April 25, 2026

You probably didn’t know that the oldest man alive, living today in Brazil, turned 113 last October. But who was the oldest man who ever lived? By chance did you say that it was Methuselah who lived 969 years, according to Genesis 5:27?

What if I told you that, according to my research, it was actually Enmenluana from the city of Badtibira in the land of Sumer who lived 43,200 years? Don’t believe me? Well, I’m not sure that I believe me either, but I found his name and age in a list of kings (the one written on the Weld-Blundell Prism), which records the names, cities and ages of eight ancient Sumerian kings, before noting succinctly, “Then the flood swept over.”

Archaeologists have likewise found other lists of kings from the same region which show something quite interesting, namely, that the lifespan of kings began to shrink immediately and dramatically following the flood, first to hundreds, and then to decades, mirroring a similar biblical pattern of declining ages from that same period.

Most scholars don’t believe that any of the insanely large lifespans from pre-flood Sumerian king lists should be taken literally, arguing that they have been deliberately inflated (often by multiples of sixty, the base numerical system of the Sumerians) in order to glorify the “Golden Age” of Sumer or that they were likely intended as propaganda to emphasize the heavenly origin of their long-ago kings. In any event, what these lists may have quietly preserved, despite their gross exaggerations, is a credible pattern of longer pre-flood lifespans, thus supporting the biblical narrative.

Secular scholars, however, reject both the longer pre-flood lifespans recorded in the Suermian king lists and in the Bible as merely the product of a literary technique, insisting that there is no biological, demographic or additional textual evidence to support such long lifespans. They assume that biological processes and human aging were subject to the same global conditions then as today whereas many biblicists would argue that climatic conditions changed dramatically following the flood which could naturally explain any subsequent decline in lifespans.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Christology—the Humanity of Jesus, part 4

Jesus is both the perfect human and the perfect example for every person. We see this in 2 Corinthians 3 and 1 John 2. He is the shining example of what we should be as believers in Christ, and we advance in our spiritual life to the degree that we pursue His likeness. Admittedly we will always wrestle with the flesh, but as long as we live, we are being further conformed into the image of Christ and should be looking more and more like Him. So if I’ve been saved for years and years, then I should be able to look back and say, “I know that I still fall. Unfortunately, I’m not perfect in this life. However, I can look back and see that God has given me growth. He has given me deliverance in this specific area of my life, and though I still struggle in other ways, I can still look back and see that God has been with me. He’s drawn me closer to Him. I love Him more. I serve Him more even though I wish that I obeyed Him more.”

So every believer, especially as time goes on, should be able to look back and realize that God has been working on him and bringing him into further conformity with the image of Christ. If he looks back to find that he is no different than on that day when he first heard the gospel, then this should be quite concerning to him. So in this way we can evaluate the fruit in others—not that we’re judging others as sinless or not, for only God is the ultimate judge, but we can rightly exercise discernment in our evaluation. In short, we should be able to see some fruit in the lives of others. If I’m looking at a believer and don’t see any fruit in him (when there should be at least some), then it should raise a reasonable concern in my hHeading 4eart about his relationship with Jesus even though I’m not anyone’s judge and can’t declare him either innocent or guilty of sin. Only God can do that, but I can fairly evaluate his fruit. This is essentially the point of 1 John. We don’t sit in judgment over anyone, but we can judge him in the sense of evaluating and discerning. Obviously only God and each person can know what’s truly in his heart, but believers should look more and more like Christ as they live this life of faith.

-Adam Keim

Scripture Study—Summary of Psalm 15

Here’s my summary of one of David’s psalms. It reminds me so much of the ending of Psalm 23, “… and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (v. 6).

“LORD, the one who may remain in your tabernacle is the one who does what’s right, speaks genuinely, disapproves of evil, honors those who revere the LORD, always tells the truth even at great personal cost, does not slander, harm or blame those around him, and does not charge interest or accept bribes to exploit the innocent; this person will never fall.”

You may be swaying from the pressures of life! It feels like you could break any day. You may be bruised by unfair criticism or you wonder why you try so hard to do the right thing when no one else seems to care. Well, God sees and cares, so stand tall. If you are a child of God, then no enemy can take you down. You may have lost a battle, but the war is won! Through Christ you are the Victor!

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

C. Usually the very same day

Week Seventeen, 2026

As the bus pulled into the roadside parking lot, I saw a multitude of pottery displays. When I exited the bus, I walked right by the displays and walked back to observe the potters making the pottery. That process started with a lump of wet clay as they began to use their hands to form whatever they were making.

One potter got my attention. He stopped his wheel and closely examined the pitcher he was making. Finding it to be a little out of form, he took the clay and returned it to a big lump, as he began all over again. As I watched the process unfold, I thought of the prophet Jeremiah’s description where God instructs the prophet to visit a potter’s house to learn a lesson about His sovereignty and relationship with Israel. Watching the potter rework a marred vessel, Jeremiah learns that God, as the Master Potter, has the authority to reshape, break, or mold His people (the clay).

The metaphor of the potter and clay also emphasizes God’s good purposes for His creation. A potter responds to defects in the clay (lack of moisture, a lump, or other issues) by further working the clay into a usable form. Likewise, God doesn’t throw away His creation but continues to work toward His good purposes.

God uses the metaphor of a potter and clay to illustrate His absolute sovereignty and desire to reshape Israel. As the potter reforms a marred vessel, God demonstrates that He is actively working on individuals and nations, with the power to mold, break, or remake them based on their response to Him.

God is the potter, and people are the clay, emphasizing that God has total control and authority to fashion life according to His will. When the vessel becomes spoiled, the potter does not throw it away, but reshapes it. This shows that if people repent of their “lumps” (sins, faults), God can reshape them into a useful, new vessel.

Responsibility of the Clay: While God is sovereign, the clay must remain “supple” and submissive to the potter’s hands to be molded. The process involves pressure and difficulty, but it is for the purpose of creating a functional, beautiful vessel. This lesson was given to show that God’s plans for nations are not fixed; if a nation turns from evil, God may refrain from the destruction He intended.

God never gives up: The potter keeps working with the clay until it is perfected. God is actively involved in the lives of His people, even in the midst of trials, to refine and shape them. While God is in control, people retain the ability to either submit to or resist the molding process.

Jeremiah learned at the potter’s wheel that the potter is always at work with the clay. Clay cannot make something beautiful by itself. He learned that the potter never gives up on a lump of clay, and God won’t give up on you.

