The next Bible lesson from Leviticus was released today entitled Feasts of the Lord for Christians. Here is an excerpt from the article with passover and easter compared:

The word in Greek translated to "Easter" in the New Testament is pascha (PAS-khah), and occurs only once in Acts chapter 12. The person being put in prison in that verse is Peter, the Apostle.

Pascha in Greek originated from pesach (PEH-sakh) in Chaldee, one of the original languages of the Old Testament manuscripts which were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Chaldee. Passover appears in the Old Testament 45 times and the meaning is literally the "passover feast" in each. Of 27 instances of pascha in the New Testament, it is always translated passover except the one tranlation as Easter in Acts 12:4.

The 45 translations of pesach in the Old Testament, and 26 of 27 instances of pascha in the New Testament, with the one exception being "Easter" in Acts 12:4, is an example of KJV mistranslations covered in this new article.

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The next Bible study from Leviticus entitled Bible on Spirituality and the Occult takes a close look at Bible verses that warn about mediums who purposefully attempt to communicate with the dead. Here is an excerpt from the full article that provides insight into what is really happening with those who pursue the occult.

Occult experiences are more often dealing with purposeful communication with the dead, and there is no shortage of talk shows that feature spiritual experts willing to demonstrate their psychic abilities. In truth, the Bible is very specific that we cannot speak with loved ones that have passed away, yet evil spirits can impersonate any voice, and will communicate to those open to their deception.

Supernatural evil spirits that are 1000's of years old have witnessed every moment in the life of that loved one they impersonate, so the accuracy of statements and the deception is very persuasive.

The Bible study also reveals Satan's purpose to deceive, divide, and destroy. Two verses from Proverbs conclude the article with advice for action to take when facing evil.

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The next Bible study from Leviticus entitled Understanding the Bible Meaning of Scapegoat was just released, and the translation of Hebrew words clarifies the definition of scapegoat. Repentence means that God forgives and forgets sin, and Christians can enjoy peace and joy knowing when they repent they should not feel guilt or dwell on past transgressions.

The article concludes making points about Judgment Day, and why true Christians should anticipate that day with joy, not fear of condemnation. Repent and God will forget your sins forever never to be mentioned again. Do the same for yourself and fellow mankind. Forgive and forget and then enjoy the inner peace and confidence of salvation and eternal life.

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The two latest Bible studies from Leviticus cover additional laws and ordinances given by God to Moses, and another is about the second irruption of fallen angels to explain their role in the laws of Leviticus prior to crossing into the Promised Land.

The first Bible study from Leviticus entitled Bible Laws for Food and Health released earlier today covers chapter 11. One point made in this new article reviews food items found on some restaurant menus that include various creatures called abominations in the Bible.

The article includes translations of "neighbor" from Hebrew in the Old Testament and Greek in the New Testament with a slight twist comparing the meaning in English.

The second article is about the Nephilim or Fallen Angels in Leviticus. Here's an excerpt with a hint at future lessons which explains why expulsion or extermination of the occupants of the Promised Land was just as ordered by God to Moses.

In future studies we will cover lands conquered where the Hebrews were to destroy all property and exterminate every living being, human and animal. In others, they spoil the cities of goods and domestic livestock and kill all males or all adult males. To the casual Bible student the brutal treatment of men, women, and children may seem shocking. Knowing the inhabitants of the Promised Land were intermingled offspring of fallen angels helps explain the form of divine justice being meted out.

The half human half supernatural descendants are gone. The article mentions the last descendant of the fallen angels, Og the King of Bashan, and quotes Scripture as evidence of where fallen angels are located today.

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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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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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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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The next Bible study article covering Exodus was released entitled Exodus and Parting of the Red Sea, and documents the first week of Exodus day by day from the departure, journey, and the freedom of Israel from bondage in Egypt with the parting of the Red Sea.

As a young man I waterskied and swam in the Red Sea on the western coast of what is now Eritrea. A group of us snorkled from shore to an island 3 miles out, also, and although this site is 100's of miles south of the place where the children of Israel passed over on dry land, the experience helps put the miracle in perspective.

The entire first week of Exodus article is here, and concludes with an analogy comparing crossing the Red Sea and Christian baptism.

