In Judges 11: 29-40 we read how Jephthah gave his daughter as a burnt offering to the Lord. Did he really? If so, why would God allow that, since He abhored the sacrifice of children? Or is it just that this man took his oath to the Lord literally, and he sacrificed her, and God just didn’t say anything about it? This really bothers me, and I hope you can answer this….no one else can.

I’m just wondering how a person can get through life as a Christian with little to nothing and be ok watching other Christians get dumped with blessings. Bear with me; I’m still a baby Christian. I’m just having a hard time dealing with illness and poverty, unemployment, troubles marriage etc, but I look around me and see so many of my Christian friends so fulfilled… good jobs, stable income, loving homes.. It makes me wonder what I am doing wrong.. I won’t lie either.. It also upsets me that I have to wait until Heaven, yet other people are so blessed in this life and will continue to be blessed in the next. Am I not seeing these blessings? Am I not even being blessed? Is it because my spouse is not a believer?

I was pondering the destruction of Sodom, and Abraham’s inquiries as to how many righteous souls would it take spare the city. The Lord said He would spare it if at least ten could be found. Is there some comparison between the fact there was only Lot and his family, and the number of true Christians alive at the time of the Rapture, or am I reading something into the account?

First I want to say thank you so much for your ministry. I have learned a great deal from you over the years. My question relates to Ezekiel 38 and Ethiopia. I have watched for many years as the pieces for Ezekiel 38 have fallen into place, the most recent of which has been Turkey. One thing I don’t get is why Ethiopia? From what I can tell, Ethiopia still has a Christian majority with only 1/3 of the population Muslim. What would Ethiopia have to gain by partaking in this alliance?

Is there any way to know for certain whether Jesus and His disciples drank wine or juice at the institution of the Lord’s supper?

I want to thank you for your insightful weekly studies and the Q&A’s you publish in Grace Thru Faith. I look forward to your web page each day. I read an article about the anti-Christ and the mark of the beast, where the author was saying that the anti-Christ is going to demand everyone to take his mark and worship him or “be killed (beheaded).” When I read this, it suddenly occurred to me that beheading is preference of the violent muslims. Could this mean that the anti-Christ will be a Muslim? and his followers/enforcers the violent Muslims?

Thank you for your site and countless time’s you have helped me. My question is I was talking with an inmate at the local prison and he does not believe that Jesus had any brothers or sisters I told him about the time he was in the house and some one called out and said Jesus your mother and brothers are here. But the man I’m talking with said no it has a totally different meaning that I could not understand from him. Is there some thing that will be clear and simple for him?

Recently Prime Minister Netanyahu’s son won a Bible knowledge contest, and now I read that Mr. Netanyahu says he studies the bible on Saturdays (the Sabbath) for 90 minutes with his son. Are we likely speaking of the Jewish Bible? Would there be any reason he would be studying what we Christians call the Bible?

My son is a pastor and is fighting the contemporary vs. traditional church music controversy. I’m sure you’ve fought this one or at least may have written some pieces on it. Will you help me to help him?

I’ve always dreamed of being able to ask a bible scholar certain questions. What a blessing your website is! Six members of my extended family, including myself, have heard knocking at the door when nobody is there. I can’t help but get excited when another family member hears the knocks. I truly feel that it is from the Lord, but not at all sure what it might mean. Have you had any other believers tell you of this happening to them, and do you have any insight on what could mean?