The book of Leviticus in the Bible presents more laws, statutes, and ordinances beyond those given in Genesis and Exodus. A new article released on the main site entitled Book of Leviticus and Ceremonial Law includes Hebrew words from the original manuscripts with explanations comparing Bible translations and modern English.

A review of verses about following instructions and the death of Nadab and Abihu stresses the importance of understanding God's expectations, and talks about the only time in Leviticus that God spoke directly to Aaron. Here's an excerpt from the article:

The rules and covenants broken often in the Old Testament were replaced by the new covenant when God offered His Son as a sacrifice for the atonement of sin.

This salvation by grace, freely given, replaces much of the law in the Old Testament and certainly the ceremonial offerings, yet it does not void all Old Testament law. The Ten Commandments are one exception that still apply.

In comparing Hebrew and English in Leviticus, clearer meaning is given to words translated into English over 400 years ago, and this article features more about their definition in current English. Readers are encouraged to read their Bible daily, and consider a Companion Bible or Strongs Concordance to review unfamiliar words. These Bible study resources allow you to search English words to learn details about the meaning in Hebrew, Aramaic, Chaldee of the Old Testament and Greek in the New Testament.

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Visitors have arrived at this site after searching for the meaning of phrases with the word "image" in Genesis chapter 1, verses 26 and 27, and specifically they wanted to know the Hebrew word as translated into current English from "Let us make man in our image". Here are the verses from the sixth day of creation.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Genesis 1:26 (KJV)

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. Genesis 1:27 (KJV)

The Hebrew for image in the phrases "in our image", "in his own image", and "in the image of God" were translated from the word tselem (TSEH-lem) which means resemblance. The phrase "after our likeness" is from the Hebrew word demuth (dem-OOTH) which means resemblance, or shape.

This leaves no doubt from the plural form in "our image" that this refers to God and the angels, and later "in his own image" in reference to God that our human form resembles our spiritual body in shape, likeness, and resemblance to God and the angels.

Readers may want to learn more about the word "man" in these verses as taken from the Hebrew adam (aw-DAWM) which means "mankind" including all of mankind, male and female as cited in verse 27. This reference to man during the 6th day creation from Genesis 1 was all the races including men and women. In Genesis chapter 2 the word "man" in English (from the Hebrew adam) in reference to Adam as in "Adam and Eve" translates from the Hebrew "eth ha adam", or the specific person named Adam.

An article on the main site explains the difference between man in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 in more detail.

We won't feel out of place in heaven, and for now consider each face you see in the diversity of human races is a glimpse of faces seen in heaven. The essence of the meaning of "image" or "likeness" as translated in the King James Version of the Bible is accurate, yet by today's English knowing the Hebrew definitions of "resemblance" and "shape" provides an even clearer meaning.

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Another article and Bible study from the book of Exodus was just released and discusses additional laws beyond the 10 commandments as given to Moses, plus instructions for building the ark of the covenant and tabernacle. A list given in the article identifies the key chapters and verses of Exodus with these additional laws:

Exodus chapter 21:1-32 are laws regarding persons.
Exodus verses 21:33 to 22:15 are laws regarding property.
Exodus expands on these in more detail in chapters 22 and 23.

Moses ascended Mount Sinai 6 times and met personally with God. Though the Bible states "face to face", Moses was in His presence and never did see the face of God. He is told later in Exodus that "No man can see the face of God and live.", so there is no contradiction in Scripture as some skeptics try to prove.

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In the Hebrew month Sivan in 1491 B.C. the ten commandments were first given to the children of Israel verbally prior to them being written in stone by God. A new article on the main site entitled Ten Commandments and Bible Structure is a study of the 10 commandments as spoken by God from Mount Sinai, and then a look at this and other examples of divine Bible structure from the original manuscripts in Hebrew.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

Soon after the verbal presentation of the ten commandments, Moses ascends Mount Sinai for 40 days and receives the first set of tablets formed and written by God with the commandments etched in stone. It is incredible that in 6 weeks after God telling the children of Israel, in person, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" that they grew impatient waiting for Moses to return, and molded a golden calf to worship.

