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Articles by Hope Bolinger

4 Heroes of the Bible Who Feared They Weren't Good Enough

4 Heroes of the Bible Who Feared They Weren't Good Enough

April 12, 2021

Has God called you to something daunting? Do you feel as if you cannot complete the task he has sent you to do. Fear not! We have loads of examples from the Bible of heroes who feared they didn't have what it took to face giants. Let's look at four examples of these heroes of the faith and apply the lessons learned to our own lives when it comes to the tasks that God has set before us.

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Why Did Jesus Say "It Is Finished"?

Why Did Jesus Say "It Is Finished"?

March 30, 2021

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).

 Tetelestai, it is finished. We've no doubt heard these words during a Good Friday service or during our reading of the Gospels. But why does Jesus say it? And why does he reserve this as his last and final words? "It is finished" indicates he has consumed the cup of God's wrath, and through his sacrifice, the bridge between God and sinful man had been established.

The Context Surrounding John 19:30

When we look at the context of this verse and what led up to it, this quote from St. Peter's Anglican Church says it best:

"Before the arrest of Jesus by the Romans, Jesus prayed His last public prayer, where He asked the Father to glorify Him even as He had glorified the Father. He prayed to 'finish the work you have given me to do” (John 17:4). The work of Jesus is to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10) and to provide atonement for sinners whom Jesus died to reconcile to God (Romans 3:23-25; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19). None but the Lord God could accomplish and say with the authority of the God-Man, “It is finished” (John 19:30)."

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Why Does Ezekiel Prophecy to a Valley of Dry Bones?

Why Does Ezekiel Prophecy to a Valley of Dry Bones?

March 4, 2021

One of the oddest and most famous passages in Ezekiel (found in chapter 37) has inspired numerous Sunday school lessons, sermons, and even a song. In the chapter, the prophet Ezekiel is led by God into a valley filled with bones. The Lord instructs Ezekiel to prophecy to the bones, telling them that God “will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin” (Ezekiel 37:5-6).

Although the Bible has been known for some odd imagery, especially within the book of Ezekiel, this vision in particular has one of the most bizarre metaphors in all of Scripture. What do the dry bones symbolize, what’s the historical context of this vision, and why does this matter for us now?

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