Worrying about financial debt can wake us up in a cold sweat.

For many people, debt feels like a necessary part of life. But anyone who’s had suffocating student loans or a mountain of medical bills knows it’s not ideal.

And it can leave us wondering: What does the Bible say about debt? Is debt a sin? Is it normal? Or is it neither?

The Bible says in Romans 13:8, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other” (ESV).

But it also says, “It is well with the man who deals generously and lends” (Psalms 112:5, ESV).

Scripture emphasizes principles on lending and debt forgiveness far more than financial debt.

At the same time, it talks about being a responsible borrower and the consequences of debt.

So even though the Bible wasn’t meant to be a finance manual, we can learn a lot of fitting principles for dealing with debt. So let’s comb through Scripture and discuss:

• Whether debt itself is a sin
• Ten key Bible principles about financial debt
  

  1. General advice to lenders
  2. When the Bible says to lend
  3. How the Bible says to lend
  4. Avoiding usury
  5. Stewardship and debt
  6. Borrowing and repaying debt
  7. Living within our means
  8. Co-signing on loans
  9. Debt canceling and forgiveness
  10. Depending on God vs. debt”

• Why it matters for us today

Let’s start with some good news: The Bible doesn’t condemn anyone just for having debt.

And when we look at what Scripture says about financial debt as a whole, God’s loving guidance and goodness shine through.

So let’s start by addressing a common question.

Does the Bible say debt is a sin?

Photo by Kaboompics.com

Here’s the short answer: No. The Bible doesn’t call debt a sin.

It’s especially clear because of how often God encourages lending—which puts people in debt to us. (We’ll cover that in the next section.)

But we also see Bible verses warning that debt isn’t God’s ideal, either:

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender” (Proverbs 22:7, ESV).

 

“Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to [David]” (1 Samuel 22:2, ESV).

Is it any wonder the Bible links debt with bitterness, distress, and slavery? Sounds a lot like how debt feels today, too.

In this sinful world, debt can get us in over our heads. It puts us at the mercy of those who might not have our best interests at heart. It can limit our potential to lead fulfilling lives, provide everything we want to give to our children, or support causes we care about.

But we’ll see that even though debt isn’t God’s ideal, it doesn’t change His love for us or His willingness to help us or work through us.

And He doesn’t leave us to figure it out alone.

In Nehemiah 5, the people of Israel were desperate because of a famine. Many had to mortgage their homes and land—and even send their children as slaves—to pay for food and taxes.

“Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards” (Nehemiah 5:5, ESV).

Here’s how Nehemiah responds:

“I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, ‘You are exacting interest, each from his brother.’ And I held a great assembly against them” (Nehemiah 5:6-7, ESV).

Nehemiah’s concern is the injustice towards those in desperate need. And he scolds the wealthy in Israel for charging them high interest rates (usury).

We don’t hear Nehemiah disciplining the people who were in debt. He even lends them money and grain himself. (But note, they weren’t taking out debt for luxuries and vacations, but because they were starving.)

So far, we don’t see debt called out as a sin. Isaiah 24:2 even says God doesn’t judge us based on our financial position:

“As with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor” (ESV).

But we get multiple perspectives of why it isn’t considered a “Plan A.” And we see that the Bible takes a serious stance on how we lend to others.

But that barely scratches the surface. So let’s explore ten key financial topics from the Bible.

Ten Key principles the Bible gives about debt

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, God covers a lot of financial ground.

And it’s practical wisdom we still need today.

The Bible advises on when, how, and who to lend to—and on the responsibility that comes with debt. God teaches stewardship, debt forgiveness, debt-free living, and how to depend on Him.

But first, let’s get the lowdown on lending.

The Bible’s advice to lenders

Photo by Lukas

The Bible often connects lending with generosity. So it’s no surprise that God encourages Christians to lend.

“He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing” (Psalm 37:26, ESV).

In the New Testament, Jesus says:

“Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42, ESV).

The Bible also gives precise advice about when and how to lend.
Let’s start with when the Bible says to lend to others.

When the Bible says to lend

It says we’re supposed to lend to those who are poor and in need:

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17, ESV).

“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you” (Leviticus 25:35, ESV).

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8, ESV).

Something all three verses have in common is their mention of lending to brothers. But what does that mean?

In Nehemiah and Deuteronomy, “brother” refers to those within your community.

And in the New Testament, Jesus says, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50, ESV).

The Bible says to care for people in need—especially those in our churches and communities.

And that includes our direct relatives:

“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8, ESV).

But that doesn’t mean that lending to strangers is wrong. We saw in Leviticus that it’s pretty much assumed that everyone will be looking after newcomers and travelers.

But God’s love shines through us when we remember to bless the needy within our reach.

And it’s not only about money. It can mean loaning groceries, cars, time, spare rooms, or whatever you might have that matches the need.

So the answer to “when” is “whenever you have the opportunity!”

Now let’s look at verses that discuss how to lend.

How the Bible says to lend

Photo by Kaboompics.com

The Bible tells us to lend freely, and usually without charging interest (Matthew 10:8, Leviticus 25:36-37).

The next couple verses say it’s okay to charge interest on loans to strangers, but not to people we’re connected with:

“You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest. You may charge a foreigner interest, but you may not charge your brother interest, that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake” (Deuteronomy 23:19-20, ESV).

 

“If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest” (Exodus 22:25, NKJV).

We’re also supposed to give without expecting or demanding anything back. And give generously (Luke 6:30, Luke 6:35, ESV).

Deuteronomy 15:10-11 points out why God encourages us to lend. Because until the end of the world, we’ll always find people in need:

“You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land’” (ESV).

Usury in the Bible

The Bible commands us to avoid usury when we lend. And that’s different from regular interest. Even today, usury is illegal and we have laws about it.

According to the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions:

“‘Usury’ is the unlawful act of charging interest on a debt…at a rate greater than what is permitted under any applicable law… .”

Think credit card rates—and higher.

So the Bible’s advice on being responsible moneylenders is timeless:

“He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved” (Psalm 15:5, NKJV).

Let’s recap the biblical advice to lenders.

It says to give freely, charge little to no interest, and not to expect anything back.

But that can feel intimidating. A little foolish, even. Won’t we go broke? Won’t we get taken advantage of?

Though God wants us to live as generous lenders, He also says it’s wise to seek discernment (Matthew 10:16, ESV).

But understanding biblical stewardship can help calm that fear, too.

Stewardship and debt

When it comes to lending, it helps to remember that everything we have comes from God (1 Chronicles 29:14, Psalm 50:10, Haggai 2:8). And He can easily replace what we lend.

Biblical stewardship means we manage what we have (like our money, time, and resources) for God.

Jesus makes that clear in Luke 16:1-8 when He tells the parable of a rich man who fires his money manager. He accuses the manager of “wasting his goods” (NKJV).

Before the manager leaves, He goes around to everyone who owes his boss money and lowers their debts. He aims to get in the good graces of others in the community so he won’t get left out in the cold.

In the end, the rich man commends his ex-manager for how he dealt with the debtors.

It’s strange to commend the manager from a financial viewpoint. But it helps when we look at the purpose of money through God’s lens.

Tim Mackie, PhD, biblical studies professor and creative director of the BibleProject, shares this conclusion from his research on this parable:

“While it’s unlikely that a real master would praise a slave for doing this, this is exactly what God would praise His servants for doing with His money. Which is not to treat it as an ultimate end, but to treat it as an instrument to build relationships. And what’s most valuable is the networks of relationships, and support, and care you build in.”¹

When we see ourselves as God’s stewards, it can help us loosen our grip on lending.

But good stewardship also impacts how we view debt.

God gives us “every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17, ESV). He gives us the ability to make money (Deuteronomy 8:18). And He gives us only what He knows we can manage well (1 Corinthians 10:13).

When we want something that requires debt, those are helpful Bible verses to keep in mind.

Let’s dig into more Bible principles on borrowing.

Borrowing and repaying debt

Photo by Mikhail Nilov

The Bible says to repay what we owe—and do it fast. It also says not to take out debt unless we know we have means to repay it.

“The wicked borrows and does not repay” (Psalm 37:21, NKJV).

“When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay” (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, ESV).

“Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest” (2 Kings 4:7, ESV).

We learned earlier that debt isn’t ideal, so it makes sense that God expects His people to repay debts without delay:

“Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler” (Proverbs 6:4-5, ESV).

Dave Ramsey, a Christian financial expert, says about debt, “A Cheetah is after your family. Run! … We find out that people get out of debt when they get gazelle intensity.”²

Repaying debt quickly includes anything we borrow. Even if it means replacing something of someone else’s that we lost or broke (Exodus 22:14, 2 Kings 6:5-7).

But that doesn’t mean that if we’re stuck in debt or we’ve ever gone bankrupt, we have to live in shame. We’ll see later that the Bible says plenty about debt forgiveness.

First, however, let’s get principles for living within our means.

What the Bible says about living within our means

Bottom line: The Bible’s view on borrowing money is that it’s best to live within our means.

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28, ESV).

 

“The Lord your God will bless you, as He promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (Deuteronomy 15:6, ESV, emphasis added).

But that can feel impossible at times, can’t it? And sometimes we get hit with unplanned expenses and it sets us back.

But whatever our circumstances may be, the Bible challenges us to be content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5, Philippians 4:11-13, Luke 12:15). And it gives us questions we can ask ourselves when we’re tempted to take on debt that we might not need to, like:

• Is it God’s will? (James 4:15)
• Is it a want or a need? (1 Timothy 6:6-8)
• Are we trying to impress people? (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
• Are we in too much of a rush? (​​Proverbs 21:5)

What about paying tithe? To live within our means, can we put it on pause while we’re in debt?

We won’t cover all the verses on tithe.³ But in Luke 21:3-4, Jesus indicates that He wants us to give tithe, no matter our circumstances:

“Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (ESV).

The last kind of debt we’ll cover involves signing a loan for someone else (aka surety).

Co-signing on loans

Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

Several proverbs caution us against this kind of agreement. This is different from lending to a friend in need. It’s becoming legally liable for someone else’s debt.

A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, and becomes surety for his friend” (Proverbs 17:18, NKJV).

And here’s the reasoning behind that advice:

1. It traps us in an agreement we have little control over (Proverbs 6:1-2).
2. If the debtor doesn’t pay, we get stuck with the bill (Proverbs 22:26-27).
3. It can put us in harm’s way (Proverbs 11:15).

So these proverbs are not telling us not to help out or lend money, but to be wary of legal agreements that could saddle you with someone else’s responsibility.

Debt forgiveness and canceling debt

Jesus used parables about canceling financial debt to represent the forgiveness of sins. And it clues us in that He longs to help with our spiritual and financial welfare (Matthew 18:23-35, Luke 7:41-43).

In Philemon 18-19, Paul writes a beautiful letter for a runaway slave. He tells the slave’s master,

​​”If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it” (ESV).

The slave alone was responsible for his debt. Paul wasn’t a co-signer. But he offers to pay the slave’s debt, giving us a striking representation of what Christ Jesus did when He died for us.

And that still happens today.

One person struggled with student loan debt for eight years. Then an anonymous donor paid off all $139,000 of the debt she had left.

Stories like that amaze us. But in the Old Testament, God made debt forgiveness a regular practice:

In Leviticus 25:10, God set aside every 50th year to “proclaim liberty throughout the land” (ESV). In it, everyone got back what they’d lost through debt.

And every seven years, “Every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor” (Deuteronomy 15:1-2, ESV).

But there’s more.

Colossians 2:14 talks about Jesus “canceling the record of debt that stood against us” (ESV). And in Matthew 6:12, He says to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (NKJV).
Debt forgiveness is something tangible that many long for and can understand. So the Bible uses canceling debts to explain the beauty of forgiven sins.

And that leads us to another question.

Is it okay to ask God to help us clear our financial debts?

Let’s discuss that before we wrap up.

Dependence on God vs. debt

We know that God doesn’t leave His people to handle things alone. He is the ultimate lender (Psalms 37:24-26, ESV).

We can boldly ask God for help, even when we’re in a mess we made ourselves (Hebrews 4:16, ESV).

God also reminds us that He has enough to cover all our needs (Philippians 4:19).

God promises to have our backs when we make it a habit to avoid debt and depend on Him (Matthew 6:31-33).

He wants to put us in a position where we don’t have to borrow:

“The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (Deuteronomy 28:12, ESV, emphasis added).

So while things may not be financially ideal right now, know that God always has a plan for each one of us.

How to apply the Bible principles on debt today

Photo by Kaboompics.com

Overall, the Bible promotes both generous giving and cautious borrowing. And if we’re dealing with debt (or any of life’s sizeable difficulties), we don’t have to feel stuck at a dead end.

These practical tips on becoming debt-free are a helpful way to get momentum.

For one, the Bible says it’s wise to have counselors who give biblically-based guidance (Proverbs 11:14). So it’s worth exploring programs by Christian financial experts like:

• Dave Ramsey (Financial Peace University)⁴
• Joseph Sangl (I was Broke. Now I’m Not.)⁵

We also might have to take on extra work for a season. But it doesn’t have to be a drag.

Colossians 3:23 tells us to remember who we’re doing it for: “Work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (ESV).

And this might seem obvious, but we sometimes need to be reminded that we can ask God to show us the way. Every. Single. Day.

Following the Bible’s principles on financial debt can allow us to:

• Have freedom to follow where God leads
• Have healthier community relationships
• Live with less stress
• Leave ill-fitting jobs for work we love⁶
• Give God glory by letting Him provide
• Stop comparing our lives with others
• Be generous givers

And plenty more.

Maybe you’re already experiencing debt-free living. But if you’re not there yet, that’s okay. God understands everyone’s individual circumstances and offers the Holy Spirit to be our guide through all of life’s challenges and decisions.

Want to know more?

1. “What Does Jesus Say About Money?” in BibleProject, hosted by John Collins and Tim Mackie, July 8, 2024, podcast, 22:27. [↵]
2. “Dumping Debt: Freedom from Debt – Sermon by Dave Ramsey.” Christian.Sermons Daily. January 1, 2016. Video, 17:10:00. [↵]
3. Leviticus 27:30-32, Deuteronomy 14:28-29, Proverbs 3:9, Malachi 3:8-10, Hebrews 7:4, Genesis 14:20, Genesis 28:22, Matthew 23:23, 2 Corinthians 8:5, Mark 12:41-44, 2 Chronicles 31:4-9
   [↵]
4. “Financial Peace University.” Ramsey Solutions, 2024. [↵]
5. “About Us.” I was Broke. Now I’m Not. 2016. [↵]
6. Coleman, Ken. 2021. From Paycheck to Purpose. Ramsey Press. [↵]

More Answers

What goes through your mind when you hear about the “end times?” Do you think of a worldwide crisis that brings out the worst of humanity? Increasing government control? What about scarce resources and being on the run? Surviving the great tribulation?

We might have seen films or read books that sensationalized these ideas. And because they were designed to stick in our minds, it’s no wonder we feel nervous thinking about it!

The thought of living in the end times, or experiencing a time of trouble, stirs feelings of fear, worry, and even despair. So it makes sense that the prophecies seem like threats to get our acts together before Jesus’s return, lest we get left behind!

But that’s not what the end-time events are all about.

Because shock value sells, all those stories in the movies and books often leave out the parts where God says (several times!) that if we stick with Him, we don’t have to fear. We can even find peace while the world goes crazy.

So even though we’ve been primed to feel the stress and dread that would come from a world falling apart, it doesn’t have to be this way. God wants us to have hope, peace…even joy!

So let’s look at what the Bible truly says about end-time events, how God expects us to respond, and what promises He offers us. We’ll cover:

• What end-time anxiety is
• What the end times are about
• 8 practical ways to handle end-time anxiety
• Whether Christians need to be worried about the end times

Disclaimer: Because anxiety is connected to mental health, we want to be clear that the following content is for encouragement and educational purposes, and not meant to substitute professional support. If you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, please reach out to a licensed therapist, or a medical or mental health professional.

Here we go. Let’s start by defining what we mean by “end-time anxiety.”

What is end-time Anxiety?

Photo by Yosi Prihantoro on Unsplash

​End-time anxiety is a type of distress related to eschatology, or learning about the end of the world and the prophesied events that lead up to it. There is usually a strong focus on the end-time prophecy in the book of Revelation.

In most cases, the phrase “end times” refers to a specific series of events that unfold right before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The apostles in the Bible also called it the “last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3).

Many Christians experience this type of anxiety for many reasons. But two especially common fear inducers are:

• Being worried about our salvation
• Surviving last-day events

The topic raises questions like:

• “Will I be ready?”
• “Will I have to fight, or physically defend myself?”
• “Will I know what to do?”
• “What if I’m deceived?”
• “What if I make the wrong choice?”

