V. 1. Homilies 1-17.- v. 2. Homilies 18-45.

A renowned diviner. An approaching and victorious army. A divine encounter. A talking donkey. And the message of Yahweh reigning as King. Balaam is well known as the primary example of a false prophet in the New Testament. But he wasn't a false prophet in the way that many of us would define them today. His story remains shocking and often misunderstood. While many remember the story of the talking donkey from the book of Numbers, few remember Balaam's incredible insights and battle of wills with Yahweh the Creator of the Universe. Balaam's God reveals the depths of Balaam's powers, the source of his accurate insight, and the weaknesses that led him astray. Balaam's reputation within the New Testament is as one of the worst false prophets in all of history. Yet his history outside of the New Testament is as one of the greatest diviners in all of antiquity. Balaam is a mysterious figure, yet the biblical text and context reveal the nature of his gifts and powers as well as the nature of his character. And there are important connections between Balaam and both the true and false prophets of today. Balaam's story doesn't end after his last oracle in the book of Numbers. It continues into the book of Revelation and even into our current day. In these pages you will discover the secrets to Balaam's communication with God, how God turned wrong divination into pure prophecy, and how to turn from Balaam's ways to a true mouthpiece of Yahweh.

This book is the fruit of the first ever interdisciplinary international scientific conference on Matthew's story of the Star of Bethlehem and the Magi, held in 2014 at the University of Groningen, and attended by world-leading specialists in all relevant fields: modern astronomy, the ancient near-eastern and Greco-Roman worlds, the history of science, and religion. The scholarly discussions and the exchange of the interdisciplinary views proved to be immensely fruitful and resulted in the present book. Its twenty chapters describe the various aspects of The Star: the history of its interpretation, ancient near-eastern astronomy and astrology and the Magi, astrology in the Greco-Roman and the Jewish worlds, and the early Christian world – at a generally accessible level. An epilogue summarizes the fact-fiction balance of the most famous star which has ever shone.

The Bait of Satan exposes one of the most deceptive snares Satan uses to get believers out of the will of God--offense.

This volume deals with the pagan prophet Balaam who figures in the book of Numbers. By the very nature of his stature as a non-Israelite, pagan prophet, the figure of Balaam raises important questions with regard to the nature of prophecy and the relation between the Israelite God and the pagan nations. The conflicting stories and potent oracles of Balaam in Numbers 22-24 and other parts of the Jewish Scriptures prompted extensive reflection on this ambiguous figure. Thus the leading perspective developed in this volume is the often simultaneous praise and criticism of Balaam as a prestigious pagan prophet throughout ancient Judaism, early Christianity and the early Koranic commentaries. The papers are clustered in four sections which deal with (1) Balaam in the Old Testament and the Ancient Near East, and comparable figures in Ancient Greece; (2) Balaam in Ancient Judaism; (3) Balaam in the New Testament & Early Christianity; and (4) Balaam in the Koran and early Koranic commentaries. The reception of this enigmatic figure can be characterized as the simultaneous praise and criticism of a pagan prophet. The book is particularly useful as it also contains Émile Puech’s newly reconstructed text, translation and commentary of the first combination of the Deir ‘Alla inscriptions which contain an excerpt of the book of the historical Balaam. Combined with the other papers, the volume pictures a fascinating continuum between paganism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God’s Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) “Gospel Glimpses” highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) “Whole-Bible Connections” show how any given passage connects to the Bible’s overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) “Theological Soundings” identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God’s grace on every page of the Bible. The books of Jonah, Micah, and Nahum announce the judgment of God through his prophets—flawed messengers who nevertheless served as vehicles for God’s compassion, calling their hearers to repent of their evil, turn from their false gods, and worship the one true God. Over the course of 12 weeks, this study helps readers see the steadfast love, mercy, and patience of the Lord, the deliverer and protector who offers forgiveness to all who turn from their sin and trust in him. Part of the Knowing the Bible series.

A collection of essays by scholars in the field of biblical studies. Explores the prophetic voices of the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament Apocrypha, and the Greek New Testament.

With a new foreword by David E. Aune, this modern classic by Colin J. Hemer explores the seven letters in the book of Revelation against the historical background of the churches to which they were addressed. Based on literary, epigraphical, and archaeological sources and informed by Hemer's firsthand knowledge of the biblical sites, this superb study presents in the clearest way possible a picture of the New Testament world in the later part of the first century and its significance for broader questions of church history.