Week Twenty-Six, 2026

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” — Psalm 139:1-2

We landed in the middle of the night in a foreign city, checked into the hotel, and went to bed. We woke up at midday ready to see the city. We left our key at the front desk, as required, hailed a cab, and told the driver the name of the museum we wanted to visit.

Later, as we viewed the art, I had a funny feeling, turned to my wife, and inquired if she remembered the name of the hotel where we were staying. She said no, and we were stranded. Once I found someone who spoke English and described what the hotel looked like, he came up with the name, and we got back to our hotel.

The Bible teaches that God knows exactly where you are—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—and that true identity is found “in Christ.” It emphasizes that God meets you where you are, with Psalm 139:8 affirming, “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” God knows your sitting and rising and understands your thoughts from afar.

God is present in every place, from the highest heights of heaven to the deepest depths of the grave (Sheol), ensuring that no one can hide from His presence or escape His care. You cannot get lost from God. He knows your every sound and movement.

You cannot lose God because His presence, love, and salvation are viewed as guaranteed, even when faith feels shaken or when material possessions and worldly security are lost. God is often viewed as a constant, comforting force who does not abandon His children, offering strength and restoration in times of trouble.

While you can lose material things, faith in God is the ultimate asset, and according to Christian faith, God will never leave or forsake you.

The best of all is that God will never leave us. He is only a prayer away.

Sometimes True Stories

To all my friends who enjoy golf, here is an analogy based on today’s Proverb. When you hit a great shot, what do you learn? Probably not much; you feel happy and have a certain amount of pride in the great shot you hit, but what did you learn? Now let’s take the opposite approach: you hit a bad shot. You have several choices: you can ignore and accept the bad shot, or you can analyze and embrace the discipline and work effort it takes to get better.

Failure seems to teach us more, and most of us know instinctively when we need correction. Scripture says the Lord disciplines those He loves. In golf we take lessons to get better; in life we need the discipline of the Lord. He is our teacher, and He knows we are going to hit the bad shots of life. Failure makes us humble, and humility makes us better. The Lord appreciates a humble heart because a humble heart accepts discipline, and discipline makes us better! — Tony Ferguson

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Anger, self-pity, and blaming others for our circumstances are the walls of self-made prisons. Sin has a way of setting a trap that is hard to escape and often leads to a heavy heart. Jesus came to lift our burdens, to set us free, and to open the prison doors. We all have heavy hearts at times, and how we deal with our burdens will ultimately determine how we get through these difficult times. The righteous understand where to turn, and it starts with prayer and talking to our Lord about our burdens. When experiencing difficult times, many of us turn to friends or associates, and some will talk to no one. May I suggest we talk to Jesus? He is always there, will always listen, never judges, and is totally dependable. — Tony Ferguson

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“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” — Revelation 19:6b-7

Weddings are a big deal around the world. They are all about the bride. The bride is adorned with the most beautiful gown to make her the ultimate picture of beauty and purity. The occasion is capped off with a fabulous reception. Nothing is spared, including money. The cost of the event can easily be $40,000. Yet, there is a wedding and feast waiting in Heaven for those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ. The church is the bride. The bride has adorned herself with the righteousness of Christ Himself, making her the ultimate picture of beauty and purity. The reception, the marriage supper of the Lamb, has been prepared and lacks nothing. It will be a feast unlike anything we can imagine. And the cost? Priceless and already paid.

Will you be there? — Rich Jensen

Quotes You Can Use

The flesh can never be satisfied.

Remember, we may be stressed, but we are blessed.

Jesus promised that those who believed in Him would never die.

Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction. — Anne Frank

Laziness in our faith provides a fertile garden for the devil to plant the weeds of life in our minds.

The only thing we should covet is a closer relationship with God.

Sometimes faith will make you look stupid until it starts to rain. — Noah

The mark of an effective church is not how many people come, but how many are living differently as a result of having been there.

If you have nothing else to give your children, they have enough if they have God.

We are not building God’s kingdom. God is building His Kingdom, and we are praying for the privilege of being involved.

Smart people learn from mentors. Average people learn from their experiences, and stupid people already have all the answers. — Socrates

Life isn’t waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain. — Snoopy

If you have an important decision to make, or even a small one, it is good to make your decision with the guidance of the Lord. — Corrie ten Boom

Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit.

Don’t be impressed by money, followers, degrees, and titles. Be impressed by kindness, integrity, humility, and generosity.

If you get on the wrong train, get off at the next station. The longer it takes to get off, the more expensive the return trip will be.

You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choices.

Saving faith is a transforming faith that produces fruitful obedience and gracious compassion.

Partiality is incompatible with the gospel because it contradicts Christ’s work, God’s character, and God’s mercy.

Receive others as God has received you. — Edgar Aponte

Address all items and comments to [email protected].

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

“The Biblical References”

Megiddo isn’t exactly a household name in the Bible. Using the “search” feature in my Bible software program, I found only twelve total mentions of the city, all in the Old Testament, which at least beat out the nine mentions of Rome, but still fell far short of Jerusalem, which is mentioned a whopping 815 times.

We’re first introduced to Megiddo in Joshua 12:21 in a long yawn-inspiring list of cities that Joshua defeated after entering the Promised Land. Megiddo is buried between the mention of the cities of Taanach and Kedesh, so you’re forgiven if you didn’t remember that one. Megiddo is described as hilly in Joshua 17:11—that it is!—and there’s a water source nearby, according to Judges 5:19—absolutely right, for a spring still flows there today! So, it’s starting to make more sense that there’d be a settlement at this location—easy to defend and plenty of water to drink.

In Judges 1:27 we learn that the tribe of Manasseh failed to fully drive out the people of Megiddo with its satellite cities, showing that the Canaanites had slipped back into the area sometime after Joshua’s conquest and had maintained a presence there until the time of Deborah and Barak who once again defeated the Canaanites in battle (Judges 5:19). The next time we encounter the city, it’s populated with Israelites, having been transformed into a key administrative city by King Solomon (1 Kings 4:12) who expanded and strengthened it (1 Kings 9:15). Two later Jewish kings, Ahaziah and Josiah, both died at Megiddo from battle wounds (2 Kings 9:27; 23:29-30; 2 Chron. 35:22-24), highlighting the city’s military significance, and in the last of the twelve references, the prophet Zechariah associates “the plain of Megiddo” with a future time of great mourning (Zech. 12:11), a time when the Jews “will look on Me whom they pierced” (v. 10).

The city of Megiddo doesn’t show up in the New Testament even one time until you remember that Megiddo is the root word of Armageddon, a battlefield in Revelation 16:16, the mention of which follows these descriptive words of Jesus in v. 15, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches….” Thus, the battle of Armageddon precedes the Second Coming of Jesus, a time when fighting and mourning will come to an end.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia (Find the answer below)

Life in the Land: Jerusalem Syndrome

If you could meet any person from the Bible, who would it be? Perhaps Jesus, John the Baptizer, King David, Moses, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene or Elijah? Did you know that every year in Israel as many as one hundred people are evaluated, resulting in roughly forty hospitalizations, for what is popularly known as Jerusalem Syndrome. In other words, they become so overwhelmed during their visit to the land of Israel that they lapse into a temporary mental state wherein they believe themselves to be a biblical figure, perhaps one in the previous list of seven names that comprise the greatest number of documented cases.

According to research psychiatrists at Kfar Shaul Mental Health Center, this phenomenon can affect Christian, Jewish and even Muslim pilgrims, and it generally follows a recognizable pattern: an intense preoccupation with a biblical person or place, an urge to separate from one’s traveling companions, a ritual washing, usually accompanied by a change into white clothing, a visit to one of the holy sites to teach or preach, and finally an identification with the biblical figure associated with that site. Fortunately, most cases result in a full recovery after only a few weeks once the person is removed from the area.

Several movies and books have centered around characters with the syndrome as well as television series, including The X-Files and The Simpsons. One tour guide even showed me a mattress once, located near the Ninth Station of the Cross in the Old City, that belonged to a man who identified as Jesus.

