We live in an age where the danger to our faith isn’t just persecution, it’s also persuasion. Every day, believers are invited to bow, and many do. Scripture has warned us that this isn’t a new concept. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego serves as both a blueprint and a wake-up call for our time. More Relevant Than Ever Before “Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.” Daniel 3:7 The key phrase in this passage is, “all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped.” While Babylon didn’t have census records as we have now, history and archaeology allow us to estimate the population of Nebuchadnezzar II’s kingdom. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were taken captive (along with Daniel) around 605 B.C., during the rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire (Chaldean Era). Although short-lived, lasting from 539 to 626 B.C., it had some umph. Archaeologists believe the city of Babylon itself housed between 150,000 and 200,000 people, with some estimates reaching as high as 250,000. When the surrounding territories are included, the empire’s population is estimated to be around one million. Think Delaware, Montana, or Rhode Island-sized population. The Portal of Knowledge For the point I’m about to make, I’m focusing just on the city of Babylon, where the three stood before the king. The estimated range of 150,000 to 200,000 is more than enough for my purposes. “ALL the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped.” Seems Impossible But is it, though? (Also, I’m not saying everyone there was a believer; that's not the point, the point is they all went along despite their individual beliefs.) Look at our nation today and the societal upheaval and dry heaving that we have experienced in the last few years. How quickly so many have bowed down to inclusiveness, political agendas, and, in many cases, efforts to rewrite Scripture so that everything receives a “thumbs up” from God, somehow to enter heaven’s gates. You’ve probably guessed where this is going, at least I hope so. When Scripture says, “all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped.” God is trying desperately to show us and warn us of something here. Most people don’t resist pressure for very long, if at all. Standing alone requires courage, and many simply won’t do it. So these people all bowed, a public gesture that said, “I’ll go along.” Think Mob Mentality, “the phenomenon where individuals in a group often adopt behaviors and attitudes that differ significantly from their own personal beliefs or morals.” Then History Gives Us These Three Contemplate this situation for a moment; three out of, say, 150,000 people, using the conservative estimate for those who might question whether everyone actually bowed or if there were really that many people there. 3÷150,000=0.00002 That's only 0.00002% of the population. If you’re wondering, that's not an error. I tried 5 different sites to create this pie chart. It’s not even a literal speck in a sandbox, and that pie chart uses the lowest estimate, 150,000. Statistically speaking, not a lot of people are going to make it into heaven. That’s why Revelation tells us of only one book of life versus all the other books at judgment. In this situation, we see just one man, King Nebuchadnezzar, build an idol, call together the higher-ups, demand the people bow, cue the music, and bam, just like that, all but three fell down and bowed. No questions asked, no faith fought for, no battle of the wills, just fallen people. That Golden Image Has Never Gone Away It just changed shape. Today’s idols may not be gigantic golden statues in the middle of a city, but they are no less visible. An idol is anything people elevate above God, anything they trust, want, obey, or fear more than Him. Money, careers, reputation, power, fame, patriotism, sexual identity, the “my truth” mentality, comfort, entertainment, etc. These are some of the things people pursue, protect, and prioritize at all costs. They believe these things promise security and fulfillment, but when they take the place of God, they become idols. They come in all shapes and sizes, so don’t be fooled. When the Music Starts The question has never been whether the crowd will bow. Scripture and history have already answered that for us. The question is whether you will stand. Will you be able to stand firm when that furnace heats up? When obeying God costs you your reputation, your career, your relationships, your comfort, maybe even your life? Will you hold fast or blot out your own name? Faith Stronger Than This World “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:17–18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God. They stood firm because their faith WAS GREATER than their fear, that crowd, and that idol. They knew the outcome if they died that day. So do we; there is no excuse, just choice. Him or bow down, simple as that. We have the Bible, we have His promises to the faithful, we have the book of Revelation, and we know He kicks butt and has made a home for us. “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21: 2–5 Whatever the cost, I hope I see you in heaven. © Jane Isley

