Hildert Bronkhorst 
The longest Bible book after the Psalms bears the name of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a prophet who lived in the last days of the Two Tribes Kingdom. Despite the threat from Babylon, Judah and Benjamin refused to repent and turn to the Lord. Therefore, the judgment of God could not fail to come. Jeremiah was … Lees meer
The second and third letter that bear John’s name are the shortest of the entire New Testament. They were written by “the elder”. Because of the writing style, the place in the canon, and the content, the apostle John is most likely the author of these letters. John calls himself an “elder”. In the young … Lees meer
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life…” (1 John 1:1). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The similarities … Lees meer
After Christianity, Islam is the most populous religion worldwide. Almost two billion people consider themselves Muslims. They live in large parts of Africa and Asia. Since 1900, there have been sizeable Muslim communities in the West as well. Many Christians come in contact with Muslims sooner or later. Therefore, it is a good question to … Lees meer
Zephaniah is counted among the twelve “minor prophets.” He may have been a son of the well-known King Hezekiah and delivered his prophecies during the reign of King Josiah of Judah (Zephaniah 1:1). Josiah was devoted to the Lord, the God of Israel, and worked to reform the nation and guide its people back to … Lees meer
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). With these words, the letter to the Hebrews opens. Without greeting any individual or local church, the author immediately starts his argument which resembles … Lees meer
The letter to Philemon is Paul’s shortest letter, but nevertheless has rich content. Philemon was a wealthy man from Colossae. As was customary at that time, he owned slaves as well. Philemon had been converted by Paul’s preaching. One of his slaves, Onesimus, ran away and fled to Rome. Such an act was punishable by … Lees meer
Deuteronomy is an important book in the Bible. It is the final book of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and it lays the foundation for the following historical books in the Old Testament. Furthermore, Deuteronomy is often cited in the New Testament. The structure of Deuteronomy resembles ancient treaty documents from … Lees meer
The central theme of the letter to the Ephesians is Christ reconciling all creation to God and uniting people from all nations in His church. The letter consists of two main parts: an exposition of doctrine (chapter 1-3) and the consequent moral teaching (chapter 4-6). Greetings (1:1-2) The apostle Paul sends grace and peace from … Lees meer