-Daniel McCabe

Divinity of the Holy Spirit, Part 1

Pneumatology

Pneuma is the Greek word for wind or spirit, and so pneumatology is the theology of the Holy Spirit. The first topic I’d like to take up in this series is the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

It is so very important to understand that the Holy Spirit is part of the triune Godhead. He is a member of the Trinity. We see this in Matthew 28:19 and in many other passages. He’s fully divine. He’s co-equal with the Father and the Son, and because the Holy Spirit is God, a sin against the Holy Spirit is a sin against God as is made pretty clear by Acts 5:3-4 when Ananias and Sapphire are confronted by the apostles.

Being God, the Holy Spirit is, of course, omniscient, according to 1 Corinthians 2:9-11. He is also omnipresent, omnipotent and eternal, and being divine, of course, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, was active in creation, hovering over the waters. The Spirit regenerates people. He renews us upon our salvation and He sanctifies us. He even revealed all Scripture to us, which we see in 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20-21. We only know anything about God because we have the God-breathed Scriptures that are inspired works of the Holy Spirit. In 1 John 5:6 we read too that He is truth.

There’s also an interesting doctrine, known as the spiration of the Holy Spirit, that is viewed in two different ways within Christendom. I personally believe that the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, but the Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity has held throughout church history that the Holy Spirit only proceeds (or is sent or spirated) from the Father. The Western view, the historical view of Roman Catholicism and now of Protestantism and Evangelicalism, holds that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and from the Son. Some Scriptures show that He proceeds from the Father (e.g., John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 2:12) and some verses that He proceeds from the Son, even calling Him the Spirit of Christ or the Spirit of the Son (e.g., Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6).

Even though proponents of each view might view the other as unbiblical, it really is one of those things that you could almost argue for either view—the Spirit proceeding only from the Father or the Spirit proceeding from both the Father and of the Son. It’s one of those things where a lot of people scratch their heads and say, “What does it even matter? Whether I hold to double spiration or to single spiration it’s not going to affect my day-to-day life for the Lord in any way, shape or form. I just know that the Holy Spirit is God and that He regenerates me and renews me.” It’s one of those things about which people like me have fun theorizing and philosophizing, but in the end we cannot fully comprehend the Trinity because we’re created beings who are always limited by our finitude. Still it’s fun to think about it.

-Adam Keim

The Palestinians

From the Archives:, November 1, 2022

Although the word Palestinian comes from the word Philistine, it is widely acknowledged that Palestinians are not descendants of the Philistines who are mentioned in Bible stories like David and Goliath or Samson and Delilah. DNA studies of the bones and teeth of skeletons, which were unearthed recently in the biblical region of Philistia, lead to the conclusion that the Philistines migrated from Greece, Italy and Spain around the twelfth century B.C.

DNA also shows that Jews and some modern-day Palestinians share a common ancestry. In fact both have a long history in the land of the Bible with the former being descendants of Isaac and the latter being descendants of Ishmael.

Some modern-day Palestinians are descendants of people groups who have lived in the land of the Bible continuously for thousands of years, but many are also from the Balkans, Caucasus, Turkey, Egypt, Arabia, Syria and Lebanon. In the mid-twentieth century A.D. the moniker Palestinian was first adopted in order to identify this mixed group. Before that time (going back even before the time of Christ) the word Palestinian had been used in a general sense for anyone living in the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Today it is used almost exclusively for non-Jewish, Arabic speakers who live mostly in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but the term Palestinian may leave some with the wrong impression that they are a homogenous group of people with a unified, national, historical claim to the land which predates that of the Jews.

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

C. 60%

Week Twenty-Four, 2026

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:5-8)

God told Joshua how the Israelites would take possession of the Promised Land. He included a vital instruction: to meditate on His Law day and night and to obey everything it said.

Living a Christ-centered life filled with peace and joy depends on our commitment to focus our mind and heart on Him regularly.

Our life flows from connection, not from effort.

John 15 focuses on Jesus as the “true vine,” urging disciples to “abide” in Him to bear spiritual fruit, emphasizing love, obedience, and warning of worldly hatred.

He is the Vine; we are the branches. The secret of life is connection.

Eliso Mejia, in his latest book, Online but Not Connected, emphasizes the need for spiritual connection.

Union (connection) with Christ is the Christian life. It is the foundational doctrine that believers are spiritually joined to Jesus, meaning His life, death, and resurrection become theirs.

Life flows from connection, not from effort. Ministry can give you the illusion of friendship, but Jesus truly loves you.

If the Word has not changed you, perhaps it hasn’t saved you. If we hear the Word and don’t do the Word, we are lost. The final test of salvation is fruit. The test of Sunday is how we talk on Monday.

The fruit of connection with Jesus is love. Stay connected with the source of life. He is the Vine of life.

Sometimes True Stories

God is always with those who believe, even though it may not seem that way at times. God sees the big picture, while we see the daily snapshots. As humans, we often cry out for help for short-term issues while God is sculpting the big picture. He often allows us to go through temporary difficulties because He is sculpting our long-term future. Trusting in the Lord is not always easy, and we may even feel abandoned at times, but that is simply not true. It is important to understand that even though God may not give us what we want, we can be assured that what God wants is what matters.

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There is only One—to believe and follow.

The One Who hung from the cross while soldiers threw dice gambling for His garments, as the last of His blood dripped to the ground below Him.

The One Who was the long-awaited Messiah—surely to take over control from the Roman government and make their lives easier.

But His mission and purpose were more eternally life-changing.

Only One—Who hung on the cross for each of us, creating the path for everyone then, today, and tomorrow to embrace Christ as their personal Savior, assuring their eternal spot in Heaven.

His purpose for coming to earth was beyond His personal self-interest and all about our best interest.

The One Matthew depicts in a rapid string of passages, some set out above, demonstrating Godly supernatural powers, coupled with a heart and sensitivity to hear, help, and heal those around Him—always pointing them to Hope.

There is only One. The Son of God.

Only One—Jesus Christ.

It was never about Him, but always all about others.

Finding people where they were and taking them where they should be. People like you and like me.

Calling them to believe, and then to follow Him and His example, and touch and bless life after life in the world around them—hearing, helping, encouraging, lifting each one to a better place.

Pointing them to the only One—Jesus Christ—to believe, embrace, and follow as their Savior and Lord.

The only Hope for their lives for here and eternity.

The Hope of the only One—Jesus Christ.

Then, with Him, lifting lives, one life at time to a better day.

By the example of the only One—Jesus Christ.

Only One to believe. Only One to follow. Jesus Christ. Scott Whitaker

Quotes You Can Use

The way to silence the whining of the flesh and the whispering of the enemy is to remind yourself of God’s great love.

The mission of God never changes, but the world in which we live is rapidly changing.

Listening is a big part of communication with people.

Our story makes sense only when presented within God’s story.

Plan your work and work your plan.

Seek the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to direct.

Don’t be so organized that you out-organize the Holy Spirit.

Resources are not just about money.

No fruit can reproduce itself without being connected to the vine, which for us is Jesus.

We are not defined by the world, but by Scripture, the Holy Bible.

___________________

Address all items and comments to [email protected].

Week Twenty-Three, 2026

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

We all have them, and they range from short to long ones. I am talking about plans. How do we plan? How do we respond when they don’t work out as we planned?

Plans are detailed, step-by-step methods or strategies used to achieve goals, ranging from personal intentions to organizational strategies like strategic, tactical, operational, or contingency plans. Effective planning involves setting concrete goals, identifying requirements, and scheduling, resulting in increased productivity and reduced stress. Or… as simple as deciding which movie to go see. They are often a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something.

They are a set of decisions about how to do something in the future: a company’s business plan, a negotiated peace plan, a read-through-the-Bible-daily plan, a five-year plan, vacation plans. But, no matter how hard we try, our plans don’t always work out for us. Then what?

I well remember taking a camping trip out west. One of the boys got sick and we had to seek medical treatment for him, slowing us down for a few days. Meanwhile, the camping park where we were headed had an earthquake and several campers perished. But for an unexpected delay, it could have been us.