It wouldn’t be surprising if most of humanity finds this subject disconcerting, or even downright frightening. Regardless of someone’s belief system, it doesn’t take much to notice the world’s fragility, and pop culture is flooded with stories about the world’s end, or troubling post-apocalyptic aftermath. Some might wonder…what might happen if Christians are right?

(Take note, however, that even Satan could feel anxious about the end times—after all, the prophecies describe how he’s the one who’s truly doomed [Revelation 20:10].)

All in all, it’s completely understandable why thinking about the end times would be nerve-wracking. These are heavy topics that trigger concerns about our ability to survive, where we stand with God, and whether our loved ones will make it.

But God assures us (multiple times, and in multiple ways) that we don’t have to be afraid. Even when things look catastrophic.

Just before His trial and crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples that they too would face difficult experiences (John 15:20-21; John 16:1-3). But He also promised them that the Holy Spirit would guide them and give them strength. He assured them of God’s peace and love and promised that their sorrow would become joy. ¹

Jesus summed this up in His famous encouragement, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NKJV). The Lord knew that His people would go through hardship, and He wanted to make it clear that He would see us through it.

It’s true that God wants us to take the last days seriously and be ready (Mark 13:33-36). But that doesn’t mean He wants us to lose sleep over it. More important than anything else, He wants a relationship with us. One that changes, restores, and prepares us for the challenges ahead.²

It’s also encouraging to know that, despite their intensity, apocalyptic prophecies weren’t intended to scare us.

Think of it this way. If a teacher gave a difficult final exam but didn’t provide any indication of what would be on the test think about how that class would erupt with frustration, even rage, on test day! But if that teacher gave focused lectures and provided review sheets and studying advice, the students would be much more at ease when it’s time to take the test. They knew it would be a difficult test, but what made the difference was that they knew what to expect.

Likewise, end-time prophecies were designed to inform us about how sin ultimately has to be dealt with. We’re encouraged to study them so we can know what to expect, so we won’t be caught off guard when these events play out.

They also offer us hope for the future, promising good will triumph over evil once and for all—everything that went wrong will be made right.³

Still, it’s easy to wonder why there’s so much chaos around the end times. This is because the sin that infects humanity is showing its true colors. The Lord respects our freedom of choice, so He allows evil to run its course. In this way, we’ll get to see what the devil’s really been up to and decide for ourselves who we truly align with.

With that in mind, let’s look closer at what the end times are about.

What are the end times about?

Hearing about the last days can often trigger thoughts about the mark of the beast, the Antichrist, the great tribulation, and what is commonly referred to as the apocalypse, which is commonly associated with disasters that destroy the world. But the word “apocalypse” in the original Greek language means “disclosure,” “manifestation,” or “revelation.”⁴ It’s about revealing something like a prophecy or mystery.

But ultimately, it’s not so much about the events themselves as what those events lead up to—God’s final victory over sin and evil.

When we look at the last days through the lens of the Gospel, we see that it’s all part of God’s plan—the final stretch of His people’s deliverance!

The end times are the final chapters of an exhausting conflict between good and evil that has raged on for thousands of years. We could think of the “end” as the greatest beginning we could hope for, because it’s the beginning of eternal life with our Savior. For us, that means:

• The end of being separated from God
• The end of a world disfigured by selfishness, violence, pain, illness, and corruption
• The end of sin and its agonizing effects
• The end of Satan’s abuse and lies

And while the final stretch to the end is crazy, God doesn’t want to leave us in the chaos. His goal is to save us! 2 Peter 3:9 says the reason the world hasn’t ended already is because He’s working to save as many people as possible. He doesn’t want to lose anyone!

And He can’t just cut this process short, or one could argue that He didn’t let us see how the way of humanity fully plays out. After all, humanity chose to know this back in the Garden of Eden, by willfully eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.⁵

So even though this process is awful, we can trust that God’s plan to save us is still in action.

Now let’s consider how we can apply this biblical knowledge to our day-to-day experience.

8 Ways to calm end-time anxiety

All our challenges are ultimately overcome by faith through Jesus. This explains why the Bible describes the “saints” in the end times as “those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12, NKJV). Those who have aligned themselves with God and His ways. Those who accept His guidance and protection.

The faith that Jesus had while living among us on earth is the faith He wants us to have. The New King James translation for Galatians 2:20 touched on this when Paul said: “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Our faith comes from Christ’s faith. And having His faith means embracing that it’s not about how strong we are, but how strong He is.

So how do we make this faith grow? Here are some practical ways to strengthen it against the onslaught of ideas and speculation that bring about this unique form of anxiety.

1. Let the Bible be the ultimate authority

Photo by Alexandra Fuller on Unsplash

Faith comes from hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17). Christians ultimately acknowledge that the Bible is the leading authority for our beliefs.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, CSB, emphasis added).

While studying other resources can be helpful, we shouldn’t agonize over what’s not in God’s Word. It’s only speculation at that point, even if it’s educated.

Upon closer examination, for a lot of people, so much of this anxiety about the end of the world stems from different theories and teachings that the media pounces on and more or less exploits. Even within Christianity, various interpretations of the last days are dramatized for various purposes. And this can distract us from what the Lord wants to show us in His Word.

The Word of God is likened to a guiding light (Psalm 119:105). And we can use it to test doctrines, ideas, and hypotheses (1 John 4:1; Isaiah 8:20).

God promised all of us that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 16:13).

This means Christ will reveal to us what the Scriptures say at the right moment when we need it, as He did with the disciples in Luke 24.

It’s important to note that while the Bible doesn’t always give us all the details, it gives us the ones we need. We don’t need to stress over missing details in order to have faith or understand the underlying principles. There’s enough information for us to figure out what’s really going on behind the scenes and all the pieces of the puzzle will come together when the end times are upon us.

Take the story of Noah, for example. We have little to no information on what he and his family did while in the ark. But do we really need to know any of that to understand the real point of the story? With the details we do have, we can see that being in that ark reminds us that God saves His people, even when disaster swirls around them (2 Peter 2:4-5, 9).

When we’re scared about the future, we can look back at how God led His people through His promises. “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4, ESV).

And going to God’s Word is the best way to remember that He is all for us.

2. Remembering God is on our side

Photo by Japheth Mast on Unsplash

Some dramatizations of the end times can portray a God that only wants to save those who figure out the riddle for living the right way, or who utilize the right survival methods. It can make it seem like we could get tricked into getting the mark of the beast. Or that we could believe in Him as sovereign but still not be saved because we failed some sort of test or trial.

But the God who created every single human being, the God of the Bible, isn’t willing to lose one of His beloved children to some sort of technicality.

Think about loving parents dealing with a wayward child. What wouldn’t they do to ultimately bring their son or daughter back from a destructive path?

And God is the perfect parent. The personification of love itself (1 John 4:8).

The Bible assures us that God is on our side and is doing everything in His power to redeem us. It’s like being on trial while knowing that the one who judges you is also your advocate (Romans 8:31-34)!

And we don’t have to worry about this changing because the Bible tells us that God will always be who He is.

“God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or Has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it” (Numbers 23:19, ESV)?

 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8, ESV).

So, if God’s character stays the same, that means:

• His grace, faithfulness, mercy, and love never change (Lamentations 3:22-23).
• His desire for our salvation doesn’t change. Jesus “lives to make intercession for us” because God wants us to have eternal life (Hebrews 7:25; John 6:39-40).
• He will finish the work He started in our lives (Philippians 1:6).
• He’s really preparing a home for us so we can be with Him when He comes back (John 14:1-3).

So if He says He can keep us in His care, then it’s a guarantee. Nothing can separate us from God’s love, which enables us to be “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37-39, NKJV).

And love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), which is the fuel for anxiety.

So how can we get the most out of this unchanging love? The best way is by spending personal time with Jesus, who has promised to accept anyone who comes to Him (John 6:37).

3. Spending personal time with our Savior

In anxious moments, sometimes the presence of a trusted loved one can help ease our spiraling minds.

So the more we learn about how Jesus is always with us through His Holy Spirit, the more we can learn to trust Him and get to know more fascinating things about Him.

Taking the time to know Jesus personally also teaches us to recognize when He’s speaking to us and leading us.

Revelation describes God’s people in the last days as those who “follow the Lamb wherever He goes” (Revelation 14:4, NKJV). This means they’ve learned to recognize His guidance, which comes from being open to the Holy Spirit and seeking to learn more about Him through His Word.

Being with our Lord and Savior also strengthens our confidence in His promises to keep us close:

“My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand“ (John 10:27-29, CSB, emphasis added).

If we’re connected to Christ, He won’t let the chaos or the devil’s schemes tear us away from Him.

A practical way to spend time with God is by studying the promises in His Word. Even the book of Revelation has many encouraging verses, including:

• Declarations of who Jesus is (Revelation 1:17-18; 15:3-4)
• Reminders of His love and redemption (Revelation 1:5-6; 5:9-10)
• Promises of victory (Revelation 12:10-11; 20:6)
• Promises of a new life with God forever (Revelation 7:15-17; 21:3-5)
• Invitations to come to Christ (Revelation 3:20; 22:16-17)

(And if you’d like a more comprehensive list of these passages of Scripture, check out “Bible Promises For When You’re Worried or Fearful.”)

As we take in God’s Word, it’s also good to consider how we take in messaging from various media.

4. Examine and adjust how you consume media

Photo by Yura Fresh on Unsplash

Almost all media outlets are flooded with messaging designed to play on our emotions so we’ll choose that source over its competitors. So as you watch, read, or listen to things throughout each day, take note of what could be triggering anxious feelings.

This isn’t a direct recommendation to never consume any media, or to close yourself off from the world. But depending on what you discover, you might want to limit your use or avoid certain sources or topics, if it contributes to your stress.

It doesn’t help that news headlines and social media feed algorithms are engineered to match our habits and capitalize on them. So here’s a process we can try if we want a deeper look at how different media outlets or information sources could be affecting us:

1) The big question to ask is why we’re watching, reading, or listening to something in the first place. Which emotions or mental processes seem to be motivating our choices: Curiosity? Fear? Outrage? Boredom? Desperation? And what are we hoping to gain from this content: Entertainment? Safety? Answers? Camaraderie? Identity? Purpose?

 

2) The next thing to consider is the motivation behind the sources of content we encounter. Would these sources benefit from shock value, or from instilling fear or inciting anger? Is anything being “sold,” whether a physical product or even just an idea or perspective? What seems to be the call to action each source is encouraging?

 

3) Finally, we need to ask ourselves if the reasons we’re consuming this content are actually being addressed and fulfilled. Do we come away from the content feeling like our needs were met? Or did we end up feeling like our needs were magnified? What was our emotional state before compared to after?

This can take some considerable introspection, and it might be uncomfortable to think about. But as we do this, we can consciously invite God to help us and lead us toward new decisions we might need to make.

Thankfully, not all media is designed to make our hearts pound. It might also help to include some more positive or helpful content into our routines, or use it to replace what has previously been occupying our attention.

• Look for programs that share insight into how God is working.
• Look for sources or communities that aim to foster Godly peace, rather than agitation.
• Listen to messages that keep the Gospel as the main focus and show current events in light of God’s grace.
• Listen to uplifting music that promotes what God stands for—hope, love, courage, peace, joy, etc.
• Limit programs (and this could even include news sources) that hype up end-time events or that emphasize doom and gloom. It’s good to stay informed, but so many programs and personalities have been primed to capitalize on creating heightened emotional responses in their viewers.
• Compare what you see or hear with what the Bible teaches. Scripture can be grounding when something in the media stirs up our feelings.

5. Focus on what you can do, rather than what’s out of control

Anxiety feeds on the unknown and the uncontrollable, which are big parts of what makes the end times feel so deeply unsettling. However, fixating on the details we don’t know can distract us from focusing on the truths we do know.

Making a distinction between what we can and can’t control can relieve some stress. Let’s remember that fixing the whole world isn’t our job—it’s God’s.

Sometimes it can help to create a list of the things that often occupy our thoughts. Then sort that list into two categories—things we can help with or do something about, and things beyond our control.

If nothing else, this list can help us consciously categorize our fears or stressors. Then, in our prayers, we can acknowledge which things are in God’s hands—while also asking for His guidance on things that are within our responsibility or within our reasonable ability to help with.

And Scripture is full of examples of God handling what otherwise seems out of control. For one, we can think of King Jehoshaphat when he found out that Jerusalem was surrounded by three armies. He responded to this by having all the people fast and pray. He acknowledged that no one knew what to do, so they turned to God for help (2 Chronicles 20:12).

God then promised to save Jerusalem and did so the next day. And He’s just as willing to come to our rescue, even when we can’t see a solution. There are times when all He asks of us is to take a step back and know that He’s got it (Psalm 46:10).

6. Focus on the present

Photo by Fallon Michael on Unsplash

Some of what we can do now depends on living in the moment. When we’re afraid of what hasn’t happened yet, it’s hard to focus on what’s in front of us. But that’s what God wants us to do!

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan for the future in general. It’s wise to have a plan in place, and to be prepared for possible setbacks or emergencies in life.

But the here and now is the only point in time we truly have any control over. And when it comes to end-time preparation, the only type of preparation consistently encouraged throughout the Bible is that of our hearts and minds.

We don’t need to stop participating in life. Nor do we need to isolate ourselves in a basement packed with canned food.

True preparation is internal, between us and God. Being “ready” means having a daily connection with God. (And He maintains this connection. The only way we lose it is if we sever it by choice or willfully neglect it.)

And as we remain connected to our Savior, we’re encouraged to keep living our lives—to be diligent in our careers, our education, our hobbies, our relationships, etc. When Jesus said His disciples are not of this world (John 17:14), He was talking about the loyalties of the heart. If we are “not of this world,” that means our faith is in God instead of humanity.

What we want to avoid is becoming loyal to the world’s “securities” instead of continuing to recognize the sovereignty of Christ.

Jesus said to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” and He would supply our needs (Matthew 6:33, CSB). We don’t have to “worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34, CSB).

End-time anxiety feeds on uncertain futures. But we don’t have to let what’s going on around us distract from what’s supposed to happen inside us.

7. Challenge catastrophic thinking

Catastrophic thinking is when we focus on worst-case scenarios. It’s also known as “catastrophizing.”

The American Psychology Association (APA) defines it as thinking that “the worst possible outcome will occur” or feeling like we’re in “the midst of a catastrophe in situations that may be serious and upsetting but are not necessarily disastrous.”⁶

And it’s all too easy for something ominous like the end of the world to trigger this type of reaction in our minds. We shudder at what could happen to us if the rules and norms we’re used to suddenly collapse or morph into something different. But God tells us that we can take our troubled thoughts and redirect them toward Him. He encourages us to cast our burdens on Him.(2 Corinthians 10:4-5; Philippians 4:6-8).⁷ This frees up our minds to think about what He wants us to focus on:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8, ESV).

But what about things from the Bible that sound terrible or scary? Let’s consider the “bowls of wrath” in Revelation, for instance (Revelation 15:1; Revelation 16:1). We might be scared that we’ll experience the end-time plagues that come from those symbolic bowls.

But we don’t have to dread them because “God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that… we should live together with Him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, NKJV). God’s wrath is against sin, not against us. The only way we’ll experience the plagues against sin is if we reject God and choose to stand against Him.

The whole Bible is built upon the idea of choice. And at the end, there are only two choices. Are we for God or against Him?

And if we choose Him, the Bible describes believers as being sealed,⁸ which means we belong to our Savior and will be spared from His wrath.

8. Look for support in Christian communities

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Even if we can recognize that anxiety is what we’re struggling with, it can be exhausting to deal with it. But we don’t have to wrestle with it alone.

You can look up local churches and small groups to visit or join. Or reach out to a pastor or spiritual counselor. When among others on the same journey, sharing thoughts and concerns can help ease the anxiety and reinforce that you’re not the only person with these distressing concepts.

It’s easy to get stuck in our heads or to feel isolated. Talking to others can help with processing these thoughts and shed light on different perspectives.

This is what the Bible means when it says to “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2, NKJV) and “not neglecting to gather together… but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25, CSB).

Do I have to be worried about the end times?

It can be a lot to take in. But while we’re meant to take it seriously, we’re not called to worry over it.

In fact, the New Testament says Christians can be excited for the Second Coming of Christ!⁹

And that’s because we can have confidence on “the day of judgment” and remember that God’s love “casts out fear” (1 John 4:17-18, ESV).

We catch a glimpse of that confidence in the parable of talents. The servants who looked forward to their master’s return engaged in his business. As a result, they were confident when the master came back and were eager to share what they’d been up to (Matthew 25:19-23).

Thankfully, being “about the Master’s business” doesn’t mean it’s about performance or profit or numbers. It’s more like accepting the offer from God and showing up each day.

