Words of the Bible

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…

August Kruesi (Aerospace Engineer)

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.…

Why does the Church of God keep services on Saturday?

Sister, God bless you on the Sabbath day! You’ve come early. We still have much time before the service. I heard I’d better come earlier than the service time to keep it with a godly mind. I’m a sleepyhead, so getting up this morning was a struggle for me. I’m happy to see you make efforts to do as you’ve learned! But you know what? Some people say it’s weird when I tell them I go to church on Saturday. Tilting their heads, they ask me, “Isn’t Sunday the day of worship?” They did? Yes. So, I’m asking you, “Why does our church keep services on Saturday unlike other churches?” The day we’re promised to meet God is the Sabbath…

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Rescue Instinct

A truck caught on fire in a tunnel. The driver made a quick move to put out the fire with the fire extinguisher that he had in his truck, but it wasn’t strong enough. Right then, three people in suits came out of a car that was passing by, evacuated the driver, pulled a fire hose that was installed in the tunnel, and started putting out the fire. The fire was put out completely in thirty minutes by the efforts they made, confronting the red flames and fog that filled the tunnel and by the help from the fire truck that got called and came. These people, who prevented the accident from getting worse by taking a quick action, were…

The Most Accurate Clock in the World

In order to make the best perfume, people pick roses from midnight to two o’clock in the morning before the morning dew dries up; because roses have the best fragrance at dawn when is dark and cold. Then why are roses more fragrant at dawn? How do they know what time it is and emit fragrance? It is not only roses that do so. Around noon every day, your stomach growls as if it knew what time it is. You have lunch, come back, and start working again. But then around 3 in the afternoon, you feel drowsy as if it was already planned to. When the sun rises, you wake up, and when the night comes, you feel sleepy.…

This Man, Too, Is a Son of Abraham

In the town of Jericho, there was a large clamoring crowd who poured out onto the street after hearing that Jesus was passing by, and among the crowd was hidden a very short man, who was a chief tax collector named Zacchaeus. With a strong desire to see Jesus at least once, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, Zacchaeus got a look at Jesus from the tree and his heart was overflowed with emotion. Then he was surprised because Jesus stopped beneath the sycamore-fig tree and looked up at him. Jesus said to him: “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So Zacchaeus…

More Beautiful Together: The Forest

A canopy of branches shades the forest, where the breeze carries refreshing energy and the soft rustle of wildlife gently stirs the quiet. This calm, green world often becomes a canvas for vivid imagination. It is no surprise that so many fairy tales—Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood—begin their stories in the woods. Yet even without imagination, the forest holds countless fascinating tales of its own. Every plant and animal depends on one another, each life woven with unique meaning. Among them, the trees—unquestioned pillars of the ecosystem—tell stories we can never overlook. The Harmony of Trees in the Forest It takes hundreds of years for a dense, natural forest to form. Seeds carried by the wind…

Repent and Return to God

As we walk the path of faith, we always hear God’s teaching on repentance. If we do not understand the true meaning of repentance, we will easily fall into the trap of thinking: “I have nothing to repent of. What shall I repent for?” Remembering the love of our Heavenly Father and Mother, who sacrificed Themselves to open the way to the forgiveness of sins for Their children, let us see what the Bible teaches about repentance, which God’s people must practice until the day they go to heaven. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” The Bible describes repentance as the act of confessing our genuine regret over all our past sins and turning back to God.…

What is the reason why every church erects the cross?

There was no cross in the early Church The reason why the churches today set up the cross is because they regard it as the symbol of Christ. Even those who do not believe in God take it for granted. However, the cross can never be a symbol of Christ. The cross, which was an object of shame and the"accursed tree" to the apostles in the early Church (Gal 3:13), was introduced into the church as Christianity became paganized. The leaders of the Church of Rome accepted pagan ideas and symbols under the pretext of evangelizing pagans, and one of them was the cross. Paying attention to the fact that Jesus was crucified on the cross, the Church of Rome…

The Heavenly Wedding Banquet

The Bible tells us that everything on this earth is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven (Heb 8:5). As we have a physical body, so we also have a spiritual body—a newly reborn body—which we, God’s children, will be clothed with when we go back to heaven. As we have our physical father and mother, so we have our spiritual Father and Mother who give birth to us and will change our physical body into a spiritual, heavenly body. We can find this fact in God’s providence over the creation. Eternal life given in accordance with nature Our ancestors would say that it’s natural that people should realize the will of Heaven and follow it, and that…

The Sacrifices in the Old Testament

The sacrifice ceremonies, which were conducted in the sanctuary in the Old Testament times, were so difficult and complicated that nobody really knew them in detail except the priests who took charge of them. Not only that, but since the types, ways and names of the sacrifices were similar or overlapped, it was not easy to tell the difference. Since it is hard to accurately classify or explain the sacrifice ceremonies of the Old Testament, let us take a look at some sacrifice ceremonies which appear several times in the Bible or can help our life of faith. 1. Sort by the purpose of sacrifice: sin offering, guilt offering, fellowship offering 1) Sin offering It was a sacrifice offered to…

Everyone’s Hope

When a human foot finally touched the gray, shadowed surface of the Moon, people watching on television erupted in cheers. It was July 20, 1969—the historic day when Apollo 11 became the first spacecraft to land on a celestial body beyond Earth’s atmosphere. NASA’s ambitious Apollo Program, designed to send humans to the Moon and bring them back safely, had succeeded spectacularly. The achievement required more than 25 billion dollars and the combined knowledge and skill of some 400,000 scientists and engineers. The astronauts’ space suits also drew great attention. Designed not only to ensure the astronauts’ survival and safety but also to allow them to move comfortably on the Moon, the suits embodied the very peak of twentieth-century science…