Ultimately, God is the master planner in our lives. He gives us a hope and a future, no matter how difficult it may seem at the time.

With its references to God’s plans, prosperity, protection from harm, peace, and a future filled with hope, Jeremiah 29:11 is often offered as a spiritual “security blanket” to people who are struggling. The verse has inspired and comforted countless believers who interpret it to mean that if they endure their immediate circumstances, they will emerge victorious, triumphant, and celebrated in God’s ultimate plan of prosperity. They anticipate a moment when their suffering ends and their flourishing begins.

So, what do we take away from Jeremiah 29:11? First, if we put our trust in Christ, we can anticipate an ultimately glorious future—one spent in God’s presence for eternity. Second, God’s plans for His people in this world rarely involve helping us escape from our trials completely. He doesn’t make our suffering disappear. Instead, He helps us persevere through them. He helps us grow and mature in ways we wouldn’t otherwise grow and mature apart from tough times. He helps us find joy in the unlikeliest of circumstances. It’s the kind of joy that affects not just our lives, but the lives of others as well. He prospers us in ways that expand our understanding of prosperity.

Are you ready for God’s plan in your life?

Sometimes True Stories

Comments from Edgar Aponte: Each book of the Bible has an agenda. Our agenda is to find new life in Christ. Jesus meets us in our pain and disappointment. He is THE Way, THE Truth and The Life. We need to point to the One who gives us hope. He invites us to believe. Jesus knows what I have said and thought. He knows everything. Some love their sin more than they love their Bible. Jesus still had the scars and so do we. Jesus’ invitation demands a response—not to just see, but to believe. It is a personal response that He is your Savior. We also need to make it a personal commitment. Knowing about Jesus is not enough. It must be a personal commitment.

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“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” — Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)

What separates the wise from the foolish? The foolish man relies on himself while the wise man relies on God. A recent student of Scripture did a study of God’s promises and came up with 7,487, and to their amazement, God always fulfills His promises—not just some, but 100% of the time. A wise man understands that God is sovereign and cannot lie; a foolish man relies on himself. When we build our lives on the foundation of God, we can rest in peace that our foundation is solid and will stand the test of time. The foolish man builds his life on the shifting sands of man and watches as the sand crumbles with each passing day.

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against the house, the house won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.” — Matthew 7:24-26

Quotes You Can Use

We were never promised a rose garden, just that God will never desert us.

It is not the length of our prayers that makes them effective—it’s the relationship we have with God that counts.

In order for faith to be valid, it has to lead to action.

Knowing what to say and when to say it takes wisdom. I remember a quote which says it is better to be quiet than boisterous.

One day the flesh will be put away forever.

Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship. — Benjamin Franklin

Whenever a life is yielded to God, He magnifies that person.

God uses trials to mature your faith, so rejoice in them and ask Him for wisdom to endure. Trust God’s purpose in your trials. Ask God for wisdom in your trials. — Edgar Aponte

Jesus is the bridge between God and man.

Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration. — Thomas Edison

One of the biggest lies of the devil is causing doubt. Doubt is about God’s gift of grace. The devil would have us believe we are a “victim” regardless of any personal decisions we may have made. Whatever is happening to us is the fault of someone else, or we are simply a victim of circumstances or some other factor of our upbringing or environment. — Tony Ferguson

Satan has deceived many people into trusting in emptiness.

God gave us the gift of thinking, reason, and logic; we must be a good steward of His gift.

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

10025 Orange Grove DriveDrive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

June 4, 2026

As we grow older, many of us discover regrets about things we have done or failed to do. Such memories can be gifts from God, prompting self-examination, repentance, and spiritual growth. Though believers are forgiven through Christ, they are still called to conform their character to His, making amends where possible and showing His love in their relationships.

One of my deepest regrets is that I did not consistently honor my father and mother. In my youth, pride led me to believe that I had surpassed my father in wisdom and understanding. Possessing only a little education and limited life experience, I judged him harshly while overlooking my own faults. Like the hypocrisy Christ condemned, I was quick to see flaws in others while ignoring my own. By the time I recognized my error, my father had passed away. I could no longer apologize or repair the hurt I may have caused. The opportunity was gone forever.

That realization opened my eyes to a broader truth. I had often failed not only my parents but also family members, friends, associates, and employees. Many of these failures were sins of omission—neglecting kindness, encouragement, or responsibilities that should have received my attention. Self-centeredness had influenced my thinking more than I realized. Scripture teaches that we benefit others not for personal gain, but because genuine love and service reflect God’s design for human relationships. Honoring others, especially our parents, is both right and beneficial.

The gospel provides hope for such failures. God promises forgiveness to those who confess their sins and turn to Him. His mercy is far greater than our understanding. Through Christ’s sacrifice, sinners are offered reconciliation with God and the opportunity to begin anew. John 3:16 and countless other passages reveal God’s love toward a fallen world and His desire that people come to faith in Him.

Reflecting on these truths led me to think about our children and grandchildren. It is a joy to watch children exceed their parents’ accomplishments, and faithfully raise their own families. Our four children, with their mates, have devoted themselves to training up their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Rather than entrusting that responsibility to others, in loco parentis, they have invested tremendous time, effort, and resources in their children’s character development and educations. Their homes are filled with books, learning tools, practical projects, and opportunities to grow in knowledge and wisdom.

The children are encouraged to think critically, work diligently, care for one another, and understand the world through the lens of Scripture. They learn practical skills, pursue excellence in academics and technology, and develop habits of cooperation and responsibility. More importantly, they are nurtured in faith, prayer, and love. While no family is perfect, these efforts help prepare them to face life’s challenges with courage, integrity, and dependence upon God.

Parents bear many burdens and often make sacrifices that their children may not fully understand until much later. Before judging our parents, we should consider their struggles, responsibilities, and loving sacrifices on our behalves. Gratitude and respect are fitting responses to those who brought us into the world and labored to prepare us for life.

The central lesson is simple: “honor your father and mother.” We cannot undo our own past failures, but we can repent, seek God’s forgiveness, and choose a better path. By showing gratitude to our parents, extending grace to others, and persevering through life’s difficulties, we reflect the character of Christ. As Scripture teaches, “Honor thy father and mother,” a commandment accompanied by God’s promise of blessing.

Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth (Ephesians 6:2-3).

May 30, 23026

My brother was the giant in our family at 5’-10” tall. Me? I’m 5’-7” on a good day, so I’m certainly no expert on height. But I do know a little about the Bible, and I once spent four years under Dr. Hartman, Dr. Graff and Dr. Johnson learning physics, electromagnetics and chemistry, respectively, enough to turn my tassel at least, so let me wade into the shallow end of the “What happened to the giants?” debate for a moment.

It’s a sister topic to the “What happened to the dinosaurs?” question, for as you’ve probably noticed, there aren’t many giants or dinosaurs roaming the roads near where you live.

Even so, I do believe that giants did once walk this earth. In previous posts I’ve shared specific passages from the Bible that describe them, but since the Bible doesn’t take any time to explain what happened to them, we’ll need to speculate a bit.

Here’s where I’m thankful for my engineering training though one degree received decades ago doesn’t make me an expert on the science that swirls around this question. Even so, here’s what I know.

Right now, unless you’re reading this from inside an absolute vacuum, you are being pummeled by diatomic nitrogen and diatomic oxygen (you can throw in a dash of argon and a pinch of carbon dioxide too). You can’t feel these molecules striking you, nonetheless you’re surrounded by a bazillion air molecules composed of roughly 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. It would be fair to say that these percentages have remained largely unchanged for millennia, but past or future factors could certainly alter these percentages, and even evolutionary scientists acknowledge that ancient oxygen-rich ecosystems were once a thing. It’s just that they don’t think they were ever a major thing. But what if they are wrong? After all, they don’t exactly have a perfect track record within science, and their evolutionary assumptions do often prevent them from even entertaining theories like the one I’m about to throw at you.