The Holy Spirit is the one really doing the work in and through us. As we follow His guidance and stay in touch with Him, He does the heavy lifting. So there’s no need to worry about our own capabilities or strengths or weaknesses since the “patient endurance” that characterizes God’s followers in the last days isn’t about our own physical or mental strength at all.

All that’s asked of us is faith. Even if it’s as small as a mustard seed, all that matters is that it’s planted and growing (Matthew 17:20).

“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:8, NKJV).

We understand that anxiety does not disappear overnight. It can take time, and that’s okay. In the meantime,

Key Verses to Remember when Dealing with End-Time anxiety:

“The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, CSB, emphasis added).

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, NASB).

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28, ESV, emphasis added).

“They will no longer hunger; they will no longer thirst; the sun will no longer strike them, nor will any scorching heat. For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16-17, CSB).

“He cried out with a loud voice to the four angels who were allowed to harm the earth and sea, ‘Don’t harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads’” (Revelation 7:2-3, CSB, emphasis added).

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, CSB).

“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose’” (Isaiah 46:9-10, ESV).

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11, ESV, emphasis added).

“The fear of mankind is a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected” (Proverbs 29:25, CSB).

“Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:4, ESV).

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling” (Psalm 46:1-3, ESV).

“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, CSB).

“Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25, CSB).

“Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, without blemish and with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25, CSB).

“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:8, NKJV).

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57, CSB)!

1. John 14:26-27; John 16:13, 20-21, 27. [↵]
2. Isaiah 26:3-4; 1 John 4:4; John 15:5. [↵]
3. Revelation 19-22. [↵]
4. Genesis 2:8-9, Genesis 16-17; Genesis 3:1-24. [↵]
5. Strong’s Concordance, (G602), “Apokalypsis.” [↵]
6. “Catastrophize.” APA Dictionary of Psychology, American Psychology Association. [↵]
7. Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7 [↵]
8. Ephesians 1:13; Revelation 7:1-4; Revelation 14:1. [↵]
9. Titus 2:13; Philippians 3:20. [↵]

More Answers

Bible verses on using money wisely:

• Honor God: Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 3:9.
• Pay tithe: Malachi 3:10; Leviticus 27:32.
• Give offerings: 2 Corinthians 9:7; Acts 20:35.
• Care for those in need: Matthew 6:3-4; Acts 4:34-35.
• Care for your family: Proverbs 13:22; 1 Timothy 5:8.
• Pay off your debts: Romans 13:7-8; Psalm 37:21
• Save and invest it: Luke 14:28-30; Proverbs 6: 6-8; Matthew 25:14-27.

Was money used differently in Bible times?

Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile

Money in Bible times was used much the same as it is today.

People used money to buy what they needed and support their families (Genesis 42:1-3; Lamentations 5:4). It was also used to pay workers, pay taxes, buy comforts and pleasures, and support those in need.¹

People back then had to make similar financial decisions. They had to figure out where they would spend money, how they would save and invest it, and how they could provide for their families and avoid getting into debt.

That being said, there are a couple of differences between the financial context of the Bible and today.

The people in Bible times:

• Didn’t always use coins: Goods and services were often traded and exchanged instead of bought (James 4:13-15).
• Lived in an agricultural society: Because so many people in this time were farmers and shepherds, crops and livestock were valued assets and were often used as a form of payment ( Leviticus 27:30-32; Genesis 13:2).
• Focused more on survival than comfort:² Before the industrial era, work was more time-consuming and labor-intensive. The lack of mass production made products more expensive. People were also so busy working that they had little time and money for comforts and entertainment.
• Had more incentives to stay away from debt: While people could still accrue debt, it wasn’t encouraged like the credit score systems of today. There were also harsher punishments for debt during this time, with debtors going to debtors’ prisons or becoming slaves until they paid off their debt (Matthew 18:23-25; Proverbs 22:7).³

While these are some key differences between their time and ours, money was—and still is—an important part of society.

And earning it is only the first step. Once we earn it we have to decide how we’re going to use it.

So how can we best use our money?

How should we save and invest? How do we provide for our families and those in need? And how do we deal with debt?

Let’s see what advice the Bible gives regarding these questions.

How does the Bible advise us to make financial decisions?

The Bible advises us to make financial decisions carefully, doing our best to make the most of the money God has given us.

It doesn’t give specific instructions, but rather, gives us timeless principles that anyone can apply to their lives.

God made these principles because He cares about the way we use our money.

This isn’t so much because God is concerned with our finances, but more because He is concerned with the condition of our hearts, and how we use our money may give us insight into whether or not we are being greedy or selfish.

Money is a tool, and it can be used for good or evil. When we use it for good by:

• taking care of our needs
• taking care of the needs of others
• supporting helpful organizations, businesses, and ministries, etc.

Then we are being responsible with the money God has given us.

When we misuse the money we’re given we might be missing an opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone else.

That’s why God’s Word teaches us to be mindful about using money and shows us how we should prioritize certain financial responsibilities.

And who better to teach us about how we can manage our money than God?

He’s the one who gives money to us in the first place (Psalm 24:1; Romans 11:36). He’s the one who gives us the resources, talents, and time we need to earn money and make a living.

In fact, the Bible helps us understand that money doesn’t just come from our Heavenly Father. It belongs to Him. Whatever we earn comes from Him and is for us to use and care for.

So let’s see what guidance His Scripture has to offer about:

• Tithe
• Offerings
• Providing for ourselves and others
• Debt
• Saving & investing

Please note: The advice in this article isn’t meant to replace professional financial counseling. Though this information may be helpful, we recommend seeking out financial professionals for further guidance.

Tithe

Photo by Leiada Krözjhen on Unsplash

The Bible calls us to give 10% of our income back to God.

In the Old Testament, the original Hebrew translation refers to this as “a tenth,” which has since been translated into the English word, “tithe.”⁴

In Bible times, the Israelites gave tithe by giving 10% of their crops to support the priests and Levites, the people God had chosen to minister to the Israelites and bring them closer to Him (Leviticus 27:32; Deuteronomy 14:28-29).

This tithe was taken from the first fruits of their crops, a principle which guided them to first give their tithe to God before doing anything else with their earnings (Proverbs 3:9).

In the Adventist Church, we follow the tithing principle of first fruits by setting aside 10% of our gross income for tithe as soon as we get our paycheck. This sum goes to the Church to support Church leaders, our modern-day equivalent of God’s ministers.

You might notice there are some differences between the way people give tithe today and the way God’s people kept tithe back then. But this doesn’t mean tithe was only for the Jews. Not by a long shot!

God’s word tells us tithe was kept long before the people of Israel. Abraham did it (Hebrews 7:4). So did Jacob (Genesis 28:20-22).

It was even observed in the New Testament, with Jesus and Paul calling Christians to give tithe (1 Corinthians 9:13–14; Matthew 23:23) (Jesus even says His people should focus on developing a Christ-like character first, but should not neglect to give tithe also).

But what’s the big deal about tithe, anyway?

Well, it all goes back to the idea that God owns our money. When we tithe, we’re just returning 10% of the money God gave us to begin with. That’s kind of like if someone gave you $100 and only asked for you to give them $10 back. It wouldn’t be so hard for you to give back $10 to the person that already gave you so much, would it?

But why even have this exchange? Why doesn’t God just give us the $90 and keep the $10 for Himself?

It comes down to the idea that giving changes who we are.

When we give in faith we grow spiritually. We start depending less on money and more on God. In giving, we acknowledge who our money comes from and who we can really depend on.

The Bible says:

“ ‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’Says the Lord of hosts,‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.’ ” (Malachi 3:10, NKJV).

This verse reassures us that tithing doesn’t result in us having less–like we would assume. Rather, our spirit of giving opens up our hearts to receive abundant blessings from God.

Giving tithe also gives us the chance to get involved in God’s mission and demonstrate our desire to put God first in our lives.

In the Adventist Church, this money is typically used to support pastors, conference administrative staff, evangelistic projects, and member ministries.

But tithe isn’t the only way you can support God’s mission.

You can also support it by giving offerings.

Offerings

Like tithe, offerings are donations given to the Church. However, unlike tithe, there isn’t any specific amount people are called to give. And there isn’t any special time it’s supposed to be given.

In the Bible, people would gather offerings to honor God, to help others, and support to God’s ministry.⁵

They were asked to give freely as they were called by the Holy Spirit.

In the same way, we can give whatever and whenever we feel impressed to give. We can give offerings to the Church and to other ministries and nonprofits that help people in need.

Offerings, like tithe, are another way we show God we trust Him to take care of us and make the most out of the money we have—even if we don’t have very much.

In the Bible, Jesus Christ commended the faithful offering of a widow:

“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” (Luke 21:1-4, NKJV).

This isn’t to say God always expects us to give all of our money when we give offerings. He does expect us to use some of it to support ourselves and our families who depend on us.

The story of the widow is there to remind us that we should never be afraid to give if we feel called to—even if it’s at our expense. While this doesn’t guarantee that God will bless us with riches as a reward for our giving, we do have the promise that God will take care of us (Philippians 4:19).

We also get to enjoy the blessing of knowing we’ve created a positive transformation in the life of another person… and, in ourselves.

In the Adventist Church, those who give offerings can send their donations to any ministry of their choosing. In this way, offerings typically end up supporting local church expenses and outreach projects.

Like tithe, giving offerings helps us grow spiritually by teaching us to trust God and turn our attention to loving and caring for others.

And just as the Holy Spirit moved the Early Church to give offerings, we can likewise pray, asking the Holy Spirit to guide our giving.

We can learn to be cheerful givers in giving offerings by practicing the greatest commandments—loving God and loving our neighbor (Mark 12:28-34; 2 Corinthians 9:7).

Providing for ourselves and our loved ones

Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava

Another very good use of our money is using it to support ourselves and our loved ones.

And that’s probably the first thing that comes to mind when we get our paycheck, isn’t it?

We’re already thinking about how we can use it to pay for our electricity, our groceries, and new school clothes for our kids.

It’s a responsibility the Bible calls us to uphold after we give our tithe— and a very important one at that (1 Timothy 5:8; Deuteronomy 26:2).

After all, how can we be a part of God’s mission to love and reach others when we can’t even provide for ourselves or the people who count on us?

The Apostle Paul emphasized the importance of working to earn fair wages and support oneself, as he and so many of the early Christians did during their ministry:

“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.” (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9, NKJV).

In this way, Paul calls us to do what we can to support ourselves.

Christians aren’t called to take from others. They’re meant to be a source of giving, just like Jesus was (Acts 20:35).

Of course, there might be circumstances that make it difficult or impossible for people to support themselves. In cases such as these, asking for help from others is not something to be ashamed of. God’s church is meant to be a place where people can turn to for support.

For most people, our work begins by caring for the people who depend on us at home, such as providing for our children and taking care of our aging parents (Proverbs 13:22).

But we also use our money to buy essentials and pay off our debts (Matthew 6:31-33).

Debt

Another area where the Bible calls us to use our money is to use it in paying off debts.

After paying our tithes and providing for our families, it’s a good idea to prioritize paying off debts.

We’re all pretty familiar with debt in our world of credit cards, student loans, and house mortgages, but all too often people get in over their heads.

They rack up debts they can’t afford to pay back. Or they go without paying their debts for so long that it accumulates a mountain of interest.

That’s why it’s important to pay off our debts before they get out of hand.

But, beyond that, paying off our debts is an act of honesty and accountability (Romans 13:7; Psalm 37:21). It also has its practical purposes—namely, helping us escape the bondage of debt.

The Bible says:

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7, NKJV).

It’s a good idea to avoid getting into debt in the first place when possible (Ecclesiastes 5:5). One great way to do this is by monitoring your finances so that when you buy something on credit, you know that you will be able to pay off your bill with no issue.

You might find that it’s even helpful to just buy something with cash or on your debit card instead of buying on credit.

Either way, responsible spending is the key principle.

Saving & investing

Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava:

What do we do with the money we have left over after tithe, offerings, buying essentials, and paying off our debt?

We might think of spending money on the things we want and enjoy. And really, there’s nothing wrong with that. God doesn’t limit His people to basic needs; He also wants us to be able to enjoy the little things (1 Timothy 6:17).

The only problem is that buying the things we want can easily become a misplaced priority. Over-consumption can even tempt us to prioritize our wants over our needs or the needs of others.

So, even as we buy things we enjoy, it’s important to be moderate and mindful.

To use our money wisely, we can’t just think about the here and now. We have to think about preparing for the future. This is where saving and investing come in.

Saving is the choice to hold onto our money until we’ve accumulated enough to spend on something important.

In this way, saving money can help us afford a larger purchase without going into debt, helping us better care for ourselves and others in the future. It can also help us be prepared for emergencies.

The Bible puts it this way:

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?” (Luke 14:28-30, NKJV).

 

“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.”(Proverbs 6: 6-8, NKJV).

Investing, on the other hand, is the choice to spend our money on something that will be worth more to us further down the road than the money we originally had.

This can be done by investing in land, our retirement, our children’s education, and so on.

In one parable, Jesus talks about investing money as He describes a master giving three servants different amounts of money to safeguard for Him (Matthew 25:14-27). The first two servants take their money and invest it, earning their master interest, while the last one only focuses on saving it. When the master asks the servants about the money, he is pleased with the first two but angry with the third who did not make the most of the money he was given.

All the principles we’ve covered so far apply just as much to us as they did to people in Bible times.

But will there be a time when God asks us to spend our money differently?

How should we use our money in the end times?

While we can prepare for other emergencies by saving up money, no amount of money will prepare us for the end times.

The only way we can prepare is by building a relationship with Jesus, so when the end comes we’ll be able to depend on Him for our every need (Luke 12:10-21,29-31;1 Timothy 6:17-19).

In general, the Bible warns against hoarding money. While we can save it, there can come a point where we’re so focused on saving and storing our money that it either goes to waste or we become fearful that it will be taken from us and obsessive about accruing it.

Jesus tells one parable about a rich man who hoarded all his money with the plans that he would one day use it (Luke 12:13-21). But the man dies before he is able. In other words, he was so focused on what he could do with the money in the future that he missed out on what he could have done with it in the present.

In the same way, there’ll come a time during the end times when our money will be useless to us. It won’t be worth anything and it won’t be able to buy us what we need (James 4:13-15).

This is likely why the Bible wants us to realize early on that money, though it is helpful to us now, is not something that will save us, nor is it something that even lasts.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21, NKJV).

This is why it’s important we pray for discernment in what to do with our money when the end times come. When we do this, the Holy Spirit will show us when and how to save and when and how to spend our money on something worthwhile.

We will likely be called to direct our money towards God’s purposes, supporting the spread of the Gospel while we still can, before the end arrives and our money loses its value (Luke 12:29-34).

Ultimately, reaching others with the life-saving truth of Jesus is the greatest use of our money, and the greatest investment we can ever make.

Making the most out of what we’re given

The Bible’s financial principles show us how we can best use our money. And, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can learn how to apply those principles to everyday decisions.

As you start out, it might be helpful for you to create a budget to be more mindful of how your money is being spent.

You can also pray for the Holy Spirit’s discernment in making decisions to best use your money.

In the end, that’s what being a good steward is all about.

Learn more about stewardship by reading,

1. Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Matthew 20:1-16; Matthew 17: 24-27; John 12:3; Acts 4:34-35. [↵]
2. Rafferty, John P., “The Rise of the Machines: Pros and Cons of the Industrial Revolution,” Britannica. [↵]
3. Nichol, F.D. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary And Bible Students’ Source Book Volume #, Seventh-day Adventist Church, . p.<>. [↵]
4. “4643.” Bible Hub. [↵]
5. Psalm 96:8; Acts 4:34-35; Exodus 35:21-29. [↵]

More Answers

The afterlife is something on all of our minds. Whether Christian or not, human beings have a natural longing to understand what’s next. And nearly every religion has some kind of explanation for it.

Is there something more beyond this life and its challenges? Is there something to look forward to that can give us hope in the present?

The Bible tells us yes. In fact, it talks about a place called heaven that exists right now. It’s the dwelling place of God. And someday, after Jesus returns, all those who have chosen to follow Him will be welcomed into it (John 14:1-3). We’ll spend 1,000 years (the Millennium) there with our Lord Jesus Christ and come to know Him more deeply before moving to our permanent home on the New Earth (Revelation 20:4-6).

But it’s not easy to describe something that’s beyond our wildest dreams. Like the apostle Paul wrote, referencing the words of the prophet Isaiah 66:4.

“What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived—God has prepared these things for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9, CSB).

Because we don’t truly know (and probably can’t even imagine) too much about heaven, many have speculated about what it could be like. Though this speculation certainly isn’t wrong, the goal of this page will be to look at what the Bible explains about heaven. We’ll cover:

• What heaven is
• Where it is
• What it’s like
• Who it’s for
• How we can get there

Let’s start by learning about the three different types of “heaven” mentioned in Scripture.

