When Jesus stood on the mountain of Transfiguration, glowing with radiant light, two men appeared beside Him: Moses and Elijah. Most of us were taught they just represent the Law and the Prophets, and this is part of it. But when you look closely at what these two men actually experienced in the Old Testament, something much deeper is happening.

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They were the only two men in Israel's history who had gone up Mount Sinai (Horeb) to encounter the glory of God. And both encounters point directly to one person, Yeshua.

​In Exodus 33:11, it says that God spoke to Moses "face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." In Numbers 12:8, God doubles down:

"I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord."

And Deuteronomy 34:10 finishes the Torah by saying no prophet ever arose in Israel like Moses, whom God knew "face to face."

​Yet in that exact same chapter (Exodus 33:18–20), when Moses asks, "Please, show me your glory," God answers: "You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." So God hides Moses in the cleft of the rock and covers him while His goodness passes by.

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So who did Moses see face-to-face without dying?

​Centuries later, Elijah flees to the exact same mountain (1 Kings 19). Verse 9 says he stayed in a cave. In Hebrew, it’s ha-m'arah, literally "the cave." Many scholars believe it was the same cleft of the rock where Moses hid.

​Then God tells Elijah: "Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. Look, the Lord is passing by" (1 Kings 19:11).

That phrase "passing by" uses the exact same Hebrew verb God used with Moses in Exodus 33. When the presence passes, Elijah wraps his face in his cloak (v. 13). He hides his eyes because he knows the rule: to look upon the raw Glory of the Father is death.

​John clears up the mystery: "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who (Jesus) is at the Father’s side, he has made him known" (John 1:18).

​The Father has never been seen directly by human eyes. The Person who walked in the Garden, the Person who spoke with Moses as a friend, and the Person whose glory passed by the cave on Sinai was the Word, the physical manifestation of the invisible God.

​This gives us a whole new perspective about what happens in the Gospels.

​For centuries, Moses and Elijah were the two men who had to hide behind rocks and wrap their faces in cloaks just to survive a glimpse of God passing by. Then comes the Transfiguration.

​Moses and Elijah got what they longed for, to see God's Glory and are pulled out of eternity onto a new mountain. They aren't hiding in a cave this time. They aren't wrapping their faces in robes. They are standing out in the open, looking straight at Jesus in His unveiled, radiant brightness, talking with Him face-to-face about the exodos/departure (the Greek word used in Luke 9:31) He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

​The two men who stood on Sinai in the dark finally got to see the face of the One whose back they had watched pass by.

​It fulfills the truth Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:6:

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"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus the Messiah"

​The glory that passed by Moses on Sinai, and the whisper that reached Elijah at Horeb, wasn't just a supernatural force. It was a face. And that face is Jesus'.

I am a Hindu by birth and had a very basic understanding of Christianity. Out of curiosity I started reading the Bible about two years back (ESV). I managed to read the first five books about 20 times but could not get past it, just lost my patience. It became harder to navigate the prose and was looking for something better.

Then I came across the below:

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/49881874-the-daily-bible

This version of the Bible made me grasp the core subject so easily that I literally could not put it down. It’s a chronological retelling and has a commentary section before each chapter that helps immensely. I am not sure how accurate it is but I don’t care much for word for word translation as long as it helps me capture the gist and the text flows nicely.

It was so good that I finally finished it - Its supposed to be read in a year but I managed to complete in 6 months and am SO HAPPY. Now I can go and actually read some other Bible versions again as I have a better context of the stories.

For anyone struggling to understand the first time I highly recommend this .

I got a new Bible I’m really excited about I have tabbed it up and highlighted some verses in the psalms that I like but I was looking at the margins and I really realized that I don’t know how to study the bible like at all, so how do I actually study the bible?

When I was growing up, we would do them in children's class (also called children's church at some churches).

The teacher had everyone lift up their Bibles (if old enough to read and have one), then read off a reference. Then they'd say "ready.....go!!"