I have been thinking about three people: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, more commonly known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Spring planting has me outside a lot. My body stays busy but my mind goes still, and that is when I do some of my best thinking and talking to God. And this story has been on my mind almost constantly during those hours, and the more I think on their story the more I see how little distance there is between their world and ours. This was never a story meant to stay in the distant past. It needs to be brought forward into the here and now. They Could Have Bowed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could have bowed down, worshipped that golden statue, and walked away unscathed. Nobody would have blamed them. The pressure was real, the threat was real, and the king was furious. They didn't bow. They chose God because they were faithful, steadfast, and unbothered by what everyone around them was doing. That kind of faith does not come from a casual relationship with God, it comes from a deep and settled one. The Blazing Furnace & the Lake of Fire Here is something I never connected until I took a good look at their story, their bodies were not actually what was on the line that day. Their salvation was. The blazing furnace is a powerful symbol. It is temporary, it is physical, and it could have been terrifying. But the lake of fire is eternal. They understood that losing their place with God was not worth any temporary threat this world could throw at them. That realization hit me differently when I finally saw it. God Showed Up Because they were faithful and trusting, God protected them. How often do we forget He does this? How often do we fail to recognize it when He is already doing it? When you are faithful and grounded in Him, His presence just oozes out of you. People see it even when they cannot name what they are seeing. They just know something is different about you. It is also why you sometimes rub people the wrong way. They are bumping up against the Holy Spirit and it makes them uncomfortable because it is forcing them to feel their sin. They feel what is right and they are fighting it with everything they have. Look at how Nebuchadnezzar responded, he as furious. That reaction was not really about three men who would not bow. That was a man feeling God like a cheese grater on his soul. Strength In Community They went into that furnace together and they came out together. Community with fellow believers is not optional, it is woven into how God designed us. We are made to connect not just with Him but with each other. Yes, we can stand alone with God. But we are also called to be part of a body. The Bible emphasizes this repeatedly and for good reason. Find your people and stand together, because times will continually get harder and harder for Christians. Even If He Does Not "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:16–18 Now that is full surrender and faith that is not conditional. Our Every Day Is the Furnace The blazing furnace is not ancient history. It is around every corner, in every phone, across seas of pews, in workplaces and family dinners, in every reel and political agenda and friendship that asks you to soften your convictions just a little. Every compromise edges you closer to the flames. Every time the Bible gets adjusted slightly to make it more palatable, every time you go quiet out of fear or laziness, every time you trade conviction for comfort, you are stepping closer to throwing yourself in. We are not here to compromise our faith to make others comfortable. We are here to stand on His foundation and spread His word. Take your stand. Hold your ground. And remember, He is already standing right there in the fire with you. © 2025/26 Jane Isley (revision) Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save.

The word Moses picked changes the whole story There is a small but mighty passage in the Bible, and it’s basically ignored, and with the amount of deception satan is raining down on this world these days, I think it is time to pull this out and show you the very real and tangible power that satan has that so many underestimate. “ Each one threw down his walking stick. Each stick turned into a snake.”₁ Plain Jane, It Was Not Satan is the master of deception, illusion, and lies. What is going to make this dissection even more interesting is that you will learn it wasn’t regular, plain Jane snakes either that day. In Hebrew, three different words are traditionally translated to “snake,” each one carries its own definition and meaning that helps you understand context and a story’s full depth. This is most definitely one of those times you want to rabbit hole a word. Nachash (נָחָשׁ) — the “regular” word for snake/serpent Tannin (תַּנִּין) — dragon/sea monster/large serpent Saraph (שָׂרָף) — “fiery/burning” serpent Moses Chose His Words Deliberately At the battle of the staffs, all the staffs involved turned into tannin, but before that, in Exodus 4:3, when God and Moses were essentially doing a practice run, Moses’s staff was referred to as a nachash. Moses wrote this, so it is not like two different people used the wrong words; he was there, and he chose his wording for a reason. I don’t think, although I could be wrong, that these snakes turned into something physically different than normal; it's about what the word means, and this showdown comes down to two equally important things. What Tannin Really Means Tannin carries enormous weight to anyone who knows Scripture; it can be both literal (big aquatic creatures) or figurative (a primordial chaos creature, a symbol of darkness and forces in direct opposition to God). God created the tannin in Genesis 1:21, but satan cannot create, so what was going on here? First, you have to understand this wasn’t some minor showdown. Not only did God transform a staff, but Pharaoh’s magicians did too; not only that, but they did it with more than one staff. So many against one. And here is where this gets a chef’s kiss. God uses that same word later in Ezekiel 29:3 to describe Pharaoh: “Pharaoh Hophra, I am against you.King of Egypt, you are like a huge monster…” So think about what happened that day, the magicians stood before Pharaoh and produced tannins, the same word God would later use to describe their own king. They were invoking the symbol of the man they served without even knowing it. And God’s tannin swallowed theirs whole. Important Thing 1 Satan can and does manipulate our physical world and can perform “miracles.” Job is a prime example; not only did satan manipulate the environment around Job, but he also, at one point, caused a windstorm that brought down a building, killing all of Job’s children. There's too much sugarcoating out there for my taste when it comes to people understanding this. Satan