What is heaven? What does the word mean in Scripture?

Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash

If we look at all the passages that talk about “heaven,” we’ll find there are three distinct meanings or uses for the word. It can refer to:

1. The sky, or “atmospheric heavens”¹
2. Outer space, or “the astronomic, or starry, heavens”²
3. God’s dwelling place

How do we know?

The context of the verse usually gives us clues.

The sky

Right in the Creation account, we read,

“Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven” (Genesis 1:7-8, NKJV).

The word “firmament” here is just another word for sky.

Multiple passages later talk about birds flying in the heavens (Genesis 1:20; 7:23), the heavens dropping down dew (Deuteronomy 33:28), or clouds covering the heavens (Psalm 147:8).

When God says that someday He will make “new heavens and a new earth,”(Isaiah 65:17, NKJV). He’s referring specifically to the atmospheric heavens, the skies.³

Outer space

When God created the sun, moon, and stars, He said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the firmaments of the heavens to separate the day from the night” (Genesis 1:14, ESV).

Here, “heavens” is talking about outer space.

The same is true when God told Abraham to look up into the “heavens” at the stars (Genesis 15:5, NASB).

Deuteronomy 28:62 and Psalm 8:3 also mention heaven in the context of the moon and stars.

God’s dwelling place

Throughout the Bible, we see passages where God is calling out to His people, speaking to them, or listening to them from His home in heaven (Genesis 21:17; Exodus 20:22; 1 Kings 8:32).

Others talk about God’s throne being in heaven, such as Psalm 11:4:

“The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven” (ESV).

Jesus often referred to His Father “who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:11, ESV) and spoke about the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20; 10:7; 13:44). Aside from God, the angels are also there (Matthew 18:10; 24:36).

Heaven is where Jesus, the Son of God, came from (John 3:13; 6:38) and where He went because Mark 16:19 says He went “up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God” (ESV).

This heaven, what Jesus also called “My Father’s house” (John 14:2, NKJV), is what we’ll be focusing on in this article.

And that brings up the following question…

Where is heaven?

The Bible isn’t really clear about where heaven is, though we can assume it’s beyond what we can see of the galaxies, solar systems, and universe.

The most that the Bible tells us is that it’s the place where God—Jesus—is is (Acts 7:55).

What will heaven be like?

Image by Kanenori from Pixabay

Heaven is God’s dwelling place, “the Father’s house” (John 14:2). It’s the home of the angels also, and someday, it’ll be the place Jesus takes us after He returns to the earth a second time. Jesus often spoke about what it means to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21; 18:3). It’s a place of perfect harmony because “righteousness”—alignment with God’s law of love—is the motive there (2 Peter 3:13).

As God’s dwelling place, it houses the heavenly sanctuary and God’s throne, which were illustrated by the Old Testament Israelite sanctuary. Notice how the apostle Paul makes the connection:

“We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man” (Hebrews 8:1-2, NKJV).

In the book of Revelation, in the New Testament, Jesus’ follower John got a small glimpse of this throne room. A rainbow encircled the throne, and a sea of glass-like crystal was in front of it (chapter 4). Heavenly beings were all around.

Revelation 21 further describes the New Jerusalem, which eventually comes down from heaven (more on that part later). This massive city is radiant, made out of jewels, pearls, and other precious stones. “And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21, NKJV).

It won’t need light (like a sun or a moon) because of the presence of God, who “dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16, ESV).

Revelation 22 has a similar description of heaven to chapter 4:

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him” (Revelation 22:1-3, ESV).

No doubt, these words don’t do heaven justice. Heaven will truly be beyond our imaginations.

Let’s find out a little more about those who will be in heaven.

Who is heaven for?

Heaven is God’s “holy and beautiful habitation” (Isaiah 63:15, ESV), and it’s the place where the angels are. But it’s also meant for every single human being! Heaven is for us! (Of course, God still respects our choice and won’t force us to choose Him and be with Him for eternity.)

Jesus told His disciples in John 14:2-3:

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (NKJV).

Philippians 3:20 emphasizes that our “citizenship is in heaven.”

Jesus is preparing it for us so that we be with Him someday. But when?

When do people go to heaven?

Photo by Liu JiaWei on Unsplash

Scripture teaches that God’s followers will go to heaven at the time of Christ’s Second Coming. Rather than people waiting at heaven’s gate until someone determines whether they’re good or bad, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes it like this:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (ESV).

This event is known as the “first resurrection” in Revelation 20, and it happens at the beginning of a thousand-year period called the millennium:

“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:4-5, ESV).

But until that time when Jesus returns, those who died having chosen to follow Christ will sleep peacefully in their graves. That’s why passages like Acts 2:34 point out that even someone like David, who was a man after God’s own heart and will most likely be in heaven, “did not ascend into the heavens” (ESV).

He, together with all those who have accepted Him, will be raised to life at the Second Coming.

(Find out more about the Bible’s teachings on death and the resurrection.)

Will we have physical bodies in heaven?

Jesus, after His resurrection, is an example of what we will be like when we’re resurrected at His return (Romans 6:5). “Just as we have borne the image of the Man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:49, ESV). This means that we will have a body like Jesus has.

When Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples, He encouraged His disciples to touch His hands and feet, “for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:39, ESV).

But here’s the best part:

We will have glorified bodies in heaven. Not the aching, hurting, sinful bodies we have on this earth (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

What will we be doing in heaven?

Image by dewdrop157 from Pixabay

Unlike the cartoons of cherubs floating on clouds and playing harps, the Bible teaches that we will be involved in a variety of activities while in heaven. The most fulfilling and enjoyable activities possible! Most important of all is that we will be with God, spending time with Him face to face and worshiping Him (Revelation 21:3; 22:3).

But the Bible lets us in on something else:

We’ll also be part of a special work of judgment.

Revelation 20:4 describes this judgment as happening during the thousand-year period after Jesus’ coming:

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them” (NKJV).

The context of this verse helps us realize that it’s talking about those who have followed God. Judgment will be committed to them.

Paul also talks about this in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3:

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?” (NKJV)

Does this mean we’ll be deciding people’s cases? Not exactly.

Remember, Jesus will come with His reward at the Second Coming (Revelation 22:12). He will already have decided everyone’s cases during an event called the investigative judgment.

But when we, as followers of God go to heaven, we’ll get to conduct a kind of review process. God gives us an opportunity to see the decisions He’s made and understand why some have been saved and some lost. In a sense, we’re judging God’s justice and fairness.

God’s willingness to let us do that shows His transparency and desire that we would understand His character.

Aside from the work of judgment, we will reign together with Christ (Revelation 20:6).

And Revelation 19:9 even speaks of us being invited to “the marriage supper of the Lamb.”(NKJV). Jesus could very well have been referring to this when He told His disciples,

“But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29, NKJV).

No doubt, heaven will be a blissful place. But will we always stay there?

Will we live in heaven forever?

The Bible teaches that rather than living in heaven forever, we will be in heaven for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4-5). Afterwards, God will destroy sin and evil and recreate the earth. The New Jerusalem, the holy city, will come down out of heaven and rest on the earth so that we can then live there (Revelation 21:1-2).

Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5, ESV).

God has always intended for us to live on the earth, and we’ll have that opportunity when He restores it to reflect the Garden of Eden, the home of Adam and Eve, again.

One commentator writes,

“Life in the new earth will to a large degree be similar to the life that man lived in Paradise before the entrance of sin. In the world made new there will be all the comforts and delights of Eden of old. There will be trees and flowers and streams, delicious fruits, and beautiful homes. The world will be man’s to enjoy, to erect for himself the kind of home that he wills, and, with the humble heart of a learner, to hold converse with nature and nature’s God.”⁴

And best of all, God will be there with us (Revelation 21:3). Isn’t that what heaven is really all about?

How can I get to heaven?

Getting to heaven is simple. We can’t earn our way to heaven. It’s a gift that God gives us when we choose to believe in Jesus Christ, which is why John 3:16 promises that “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (ESV).

When we make the decision to follow Jesus, He comes into our lives and changes us, preparing our hearts to enjoy heaven with Him (Ephesians 2:4-10).

And that opportunity is available for each one of us—life in heaven and on the new earth with Jesus.

What’s more, that life begins now: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3, ESV).

Related Articles

1. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary, entry for “heaven” [↵]
2. Ibid. [↵]
3. Ibid. [↵]
4. Nichol, F.D., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, comments on Isaiah 65:21. [↵]

More Answers

Money is a part of everyone’s lives. Much of our time revolves around earning it, and even when we aren’t working, we’re thinking about how we can spend it.

But what does the Bible say about such a crucial topic? And does it offer any principles that can help us navigate our relationship with money?

Yes! In fact, the Bible offers over 2,300 verses of wisdom on the subject.¹

Let’s see what encouragement and insight the Bible has for Christians by looking at:

• The morality of money
• The ultimate source of wealth
• 7 biblical principles for our relationship with money
  • Reliance on God
  • The blessing of work
  • Stewardship
  • Responsible decision-making
  • Saving
  • Generosity
  • A forgiving attitude

We’ll start with what Scripture has to say about money itself.

Is money good or bad?

Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash

The Bible doesn’t call money good or bad. While money can be used for good or bad, money in itself is something neutral, a tool for obtaining the things we need (Genesis 41:57; Proverbs 31:16).

There are numerous examples of this in Scripture:

Money was used to buy food and water (Genesis 42:1-3; Lamentations 5:4). It was used to hire workers (Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Matthew 20:1-16) and purchase gifts (Matthew 26:6-9). It was used by the poor and the rich (Mark 12:41-44; 2 Samuel 24:21-24), the Jews and the Gentiles (non-Jews) (Matthew 17:24-27; Matthew 22:15-22).

It was used by Jesus Christ and His disciples to pay taxes, spread the Gospel, and support those in need.²

God knows we need money to function in society. In fact, the Bible encourages everyone to work diligently so they can provide for themselves and their families (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12; 1 Timothy 5:8).

So, why are many people convinced that money is bad?

You might have heard people say that “money is the root of all evil,” but really, this is a misquote of the Bible. Scripture makes a fine distinction, telling us that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10).

This love of money—greed—happens when we rely on and value money more than we rely on and value God. We see an extreme example of this when the disciple Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16).

The Bible warns us that this mindset ends in more hardship and takes our minds off the things that really matter.³

It says:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20, NKJV).

The only thing that lasts forever, the only thing that will bring us true happiness, fulfillment, and security is something money can’t ever buy—a relationship with Jesus Christ.⁴

At the same time, God doesn’t tell us to ignore our physical needs. And He doesn’t leave us to depend on our own efforts to survive.

Instead, He provides for us, giving us the abilities and opportunities we need to thrive.

Where does wealth come from?

God created us, and He is the one who has given us the talents, abilities, and resources we need to conduct our daily work. Deuteronomy 8:18 outright reminds us that “it is He who gives you power to get wealth” (NKJV).

This isn’t to say that having wealth is necessarily a sign of God’s favor (just as lacking wealth doesn’t mean God’s upset with you).

The Bible explains that being rich or being poor doesn’t reflect one’s spiritual status. Both the righteous and the wicked can experience times of prosperity and hardship.⁵ Job, despite being faithful to God, lost everything he had (Job 1:1-3, 6). Meanwhile, men like King Ahab and Nabal were incredibly wealthy even though they had turned their backs on God.⁶

In short, following God doesn’t guarantee financial prosperity. It may even result in losing money or experiencing hardships (Luke 9:23-24).

Many of God’s people in the Bible experienced this reality.

In times of difficulty, they sought God before riches, comfort, or safety. Though they knew God was capable of giving them things that could improve their situation, they found more value in their relationship with Him.

They didn’t feel entitled to any special privileges or blessings. Because they had gotten to know God, they were able to have confidence in His will and trust Him to guide them, even if it initially led to more hardship.⁷

That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with praying for blessings and asking for help.

God wants to bless us and give us what we need to live happy, healthy lives (Psalm 35:27).

We know of numerous occasions where God provided for His people:

• He fed the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16:13-16).
• He sent ravens to bring the prophet Elijah bread (1 Kings 17:6).
• He multiplied oil for a poor widow to pay off her debts (2 Kings 4:1-7).
• He turned water into wine for a wedding (John 2:1-10).

But it all comes down to a matter of the heart. Are we relying on God because of who He is? Or do we just want what He can do for us?

When God is our priority, we’re able to view money the way He wants us to.

We’ll look next at some principles He gives us in the Bible.

7 biblical principles for our relationship with money

The Bible provides principles that give us a biblical framework for our relationship with wealth.

These principles show us how to live by faith and be more generous, content, and happy as we honor the Lord with our money.

1. Reliance on God

Photo by Pixabay

It’s easy to look to money for security, but depending on money isn’t always as secure as we think it is.

Some people aren’t able to work at all due to health issues or other personal circumstances.

Others can get laid off, or don’t make enough to make ends meet.

In a survey, 73% of respondents said finances was their #1 source of stress, even over matters involving their family, work, or politics.⁸ Financial stress has also been linked to depression, anxiety,⁹ and physical problems like high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, or heart arrhythmia.¹⁰

In the end, relying on money can be exhausting.

This may be why the New Testament refers to money as “a master” (Matthew 6:24).

You may think you’re in charge of your money. But if your financial fears overcome you and harm your health, the money is really ruling you. The love of money can overtake us and affect our quality of life.

Our dedication to earning money can also compete with our dedication to serving God (1 Timothy 6:6-10; Matthew 13:22). The Bible demonstrates this in the story of the rich young ruler, who refused to part with his possessions to follow Jesus (Matthew 19:16-24).

The ruler’s dependence on his wealth kept him from trusting in God.

He said he wanted to follow Jesus, but he didn’t trust God to take care of him.

After the rich young ruler went away, Jesus warned, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24, NKJV).

It isn’t that there’s something wrong with being rich, but in this context, Jesus was referring to someone who had allowed his riches to take first place ahead of God’s call.

With great wealth comes an even greater responsibility to keep that wealth in its rightful place. After all, the more money we have, the easier it is to get what we want, and the easier it is to become entitled, growing attached to our possessions and relying on our own abilities.¹¹

God wants us to depend on Him because He’s the only one we can truly count on (1 Timothy 6:17).

When we trust Him, we don’t have to live in fear because we recognize His care for us and the value of eternity over our earthly belongings. Jesus reminds us:

“Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33, NKJV).

2. The blessing of work

God provides for us in a variety of ways, but one of the greatest ways He does this is by granting us the power to work.

When we recognize that this ability comes from God, we rely not on our own wavering success but on His steadfast goodness.

While God has been known to freely extend blessings to those in need, He calls us to work for our needs as a means of giving us a more fulfilling life (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20). Even in the perfection of the world at Creation, He gave Adam and Eve a task to name the animals and care for the garden (Genesis 2:15-20).

Work continues to be a blessing to us today. Through it, we’re able to experience fulfillment and satisfaction, provide for our families, and keep our communities running.¹²

It also teaches us the value of money, helping us to be more mindful of how we spend it.

3. Stewardship

When we think of the money we earn as our own, we naturally take on a possessive (and oftentimes, obsessive) attitude towards it. But when we remember that our money belongs to God (Haggai 2:8), we see it as less of something we earned and more as something we’re blessed and honored to have.

This mindset helps us cultivate an attitude of gratitude instead of greed so that we reject the temptation to make money our master.

The Bible encourages this mindset by calling us to return a tithe, one tenth of our income, to God (Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:10). In doing so, we acknowledge that our money ultimately belongs to Him and that we’re simply stewards, or caretakers, of it.

4. Responsible decision-making

Advertisements in stores, on TV, or even on the back of products we’ve already bought all tell us one message: our lives will be better if we just buy one more thing.

God never intended us to live this way. He knows we can live a happier life when we’re content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:11-13).

Of course, that doesn’t mean we should never purchase anything we need. And there isn’t anything wrong with buying things we want from time to time either.

It’s about the direction of our spending. God doesn’t want us to get so caught up in buying what we want that we aren’t able to help people in need or provide for our necessities (Luke 16:11; 1 Corinthians 4:2).

The Bible encourages us not to be impulsive, but to instead carefully consider what to spend our money on (Proverbs 21:5; Luke 14:28).

The same principle also applies to taking a loan. Though taking a loan isn’t sinful or wrong in and of itself, the Bible does warn about the dangers of debt when it points out that the “borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7, NKJV).

Sometimes, though, we end up in debt due to circumstances outside of our control, such as medical emergencies. These situations can feel incredibly discouraging. But even when situations are unideal and we’re struggling to pay off debt, God’s love for us and our identity in Him doesn’t change. He’s still with us and wants to guide us in our decisions.

