I’m confused about the Ark of the Covenant. I know that it was not among the things reported stolen by any of the conquerors of Jerusalem, and that it has been missing for 2.5 K years. But there is much speculation about its location, particularly for use in the Third Temple certain Israeli groups are preparing for.

John saw it in the Celestial Temple, but the Bible never mentions it again as being on earth, or anywhere else, for that matter. Because of its enormous importance for Temple worship, I find the absence of further reference to it interesting. It suggests to me that it will never be found. Can you shed any light on the subject?

I thank you for your website! “Ask-A-Bible-Teacher” is my homepage and I have learned much as of late. I do have one quick question:

All my life, I was taught to pray both God the Father and Jesus. I recently heard a Bible teacher on the radio (of whom I have great respect and admiration), say that are not to pray to Jesus. He said that when we pray, we pray to God, through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. I do agree w/ that. But is it wrong to pray to Jesus?

Does it say anywhere in the Bible if souls are created at conception or if there exists a finite number of souls that were created at the beginning of time?

I have a co-worker who is a Jehovah Witness. He states they believe that Jesus is the archangel Michael. He questioned that if Jesus was God, why did he pray to himself. And he also referenced that when the disciples asked when he would come again, he said only the Father knows the time and hour of his return. Could you help me in showing him, with scriptural evidence, that Jesus was God with us?

I just finished your Daniel audio study. I absolutely loved it!

I am very curious about how you came up with Petra, Jordan as the place fleeing Jews would run to (from Mathew 24:16) in the Great Tribulation. I understand why Jordan is the most likely country to choose (Because Jordan’s King Abdullah is the closest living relative to Mohammed). Is Petra the most likely city because of the old Roman Amphitheater? It there something else I am missing? It seemed like there was a cross-reference you mentioned with the Book of Revelation.

Also, wouldn’t the current Jordanians be less than in favor of Petra being invaded? What would have to happen to welcome the Jews?

I am interested in knowing where you stand. When the Protestant Church broke away from the Catholic church, they held onto some of their teachings. Like Jesus being crucified on Friday and rising Sunday morning. We know Jesus said He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. We know now that He was crucified on a Wed. and put in the grave just before sunset, because the High Sabbath began after sunset which was Thurs.

According to this record he rose on Saturday just before sunset, because it would have been the first of the week after sunset. So the Sabbath is really still the right day for the believers to worship our risen Saviour.

What happened to Jesus after he died? Because I remember he had told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise.

Most of the time I read your articles and agree with you, but I have to ask you about proverbs 23: 13. I believe children need correction, and sometimes a little reinforcement in the way of showing them who’s in charge. Why did you not include the very next verse in the article you wrote? Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Your article on the 144,000, or the 12 tribes of Israel, was insightful. You address the facts that Dan is not mentioned among the 12 tribes of Revelation and that Joseph was divided into two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, but only Joseph and Manasseh are mentioned in the passages. So far, so good. But, then, you conjecture that,

“So it makes sense to view the 144,000 of Rev. 7 just as they’re described…Messianic JEWS (my emphasis) called by the Lord to witness to the world after the church is gone.”

No, Jack, it does not make sense. The JEWS are from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and half of the Levites only. The JEWS stayed in and around Jerusalem (the Southern Kingdom – called JUDAH) after the tribes split under Rehoboam and then were conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians in 586 BC. The other 10 tribes, under Jeroboam, formed the Northern Kingdom (called ISRAEL) and was conquered and dispersed in 722 BC by the Assyrians. After 70 years of captivity, JUDAH (the Jews) were released under Cyrus and went back to Jerusalem. These are the Jews of today. The other ten tribes are still dispersed throughout the world and don’t know who they are.

So, while all JEWS are Hebrews, not all HEBREWS (12 tribes) are Jews. So, by saying that the 144,000 are all JEWS is ridiculous and shows a great lack of historical knowledge in the Bible.

I know I’ve emailed you about this before. Why don’t you take note? Don’t you believe me? I didn’t make up the history contained in the OT. Look it up for yourselves (2 Chronicles and 1 Kings are good places to start for the history of the 12 tribes).

As I understand, the sprinkling of blood around the temple altar by the old testament priests was a ceremonial preparation for the cleansing of the hearts of all people who would accept Jesus’ sacrifice (a future occurrence) ending the necessity for future sprinkling. (Heb 9:13 & 14).

Jesus did command us to”go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit”. May I please ask if the verses in the Old Testament (IE: Isaiah 52:15) mentioning “sprinkling of many nations has any direct relationship to his command to baptize. and is the temple sprinkling of blood and water baptism for the same purpose? Also is baptism by sprinkling an acceptable practice?