Sometimes True Stories

Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve original apostles chosen by Jesus, and yet he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. This is the very definition of a dishonest man who spread incredible strife and changed the course of history. Judas served for three years as acting treasurer for Jesus, but ultimately fell under the spell of Satan. If you are like me, we often look at the world today and think things are upside down; what seems right is chastised as wrong by those with different views. At times it may be difficult to determine truth, but that is an ungodly view and exactly how the devil hopes we will respond. “Without God it is impossible to determine truth; with God we become part of His master plan.” — Tony Ferguson

– 0 –

So many times, the same frustrating thing happens when I try to pray. “Heavenly Father,” I say, but almost immediately I get interrupted by my own thoughts. I really hope I don’t have to work late tonight. I try to correct course and refocus on God, but another distraction comes to mind.

I wish I hadn’t yelled at the kids this afternoon. By that point, praying feels like a lost cause. I’m obviously more interested in worrying than spending time with God. Even so, I pull myself together and give it one more go – it’s hopeless. I’m distracted again.

Our mortgage is too high. I wonder if my wife could get a higher-paying job. When those distractions keep coming, I’m tempted to feel guilty, but then I remember this invaluable advice from Paul Miller, author of A Praying Life:

“Come [to prayer] overwhelmed with life. Come with your wandering mind. Come messy… The very things we try to get rid of – our weariness, our distractedness, our messiness – are what get us in the front door! That’s how the gospel works. That’s how prayer works.”

What a relief. When I find distracting thoughts interrupting my prayer time, I shouldn’t resent myself for them. Instead, I should pay attention to what those thoughts are and talk to God about them.

I often notice that my distracting thoughts are related to the deepest fears and anxieties that subconsciously pull me away from Jesus throughout the day. When I pray, He is letting them come to the surface so that I will give them to Him.

We don’t have to feel guilty about the thoughts that distract us during prayer – we should notice them, name them, and tell Jesus about them. He’s been waiting to hear about them all day. — Joshua Rogers

Quotes You Can Use

When you have a true encounter with God, you come away with the realization that God is for you.

If your job is to motivate people, living like you are injured and hurting will only inspire your physical therapist. — Dwight Short

While it is admirable to live a righteous life, we must not fall into the trap of thinking we can be good enough to earn our way into Heaven.

It doesn’t matter what we think about Scripture; the Bible is true whether we accept it or not. — Billy Graham

Trust the One who made you and saved you.

Listening wisely means welcoming godly correction and refusing ungodly influence. Correction is a gift, not a threat. Listen to godly correction. Who (and what) you listen to shapes who you become. Choose your voices wisely. — Edgar Aponte

Whatever it is you are living for, whatever passion rules your life, whatever it is that gets you out of bed in the morning and drives you – that is your god.

Love is demonstrated by our actions.

I attribute my success to this—I never gave or took any excuse. — Florence Nightingale

God knows that fear is born when we focus on the problem or on the power of the enemy.

A faulty view of Heaven destines us to a wasted life on Earth.

The secret of your strength lies in your commitment to Jesus Christ.

There is no shortage of voices talking about the news. Very few help Christians discern it biblically.

We should train ourselves to think wisely. — Tommy Campbell

When the world seems to be falling apart, our faith stands secure on the rock-solid promises of God.

God has provided a path for redemption when judgment day comes; don’t let the devil derail your path.

Don’t be discouraged when God delays the answers to your prayers.

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

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

April 20,2026

Deeply grateful and humbled—that’s how I feel after being elected as the second President of Northeastern Baptist College. Carmen and I recognize that this calling is far bigger than us. We continue the vision that God placed in the heart of Dr. Ballard 13 years ago: To establish a college in New England grounded in biblical truth, driven by evangelistic zeal, and dedicated to educating a generation of young leaders who will impact the world for Christ.

Looking back over the events of this past month, I find myself reflecting on the providence of God. I was raised in rural Pennsylvania as a lost kid, unaware of not only who Jesus was, but also of His power to change hearts. But God, in His mercy, intervened. He saved me, called me, and has now brought me full circle back to the Northeast. The only explanation is the goodness and sovereignty of God. John the Baptist’s words in John 3:27 hit home: “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” This role and this opportunity are from Him and for Him.

Carmen and I are also profoundly grateful for the family God has given us. Our youngest daughter Rebekah lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she serves in Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office. Our oldest daughter, Abigail, and her husband, Aaron Ricks, live in Melissa, Texas, where they are raising three amazing children: JJ, Lizzie Joy, and a precious six-week-old baby girl they are currently fostering. And, of course, our tail-wagging chocolate Labrador, Obadiah, continues to go wherever we go.

So why NEBC, and why now? During my time serving as Interim Academic Dean, I was deeply encouraged by what I experienced. I was inspired not only by the faculty’s commitment to academic excellence but by their genuine love for their students and their heart for New England. I spent time with students whose hunger to know God’s Word and faithfully proclaim it was unmistakable. Over those months, it became clear to me that NEBC is more than a college. It is a strategic mission center in a region where the gospel is largely absent and unknown. The more I reflected on this, the more convinced I became that God is doing something special in Bennington.

Our lives are meant to be invested in what will last. That conviction is what led me to launch The E2 Initiative, and it is what now brings us to Northeastern Baptist College. Together, we have a unique opportunity to invest in the next generation of leaders who will continue to turn the world upside down for Christ.

I am grateful to lead NEBC in continuing this mission. This is a stewardship, and I intend to give it everything I have. But I can’t do it alone. Will you continue to stand with us? And will you prayerfully consider making a significant investment in NEBC at this critical moment? We look forward to continuing the mission together while God writes an exciting new chapter.

Because of Jesus,

Dr. Mark A. Howell

Copyright (C) 2023 Northeastern Baptist College. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

PO Box 4600, Bennington, VT 05201

Week Sixteen, 2026

“Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.” – Proverbs 10:19

Wisdom tells us when to speak and when to remain silent. It’s better to bite your tongue than to bite your brother. The mouth of the wicked pours out bad thoughts. The timing of your speech is important. Even a fool who stays quiet is considered wise.

Watch what you say. Speaking the right way is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t throw gasoline on the fire. It’s important to say what is right, but it also matters how you say it. Your words should be graceful. Your content and your delivery should reflect the God we serve.

We need to watch the fruit of our speech. Every word is like a seed that can bring life or death. Before we speak, we should ask ourselves what those words will do. Words can change lives. Be gracious and kind. Words don’t just communicate; they shape things. Be pure in your speech and your delivery. Jesus cleared our hearts by becoming flesh and coming to rescue us. Ask yourself: whose voice does my voice sound like most this week? Is it God’s or the devil’s?

Our hearts are like a spring with two reservoirs. One stores wisdom from “above,” and the other stores wisdom from the “earth.” When we don’t think before we speak, and when we aren’t slow to speak and quick to listen, the floodgates of earthly wisdom burst open. Then, evil thoughts gush out through the tongue and burn everything in their path.

When a person is the master of his tongue, his heart doesn’t harbor evil. Instead, it stores wisdom from above. That is how the tongue can be tamed! – Stephen Bernard

The tongue just reproduces what it’s told. It is only an agent, like a robot. Just as a horse moves with a bridle or a ship with a rudder, a person’s thoughts drive the tongue for good or for evil.

