Exploring the Bible

  The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is one of the most well-known narratives in the Bible, a dramatic account of judgment and divine rescue. Yet, the story does not end with fire and brimstone. It concludes in the quiet, desperate shadows of a cave. For centuries, this final refuge of Lot and his daughters was assumed to be lost to the shifting sands of the Dead Sea region or dismissed as mere folklore. However, modern archaeology has pulled back the veil of time, revealing that this site was not only real but was a thriving center of pilgrimage for early Christians who knew exactly where the Patriarch Lot had laid his head. To understand the significance of the cave, we must first look at the account in Genesis 19. After the destruction of the cities of the plain, Lot and his two daughters were the sole survivors. Initially, they fled to the small town of Zoar, which was spared specifically to offer them sanctuary. However, fear soon overtook Lot. The text tells us, "And Lot wen...

 In the annals of archaeology, there is usually a clear distinction between "treasure maps" and "historical documents." One belongs to the realm of pirate fiction and Hollywood blockbusters; the other belongs to museums and universities. But in 1952, inside a cave overlooking the Dead Sea, that distinction collapsed. Five years after the initial discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a team of archaeologists excavated Cave 3 at Qumran. Buried in the back, behind a fallen rock, they found something that didn't fit the pattern. While the other scrolls were made of decaying leather or fragile papyrus, this object was green, corroded, and metallic. It was a scroll made of pure copper (alloyed with a tiny amount of tin), rolled up tight like a sheet of linoleum. This is 3Q15 , better known to the world as the Copper Scroll . Unlike its neighbors which speak of prophecy, psalms, and prayer, this scroll speaks of only one thing: Gold . The Impossible Opening Whe...

 Special Study Editions are now available. Large 8 1/2 by 11-inch format Spiral-Bound  Lays flat for convenient use Extra Space for Notes These special editions are available exclusively through the Lulu Bookstore. Titles available are "New Testament Miracles: The 37 Miracles of Jesus , Bible Reference Sheets , and The Bible: Some Assembly Required. These are some of the Best-Selling titles by Kevin McKinney. They are available in eBook, paperback and Hardcover on Amazon.com. These special study editions are available only at Lulu. Jesus performed thousands of miracles during his brief ministry on Earth. In John 21:25, we are told -  “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”  These include healing the sick, manipulating nature, curing the lame, and even raising the dead. While Jesus performed an untold number of mira...

The Bible records thirty-seven miracles performed by Jesus. Recorded by the four Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, these miracles show us the divine power of Jesus. Critics point to possible contradictions within these miracles, and even in which miracles were recorded. Do these claims of contradiction hold any merit?  Some people see the different miracles recorded in the Gospels as a possible contradiction. Why would the writers not record the same miracles in each of the Gospels? This is not a contradiction at all and in fact the differences should be expected. Each Gospel writer had a wide variety of miracles to choose from for inclusion in their writings. This could be compared to a person who compiles a sports highlight film. If they are to select the greatest plays from a weekend of professional football, there would be more than a dozen games with perhaps thousands of plays to consider. Some of the truly remarkable plays may be included in all of the different h...

The Bible tells us two different versions of the empty tomb of Jesus, but which is accurate? In Matthew 28:11 we are told the guards reported the tomb was empty but were given money to report the body was stolen during the night. While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. (Matthew 28:11-15)   Of course, the other version is that the tomb of Jesus was empty because He had risen in total defiance of death, in an ultimate victory over de...

 Did God part the Red Sea for the people of Israel, is it just a morality tale, or is it just a lot of non-sense? The parting of the sea is a key point in the Exodus story. This element not only clearly shows the power of God, but it allowed the people of Israel to escape while simultaneously destroying the Egyptian army. There are several points to the Parting of the Red Sea which often come into question. One of the most interesting aspects, is that the parting of the sea has happened again, and there were witnesses. The first, and very pivotal element, of the story is the sea itself. The Red Sea is a very large and very deep body of water. This has caused many to doubt the story. Suppose God did part the waters of the Red Sea as the Bible says. At some of the narrowest points the Red Sea remains nearly thirty miles across. While in many aspects this is not a long distance, we must remember the Israeli people had to cross this span in a single day. Traveling thirty miles, with el...

 The bible records the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus in some detail. In the Gospel of Luke, we are told "It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining." (23:44) This is an astounding claim which is obviously disputed by critics, scientist and non-believers. After all, claiming the sun stopped shining for three hours is a most remarkable and bold claim. Surely this was just an exaggeration of the biblical authors and should not be taken literally. Gospel of Matthew - " From noon on, darkness came over the whole land [ or , earth] until three in the afternoon". Gospel of Mark - " When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour."   We know the crucifixion took place following a full moon, so no eclipse would be possible, and there is no other scientific reason for the sun to 'appear' to stop shining. If such an event had taken...

[Excerpt from "The Bible - Some Assembly Required" ] The early Christian church was no stranger to oppression and persecution. Jesus had been beaten and crucified, which the religious leaders of the time hoped would put a stop to this new cult. When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter morning, He destroyed these hopes and plans. Unfortunately, the opponents of Jesus were not so easily silenced. Their violence continued as is evident by the death of Stephen, James and also with the persecution of Christians by such people as Saul, who in a short time would become one of the new church's greatest leaders. Throughout the early years and even centuries of the Christian church there were many who opposed it. Not only were they opposed and persecuted by the Jewish religious leaders, but also by the Roman government. Under rulers such as Nero and Diocletian, Christians were stripped of their property and legal rights. They were often imprisoned, and many put to death. Because of ...