So what if oxygen levels were once much higher than they are at present? What if some global catastrophe caused a tremendous disruption of the earth’s biosphere, a major change in oceanic chemistry, or a massive decay of organic matter, which together contributed to a major drop in the partial pressure of oxygen. Of course, the Bible describes just such an event in Genesis 7-9 that could explain these or similar global changes. If oxygen levels once measured significantly higher than they do now, then that could certainly account for larger beings and longer lives than what we experience today. In fact, scientists have discovered ancient fossils that are several times larger than their modern counterparts. What if background radiation was also much lower in a pre-flood atmosphere, thus reducing the number of somatic and hereditary mutations, which would allow for more robust organic growth?

I don’t personally think it unreasonable to suggest that a global flood caused a dramatic transformation of our climate and that giants and dinosaurs could have been affected by reduced oxygen levels that impacted their subsequent size, their longevity and their quality of life.

Do I know this to be true from the science? Of course not. No one can know with absolute certainty. But is it reasonable? I say, “Yes.”

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Which one of the following iconic songs of yesteryear was NOT written by a Jew? Find the answer below)

A. Eli’s Coming (1968)

B. American Pie (1971)

C. Rock and Roll All Nite (1975)

D. Funkytown (1980)

On Location: The Montefiore Windmill

I want to tell you about something you may have seen if you’ve been to Jerusalem, but have probably wondered what it is. You may have noticed an old windmill that is the pride of the locals. It lies just southwest of the Old City, perched atop the western slope of the Hinnom Valley.

I am talking about the Montefiore Windmill. It has been around from the sunset of the Ottoman Empire to the birth of modern Israel. Built in 1857 by the British philanthropist Moses Montefiore, it was originally meant to help Jewish residents become self-sufficient by grinding their own flour. But by the late 1940s, this symbol of industry was about to become a casualty of war.

At the outbreak of the 1947–1948 Civil War, the windmill’s location became strategically important. Standing on a slope overlooking the Old City’s walls, it offered a perfect bird’s-eye view of the landscape. The Jewish Haganah fighters realized this immediately and transformed the top of the tower into an observation post to monitor the blockade of Jerusalem. Naturally, the British Mandate authorities weren’t thrilled about a fortified sniper and scouting nest in the middle of a conflict zone. So in 1948 the British high command finally had enough and ordered the windmill to be leveled. In a bit of military wit, they dubbed the mission, “Operation Don Quixote,” a nod to the fictional knight who famously tilted at windmills.

But here is where the story turns into something straight out of a movie. The demolition crew sent to blow up the tower just happened to be from Ramsgate, England, and as they prepped the explosives, they noticed a plaque on the wall that recorded Montefiore’s name as well as his home in Ramsgate. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a military target; it was a piece of their own hometown history.

According to local legend, one of the soldiers, whose family had worked on Montefiore’s English estate, reminded his comrades of the family’s legendary kindness back in Britain. Moved by the connection, the unit decided to “reinterpret” their orders. Instead of leveling the entire 50-foot stone structure, they carefully rigged the explosives to destroy only the observation post at the very top.

Because of those sentimental soldiers, the tower survived the war. Today, standing tall as a museum, it’s been fully restored with its Kentish-style cap and sails by a Dutch organization called “Christians for Israel.” What a reminder that even in the middle of a civil war, sometimes a small connection to home is enough to save a landmark from the brink of destruction!

-Adam Keim, October 27, 2022

How Joseph Foreshadows Jesus, part 1

The similarities between Old Testament Joseph and Jesus are striking to me. In his classic work, “Gleanings in Genesis,” A. W. Pink lists 101 ways that Joseph’s life foreshadowed the life of Jesus, the Messiah. In this 3-part series I’ll share the first 60, broken into three groups of 20. If you’d like to read them all, you can find his work at www.archive.org. The following list is my careful summary of his work; some of the supporting verses are mine. Enjoy!

1. Joseph had two names—Joseph and Zaphnath-Paaneah (Gen. 41:45).

Jesus has two names—Jesus and Christ (Matt. 1:1).

2. Joseph was a shepherd (Gen. 37:2).

Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

3. Joseph spoke out against evil (Gen. 37:2).

Jesus spoke out against evil (John 7:7).

4. Joseph was loved by his father (Gen. 37:3-4).

Jesus is loved by his Father (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 10:17).

5. Joseph was the son of Jacob in his old age (Gen. 37:3).

Jesus is the Son of God who is eternal (1 John 5:13).

6. Joseph had a coat of many colors (Gen. 37:3).

Jesus wears a “colored coat” of various glories and infinite perfections (Heb. 1:3).

7. Joseph was hated by his brothers (Gen. 37:4).

Jesus was hated by his brethren (John 1:11; Luke 19:14).

8. Joseph was hated for his words (Gen. 37:8).

Jesus was hated for his words (John 3:32).

9. Joseph was promised a great future (Gen. 37:7-10, 23-24).

Jesus was promised a great future (Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:31-33).

10. Joseph foretold of his future exaltation and reign (Gen. 37:7-10).

Jesus foretold of his future exaltation and reign (Matt. 26:64).

11. Joseph was envied by his brothers (Gen. 37:11).

Jesus was envied by his brethren (Matt. 27:17-18).

12. Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers (Gen. 37:13).

Jesus was sent by his Father to his brethren (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40).

13. Joseph sought the welfare of his brothers (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus sought the salvation of his brethren (Matt.15:24; Rom. 15:8).

14. Joseph left his father’s home in Hebron (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus left his Father’s home in heaven (John 14:2).

15. Joseph arrived in Shechem to serve (Gen. 37:14).the Montefiore Windmill. It has been around from the sunset of the Ottoman Empire to the birth of modern Israel. Built in 1857 by the British philanthropist Moses Montefiore, it was originally meant to help Jewish residents become self-sufficient by grinding their own flour. But by the late 1940s, this symbol of industry was about to become a casualty of war.

At the outbreak of the 1947–1948 Civil War, the windmill’s location became strategically important. Standing on a slope overlooking the Old City’s walls, it offered a perfect bird’s-eye view of the landscape. The Jewish Haganah fighters realized this immediately and transformed the top of the tower into an observation post to monitor the blockade of Jerusalem. Naturally, the British Mandate authorities weren’t thrilled about a fortified sniper and scouting nest in the middle of a conflict zone. So in 1948 the British high command finally had enough and ordered the windmill to be leveled. In a bit of military wit, they dubbed the mission, “Operation Don Quixote,” a nod to the fictional knight who famously tilted at windmills.

Jesus arrived as the Son of Man to serve (Mark 10:45).

16. Joseph wandered in a field (Gen. 37:15).

Jesus wandered in a field (Matt. 13:38; Luke 9:58).

17. Joseph seeks until he finds his brothers (Gen. 37:14-17).

Jesus seeks until he finds his brethren (Luke 15:4-5).

18. Joseph was conspired against (Gen. 37:18).

Jesus was conspired against (Matt. 12:14).

19. Joseph’s brothers did not believe his dreams (Gen. 37:19-20).

Jesus’ brethren did not believe his words (Matt. 27:39-43; John 3:18, 36).

20. Joseph was insulted and stripped of his coat (Gen. 37:20, 23).

Jesus was insulted and stripped of his coat (Matt. 27:27-29; John 19:23).

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

B. American Pie (1971)

If you have any questions, are interested in learning more about our trips, would like to support us by check or schedule a seminar for your church, school, camp or group, then please contact us for more information at [email protected].

Giants in the Bible, Part 5:

What Happened to Them?

My brother was the giant in our family at 5’10” tall. Me? I’m 5’7” on a good day, so I’m certainly no expert on height. But I do know a little about the Bible, and I once spent four years under Dr. Hartman, Dr. Graff and Dr. Johnson learning physics, electromagnetics and chemistry, respectively, enough to turn my tassel at least, so let me wade into the shallow end of the “What happened to the giants?” debate for a moment. It’s a sister topic to the “What happened to the dinosaurs?” question, for as you’ve probably noticed, there aren’t many giants or dinosaurs roaming the roads near where you live.

Even so, I do believe that giants did once walk this earth. In previous posts I’ve shared specific passages from the Bible that describe them, but since the Bible doesn’t take any time to explain what happened to them, we’ll need to speculate a bit.