Sometimes True Stories

Loneliness is everywhere. According to a 2023 Surgeon General report, it impacts more than 50% of all U.S. adults. People feel cut off and alienated, and they often lash out for small reasons. Being in a crowd just makes people more aware of their isolation. We all need friends who’ll stick close, listen carefully, and offer help when it’s needed. If we’re lucky enough to find a few good friends as we pass through life, we’re blessed. Matthew 7:12 says, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Life is a challenge, and it’s important to treat others as you want to be treated. Seek godly people because they’ll be with you in good times and bad. — Tony Ferguson

– 0 –

A Gallup poll showed that U.S. adults are rating their mental health at the lowest point in over 20 years. Less than one-third consider themselves to be in excellent mental health, and almost one-quarter are seeking professional help.

So, where do we go for help? Since even mental health professionals fall within those statistics, they might need help too. Can the blind really lead the blind?

Why not go to the One who we know is always anxiety-free? He’s always available and always willing. You know who I’m getting at. God created us. God can fix us. He even gave us a guidebook for fixing things. Go to Him through His Word. — Rich Jensen

– 0 –

We can avoid tragic mistakes by doing two things:

Quotes You Can Use

Faith—not the faith in seeking after we want, but the faith in God as we seek after what He desires for us. No matter what we face or go through, that faith in the never-changing character of God always leads us to say, “It is Well with My Soul.” — Scott Whitaker

The future is always brighter when you know you have hope and there is no brighter hope in the universe than the light of God.

No matter what tomorrow brings, God is ready to hold and protect us.

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.

If you want a powerful spiritual experience, go to the beach and pick up a handful of sand. Every grain of sand represents God’s thoughts concerning you.

While sports fans can cite their favorite teams’ comebacks, no one in history has ever made a more shocking comeback than when Jesus got up out of that grave! — Dwight Short

God’s plan for your situation may seem peculiar. And you may even be reluctant to try it. Obey the impressions of God upon your heart. — Dan Shock

A lot of problems in life can be avoided by not giving in to those who would draw us into wrongdoing. So often those who have decided to do something sinful want to draw others into their sinful actions so they will make themselves feel better. — Tony Ferguson

God expects us to do our best and then commit the rest.

God isn’t interested in mere lip service, though that’s what most people offer to Him.

We often get upset because we think someone is getting away with evil deeds. But sooner or later, their sins will catch up with them. — Dan Shock

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

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

This post was first released on January 12, 2025. It is reposted here with only minor edits as part of this series on ancient flood accounts.

How old is coal? Evolutionists usually suggest around 300 million years old.

How old is man? Evolutionists usually suggest around 6-7 million years.

How old is the discovery of iron? Historians suggest around 4-5 thousand years.

So, what if a man claimed to find an iron pot inside a large lump of coal?

Possible answers:

Have you ever heard the story of Frank J. Kennard? In 1912 Frank found an iron pot inside a large lump of coal. Ever since it’s been a point of contention between evolutionists and folks like myself (whom evolutionists love to label as “pseudo-scientists”) who point to Frank’s find as at least anecdotal evidence that coal does not require millions of years to form and that the catastrophic deposition of sedimentary layers during a global flood could explain the discovery of that pot inside that lump of coal.

But let’s hear directly from Frank himself in his notarized statement about the find,

“While I was working in the Municipal Electric Plant in Thomas, Oklahoma in 1912, I came upon a solid chunk of coal which was too large to use. I broke it with a sledge hammer. This iron pot fell from the center, leaving the impression, or mould of the pot in a piece of the coal. Jim Stull (an employee of the company) witnessed the breaking of the coal, and saw the pot fall out. I traced the source of the coal, and found that it came from the Wilburton, Oklahoma Mines.

What might we conclude after reading this document, assuming no theoretical contamination of Frank’s coal?

Google confirms that man-made objects (in addition to Frank’s pot) have been found inside lumps of coal, so this story is not a one and done.

God confirms in the Bible that a worldwide Flood destroyed the earth during the time of Noah, which buried massive amounts of material (both inorganic and organic) and created the necessary conditions for a much more recent formation of coal. Did Frank actually find that pot inside that lump of coal? If not, then we can move on to substantial arguments for a global flood. But if so, it brings us to a stark conclusion. Men lived before coal.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Which biblical feast is connected with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year?

Life in the Land: Oriel’s Rock-throwing Ritual

A thirty-something, single, Jewish woman who believes in Yeshua, a rock, and a quiet desert east of Jerusalem. That’s how this story begins.

Oriel loves the desert behind her home and often vlogs from there. Beautiful sunsets, a warm breeze on her cheek, an occasional “rock bunny” sighting and of course her favorite place to sit and pray—these are the memories that draw her back to it again and again. She is particularly at home in the desert where she has so often found healing from past and present wounds. How we all need a place like that!

Which brings me back to the rock, for Oriel has an unusual, but wonderful way that she finds solace in the desert. When she’s haunted by a hurtful memory or can’t find hope in her circumstances, she walks to a high point, picks up a rock, associates that rock with her hurt and then hurls it down to the desert’s bottom. In that action, accompanied by worship, she finds renewal and joy.

I don’t live in a rocky desert, and Oriel’s hurt may not always match my own, but whether your favorite spot is a desert, a dock or a deer stand, consider creating your own version of her rock-throwing ritual. But don’t forget to worship from your special spot. “Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7, RSV).

-Daniel McCabe

Christology—the Humanity of Jesus, part 3

To be freed from the bondage of sin means that sin is no longer our master. As Christians we don’t have to sin. We can always choose obedience, for God provides a way out of every temptation. The Holy Spirit helps us and strives with us, and that’s why we should always honor Him and not grieve Him by choosing sin and falling into temptation. As long as we live in this physical body of ours, even as believers, we will sin, for it is a constant wrestling match with the flesh. In Romans 7, for example, Paul talks about how he does what he doesn’t want to do and he doesn’t do what he wants to do. He was very honest about his wrestling with the flesh, a struggle with which we can all relate.

But Jesus is our perfect example, the perfect human who always chose righteousness and never sinned. Being the second Adam, being man’s substitutionary sacrifice for sin and being the mediator between God and man, His human nature was necessary for the salvation of mankind. In other words, Jesus had to be both God and man.

Being God, Jesus’ sacrifice was of an eternal quality. When we sin, we offend an eternal God. Therefore the quality of our punishment, our separation from God in hell, must likewise be eternal. Thus, only Jesus’ sacrifice was capable of securing forgiveness for the sins of all mankind. The blood of bulls and goats could never truly take away man’s sin, for they are just animals. Only the sacrifice of Jesus could truly represent us on the cross. Bulls and goats are insufficient sacrifices for my sin because they are unlike me. They’re not human. Humanity sinned, therefore, the redemption of humanity required a human representative—Jesus. In His full humanity He was able to take on my sin, for He is one of us. He was the perfect representative for mankind and the perfect substitutionary sacrifice for my sin.

