Ash Wednesday: The Countdown To Easter

Ash Wednesday: The Countdown To Easter

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 18, 2026 (Donate)

Introduction: A Season Of Preparation

Four Sundays before Christmas, begins the Advent season. It’s like a preparation for Christmas, to get our hearts and minds in the right place. It’s also a countdown.

Easter or Resurrection Sunday also has a time like this—a countdown and preparation for your hearts and minds. And it begins with Ash Wednesday. Each year, millions of Christians around the world begin a holy season marked by ashes, repentance, and a reflection of one’s own heart.

Like the First Advent Sunday that leads to the Christmas season and Christmas, Ash Wednesday serves as the gateway into the Easter season (often called the “Lenten season” or simply “Lent”) and naturally leads to Easter Sunday—the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For some, it is a deeply meaningful spiritual discipline.

Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

For others, it raises questions about church tradition. What exactly is Ash Wednesday? Is there a biblical basis for it? When did it begin? And how can be used—if any—to connect to the message of Christ? Let’s look closer at Ash Wednesday to help us understand it.

What Is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent in many Christian traditions. It occurs 46 days before Easter, allowing for 40 days of potential fasting when Sundays are excluded. The term "Lent" comes from an Old English word meaning "spring".

Fasting

Why do some people fast during this time? Some people fast as a way of imitating Christ’s forty days of fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2) and to prepare their hearts for Easter. Christ commanded us to fast but also not as a display. God says in Matthew 6:16-18 (NKJV):

 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Fasting is viewed as a self-discipline to focus on repentance and prayer. For some, voluntarily giving up food or certain comforts, they hope to set aside worldly things for time and grow spiritually. For many, it is not about earning favor with God, but about cultivating humility, and helping to generate a little more self-control, and giving oneself a taste of Christ’s suffering and sacrifice.

Ash

During some Ash Wednesday services, a person can receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. As the ashes are applied, the minister commonly says:

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19), or
"Repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15).

Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Interestingly, the ashes are typically made from burned palm branches from the previous year’s Palm Sunday observance. Ashes served as a sign of being humbled low and a time of mourning because of our sinful actions. In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of grief, as well as repentance and mourning:

• Job declared, "Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:6, NKJV).
• Daniel prayed with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes (Daniel 9:3).
• The king of Nineveh sat in ashes in response to Jonah’s preaching (Jonah 3:6).

Ashes represented humility before God and recognition of human frailty. Genesis 3:19 reminds mankind that because of sin, we return to dust. Ash Wednesday draws from that imagery.

When Did Christians Begin Observing Ash Wednesday?

Fasting prior to Easter developed very early in church history.

By the second century, Christians were already practicing some form of pre-Easter fasting. Early references appear in the writings of Irenaeus of Lyons, who noted differing lengths of fasting before Easter.[1] Tertullian, writing in the late second and early third century, also referred to established fasting practices connected to the Paschal celebration.[2]

The Council of Nicaea in AD 325 referenced a 40-day period of preparation before Easter, indicating that a structured Lenten season was widely recognized by that time.

However, the specific practice of placing ashes on the forehead appears later in Western Christianity—somewhere around the tenth century. Because of its popularity, in AD 1091, the Council of Benevento helped standardize the observance of Ash Wednesday in the Western church. So, from a big picture, while fasting before Easter is ancient, Ash Wednesday—as currently practiced—developed gradually over several centuries.

How Is Ash Wednesday Related To Easter?

Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day Lenten journey toward Easter. The number 40 carries deep biblical significance:

• Forty days of rain during the Flood (Genesis 7).
• Forty years of Israel’s wilderness wandering.
• Forty days Moses spent on Mount Sinai.
• Forty days of Jesus fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2).

Lenten intentionally mirrors Christ’s 40-day fast before His public ministry. It is meant to be a time of spiritual preparation through repentance, prayer, and of course, self-examination.

Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which stands at the center of Christian faith. Paul writes,

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NKJV).

Without the death and resurrection, Christianity collapses. Without it, there is no victory over sin and death.

Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Ash Wednesday is supposed to function as the beginning of a spiritual countdown. It is meant to remind believers of human mortality and sin, while Easter proclaims the resurrection of Christ and eternal life and hope. The Lenten season culminates in Holy Week:

• Palm Sunday
• Maundy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Easter Sunday 

Do All Protestants Celebrate Lent?