is more than capable of performing wonders and illusions that fool even the most educated people out there. You realize satan will do as he is bidden to keep the lie and deception going that pulls you away from God, right? Important Thing 2 Why did God turn the staff into what is considered a symbol of darkness? Because He owns it. Satan can only ever counterfeit what God created. The difference between the two that day wasn’t what appeared; it was the source behind it. “So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind….” One was a counterfeit manifestation of dark power from satan. The other was the real thing, called up by God who made it, and swallowed up the counterfeit versions. Don’t Skip Past These Words There are a couple of important Hebrew words to consider as you think about this interaction. Pharaoh didn’t ask for a “miracle” in the way we know them; he asked for a “wonder.” And Moses and Aaron’s staff didn’t eat the Pharaoh’s; it swallowed them. Mopheth (מוֹפֵת) — Sign, wonder, miracle (an awe-producing, wonder specifically carrying the idea of intimidation; something that demands to be seen and cannot be ignored) Oth (אוֹת) — Sign, token, mark, miracle (a sign that points to God; can be an ordinary object or event; its purpose is to direct attention toward God) Think of it this way with these two. Oth is like a road sign, its entire purpose is to point you somewhere, aka God. And Mopheth is not a road sign. It is the thing that stops you dead in your tracks and makes your jaw drop before you can even think about where it’s pointing. Oth can be any ordinary object or daily activity as well as an unexpected divine action, but its basic nature is always to point people to God. Mopheth describes God’s supernatural activity, a special manifestation of His power. But, and this is so important. False prophets can also perform Mopheth. Deuteronomy 13:1–3 specifically warns about this. Pharaoh didn’t ask for a road sign pointing to God. He asked for a “mopheth, “ an overwhelming, awe-producing display of power; it was also a deliberate and cocky move on his part. (I’ll show you at the end God’s clap back to that one) Bala (בָּלַע) — To swallow, engulf, consume (It is violent, engulfing, sudden, and the total elimination of something.) Akal (אָכַל) — To eat, ate, eaten (the everyday word for eating food or the act of eating food) Here’s the difference between these two words. Akal is what you do at dinner. It is the ordinary eating of food; something goes in, and then that something is gone. A person “akals” a meal. It is the everyday, regular word for one thing taking in another thing. Now, Bala is something else entirely. Bala is what the Earth did when it opened up and swallowed Korah’s entire rebellion whole in Numbers 16. It is what the great fish did to Jonah. It is the word Moses chose in Exodus 15 when the Red Sea swallowed Pharaoh’s army. Bala means something ceases to exist in a sudden, violent, and very complete manner. So when Moses wrote that Aaron’s staff “swallowed” the magicians’ staffs, he did not use the dinner table word. He used the annihilation word; it was a preview of what was to come. Last But Not Least: The Epic Clap Back “…Confront him on the bank of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake.”² No one is ever going to convince me that God doesn’t have a sassy and spicy side, and right here is Exhibit A. Laughing aside, once you get what just happened there, this story, and that one word, tannin, cannot be ignored. Satan produced the Hebrew equivalent of a cosmic monster (monsters, actually), and he did it through human hands. Satan’s power and influence are ignored and downplayed way, way too much these days. People think satan and his horde just knock on walls or give people goosebumps late at night, and yeah, he does because that’s part of the tactic, making people think he’s not the being he is described as. And when people won’t even read their Bible, they won’t be able to recognize an Oth from a Mopheth, and satan is counting on that. © 2026 Jane Isley Sources: Exodus 7:10–12 Exodus 7:15 Deuteronomy 13:1–3 Genesis 3:1 · Numbers 21 (nachash) · Job 1:18–19 · Ezekiel 29:3 · Genesis 1:21 · Exodus 7:9 (mopheth) · Exodus 7:15 · Bala Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

First, we need to reestablish something: satan is a created being, not an entity that is outside of God’s creation. He is not equal to God in any way. “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” 2 Samuel 7:22 “For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?” Psalm 89:6 There’s plenty more where that came from. We know satan is cunning, a trickster, an antagonist, and our adversary. Of course, he’s going to want people to think he’s this all-powerful being that is equal to God. Why do you think he stole a description of Jesus for himself and goes around with the word lucifer as a name? You can read about that here. The point is, people give satan way too much credit. If he were God’s equal in any way, then how did God throw him out of heaven and the Garden of Eden, then turn around and curse him? Not King Of Anything This belief came about due to mythology, ignorance, and people actually wanting this. There are people out there who truly believe he is the king of hell, and when they get there, it’s going to be one giant party. It’s not, in fact, satan doesn’t even want to go to hell in the first place. Have you ever explored Revelation to see what is going to happen to him in the end? It’s not pretty; he knows what's coming to him, and his goal is to take as many of God’s children with him by whatever means necessary. He doesn’t love you, he doesn’t care about you, he wants to corrupt and lead people to hell because he’s throwing the temper tantrum of the millennium. What's Coming His Way “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.” Revelation 20:1–3 Here we see a few things. First, an angel is actually holding the keys to the Abyss. (not the same as hell, but that’s for a different day) Second, he