-Adam Keim

Life in the Land—the Black Hebrews

Bethlehem we know. Mary gave birth to baby Jesus there. Jerusalem too we know. Our Savior died there and came to life. Then there’s Nazareth, Jericho and Capernaum. All are well-known cities in Israel. But have you ever heard of Dimona, a town of 35,000, twenty miles southeast of Beersheba in the dry, hot desert of Israel? Dimona is home to a group of five thousand African-Americans, many originally from the Chicago area, who maintain that they are the descendants of the ancient Israelites. They have a complicated, but fascinating story.

Known loosely as the Black Hebrews, but more specifically as the African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem, they believe that long ago when their Israelite ancestors were expelled from Israel by the Romans, they migrated to western Africa. From there in the modern era they were taken by slave ships to America. In the late 1960s a former metallurgist named Ben Carter, who had been raised in a Baptist home, announced that he had been visited by the angel Gabriel and told to return to Israel with the African-American children of Israel to establish the kingdom of God. Taking on a new name, Ben Ammi Ben-Israel, and adopting the title of Messiah, Carter and four hundred others sold their cars, homes and businesses. Passionately convinced of their new purpose, they first moved to Liberia for a two-year period of purification and then on to Israel.

The Black Hebrews practice polygamy, veganism and communal living. They enjoy tofu, hip hop music and rigorous physical exercise. They make their own natural wines and clothing, abstain from drugs, and grow most of their own food. Some members of the community serve in the Israel Defense Forces, but they reject traditional forms of both Judaism and Christianity, have no doctrine of the afterlife, and see Jesus as only one in a long line of messiahs sent by God to keep his children on the right path.

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

C. Trumpets

Flood Stories—Polystrate Fossils

Let me first admit that I spent waaaaay too much time reading about this topic over the last several weeks for the amount of time that I’m giving it in this post. Perhaps there are others here (let me see a show of hands) who like me have gotten lost in a topic and you just couldn’t seem to find your way out of it. Well ….

Many Bible-believing scientists insist that polystrate fossils provide strong evidence, perhaps even irrefutable proof, for a global flood while evolutionary scientists brush aside their conclusions as myopic at best and junk science at worst. So what’s all the fuss?

Coined by proponents of a global flood, the term, polystrate fossils, has been summarily dismissed by evolutionists as both technically inaccurate and highly prejudicial though it hardly strikes me as an unreasonable description of fossils that penetrate more (poly-) than one strata (-strate) of sedimentary rock. A young earth is fatal to the theory of evolution, so any proposed evidence that challenges the necessity of millions of years to explain the formation of rock layers can quickly bring out the knives.

If one found a fossilized tree traversing multiple layers of strata, it might reasonably suggest that the layers were laid down quickly, thus potentially challenging evolutionary theory and even pointing perhaps to a catastrophic event as the cause, such as a global flood—which is why Bible-believing scientists find polystrate fossils so compelling—but evolutionists counter that perhaps it merely points to recurring local flood events that took place over a few decades and which progressively buried and fossilized the tree—or perhaps or perhaps or perhaps.

Sometimes the simplest explanations are the best, and given my admitted bias in favor of a global flood, I don’t find it difficult to see the reasoning behind an explanation for polystrate fossils that posits a global flood. So if you’re looking for something to read tonight before bed, take a look at this debate and weigh the evidence for yourself. You’ll find that the experts can explain it much better than I, and you might just find yourself getting lost in the debate.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia (Answer below)

What is the name of the pilgrim in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales who is said to have visited Jerusalem three times?

Scripture Study: The Seed Plot of the Bible

I first learned about Genesis 3:15 in Dr. McKinley’s Old Testament Survey class in the Fall of my freshman year at LeTourneau College while pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. Does this verse sound familiar to you? Speaking to the serpent, God declared, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel.”

On p. 5 of “Doc” McKinley’s book, “Scanning the Plan,” he included a paragraph entitled, “The Seed Plot,” referencing this verse and noting that it’s in this verse that we read for the very first time about the gospel in prophetic form, for in Genesis 3:15 we learn of God’s plan of deliverance for Adam and Eve after their fall into sin and in particular of God’s promise of a coming Deliverer who would make all things right again.

Here are Dr. McKinley’s “seven basic facts” that flow from this verse.

1. The future birth of a child—God tells Satan that there will be enmity between Satan’s seed and “her [meaning Eve’s] Seed.” Notice that Seed here is capitalized. Admittedly the Hebrew doesn’t use capital letters, but the editors of your Bible and mine want to emphasize that this birth will not be a normal one, for in hindsight we know that the child will be Jesus, God in human form. Dr. McKinley believes that this verse points to Jesus’ virgin birth because “it is man who bears the seed of procreation … not the woman,” yet the child is described as the seed of the woman alone. In any event, a child will be born who will deliver Adam and Eve from their sin.

2. The humanity of the child—the fallen couple should look for a human being, the offspring of the woman.

3. Open war between Satan and the child—my translation calls it enmity, but one should expect to see Satan’s intense attack on anyone associated with bringing this child into the world.

4. The child’s death—the verse reads, “…you shall bruise His heel.” The soldiers literally bruised the heel of Jesus when they nailed him to the cross, thus his bruised heel pictures his crucifixion and death.

5. The doom of Satan—though the heel of Jesus is bruised, it’s the head of Satan that will be bruised, suggesting that Jesus will overthrow Satan’s kingdom and thwart any plans Satan had to defeat him.

6. Personal conflict—two seeds or offsprings are contrasted, suggesting conflict between two parties, particularly Jesus Christ and the Antichrist.

7. Restoration—the bruising of Satan implies that the Seed of the woman will restore man to his original position before the fall.

What a beautiful gospel story told in just one verse!

-Daniel McCabe

Photography from Israel:

Psalm 23, “Surely Goodness and Mercy”

Here are some images that depict ancient and modern blessings.

1. A relief showing two servants bearing food and drink to their king, found at Persepolis in ancient Persia, dated to 358–338 B.C.

2. A depiction on ivory of a train of tribute-bearers from Nimrud in ancient Assyria, dated to 850–610 B.C.

3. A beautiful pool with date palms at Neot Kedumim in central Israel

4. A photograph of shepherds caring for their sheep in Israel, dated to 1900-1920

5. Another colorized photograph of the same date

6. Hikers in Nahal Perat, also known as Wadi Qilt, a dry riverbed east of Jerusalem

-Daniel McCabe

Christology—the Humanity of Jesus, part 2

et’s continue our study of the humanity of Jesus Christ by examining a couple of important theological terms, which demonstrate the importance of word order and specificity in the terms that we use. We know that Jesus was tempted in every way, yet without sin. In His humanity, in His human nature, Jesus is posse non peccare, which means “able to not sin.” In His divinity, He’s non posse peccare, which means “not able to sin.” Do you see the difference?

