Can you tell me any thing about the Salt covenant? Was there a reason for/ or a lesson in Lot’s wife being turned into a pillar of salt? I can’t find much about it that I understand. No one seems to know about it. Look forward to your articles on the Bible. I learn much from them.

Other than my wife, you have been my closest relative in the Lord. My question is regarding the Virgin Birth of Jesus our savior. My wife (a baby nurse practitioner) and I are trying to confirm that Jesus was placed in the womb of Mary. We believe that the entire person of Jesus (egg and sperm; i.e. zygote) was placed in her womb by the Holy Spirit (God). Luke 1:28-31 are the appropriate verses.

If God only put the sperm into her egg, the egg material would contain the sin from Mary. Jesus was without sin; so we think all the material that God provided was his, and Mary carried Jesus to birth. In other words, we think that Mary just carried the baby Jesus in her womb to term, but had no part in the Lord’s physiology.

In Mark 14:51 at the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane, there was a “certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body ,and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.” In all my years, I do not remember reading this portion before, nor hearing anyone address this…why is it there and what does it mean?

It seems that if Jesus were buried Thursday afternoon, he wouldn’t have been in the grave 3 full days and 3 full nights. For that to have happened, he would have had to been crucified on Wednesday. Any thoughts?

Can you tell me if Mary, the Mother of Jesus, finished her life as a virgin? I’ve heard both versions of this one. I assumed that after Jesus was born, then the sons and daughters that came after Jesus were both hers and Joseph’s. However I’ve also heard that the additional children were Joseph’s from a different marriage (maybe the woman passed away?) Do you know which is true, and also, does it even matter whether or not she was a virgin at the end?

I have been studying up on the fig tree parable. in Luke 21 and Matthew 24. Both passages mention the fig tree. Does the fig tree represent Israel or not? I’ve heard both ways and it sure makes more sense for the fig tree to represent Israel. Remember when Jesus put a curse on the fig tree that bore no fruit and the scripture that is mentioned in Jeremiah 24 about Israel as a fig tree? I’m so confused because isn’t Israel the tell-tale sign that we are the last generation? The generation that witnesses the budding of the fig tree will witness everything last thing? Can you explain this? Thank you!

I heard of a Vietnamese man who has been forced to recant his new found faith in Christ; he has signed a document saying he recants, but will also be required to sacrifice to his ancestors in order to publicly prove he has recanted. Matthew 10: 33 says that if we deny Christ before men he will deny us before the father. Would you please comment on this terrible situation, and also what relationship Matt 10:33 has to OSAS, in your opinion.

I have a question about Isaiah 56:1,2 and 58:13,14. What is profaning the Sabbath and how can we, as believers, apply these passages to our lives?

I just read an article in the Jerusalem Post that quotes a 13th century Rabbi saying that Esther’s son was named Darius.

I am not real familiar with the exact period of time that Ester lived and affected the life of the Persian King but I believe it was during the time of the Babylonian exile. Is it possible that this Darius is the same king that gave the order to rebuild the Temple?

I love your articles and find such encouragement here. I have a question about “storing up treasure”. I’ve asked so many different Christians about preparing for the hard times ahead and have received as many different answers. Most people think we are to be good stewards of our money and invest and save to take care of our families. Others think the Lord will take care of them completely. Some think a combination of the two. I personally, do not have time or brains to investigate different investments and watch them. I’d rather spend my time in the Bible, but I do want to do what the Lord said. Searching the scriptures, I don’t find store up in barns and banks, I can only find “take no thought for your life, what you will eat, drink, etc.” My husband is not a believer, so I can’t take the 401K out and give it away, but I’d like to. What should I do?