of reindeers. Kurt I'm sure your a nice person and I don't mind if you believe in all the fairy tales and a con job that has been perpetrated on the masses for hundreds of years. I know how to be good and honorable and I strive to be good every day. And I do believe if everyone followed the ten commandments every day the World would be a fine place. The older I get the more I can not believe because the fabrication is right in front of my face. Who made Jesus White? The Renaissance Artists, that's who. Those Popes would not be able to get the masses to believe, having a white population worshipping a Black God. If you want to see the origins of Christian Custom go get that video Shaka ZuLu, a movie on the beginning of White South Africa. There are many African Religion customs portrayed there.
    As mentioned in my earlier message, I agree that Jesus was not European (white). I also believe that Jesus was not African (black). He was a Jew. With the many Jews in the world, His physical features can be estimated.

    What Jesus looked like is not in the least bit important to who He was and is. I think it is great that there were no cameras back then and that no artist drew His likeness while He was around. That would lead to the problems that you refer to in your response.

    Jesus did not come for one ethnic group, but for the whole world. When trying to understand Jesus, I don't need to understand Jews, Europeans or Africans. I simply study God's Word to learn about God and how He revealed Himself to us through the Scriptures and through the person of Jesus Christ.

    Jesus gave us a glimpse of God's kingdom and of the promised land He has prepared for us in heaven. The differences and imperfections we see in ourselves and in each other on earth will go away and be replaced with perfection in our heavenly bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-49).

    I pray that you look beyond the concerns of the world and see Jesus for who He is - God come down for you. Please turn to His word and see for yourself what He has to offer.



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