Words of the Bible

Let Us Offer Sacred Worship to God

Worship is indispensable for honoring and serving God. Through worship God’s people receive the forgiveness of all their sins and the blessing of holiness, so they can get closer to God. Some people think that worship is a time when they just go to church to listen to a sermon. However, worship is not a mere ceremony for listening to sermons from a fluent preacher, but it certainly has a spiritual meaning that we must realize. Every preacher just needs to perform the role of mediating between God and His people and conveying God’s will to them. Through the Bible, let’s review the importance and meaning of worship we offer to God. The meaning of worship contained in the Old…

Some people insist that there is no need to keep the laws such as the Sabbath and the Passover in New Testament times because they were abolished after Jesus. Are there any biblical grounds for their insistence?

When it comes to the Law, many people misunderstand that it only applies to the Israelites in Old Testament times. They say that there are no more laws to be observed in New Testament times when God's unconditional grace is given to all through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. However, it is different than what the Bible teaches. The law of Moses and the law of Christ There are two kinds of laws in the Bible: One is the law of Moses, which was given by God through Moses, and the other is the law of Christ—the law of the new covenant—which was established by Jesus. The law of Christ is the law made perfect by Jesus: In the New…

The Light of the Gospel and Lightning

『Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”』 Mt 13:34-35 Jesus explained the secret of the kingdom of heaven in parables for His loving children. It is because some are allowed to know the mystery of God and others are not. Let us study the relationship between lightning and the gospel among the figurative words of the Bible. 『“For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son…

Giving Love

Augustus, a short fairytale written by a German writer named Hermann Hesse, shows how the mind to receive love and the mind to give love influence our life. Born as a posthumous child, Augustus received love from everyone, growing up, as his mother expressed that wish to a mysterious old man. Since the boy only received love from others, he grew to be arrogant and heartless, committing all sorts of crimes; he even decided to give up on his life, getting bored of the love of other people and feeling life as uninteresting. At that moment, the old man appeared again to ask for his wish, and he wished to be able to love everyone else. The next day, he…

Why is there no cross in the Church of God?

I had a chat with my colleague today, but I couldn’t explain things properly. So I’m sad. What was it about? She goes to church, and so I told her cross-reverence is idolatry. Then she asked me how the cross can be an idol when it’s just a symbol of the church. I wanted to tell her in detail but I couldn’t remember any. Could you please tell me again why the cross is an idol? Sure. Shall we read the Ten Commandments first? “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them…

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Rules in Nature

At first thought, nature looks confusing and full of chaos. It is densely wooded, and numerous plants have rooted down in random places. There are inestimable species of insects we don’t know, and animals howling; the world is rowdy and replete with peculiar things that are hard to describe. People usually say what is not artificial is natural. Unbeknownst to anyone, people regard nature as coincidental, where rules and forms are unsearchable. However, nature has ideal patterns from the smallest atoms, crystals, plants, animals, human bodies, weather, and even to the biggest cluster of galaxy. Though you name anything in nature, it forms a small pattern and the pattern forms a part of another bigger pattern. Among the phenomenal and…

No Destructive Plague Will Touch You

“O God, please deliver us from our suffering!” When the Israelites were living miserable lives with hard labor under oppression as slaves in Egypt, they cried out to God every day. Then God sent them a prophet named Moses to set them free from slavery. Moses conveyed God’s command, “Let My people go,” to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, but Pharaoh did not listen. From then on, unprecedented dreadful plagues poured down upon Egypt. Water was changed into blood; frogs, gnats and flies covered the entire land; a terrible plague killed livestock; festering boils broke out on men and animals; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth; locusts covered the face of the ground and devoured everything growing in…

The Power to Begin

In the suburbs of Paris, the Duke of Des Esseintes reads a book by English novelist Charles Dickens and becomes fascinated with London. Inspired, he decides to embark on his very first journey. Excited, he dresses carefully, packs his bags, heads into the city, buys a London guidebook, and even enjoys a meal at an English-style restaurant to heighten the feeling of travel. However, after finishing his meal, hesitation overwhelms him. He begins to worry about the fatigue of traveling, the discomfort of unfamiliar beds, and the cold that might seep into his frail body. All the difficulties he might face on the road suddenly feel burdensome. “Why go through all that,” he thinks, “when I can enjoy a wonderful…