Here’s where I’m thankful for my engineering training though one degree received decades ago doesn’t make me an expert on the science that swirls around this question. Even so, here’s what I know.

Right now, unless you’re reading this from inside an absolute vacuum, you are being pummeled by diatomic nitrogen and diatomic oxygen (you can throw in a dash of argon and a pinch of carbon dioxide too). You can’t feel these molecules striking you, nonetheless you’re surrounded by a bazillion air molecules composed of roughly 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. It would be fair to say that these percentages have remained largely unchanged for millennia, but past or future factors could certainly alter these percentages, and even evolutionary scientists acknowledge that ancient oxygen-rich ecosystems were once a thing. It’s just that they don’t think they were ever a major thing. But what if they are wrong? After all, they don’t exactly have a perfect track record within science, and their evolutionary assumptions do often prevent them from even entertaining theories like the one I’m about to throw at you.

So what if oxygen levels were once much higher than they are at present? What if some global catastrophe caused a tremendous disruption of the earth’s biosphere, a major change in oceanic chemistry, or a massive decay of organic matter, which together contributed to a major drop in the partial pressure of oxygen. Of course, the Bible describes just such an event in Genesis 7-9 that could explain these or similar global changes. If oxygen levels once measured significantly higher than they do now, then that could certainly account for larger beings and longer lives than what we experience today. In fact, scientists have discovered ancient fossils that are several times larger than their modern counterparts. What if background radiation was also much lower in a pre-flood atmosphere, thus reducing the number of somatic and hereditary mutations, which would allow for more robust organic growth?

I don’t personally think it unreasonable to suggest that a global flood caused a dramatic transformation of our climate and that giants and dinosaurs could have been affected by reduced oxygen levels that impacted their subsequent size, their longevity and their quality of life.

Do I know this to be true from the science? Of course not. No one can know with absolute certainty. But is it reasonable? I say, “Yes.”

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Which one of the following iconic songs of yesteryear was NOT written by a Jew? Find the answer below)

A. Eli’s Coming (1968)

B. American Pie (1971)

C. Rock and Roll All Nite (1975)

D. Funkytown (1980)

On Location: The Montefiore Windmill

I want to tell you about something you may have seen if you’ve been to Jerusalem, but have probably wondered what it is. You may have noticed an old windmill that is the pride of the locals. It lies just southwest of the Old City, perched atop the western slope of the Hinnom Valley.

I am talking about the Montefiore Windmill. It has been around from the sunset of the Ottoman Empire to the birth of modern Israel. Built in 1857 by the British philanthropist Moses Montefiore, it was originally meant to help Jewish residents become self-sufficient by grinding their own flour. But by the late 1940s, this symbol of industry was about to become a casualty of war.

At the outbreak of the 1947–1948 Civil War, the windmill’s location became strategically important. Standing on a slope overlooking the Old City’s walls, it offered a perfect bird’s-eye view of the landscape. The Jewish Haganah fighters realized this immediately and transformed the top of the tower into an observation post to monitor the blockade of Jerusalem. Naturally, the British Mandate authorities weren’t thrilled about a fortified sniper and scouting nest in the middle of a conflict zone. So in 1948 the British high command finally had enough and ordered the windmill to be leveled. In a bit of military wit, they dubbed the mission, “Operation Don Quixote,” a nod to the fictional knight who famously tilted at windmills.

But here is where the story turns into something straight out of a movie. The demolition crew sent to blow up the tower just happened to be from Ramsgate, England, and as they prepped the explosives, they noticed a plaque on the wall that recorded Montefiore’s name as well as his home in Ramsgate. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a military target; it was a piece of their own hometown history.

According to local legend, one of the soldiers, whose family had worked on Montefiore’s English estate, reminded his comrades of the family’s legendary kindness back in Britain. Moved by the connection, the unit decided to “reinterpret” their orders. Instead of leveling the entire 50-foot stone structure, they carefully rigged the explosives to destroy only the observation post at the very top.

Because of those sentimental soldiers, the tower survived the war. Today, standing tall as a museum, it’s been fully restored with its Kentish-style cap and sails by a Dutch organization called “Christians for Israel.” What a reminder that even in the middle of a civil war, sometimes a small connection to home is enough to save a landmark from the brink of destruction!

-Adam Keim, October 27, 2022

How Joseph Foreshadows Jesus, part 1

The similarities between Old Testament Joseph and Jesus are striking to me. In his classic work, “Gleanings in Genesis,” A. W. Pink lists 101 ways that Joseph’s life foreshadowed the life of Jesus, the Messiah. In this 3-part series I’ll share the first 60, broken into three groups of 20. If you’d like to read them all, you can find his work at www.archive.org. The following list is my careful summary of his work; some of the supporting verses are mine. Enjoy!

1. Joseph had two names—Joseph and Zaphnath-Paaneah (Gen. 41:45).

Jesus has two names—Jesus and Christ (Matt. 1:1).

2. Joseph was a shepherd (Gen. 37:2).

Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

3. Joseph spoke out against evil (Gen. 37:2).

Jesus spoke out against evil (John 7:7).

4. Joseph was loved by his father (Gen. 37:3-4).

Jesus is loved by his Father (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 10:17).

5. Joseph was the son of Jacob in his old age (Gen. 37:3).

Jesus is the Son of God who is eternal (1 John 5:13).

6. Joseph had a coat of many colors (Gen. 37:3).

Jesus wears a “colored coat” of various glories and infinite perfections (Heb. 1:3).

7. Joseph was hated by his brothers (Gen. 37:4).

Jesus was hated by his brethren (John 1:11; Luke 19:14).

8. Joseph was hated for his words (Gen. 37:8).

Jesus was hated for his words (John 3:32).

9. Joseph was promised a great future (Gen. 37:7-10, 23-24).

Jesus was promised a great future (Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:31-33).

10. Joseph foretold of his future exaltation and reign (Gen. 37:7-10).

Jesus foretold of his future exaltation and reign (Matt. 26:64).

11. Joseph was envied by his brothers (Gen. 37:11).

Jesus was envied by his brethren (Matt. 27:17-18).

12. Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers (Gen. 37:13).

Jesus was sent by his Father to his brethren (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40).

13. Joseph sought the welfare of his brothers (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus sought the salvation of his brethren (Matt.15:24; Rom. 15:8).

14. Joseph left his father’s home in Hebron (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus left his Father’s home in heaven (John 14:2).

15. Joseph arrived in Shechem to serve (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus arrived as the Son of Man to serve (Mark 10:45).

16. Joseph wandered in a field (Gen. 37:15).

Jesus wandered in a field (Matt. 13:38; Luke 9:58).

17. Joseph seeks until he finds his brothers (Gen. 37:14-17).

Jesus seeks until he finds his brethren (Luke 15:4-5).

18. Joseph was conspired against (Gen. 37:18).

Jesus was conspired against (Matt. 12:14).

19. Joseph’s brothers did not believe his dreams (Gen. 37:19-20).

Jesus’ brethren did not believe his words (Matt. 27:39-43; John 3:18, 36).

20. Joseph was insulted and stripped of his coat (Gen. 37:20, 23).

Jesus was insulted and stripped of his coat (Matt. 27:27-29; John 19:23).

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

B. American Pie (1971)

If you have any questions, are interested in learning more about our trips, would like to support us by check or schedule a seminar for your church, school, camp or group, then please contact us for more information at [email protected].

Most everyone knows the name, Goliath, who faced off against David and lost his head. According to 1 Samuel 17:4 the arrogant Philistine from Gath stood “six cubits and a span” before receiving his mortal blow from David’s slingstone. Translated from cubits into feet and using the conventional measurement of eighteen inches for a cubit, Goliath towered 9 feet, 9 inches tall.

Then there’s King Og of Bashan in Deuteronomy 3:11 who is presented as the last surviving descendant of the Rephaim, a race of giants as suggested by the purposeful mention of the length of Og’s iron bed frame, thirteen feet long. Other giants mentioned in the Bible include a slain Egyptian over seven feet tall (1 Chronicles 11:23) and a second man from Gath “of great stature … born to the giant,” described as having twelve fingers and twelve toes (2 Sam. 21:20; 1 Chron. 20:6).

