Bible Contradiction? Who did Jacob wrestle with?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who did Jacob wrestle with?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

God

“Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have contended with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 And Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”” ( Genesis 32:24-30)

An Angel

“The Lord also has a case against Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; He will repay him according to his deeds. 3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And in his mature strength he contended with God. 4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and implored His favor. He found Him at Bethel, And there He spoke with us,” (Hosea 12:2-4)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Progress in answering alleged Bible contradiction from the Pastoral Epistles

Since I have been studying the Pastoral Epistles I thought I do a post with all the alleged Bible contradictions I refuted so far that involves passages from 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus..

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Bible Contradiction? If God likes you, will everyone else like you too?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: If God likes you, will everyone else like you too?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

If God likes you, so will your enemies.

“When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He causes even his enemies to make peace with him.” ( Proverbs 16:7)

If you are faithful to God, you will be persecuted.

“Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Bible Contradiction? Does God want some to go to hell?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Does God want some to go to hell?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

God wants everyone to go to heaven.

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

God wants some to go to hell.

“The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil.” (Proverbs 16:4)

“He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they will not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and be converted, and so I will not heal them.”” (John 12:40)

“So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” (Romans 9:18)

“For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, ¹² in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Bible contradiction? Should you serve God alone?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Should you serve God alone?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Yes

“Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”” (Matthew 4:10)

“Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.” (Matthew 23:10)

No

“Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;” (Ephesians 6:5)

“Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” (Colossians 3:22)

“All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.” (1 Timothy 6:1)

“Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,” (Titus 2:9)

“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.” (1 Peter 2:18)

“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” (Colossians 3:18)

“Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:20)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Apologetics Sermon Illustration #92: Bible Interpretation and example of Movie’s Ending that interprets Beginning and End

GO TO PART 91

Point: Sometimes when one engage in apologetics the issue of alleged Bible contradiction comes up.  There are times when those who assert that there are contradictory verses in the Bible fail to acknowledge how different part of the narrative (beginning, middle, end) help interpret other parts of the story.  Are there any examples of this error to get the point across to a skeptic of their foolish methodology and mistake?

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Apologetics Sermon Illustration #91: Meaning depending on Context and “Problem of Evil Conference”

GO TO PART 90

Point: Sometimes when one engage in apologetics the issue of alleged Bible contradiction comes up.  There are times when those who assert that there are contradictory verses in the Bible fail to acknowledge that words can be used in more than one way and thus a word used in one context does not mean the same thing in another context.  But if one fail to recognize there are differences of meaning of the word being used in two separate contexts, a skeptic can easily assume there’s a Bible contradiction when there are none.  Are there any examples of this error to get the point across to a skeptic of their foolish methodology and mistake?

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300 Alleged Bible Contradictions Answered

Since October 2015 I have blogged responses to alleged Bible contradictions listed on the Skeptic Annotated Bible.  Apparently this week I hit a milestone: I have refuted three hundred alleged Bible Contradiction!

Below is the listing of these posts, beginning with the newer posts since the last milestone I posted of 250 Bible contradictions:

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Bible contradiction? May Adam eat from any tree?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: May Adam eat from any tree?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Adam may eat from every tree.

“Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;” (Genesis 1:29)

There is one tree from which Adam may not eat.

“but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Bible Contradiction? Who was Sheba’s father? (Sheba is also spelled Saba)

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who was Sheba’s father?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Raamah

“The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.” (Genesis 10:7)

“The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.” (1 Chronicles 1:9)

Jokshan

“Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim.” (Genesis 25:3)

“The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, whom she bore, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan.” (1 Chronicles 1:32)

Joktan

“Joktan became the father of Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah 27 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah 28 and Obal and Abimael and Sheba” (Genesis 10:26-28)

“Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Ebal, Abimael, Sheba,” (1 Chronicles 1:20-22)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Is Jephthah a hero to follow?

This past week I was teaching a men’s group and we are doing a series on Spiritual Lessons on Difficult Old Testament passage.

I covered Judges 11 on Jephthah.  In the past I have written about this here: Resolving Bible Difficulty: Jephthah’s daughter.

I got a pushback from the Bible study from someone who insists that Jephthah was in the right with killing his daughter for burnt offering.  I disagree.  I think Jephthah was wrong.

I won’t rehearse all my reasons since the previous link goes into it.  But I want to examine the other person’s argument which is based upon Judges 11:1:

^{2Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant warrior, but he was the son of a harlot. And Gilead [b]was the father of Jephthah.}(Judges 11:29-40)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

He argued that because Jephthah was a valiant warrior according to this verse, Jephthah is honorable and therefore what he did is right and should be our example.

Here’s my argument against it.

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Bible Contradiction? Who was Libni’s father?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who was Libni’s father?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Gershon

“The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.” (Exodus 6:17)

“These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei;” (Numbers 3:18)

“These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.” (1 Chronicles 6:17)

Mahli

“The sons of Merari were Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,” (1 Chronicles 6:29)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Bible Contradiction? Was Lot righteous?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Was Lot righteous?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Yes, he was just and righteous.

“and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men ⁸ (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),” (2 Peter 2:7-8)

No. He offered his daughters to a sex-crazed mob and then got drunk and impregnated them.

“Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.”” (Genesis 19:8)

“Lot went up from Zoar, and stayed in the mountains, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; and he stayed in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31 Then the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and let us lie with him that we may preserve our family through our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 34 On the following day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve our family through our father.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.” (Genesis 19:30-36)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Bible Contradiction? Who was Dedan’s father?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who was Dedan’s father?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Raamah

“The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.” (Genesis 10:7)

“The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.” (1 Chronicles 1:9)

Jokshan

“Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim.” (Genesis 25:3)

“The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, whom she bore, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan.” (1 Chronicles 1:32)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Bible Contradiction? When was the city of Dan named?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: When was the city of Dan named?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

In the time of Abraham.

“When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.” (Genesis 14:14)

After the massacre of Laish.

“They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel; however, the name of the city formerly was Laish.“ (Judges 18:29)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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