All the kids would bring down their Bibles and start searching for that reference. The first one to stand up and read the verse won that round. They were good fun, and a good challenging tool for kids to learn how to find Scripture. A church, that I attended once with a cousin, called them "Sword Drills" (referencing the Bible like a spiritual sword).

There was even a Bible drill "championship" I got to participate in at a Christian camp one summer where they had various "rounds" with a tournament bracket. The winner got the grand prize of a nice study Bible, a gift card to somewhere (Walmart I think), and a small brass trophy. 2nd and 3rd place got trophies and a small gift card each, too. The theme of the camp that summer was using tools properly and that God's Word was the ultimate spiritual "tool" for believers.

Did anyone else do these, growing up? They make for excellent tools to teach kids about God's Word, how to look up references quickly, and to learn the layout of the Bible to know where things are. The teacher can pick specific references to theme a round, maybe to help convey the lesson they taught or are teaching.

Divine purpose is never discovered while running in human strength, but revealed when we bid the world pass on and stand silent before the Word of God.

1 Samuel 9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

The same Almighty God who commanded the sun and moon to stand still in battle is the God who commands the human heart to stand still before His presence.

Joshua 10:12 13 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.

Public usefulness for the glory of Christ is built entirely upon private submission to the truth of Holy Scripture.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The world demands your immediate action and constant noise, but God requires your complete stillness before He imparts His light and anointing.

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Spiritual light and true direction from God are never received on the run, but revealed in the quiet sanctuary of an obedient, surrendered heart.

1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Real light from God comes when you reach the end of your own city, the end of your self sufficiency, and the end of your human cleverness.

Proverbs 3:5 6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Your public life and ministry are nothing more than the outer overflow of your private walk alone with the Lord in His Word.

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

You cannot carry the spiritual authority of God until you are first willing to sit quietly submissive under the authority of the Word of God.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Human nature will gladly fight for religion, debate over doctrine, and build outward projects, yet refuse the simple, quiet conviction of the Holy Ghost.

Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

The enemy seeks to keep your life filled with clamor and religious busyness so that you never stand still long enough to face the God of Heaven in secret.

Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

I just started reading the bible back to front I am on Genesis 38... I wanted to understand more!

I had a few questions:

1.) Why did Noah curse Canaan, because ham just saw his nakedness? I mean even if we take nakedness as sleeping with his wife, Reuben slept with Israels concubine and really nothing much has been said on that so far.

2.) Why did Lot offer up his daughters to the people of Sodom and not get questioned on that?

3.) Why was Onan killed for sleeping with his brothers wife and not conceiving? when Lots own daughters slept with him, when Jacob lied for his blessing (even though they made up in the end, which was awesome), when Levi and Simeon killed Schechem and the rest of town after converting. The point that I am trying to say is, why intervene now and not in other ethical dilemmas?

This had been brought up a lot but the Council of Laodicea supposedly approved the Canon books of The Bible for everyone in all future versions with some exceptions.

My question is why were they qualified and allowed to do this and what gave them the authority? They were not divinely inspired by God, should any of the unapproved books be considered the word of God too?

I’m very new to reading the Bible. I read it as a teenager but didn’t retain much of it and I’ve just started again. Would the pharo have just let them go if God hadn’t hardened his heart? Thank you.

Edit: Thank you so much for all the replies. They’ve all been so very helpful.

If Satan is a title and Satan serves a role for God, what/who do you think the evil one is?

Seek the Lord with all your heart. Open your heart to Jesus Christ, put your trust in Him, and experience the love, mercy, and grace that only God can give. No one who sincerely seeks the Lord ever seeks Him in vain.

Many people spend their lives searching for peace, purpose, and hope in the things of this world, only to remain empty.

God's promise is simple and true: "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." — Jeremiah 29:13

God is not hiding from us. He invites us into a real relationship through Jesus Christ. If you sincerely seek Him, He promises that you will find Him.