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A new article on the main site of Ultimate Riddles explores Bible references to Jesus in Genesis, beginning with the very first verse of the Bible in Genesis 1:1. From personal experience hearing comments from others, some Christians focus less on the Old Testament or entirely in the New Testament because it documents the birth and life of Jesus in human form. Here's an excerpt:

God spoke and things were created. There was no action or work that compares to our human creativity which we physically work and struggle over. "And God said..." means by spoken word alone He created everything in the heavens, the earth, and the sea. Continue to the New Testament for evidence that this reference to God refers to Jesus Christ, also called the Word.

Read the full article Finding Jesus in the Old Testament here, with Scripture verses about creation, and learn why these references to God in the Old Testament literally refer to Jesus Christ.

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The next Bible study article covering Exodus was released entitled Tenth Devastating Plague in Egypt here, and discusses the pass over or death of all firstborn in Egypt. In addition, it compares Passover and Easter with the following excerpt about Easter:

The Greek word translated to Easter is pascha (PAS-khah) which is of Chaldee origin, and it means "passover" to include the meal, day, and festival. In the original Greek manuscripts of the New Testament the word "pascha" occurs in 27 verses 29 times. In each instance it is translated to English as "passover" except for the single occurence of "Easter" in Acts 12:4.

The earliest Christians only had the original manuscripts in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Chaldee for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament. Easter was introduced in the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible long before the first English translation or later King James Authorized Version (KJV) in 1611.

Easter was a pagan holiday introduced in part to the church to attract unbelievers to Christianity, and it became tradition. The King James authors used the Latin Vulgate which is how the word pascha was mistranslated as Easter in Acts 12:4. By knowing the difference now, it makes sense for Christians to celebrate Passover, yet keep in mind that our true Passover sacrifice is now Christ. Be wary of the traditions of mankind, and keep in His Word to understand that some Old Testament traditions were nailed to the cross, and today communion is the Passover celebration for Christians.

Bible translations in English contain errors, yet by going back to the original manuscript languages Bible students gain clearer understanding of truth in God's Holy Word. Read the full Bible study article on Passover and Easter here.

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The next Bible study from Exodus was released earlier. Read the full article First Nine of Ten Plagues in Egypt on the main site.

This study provides lessons from Exodus for Christians today, and reviews the actions of Aaron and Moses in 1491 B.C. when demanding that the Pharaoh of Egypt "let my people go" from bondage. The first 9 plagues are explained from a historical perspective with insights as to their structure and significance.

The origin and meaning of certain Hebrew words and phrases translated to English is presented, as well. As one example, the recurring concept in Exodus that God "hardened" Pharaoh's heart comes from three different words in Hebrew, each with slightly different yet similar meanings.

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As one of the greatest prophets in Bible history, the life of Moses from birth to age 80 is short on details. Two thirds of the life of Moses is all captured in Exodus chapter 2, and this is before he became a prophet and servant of God. As the author of the first 5 books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, it's amazing when you learn about Moses and realize his close relationship to God began at such a late point in his life.

More details were just released on the main site in a new article, so read about the Life of Moses from Birth to Age 80 here.

Taken from Exodus 2 and 3, phrases in English taken back to the original languages of the manuscripts include explanations of Hebrew for "I AM WHAT I AM", and an interesting study of the word "of" in reference to the "angel of the LORD".

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Another article on the main site was just released entitled Fifteen Bible Verses for Understanding Christ, and is intended for persons who have doubts about Christ as the Messiah, or who want to share their Christian faith with non-believers.

The article has headings followed by Scripture covering His purpose, sin and salvation, Jesus as God, Christ's return and judgment, and eternal destiny. After reading the article I invite readers to share this by bookmarking the page or emailing the link to people who may not understand the divine nature and purpose of Jesus Christ.

The sense of peace and joy knowing the truth as revealed in the Bible is something that God wants us all to learn.

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The next Bible study and first article covering the book of Exodus was just published, so follow this link to read the article Patriarch Deaths and Israel in Bondage on the main site.

Besides details and historical dates, the article documents the growth of the family of Jacob from 70 persons entering Egypt as honored guests, and eventually slavery, to nearly 2 million when they left.