In His humanity He’s “able to not sin.” He has the capability to decide not to sin. Of course, theoretically He had the capacity to sin. The human Jesus could have conceivably committed a sin, but He never did and was never going to because He had the ability to always choose righteousness. In His divinity He’s “not able to sin.” He doesn’t even have the ability to sin because God cannot sin. God cannot possibly sin because sin by definition is anything that’s contrary to God’s character and will, and God is never contrary to His character and will. So the divine person doesn’t even have the capacity to sin.

Logically the temptations of Jesus had to be real temptations or else they wouldn’t be temptations. Jesus was tempted in every way to sin. So when He’s in the wilderness for forty days without having eaten, and the devil says, “Hey, turn these stones into bread,” the human Jesus really wanted to eat. But He had the ability to not sin, and He never fell into temptation.

Now here’s where we can connect our own experience to this. In our pre-saved state, in our fallen humanity, before we have heard the gospel, we are not able to not sin. Being slaves to sin, we’re bound to sin. We have to sin. We will sin. Yet, it’s still our fault. We can’t stand before God and insist, “It wasn’t really my fault!” Being slaves to sin, we sinned constantly, for it was our nature. Sin was our master. That, of course, doesn’t mean we sinned constantly, every second of every day. We could give to a charity. We could help old ladies across the street. We could think kind thoughts about other people. However, our lives were characterized by sin. We sinned all the time, for we were slaves to it.

On the other hand, as believers we are free from the bondage of sin. We have a new master. We now become able to not sin. We can always choose the righteous path. We have the ability to resist temptation and not fall into sin. In reality we still wrestle with the flesh. We still fall into temptation from time to time, but hopefully we sin less and less over time as we grow in our sanctification. Hopefully we choose righteousness and obedience to our Master Jesus more and more often. So pre-salvation we were not able to not sin. Post-salvation we are able to not sin, just like Jesus in His humanity was able to not sin, and though Jesus as the perfect Man never did, sadly we do. So, as you can see, depending on the order in which you put them, the words “able,” “not” and “sin” mean very different things.

-Adam Keim

Archaeology—the Pilate Stone

You know him best as the man who allowed the execution of Jesus to proceed even though he famously said of him, “I find no guilt in this man” (Luke 23:4). In his position as the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate had the authority to spare the life of Jesus, but even after his wife had a dream about Jesus’ innocence and his own interview of Jesus reinforced her conviction, Pilate “delivered Him to be crucified” (Matt. 27:26). The Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes that Pilate’s words about Jesus and his reluctance to fast track Jesus’ execution lead to only one conclusion—that Pilate became a Christian. They even venerate Pilate as both a martyr and a saint in contrast to the more common take that he spoke and acted solely out of political expedience.

In any event whether his role in the trial of Jesus is that of a saint or a savvy politician, there is no meaningful disagreement regarding Pilate’s historicity and proper governmental title following a monumental find in 1961, known popularly as the Pilate Stone. Discovered in Israel in the port city of Caesarea on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, this broken, carved block of limestone, measuring just over 2 feet tall and 2½ feet wide, bears the name of “[Ponti]us Pilatus, [Praef]ectus Juda[ea]e,” the Latin spelling which translates into English as “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.” In Latin prefect is a title that means roughly, “put in charge,” and the Bible rightly describes him as the “governor” of Judea (Matt. 27:2; Luke 3:1).

Evidently carved to dedicate a Roman building in Caesarea, perhaps even a temple in honor of Tiberius Caesar, the Pilate Stone dates to the time of Jesus in the first century. Yet again, the accuracy of the Bible has been corroborated—this time by a broken stone that points our attention back to the bitter-sweet account of our Savior, who on the night before his crucifixion broke bread with these wonderful words, “This is My body which is broken for you” (1 Cor. 11:24).

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

D. The Lady of Bath

Week Fifteen, 2026

“He guards the paths of justice and preserves the way of His saints: (Proverbs 2:8).

The word “wisdom” appears in the Bible over 200 times. Depending on the translation, that count ranges from 213 to 234 (for example, 234 times in the KJV and 213 in the ESV). It is featured heavily in the Old Testament, especially in the Book of Proverbs, and it shows up 53 times in the New Testament. It is indeed important.

I wish I had paid more attention earlier. I learned a lot about wisdom by making some stupid decisions and paying the price for them. As I climbed the education ladder, I focused on gathering knowledge. But well-educated people are not always “smart” people.

Wisdom is like driving. What matters most is the speed and appropriateness of your reactions, and the soundness of your judgment regarding the situation you’re in. You simply try to see and do the right thing in the actual moment that presents itself.

The effect of divine wisdom is to enable us to do just that in the actual situations of everyday life. Wisdom is about reality. It’s about real-life decision-making in real-life situations.

Godly wisdom is so clearly laid out in the Bible, especially in the Book of Proverbs—a book I recently read from beginning to end. I only wish I had done it sooner. True wisdom is found only in a right relationship with God, and that is only possible through Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God.

The path you choose today shapes who you become tomorrow. Walk in wisdom and avoid the path of the wicked. It will guide, guard, and deliver us. When we walk with Jesus, He teaches us how important guardrails are. They are there to protect us, not to restrict us!

There is a path of righteousness and a path of the wicked. True wisdom is found only in a right relationship with God. Doing wrong not only brings bad outcomes, but more importantly, it shows we are drifting away from Jesus.

When we walk away from Jesus, we drift toward destruction. Wisdom will guard you. It is a guardrail to protect us from falling into the pit of sin. The world mocks wisdom, but wisdom will guide you and show you what to do and what to avoid. Walk with others who walk in wisdom. Flee from temptation; don’t be drawn to it. Avoid it! Proverbs 14:2 warns us not to drift into sin. Wisdom will deliver you from destruction. True wisdom is not just advice. It is Jesus, who on the cross took on and forgave every sin we’ve ever committed. Just follow Him. There is more justice in Jesus than there is sin in us. If you have drifted, come back to Jesus.

Sometimes True Stories

Evil will give you a little fun, but ultimately it will destroy you. Don’t use people to get what you want. Don’t join the wrong group. Sin is a great recruiter. We all have a deep need to belong. What is the bait? People go where they feel they belong. It is better to be alone with Jesus than in a crowd of sinners. Sin always has a hook, but Jesus died for you. Come to Jesus. — Edgar Aponte

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Salvation is about letting God heal our hearts. When we reject God, we open the door and let sin run rampant. God gave us a conscience and free will. He’s the guide who helps us navigate the rose gardens of life. When we get stuck by the thorns, God will be there with His healing grace. — Tony Ferguson

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No matter where we are in life, no matter what storms we face or find ourselves in the middle of—no matter the storms, losses, challenges, valleys, obstacles, heartaches we suffer, or uncertainties we see looming ominously in front of us—God is there.