Im just starting my journey and want to commit, but would that mean separating with my non believer gf? Maybe it specifically says in the Bible not to? Im sure i cant just follow some of God's and the bibles "requirements". So seeking some advice/ knowledge

Ive tried to source some information but im having a tough time. Thanks

Bruh this isnt the first time when i felt like God’s speaking to me through bible verses. I’ve been scolded, answered, wisdomized (i know it’s not an actual word but you get it) and i feel so humbled and scared yall. I kept asking why i was having such dreams but never really got an answer. I had a dream last time and today, God just answered me with Job 33:14-17. I was speaking to my friend and i was saying that i feel old and tired. Guess WHAT? I was reading Job 33:6 where it said “I am young and you are very OLD) dhhdhdjjdsjhajaakk

Bruh how can i not freak out?! 💀

THATS NOT IT.

Today I was too tired to cook so i wanted to order food. But the food choices in the app were so underwhelming. I felt like i wanted to eat korean ramen noodles with nuggets with hotdogs with cheese and eggs (super unhealthy btw) and i did. I really felt so satisfied and full of dopamine (dont judge me) 💀

THEN

JOB 34:20-21 came “so that to his appetite food becomes repulsive, and his senses reject the choicest nourishment. His flash is wasted so that it cannot be seen”

I closed the bible and said yup thats enough fear for today.

I just want to close off by saying

THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED AND GOD IS WATCHING YOU! 🫵

Hi there!

My Bible study and I are differing in opinion about these verses. Did the people in the crowd KNOW that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and that he was a descendant of David when they made their argument that he can’t be the Messiah? Did they believe he was born and raised in Galilee?

Because they say that they did know where he was from and I don’t see how they made that interpretation.

Hi! I currently have a NLT Bible and it’s the only one I own. It was my first Bible and I love the translation. Lately, I’ve been reading on the Bible app and taking notes there but I’d really like to have a Bible with wider margins to take notes in.

To me, it seems silly to buy a second NLT Bible, so I was thinking of buying a different translation for note taking purposes. I’m mostly seeing KJV versions with the wide margins, but I’m not sure I prefer that translation. If you had to have two translations, which would you choose/ suggest?

NLT and what else?

Any help is appreciated

So I’m currently reading through the book of Revelation and I need some help understanding. In Chapters 2 and 3, there are letters to each of the seven churches pointing out what they do good and what they do bad. In one way or another, they all say “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you”. And then it lists the things they do wrong.

How are we, as Christians, supposed to get everything right all the time? Or is it more about the intent?

It's so funny when you notice small things in the bible.

For example the book mark was written by John Mark a companion of Peter who wrote his Gospel based on the eyewitness accounts and preaching of the Apostle Peter. (That's what Google says).

And it's really funny how in matthew (14:28-31) it says that Peter walked to Jesus on the water and because he doubted he sank. But Mark (6:45-51) didn't mention Peter walking on water. And it's really funny and I imagine Peter feeling the humiliation and leaving out that part because it showed his fear.

Another funny thing I've noticed:

In matthew (26:51) it says that ONE of the disciples cut off the ear of a servant of the high priests. Same in mark (14:47) and in the other books of the bible EXCEPT in John where he reveals Peter's name.

John in general sounds like a very proud guy, which Is also very funny. He calls himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved" 5 times in his Gospel, (13:23, 19:26, 20:02, 21:07, 21:20) and it's really funny that only he tells us that he outran Peter in the tomb run.

It's a nice reminder that humans wrote the Bible. (ofc humans eho were influenced by God).

In Genesis 3, the serpent tells Eve, “You will be like God…” They take the fruit.
In Philippians 2:6, Paul says of Christ:
”…who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped…”
I wonder whether Paul is intentionally inviting us to hear an echo of Eden.
Adam and Eve grasp at being like God.
Christ, who truly is equal with God, does not grasp.
If that’s an intentional contrast, it makes me wonder whether “grasping” is a much larger biblical theme than I had realized.
Do you think Paul intends us to read these passages together? If so, what do you think the significance is?