is seized and tossed in there, and can’t get out until God releases him in a thousand years. Not looking so tough to me. Don’t Pick A Fight You Can’t Finish “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:7–10 So now he’s out, at God’s discretion, I might add, and starts a big ole fight and loses. Loses so bad he’s thrown into that lake of fire we call hell, that many think he is the king of, and gets to stay there for eternity. The Key To All Of This “They (the beast and false prophet get the join him) will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Yes, tormented. Not that big ole party some like to believe. And because I can’t resist looking at original languages and not throw them in my articles, we’re going to look at that word “torment” for a moment. basanizó | βασανισθήσονται | they will be tormented. Which means: “To torment, to torture, to vex, to distress” (1) There’s no party, no kingship earned or sustained, nothing. For too long, satan has held a higher position in this world and our minds than he actually deserves. I’m not saying act like he doesn’t cause havoc, but don’t think him equal to God in any way. We have the power to cast demons out, and we also have the power to think of him differently and not give him what he wants, and that is power. © Jane Isley

The Deceiver I openly admit I love the weird, obscure, and one-off things in the Bible; one of those weird things is about the word lucifer. It’s important to understand where this word came from and also why we need to change our use of this word. So, I’m just going to dive right in, lucifer is not satan’s name. This article is about how Jerome’s mistake led to satan stealing something from Jesus that people aren’t aware of. A quick look at the controversial verse we’re looking at today. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, who didst weaken the nations!” Isaiah 14:12. (21st Century KJV) Not The Ideal Translation Jerome went about his work as an “interpretation of thought.” Not the worst thing that has ever happened to a Bible translation, but also not to best either. “Interpretation of thought” is not a true interpretation. I understand what he was attempting to do, but wanting to convey meaning above word-for-word translation was not a good choice, especially since he relied on the Septuagint translation first, which already had translation errors. It wasn’t until after he translated the Bible into Latin that he then decided to use the Hebrew text for a “more accurate” translation, instead of just using the Hebrew text to begin with. In a nutshell, there is a ton of history, but I would drive you nuts trying to get through all of it. My focus is on just one word, lucifer. Jerome changed “heylel” to “lucifer” in Isaiah because the Septuagint had already mistranslated “heylel” as “eosphoros” (“phosphoros.”) It's also not the only place this happened, just the one that stuck and created this mess. For 1000 years, the Vulgate was the gold standard Bible. Remember, The Roman Empire didn’t want the common people to be able to read the Bible, so there was little chance to examine or question Jerome’s translation. Without realizing it, most people now think Isaiah was talking about satan because Jerome didn’t fully understand the Hebrew text. Isaiah never talked about satan, he was talking about the king of Babylon. In fact, satan is nowhere in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 14 is about the king of Babylon, his arrogance, and his eventual death because the king equated himself to God and was full of pride. Isaiah shows us how far and hard that king fell for his tyranny, oppression, and sins against God. This story should be given back to that king as a reminder of what happens to people like that. I have to address this, because of Isaiah’s description and Jerome’s translation, it was assumed by early Christians that this was a description of satan’s fall. Since we were never given those details, we should not presume this is an account of satan’s fall, this fall is entirely about this king. The words we use for translation are just as important, if not more so than the ones we translate from. “O Lucifer, son of the morning!” The first thing to know is the Hebrew text reads hê-lêl ben- šā-ḥar; it’s that word hê-lêl (heylel) where things went wrong. hê-lêl is a pronoun, referencing a person and in this case specifically the King of Babylon. When Jerome translated it to “O Lucifer,” he created an inaccurate proper name. Jerome used what the Septuagint translation said in this situation instead of what the Hebrew text said. Simply put, he didn’t understand the Hebrew text and did a copy-and-paste translation. Some scholars have now come to theorize that he may not have been as “well versed” in Hebrew as previously assumed, which led to some of those questionable translation choices. (sources below) Now we are stuck with the wrong word. To this day, we have a Latin word still being put into some Bibles without proper translation efforts, I also discovered numerous references to translators just leaving lucifer in there because it was simply convenient to do so. While this error has increasingly gotten better over time, we are still left with lucifer being a common word in the English language, with it being defined as “another name for satan.” Most do not know this but Jerome wrote a commentary on Isaiah 14:12. and he admitted that the word meant something else. Check out the source here, you’ll also be able to view the images of his notes. Why do I think this is important to know? God stripped satan of a proper name, he doesn’t deserve one for what he did. Did you know Jesus is described as “the bright Morning Star” in Revelations 22:16? (Greek) Lucifer means “light-bringer” and “Morning Star.” (Latin) There’s the issue right there. Jerome’s translation allowed satan to steal from Jesus, taint the meaning, have people thinking he’s somehow equal to Jesus, and now has a name that he was never meant to have. We all know words have the power to create, hurt, crush, vilify, and be used to deceive. I do not believe we should be using a word that Jesus personally uses to describe Himself as for a name for satan. The devil, the satan, the serpent, the dragon, those all describe what he is. Those are the words we are given to use when referring to him, not a name. Yes, over time most have become capitalized, that’s a combination of cultural awareness of evil, language development, and sentence structure, but they are still descriptions, not names. None of this alters your salvation if you are a believer, but things like this are why we should being studying the Bible. The more we learn the more we are aware of satan's tactics and the closer we draw to God. © Jane Isley Further reading: 📜 Is satan the King of Hell? — satan isn't ruling hell, he's headed for torment in it; not God's equal, not close. 