Given that the average height of men living in the second millennium B.C. has been estimated at around 5 feet, 4 inches, then the aforementioned men were enormous by comparison. The existence of very tall men today demonstrates that it is not biologically impossible for there to have been ancient races of unusually tall men who can be reasonably labeled as giants, and adding in the possibility of changing climatic conditions over the last several millennia, it hardly seems fair or even scientific to dismiss outright the Bible’s description of giant men.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Life in the Land: Home Front Command App

My good friend Dani lives with his family in Tzur Hadassa just west of Bethlehem, and thankfully no Iranian or Hezbollah rockets have landed near his home, but that didn’t stop the alarms from coming. I know that for a fact because at the start of the war I downloaded an app to my phone, created by Israel’s Home Front Command, which notifies Israeli citizens of any incoming threats, and I set my “Area of Interest” to Dani’s hometown. The alerts started immediately and came by the dozens. I have the luxury of turning off the jarring audio alarms so that I won’t be awakened from sleep, but Dani doesn’t safely have that option.

My first alarm message read, “In the next few minutes, alerts are expected in your area. You need to find a better location that will provide the best protection in your area, Tzur Hadassa. If an alert is received, enter the protected space and stay there until further notice.” The Home Front Command can’t possibly know initially if the incoming rocket will be intercepted or exactly where it will land, so they routinely err on the side of caution, sending out the alert to wide areas. However, here’s one that I received which made my heart jump a bit more, “Rocket and missile fire, Tzur Hadassa. Time of arrival to the protected room – one and a half minutes. Enter the Protected Space.”

Every home constructed in Israel since 1992 is required to have a “Protected Space,” called a mamad, which offers some protection from the danger, of course, but which can’t safely survive a direct hit as we sadly learned on the first day of March when an Iranian ballistic missile struck a public shelter in Beth Shemesh, approximately six miles from Dani’s home, killing at least two people inside. Seven others, who didn’t make it to their shelter were killed from the blast.

Even after an incoming threat has been neutralized by Israel’s Iron Dome, residents are required to stay inside their protected spaces for at least another ten minutes over concerns of falling debris. Finally, when the immediate danger has passed, they will receive a message like this one, “The event has ended, Tzur Hadassa. You can leave the protected space. It is required to adhere to the Home Front Command guidelines.”

Can you imagine living under such a threat. What if you had small children? What if you were taking care of a sick or elderly family member with limited mobility and you had just 90 seconds to get from your older home (with no mamad) to the public shelter a block away? For the Israelis it has become a normal part of life, but never an easy one!

-Daniel McCabe

Christology—the Offices of Jesus, part 7

Jesus fulfilled some very important, well-known offices or roles throughout biblical time. For example, Jesus is the Messiah of Israel, the Anointed One, who did the special work of securing our salvation. He’s the great Son of God and Prophet of God, the source of all prophecy in some way. We see this in John 1:1 and Hebrews 1:1-2. He knows and reveals God to mankind and was anointed with the Holy Spirit to prophesy. He fulfilled the role of Messiah, having revealed God the Father to all of us. He also fulfills the role of priest, the great High Priest, offering sacrifice to God and representing all those who believe in Him. He even prays and intercedes for believers continually. We see this in Romans 8:34 and 1 Timothy 2:5. What a wonderful comfort that Jesus intercedes for us and blesses us! So, He’s Messiah. He’s a prophet, and He’s a priest.

Some priests in the Old Testament were prophets. Nobody was a prophet, priest, and king. Some kings were prophets. No kings were priests. Jesus alone was prophet, priest and king. It’s amazing! He’s the King of the Jews, according to Matthew 2, Acts 17 and a billion other Bible verses to which we can refer. He offered His Kingdom to Israel when He came in His humiliated state as the Messiah. It was a genuine offer of the Kingdom. Of course, now we understand that in God’s plan it was not going to be accepted, but it wasn’t a pretend or fake offer either. It was a genuine offer, but it was rejected. Being the King of Israel, He’s also King over the entire world. We know that Israel will one day receive their promised glorious Kingdom, but as God, He is also King over the entire world. He sits on the throne of God right now, reigning over the entire universe, but one day He will return to sit on the throne of David, inaugurating His earthly Kingdom in Jerusalem.

There’s something fascinating to me about this! Let me briefly walk you through it. In Jeremiah 22:28-30, there’s a prophecy against King Jeconiah, given not long before Babylon comes to take the Kingdom of Judah from him. Jeconiah was not a good king, nevertheless, he is in the line of good King David—in fact, Jeconiah is the last in the line of David before the Babylonian captivity—and one would naturally expect any future kings to descend directly from that line through Jeconiah. But Jeremiah 22 tells us that God cursed Jeconiah, stating unequivocally that none of his descendants would ever sit on the throne. This is rather interesting, for who is prophesied to come from that line? Jesus, of course, who will come one day to inaugurate His Kingdom on earth, ruling and reigning from Jerusalem, yet Jeconiah and his descendants were cursed, so how can this be?

Well, have you ever wondered why there are two different genealogies of Jesus, one in Matthew 1 and one in Luke 3? The first traces Jesus through Solomon, the son of David, and the second traces Jesus through Nathan, another son of David. That’s interesting! The genealogy in Matthew 1 traces Jesus through Joseph, Mary’s husband, and Luke 3 traces Jesus’ lineage through Mary, His physical mother. Both Joseph and Mary descended from David. Both were from the tribe of Judah, but even this was necessary in God’s plan. I’ve written before that it was necessary for Jesus to be both God and man, but His dual lineage was also necessary for His kingship. Let me explain.

Jesus received His legal kingship through Joseph from Solomon, David’s son, who was the continuation of the Davidic Covenant, which promised that David would always have a son on the throne, even ultimately into the Kingdom forever and ever. David’s son, Jesus, will sit on that throne. So Jesus received His legal right of kingship through the Solomonic line that ran through His dad, Joseph, His legal earthly father. Jesus also received His physical, genetic descendancy from David through Mary, which avoids the curse of Jeconiah altogether and gives Jesus the ability to rule and reign sufficiently, for Jesus did not descend physically from Jeconiah. He descended physically from David through Mary. But He did descend through Jeconiah in the legal line of kingship through Joseph.

It stands to reason then that Jesus would have found an occasion during His earthly ministry to present this fact, particularly during His interactions with those who questioned Him. The Gospels can only record so much of what Jesus said, but it certainly seems reasonable to think that when His opponents would sling mud at Him that Jesus found just the right moment to say, “I am the rightful King. I have the legal right to rule and reign as King through Jeconiah, and since I didn’t descend physically from him, I have avoided the curse. Yet I’m still physically descended from David through my mother Mary.”

God sees to every detail when making all of His plans, which emphasizes how thorough and just He is. He works everything together so wonderfully!

-Adam Keim

Archaeology—the John Rylands p52 Papyrus

Similar to thick paper, papyrus is an ancient writing material made from the pith of the papyrus plant. For thousands of years separate pieces of papyrus were sewn together side by side and rolled into a scroll, or sometimes the pieces of papyrus were bound together to form the pages of a codex, similar to our modern books. No bigger in size than a credit card, Papyrus p52 is a small fragment of a page from a very old codex, and evidently it is the only surviving piece of the entire codex.

Papyrus p52 is unique to say the least, for it is the oldest surviving copy of any portion of the New Testament. First discovered on the Egyptian market by a well-known Egyptologist in 1920, it measures only 2½ by 3½ inches at its widest, and it contains seven lines of Greek writing on both its sides from the Gospel of John 18:31-33 and vs. 37-38, respectively. By studying the size of the letters as well as their spacing and assuming that this papyrus was once part of a complete copy of the Gospel of John, it can be determined that the book would have been approximately 8 inches tall, 8 inches wide, and 130 pages in length.