No. The answer varies by traditions in local denominations. Some Protestant groups retain and observe Ash Wednesday and Lent. These include many Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists, and some Reformed congregations. For them, Lenten serves as a time to point believers toward the cross and resurrection.

In specific liturgical traditions such as Anglican and Lutheran churches, Lent is still a common and structured season within their respective church calendars—they tend to have a heavier focus that other Protestants.

Besides the Protestants, the other 3 division throughout Church History—the Oriental Church, Roman Church, and Eastern Orthodox all celebrate Lent as well—showing how early season was in church history.

Other Protestant traditions, particularly many Baptist and modern evangelical churches, do not formally observe the Lenten season. This hesitation often arises from concerns about practices not explicitly commanded in Scripture.

Baptists rightly point out that Christ’s sacrifice was once for all (Hebrews 10:10–14). Then they caution against ritual observances that might be mistaken as works that overshadow the sufficiency of the gospel. The same could be said of Advent season and its traditions and naturally, there are some local Protestant churches that avoid that as well.

Empty Tomb; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Even so, most Protestant churches focus heavily on Christ’s death and resurrection in the weeks leading up to Easter, even if they do not formally observe the Lenten season.

Conclusion: Tradition and the Gospel

Like the First Advent Sunday, Ash Wednesday is not commanded in Scripture, nor was it instituted by the apostles. It developed historically within the life of the church utilizing the freedom and liberty Christ gives to develop new holidays—we are, after all, made in the image of holiday-making God.

The themes of this holiday like repentance, humility, and recognition of mortality are undeniably biblical. Scripture does not command Christians to observe Ash Wednesday. There is no apostolic instruction requiring an annual day of ashes or the observance of the Lenten season. However, the symbolism of ashes is clearly biblical.

While the practice itself is not commanded, its themes come from the Bible. Whether you or your local church want to celebrate Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season is entirely a freedom God gives to you.

For those who observe it, Ash Wednesday is a solemn reminder that man is fallen and in need of redemption and salvation. And Ash Wednesday and Lenten season points to Easter when Christ made a way of redemption and salvation to rescue fallen man.

For those who do not celebrate it, the central truth remains unchanged: Christ died and rose again.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

 

 

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[1] Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History 5.24.12–14; See the discussion where Eusebius quotes a letter written by Irenaeus to Victor, bishop of Rome over the timing and fasting of Passover/Easter celebration (Pascha).

[2] Tertullian, On Fasting (De Jejuniis), chapters 1–2 and 13–14; see also Tertullian, On Prayer (De Oratione), chapter 18.

The Doctrine Of Sacrifice

The Doctrine Of Sacrifice

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 17, 2026 (Donate)

We don’t sacrifice animals today. In fact, as Christians, we haven’t sacrificed animals since Christ was put to death and resurrected!

A lamb is one of the most common animals sacrificed; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Around the world, people still offer sacrifices. Pagans often will. Muslims do. Some Hindus do (e.g., to Gadhimai). Jews would love to have a Temple to reinstitute sacrifice. So why don’t Christians have to offer sacrifices anymore?

Let’s go back to the origin of the Doctrine of Sacrifice, what it points to, and why it is no longer necessary.

Sacrifice In A Perfect World

The Doctrine of Sacrifice goes back to the holiness and perfection of God. The Lord declared that at the end of Creation Week,

“God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31, NKJV).

Likewise, the Holy Spirit proclaimed through Moses about God that,

“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4, NKJV).

In such a perfect world, there was no sin, no death, and no need for atonement. Sacrifice, as an act of atonement for sin, was not necessary prior to the Fall. Yet God’s perfect justice and holiness meant that if sin entered the world, it would require a just response.

The perfection of God is the very basis and reason for the framework for understanding why sacrifice would later become necessary. A holy God cannot ignore sin; for God’s perfect justice (Omniiustitia) would demand a just punishment.

Sacrifice Instituted At The Fall

Sacrifice first occurs by God in connection with the Fall of man in Genesis 3. After Adam and Eve sinned, they attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves (Genesis 3:7), a human effort to deal with guilt and shame. But the punishment for sin was death (Genesis 2:17).

But God Himself provided a covering:

“Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21, NKJV).

The text does not explicitly describe the death of an animal. However, the “tunics of skin” mean that we can deduce that the skins came from animals that were put to death in the place of man. Again, the punishment for sin was death.

Rightly, Adam and Eve deserved to die but God used a substitute to die in the place. This allowed for a temporary atonement. This is where the idea of substitutionary atonement comes from.