📜 A Biblical Hebrew Deep Dive Into Satan's Counterfeit Power — word study on Exodus shows satan can counterfeit but never create. Sources & References: JSTOR — Revising the Vulagte The Baker Deep End Blog Answers in Genesis Frank W. Nelte Biblical Hermeneutics Biblical Hermeneutics Scholarly Community Encyclopedia Learn Religions Biblical Translation Mistakes Isreal Bible Center Bible Scholars Biblehub.com Lucifer in Latin: An In-depth Etymological Analysis, Britannica The British Museum Biblical Hermeneutics Gotquestions.org Tales of Times Forgotten Wikipedia The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels Oxford English-Hebrew dictionary Hebrew for Dummies Hebrew Myths by Robert Graves & Raphel Patai A Concise Lexicon to the Biblical Languages by Jay Green Sr and Maurice Robinson, Ph.D.

We were always meant to inherit the Earth. Understanding what the new earth will be like begins with seeing how Scripture connects God’s original creation to His final restoration. Genesis shows us this, Psalms remind us of this, and Jesus directly tells us this in Matthew. It is a beautiful thing to know and one we need to pursue an understanding of. “God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.” Genesis 1: 31 I’m of the personal opinion that when they translated “very good” in Genesis they did not do the original Hebrew word justice, they could have elaborated more and given people a more visually stimulating experience. Biblehub.com meod: “Very, exceedingly, much, greatly” towb: “Good, pleasant, agreeable, beneficial, beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair, favor, fine, glad, goodly, graciously, joyful, kindly, loving, merry, pleasant, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, well-favored” Just look at the richness of the word towb they missed in translation. It’s honestly, in my opinion, the main reason the beauty of the earth and its perfection before the fall is often overlooked and under-appreciated. We often don’t think about this next part, it’s a hint at what perfection was. We were formed by God’s hand, given the breath of life. His breath, and we became living beings connected to God most incredibly and intimately. This is incredible because Adam and Eve were able to walk, talk, and see God. “They heard Yahweh God’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8 Before the fall, before the moment that changed the course of God’s amazing plan and this world. He walked in the presence of Adam and Eve. Now that, ladies and gents, is utter perfection. Then everything changed. Sin entered and along with it, death and pain. Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden and blocked from the Tree of Life. He went into the Garden and searched for them, He knew what they had done, but they needed to confess what they had done. This is where we see the first repentance in the Bible as well as the first animal sacrifice in Genesis. Before the fall of man, everything was perfect, Genesis 3:8 gave us a glimpse of this wonderful fact. It shows us that God regularly walked in the Garden of Eden with His creation. New and transformed bodies free of imperfection. We will be renewed with heavenly bodies, and we will be ourselves. Not nameless, brainless orbs, which I’ve come to realize so many fear. There is a strong emphasis on our physical bodies and that includes our brains. Our “mental selves” (for lack of a better term), who we are, and our uniqueness will be raised up with our new bodies. How we’ll look, how exactly He plans to do this, I don’t know have a clue nor am I going to worry about it. Just remember, Adam and Eve were living, talking, thinking beings. Philippians 3:21 — speaks of transforming our bodies to His glory. 1 Cor 15:42–44 — speaks of perishable bodies raised imperishable, glorious and powerful. Romans 8:21–23 — speaks of the redemption of our bodies. Then we also get our new home, this Earth will be transformed into a brand new garden for us to live in. We’re also going to get a new heaven because of the war in Heaven when the Angels fell, but that’s a little off track. If we choose God to the end, He will reward our faith and fight. 2 Cor 5:1–3 — speaks of an eternal house from God. Rev 21:1–4 — speaks of a New Earth and New Heaven. Why is God waiting? I do know this part is hard for many people to understand. Peter sheds light on this often-asked question for us. “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 As frustrating as it can be at times for us at times, we should not be rushing God. Or wish to be with Him sooner than when our time here is done. No matter how painful or hard life gets, I want as many people there with me at God’s table and you should to. To rush Him or be impatient is to see others as less than or unworthy of God. Our inheritance, promised to us, is what we are waiting for, fighting for, and what God is waiting as long as possible for. He does not want anyone to turn away from Him, He is giving everyone as long as possible. Only He knows when the time is up. Have you ever sat with God and wondered what it will be like, what He is giving us? It is profound and should overwhelm you. When I sit and think