Glaciers: Frozen Archives of History

In 2017, a couple dressed in World War II–era clothing was found in a crevice of the Les Diablerets glacier in southwestern Switzerland. Their daughter, who had spent her life searching for them, was finally able to hold a funeral for her parents, whose bodies had been perfectly preserved in the ice. The following year, in 2018, a global heatwave caused even the Alpine glaciers to melt, revealing the wreckage of a U.S. Dakota military aircraft that had been hidden for more than half a century. Glaciers preserve the past exactly as it was, even decades ago, and act like a time capsule that can take us back thousands or even tens of thousands of years. From Snowflakes to Frozen…

The Purifying Power of Nature: The Mystery of Self-Cleansing Ecosystems

Nanji Island in Seoul, Korea, was once a picturesque landscape where clear streams wound past willows, orchids, and thick reed beds. But in the late 1970s, as industrialization accelerated, Seoul Metropolitan Government designated the island as a landfill site. For more than a decade, over 9,000 metric tons of waste accumulated there, turning the once-beautiful island into a mountain of garbage. The local ecosystem collapsed. Foul odors and harmful dust polluted the air. In 1993, the city finally stopped landfill operations and launched a large-scale restoration project. It was no quick fix—handling toxic gases, treating leachate from the waste mounds, and stabilizing the land enough to create an ecological park took nearly ten years. Cleaning up a polluted environment is…

Star Cluster: The Community of Stars

In 1609, an astronomer made the groundbreaking discovery that the Milky Way was not a cloudy band of light but a collection of countless stars. That astronomer—who would later shape the foundations of modern physics and astronomy—was Galileo Galilei. Using telescopes he crafted and refined himself, he observed that the Milky Way is actually the side view of our galaxy as seen from Earth. A portion of the Milky Way, our galaxy Credit: ESO/Jose Francisco Salgado (josefrancisco.org) More than 400 years have passed since then. Today, with advancements in astrophysics and the discovery of innumerable celestial bodies, humanity is able to look far beyond the solar system into a universe that is vast, dynamic, and seemingly infinite. Our Address in…

Ruminating: The Value of Slowness and Repetition

In the late afternoon, as the sun begins to dip below the horizon, steam rises gently from a large iron cauldron. Inside, a hearty mix of rice bran, dried straw, bean pods, and oilseed cake simmers together. Once the mixture is boiled, a heavy lid is placed on top, allowing the content to steep. A faint aroma drifts through the air, while the hungry lowing of cattle echoes from a distance. When a scoop of feed is poured into the trough, a cow—blinking its large, gentle eyes—gladly stretches out its tongue to savor the meal. After a long day of slow, steady work in the fields, the cow eats heartily, settles into the barn, closes its eyes, and begins to…

A Feather—Light Yet Never Light

Pillows, fishing rods, hats, fountain pens, arrows, golf balls—what do these items have in common? They all make use of one remarkable material. In the early 20th century, this material was so valuable that it rivaled diamonds, and even today, entire industries depend on it. What is it? Feathers. Found everywhere birds fly, feathers have fascinated people for centuries with their beauty, structure, and astonishing functions. Yet their true brilliance is revealed most fully in nature. Let’s explore the extraordinary world of feathers. A Kaleidoscope of Plumage Birds display an astonishing variety of appearances—from the modest gray pigeon to the elegant white swan to the dazzling peacock. Even the tiny hummingbird, only six centimeters long, glows with iridescent colors unique…

From Stench to Fragrance

In Grasse, a small town in southeastern France with a population of about 50,000, spring brings a breathtaking festival of flowers. Roses, jasmine, lavender, iris, tuberose, and mimosa burst into bloom, filling the entire town with a rich, sweet scent. Thanks to abundant sunshine, gentle breezes, and clean, plentiful water, the flowers of Grasse are so fragrant that they are used as raw materials for perfumes produced by world-famous brands. Today, more than a million travelers visit Grasse every year, but until the 16th century, the town was anything but fragrant. It was known for producing leather goods such as gloves, vests, and boots. The constant slaughtering of animals and processing of hides filled the air with a pungent stench…

