In the Old Testament circumcision was the sacrament of initiation and reception into the covenant community. Circumcision defined the covenant community; it was the sign and seal of covenant membership. In this article, I will argue that baptism has replaced circumcision as the sacrament of initiation and reception into the covenant community. Just like circumcision […]
One of the reasons why baptism is such a difficult issue has to doe with the fact that there is a debate behind the debate. Often baptism is discussed without a proper understanding of this debate behind the debate. The issue of baptism is more about what is the proper reading of the Scriptures than […]
If you want to understand what the Bible teaches about baptism or any other subject, you should begin the process in the Old Testament. This represents a major difference between Baptists and paedobaptists. Reformed people read the Bible as one book from the perspective of promise and fulfillment. In regards to baptism, if you begin […]
In its most basic sense, baptism has to do with washing by water. The washing by water signifies an internal washing by the blood and the Spirit of Christ. There is in baptism a double washing: an external washing with water, and an internal washing with the blood and Spirit of Christ. Jesus added His […]
In the eleven issues of 2007, we present a study of the ten plagues of the great exodus. We will see how the conflict that began in Genesis 3:15 extends to the book of Exodus. Genesis 3:15 is prophetic. As the divine Prophet, God is describing the basis for the unfolding of human history. In […]
In the book of Exodus there is a conflict between Jehovah and Pharaoh. The conflict is really between Jehovah and the false gods of Egypt. The ten plagues as they are recorded in the book of Exodus represent ten mighty acts of judgment against Egypt and her false gods. The ten acts of judgment serve […]
Once more Moses went to Pharaoh to demand that Pharaoh release Jehovah’s people so that they may serve Him in the wilderness. This demand came with the threat of a second plague. “And Jehovah said to Moses, Come to Pharaoh and you shall say to him, ‘Thus says Jehovah, Send out my people that they […]
The third plague is unique; it arrives without warning. There is no audience before Pharaoh, as there was with the first two plagues. This is the first plague without any sort of introduction, it simply happens. Details like this often go unnoticed by the casual reader, but if you had been present at the time […]
In this article we will consider the Fourth Plague, and the distinction that Jehovah makes between the Hebrews and the Egyptians. The application of this theme is profound for both the church and for individual Christians. Let us compare the instructions that Moses received regarding the fourth plague with the instructions that Moses received regarding […]
Read Exodus 9:1–12 In the fifth and the sixth plagues we see once more how God makes a distinction between His people and between Pharaoh’s people. God’s hand distinguishes between the livestock of the Hebrews and the livestock of the Egyptians. Likewise, God will distinguish between the Hebrews and the Egyptians regarding the sixth plague. […]