5. Saving and investment

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

In the Old Testament, Joseph advised the Pharaoh of Egypt to save a portion of each year’s harvest for a coming famine (Genesis 41:34-36). This decision to store food didn’t just save Egypt from starvation; it also helped feed people from neighboring countries, like Joseph’s family (Genesis 41:57; Genesis 42:1).

The principle still applies today: saving money allows us to be better prepared for the future (Proverbs 6:6-8; 21:20), whether it may involve unexpected life circumstances or a large purchase.

However, even as God wants us to save our money, He doesn’t want us to become too dependent on it.

When we rely on our money, it’s easy to be tempted to hoard it instead of using it when we should. This concept is best illustrated in the parable of the rich fool who stored all his riches (Luke 12:13-21). Rather than using his harvest for good, he was allowing it to go to waste.

Meanwhile, the Bible speaks positively of those who invest their money, like the woman of Proverbs 31 who makes a profit by buying a field and selling its crops (Proverbs 31:16).

Investing is also praised in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-29).

When a master entrusts his three servants with different sums of money, the first two invest the money to earn their master a profit, while the last servant only buries it in the ground. When the master returns, he is pleased by the servants who invested his money and helped it grow, but angry with the one who only saved it and failed to increase its worth.

The underlying issue here isn’t just increasing the value of an investment; it’s about putting money to good use.

When the rich young ruler came to Jesus asking what he could do to gain eternal life, Jesus told him to sell everything and give his money to the poor. Though the ruler would end up with less money, his money would be used to do greater things—in this case, helping those in need.

In the same way, God wants us to be prepared for the future while also making the most of the money He gives us, whether supporting our families, furthering our education, or helping churches and nonprofit organizations.

6. Generosity

Generosity and giving are major themes throughout the Bible. The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7:

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (NKJV).

Not only will our giving help others, but it’ll also have a positive effect on us too:

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35, NKJV).

Giving frees us from the burden money can be—helping us exercise faith in God, reject selfishness, embrace compassion, and prioritize the needs of others.

God doesn’t want us to give so we can show off our wealth, or because we feel obligated and think doing good deeds will earn His favor. And giving cheerfully doesn’t necessarily mean we must always be full of excitement and joy when we give.

Instead, it’s about trusting God. This gives us the confidence to freely give and help others (2 Corinthians 9:8, 12-13).

Like the poor widow who gave everything she had (Mark 12:41-44), the Philippians who supported Paul’s ministry (Philippians 4:15-19), and the Israelites who gave gifts for God’s tabernacle (Exodus 35:4-29), we can humbly offer what we have as the Holy Spirit leads.¹³

7. A forgiving attitude

When dealing with money, we may at times face situations that require patience and forgiveness.

A situation the Bible mentions is one in which someone owes us money (Matthew 18:23-25).

For Christians, the choice to lend money should not be the goal of gaining interest but of helping others in times of need.¹⁴

While it’s important for people to honor their promises to pay their debt—and we’re not saying that you should continue lending to someone who never pays you back—the Bible emphasizes people above money.

This focus allows us to pause and seek to understand someone’s situation rather than simply reacting with harshness. It leads us to deal with them fairly and mercifully, helping them get out of debt as soon as they can.

True wealth

God is the source of life and all things good. Everything we need comes from Him.

As we’ve explored above, money is a tool He’s given us for life in this world. But money isn’t the meter for our relationship with Him. Whether we’re thriving or struggling financially, He offers us the spiritual riches of knowing Him.

He is the most valuable treasure we could ever possess (Matthew 13:45-46).

And He has promised to provide everything we need, just as He feeds the birds and clothes the flowers (Matthew 6:25-34).

We might deal with financial troubles from time to time, but that doesn’t mean that God isn’t there. He is with us through whatever we go through, and we can have confidence in His goodness. He will never let us down (Philippians 4:19).

Find more evidence of all the good things God has already done for us in

Bible Verses About Money

• Reliance on God: Proverbs 23:4-5; Ecclesiastes 5:10; Matthew 6:24; Proverbs 1:19; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17; Matthew 13:22; Matthew 19:16-24; Luke 12:33; James 5:1-3; Matthew 6:25-34;
• Philippians 4:19; Proverbs 22:9.
• The blessing of work: Genesis 2:15, 19-20; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20; Proverbs 10:4; 1 Timothy 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Colossians 3:23.
• Stewardship: Deuteronomy 8:17-18; Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalm 24:1; Haggai 2:8; Proverbs 3:9-10; Leviticus 27:30, 32; Malachi 3:10.
• Responsible decision-making: Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:11-13; Luke 16:11; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Proverbs 21:5; Luke 14:28; Proverbs 22:26-27; Proverbs 6:1-5.
• Saving and investment: Proverbs 21:20; Proverbs 6:6-8; Genesis 41:34-36; Luke 12:13-21; Proverbs 31:16; Matthew 25:14-29.
• Generosity: Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Mark 12:41-44; 1 John 3:17; Matthew 6:1-4; Luke 6:38; Deuteronomy 16:17; Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 11:24-25.
• A forgiving attitude: Matthew 18:23-33; Exodus 22:25; Matthew 5:42; Luke 6:35.

Related Articles

1. “Why Does the Bible Mention Money So Often?” Wealth with Purpose. [↵]
2. Matthew 17:24-27; Philippians 4:15-16; Acts 4:34-35. [↵]
3. Luke 12:15-21; Matthew 13:22; James 5:1-6; Proverbs 1:19. [↵]
4. Proverbs 11:14; Acts 8:20; 1 Timothy 6:18-19. [↵]
5. Job 1:1, 3-6; Job 21:7-13; Psalm 37:1-4. [↵]
6. 1 Kings 21:25; 1 Kings 22:39; 1 Samuel 25:2-3. [↵]
7. Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 26:39; Job 1:20-22; Philippians 4:12-13. [↵]
8. “Mental well-being inherently connected to financial wellness,” Purdue University, January 27, 2021. [↵]
9. Ryu, Soomin and Lu Fan, “The Relationship Between Financial Worries and Psychological Distress Among U.S. Adults,” National Library of Medicine, February 1, 2022. [↵]
10. “Mental well-being.” [↵]
11. Luke 12:33; James 5:1-3; Proverbs 23:4-5. [↵]
12. Proverbs 10:4; 1 Timothy 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:9. [↵]
13. 1 John 3:17; Matthew 6:1-4; Deuteronomy 16:17; Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 11:24-25. [↵]
14. Luke 3:14; Exodus 22:25; Matthew 5:42. [↵]

More Answers

Have you ever wondered about life after death, or what some refer to as the afterlife?

The Bible has answers, so we’re going to dive into the Word of God together and learn what we can about what happens once a person has died.

We’ll tackle specific questions like:

• Is there life after death?
• What does the Bible say about what happens when you die?
  • Do good/bad people go to heaven/hell when they die?
  • What do people know after they die?
  • Can the dead communicate with the living?
• What is the soul, and what happens to it when we die?
• Is there hope in Jesus Christ for life after death?

Let’s start with the question that brought you here.

Is there life after death?

Photo by RDNE Stock project

The answer to this question is both yes and no. Yes, there is life after death, but not immediately. Through hope in Jesus Christ, we can have faith that He will return for all His believers and we will be raised from the dead.

But let’s clarify some details.

Is there life immediately after death? The answer to this question is no.

When God created humanity, He breathed the breath of life into Adam. That life force, God’s breath, made Adam alive.

In other words, Adam became a living soul.

The Bible says, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7, NKJV). When we die, the breath of life, like that which God breathed into Adam, returns to God.

So, when we die, we are dead.

However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t hope after a person died. We can have hope of eternal life with God.

Even though the breath of life returns to God when we or our loved ones die, we can be confident that it will be returned when we are resurrected at the Second Coming of Jesus.

In fact, the Bible is full of instructions not to fear death because it is simply like sleep.

To human beings, death feels so final and scary. But to God, the death that His believers experience during our time on this earth is merely a time of rest before we are raised up again, given new, perfect bodies, and taken to heaven to live with God eternally (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

Unbelievers will also experience a brief resurrection to be judged before dying the eternal death, but more on that a bit later.

So, is there an afterlife? The answer is both yes and no.

Now, let’s look at some more specific questions about life after death by turning to the Bible as our guide.

What does the Bible say about life after death?

In a nutshell, the Bible is clear that without the breath of God in us, we are not alive. Once the breath of God leaves us, we are asleep in death.

We don’t go to heaven directly or spend time in an in-between-space. We are simply dead. The breath of God is what gives us life, and without that breath we have no life.

With that in mind, here’s how the Bible answers these common questions people have:

• Do good and bad people go straight to heaven and hell when they die?
• What do people know after they die?
• Can the dead communicate with the living?

Do good or bad people go straight to heaven or hell when they die?

No, good people do not go straight to heaven when they die, and bad people do not go straight to hell. No one goes anywhere until our world’s history concludes at Jesus’ second coming.

“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth–those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29, NKJV).

Jesus Christ is telling those around Him that both believers and unbelievers will be in their graves when He returns.

Those who have chosen Jesus as their Savior will be raised up when Jesus returns, and this is referred to as the first resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Those who chose against Him, on the other hand, will be raised at the second resurrection (Revelation 20:12-15), after the millennium.

So what happens after a person dies depends on that individual’s free will. Based on their life circumstances, did they choose to follow Jesus? Would they truly be happy in heaven? God alone knows everyone’s hearts.

Unbelievers, or those whose names are not in the book of life after the final judgment, will eventually die the second death. From this death, there is no resurrection.

Aside from a small few exceptions (Enoch, Elijah, and possibly Moses), no humans that have died on earth are currently in heaven.

Even many of the heroes of the Bible, David for example, are not in Heaven.

In the New Testament in Acts 2:29, 34 we read, “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. For David did not ascend into the heavens” (NKJV).

If there is anyone who we expect to be in heaven, it’s David. While he certainly wasn’t perfect, he is referred to as a man who constantly pursued God, and his Psalms are filled with yearning and praise for the Lord (1 Sam 13:14). However, we are told that David is not yet in heaven.

And just in case you’re wondering, there isn’t an “in-between” place that people go after they die either. There is no purgatory or intermediate state between life and death. When someone dies, they simply sleep in the ground until Jesus returns.

That way we can enjoy entrance into heaven all together, collectively praising God as we’re transformed in the air (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Jesus Himself is clear about this throughout His ministry on earth. He refers to dead people as asleep when He resurrects Lazurus and the centurion’s daughter (Matthew 9:24, John 11:11-14).

What about the instances where the Bible tells us that someone was taken to Heaven?

The only time this doesn’t apply is under certain circumstances, when God, Himself, takes a person to Heaven.

For example, the Bible tells us that Enoch and Elijah are in Heaven (Genesis 5:24, 2 Kings 2:11), and Moses appears at the transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-9. While we don’t know God’s specific purpose for these select few being taken to heaven right away, we do know that we can trust God’s plan, timing, and actions.

What do people know after they die?

Those who have died know nothing. As nice as it may sound, they aren’t watching over their loved ones and they aren’t feeling anything. But when Jesus comes again, He will call them from the grave and they will be given new bodies and eternal life.

The Bible says, “For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, NKJV).

Can the dead communicate with the living?

Following the logic of the last two answers, people who have died cannot communicate with us. As a matter of fact, the Bible condemns the practice of speaking with the dead—because these are apparitions that are not of God (1 Chronicles 10:13). When a person dies, they do not return to speak with the living.

Now that we know some of what the Bible says about what happens when you die, let’s explore the concept of the soul.

What is a soul and what happens to it when we die?

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

As we previously discussed, the soul is what a human is: humans are living souls. Souls are not separate from the physical body.

Let’s consider an illustration to make it a bit clearer.

With a pile of lumber and a pile of nails, one can make a box. Take the nails out and the box falls apart.

Where did the box go?

It no longer exists. That is, until it’s rebuilt.

It’s the same way with the body and breath. Put them together and you have a living person—a living soul.

When the body and breath are separated in death, it’s like the box. The person ceases to exist. The breath returns to God and the body returns to dust.

So, the idea that the soul leaves the body at the moment of death and lives forever isn’t actually supported by Scripture.

Rather, once you die, the soul merely ceases to exist.

You might be wondering, then, about the idea of the immortal soul.

Firstly, the Bible is clear that only God is immortal (1 Timothy 6:16).

Furthermore, God says in the Bible, “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20, NKJV).

This means that the person who deliberately continues in sin and does not repent will die.

If we accept that humans live forever, this would mean that God was not truthful when He spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden:

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16,17, NKJV).

This means that the soul is not immortal. The soul dies when we die because the breath of life makes us human souls. Our bodies are part of our souls, not just soul-containers.

This also means that the common belief of unbelievers eternally burning in a lake of fire or hell isn’t true, either. Because the soul is not immortal, it will come to a point when it will die and the suffering will end.

We believe that God is love, and a soul that lives forever in torment is not reflective of the character of our loving God.

With Jesus, we can have hope for life after death

The best part of all this is that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we don’t have to fear the time of death. Though we will certainly have natural emotional reactions to death and dying, we can also have peace as we hope for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope… For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:14,16-17, NKJV).

And those of us who have lost loved ones during our time on this earth can find comfort in the possibility that we may meet them again someday, and that, according to the book of Revelation, “God will wipe every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4, NKJV).

We’ve lived among sin, pain, and death, knowing both good and evil—just as our human nature chose through Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. But God never intended that to be the end of humanity’s story. He will set all things right when He returns to take us home, and those who have died will wake up to this most beautiful scene.

Want to know more? Learn what it really means to have a relationship with Jesus by starting your own Bible study, or check out this page about the experience of salvation.

More Answers

As human beings, it’s natural for us to wonder about God’s appearance. But the Bible says very little about it.

It’s not hard to understand why, though. As the Creator of the entire universe, His existence transcends our perception.

John 4:24 tells us that “God is Spirit” (NKJV), which means He’s not confined to the same physical limitations we are.¹ He can take different forms, and most characteristics of His appearance may very well be far beyond our understanding.

But the Bible does give us insight into what God is like in many other ways. And some of these details involve physical attributes, even though they’re mostly symbolic.

So, more than knowing what He looks like, God wants us to know who He is.

But as visual beings, sometimes it can help us understand God better when we have some ideas for our mind’s eye.

Let’s look at some glimpses the Bible gives us of all three members of the Godhead. We’ll cover:

• God the Father’s appearance
• Jesus’ appearance
• The Holy Spirit’s appearance
• Why the Bible doesn’t tell us much about God’s appearance

Let’s start with God the Father.

God the Father’s appearance

Image by Karen .t from Pixabay

As already pointed out, the Bible doesn’t say much about God’s physical appearance, but this is especially true when it comes to God the Father. John 1:18 tells us that no one has seen God face to face at any time NKJV, clearly a reference to the Father and His “undimmed Glory” since Jesus Christ was seen by many when He took human form.²

But did Jesus reveal the physical appearance of God the Father? Or just His character?

Let’s look at some Bible verses that offer us clues to what God the Father might’ve looked like.

The first possible clue is in Genesis 1:27, which tells us that humans were made in the image of God. The word for image in this passage can refer to external appearance, but it can also refer to character or spiritual nature.

Commentators on this passage write,

“That image was most evident in terms of [Adam’s] spiritual nature. He became a ‘living soul,’ or rather living being, endowed with a free will, a self-conscious personality.”

But could it be that God also takes a physical form similar to that of humans?

Scripture doesn’t provide a direct indication of such, but numerous passages speak of Him having physical characteristics like:

• Arms and hands (Isaiah 40:10; Psalm 110:1)
• Fingers (Exodus 31:18)
• Eyes (Proverbs 15:3)
• Nose and a mouth (Psalm 18:8)

Some scholars, though, refer to these descriptions as anthropomorphism—familiar human characteristics that are used to explain a non-physical being.

We even do this with inanimate objects or our pets sometimes. We give them human characteristics because it helps us understand them better.

So, these references to physical body parts were a way of explaining the character of an infinite God.

Notice Isaiah 41:10 as one example:

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (ESV).

The purpose of this passage is not to tell us that God has hands. Rather, it uses language familiar to humans to explain how God is there to strengthen and support His people.

Even so, there are some instances in the Bible in which God reveals Himself and seems to give us insight into His physical appearance. We’ll walk through some of those next.

Moses’ request to see God’s glory (Exodus 33:18-23)

Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash

While in God’s presence, Moses makes a request for God to show him His glory. God’s response is that He will make His goodness pass before Moses—an emphasis on character.

“But,” God says, “you cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20, ESV).

Then, He continues,

“Behold, there is a place by Me where you shall stand on the rock, and while My glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen” (Exodus 33:21-23, ESV).

Here, we see God specifically mentioning physical characteristics: His face, His hand, and His back—strong evidence that He does indeed have these qualities, or that He takes their form.

Isaiah’s vision of God (Isaiah 6:1)

At the start of His ministry, Isaiah had a vision of God in His temple. Does this mean he saw God?