He is there, calling to us, assuring us, convicting us to press on with Him into all He promises He has for us, here, and hereafter with Him in eternity.

Because we can always have—faith in God. — Scott Whitaker

Quotes You Can Use

Thinking more of ourselves than we should, practically guarantees a sinful and difficult life. Numerous scriptures say that God resists the proud, and that pride goes before the fall. We can secure a better life by humbling ourselves and end up with a more realistic view of the important things in life.

Worry and anxiety rob our productive ability and make us fail in our life. — Stephen Bernard

To God, the prayers of His people are a pleasant aroma. — Dan Shock

Good intentions and morality may keep us out of jail, but only God can keep us out of hell. — Tony Ferguson

We know the truth not only through our reason, but also through our hearts.

Why would God send His Son into the world to be born in a stable when we often refuse to even think about staying in anything but a first-class hotel? If you don’t know the answer to this, you probably have not read John 3:17! — Dwight Short

Attacks against our flesh always come in the most vulnerable areas.

Those who serve Satan are at home in this world. They are comfortable because they blend right in. But the end result of serving him is death.

The Lord loves to direct the willing heart and has promised wisdom to those who are willing to seek His guidance. — Tony Ferguson

We don’t always know why certain things happen to us, but God does.

Help others without any reason and give without the expecting of receiving anything in return.

May your walls hold joy, may every room hold laughter, and may every window open to great possibilities.

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

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

April 4, 2026

Of course you’ll quickly recognize the name Noah as the godly man who built an ark at God’s instruction in order to survive the global flood recorded in the book of Genesis.

By now you may also recognize the name Utnapishtim, sometimes called “the Babylonian Noah,” the main hero of a Babylonian flood narrative with similarities to the Bible that’s described in an ancient work called the Epic of Gilgamesh.

But do you know the names Atrahasis and Ziusudra? Atrahasis is the hero of an earlier Babylonian flood account, likewise written in a similar dialect of Akkadian, the ancient language of that region. In later Babylonian tradition Atrahasis is even identified as Utnapishtim, so clearly the author of the Epic of Gilgamesh borrowed and revised the Epic of of Atrahasis.

The story of Ziusudra, fittingly called “the Sumerian Noah,” predates both of the aforementioned Babylonian epics and records the flood tradition of the ancient region of Sumer. Ziusudra is a king-priest from the important Sumerian city of Shuruppak, located on the Euphrates River near the city of Ur, the hometown of Abraham.

Inscribed on clay fragments that date to approximately 2000 B.C., the Sumerian account, the earliest flood story ever recorded, albeit incomplete, agrees with both the biblical and Babylonian accounts on several core elements, including a divine warning which preceded the flood, the necessary construction of a vessel in order to survive the flood, the sparing of both human and animal life inside the vessel, and the destruction of mankind outside the vessel. Like Utnapishtim, Ziusudra is even awarded with immortality.

These Babylonian and Sumerian flood traditions are just three of the hundreds of ancient flood traditions that anthropologists have identified worldwide. They surely seem to corroborate the historicity of the flood.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia (Answer below)

What is the most popular soft drink in Israel?

Four Fascinating Archaeologibcal Finds in the City of David

1. Half shekel—a silver coin minted during the First Jewish Revolt, dating to 67 A.D., just prior to the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. by the Romans in their reprisal against the uprising. The half shekel was given as a donation annually for the upkeep of the temple.

2. Gold earring—a valuable piece of jewelry, evidently worn by an aristocrat’s daughter, dating to the Second Temple period, before 70 A.D.

3. Golden bell—sewn on a garment, likely belonging to someone of high position who lived in Jerusalem towards the end of the Second Temple period, before 70 A.D.

4. Clay Seal—bearing the words, “deka leyah,” meaning “pure for God,” used to mark items and vessels that were brought to the temple in order to show that they adhered to proper purity requirements.

Which one is the most interesting to you?

-Daniel McCabe

Christology—the Humanity of Jesus, part 1

Here’s a topic where our minds prove to be so finite and not fully able to comprehend everything. Jesus is fully human in nature. He took on this permanent addition at His incarnation. That is so fascinating to me. Jesus is God, yet at the incarnation—when He’s born as a baby to the Virgin Mary—He adds humanity unto Himself.

In Philippians 2 Paul describes how Jesus took on servanthood, and we see this also in John 1:14 and Acts 1:11. When we first think of the person of Jesus, we generally think of His coming to earth as the son of Joseph, a carpenter from Nazareth. That’s the human Jesus, but from that point on—what’s really interesting to me—is that He now has that human nature forever, yet it didn’t change His divine nature. The Son of God added on a human nature. So in a unique way, He’s fully God and fully human. This doesn’t mean 100% + 100% = 200%, but rather it’s 100% + 100% = 100%. He’s still just one unified person. He’s the anthropos, the God-man, the only unique one. We can’t ever fully grasp this, but we can know it because the Bible presents Jesus as both God and human.

Jesus, of course, has a human body; therefore, when He was on earth, He experienced the limitations of a human in every way. He got hungry. He got tired. He felt pain, and although He experienced those human limitations, His body was fully perfected upon His resurrection. It’s not that Jesus was imperfect in sin like we are, but rather that following the resurrection, glorification and ascension of His body He was made perfect like we will one day be made perfect. In other words, He’s the firstfruits of the resurrection.

Jesus is completely sinless in His human nature, and that’s the major difference, of course, between our humanity and Jesus’ humanity, for His human nature is unfallen. He is unstained by sin. Again, that’s something that we can’t fully comprehend because sin is such a huge part of our experience. We can’t even think about what it must be like to be free from sin though as believers we are freed from the bondage of sin.

-Adam Keim

History and Geography—Saul of Gibeah

“Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home. Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched” (1 Samuel 10:25-26).

The pictured map might look nondescript to one unfamiliar with Israel’s geography, but about three miles north of Jerusalem lies Gibeah, King Saul’s hometown, which served as the capital during his reign. Not long before Saul’s era, the town was a sad example of the spiritual state of God’s people in Judges 19-20. A Levite and his concubine came to rest in Gibeah after their journey from Bethlehem, only to find great trouble. Ironically, the Levite refused to stay overnight in Jebus (later known as Jerusalem) because it was a Canaanite city at the time. He probably would have encountered less sin there!

Gibeah is mentioned several times in prophetic writings, usually in connection with coming judgment (Hosea 5:8; 9:9; 10:9; Isaiah 10:29). Also, the Roman commander Titus prepared the Legio X Fretensis (the Tenth Legion) there at the “Hill of Saul” before moving against Jerusalem in AD 70.

