James was an important figure in the early church. He was a leader of believers in Jerusalem and a source of wisdom for the whole church. James the brother of Jesus, later known as “James the Just,” was an important figure in Jerusalem in the early decades of the… Read More

John the Baptist’s message of repentance was instrumental in preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry. Read more about his life and work here. John is sometimes called the last “Old Testament prophet” because of the warnings he brought about God’s judgment and because he announced the coming of God’s… Read More

Sons are not always like their fathers; Josiah is the perfect example of this. Although his father, Amon, was evil, Josiah sought to bring the nation of Judah back to the Lord. Josiah was one of Judah’s best kings, even though he was the son of one of Judah’s… Read More

Justin was born into a pagan family, studied Stoicism, Aristotelianism and Platonism, but eventually became a Christian. Read about how he defended the faith in life and in death. Justin Martyr (ca. 114-ca. 165 A.D.) is without a doubt the most important of the Greek apologists of the 2nd… Read More

Egypt played an important role in Israel’s history. Check out the different Egyptian rulers who guided the nation during these years. Pharaoh is the title for the chief ruler of Egypt and comes from two Egyptian words that mean “great house.” To the pharaoh’s name was added other titles… Read More

He parted the Red Sea, received the Ten Commandments and saw the face of God. Learn more about this leader and his faith. Moses was born in Egypt to Hebrew parents but later was adopted by the Egyptian king’s daughter (Exod 2:1-10). Growing up in Egypt, Moses saw how… Read More

As the leader of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah and sent the nation into exile. Read about the role that this king played in shaping Judah’s future. The Babylonian king described in the Bible is Nebuchadnezzar II, the longest reigning and most successful king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He ruled… Read More

Nomads moved from place to place without a permanent home. Read about the significance of nomads in the Bible. The term “nomad” comes from the Greek form of a Latin word meaning “to graze.” Nomads were wandering shepherds who moved their families and their flocks of sheep and goats… Read More

He was a disciple of John and leader in the early church. Read about the importance of Papias’s work and writings. Papias, along with Ignatius and Polycarp, was considered among the disciples of John, perhaps even his scribe. He later became bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor.  The tradition… Read More

He experienced a dramatic conversion, wrote more books in the New Testament than any other individual, and witnessed to kings and prisoners. Find out more about this important New Testament figure. Thirteen books, nearly half of the books in the New Testament, name Paul as their author, and another… Read More