Not exactly. We have to remember that seeing someone in vision is like seeing a representation of them. Isaiah saw a representation of God, but not God Himself.³

And in this vision, little is said about God’s appearance except that He was sitting on a throne and had a robe that filled the temple.

Ezekiel’s vision of God (Ezekiel 1:26-28)

Like Isaiah’s vision, Ezekiel didn’t actually see God. But he saw “a likeness with a human appearance” on a throne (Ezekiel 1:26, ESV).

Ezekiel adds:

“Upward from what had the appearance of His waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of His waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around Him” (verse 27, ESV).

With his human explanation, Ezekiel tries to help his readers understand what he saw. But in the end, words fall short of expressing God in His entirety.

Vision of the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9)

In Daniel 7, the prophet Daniel has a vision of a judgment scene in heaven involving both God the Father (called “the Ancient of Days”) and God the Son (called “the Son of Man”).

The vision, though focused on conveying the judgment scene, mentions that God the Father has hair “like pure wool” and clothing that is “white as snow.”

We’ll notice in the next section that visions of Jesus in heaven include similar characteristics.

Jesus’ appearance

When we talk about what Jesus looked like, we have to consider three different aspects: His appearance in the Old Testament, His appearance in the New Testament during His time on earth, and His appearance once glorified in heaven again. In each case, He shows up in human form to relate to those He is seeking to reach.

The apostle Paul points out in Colossians 1:15 that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (ESV). This means that when we see Jesus, He must be, to some extent, a reflection of God the Father.

Jesus in the Old Testament

As the “Word” who was present in the beginning (John 1:1-3), Jesus appears throughout the Old Testament, most often in human form.

Let’s look at some examples. Though the following passages don’t specifically state that they refer to Jesus, we can gather that they’re Him since no one can see God the Father’s face and live (Exodus 33:20).

• The visit of three men to Abraham and one man’s discussion with Abraham about the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 18)
• Jacob wrestles with God (Genesis 22-30)
• Joshua’s encounter with the commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:13-15)

Jesus while on earth

Isaiah 53, a prophecy about the Messiah, seems to indicate that Jesus didn’t have anything about His physical appearance that would’ve attracted people to Him:

“He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him” (verse 2, ESV).

It was His character, not His looks, that drew people to Him.

Jesus probably looked like an ordinary Jewish Middle Eastern individual of that time.

If that’s the case, he would, as one scholar suggests, have had “dark-brown to black hair, deep brown eyes, [and] olive-brown skin,” and He may have been around 5 foot 5 inches tall—the average height then.⁴

He also would’ve worn the common clothing of a lower-class individual. John 19:23-24 mentions that he had a one-piece tunic, which probably would’ve been knee-length. He may also have had a mantle, made out of woolen material, to wear on top, as was common for men then (Mark 10:50).⁵

Jesus after His ascension

The Bible mentions two different visions of Jesus.

The first one is a vision Daniel had of “a man clothed in linen” (Daniel 10:5, ESV).

This Man had a body “like beryl” (verse 6, ESV)—which Easton’s Bible Dictionary describes as a precious stone or a “gold-coloured gem.”⁶ He also had a face like lightning, “eyes like torches of fire,” and arms and feet “like burnished bronze in color” (verse 6, NKJV).

John’s vision of the Son of Man in Revelation 1:13-15 reveals similar characteristics and a few additional ones:

• A long robe
• “A golden sash around His chest” (verse 13, ESV)
• White hair (like wool or snow)
• Eyes like a flame of fire
• Feet “like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace” (verse 15, ESV)
• A face “shining like the sun in its strength” (verse 16, ESV)

So the typical physical features listed in this passage (chest, eyes, hair, feet, face) are accompanied by supernatural attributes that communicate strength, rulership, purity, and brightness.

The Holy Spirit’s appearance

Image by Kiều Trường from Pixabay

The Scriptures don’t describe the Holy Spirit as having a specific physical appearance, but as being similar to various forms like a dove, the wind, or tongues of fire.

These forms are human attempts to explain what the Holy Spirit is like.

Jesus described the Holy Spirit like the wind (John 3:8). We can’t see the Spirit, but we can see His effect in people’s lives as they reflect the fruit or specific gifts of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11).

When Jesus was baptized, Matthew 3:16 describes the “Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him” (ESV).

Again, this passage isn’t saying the Spirit is a dove but rather is like a dove. It’s using something familiar to explain something unfamiliar.

This happens also in the book of Acts at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit comes upon Jesus’ followers. The Bible says:

“And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them” (Acts 2:2-3, ESV).

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary points out:

“Not that they were actual flames of fire, but ‘like as of fire,’ that is, ‘resembling fire.’ … Divinity and fire are often linked in Scripture … doubtless because of the power, glory, and purifying effects of fire.”⁷

So, does the Holy Spirit have an appearance?

We don’t really know. Our best attempt at explaining it may be that the Holy Spirit is not limited to or by a single physical form.

This whole topic of God’s appearance holds a lot of uncertainty. And there are some possible reasons for that, as we’ll find out next.

Why doesn’t the Bible say much about God’s appearance?

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

The Bible isn’t a comprehensive textbook with every bit of information about God to satisfy our curiosity. Rather, it gives us everything we need to understand what’s most important—the narrative of God’s plan to save us and bring us back into a relationship with Him. The Bible focuses on giving us an understanding of who He is rather than what He looks like.

In the Great Controversy—the battle between good and evil in our world—Satan has attacked God’s character, insinuating that He’s selfish, uncaring, and unjust. We see this as early as Genesis 3 when Satan tried to get Eve to distrust God and eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 3:1-6).

And these attacks continued throughout Old Testament history.

But Jesus came to earth, living among humanity, to reveal the true character of God, as John 1:14 points out:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (ESV).

We learn to trust God and His plan to save us when we understand who He really is. That’s why, even when Moses asked to see God’s glory, God emphasized His character qualities, speaking them out loud (see Exodus 33-34).

God knew that physical appearances could distract us from what’s most important. That’s part of why God didn’t want His people to carve images or idols, as expressed in the second commandment (Exodus 20:4-5). Even if these images were meant to depict or represent God, they would be reductive and limiting.

But what’s likely the biggest reason God hasn’t told us much about His appearance is that He’s an infinite God who is far beyond our understanding.

He says in Isaiah 40:25,

“To whom then will you compare Me, that I should be like him?” (ESV)

Just like it’s difficult for the human mind to grasp a three-in-one Godhead, it makes sense that we would also struggle to grasp other aspects of God. After all, He wouldn’t be God if we could understand everything about Him.

The most important knowledge about God

The Bible hints at God’s appearance—that He may have some physical characteristics like us since we’re made in His own image.

But in the end, God’s majesty and glory are far beyond our ability to grasp. Words and things familiar to humans can only go so far in explaining an infinite, almighty God.

And that’s okay.

We may not understand everything about Him. As 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, we “know in part” right now (ESV). We know what’s most important: His loving character and His desire to have a relationship with us.

And throughout all eternity, we’ll continue to learn more about Him and His greatness.

Related Articles

1. Nichol, F. D., ed., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, comments on John 4:24. [↵]
2. Nichol, F. D., ed., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, comments on Exodus 33:22. [↵]
3. Nichol, F. D., ed., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, comments on Ezekiel 1:26 [↵]
4. Taylor, Joan, “What Did Jesus Really Look Like, as a Jew in 1st-Century Judaea?” The Irish Times, Feb. 9, 2018. [↵]
5. Ibid. [↵]
6. Easton, Matthew George, “Beryl,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary. [↵]
7. Nichol, F. D., ed., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, comments on Acts 2:3. [↵]

More Answers

In 1938, aliens and UFOs were the subject of a mass prank. Around Halloween, Orson Welles performed a radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds. This ended up causing a panic throughout the United States—many people took it to mean that aliens had really attacked New Jersey.¹

Something like this tells us that not only do people consider “alien” life a possibility (it wouldn’t be so panic-inducing if no one believed it could happen), but that our collective first reaction to this possibility is fear. Fear of the unknown.

But that doesn’t mean the subject isn’t also approached with genuine curiosity and scientific interest. Even spiritual interest.

This being the case, many people wonder if the Bible addresses this question. And what might it mean for a Christian to believe in the possibility of alien life?

And what do we really mean by “alien”?

Scripture doesn’t provide a direct statement about life in space or on other planets. (The idea of “planets” hadn’t even been conceived of yet.) But its principles do give us what we need to approach this topic with wisdom.

So with the Bible as our guide, let’s explore the answers to the following questions:

• What are “aliens”?
• Does the Bible say anything about “aliens”?
• Is God an “alien”?
• Could there be other worlds?

Before we examine whether the Bible supports the existence of aliens, let’s get a clear definition of them.

What are aliens? What we mean when we use this word.

Image by Paweł from Pixabay

In a general sense, aliens are defined as “belonging or relating to another person, place, or thing: strange.”²

But when most people think of aliens, they think of the fourth definition listed in the Merriam-Webster dictionary: “extraterrestrial (being from another world).³” Yes, the little green people flying around in technology unknown to us, which is why we associate them with the terms UFO (Unidentified Flying Objects) and UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena).

And that’s what we’re focusing on in this post. The existence of extraterrestrial life.

Does the Bible say anything about aliens?

The Bible does not mention “aliens” in this sense at all. However, you might find the word “alien” in some versions of Scripture, such as the King James Version.

“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12, KJV).

“And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land” (Exodus 18:3, KJV).

In both these examples, the word alien is used to describe strangers or foreigners—non-natives. And it’s the same for any other passages that use the word “alien” too.

So, while the Bible doesn’t discuss extraterrestrials, there is a verse suggesting that life does exist in other worlds and galaxies. Here’s Hebrews 1:2:

“[God] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (NKJV, emphasis added).

Notice, God created these other worlds. Anything out there is going to be something God created because He made the entire universe. So they probably aren’t going to be planets of scientifically-advanced yet morally-primitive, violent races that eventually come to conquer our planet, ray guns blazing.

But there are some times that Scripture seems to hint at otherworldly beings. Let’s look at a few of these passages.

Genesis 6:1-4—“the Nephilim”

We don’t have to start too many pages in—the first passage in question is about a time not long before the Flood:

“Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’

There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown” (NKJV, emphasis added).

Who are these “sons of God,” and these giants who were also called Nephilim in Hebrew? Are they humans? Are they literal “sons” of God? Are they angels…or fallen angels? Are they somehow the offspring of demons?

Or could they be extraterrestrial in origin?

Let’s break it down.

Looking at the phrase “sons of God,” we also see this used to describe Adam, since he was made by God as the first human (Luke 3:38). But scholars debate whether these sons of God are supernatural beings or if they are humans, like the descendants of Seth or Cain.⁴

However, Adventists stick to what we believe is the simplest explanation.

Since “sons of God” or “children of God” can be used to describe humans in general or especially those who follow and remain loyal to God, that seems to fit best in this context.

There is no other mention of spiritual beings in this passage. Plus, there is a distinction being made between the line of Seth (who remained loyal to God) and the line of Cain (who did not). And the “sons of God” marrying the “daughters of men” is more likely to refer to the inter-marrying of the two family lines.⁵

“…[P]unishment soon to be meted out was for the sins of human beings (see v. 3), and not of angels. Further, angels do not marry (Matthew 22:30). The ‘sons of God’ were none other than the descendants of Seth…”⁶ (emphasis added).

Because Seth’s line would eventually include renowned followers of God such as Noah, Abraham, etc., Seth’s descendants were called God’s sons, as Christians today can be God’s sons and daughters (1 John 3:1).

As far as the giants, or Nephilim, are concerned, it’s likely that this statement is parenthetical. Used as a time period marker. As in, this inter-marrying of Cain and Seth’s line was happening “while the Nephilim were still in the land.”⁷

The Hebrew word Nephilim doesn’t have an English translation, and there aren’t many historical details about them except that they are “men of reputation” and “giants.” And it’s possible this could refer to some of the older human characteristics before the Flood, of living longer and growing taller.

But whatever the case, there’s no indication that anything other than human biology is being mentioned here. Nothing extraterrestrial.

Deuteronomy 17:3—the “host of heaven” that is not to be worshiped

Photo by Nick Owuor (astro.nic.portraits) on Unsplash

This verse reads,

“[If there is found among you anyone] who has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded, [he’ll be stoned]” (NKJV, emphasis added).

Some have wondered if the “host of heaven” mentioned here could refer to beings from other worlds, or from other planes of existence.

So is God saying that there are other powers, other worlds, or other beings outside the earth?

Let’s first consider the focus and intent of this verse.

This is God warning His people not to worship the “gods” of other countries around them.

These nations typically worshiped phenomena they didn’t understand, often having to do with the sky, the weather, etc. So this would turn into a god of the sun, of different stars, the moon, and/or other celestial objects that they would perceive to have routines or temperaments.⁸

But God is reminding the Israelites how futile it is to try to worship these things…because they know that He created them!

The Israelites were still a spiritually-immature, distractible nation of people who were also surrounded by other nations with deceptive influences. So He was reminding them who their God truly is, and that nothing could possibly compare with His power.

So the phrase “host of heaven” is used as a catch-all to refer to anything and everything visible in the sky that catches people’s attention and awe (Deuteronomy 4:19).

Other versions of the Bible say “heavenly lights” (NASB), “heavenly array” (NIV), or simply “all the stars in the sky” (ESV).

So when this phrase shows up in Scripture, it isn’t a reference to extraterrestrial life. It’s a way to sum up what appears in the sky from the perspective of people on the ground.

Ezekiel 1—the creatures from the prophet’s vision

Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash

This chapter describes a vision the prophet Ezekiel received from God. Here are a few verses often wondered about:

“Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw the visions of God” (verse 1, NKJV, emphasis added).

Also from within [a great cloud] came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings” (verses 5-6, NKJV, emphasis added).

“…behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. … The appearance of their workings was…a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they moved, they went toward any one of the four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up” (verses 15-19, NKJV, emphasis added).

In countless stories about aliens, they are sometimes described or designed to resemble human beings, but with additional parts or hybridizations. So it’s not a stretch for a description like this to make people think of something extraterrestrial.

And these “wheels” that move in ways the prophet had never seen, and that levitated with the creatures…it almost reminds you of the iconic “flying saucer” image, doesn’t it?

We could gather together and speculate the nature of these creatures until we’re blue in the face. But later on in the book of Ezekiel, he actually explains what they are.

And they are a kind of entity that ancient Israel has been historically familiar with.

Referring back to this very vision a few chapters later, Ezekiel said,

“This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim” (10:20, NKJV, emphasis added).

Cherubim, the plural for cherub, are mentioned as early as Genesis 3:24, when God has them guard the entrance to the Garden of Eden.

They are a winged variety of God’s angels, or messengers, and their likeness was a recognizable symbol among the Israelites. They were often associated with safeguarding and watchfulness.⁹

Throughout the building of the Tabernacle, images of cherubim were features of the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:18-22) and the temple curtains (Exodus 26:1, 31). They were also a distinct feature in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:23-31).

So while many features of the cherubim are indeed quite “alien” to the humans and animals that walk the earth, it’s because they are spiritual beings. They are “otherworldly” compared to us—but they’re not exactly the type of “alien” existence so many people around the world are searching for.

Hebrews 11:13—Israelite ancestors as “foreigners” on this earth

This verse reads:

“These [people] all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (NKJV).

Other translations call these faithful Israelite ancestors “foreigners” or “temporary residents on the earth” (CSB), or “exiles on the earth” (ESV) or “immigrants on the earth” (CEB).

It almost looks like the writer of Hebrews, Paul, is saying that these people were not originally from earth.

Was Paul implying that they were so faithful and good because they were from somewhere else? Some other world, perhaps?

This verse is part of the “faith chapter” of Hebrews 11, where Paul uplifts many of the patriarchs of the Old Testament, reminding the Hebrews of his present day how their ancestors accomplished amazing things due to their faith in God.

The metaphor of being strangers/aliens/foreigners on earth is actually a common theme throughout the Bible to describe how we as humans have a better life ahead of us—the New Earth (Jeremiah 50:5). The world in its current, sin-sick state isn’t our permanent home. Our time living in this condition is temporary (1 Chronicles 29:15), but the New Earth, after sin is eradicated, will be for eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Paul explains himself later in the chapter. In verse 16, he says that they desired a better place than this earth, and that God has been preparing a place for them.

Ephesians 6:12—the existence of other “powers” in “heavenly places”

In this verse, we’re warned,

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (NKJV).

These “spiritual hosts” in “heavenly places” could be any number of things. So could the apostle Paul be talking about extraterrestrial beings from other planets that seek to “wrestle” against our moral development?