An interesting piece of modern history stands at the site today. You can walk around the unfinished construction of a royal palace. King Hussein of Jordan began building one there in the 1960s, presumably as a boast that he controlled the land of Israel’s former king. But Israel won that area during the Six-Day War in 1967, leaving the building unfinished as an insult in return. What a retort!

-Adam Keim

Answer to the Trivia

A. Coca-cola

Week Fourteen, 2026

“Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm” (Proverbs 1:33).

Probably the first voice we hear is from our parents. Scripture tells us to listen and learn from them (Proverbs 1:8). But as we grow up, we hear other voices, and they are not always good. Sinful people tempt us for their own benefit, but we should not fall for it. They want to trap us even when we have done nothing wrong. Proverbs 1:15 tells us not to go along with them. Do not even tempt yourself by setting foot on their path, as they are quick to cause harm.

Don’t be tempted to chase money the wrong way. It always sounds so profitable and easy. Have you ever been tempted by a multi-level marketing scheme or an investment that sounds too good to be true? It usually is. Saying yes to sin can take away everything you have. Don’t be foolish and give in to childish ways.

The world makes fun of us when we fall for these childish traps. It laughs when danger hits us because of a bad decision. But whoever listens to God will live in safety. They will be at ease without fear of harm.

There are two voices crying out to us: the voice of God’s wisdom, and the voice of the world. Too often, we fall for the voice of the world. Just as I was writing this, I got a call about a business decision I needed to make. I quickly started processing it the way the world does. Then, God reminded me to turn to His wisdom, and I began to pray about it.

Evil will give you a little fun, but ultimately, it will destroy you. Don’t use people to get what you want, and do not let yourself be used. Don’t join the wrong group. Sin is a great recruiter because we all have a natural desire to belong.

What is the bait? People go where they feel they belong. But it is better to be alone with Jesus than in a crowd of sinners. Sin will always hook and destroy you. If you don’t fear God, you will fear everything else. If you have been listening to the world, remember that Jesus died for you.

In a world full of competing voices, listen to the life-giving voice of God’s wisdom. That voice is constantly contested—beware of the enticing voices that lead to death.

Satan’s first tactic for drawing a soul into sin is to present the bait and hide the hook. He presents the golden cup while hiding the poison. He highlights the sweetness, pleasure, and gain that seem to come from giving in to sin—all while keeping the coming misery out of sight!

Listen to the Word through the wisdom of God, and you will not be disappointed.

Sometimes True Stories

The thief on the cross beside Jesus said to Him, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42–43).

The man on the cross may have been a thief. But in his final minutes of life, he was gracious in speech and pure in heart. Imagine the thief’s arrival in heaven. His resume was horrible, and yet, there he stood in paradise. He didn’t deserve to be there. But the grace of Jesus allowed him in because “the man in the middle said he could come.” The thief’s works did not get him in; God’s grace did. Our King is our friend if we accept His grace.

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Quotes You Can Use

Life without Jesus is like an unsharpened pencil. It has no point. —Billy Graham

The Lord is my shepherd. If He is a Shepherd to no one else, He is a Shepherd to me. He cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me. The words are in the present tense. Whatever the believer’s position may be, he is even now under the pastoral care of the Lord.

God sent His Son, Jesus, for you and for me. He is always there with us in the good times, as well as the hard times. He is there in joyous times, and in times when we feel persecuted, in danger, or do not know where to turn. He is with us when we are embarrassed, under attack, desperate, or despairing with no hope in sight. We have all been there—at points of desperation, depression, and hopelessness. God sent His Son for you and for me, for all those moments.

Seek knowledge before you try to persuade others. Listen to all sides of an argument. Have an open mind, be quick to think, and be slow to speak. —Tony Ferguson

There is no such thing as secret sin.

Praying is the most powerful way we make our needs known to God. —Rich Jensen

Backsliding happens when you allow any other desire, ambition, or preference to take first place in your heart and in your life.

If you do not know which port you are sailing to, no wind is favorable.

God uses trials to show us our hearts, so we can be cleansed and brought into the land of blessing—physically and spiritually.

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

©2026, Thoughts on Life

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

March 29, 2026

Flood Stories: The Epic of Gilgamesh, Part 4

More Similarities to the Bible

We’ve already noted five key similarities between the Bible and this Babylonian epic. Let’s complete the list with six more.

6. The duration of the flood is given—in the Babylonian account the storm lasted only six days and nights, and the flood ceased on the seventh day. No mention is made of the length of time that Utnapishtim and the others remained inside the boat. The Genesis account, however, describes a violent downpour of forty days and nights (7:12) with ordinary rain and upheaval that continued for another five months (8:2-3). The entire flood event looks to have lasted for roughly one year.

7. The landing place of the boat is given—Utnapishtim’s vessel grounded on Mount Nisir, a site commonly identified with Pir Omar Gudrun, located about four hundred miles north of the Persian Gulf in the Kurdish region of modern Iraq, east of the Tigris River. Noah’s ark rested on the mountains of Ararat (v. 4), a general region located west of the Caspian Sea and southeast of the Black Sea in Armenia, very near the borders of Iran and Turkey.

8. Birds are sent out to assess the level of the water—in the Babylonian account a dove, a swallow and a raven are all released consecutively on the seventh day. The dove and the swallow return; the raven does not. This bears a striking resemblance to the biblical account in which Noah first releases a raven forty days after the tops of the mountains became visible (vs. 6-7) and then a dove on three subsequent occasions until finally feeling confident that the water had abated (vs. 8-12). There is no mention of a swallow.

9. The hero and his family are delivered—in addition to all living animals, Utnaphistim survives the flood with his immediate family, extended family, all craftsmen and the boat pilot. Eight people exit the ark in the biblical account, including Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives (Genesis 6:18; 7:7, 13; 1 Peter 3:20).

10. The hero worships after disembarking—Utnapishtim pours out a drink offering and burns a fragrant sacrifice of sweet cane, cedar and myrtle to the gods who are drawn to the sacrifice like flies. Noah offers numerous burnt offerings to the Lord who smelled the “soothing aroma” (Genesis 8:20-21).

11. The hero is blessed—Utnapishtim and his wife receive divinity and immortality. Genesis 9:1 also notes that “God blessed Noah and his sons.” They would be fruitful; they were granted permission to eat meat; and they became recipients of a covenant with God that promised no more global flooding (vs. 11-17).

The many similarities between these two ancient flood traditions suggests to many that both had independent knowledge of a global flood.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Which one of the following is legal in Israel?

History: Irena Sendler

I just stumbled across a newspaper article about this remarkable woman. I can’t find the source of the article, but it was clearly printed shortly after May 12, 2008, the date of Irene Sendler’s passing. This young Polish woman saved more than twice as many Jews as did Oskar Schindler during World War II. How is it that I had never heard her name until today? I’ve transcribed the article for you, for I couldn’t have captured her life story any better than this.

