Are these two Bible quotes referring to zombies, and if not, then what are they referring to?

• “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matt. 27:51-53)
• And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. (Zechariah 14:12)

Sincerely,
Zombie Hunting

Dear Zombie Hunting,

Thankfully, these verses aren’t referring to zombies, and brains aren’t on the menu.  Matt 27:51-53 is referring to an actual event where, after the crucifixion, God raised the dead as a sign of Christ’s deity.  These people weren’t flesh-eating zombies – they were real people brought back completely whole and healthy.

Zech 14:12 is a little lengthier of an explanation.  The context to that verse is that Zechariah was prophesying that Jerusalem would be attacked, and Israel would be taken into captivity because of their idolatry (Zech 14:1-2).  However, after that captivity, there would be hope when God returned to bless His people again (Zech 14:9)… and with them, the rest of mankind.  This chapter is talking about when Christ would come and bless mankind by creating spiritual Israel (spiritual Israel is the church – Gal 6:16).  All of the language in this chapter is figurative and is discussing the plagues that fall upon those who don’t turn to Christ.  The wasting away and consumption of the flesh discussed in Zech 14:12-15 is a reference to the spiritual demise and desolation that those outside of Christ face.  In short… no zombies.

Have you ever heard of "hopeless hope"?  If so, what is it and where can it be found in the Bible?

Sincerely,
Uplifted

Dear Uplifted,

We believe the verse you are thinking of is Romans 4:18.  When Abraham was promised a child, he was a hundred years old, and his wife, Sarah, had never bore a child (Rom 4:19).  Yet, in spite of these facts, Abraham believed God.  Abraham’s faith in God was in direct contradiction to all logic.  Abraham had zero reason to hope for a son... but Abraham hoped anyway.  That is what the Scriptures mean when they say that Abraham “hoped against hope”.  Trusting in God when all normal logic says that you will fail – that is hopeless hope.  Hope that exists in spite of the evidence is the purest form of faith.  When we do what God says when there is seemingly no benefit for obedience, we truly place our trust in the Lord.  Our faith comes alive when we do what God says (Jas 2:21-24).

Is it mandatory for christians to attend church from sun up to sundown?  My preacher makes the claim that Paul preached until midnight, but this is no proof that if I were not at a Sunday evening service that I would be guilty of cheating God of His time.  And if Christ were to return, would I be in danger like all other sinners?  Please clarify.  Thanks.

Sincerely,
More Of A Morning Person

Dear More Of A Morning Person,

There is no strict guideline of how much time should be spent in worship on Sunday, but God does provide some principles that help us avoid forsaking the assembly (Heb 10:24-25).  The example that your preacher used of Paul preaching until midnight (Acts 20:7) doesn’t prove that we have to worship that long on Sunday; it simply proves the importance of worship and the zeal that first century christians had for God’s Word.  Acts 20:7 does show us that Sunday is the day that christians are supposed to take the Lord’s Supper, and 1 Cor 16:1-2 tells us that Sunday is the day that we are supposed to take up a collection for God’s work… but once again, the length of services is never detailed.  The closest we come to a direct teaching on how to treat Sunday is in the book of Revelation.  In Rev 1:10, John points out that Sunday is “the Lord’s day”.  That terminology tells us that Sunday is a day that should be arranged around worshipping God… as opposed to fitting worship services in when they are convenient.  Once again, this doesn’t give us specific time parameters, but it does help each of us to examine our own hearts and attitudes toward Sunday worship.  If the Lord is number one in our lives, then how we prioritize church services will be affected by that attitude.

Why does God command the people of Israel not to kill, but then He orders them to kill enemies of Israel… even the women, children, and livestock?  Then Jesus tells His disciples to "turn the other cheek."  I haven't been a christian for very long, but I've always been confused about this.

Sincerely,
Double Standard

Dear Double Standard,

The Hebrew word used for ‘kill’ in the Ten Commandments literally means ‘murder’.  There is a difference between killing someone in self-defense and pre-meditated, intentional murder of another human being.  The Bible has plenty of examples of faithful people going to war (David killed Goliath in battle – 1 Sam 17:49-50).  The Bible is also full of examples of capital punishment for certain crimes (Num 15:35).  Num 35:15-16 makes a distinction between accidentally killing someone and premeditated murder.  A police officer may have to kill someone while serving the community, but that isn’t murder.  There is a difference.

It is wrong for an individual to purposefully seek to harm another unless they are acting as an agent of the government (God has given national governments the authority to use ‘the sword’ of punishment – Rom 13:4) or reacting in self-defense.  God commanded the nation of Israel to kill in times of war, but He condemns vigilante murder.  The teaching of “turn the other cheek” (Matt 5:39) is an individual command that applies to everyday living.  The context has nothing to do with war-time actions.

They say that the cross is actually a pagan symbol used in pre-christian times, but I heard some people argued about this, saying that the pre-christian pagans actually used a plus-sign shaped cross rather than the T-shaped cross used in Christian churches, but I'm not sure about this.  Do you know exactly if some of the pre-christian crosses were T-shaped?

Sincerely,
Geometry Student

Dear Geometry Student,

The cross referred to in Christianity doesn’t have religious origins… it was a torture device invented by the nation of Rome.  When Rome wanted to make an example out of a criminal, they would hang them from a cross.  Those crosses differed in shape from locale to locale.  Some were T-shaped, others more of a plus sign, and others were more of what we consider to be the traditional cross shape.  When Jesus was nailed to the cross (Jhn 19:17), we have no idea exactly what shape it was… but regardless of the shape, it still had the same excruciating results (Jhn 19:30).