The Ransom for All

And again the anger of Jehovah glowed against Israel, and moved David against them, to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. - (2 Samuel 24:1) And Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel . - (1 Chronicles 21:1, Green's Literal) Many critics of the Bible often cite these two scriptures as being one of the alleged contradictions found in the Bible. In one scripture, it says that Jehovah moved David to number the people of Israel and Judah; in the other scripture, we find that Satan moved David to number Israel. From the scriptural perspective, both scriptures are correct, and there is no contradiction. Satan cannot do anything that Jehovah does not permit, especially as related to His people. Thus, in permitting Satan to do this, it could be said that Jehovah moved David to number Israel. Similarly, in foretelling the “Man of Sin”, Paul wrote that this Man of Sin comes “after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” (2 Thessalonian...

Does what Jesus said in Matthew 6:5,6 mean that we should not have prayers as a group in a Bible study, or church services, etc.?  "When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most assuredly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. -- Matthew 6:5,6 -- World English . Some have claimed that Jesus' words as recorded above would condemn all prayer in public, including what some might call "group prayers," that is, prayers where one person leads a group in prayer, as is the custom in many Christian gatherings. In reality, Jesus was not discussing group prayers at all. The prayers he describes of the "hypocrites" was not a group prayer, but of one who sole...