“‘Female Schindler’ who saved 2,500 dies at 98” by Ross McGuinness

A social worker who saved 2,500 Jewish children from the Nazis during World War II has died, aged 98. Irena Sendler, who was known as the ‘female Schindler,’ rescued children and babies from the Warsaw ghetto in Poland—smuggling some out by wrapping them as parcels.

Mrs. Sendler, who lived at a Warsaw nursing home, had been in the hospital with pneumonia since last month.

During the war, she and her team of 20 were allowed into the infamous ghetto on the pretence of checking it during a typhoid outbreak. Instead, they searched for children to save.

They smuggled out babies in ambulances and trams, some wrapped in packages. Teenagers escaped by joining teams of laborers. Those rescued were placed in families, orphanages, hospitals or convents.

In 1943 the Nazis destroyed the ghetto and the inhabitants were shot or sent to death camps.

Mrs. Sendler, a Roman Catholic, was eventually captured by the Gestapo, tortured and sentenced to death—but released when a guard was bribed.

The names of the hundreds of children she saved were known because Mrs. Sendler kept a list buried in a jar under an apple tree.

She became one of the first ‘Righteous Gentiles’ to be honored at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Israel in 1965. Last year she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

‘It took a true miracle to save a Jewish child,’ said Elzbieta Ficowska, who was rescued as a baby by Mrs. Sendler in 1942. ‘She saved not only us, but our children and grandchildren and the generations to come.’”

-Daniel McCabe

Geography: Ramon Crater

The land of Israel is a place with such historical and spiritual significance that its importance cannot be overstated. But it is also a land of natural wonders and fascinating geography. The Ramon Crater in the southern desert area of the country, known as the Negev, is one such example. This six-mile wide crater-like formation is not believed to have been shaped by a volcano or a meteor, but rather by water erosion. Modern scientists credit an ancient ocean that used to sit in the area for the formation of the crater, which accords wonderfully with the worldwide flood account of Genesis 6–8. The surrounding region is known for its access to ancient spice routes as well as wildlife, such as desert mountain goats and a unique caper plant that grows only on specific gypsum layers within the crater.

Visitors to the Ramon Geological Park Reserve can enjoy a feature known as “The Carpentry Shop” that is made of thousands of symmetrical quartzite prisms that resemble logs in a woodshop as well as numerous marine fossils and vertical cracks in the rock through which magma used to flow upward before solidifying. The Ramon Crater has also been designated as an “International Dark Sky Park,” one of the best places on earth for stargazing and viewing meteor showers. The crater even has a fun connection to astronauts, as its harsh, arid terrain is so similar to the surface of Mars that it is used as a training site for astronauts preparing for future missions. The nearby visitor center and the highest peak, Mount Ramon, display a memorial for Ilan Ramon, Israel’s first astronaut, who was a frequent visitor to the area.

Even though the crater is not mentioned in the Bible, it is situated near the Wilderness of Zin where Moses sent the twelve spies to scout out the Promised Land in Numbers 13. I wonder what Joshua and Caleb would have thought of the crater if they passed by this beautiful spot in the Negev, perhaps even looking up to the bright stars.

–Adam Keim

Christology—the Deity of Jesus

What words could possibly do justice in describing the person of Jesus Christ? Paul the Apostle offered a good summary in Colossians 1:15-16, 19, 20, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him…. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”

In this series we’ll divide the topic of the person of Christ into six subtopics: His deity, His humanity, His hypostasis, His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, His offices and His Second Coming. My favorite way to teach about Jesus Christ is simply by studying the Gospels, for so many things will pop out at you when you read them, but in this series we’ll take a systematic walk through the entire New Testament.

Christology is, of course, the theology of Christ, the second person of the Godhead, and the first category we’ll study is His deity. Jesus Christ is fully divine in nature and completely equal with God the Father and God the Spirit. Many teachings about Jesus have failed to grasp His full divinity, including many errors that came out of the early church as they attempted to understand His nature to the best of their ability. On the other hand, we have folks today whose teachings on the nature of Jesus strike me as being demonic. After all, the ultimate source of these false teachers is the devil who desires to deceive us by either denying Jesus’ divinity or His humanity.

Jesus is fully divine in nature. He’s completely equal with God the Father and God the Spirit. We see this in Philippians 2:6, for example. In Exodus 3:14 God reveals Himself to Moses, saying, “I Am,” and Jesus claims this for Himself in John 8:58, saying, “Before Abraham was, I Am,” a clear link to Exodus 3, and His audience knew exactly what He was saying. Jesus is God Himself in human flesh. He existed before time. He’s outside the bounds of time. He’s eternal, and, of course, God is the only eternal one.

Which leads to me to a slight quibble, for when we as Christians talk about the gift of eternal life, we should technically be referring to everlasting life because only one being is truly eternal, outside of time, and that’s God. Of course, when someone refers to eternal life in heaven with God, we know what they mean, and it’s no reason to start an argument or anything, but God is the only eternal being outside of time. This is evident from passages like Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2, John 1:1, Revelation 1:10 and Revelation 22:13. In John 1:1, for example, we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” so in some sense Jesus is equal with God the Father as well as the Holy Spirit. As the Son, however, He is distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit, yet the three are one God.

In the Gospels we read about Jesus’ divine authority to forgive sins and that He’s worthy of worship. He created the entire universe and continues to hold it together in some way. “All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16), and He holds it all together. Without the Son of God holding the created order together, it would all fall apart. Perhaps you’ve heard that if gravity was slightly different than what it is now, then everything would fall apart, or if the earth was just minutely closer or farther from the sun, then we couldn’t sustain life on earth. Jesus holds it all together. So Jesus is fully divine. He is God, and there’s no denying it. If you spend any time in the Scriptures, you cannot deny that Jesus Christ is God of very gods and Lord of very Lords.

-Adam Keim

On Location—20 Chairs

How many kings of Judah were there? Yes, 20. Well, technically 19 kings and 1 queen. Can you name them all? My friend Sara Beth once could! Maybe still can!

So, what are we looking at in this picture that I took last September on our trip to Israel? Well, the modern caretakers of the ancient site of Lachish have set up a marvelous display of 20 chairs next to the ancient ruins of the king’s house. Each chair represents a king of Judah—all 20 of them in order. The name of the king is printed at the top of each chair in English, Arabic and Hebrew and just below his name are the dates of his reign. At the base of the chair is a Bible verse associated with each king, written in Hebrew. Then there’s the part that I really like! The height of the chairs are directly proportional to the length of each king’s reign. Two chairs are particularly tall. What kings do these two chairs represent? Do you know? The two kings of Judah with the longest reigns are Manasseh and Uzziah (also called Azariah).

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

C. Buying alcohol at age 18