Here we see the principle of substitution: an innocent life given so that the guilty might be covered. This act foreshadows the entire sacrificial system and ultimately Christ. The wages of sin is death (cf. Romans 6:23), and from the beginning God demonstrated that sin brings death and that covering requires the shedding of blood.

Abel And The Reiteration Of Blood Sacrifice

The next explicit example of sacrifice is found in Genesis 4—the following chapter. Cain and Abel both brought offerings to the Lord.

“Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering” (Genesis 4:4, NKJV).

Abel’s offering was a blood sacrifice from “the firstborn of his flock.” By contrast, Cain brought “an offering of the fruit of the ground” (Genesis 4:3, NKJV). The Lord respected Abel’s offering but did not respect Cain’s. Hebrews explains,

“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” (Hebrews 11:4, NKJV).

Abel’s sacrifice was a blood sacrifice offered in faith and in accordance with God’s revealed will as he mimicked what God did in Genesis 3 (with the blood sacrifice when He made coats of skins). The pattern of substitutionary blood sacrifice continues.

Noah’s Sacrifice After The Flood

Following the global Flood, Noah also mimicked God and he offered sacrifices:

“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar” (Genesis 8:20, NKJV).

Noah's sacrifices; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (Chat GPT)

The text specifically notes “clean” animals, indicating that categories suitable for sacrifice were already established prior to Sinai—when Moses later gives the Law that pertained to clean and unclean animals. The Lord’s response was gracious:

“And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake’” (Genesis 8:21, NKJV).

Abraham And Isaac: A Picture Of Substitution

Abraham’s life was marked by altars and sacrifice (Genesis 12:7–8; 13:18). The climactic moment came in Genesis 22, when God commanded Abraham to offer Isaac. As they ascended Mount Moriah, Isaac asked,

“Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7, NKJV).

Abraham replied,

“My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8, NKJV).

At the moment of obedience, the Angel of the LORD stopped Abraham.

“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:13, NKJV).

The phrase “instead of his son” captures substitution vividly. This event foreshadows the Father offering His Son, and yet providing Him as the Lamb.

Abraham and Isaac; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

The Mosaic Sacrificial System

Under Moses, sacrifice became “formally” prescribed beginning with Passover. God gave detailed instructions regarding burnt offerings, sin offerings, trespass offerings, and peace offerings (see Leviticus 1–7). The priesthood, drawn from the tribe of Levi, was appointed to administer these sacrifices (Exodus 28–29).

Leviticus 17:11 explains the theological foundation:

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (NKJV).

The sacrificial system teaches that sin required death, and that atonement required blood. Yet these sacrifices were temporary and repetitive, pointing forward to a greater fulfillment. You have to understand that the blood of animals are not equal to the blood of man; furthermore, you need to understand the full grasp of punishment of sin.

The sin against a perfect, infinite, holy, and eternal God would be an infinite punishment that would go on forever. Animals are not in a position to take this punishment—this is why their blood was only a temporary covering.

Obedience Over Sacrifice: Saul’s Unauthorized Sacrifice

Sacrifice was not to be offered according to human convenience. In 1 Samuel 13, King Saul presumed to offer a burnt offering rather than waiting for Samuel. When confronted, Samuel said,

“You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God” (1 Samuel 13:13, NKJV).

Saul’s action shows that sacrifice must be offered in obedience to God’s revealed will. Even a king could not alter God’s prescribed order. Had obedience been sought by Adam and Eve we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. Yet, as sinners, we err and Saul erred here—in the same way Adam and Eve did in disobedience to what God clearly said.  

Even in the Old Testament, God proved that sacrifice without obedience was empty. Samuel told Saul,

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV).

Sacrifice was never meant to replace obedience; it was meant to point to the seriousness of sin and the need for reconciliation.

The Sacrifice Of Mary And Joseph

After the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph obeyed the Law by offering sacrifice: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24, NKJV). This offering was prescribed for those who could not afford a lamb (Leviticus 12:8).

Mary and Joseph's sacrificial turtledoves; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

The irony is profound: the parents of the true Lamb of God brought the offering of the poor, even as they presented Him who would be the final sacrifice.

Christ: The Ultimate And Perfect Sacrifice

All previous sacrifices pointed to Christ. They were like types and shadows of what was coming. John the Baptist declared,

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NKJV).

Unlike animal sacrifices, Christ’s sacrifice was once for all. Hebrews 10:12 states,

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (NKJV).