The word "before" in the commandment above does not mean "ahead of", but is translated from the Hebrew phrase al paniym (al paw-NEEM) with al meaning above, over, upon, or against, and paniym meaning the face. No wonder 3,000 men were put to death by the sword (Exodus 32:28) and another 20,000 died immediately from pestilence (1 Corinthians 10:8) as punishment for violating this commandment so soon after it was given.

There are consequences for violating what God expects, and this ancient lesson is valid for people today. The death of 23,000 may not be a story you hear in Sunday School, yet seek God by reading the Bible for wisdom and understanding to learn the reasoning and importance of these lessons for modern times.

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The six day creation in Genesis chapter 1 of the Bible is unimaginable on a human scale with 24 hours in a day, and a recent comment from a visitor to the Ultimate Riddles website confirms this difficulty of human perception. They, and others, reference a verse about time and eternity in the New Testament as evidence that the universe in Genesis 1 was created in 6000 years.

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8 (KJV)

The word in 2 Peter for "day" in Greek is hemera (hay-MER-ah), and translates to the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole of 24 hours. In other words, this is the same as our 24 hour day, yet time for our eternal God is infinite which explains why 1000 years pass like the blink of an eye. This visitor has correctly understood the meaning of one day in that verse.

Next, consider the conclusion of each day of creation in Genesis that ends with the definition of day, as well. The Hebrew of the Old Testament properly translated without making assumptions about time is likewise speaking of days as 24 hours, not 1000 years or eons of time. God is omnipotent with the power to create by spoken word, and the six day creation was literally human 24 hour days. Here's the evidence.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:5 (KJV)

The phrase "the evening and the morning were the first day" is repeated for each day replacing "first" with second, third, etc., including the sixth in the last verse of Genesis 1. The Hebrew word for day is yom (pronounced YOME), and means literal days from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next.

When Bible students encounter the word day with a cardinal or ordinal number, for example one or first, this is a literal day of 24 hours. Each day of creation in Genesis emphasizes this fact by including the phrase "the evening and the morning...", so there's no reason to imagine God created the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all things within them in any amount of time longer than six 24 hour days.

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Another article and Bible study of the book of Exodus continues with the journey of Israel into the wilderness after the parting of the Red Sea. Despite miracles shown to the people of Israel in Egypt, leaders Moses and Aaron are faced with stiffnecked people to the point of mutiny.

The lesson for Christians in the article Israel Murmuring Against Moses and Aaron is to recognize the tiny miracles and thank God for what you do have instead of worrying about what you lack.

Hebrew words including place names as used in Exodus that were not translated to English, are explained for clearer meaning of some verses. One in particular is interesting. Manna, food from heaven, literally means "What is that?".

Complaints to the point of mutiny are unnecessary for Christians. God will never leave you or forsake you. In times of trouble when all seems hopeless, He may be forming some aspect of your character in preparation for eternal life, yet He promises that there will always be a way out. Be patient and have faith by putting full trust in Jesus Christ.

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Here's a movie review for people looking for spiritual purpose. The made for television movie "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" was broadcast on ABC in 2004, and adapted from the book of the same title, a NY Times bestseller, written in 2003 by Mitch Albom. The movie stars Jon Voight as an 80 year old man who leads what he considers a simple life without significant purpose, dies, and then meets five people from his past in heaven.

He knew each of the 5 directly, or indirectly, and not realizing the impact of our actions on other people's lives was the big lesson. One point I liked said in effect "We are all connected and some people are simply strangers we have not met". This is an inspiring movie and fun look at one possibility of how people might spend some of their time in heaven.

The DVD is available without commercials, not rated, and the run time is approximately 1 hour and 33 minutes. Personally, I would suggest previewing the movie before showing to children. If rated in my home it may have been PG-13 due to some graphic violence. For teenagers and adults, this movie takes an imaginary view of heaven not referenced in the Bible, yet the fiction could easily be a realistic view of some aspects.

In heaven we will recognize people we knew. The joy and experience is beyond imagination. Five People You Meet in Heaven is a warm and inspiring story, and recommended to anyone who feels trapped or distracted by everyday problems. No doubt our lives affect those around us, and this movie shows how average people living average lives actually influence others, including strangers, in ways we don't realize.

I viewed this movie twice in one week, and intend to watch it at least once a year as a reminder of spiritual purpose and what's really important in life. Do you need another reason to be kind to strangers? Read Hebrews 13:2.

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