If physical beings from other planets were visiting our earth, it would seem strange for them to be preoccupied with manipulating our morality from behind the scenes. Especially our Christian spiritual development. You’d think they’d have other priorities.

So Paul is very likely talking about spiritual forces again. The only other “power” or “principality” that cares about how well we love one another or follow Christ…is Satan. The ESV uses the phrase, “spiritual forces of evil.”

What’s more, in the verse before, Paul identifies Satan as the one we’re fighting against (Ephesians 6:11). And the fallen angels that act as his messengers and tricksters are also recognized in the Bible (Matthew 8:16; 17:18; Jude 1:6; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 16:14), so they are called out and not recorded as “unidentified” or “alien.”

And the context of Ephesians 6:11-17 is symbolic. We “wrestle” with these spiritual beings through their attacks of temptation and deception.

That’s why the “armor” to protect us from them is also intangible: It’s truth, righteousness, peace, faith…all given by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:10-20).

So this verse isn’t referring to physical aliens.

But let’s address one more question people sometimes have. And it’s about God Himself.

Is God an alien?

While it is true that God doesn’t walk around on earth the way humans do… does that mean He’s a stranger here? An “alien”?

He wasn’t born and raised here, so He isn’t indigenous.

But we’re not trying to get overly technical. Obviously the God of Christianity doesn’t fit the mold of a pop culture sci-fi alien race.

Those who ask this question are wondering about the nature of God in relation to our planet and our kind. Could God be a being from another planet who created us and our world?

Let’s dig a little deeper. And let’s change up the question a little bit.

Is God “alien” to us?

God isn’t from our planet…because He transcends it. He created it. And us.

And think about how He created us. He formed us from the ground and breathed the breath of life into us. He created us with intimate, tender, parental, nurturing, unconditional love.

That doesn’t feel very “alien.”

In fact, we were made in His own image (1 Corinthians 11:7, Genesis 1:27).

So regardless of where God is “from,” or how well we can understand His infinite existence…He is anything but foreign or strange to us. He wants us to know Him. And He offered His own body and blood for us in sacrifice so we can have salvation through Him (Luke 22:18-20, John 3:16; 14:1, 6).

Could there be other worlds?

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

It’s not impossible for God to have created other worlds. Or for there to be other races of sentient beings, aside from humans and angels.

But when we look to the Bible, let’s remember that it’s about humanity’s story. It’s about our Creator, the world He made for us, and the freedom of choice we have to follow Him or not.

And it’s the story of the Great Controversy, the spiritual conflict between good and evil, that envelops our world—because we, through Adam and Eve, the first humans, chose to know both good and evil (Genesis 2:17; 3:4, 22).

And it’s the story of how God offers us salvation despite our fall into sin.

So while other worlds and other life forms may exist in the far reaches of the universe, their stories have little to do with ours.

And until Jesus returns at the Second Coming, the most important things in our lives are happening right here, on this planet.

We can look at the skies with wonder, not fear

Now, we’re not saying that it’s of no use to study astronomy or to pursue your interests in the mysteries of the universe.

God created us to be curious. And it’s only natural that we continue to theorize about things we don’t yet fully understand.

And we can do this with faith that the God who created the entire universe has our best interests in mind. Nothing happens without His awareness.

“He determines the number of the stars; He gives to all of them their names” (Psalm 147:4, ESV).

“It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:22, ESV).

“He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night…the Lord is His name” (Amos 5:8, ESV).

The universe is unfathomably massive, but it’s all God’s domain. So we don’t need to live in fear of strange, hostile life forms or anything outside of our world.

Instead, we can remember this promise from Scripture, that “neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, NKJV).

Do you struggle with anxiety, or do you worry about what’s happening with our world?

Related Articles

1. Schwartz, A. Brad, “The Infamous ‘War of the World’ Radio Broadcast Was a Magnificent Fluke,” Smithsonian Magazine, May 6, 2015, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/infamous-war-worlds-radio-broadcast-was-magnificent-fluke-180955180/. [↵]
2.  “Alien”, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alien. [↵]
3. Ibid. [↵]
4. “Genesis 6:2,” BibleHub.com, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/6-2.htm. [↵]
5. Rodríguez, ThD, Ángel Manuel, “Genesis 6:1-4,” Adventist Biblical Research, https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/genesis-61-4/. [↵]
6. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 250. [↵]
7. Rodriguez, “Genesis 6:1-4.” [↵]
8. “Deuteronomy 17:3,” BibleHub.com, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/deuteronomy/17-3.htm. [↵]
9. “Cherub,” King James Bible Dictionary, https://kingjamesbibledictionary.com/Dictionary/cherub; “Cherub,” Jewish Encyclopedia, https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/4311-cherub. [↵]

More Answers

Prophets seem like something from novels or movies.

The predictions they make couldn’t actually happen, could they? After all, nobody can tell the future!

At least humans can’t. Right?

Yet, in the Bible, prophecies happened just the way the prophets said they would. These prophets, who had a special relationship with God, received these messages from Him—sometimes through directly hearing His voice or sometimes through visions or dreams.

So, how do we know these prophecies came to pass?

Some biblical prophecies are backed by historical evidence, while other smaller ones are fulfilled later in the Bible. Seeing how these prophecies have unfolded is an enormous reminder of God’s power. It gives us confidence that He will fulfill all the other promises and prophecies that have yet to occur.

So let’s take a look at some of these fulfilled prophecies. We’ll cover three major categories:

• Ancient kingdom prophecies
• Messianic prophecies
• End-time prophecies

Then, we’ll finish off by looking at why Bible prophecies are still important today.

Ancient kingdom prophecies

Photo by Roland Fényes on Unsplash

Ancient kingdom prophecies are prophecies that God gave to help people understand the rise and fall of nations throughout history.

Though the concept of prophecy is a little more strange in modern times, the idea wasn’t all that foreign to the ancient world. Many “prophets” foretold delight and disasters for nations. Kings often had magicians and wise men to tell them the future, too (Genesis 41:8; Daniel 2:2).

Others consulted oracles—people or things believed to hold knowledge from the gods.

The difference between these “prophets” and biblical prophets was the trustworthiness of the messages. The false prophets didn’t really know what would happen, and often their predictions were more like educated guesses. We see the limitations of their abilities in the Daniel 2 story of the wise men who were called by King Nebuchadnezzar and failed to tell him the dream he’d had.

On the other hand, God and His prophets have a consistent track record of fulfilled prophecies, which we can confirm if we turn back the pages of history.

Here are a few prophecies concerning nations of the ancient world.

Israel and Edom

The book of Genesis in the Old Testament tells the story of twin brothers named Jacob and Esau. Before the twins were born, God gave their mother a key prophecy:

“Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23, NKJV).

This indeed happened.

The oldest, Esau, and his descendants became the nation of Edom, while Jacob and his descendants became the nation of Israel.

As the Israelites left Egypt, the nation of Edom made life difficult for them through wars, raids, and other petty actions (Numbers 20:18). Eventually, though, King David of Israel conquered them (2 Samuel 8:14) and brought them into subservience to Israel, fulfilling the prophecy.

However, they later rebelled against Israel, causing God to pronounce judgment on them. This judgment is found in Jeremiah 49. Here’s a part of what it says:

“Edom shall become a horror. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters…. no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her” (Jeremiah 49:17-18, ESV).

The Book of Obadiah also lists the judgments of God against Edom.

Later, Edom was conquered by the Nabateans around the time Greece rose to power.¹ In Roman times, they resurfaced as the Idumaeans when they sided with Rome during the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.²

But after that, we no longer find them in historical records.

The destruction of Jerusalem

Photo by Svetlana B

This event was prophesied twice—at two different times in history.

The first time occurs in the Old Testament. Jeremiah delivered this message from God to the people of Judah:

“‘Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land…and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations… [T]hese nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years’” (Jeremiah 25:9, 11, NKJV).

True to the prophecy, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon raided Judah three times before capturing Jerusalem (Daniel 1:1), destroying the temple (2 Kings 25:9), and hauling the majority of the Jews off to Babylon.³

The Jews remained in Babylon until they were freed during the Medo-Persian rule (Ezra 1:1-4).⁴

Jerusalem’s second destruction was prophesied by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Showing His disciples the temple, He told them,

“Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2, NKJV).

He went on to tell them of other atrocities that would happen, including death, war, and persecution. While this prophecy applies to end-time events, it also directly refers to the Jews in Jerusalem.

A.D. 70 brought the fulfillment of this prophecy. The Romans besieged Jerusalem until they broke down the Jews’ defenses and killed many of them.⁵ They also destroyed the temple so completely that nothing was left.

Cyrus and the rebuilding of the temple

Coinciding with the prophecy of the first destruction of Jerusalem is Isaiah’s prophecy of the king who would release the Jewish captives, allowing them to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple:

“Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid”’” (Isaiah 44:28, NKJV).

Later, Isaiah relayed that God would direct Cyrus’ actions, and the king would build Jerusalem and let the Israelites return for free (Isaiah 45:13).

Over 200 years later, a king named Cyrus did come to power and defeat Babylon. The discovery of the Cyrus Cylinder in 1879 helped confirm that Cyrus freed all the Babylonian captives and even saw himself as God’s tool in allowing the Jews to rebuild the temple.⁶

Josephus, the Jewish historian, records the following about this historical event in Antiquities:

“Accordingly, when Cyrus read this [Isaiah’s words], and admired the Divine power, an earnest desire and ambition seized upon him to fulfill what was so written.”⁷

Babylon’s future

Photo by Corbin Mathias on Unsplash

God had a lot to say about Babylon, the first kingdom to conquer Judah. This kingdom’s poor treatment of the Israelite captives was one of the offenses that would eventually result in it receiving God’s judgments.

Babylon’s immediate destruction was foretold by mysterious writing on the wall during a party put on by the king (recorded in Daniel 5). The king called the prophet Daniel in to interpret it:

“This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5:26-27, NKJV).

That very night, the Medo-Persians invaded Babylon, murdering the king and taking over Babylon (Daniel 5:30).

Greek historian Herodotus later recounted this capture by Medo-Persia, noting that Cyrus got into the impregnable Babylon by diverting the Euphrates River, which ran through the city.⁸

But that wasn’t all God had to say about Babylon. Jeremiah prophesied that Babylon would one day be “desolate forever” and “a dry land and a wilderness” (Jeremiah 51:26, 43, NKJV).

Today, only dust, wind, and ruins inhabit the spot where Babylon stood, about 50 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq. Saddam Hussein tried to rebuild it in the 1970s,⁹ but even this failed, showing how accurately Jeremiah’s prophecy happened.

Nebuchadnezzar’s statue

In Daniel 2, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar received a dream from God that included an important prophecy about successive world empires.

The dream was about a statue made of different kinds of metals (Daniel 2:31-35):

• A head of gold
• Chest and arms of silver
• Belly and thighs of bronze
• Legs of iron
• Feet of iron and clay mixed

God gave Daniel the interpretation of the king’s dream, telling him that the different metals represented kingdoms, each succeeding the one before it (Daniel 2:39-44).

The first metal, gold, represented Babylon (Daniel 2:38). Babylon was the most powerful kingdom in the known world at that time.

Medo-Persia, the next world power, conquered Babylon in 539 B.C.¹⁰

After Medo-Persia came Greece with Alexander the Great as ruler.

Rome conquered Greece in the 100s B.C.¹¹

When Rome divided and finally crumbled in the early centuries after Christ, several smaller countries rose from it in Europe, including France, Italy, Germany, and England. This fulfilled the feet.

Besides prophetic revelations about kingdoms, the Bible is filled with Messianic prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. We’ll cover those next.

Messianic prophecies

Photo by il vano on Unsplash

Ever since sin entered the world, God’s people knew someone would deliver them from it someday. After Adam and Eve sinned by choosing to distrust God’s guidance, God came to them and explained to them the consequences of their actions. He also offered them hope through the words He spoke to the serpent, Satan:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman [Eve], and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15, NKJV).

God’s people had a promise that they would be saved from the curse of sin. This deliverance would come through someone the Jews called the Messiah.

Prophecies concerning the Messiah pepper the Old Testament, and many hundreds of years later, they came to pass in the life of Jesus.

Jesus’ birth

Prophets described many aspects of Jesus’ birth long before it happened.

Take Isaiah 7:14 for example:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (NKJV).

Jesus was indeed born of the virgin, Mary, as recorded in Luke 1:26-35.

And the following prophecy discusses His birthplace:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2, NKJV).

Though Joseph and Mary didn’t live in Bethlehem, they ended up there because of a census in the Roman Empire that required them to travel there and register. There, Mary gave birth to Jesus (Luke 2:4-7).

The fact that Jesus fulfilled both of these prophecies is astonishing enough, but there’s more.

Jesus’ ministry

Photo by Rodolfo Clix

Prophets foretold many facets and circumstances surrounding Jesus’ ministry and death centuries before they happened.

The overarching prophecy concerning the ministry and death of Jesus is called the 70-week prophecy. Found in Daniel 9:24-27, the time period began when the Jews returned from exile in 457 B.C., and it pinpoints the exact three and a half years of Jesus’ ministry before His crucifixion.

Here are a few more prophecies dealing specifically with His ministry:

• Jesus and His claims to be the Son of God would be rejected by His brothers (Psalm 69:8; John 7:3-5).
• He would tell parables during His ministry (Psalm 78:2; Matthew 13, 25).
• He would perform miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 11:2-6).
• He would come into Jerusalem on a donkey, an event known as the triumphal entry (Zechariah 9:9-10; Matthew 21:1-11).

Jesus’ suffering and death

God gave the Old Testament prophets many prophecies of Jesus’ death because it would be such a significant event for humanity.

Let’s look at several:

• Jesus would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13), which is exactly what Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples, did (Matthew 26:15).
• Jesus would be bruised and whipped on the way to the crucifixion, where He would die for our sins (Isaiah 53:5).
• He wouldn’t lash out or try to escape His tormentors (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 27:30).
• His hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22).
• Soldiers would cast lots for Jesus’ clothing (Psalm 22:18; Matthew 27:35).
• Not one of His bones would be broken (Psalm 34:20). The Jews had asked Pilate to break the legs of everyone being crucified to speed up their death. But Jesus had already died, so His bones were not broken (John 19:31-32).

Jesus’ resurrection and ascension

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

The Old Testament has quite a bit to say about Jesus’ resurrection, too. Psalm 16, for example, states,

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:9-11, NKJV).

Jesus Himself even said He would rise from the dead in three days:

“Jesus answered and said to them [the Jews], ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’” (John 2:19, NKJV).

The only thing was, nobody understood what He was saying at the time. The Jews scoffed at Him because they had spent 46 years building the temple in Jerusalem. But, as John indicates, Jesus was using temple to symbolize His body (John 2:20-21). After Jesus resurrected on the third day, His disciples realized this and connected the dots (John 2:22).

Jesus’ ministry on earth moved to heaven when He ascended there. The timing of His work as high priest in the heavenly sanctuary is foretold in the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14.

For more about the prophecies Jesus fulfilled, we have a whole page discussing the ways you can find Jesus in the Old Testament.

Now, let’s turn to another important category of prophecy.

End-time prophecies

End-time prophecies foretell events that will happen during the time before Jesus returns at the Second Coming. Many of these prophecies are in the books of Revelation, Matthew, and Daniel.

Some of these prophecies have been fulfilled, but others are in the process of being fulfilled or haven’t been yet. However, world trends indicate that these unfulfilled ones will come to pass soon.

Here are some of the fulfilled ones:

Signs of Jesus’ coming

Matthew 24 and Luke 21 highlight signs that Jesus’ return is near. Earlier, we looked at Matthew 24’s application to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, but now we’ll see how this prophecy applies to the end times. It mentions the following events:

• Wars and rumors of them (Matthew 24:6; Luke 21:9-10)
• Famine and disease (Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11)
• Natural disasters (Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11)
• Persecution (Matthew 24:9-10; Luke 21:12, 16)
• Strange phenomena in the sky (Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25)

Although these are not the sole indicators of the end of the world, they have been popping up in the news and letting us know we’re getting closer.

People in the last days

Photo by Obi – @pixel8propix on Unsplash

The Bible has a lot to say about people in the end times.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 tells us the characteristics of many of these people. They will be:

• Lovers of themselves and pleasure (verses 1, 4)
• Lovers of money (verse 1)
• Boastful, haughty, and proud (verses 1-2)
• Unholy and dishonoring to God (verse 1)
• Disobedient to their parents and traitors (verses 1, 4)
• Unthankful, unloving, unforgiving (verses 1-2)
• Brutal, without self-control, headstrong, and slanderous (verses 3-4)

That’s a rather terrifying list!

Yet we see these characteristics more and more in today’s materialistic culture. People value power, wealth, and things more than other people, creating a lot of the turmoil that we see all around us.