Christ’s sacrifice was infinite in value because He is the God-man. It was perfect because He was sinless (Hebrews 4:15). It was final because it accomplished true redemption by satisfying God’s Full Wrath upon the sin of man. The infinite Son of God took the infinite punishment from the infinite Father.

Due to Christ’s eternality, He could accomplish this task in a moment in death where it would an eternity of by man’s reckoning in Hell. This is why Christ didn’t have to remain dead for an eternity, His eternality, being God, was sufficient.

The End Of The Sacrificial System

With Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, the sacrificial system reached its fulfillment. At His crucifixion, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51, NKJV), symbolizing direct access to God through His blood. Christ, the ultimate and final Passover Lamb, offered His own perfect blood on the altar in heaven for an eternal redemption of His people (Hebrews 9:11-12).

The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70 brought the sacrificial system to an unmistakable historical end. There has been no Temple and no Levitical altar since that time.

No More Sacrifice Today Or In Eternity

And Christians no longer need to sacrifice because Christ sacrifice was sufficient for our sin for all time. Believers do not offer atoning sacrifices today and are saved through Christ's blood sacrifice and resurrection. Christ’s work is complete.

In eternity, there will be no more need for sacrifice, because sin will be no more. Revelation 21:4 declares,

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (NKJV).

The Doctrine of Sacrifice has:

·       Its beginning in God’s holiness

·       Its necessity in man’s sin

·       Its development in Israel’s history

·       Its ultimate fulfillment in Christ

The Lamb who was slain has accomplished redemption once for all, and His finished work will be celebrated forever.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

 

Presidents Day 2026

How Many USA Presidents Have Been Professing Christians?

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 16, 2026 (Donate)

Brief History Of Presidents Day

Today is Presidents Day! In our modern culture, that usually means no school, post-offices and banks are closed but many businesses offer all sorts of deals to draw people in their local shop!

Portrait of General Washington by Charles Willson Peale; 1776; Public Domain

Presidents Day is a single federal holiday that combined two different holidays from a few years ago. I remember the days when we had George Washington’s birthday (February 22) and Abraham’s Lincoln’s (February 12) birthday off from school!

Officials essentially merged these two US holidays (due in part to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act) because they are both February birthday separated by 10 days on our calendar and now we have a combined celebration called Presidents Day.

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln by George P. A. Healy in 1887; Public Domain

If you can tell by the name of the act, Presidents Day always falls on a Monday to give a long weekend—Presidents Day is always the third Monday of February.

Professing Christians?

So how many Presidents were professing Christians? I’ve actually dealt with this elsewhere. And so…why reinvent the wheel. I’m previously quoted as writing:

“Hosts of Presidents openly acknowledged Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Most attended trinitarian churches. The three who were openly non-Trinitarian are Thomas Jefferson, John Adams (unitarian), and John Quincy Adams (unitarian).

Below is the list of US Presidents who were members of Trinitarian churches. A Trinitarian church is one that affirms the biblical doctrine of the Trinity: one God in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This includes Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican or Episcopal, Lutheran, Congregationalist (before the Unitarian split), Reformed, Dutch Reformed, Disciples of Christ, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and similar historic Christian bodies.

Again, only three US Presidents were clearly members of non-Trinitarian churches: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and John Quincy Adams. Jefferson rejected the Trinity and never joined a church after adulthood. John Adams and John Quincy Adams both joined the Unitarian churches that had been emerging in New England that denied the Trinity and demoted Jesus Christ’s deity.

All other Presidents were members of Trinitarian Christian churches.

Anglican / Episcopal (Trinitarian)

·       George Washington

·       James Madison

·       James Monroe

·       William Henry Harrison

·       John Tyler

·       Zachary Taylor

·       Franklin Pierce

·       Chester A. Arthur

·       Franklin D. Roosevelt

·       George H. W. Bush

·       George W. Bush (later Methodist)

Presbyterian (Trinitarian)

·       Andrew Jackson

·       James Polk

·       James Buchanan

·       Grover Cleveland

·       Benjamin Harrison

·       Woodrow Wilson

·       Dwight D. Eisenhower (affiliated with Presbyterianism)

·       Donald Trump (could also be listed as Reformed, Marble Collegiate Church)

Methodist (Trinitarian)

·       Ulysses S. Grant

·       William McKinley

·       William Howard Taft

·       Harry S. Truman

·       George W. Bush

Baptist (Trinitarian)