But how old is it? The very first scholar to examine the writing style of p52 proposed a date of 100-150 A.D. There are a few scholars who propose a date of 90 A.D. or even earlier, and others propose a date to the late second century or early third century, but consensus seems to have settled on 125-150 A.D. In any event this papyrus is exceedingly old, and given that the Apostle John is thought to have written his gospel as late as 90-95 A.D., then researchers have a copy of the New Testament in their possession that dates to within as little as five years from the time of its writing. Take that in for a moment! That’s stunning, and the papyrus shows remarkable agreement with later copies of the book of John, proving yet again how God has preserved the writing of his Word.

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

C. They are removed semi-annually and buried on the Mount of Olives

Week Twenty, 2026

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lᴏʀᴅ our God.” – Psalm 20:7

As we walked down the wharf in a foreign port, we spied the largest yacht we had ever seen. Suddenly a side door opened, and a couple departed the gangway onto the wharf. Reaching the bottom, they turned to face the ship and stared with a look of admiration at the craft they appeared to almost worship.

Money always reveals the heart. How we use it shows whether we trust God, treasure God, and walk in His wisdom. In fact, in only 31 chapters in Proverbs, there are more than 130 references to things financial: money, riches, wealth, prosperity, poverty, and fulfillment beyond the material. Of the more than 130 individual Proverbs that are related to personal finance, roughly 40% of them fall into two categories: right actions that are pledged to lead to prosperity and wrong actions that lead to poverty.

Seek God, not money. I know of two country brothers whose ranchland value grew into the millions, who were bitter enemies; without that value, they probably would be out fishing with a cane pole.

We must remember that God owns it all and we are mere stewards. As such, we must steward God’s money wisely and share God’s money generously. It is better to seek God rather than gold.

A good name is better than gold. Money is a terrible master. God owns everything. We are just stewards. But money reveals our idols. We must be good stewards of what is entrusted to us by Him. Generosity is not optional. It’s not about how much we have, but who has us. We have nothing, but Jesus has everything.

As the Psalmist said thousands of years ago, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lᴏʀᴅ our God.”

Where is your trust… in God or in money?

Sometimes True Stories

Moses passed the baton to Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land. With that baton came both the promise and the authority to act and provide as Moses did. Moses added the admonition to cast fear aside and be strong in carrying out his mandate. He would lead the people and conquer.

In the same manner Jesus has passed the baton to us believers. Of course, we tend to come up with excuses. I can’t lead my family in Godliness. Yes, you can. Be strong. I can’t lead someone to Christ. Yes, you can. Be strong. I can’t lead a Christ-like life. Yes, you can. Be strong.

The baton Jesus has given us includes sharing the promise of eternal life in heaven with others by the authority of His Word. Let’s conquer a sinful world for Jesus. He promised to be with us. The baton is yours. Fear Not. – Rich Jensen

– 0 –

C.S. Lewis said that Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. Imagine someone submitting to a gruesome death, while predicting that He would come back to life in three days. A liar would not voluntarily submit to death for the sins of others, and a lunatic would run away. But Jesus submitted to death for the salvation of mankind. Jesus atoned for our sins, that’s love!

– 0 –

“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” (Luke 6:31 NLT) This verse is often known as the Golden Rule. So, what keeps most of us from treating our fellow man as the verse states? The answer is simpler than most people imagine; it is called pride. Scripture specifically warns us against prideful behavior; in fact, pride is often tied to most disagreements. This is where Godly Wisdom comes in. God’s wisdom will give us the power to rise above the petty things in life. Write down the last 5 things that upset you in the last week, last month, and finally last year. Most of us can’t remember or even compile a list, but if you have a list, how many of those are important today? How many are still upsetting? If you are like me and your list is short, all those upsetting things were petty after all. This is nothing more than Christian ethics because forgiveness is free to the giver. Put God first, the rest is life. – Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

God doesn’t require that I do the very best, only my very best.

When God takes the trash out of your life, don’t go dumpster diving.

The basic laws of the universe are simple, but because our senses are limited, we can’t grasp them. There is a pattern in creation. – Albert Einstein

The formula for becoming adopted into God’s family is: Believe + Receive = Become.

Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice. Proverbs 23:9

It’s hard to get in shape spiritually when you only work out on Sunday.

If we have nothing else to give our children, they have enough if they have God.

Sometimes faith will make you look stupid until it begins to rain. – Noah

If you refuse God’s remedy, there is no other cure.

The journey from life to death to eternal life need not be feared for those who have accepted the gift of Grace.

We must make some radical decisions concerning separation from the world and its pollution.

Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions.

A rising tide lifts all the boats.

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

God will fight our battles.

God’s truth cannot be filtered through man’s perceived knowledge and self-professed wisdom.

Many professing Christians today seem to have the same curious fascination with evil.

Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Proverbs 4:23

It is frightening to realize that if a man persists in that path God has warned him against, the day will come when God gives him one final call.

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but shout of joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to contribute your ideas and thoughts, address all items and comments to [email protected].

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

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May 9, 2029

Most of you probably don’t remember a television show that ran from 1968-70, entitled “Land of the Giants.” I barely do though it was one of my earliest childhood memories, yet today I find myself wondering if the producers of the show borrowed their title for it from Deuteronomy 3:13, which specifically refers to a “land of the giants.” Secular historians widely maintain that no race of giants existed in antiquity, yet the Bible uses several unquestionably ethnic terms to describe them, including the Rephaim, Anakim, Emim and Zamzummim (Deut. 2:11, 20).

Almost 75% of the eighteen occurrences of the English word giant or giants found in the New King James Version come directly from the Hebrew word for Rephaim, early inhabitants of Canaan (cf. Gen. 15:20). Numbers 13:33 even states by way of commentary that “the descendants of Anak came from the giants.” That races of giants once existed in antiquity is also reinforced by passages like Deut. 3:11 and Josh. 12:4; 13:12, which refer to a “remnant of the giants.” Most ancient cultures also describe men of great size and strength that have since disappeared from history.

In the Bible the ten faithless Israelite spies who scouted the Promised Land called the Anakim who lived there “men of great stature” (Num. 13:32) and “a people great and tall” (Deut. 9:2) though many today assert that these statements are merely the emotional reaction of intimated men. Some furthermore insist that the occasional biblical reference to giant-sized men can surely mean only that from time to time men do sometimes grow to an unusual height as did Robert Wadlow who measured 8 ft. 11 in. shortly before his death in 1940, but biblical references to a “land of giants” and descriptive statements by Moses and Joshua that identify several ethnic groups of giants would surely suggest otherwise.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Many different languages are spoken in Jerusalem, including Arabic, Armenian, Greek and Hebrew. The following four words are sometimes used to say “hello” in one of the four aforementioned languages, but which one is Arabic?

History: Jerusalem Day

It can be a pretty intense day! But let’s start at the beginning! When Britain pulled out of what was known as Mandatory Palestine in 1948, a war broke out between Jewish and Arab forces that resulted among other things in the division of Jerusalem into two parts: East Jerusalem controlled by the Arabs and the western section of Jerusalem controlled by the Jews. This standoff would last for nineteen years until the State of Israel launched a preemptive strike against the surrounding Arab nations who threatened military action against Israel. On June 7, 1967, the third day of a six-day conflict, Israeli paratroopers entered the Old City of Jerusalem from the east through Lion’s Gate, defeated the scattered Jordanian forces that held it, and took full control of the city and its holy sites, including the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, until that time known as the Wailing Wall.

That day, 28 Iyar on the Hebrew calendar, has been celebrated annually by Israelis as both a national and a religious holiday. Called Jerusalem Day, this year’s celebration of the reunification of Jerusalem ironically falls on May 15, my blue-eyed sister’s birthday and the 78th anniversary of Israel’s first full day of independence as a state.

As you can imagine Jerusalem Day celebrations are generally not celebrated by the city’s Arab population who mark it conversely as the beginning of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem. Even so, the Jews celebrate the day with political speeches, a youth parade, music, dancing and prayer at the Western Wall, though not all participate, for some religious Jews do not recognize the secular government of Israel while some Israeli politicians have even tried to abolish the day, questioning what they describe as its aggressive nationalism, provocation and exclusion.

