Speak His Word Only

Setting Apart the Priesthood for God's Service "And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram." Introduction Exodus 29:19 introduces an important part of the consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons. God had chosen them to serve as priests in the Tabernacle, but before beginning their sacred responsibilities, they were required to undergo a ceremony of cleansing, sacrifice, and consecration. The LORD instructed Moses to take a second ram and have Aaron and his sons place their hands upon its head. This action preceded the sacrifice known as the ram of consecration. The laying on of hands visibly identified Aaron and his sons with the animal being offered. The ceremony emphasized that their appointment to the priesthood required more than wearing priestly garments or possessing the correct family ancestry. They were being formally set apart for service before a holy God. The events that follow in Exodus 29 rev...

God's Order for the New World "These are the generations of the sons of Noah..." — Genesis 10:1 (KJV) Genesis 10 has often been called "The Table of Nations." At first glance it appears to be simply a list of names. Yet throughout Jewish and Christian history—it has been regarded as one of the foundational chapters for understanding the origin of the nations after the Flood. Unlike modern genealogies, Genesis 10 records the spread of peoples, languages, territories, and early kingdoms. It explains how humanity multiplied from Noah's three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—and prepares the reader for the account of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. This chapter is also understood as a testimony to God's sovereign ordering of the earth after judgment. The Flood did not erase God's purpose for humanity; rather, it marked a new beginning in which God again commanded mankind to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). This module lays the foun...

Introduction The prophet Agabus is one of the named prophets in the New Testament. Although Scripture records only two occasions on which he prophesied, his ministry provides important lessons concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the purpose of prophecy, the responsibility of the Church, and submission to the will of God. Agabus ministered during the early years of the Church, when the Gospel was spreading beyond Jerusalem into other regions of the Roman Empire. The book of Acts records two significant prophetic messages delivered through him. First, he foretold a great famine that would affect the Roman world. Later, he warned the apostle Paul about the suffering awaiting him in Jerusalem. Both prophecies concerned future events, but their significance extended beyond foretelling. The first prompted believers to prepare assistance for those who would suffer. The second prepared Paul and his companions for the persecution he would encounter. Agabus reminds us that the genuine exerc...