·       Warren Harding

·       Harry Truman (dual affiliation)

·       Jimmy Carter

·       Bill Clinton

Congregationalist (historically Trinitarian until late 18th century)

·       Calvin Coolidge (still Trinitarian in his era)

·       Herbert Hoover

Reformed / Dutch Reformed (Trinitarian)

·       Martin Van Buren

·       Theodore Roosevelt

Disciples of Christ (Trinitarian)

·       James Garfield

·       Lyndon B. Johnson

·       Ronald Reagan (baptized Disciples of Christ)

Quaker (orthodox at the time = Trinitarian enough for historical classification)

·       Herbert Hoover

·       Richard Nixon

Roman Catholic (Trinitarian, non-Protestant)

·       John F. Kennedy

·       Joe Biden

Other Trinitarian or broadly orthodox Protestant

·       Abraham Lincoln (not a member of any church but attended Trinitarian congregations; often counted but technically not a members

·       Barack Obama (member of United Church of Christ during its Trinitarian period)

How deep were the conviction of these Presidents? As mentioned, some were very open about their faith. Others, might leave you wondering based on their actions—which often speak louder than words. Well, sometimes, their words revealed their allegiance wasn’t always with the Bible.

This is especially the case in more recent times. There has been a secularization of many in this country and without exception, this reaches those elected. So, one may have good reasons for questioning certain Presidents as to their true convictions.

After all, it is good, from a historical perspective, to be a Christian during election season and one’s elected tenure but other religious flavors may cloud one’s judgment when making official decrees and laws.

One of the tests of sincere Christian faith since the 1970s has been the issue of abortion. Abortion is murder of the pre-born. If an elected official supports it, then it is hard to believe that that person really holds to the biblical faith which commands us not to murder but to protect innocent lives. Although, I’m sure there are plenty of other ways that Christians recognize the faithful versus those “going through the motions”.

The total “official” number of Presidents in Trinitarian churches is 44 out of 47. Of course that comes with caveats. Nevertheless, we will all stand before God in judgment and our true thoughts will be revealed.”[1]

I hope this I has been a helpful discussion on the faith of presidents in the USA.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

 

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[1] Bodie Hodge, Historical Christians Confirmations, Biblical Authority Ministries, December 1, 2025, https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2025/12/historical-christian-confirmations.html.

When Was Jehoiachin Set Free?

Was Jehoiachin Set Free From Prison On 25^th Day (Jeremiah 52:31) Of The Month Or The 27^th Day Of The Month (2 Kings 25:27)?

Alleged Bible Contradiction

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 13, 2026 (Donate)

The relevant passages (NKJV) are:

Jeremiah 52:31
Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 

2 Kings 25:27
Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison.

Many Christians assume that this alleged discrepancy is a “copyist mistake” because it involves numbers. Numbers would be, after all, a reasonable mistake when copying from another manuscript. In fact, if one were to search books or the internet on this alleged contradiction, the likely answer given by Christians is that this is a copyist mistake.

However, before one assumes this, I suggest we take a closer look at what these two verses are saying. In both verses, the passages have some portions that are identical and others that are not; the form is below:

Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month [date] that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, . . . [further information].

This would be a legitimate contradiction, or perhaps a copyist mistake, if the date were different, but the further information were identical. But this is not the case, and accordingly, the further information proves very significant in this case. So, let’s take a closer look at this further information.

Jehoiachin, upon hearing he was to be set free; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Jeremiah 52:31 has on the date of the 25 that the King of Babylon “lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison.” On the other hand, 2 Kings 25:27 has on the 27 that the King of Babylon “released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison.”

These are two different dates, indeed, because they are referring to two different instances. On the 25, the King of Babylon gives the decree to release Jehoiachin king of Judah. But it took a couple of days for Jehoiachin king of Judah to actually be released.

Jehoiachin being set free; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Hence, this is no contradiction; rather, the Bible is actually being much more specific in the details than the reader may first realize. Even in today’s culture, if a prisoner is pardoned by a governing official like the President, it takes time before the person is released from prison—the orders need to be verified, paperwork filed, etc. So, two days is not unreasonable.

This should be a lesson to Christians, too. When an alleged contradiction is brought to our attention, the first place we should look is the Scriptures themselves and think logically about the verses in question.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.   

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children. 

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry. 

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. Originally at Answers in Genesis; Edited; Republished by permission.