-Daniel McCabe

Christology—the Death, Burial and Ascension of Jesus, part 6

These events are simple matters of history as the Bible has revealed them to us. The death of Jesus was, of course, prophesied in the Old Testament (Isaiah 53:8; Daniel 9:26; Zechariah 13:7) as well as by Jesus Himself (Matthew 20:18; John 12:23-24). His death, of course, was undeserved. He didn’t do anything wrong, and although undeserved, Jesus’ death was voluntary. He laid down His own life. He willingly went along with God’s plan to be that sacrifice. He was then buried in a new tomb, but He did not remain in the grave as we know because He was resurrected. Is there a greater aspect of anything than the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

We know that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then we are to be pitied above all people. His resurrection too was prophesied in the Old Testament (Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 26:19) as well as by Christ Himself. Jesus was raised by the power of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All three members or subsistencies of the Trinity were involved just as they were all involved in the creation and in our salvation. They were all involved in Jesus’ resurrection, yet for me to say the word “they” sounds weird because there is one God. We use the word “they” because there are three persons of the Godhead, which transcends our comprehension, but agrees with Scripture. God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit were all involved in Jesus’ resurrection, which secured justification for the believer. This is clear from Romans 4:25 (it was necessary for the fulfillment of Scripture) and from Luke 24:45-47 (it was necessary for the forgiveness of sins). Jesus later ascended into heaven and is currently in heaven with the Father—simple matters of history that we know and love and need for our own salvation.

-Adam Keim

History and Geography—Amos of Tekoa

“The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake” (Amos 1:1).

The village of Tekoa, hometown to Amos the prophet, was established in the days of Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:6). It is nestled in the Judean hills, about 8.5 miles south of Jerusalem.

Tekoa has been a small town for all of its history and is a quiet residential area today. Amos famously said, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs” (Amos 7:14). His shepherd life would have been very similar to those of the shepherds who heard the announcement of the messiah’s birth (Luke 2:8-21), especially since Bethlehem is only a few miles away.

Amos is its most famous resident, but do you remember another biblical person from there? Joab brought a wise woman from Tekoa to go before David and convince him (by some tricky means) to bring Absalom back from exile after Absalom killed his brother Amnon (2 Samuel 14).

Letters from a leader of the Bar Kokhba revolt were found in a valley nearby the town. The Bar Kokhba revolt was fought from AD 132-136; also known as the Third Jewish-Roman War, it was the third and last of three major rebellions against the Roman Empire by the Jews.

Tekoa is one of those places that tourists seldom visit and most people have never heard of. But if you ever find yourself there, survey the landscape and take in the view that Amos beheld every day. To the east you can look out over the Dead Sea and see the country of Jordan. As visitors to Israel know, places are a lot closer together than what we often assume when reading the Bible.

-Adam Keim

Answer to the Trivia

C. Marhaba

Week Nineteen, 2026

“And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.” (Genesis 35:18)

“Almost everyone has a soul injury,” says hospice nurse Deborah Grassman.

She defines the condition as: “a wound that separates a person from their real self, caused by un-mourned loss and hurt, unforgiven guilt and shame, and fear of helplessness or loss of control.” We repress those injuries, deny them, and hide them – even from ourselves.

If you want to live your best life, Grassman writes in her new book, Soul Injury, you have to stop lying to yourself. Examine your pain. Forgive yourself, she says. Her book has become the touchstone for discussion groups across the world.

Here are 10 questions Grassman says to ask yourself to start healing:

1. What suffering in your life has been in vain because you have not yet reckoned with it?
2. In what ways are you being unfaithful to yourself?
3. What feelings do you tend to numb?
4. If you died today, what would be left unsaid or undone?
5. Does it make sense to feel guilty if you had no control?
6. How might others describe you? How closely does that match your own self-description?
7. Do you tend to hide your light or your dark side?
8. How would your world be different if you chose to forgive?
9. Who have you wronged?
10. When was the last time you said, “I’m sorry”?

In the Bible, the “soul” refers to the whole person—a living, breathing, physical being—rather than a disembodied immortal essence. It signifies the center of life, emotions, and consciousness, encompassing both physical and spiritual dimensions that are created by God and integrated with the body. It is defined as the whole person—a combination of the physical body and the divine breath of life—rather than just an immaterial part. It represents a person’s life, consciousness, emotions, and eternal nature, which is created by God and continues to exist after the physical body dies, returning to Him.

Remember, the two things that never cease are the soul of the person and the Word of God. Have you gotten your soul in shape for eternity?

Sometimes True Stories

The legendary actor and comedian Dick Van Dyke recently became a centenarian. He explains his longevity simply: he keeps a positive outlook and never gets angry. Scientists agree with his theory.

In one study, people who were optimistic lived between 11 and 15 percent longer than their pessimistic counterparts. In another, those who were more optimistic were more likely to live into their nineties than pessimists.

Research shows that chronic stress and anger are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes—diseases that account for roughly 75 percent of early deaths. Stress is also linked to cellular aging. And researchers studying stroke survivors have found that optimism lowers chronic inflammation, leading to less severe strokes and less physical disability.

However, you and I didn’t need scientists to tell us what we innately understood: that happier people are typically healthier people. If only knowing and doing God’s will were so obvious and intuitive.

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COMMENTS FROM EDGAR APONTE: God is our friend through Jesus. It is a beautiful relationship. Friends choose one another. Human relationships without God are shallow. A friend will harm you as he helps you. A true friend confronts you. Make no friendship with one prone to anger. A friend points you to wisdom. A friend sticks closer than a brother. A true friend walks in when others walk out. Be a friend to others. A true friend stays when everyone else walks away. Jesus is a true friend. A true friend is God’s gift to help us grow in wisdom; be that friend to others. A True Friend Loves. A True Friend Confronts. A True Friend Sanctifies. A True Friend Stays.

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Anatoly is a slightly built weightlifter who goes into a gym disguised as a janitor. He asks to lift a heavy barbell while the huge, muscled men warn him not to, as he will hurt himself. Then, to their amazement, he deadlifts 800 pounds with ease. They thought he was weak, but he was strong.

Jesus doesn’t say that in trusting Him we can be physically strong like Anatoly. Jesus says we can be strong in other ways. For His sake, we are able to do the right thing in all situations. We are able to resist sin like never before. We are able to stand up for truth and share it wherever we go.

So, believer, use the Grace given to you by Jesus Himself and stand strong against the enemy. Be an Anatoly. — Rich Jensen

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WORDS ON WISDOM FROM EDGAR APONTE: Wisdom is knowing what is right and applying it. How you approach work reveals whether you are working in wisdom or folly. Whatever has been entrusted to us must be done in love and wisdom. Approach work with duty, discipline, and diligence. You can’t lead others if you cannot lead yourself. The good news is that Jesus has done the work for you. We come to Him for meaning and significance. We don’t have significance because we are Christians but because we have trusted Jesus.

Quotes You Can Use

The greatest cure for discouragement is to get busy doing God’s work.

Peace is the presence of God, not the absence of conflict.

Our walk with God should always be progressing.

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.

All of God’s tests are OPEN BOOK! It’s called the Bible! — Dwight Short

If we have to choose between exercising humility and being right, exercise humility; we can always be right.

Half-hearted commitment will never result in total victory.

How different things look when our spiritual eyes are opened.

Heaven won’t be filled with good people. It will be filled with forgiven sinners who repented and trusted Jesus alone.

I want my house to be in order before the Lord calls me home.

People say I’m the luckiest guy… but luck had nothing to do with it; God had everything to do with it. — Chuck Norris

If you have a relationship with Jesus, God guarantees your future, no matter what.

The church does not determine what the Bible teaches. The Bible determines what the church must teach.

Worship is no longer worship when it reflects the culture around us more than the Christ within us.

No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot. — Mark Twain

If you can keep your head while all those around you are losing theirs, chances are you don’t understand the situation! — Wayne Short

If we truly believe and have faith in Christ, the solution is simple: pray and ask God to help us change. Nothing is impossible with God.

When we consider who God is and what He has done for us, how can we do less than offer Him our best?

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