about this, I always end up with different questions and wonder about things. Here are a few of the questions that go through my mind. What exactly does perfection feel like, will my skin feel different from it? What will it feel like to not be in pain, what will that feel like for my daughter? WIll I be able to eat without having a reaction? Will we be vegetarians again? I get that last question from Genesis 1:29–30 and Revelation 21:1. And if the answer ends up being yes, does this mean no more animals at all or do they get to hang with us? Will we get to have gardens, harvest our food, and have farms with cows? Will there be giant dinners where we all sit and enjoy each other and being in His presence? Do we actually need to eat? Will we get to have pets? (I want at least 5 cats, 2 ferrets, a squirrel and a goat.) What will it be like to know peace on all levels every single moment? Will I know my family and will we live as a family? These are just some things that go through my mind when I think about what is waiting for me. What are some of the things you’ve wondered about? I would love to know what you’ve wondered. © 2025 Jane Isley Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

From the Editor: Sabina tackles one of Christianity's hardest questions in this article, if God controls everything, not why does Satan still exist, but why he was created in the first place? Her answer might challenge how you think about God's sovereignty. Honest Questions and Wondering When God was creating Lucifer, I wonder what was going on in His mind. As He put the elements together to make him complete, was He sad? Did He feel pain, anger, or empathy? I ask this because God knew how Lucifer would ultimately turn out. He knew everything about his future; it was laid bare before Him. What baffles me is that it did not stop God from creating him. Lucifer served God, rebelled against Him, was cast down to earth, and eventually played a role in the fall of mankind. This became the story of Lucifer’s existence, yet the mystery remains: God knew this story before it unfolded. Since the beginning, he has always opposed God, trying to compete with the One who created him — a battle he could never win. Why would God create him, knowing he would one day come after the children He loves? Why allow him to exist among us when there are countless galaxies beyond our own? If God intends to save mankind, why allow something that would make the journey more difficult? When I ask questions like this, I sit still and look up, hoping God will give me a simple answer. Sometimes what comes to mind is: He is God, and He controls all things. That is true. But reflecting further always reveals something I may have missed before. The Judas Iscariot Parallel Thinking about this, I remembered the story of Judas Iscariot — a man whose actions were known to God before they happened. In John 17:12, Jesus says: “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” Judas was part of the story of our redemption. He walked with Jesus, ate with Him, witnessed His miracles, and experienced His presence. Yet Jesus knew the role Judas would play. But this raises another question: Was there no other way for Jesus to be crucified except through the betrayal and destruction of a man? Why did God allow evil to become part of the story of saving mankind? Did Judas truly have a choice, or was everything destined to happen exactly as it did? I believe Judas did have a choice. God knew his future, but his decisions were still his own. He had opportunities to repent. He walked with Jesus and saw the works of God firsthand. Knowing the ending of a story does not mean forcing every action within it. It is like how God may call someone into ministry, but they choose not to follow that path. God’s purpose does not collapse because of human choices; He can still accomplish His will. If Judas had chosen a different path, Jesus would still have fulfilled His purpose. The plan of God was never dependent on one person’s failure. God Works Through Evil, Not Around It And this makes me wonder if we sometimes limit God in our minds. We often view Him as the author of only good things, but throughout Scripture, we see God working even in the midst of evil. Evil does not surprise Him. It does not overpower Him or stop His plans from being fulfilled. When God created the world, He created beings with the ability to choose. He did not create evil as something good, but He created a world where rebellion was possible. Yet even when evil entered that world, it never escaped His authority. I think of Lucifer in a similar way. His choices were not the same as Judas’, but both reveal a mystery: God can know the ending of a story without losing control of the story. The devil is not outside the boundaries of God’s rule. God is still in control. The devil’s future is already known, and his rebellion will not change the final outcome. He is not the author of the story; he is only a character within it. What makes us focus so much on him is the damage he caused, the separation between humanity and God. But even that did not remove God’s plan. God had already made a way. So should we be afraid of the devil? Absolutely not. Was Jesus afraid of Judas? There is no way He was. Jesus knew exactly what was happening and remained faithful to His purpose. The devil’s plans are not hidden from God. Jesus reminded us many times (John 8:44, Luke 22:31–22, Mark 4:15, John 12:31) to be aware of him, but awareness is not the same as fear. As we live our lives, we know he exists, but he does not have the power to destroy what God has spoken over us. The devil is like background music playing in a room. It exists, but it is not the focus. The moment we stop paying attention to the One leading the story and begin focusing on the noise, we allow it to influence us. The devil is not the main character. God is, and nothing can stop what God has already spoken. “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow — not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below — indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Romans 8:38–39) © 2026 Sabina Kumi. Continue exploring God's sovereignty and Satan's limitations: The Sovereignty and Care of God in an Unsteady World by Randy DeVaul — Discover how God's control extends to every circumstance, even chaos. Is Satan the King of Hell? Not Even Close by Jane Isley — Challenge the misconception about satan's authority and learn what Scripture actually reveals. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

