LIVING GODS WILL
BIBLICAL PEOPLE
BIBLICAL PEOPLE
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Aaron’s parents were Amram and Jochebed. He had a brother, Moses, and a sister, Miriam. When he was grown he had a family of his own. His wife’s name was Elisheba and his sons were: Eleazar, Ithamar, Nadab and Abihu.
Nadab and Abihu were struck dead by God when they offered strange fire in the role of priests. Eleazar and Ithamar took their place as priests and did a good job.
Aaron is known for his role as the first high priest. In Old Testament times, the high priest was the one that represented people before God. We also know that before he was high priest. Aaron was the spokesman for his brother, Moses.
God knew that Aaron could ‘speak well’ and Moses was ‘slow of speech’. So Aaron spoke for Moses when they represented God before Pharaoh. Aaron also performed many miracles with Moses that we read about in the book of Exodus.
Aaron was 83 years old when he and Moses spoke for God to Pharaoh. They told him that God wanted his people, the Israelites, to be freed from Egypt so that they could worship God in the desert.
Pharaoh would not listen and many plagues, showing God’s power, came upon his land until he finally let God’s people go. These are referred to as the 10 plagues.
Once the Israelites were free from Egypt, they wandered in the desert for 40 years. Aaron was their high priest during this time. Although Aaron was a good man, he made some bad choices that made God angry such as making a golden calf, an idol, for the people to worship while Moses was on Mount Sinai.
He also shared in Moses’ sin at Merbah when Moses struck a rock to get water for the people instead of speaking to the rock as he had been commanded by God.
Aaron died on Mount Hor. His robes, which the high priest wore, were taken and given to his son, Eleazar, who became the next high priest. Moses, his brother, and Eleazar, his son, were present at his death and buried him. The entire Israelite community mourned his death for 30 days.
Abel is Eve’s second son. Abel became a herder of sheep while Cain was a tiller of the soil. And it happened in the course of time that Cain brought from the fruit of the soil an offering to the Lord.
And Abel too had brought from the choice firstlings of his flock, and the Lord regarded Abel and his offering but did not regard Cain and his offering. And Cain was very incensed, and his face fell.
And the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you incensed, and why is your face fallen? For whether you offer well, or whether you do not, at the tent flap sin crouches and for you is its longing, but you will rule over it.”
And Cain said to Abel his brother, “Let us go out to the field,” and when they were in the field Cain rose against Abel his brother and killed him. And the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother? And he said, “I do not know: am I my brother’s keeper?”.
Abimelech (also spelled Abimelek), one of Gideon’s sons, served as a judge of Israel following the judgeship of Gideon. He is first mentioned in Judges 8:30–31 where we read, “[Gideon] had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek.”
Gideon was of the tribe of Manasseh and had led Israel to victory despite humanly impossible odds. After this victory, he became wealthy and had several wives, including a concubine in Shechem who became the mother of Abimelech.
Abimelech sought to rule over Shechem by eliminating all his opposition—namely, by killing all of the other sons of Gideon. All were killed except Gideon’s youngest son, Jotham. Abimelech then became king of Shechem.
After leading Shechem for three years, a conspiracy arose against Abimelech. Civil war broke out, leading to a battle at a town called Thebez. Abimelech cornered the leaders of the city in a tower and came near with the intention of burning the tower with fire.
The text then notes, “A woman [in the tower] dropped an upper millstone on [Abimelech’s] head and cracked his skull. Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can’t say, A woman killed him. So his servant ran him through, and he died. When the Israelites saw that Abimelek was dead, they went home.
An “upper millstone” was a large rock approximately 18 inches in diameter, and this is what landed on Abimelech’s head. Though he survived the crushing blow, Abimelech knew he would not live long.
He commanded his young armor-bearer to finish him off for the sake of his reputation (a practice seen in other places in the Old Testament). The young man did as commanded, and the battle ended in the defeat of Abimelech’s forces.
Abner is initially mentioned incidentally in Saul’s history, first appearing as the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle, and the commander of Saul’s army. He then comes to the story again as the commander who introduced David to Saul following David’s killing of Goliath.
He is not mentioned in the account of the disastrous battle of Gilboa when Saul’s power was crushed. Seizing the youngest but only surviving of Saul’s sons, Ish-Bosheth, Abner set him up as king over Israel at Mahanaim, east of the Jordan.
David, who was accepted as king by Judah alone, was meanwhile reigning at Hebron, and for some time war was carried on between the two parties.
The only engagement between the rival factions which is told at length is noteworthy, inasmuch as it was preceded by an encounter at Gibeon between twelve chosen men from each side, in which the whole twenty-four seem to have perished.
In the general engagement which followed, Abner was defeated and put to flight. He was closely pursued by Asahel, brother of Joab, who is said to have been “light of foot as a wild roe”. As Asahel would not desist from the pursuit, though warned, Abner was compelled to slay him in self-defense.
This originated a deadly feud between the leaders of the opposite parties, for Joab, as next of kin to Asahel, was by the law and custom of the country the avenger of his blood. This battle was part of a civil war between David and Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul.