The apostle Peter also warns Christians that false prophets and false christs will arise in the midst of all these other people. These false prophets will lead many people astray (2 Peter 2:1-2).

Peter also says that many in the end times will scoff at the teachings of the Bible, denying its accounts of Creation and the Flood and questioning whether the Second Coming will actually happen (2 Peter 3:3-6).

It doesn’t take more than a glimpse at the news and society to recognize many of these signs being fulfilled. Thankfully, these signs can encourage us that Jesus will soon return and deliver us from our struggling and chaotic world.

Why Bible prophecies are important today

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Bible prophecies—and their fulfillment—encourage us that God knows what’s going to happen in the future. We may not have that knowledge, but we have the privilege of knowing Someone who does.

God knows what’s going to happen not only to major world empires but also to our individual lives. He has a plan for our future and wants to help us toward that plan (Jeremiah 29:11).

Some of the prophecies are specifically given to call us to prepare. For example, during the time of the Bible character Joseph, Pharaoh of Egypt received a prophecy about a coming famine so that Egypt could prepare for it (Genesis 41). Similarly, today we have prophecies about end-time events so we can prepare for what’s coming. Not to be afraid of those events, but to be aware of them.

Seeing all the past prophecies fulfilled gives us a sense of comfort. We can trust Jesus to fulfill the future prophecies in the Bible because He’s already proven time and again that He always fulfills them to the letter.

And this is perhaps most significant when we think about His promise to return and save us (John 14:1-3). Because He promised that, we can trust that He will indeed return.

He hasn’t failed yet.

Ready to dive into more prophecies?

1. “Edomites,” Livius.org. [↵]
2. Ibid. [↵]
3. “Babylonian Captivity,” Encyclopedia Britannica. [↵]
4. Ibid. [↵]
5. Lohnes, Kate, “Siege of Jerusalem,” Encyclopedia Britannica. [↵]
6. Jackson, Wayne, “The Cyrus Decree,” Christian Courier. [↵]
7. Quoted in ibid. [↵]
8. “Herodotus on Cyrus’ Capture of Babylon,” Livius.org. [↵]
9. Magid, Pesha, “Inside the Abandoned Babylon That Saddam Hussein Built,” Atlas Obscura. [↵]
10. Nijssen, Daan, “Cyrus the Great,” World History.org, February 21, 2018, https://www.worldhistory.org/Cyrus_the_Great/. [↵]
11. “What To Know About the Roman Conquest of Greece,” Greek Boston.com, https://www.greekboston.com/culture/ancient-history/roman-conquest/  [↵]

More Answers

The seven churches were churches that received messages from Jesus Christ through the apostle John while he was exiled on the island of Patmos. These letters are in chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation.

But beyond being literal churches in the cities of the Roman Empire, each of the churches also represents a time period of the church in history, all the way to the end times before Jesus returns.

Here, we’ll give you an overview of each church, what Jesus told the people of that church, and what period the church represents. We’ll look at:

• What the seven churches of Revelation are
• The church of Ephesus
• The church of Smyrna
• The church of Pergamum
• The church of Thyatira
• The church of Sardis
• The church of Philadelphia
• The church of Laodicea

Let’s start with what the seven churches are all about.

What the seven churches of Revelation are

The seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. They were all in the Roman province of Asia (modern-day Turkey).

But these were just a few of the churches in the New Testament times. Christians worshiped in many other towns and cities around the Mediterranean, such as Philippi, Antioch, Colossae, and Rome.

Why, then, did Jesus send messages to only seven churches?

Jesus must’ve selected these churches because He knew their specific characteristics would symbolize the Christian Church during different time periods in history.

See, the book of Revelation is filled with symbols.

The seven churches are just the first of many sets of seven described in Revelation: seven Spirits, seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven lamps, seven seals, seven horns, seven eyes, seven angels, seven thunders, and seven trumpets—each one symbolic.

For example, the seven stars represent angels, and the seven lampstands represent the churches (Revelation 1:20).

And in the Bible, the number seven itself is a symbol of perfection.¹

Thus, each church in Revelation 2 and 3 corresponds chronologically to a period in time, and each problem the church faced represents the problems of God’s people during that corresponding period in history.

Scholars who wrote the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary point out:

“A study of history reveals that these messages are, indeed, applicable in a special way to seven periods that cover the entire history of the church.”²

But even so, these messages also apply to Christians during the various stages of their own walk with God. The messages are relevant to us, helping us be aware of things that will happen in our time (Revelation 1:1).

Let’s dig deeper into each one.

The church of Ephesus

The first of the seven churches is Ephesus, which means “desirable” or “lovely”—an apt description of its spiritual condition. The message to this church is in Revelation 2:1–7.

Ephesus was a powerful city, situated on the western coast of Asia Minor, and it had a Christian congregation founded by the apostle Paul (Acts 19:1–8).

These Christians worked hard to spread the good news of Jesus to those around them. Jesus congratulates them, saying,

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil…. [A]nd you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary” (Revelation 2:2–3, NKJV).

The church of Ephesus was apparently on fire for God.

Yet it had a problem: the people had become focused on all the beneficial things they were doing and had forgotten their first love for Jesus (Revelation 2:4).

Jesus proposed a solution to help get them back on track. He told them to do three things:

• Remember their love and zeal for God and others
• Repent
• Do what they did at first

In His message to them, Jesus speaks of Himself as “He…who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands” (Revelation 2:1, NKJV).

This title has special relevance to Ephesus.

The lampstands alluded back to the sanctuary in the Old Testament, where the high priest would keep the lamps continually burning (Leviticus 24:1–4). Similarly, Jesus is among His church (Revelation 1:20), helping to make sure it doesn’t lose its fire and zeal.

The Ephesian church represented the early Christian age—from the first century to about A.D. 100. These Christians were definitely full of zeal. The book of Acts records many stories that illustrate their passion for Jesus.

For example, Acts 3 records Peter and John, Jesus’ disciples, healing people by God’s power.

And when both Stephen and Paul were brought to trial for their beliefs, neither wavered, preferring stoning rather than giving up their faith (Acts 7:58–60; 14:19).

The gospel spread rapidly, helped by the travels of the apostles. Paul made four separate journeys—missionary trips—around the Mediterranean, preaching and planting churches.

But even in this period, God’s people were at risk of allowing their fervor to die. Only by keeping their focus on Jesus and continuing to walk by faith would they hold onto that deep-seated fervor for God.

Especially when trials and persecution would become stronger.

The church of Smyrna

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

The message to Smyrna, the persecuted church, is in Revelation 2:8–11. It was one of the two churches that Jesus did not correct.

Instead, He commended the church for remaining strong through persecution, saying that despite their poverty, they were actually rich. This reflects Proverbs 8:10–11, which highlights the wealth that comes from knowing Jesus:

“Receive My [Jesus’] instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her” (NKJV).

The name Smyrna means “sweet fragrance” or “myrrh.” Myrrh is an herb that lets out a “fragrant odor” when crushed.³

Similarly, when God’s people at this time experienced crushing persecution, their lives revealed the fragrance and love of Christ (Ephesians 5:2).

And in the midst of their persecution, Jesus had encouragement for Smyrna. He came to them as the “First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life” (Revelation 2:8, NKJV). He reminded them that He was in control of death and life.

He added,

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10, NKJV).

Ten days?

That doesn’t seem very long, but in Bible prophecy, a day stands for one year (Ezekiel 4:5–6). So, Jesus is actually telling them they’ll be persecuted for ten years.

This really happened in history. The Smyrna church prophetically stands for the post-apostolic church that existed from about A.D. 100–313. During this time, the Roman Empire persecuted Christians, imprisoning and murdering scores of them.⁴

The worst of it came during the tenure of the emperor Diocletian, who reigned from A.D. 303–313—a span of 10 years.⁵

But after persecution, the Christian church faced even greater danger. Find out about that next.

The church of Pergamum

Photo from Emrecan Dora

The third church John writes to—Pergamum, or Pergamos—sat on top of a hill near two tributaries of the Caicus River. This could be why the city’s name meant “high” or “elevation.”

John addressed this church in Revelation 2:12–17. Its members had remained faithful to God, even when one of them was martyred in the city.

He did have one problem to correct them about, though: compromise.

In growing their church, the Pergamum Christians had incorporated beliefs of the pagan religions around them:

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:14, NKJV).

Pergamum was a city saturated in idolatry. Temples to Diana, Zeus, and other gods crowded the streets.⁶ By incorporating pagan practices, the Christians were diluting the pure teachings of Jesus.

In His message to them, Jesus calls Himself “He who has the sharp two-edged sword” (Revelation 2:12, NKJV). The two-edged sword represents the Word of God, which is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” and is “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, NKJV).

He asks the Pergamum Christians to “repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth” (Revelation 2:16, NKJV).

God’s Word would be the standard of judgment for those who deliberately chose to disobey Him (Revelation 19:15, 21).

The Christian church as a whole went through a time of compromise too. It began after the time of persecution, lasting from about A.D. 313–538.

In A.D. 313, the emperor Constantine legalized Christianity and made it the official religion of Rome.⁷

You might think this was a good thing.

But it came at a price. To gain converts, the Church began to accept pagan practices, while the pagans joined the church to gain favors. It was a time of compromise—dilution—that led to spiritual decline and a weaker church.

The church of Thyatira

Thyatira was a city on the banks of the Lycus River that was known for its dyeing and indigo trade. The name Thyatira means “perfume of labor.”

Revelation 2:18–29 describes the situation of the church. They had many good attributes, like love, faith, patience, and wonderful deeds (Revelation 2:19).

But they also had some serious things they needed to work on. John wrote,

“You allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent” (Revelation 2:20–21, NKJV).

This passage is clearly referring back to Jezebel, an evil queen in the Old Testament who promoted idol worship and caused God’s people to turn away from Him (1 Kings 16:29–33).

Here, she represents a corrupt church.

The symbol of a woman has been used to represent God’s people throughout the Bible (Ephesians 5:23; Revelation 19:17).

An immoral woman represents God’s people abandoning Jesus’ teachings. We find this in the book of Hosea, where God compared Hosea’s marriage to a prostitute with His relationship to His people. Prostitution illustrated the unfaithfulness of God’s people to Him (Ezekiel 23:7; Hosea 1:2; 4:10).

In His letter, Jesus says He is the “Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire” (Revelation 2:18, NKJV). With this title, He presents Himself as the one who is able to read hearts and execute judgment (Psalm 139:23–24; Revelation 2:23).

The church of Thyatira represents the Church during the Middle Ages. Propelled by state power, the Church held to unbiblical traditions and persecuted groups that disagreed.⁸

But not all within Thyatira accepted those traditions.

Jesus encouraged “the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine” by telling them to “hold fast what you have till I come” (Revelation 2:24–25, NKJV).

Even during this time of false teaching, some Christians remained faithful and helped turn people back to God’s Word, particularly during the Reformation.

The church of Sardis

In Revelation 3:1–6, we read of Sardis, the dead church. In name, they’re alive, but inside they’re dead.

Sardis, sitting at the base of Mount Tmolus near the river Pactolus, was an old and well-defended city. Externally, the church there appeared to be prosperous, but inwardly, the people were indifferent. The power of God was gone.

Jesus advises them to regain their close connection with God with three instructions: be watchful, hold fast to Jesus, and repent.

He tells them,

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I come upon you” (Revelation 3:2–3, NKJV).

Jesus knew that a connection with Him was vital. He is the one who “has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars” and could revive the spiritually dead church (Revelation 3:1, NKJV). It’s similar to the way the Holy Spirit brought life to the dry bones in Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 37).

Sardis represents the time from the end of the Reformation to right before the Second Great Awakening.⁹

As new generations came up after the time of the Reformers, they began to stagnate in their faith. Seventh-day Adventist theologian George Burnside describes it this way:

“The reformers were men of God, but their followers, thinking that all was won, settled down to organized religion. Many became state religions supported by government funds.”¹⁰

During these years, Christians lapsed into tradition and an indifferent shell of worship as they had before.

But in the midst of this spiritual deadness, some remained true to the Bible and began revivals in the church.

The church of Philadelphia

Photo by Womanizer Toys on Unsplash

Philadelphia, which means “brotherly love,” was located along the Imperial Post Road—an important trade route—and held the only other church to receive no correction from Jesus. Revelation 3:7–13 contains the message that describes this faithful congregation.

Jesus praises them:

“For you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Revelation 3:8, NKJV).

Jesus’ name in this letter is “He who is holy, He who is true,” mirroring the Philadelphians’ earnest, unwavering faith (Revelation 3:7, NKJV). It also reveals Jesus’ role as judge (Revelation 6:10).

Despite the vast array of idols and gods in Philadelphia, the Christians there didn’t allow themselves to be distracted.

Because they were so faithful, Jesus makes this promise to them:

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10, NKJV).

He encourages them to hold fast to Him, and those who did would have the name of God written on them.

The church of Philadelphia symbolizes the time of spiritual awakening in the late 1700s to mid-1800s. This was a time when powerful preachers and evangelists revived their congregations, studying the Bible in earnest.

The Millerite Movement, which preached the imminence of the Second Coming, took place during this time period. And the Seventh-day Adventist Church was born soon after.

The church of Laodicea

The last of the seven churches is Laodicea, discussed in Revelation 3:14–22.

Just as the meaning of Laodicea is “judging of the people,” Jesus evaluates the Laodicean church and immediately points out their problem. They weren’t dead or overly zealous in their Christian faith—just lukewarm:

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth…. [Y]ou say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:15–17, NKJV).

Chilling words.

The Laodicean church would have understood this metaphor of lukewarm spirituality. The city of Laodicea, located at a junction of multiple important trade routes, had a water supply full of sediment. To get clean water, they piped it from hot springs six miles away. By the time the water reached the city, it was lukewarm.¹¹

Likewise, the Laodicean church was no longer full of the warmth of the love of God. And it didn’t realize its true condition.

To remedy this, Jesus said,

“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (Revelation 3:18, NKJV).

These items were symbolic, as mentioned by the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary:¹²

• The gold refined in the fire is Jesus’ pure truth, faith, and love (1 Peter 1:7).
• The white garments are the righteousness of God (Revelation 19:8).
• The anointing of the eyes with eye salve is the giving of spiritual discernment by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27).

Jesus’ title in this letter is fitting. He is “the Faithful and True Witness” (Revelation 3:14, NKJV). He faithfully told them the truth about their condition because they were caught in self-deception.

And He did so because He cared for them:

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Revelation 3:19, NKJV).

This church characterizes the church of the end times, shortly before Jesus returns. God’s people at this time in history are living during the time of the Investigative Judgment right before the Second Coming.

Yet they’re neither religiously on fire nor spiritually dead. They are somewhere in between, thinking that they’re alright when they’re really not.

Because we’re living in the end times before Jesus’ return, we could easily fall into this lukewarmness.

But Jesus doesn’t give up on us.

He stands at the door of our hearts. He won’t force Himself in, but if we choose to let Him, He will gladly enter and make us into overcomers (Revelation 3:20–21).

The lessons of the seven churches still apply to us today

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

The fact that God gave messages to seven churches in the book of Revelation is significant. It is God’s perfect number, repeated throughout the Bible.

It reflects His perfect plan for history and humanity.

Even before the time periods took place, God had it all figured out—and provided the instructions, counsel, and warnings that His people would need at various times.

Though each church symbolizes a specific period of time, there are elements of each church in any given time period.

And the corrections and praises apply to our own lives and churches just as much as they did in ages past.

These messages challenge us to evaluate our own lives and allow the Holy Spirit to point out areas in which we’re struggling. At the same time, they remind us of how much Jesus cares about us and wants us to grow in Him and be prepared for His coming.

1. White, Ellen, Acts of the Apostles, pp. 585–586. [↵]
2. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, entry for Revelation 1:11. [↵]
3. Bunch, Taylor, The Seven Epistles of Christ, pp. 130–131. [↵]
4. Arnold, Jack, “Church History: Persecution by the State: A.D. 60-313, Early Church History, Part 9,” Third Millennium Magazine.  [↵]
5. “The Great Persecution,” If Gathering.com, IF Gathering, Accessed 9 February 2023, https://www.ifgathering.com/ifequip/studies/anno-domini-i/the-great-persecution/. [↵]
6.  “Pergamos,” The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature.[↵]
7. Denova, Rebecca, “Constantine’s Conversion to Christianity,” World History Encyclopedia.[↵]
8. Mark, Joshua, “Six Great Heresies of the Middle Ages,” World History Encyclopedia. [↵]
9. “Sardis—The Dead Church,” Lineage Journey. [↵]
10. Burnside, George, Revelation’s Wonders Unfolded, p. 53. [↵]
11. Keeth, Crickett, “Laodicea—The Lukewarm Church,” Bible.org. [↵]
12. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 965. [↵]

More Answers