The sons of Jacob, who was renamed Israel by God, were the 12 patriarchs and all died in Egypt.

The article concludes with a comment stating "Covenants made and broken by ancient people in relationship to God are a common theme throughout the Old Testament", and helps put the New Testament into perspective.

It's interesting to note that the word "testament" was a poor translation to English in 1611 by the KJV team and was taken from a Latin root. More accurate titles of the two major divisions of the Christian Bible would be Old Covenant and New Covenant.

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A new article on the main site of Ultimate Riddles provides details of the faith unto death of the early Christian church leaders. A list is presented of 15 apostles and disciples of Christ who held their faith to the ultimate sacrifice as martyrs. The list begins with this opening introduction.

From historical records, here's how the Christian apostles and other disciples died. Each person is listed in alphabetical order with the method of execution, plus the date of their death and place, if known.

Additional information about Paul the apostle is given. He was known as Saul before conversion to Christianity, and by his own admission a zealous prosecutor of the early Christian church. Paul happens to be one of my favorite teachers in the New Testament, and anywhere you view the words secret or mystery in his writings, new revelations hidden from the foundation of the world usually follow.

Persons of faith may be shocked that all but one of the 12 apostles was executed for their belief in Christ. The level of persecution faced by most Christians today is not as extreme as in the article about the deaths of the early apostles and disciples of Christ. Please share your faith and witness to those you meet every day, and let them know about the peace and joy that you have found knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

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A new article on the main site of Ultimate Riddles explains your Spiritual Life History in the Three Earth Ages. The article provides an outline of eons of history taken from a Bible study perspective for a snapshot of your past, present, and future.

The Ultimate Riddles website is one person's spiritual journey of Bible study for others to follow as they draw their own conclusions. Is Hell a physical place where sinners are tormented eternally? I don't believe it as shown in event 16.a of the article outline. This, and other answers, will take years to document, so be patient.

Famous theologians disagree on the definition of some truths such as "Where are the dead?" as just one example.

As it is written, the spirit of those humans who have died, and those presently alive who die before the millenium, instantly returns to heaven as stated in Ecclesiastes 12:7 referring to death.

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7 (KJV)

Heaven is divided by a space separating those saved from those who did not believe that it was necessary to establish a personal relationship with God. For the living, our purpose is having that relationship while we continue to grow spiritually through Bible study and understanding God's expectations.

This latest article about spiritual existence in the three earth ages provides a simple outline of eternal history for Christian believers and those interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and spirituality.

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The next article from our Bible study of the book of Genesis was released earlier, and explores the relationships from Abraham to the 12 patriarchs including the 14 generations from Abraham to King David. Intermarriage between the families of brothers Abraham, Nahor, and Haran is examined including the significance in future Bible history.

One aspect of this study is family bitterness over the second born sons of Abraham and Isaac having preeminence over their older siblings, Ishmael and Esau, and the impact to look for in later studies of the Old Testament.

Finally, the 12 patriarchal male children of Jacob by his two wives and their two handmaids is documented showing the 12 names, plus one sister, by birth mother. To help put this period of ancient Bible history in perspective, mention of the paternal line of Moses as descended from Jacob is included, also.

This completes the first pass through Genesis in my personal spiritual journey, and we will begin exploring Exodus next. Readers are encouraged to read Genesis and the entire Bible from cover to cover, and then form their spiritual and personal theology as the Holy Spirit guides them.

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More than 10 divine names for God are used in the Old Testament, yet most are translated as God, Almighty, or Lord. For the benefit of my readers, a new article was added to the main site earlier, and lists the divine names for God in Hebrew with a guide to pronounce each, plus English definitions.

You may read the full article about the Divine Names for God in Hebrew on the Ultimate Riddles main site.

In addition to the list, some free electronic Bibles and study resources are referenced with advice for taking English translations of the Bible back to the original languages of Hebrew in the Old Testament, and Greek in the New Testament.

Finally, some students may be overwhelmed by differing opinions and the traditions of man relating to divine names. Speaking of Jesus, some people will say that Yeshuah, Jesus in Hebrew, is the only appropriate pronunciation of the Lord's name regardless of your native language. Others think it's wrong to speak the sacred name Jehovah out loud. Read the article. You decide.

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