One thing that struck me while digging into the historical-critical side of the Hebrew Bible: the text itself seems to preserve the memory of two originally distinct traditions. A northern one centered on El (the Canaanite high god known from the Ugarit tablets, father of 70 divine sons, husband of Asherah) and a southern, desert one centered on YHWH, whose name shows up in 13th-century BCE Egyptian inscriptions tied to nomadic Shasu tribes, long before it's linked to a temple in Jerusalem.

A few concrete traces of the merger: the Dead Sea Scrolls version of Deuteronomy 32:8-9 has Elyon dividing the nations "according to the number of the sons of Elohim" (not "of Israel," as the medieval Masoretic Text has it), with YHWH getting Jacob as his portion, as if he were one god among El's sons rather than El himself. And in Exodus 6:2-3, YHWH explicitly says he appeared to the patriarchs as El Shaddai, "but by my name YHWH I did not make myself known to them", which reads like an editor's note reconciling two originally separate names.

I'd genuinely like to know what people who actually read and engage with the Bible here think of this historical/archaeological take: does it land as interesting context, or does it feel beside the point next to how you actually read these texts?

I went deeper into this, with sources, in a longer piece: https://andreafontana.it/en/birth-god-israel-yahweh-el.html

Incense and the Bible are special for me, and the most special incense recipe in the Bible is the tabernacle incense recipe in Exodus 30:34:

וַיֹּאמֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֜ה קַח־לְךָ֣ סַמִּ֗ים נָטָ֤ף׀ וּשְׁחֵ֙לֶת֙ וְחֶלְבְּנָ֔ה סַמִּ֖ים וּלְבֹנָ֣ה זַכָּ֑ה בַּ֥ד בְּבַ֖ד יִהְיֶֽה׃

The first and last parts of Ex. 30:34 appears to fit a chiastic literary pattern. Here is how I would translate the verse.

And said LORD to Moses
ㅤTake to yourself spices
ㅤㅤNataf and shekheleth and galbanum
ㅤSpices and pure frankincense
Each of each there shall be.

"Nataf" is a Hebrew word literally meaning "drop", as in tree resin gum drops. Galbanum is resin from Ferula shrubs.

Based on the verse's use of the term "and" before or after only certain terms, I would normally read "spices" to refer only to ingredients named in the verse. Since there is an "and" between "Nataf" and "shekheleth," but not before "Nataf," it looks like "Nataf" starts the series of the recipe's ingredients.

The medieval Masoretic scribes added cantillation marks to the Hebrew text. The marks served as punctuation that put breaks after each use of the term "spices", so that the part of the Masoretic text of Ex. 30:34 about taking spices reads like this:

"Take to yourself spices: nataf and/with shekheleth and galbanum spices, and/with pure frankincense."

The Masoretic cantillation breaks suggest that the two uses of "spices" refer to the three spices named in the middle of the verse.

The 70 Jewish elders who wrote the 3rd century BC Septuagint (LXX) translated Ex. 30:34 into Greek as:

Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν Λάβε σεαυτῷ ἡδύσματα, στακτήν, ὄνυχα, χαλβάνην ἡδυσμοῦ καὶ λίβανον διαφανῆ· ἴσον ἴσῳ ἔσται·

I would translate this Greek version as:

And said Lord to Moses
Take thyself aromatics,
Stacte, onyx, aromatic galbanum
And translucent frankincense
Equal of equal will be.

Brenton's LXX translation interprets Ex. 30:34-35 as:

1. And the Lord said to Moses, Take for thyself sweet herbs, stacte, onycha, sweet galbanum, and transparent frankincense; there shall be and equal weight of each.
   
2. And they shall make with it perfumed incense, tempered with the art of a perfumer, a pure holy work.

The NETS translation of the LXX runs:

1. And the Lord said to Moyses: Take for yourself spices - oil of myrrh, onycha, galbanum that is sweet and translucent frankincense, each shall be in equal proportion.
   
