I have a question concerning Daniel 8:19-25. It speaks of Alexander the Greats’ horn being broken and four that stand up for it and four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation. These I understand as Ptolemy, Cassander, Seleucus, and Lysimachus. But in verse 23 it says “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.” It seems the “Latter time of their kingdom” would be the time period of the last days that we now live in, or pretty close to it. Do you think there could also be some kind of revival of these four kingdoms in the last days?

I know most everybody believes in a revived Roman Empire because of the the statue of the legs of iron, but I wonder if the ten toes has anything to do with a revived Roman Empire or maybe a revived Grecian Empire of sorts. Whoever the Abomination of desolation is I think he will come on the scene as fast and furious as Alexander did. What’s your take on all this?

My wife and I have been married for 24 years. As ‘fully committed’ Christians we both tried to maintain our walk with God and I’d often pray and ask God to help me ‘change into the ‘right’ sort of husband that my wife wanted. However we both have a ‘lot of baggage’, etc and basically have found living together quite difficult. Now my wife feels that I don’t love her and never did, which is incorrect as I do love her but just find her difficult to live with. She recently told me that I was now in ‘sin’ and out of God’s grace as I wasn’t ‘loving my wife as Christ loves the church”.

Technically she’s correct I guess but I did tell her that I’m just a ‘fallible man’ whereas Christ is perfect., but as she’s’ the one who’s pulling away from me I ‘hope’ that I’m still in God’s grace. I know that all of my sins have been paid for at the cross and God now sees me as ‘righteous’. I’d appreciate your thoughts on this.

I recently read Romans 9 NLT. The part I am struggling with is “Gods prerogative”. The explanation is given in Romans 9:21. However, a clay pot does not have a soul, feelings or emotion. It does not care what it is. There is a big difference. God can obviously do what He wants, but it seems that it would interfere with his “LOVE and GRACE for EVERYONE”.

If God selects the people He wants to accept Him and selects the people He wants to reject Him before they ever exist then the ones who reject HIM are sent to hell for eternity is definitely not fair. Then we are told how we dare argue with God to even ask such a question. If God wants his people to “CHOOSE” to Love Him, He cannot force them by election. Also, the whole concept of spreading the Gospel is pointless other than being obedient. I sometimes feel as though I am one of those people God chose to send to destruction.

So is salvation “possible” for everyone or only the “elect”?

I have a question concerning the seeker/friendly church. The church I attend is very seeker/friendly I think. For example their are no crosses put in the church or at least where they may be a “distraction” because “we want to be sensitive to new people who are coming in for the first time.” The open study of end times is considered a distraction from the mission of the church and is not considered a priority.

Also lately I have considered giving my tithe to another ministry, one where it is being used to truely push the Kingdom forward in serious ways. It seems that the churches tithes are going toward paying off a building that was filled with expensive stuff. What do you think?

I was having dinner with my (Christian) sister last night and started to tell her about something funny a pastor said, and she said that was wrong to say. She becomes smug about Christian beliefs. Her husband told her she was being self-righteous. She was saved before me so I get the impression that she thinks she’s a “better” Christian.

The same sister has another daughter who was married a year ago to a man with the last name of “Butts”. They are all Christians. She got together with them and had a picture taken with their backs to the camera, half bending over but looking at the camera. It says “Merry Christmas….from the Butts”. I think it’s cute but my sister thinks it’s unbiblical. She said the butt is a sexual part of the body and they should not have done that. She likened it to Sodom and Gomorrah. I think this is really stretching it and I don’t see anything wrong with the picture. What do you think?

In your Ask a Bible Teacher section, I came upon this question, Why Did God Judge Eve First? and have a question of my own.

In Genesis 3:6 – “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

Does “with her” mean at the time of her conversation with the serpent? If Adam was with her, had he not already sinned by allowing her to eat of the fruit?

The time of Jesus birth was at the Fall Feast of Tabernacles. ( He tabernacles with us, God with us, His name Emanuel, God with us) Not The Jewish new year. He was born in a booth that was commanded from God that the Jews do during the feast of booths. The table inside the booth that they put the holy bread on is called a manger. (Jesus, bread of life placed on a table, manger) Just wanted you to know so we can more accurately celebrate our Wonderful Lord!

I really enjoy your site. I have 2 questions. First, why did Jesus descend into hell before his resurrection? Second, in a National Geographic issue, there is an article on Herod. Was there more than one Herod, and if so, when did each of them live? Thank you for your work.

I have been reading your posts this week. I am not completely satisfied with the answer that several have asked. I am not interested in the answers that have been given. I know we are given free will and all that. But I feel the question has not been answered in full. God knew before the foundations of the earth everything that was going to happen. Then why would he create this world knowing some would go to hell. To me this is a selfish God, and much like us.

I have a question which I have always wondered about. When the woman caught in adultery was about to be stoned, the Bible says that Jesus wrote something in the dirt. What was it that he wrote, and why did He do that? Thank you very much for your answer to this question and to all the other questions that you have answered for me and so many others through your daily posts.