The Dream of All Mankind: Exploring the Universe

Ancient humanity, regardless of language, culture, or where they lived on the earth, was fascinated by the night sky. Powerful beliefs were attached to the heavenly bodies, placing them in the realm of the supernatural. Around the world, the sun, moon, planets, stars, and constellations were carefully observed. Often, these celestial bodies were believed to be gods or to be guided by gods. The Mayans were so precise in their observations that their 260-day and 365-day calendar cycles match the tropical solar year with an error of only about 19 minutes. Across civilizations, dwellings, pyramids, temples, and entire cities were aligned with the stars. Despite the importance placed on the visible lights in the sky, ancient peoples had no understanding…

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Foot: Masterpiece of Ergonomics

The star of the 1960 Rome Olympics was Abebe Bikila, the marathon runner from Ethiopia. He became the first black athlete from Africa to win a gold medal, setting a new world record in the process. Most notably, he accomplished it all barefoot. Bikila had entered the race at the last minute, replacing an injured teammate, and did not have time to be fitted for proper running shoes. Choosing to run without uncomfortable, ill-fitting footwear, he made history as the legendary “barefoot runner.” But how could he endure a marathon on rough asphalt and cobblestone roads without shoes, padding, or support? Foot: Silent, Sophisticated Structures Often hidden beneath socks and shoes, our feet may not receive much attention—but structurally, they…

We Should Endure Present Sufferings

We often describe someone as “smart” when they have a high IQ (Intelligence Quotient), and someone who is empathetic and flexible as having a high EQ (Emotional Quotient). These two measures of cognitive and emotional ability are widely known. But as modern society grows increasingly complex, the qualities needed to navigate life successfully have diversified. As a result, new terms have come into use, such as MQ (Moral Quotient), CQ (Creativity Quotient), DQ (Digital Quotient), and PQ (Passion Quotient). Among them, one concept has recently gained attention as an essential trait for 21st-century leaders: AQ, or the Adversity Quotient. Coined in 1997 by American communication theorist Paul Stoltz, AQ refers to the ability to persist through difficulties, push forward without…

Manna—the Miraculous Bread, and the Passover

When we study the Bible, we can find three miraculous breads in it. The first is manna, the mysterious bread, which God provided for the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. The second is the miraculous bread Jesus provided; He fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. The third is the bread of the Passover which Jesus referred to as His flesh. Manna fell from heaven each day for millions of people to eat during their 40-year wilderness journey. This was not a common occurrence. In that sense, manna is certainly a miraculous bread. The multiplication of the five loaves of bread and two fish is also a miracle performed by Jesus Himself. However, Christ…

I’ve learned that God is described as “Elohim,” a plural noun, in the original text of the Hebrew Bible. Then, does it mean that there is not only one God?

Just as you said, God is described as Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) in many places in the Hebrew Bible. It is common knowledge that God is one, but the term "Elohim" completely defies this common sense, because Elohim has a plural meaning. Some people insist that the word "Elohim" is used in the Bible to express the fullness of God's divinity and power or to depict the Triune God, but it is a mere guess that comes from a misunderstanding of the Bible. Now, let's find out what the exact meaning of the word "Elohim" is and why the Bible describes God as "Elohim." "Elohim," the mystery of the Bible The term "Elohim" has caused a lot of controversy among the Biblicists…

The Order of Aaron and the Order of Melchizedek

In the Bible there are two divisions [orders] of priesthood: the order of Aaron and the order of Melchizedek. 1. The order of Aaron The order of Aaron is a priestly division in which the priests conducted sacrifices according to the laws and regulations of the old covenant. Aaron was a Levite, so the order of Aaron is also called the Levitical priesthood [the order of Levites]. Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of 12 sons including Levi, who was the third son of Jacob and his wife Leah. Jacob and his family moved to Egypt when his son Joseph became a ruler of Egypt, and they left Egypt after 430 years.…