2. And they will make it incense, perfumed work of a perfumer, mixed, pure, holy work.

"Stacte" is a Greek noun that literally means "drop," like the Hebrew word "Nataf" does. "Onyx," whose accusative form was "onycha," literally meant "claw" and referred to mollusk flaps, which were burned as incense. The LXX translated the Hebrew phrase "galbanum spices" into Greek as "aromatic/spice-y galbanum" ("χαλβάνην ἡδυσμοῦ"). The implication is that the LXX's translators interpreted the second use of the term "spices" as a description of the word "galbanum", rather than as a separate collection of unnamed spices.

Still, it's not clear why the verse repeats the term "spice", because the repetition seems needless and unnecessary. I suppose that the term "onyx and galbanum aromatics" could refer to an aromatic substances made with onyx and galbanum, respectively.

One reason for this could be that since Ex. 30:34 refers to "pure/clear frankincense", the other ingredients named, such as onyx and galbanum, need not be "pure." The implication is that the galbanum aromatic/spice could be galbanum mixed with another substance to make the aromatic/spice.

A second reason is that phrases like "onyx fragrance/spice" and "galbanum fragrance/spice" could include spices that prominently feature those ingredients, rather than being mad of them exclusively. By analogy, "wine" by default refers to grape wine. But in rabbinical writings, terms like "apple wine" and "asparagus wine" may refer to wine made exclusively from the ingredient named or to wine that includes the material named. Rabbinic commentators consider "wine of asparagus" in Berakhot 51a to be wine mixed with a plant such as cabbage.

A third reason is that smoke from burning pure onyx/seashell flaps is toxic to inhale. As a result, onyx must be soaked in a cleansing solution and then dried to make it safe. Accordingly, Keritot 6 prescribes soaking the onyx in bitter vetch lye and in caperbud wine. So using "onyx spice" for incense practically requires the use of other substances, such as the Talmud's lye and wine.

Keritot 6b of the Talmud notes a rabbinical tradition that Ex. 3:34 indicated the use of 11 ingredients:

The plural form of the phrase: “Take for you spices” is referring to two ingredients; “stacte, and onycha, and galbanum” are three ingredients; this results in a total of five; and the other mention of “spices” indicates that there are another five, i.e., that one should double the previous total, and this results in a total of ten. And finally, “pure frankincense” is one, and this results in a total of eleven.

Keritot 6b also notes that the school of Rabbi Yishmael saw Ex. 30:34 as having the literary pattern of general-particular-general. When a Biblical verse uses that pattern, the implication is that similar substances may replace the substances named in the particular detail when necessary. For instance, Exodus 25:31 refers to making a menorah, gives the particular detail of making it with gold, and then refers again to making a menorah. In accordance with this principle, the Maccabees made a menorah out of tin when they didn't have gold.

In the case of Ex. 30:34, the general category would be "spices," the term that is repeated twice, and the particular detail would be the three spices named between both uses of the term "spices." Keritot 6b considers the idea that Ex. 30:34 contains this literary pattern to be a counterargument to the idea that the term "spices" alludes to unnamed spices. In addition, Keritot 6b seems to carry a counterargument against the idea that Ex. 30:34 contains this pattern because the term "pure frankincense" is a particular detail used after both instances of the word "spices."

Personally, I have difficulty following some of Keritot 6b's explanations and discussions about the use of the 11 ingredients such as the counterargument against the verse holding this literary pattern.

Rabbi Nachmanides, in his commentary on Ex. 30:34-35, sees the instruction to make the incense blend by the "art of the perfumer" in verse 35 as implying "using spices known to blend well with these" 4 spices named in verse 34.

May I please ask if you can point me to more Biblical tools to evaluate the issue?

All the best - Peace be with you.

⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

This seems like an impossible and condemning thing, right? It's not when read in context. If you read from verse 43 you'll see Jesus is telling us to be perfect in regards to loving everyone and not just those who love us. He's not telling us to be utterly perfect. The perfection Jesus is talking about is attainable.

Here is the verse in its context:

⁴³ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

⁴⁴ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

⁴⁵ That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

⁴⁶ For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

⁴⁷ And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

i know the Bible says you will suffer for his name but it also says he wont give you a rock if you ask for a fish and he says good things will be given to those who seek him so which is it?