In the midst of John's blissful vision of the new heavens and earth, he records these simple but profound words: "and there will no longer be any curse" (Rev. 22:3). What's the curse to which John refers? Who or what causes the curse to end?

Jesus sends out 72 disciples to every town and place he is about to visit. He authorizes them to perform miracles and proclaim the coming of God's kingdom. When they return, they're ecstatic: "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name" (Luke 10:17). But Jesus tells them to rejoice instead that their names are written in heaven.

"Everything that lies in between Eden's gate and the New Jerusalem ... is in essence a huge rescue plan," writes Sandra Richter. "In fact, we could summarize the plot line of the Bible in one cosmic question: 'How do we get Adam back into the garden?'" In Genesis 3, humanity is driven out; in Revelation 21-22, they are welcomed home.

When Jesus tells 72 disciples he has given them authority to trample snakes and scorpions as he sends them out, they understand his words figuratively to mean Jesus has given them power over Satan and other evil spirits. Later, these disciples return rejoicing that Christ's words have come true.

The angel of the Lord - that is, the preincarnate Christ - appears many times throughout the Old Testament. One of his more memorable appearances is to Daniel, after King Darius has the Lord's servant thrown into a den of lions. As Daniel explains to the king, who is shocked at Daniel's survival, "My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths."

Dennis Jackson is a lay leader at Anchor Point Baptist Church in Independence, Mo. With certification in apologetics from Biola University and a Master of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dennis focuses his teaching ministry on the resurrection of Christ, the reliability of Scripture, and creation.

Listen to the second in a series of interviews about the Trinity between the MBC's Rob Phillips and Carmen LaBerge of The Reconnect on Faith Radio. In this session, they explore how Scripture reveals one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

A look into ancient Jewish wedding customs reveals key truths about the covenant relationship Christians enjoy with Jesus. These include his promise to prepare a place for us in his Father's home and the certainty of his return.

The doctrine of hell is disturbing. The very idea of suffering for sins and separation from God beyond the grave elicits a wide range of responses, from anguish to anger. For some evangelicals, hell is an inconvenient truth that must be softened - to the point where hell's everlasting nature is denied. Is hell really forever? And if so, why?

Does God draw a line in the sand when it comes to sin? Can those who reject the one living and true God rebel against him so grievously, and reject his grace so persistently, they pass a point of no return? Passing the Point of No Return addresses these questions by exploring biblical accounts of people and people groups that ignore God's warning and step across a divinely written line in the sand.