It Was Total Sacrifice When you look at this this what do these names all have in common? Jeffery Dahmer Judas John Gacy Hitler Pedro Lopez Ted Bundy Nero Harold Pontius Pilate Jesus loved them and died for their sins that day on the cross. While this can be hard for most to stomach the thought of this. It is true. We are all loved, regardless of what we have done. For God so loved this world that His Son came and died for each and every one of us. He carried the entirety of our sins, from the beginning of time until the end, while nailed to that cross for us. We have had many martyrs over the centuries who have died for one or many, but none of them carried our sins. When we die, we will awake anew. Our pain, sorrow, and misery will be gone. Jesus knows this, yet he He said, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” If He had died a death of just martyrdom for us, He would have known He would awaken resurrected in the blink of an eye, His pain gone and never lived over again. Yet he sweat blood — Why? Because it wasn’t simple martyrdom. He was carrying the weight of every single person’s sins from all time. Imagine taking the weight of all your sins and multiplying that by billions. Then willingly taking those upon yourself while being crucified? Hematidrosis That is the name of the condition He had as He was praying to God the night Judas betrayed Him. This is a very rare condition where blood is excreted through sweat. All sources indicate that it is so rare that it is hard to research it properly, but there is one agreement amongst all the sources I have read. It can be caused by extreme stress, intense fear, severe anxiety, or facing death. To carry this for us, to love us so much to die for everyone, is love. Like I said earlier, it may be hard for people to stomach, but He died for the sinners; He died for what we call the worst of the worst. This wasn’t martyrdom, this was sacrifice for freedom from sin, death, and hell. This Was Love He loves Judas, He loves Hitler, He loves John Gacy, He loves Herold. We all are loved, and He has carried the sins of everyone that day on the cross. When you remember this day, remember His love. Respect his sacrifice, respect what He did for all of us. This was not a simple death, this was pure hell He carried for us. © Jane Isley Sources: Matthew 26:39 NIV Luke 22:44 NIV Department of Internal Medicine, Cascais Hospital; Haematidrosis: The Rare Phenomenon of Sweating Blood Healthline; Hematidrosis: Is Sweating Blood Real? WebMD; What Is Hematidrosis?

And What Faith Really Means I don’t know about you, but I prefer to remember my deceased loved ones the way they were when they were vibrantly full of life and laughter. Similarly, I prefer to fix my eyes on the living Jesus Christ, not the graven image of a crucifix hanging on the wall of an ornate cathedral. Many believers of the Christian faith celebrate the Easter holiday, proclaiming “Hallelujah, He is risen!” referring to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Some prepare by observing Holy Week or perhaps even an entire 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter Sunday, a date which rotates on a calendar from year to year according to some formula I am admittedly ignorant about. Honestly, there is a lot I don’t understand about religion. And when I claim many of us have negative associations with the word and the concept in the title of this story, I include myself in that. When I read about what Jesus had to say and do to the Scribes and the Pharisees who attempted to catch him violating one of their laws, it proves the fact that they clearly felt threatened by his power and presence. It reminds me of all the people who verbally attempt to place God in a proverbial box by spewing what they believe God does or does not do based on a chosen narrative they have created in their own heads. How dare you. Prayer: God, please help me set aside everything I think I know about YOU and myself and listen to what YOU want me to know about YOU and who YOU created me to be. May I not presume to know more about YOU than YOU, going around telling others how they’ve got it all wrong like one of the brood of vipers (Matthew 12:34, 23:33), trying to control the cultural narrative for everyone else. May I instead be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16) following Your Beloved Son’s perfect example as The Light of the world (John 8:12). May I demonstrate pure JOY through trials as James suggests through these translated words… Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:2–8 NIV) Help me be still (Psalm 46:10) and hear your still small voice (1 Kings 19:11–13) aligning the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4) with your own, Heavenly Father of Lights (James 1:17) who gives the best gifts ever! Thank you for reminding me that YOU are the ultimate Just Judge (1 Corinthians 4:3–5, Matthew 7:1) and that it is not my place to condemn others for their sins. Yes, I know I typed the words “How dare you” above regarding a personal pet peeve of mine. But here YOU are once again, gently reminding me that YOU are quite capable of defending Yourself and proving Your absolute sovereignty without me. Grateful in the knowledge I can continue this conversation with you throughout the rest of this day and night, praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) with thanksgiving forevermore. In Jesus Name, Amen Why Viewings Are Not For Me I prefer to remember my deceased loved ones the way they were when they were vibrantly full of life and laughter. Rather than worshipping an idol (Exodus 20:4) of a crucifix this Easter, I will sing praises to the risen living Savior Jesus Christ. But I will not judge you for how you choose to spend your time this coming weekend, because that is not my place. I would like to make one more point before wrapping this up. For me, Easter and Christmas are simply two more days out of the year to be in awe of God. This relationship (not religion) takes place for me 365 days a year to infinity and beyond. I am not at all trying to push my practices on you. I am merely sharing my truth. Thank you for reading (listening). © 2026 Nora Gwen Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

“Don’t follow me… follow Jesus.” If you’re anything like me, you may have read that and immediately thought: “Don’t tell me what to do.” Whether that sounds like “I’m going to follow you because you told me not to” (power of reverse psychology) or it manifests more like “I won’t follow Jesus because religion is not for me” (or something along similar lines); rebels like myself don’t follow blindly just because someone (even super charismatic influencers) suggested it. We need proof, just like “doubting Thomas.” Show me your scars Jesus, and I’ll show you mine. Miraculously, when we authentically call upon the name of Jesus (not for the purposes of a dramatic Easter *performance set to emotional music with flashing lights up on a mega church stage) from our true heart, He opens the door just as it reads in the following scriptures: Ask, Seek, Knock “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:7–12) Are you truly seeking God? Or are you simply looking for the all the inherent flaws associated with organized religion? Personally, I’m trying not to judge the *performance aspect of big production churches (including my own) because I do believe the overall intention is good. At our church this past Easter weekend, our lead Pastor asked each one of us to sincerely consider this question from God: “Do you love Me?” He poignantly followed it up with “Do you love me, not for what I can give you or do for you but for ME, regardless of circumstances? If you had been there to hear the raw emotion in our pastor’s voice when he posed this question, you would most likely believe that his own answer to God’s question is that he truly loves God with all his heart, mind, and soul, simply for who God is — for His pure goodness no matter the tests, pain, or trials this life inevitably presents along the way. By the way, our church did an AMAZING job with the choir performances and other professional quality entertainment. So when I say that I am trying not to judge it has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the productions. It has everything to do with the no-nonsense, scholarly Bible Study tiny one-hundred-percent unpaid volunteer-run ecclesia I grew up in compared to this multi-million dollar annual budget enterprise where masses flock to be entertained twice a year (Christmas and Easter), rather than seeking and studying God’s Word to know Him better and love Him more all year long. There are pros and cons with both kinds of churches. I learned a ton from my childhood church where EVERYONE knew everyone else and people definitely noticed whenever you missed an event. I fell in love with the contemporary worship music and passionate preaching at the church I’ve been attending for the past 31 years. It wasn’t until recent years that I actually started genuinely connecting with people in smaller group settings at this HUGE church and it has been life-changing in all the best possible ways. Atheists and agnostics claim they can’t see God, therefore God does not or may not exist. I would argue that WE are the hands and feet of God as members of the body of Christ and therefore GOD can and will be seen and experienced via relationships in real time in real life! I know, WILD, right? And believe me, I have shared some of the same hard questions with several of you such as “Why would God create this world knowing it would quickly become a sinful, broken “fallen world” in need of a savior?” Two answers immediately come to mind for this one. The first one is “There is a GOD and I am not Him…” (merely a member of His family). The second response is “By design, God intentionally created children with the gift of FREE WILL, because He didn’t want AI robots who give all the correct answers desired by the user.” I pray that this perspective helps those who struggle with these challenging questions and more. I invite your respectful comments and additional questions to be addressed in future stories. If you are part of the older crowd including these generations, Silent Generation (1928–1945), Baby Boomers (1946–1964), Generation X (1965–1980), you may remember classic advice columns in the black & white printed old-school newspapers like Ann Landers and “Dear Abby” Ann Landers (Esther “Eppie” Lederer) and Dear Abby (Pauline “Popo” Phillips) were influential, competing advice columnists born as identical twins on July 4, 1918. Starting in the 1950s, they revolutionized advice columns with direct, modern, and witty responses, reaching over 100 million combined readers. (AI overview) I just had the most delightful thought! Perhaps I could microcosmically represent a similar advice-giving column related to your biblical questions on Medium ;) That could be fun! I will add the disclaimer right now that I will not have all of the answers to all of the questions. Anyone who claims they do have all of the answers, aside from God, is clearly lacking wisdom (also known as a “fool” in Proverbs.) Should we go with “Dear Nora” or “Dear Grateful Gwen”? What do you think? P.S. Also, don’t follow me because in this miraculous moment I have [John] 316 followers, so that’s pretty awesome! But do follow Jesus and exercise your FREE WILL to follow or unfollow whomever you choose (including me) ;) © Nora Gwen. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.