After this battle Abner switched to the side of David and granted him control over the tribe of Benjamin. This act put Abner in David’s favor. The real reason that Joab killed Abner was that he became a threat to his rank of general. He then justifies it later by mentioning his brother.
For some time afterward the war was carried on, the advantage being invariably on the side of David. At length, Ish-Bosheth lost the main prop of his tottering cause by accusing Abner of sleeping with Rizpah, one of Saul’s concubines, an alliance which, according to contemporary notions, would imply pretensions to the throne.
Abner was indignant at the rebuke, and immediately opened negotiations with David, who welcomed him on the condition that his wife Michal should be restored to him. This was done, and the proceedings were ratified by a feast.
Almost immediately after, however, Joab, who had been sent away, perhaps intentionally returned and slew Abner at the gate of Hebron. The ostensible motive for the assassination was a desire to avenge Asahel, and this would be a sufficient justification for the deed according to the moral standard of the time.
The conduct of David after the event was such as to show that he had no complicity in the act, though he could not venture to punish its perpetrators. And David said to all the people who were with him, Rend your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and wail before Abner.
And King David went after the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron, and the king raised his voice and wept on Abner’s grave, and all the people wept. Shortly after Abner’s death, Ish-Bosheth was assassinated as he slept, and David became king of the reunited kingdoms.
Absalom was the third son of King David, by his wife Maacah. The bulk of Absalom’s story is told in 2 Samuel 13-19. He had a strong influence on his father’s reign.
The first recorded event defining Absalom’s life also involved his sister Tamar and half-brother Amnon. Tamar was beautiful, and Amnon lusted after her. When Tamar rebuffed Amnon’s advances, he arranged, through subterfuge, to have her come to his house, where he raped her. After the rape, Amnon put Tamar out of his house in disgrace.
When Absalom heard what happened, he took his sister in to live with him. For the next two years, Absalom nursed a hatred of his half-brother. Then, using some subterfuge of his own, Absalom invited Amnon to his house for a party. During the festivities, in the presence of David’s other sons, Absalom had his servants kill Amnon in cold blood.
Out of fear of his father, Absalom ran away to Geshur, where he stayed for three years. During that time, Scripture says that David “longed to go out to Absalom,” but we’re never told that he actually did anything to reconcile the relationship.
David’s general, Joab, was ultimately responsible for bringing Absalom back to Jerusalem. However, even then, Absalom was not permitted to enter David’s presence, but had to live in a house of his own. He lived this way, presumably never contacting or being contacted by his father, for two years. Finally, once again by way of Joab’s intercession, the two men get back together, and there is a small measure of reconciliation.
Unfortunately, this peace did not last. Possibly resenting his father’s hesitancy to bring him home, Absalom began to stealthily undermine David’s rule. He set himself up as judge in Jerusalem and gave out promises of what he would do if he were king. After four years of this, he asked to go to Hebron, where he had secretly arranged to have himself proclaimed king.
The conspiracy strengthened, and the number of Absalom’s followers grew steadily, such that David began to fear for his own life. David gathered his servants and fled Jerusalem. However, David left behind some of his concubines and a few informers as well, including Zadok and Abiathar the priests and his advisor Hushai.
Upon entering Jerusalem as king, Absalom sought to solidify his position, first by taking over David’s house and sleeping with his concubines, considered an unforgiveable act. Then he laid plans to immediately pursue and attack David’s forces, but the idea was abandoned owing to the advice of Hushai.
This delay allowed David to muster what troops he had at Mahanaim and mount a counterattack to retake the kingdom. David himself did not take part in the counterattack, having been persuaded by his generals to remain behind. He did give explicit instructions to the generals to “deal gently” with Absalom, in spite of his treason.
Scripture makes the point that all the troops heard David’s orders concerning Absalom. However, the orders were disobeyed. As Absalom was riding under some trees, his long hair became entangled in the branches, and he was unhorsed. Joab found Absalom suspended in mid-air and killed him there. Thus, the rebellion was quelled, and David returned to Jerusalem as king.
David mourned deeply over his son, so much so that it affected the morale of the army. His grief was so great that their victory seemed hollow to them, and they returned to the capital in shame rather than triumph. It was not until he was rebuked by Joab that David was restored to a measure of kingly behavior.
Originally called Abram, “exalted father”. Son of Terah, born in Ur of the Chaldees. The migration to Haran, where Terah died. Abraham’s journey to Canaan, the divine call, and the covenant. His sojourn in Egypt.
Other important events: settlement in Hebron; rescue of Lot and the meeting with Melchizedek; institution of circumcision and change of name to Abraham; intercession for Lot at Sodom; offering of Isaac and renewal of the covenant and blessings; death of Sarah and purchase of the cave of Machpelah as a family burial place. He lived 175 years.
The story of Achan is found in Joshua 7. God had delivered Jericho into the Israelites’ hands, as recorded in Joshua 6. The Israelites had been instructed to destroy everything in the city, with the exception of Rahab and her family, as well as the city’s gold, silver, bronze, and iron.
The metals were to go into the tabernacle treasury; they were “sacred to the Lord” or “devoted” to Him. Jericho was to be totally destroyed, and the Israelites were to take no plunder for themselves.
Shortly after their success at Jericho, the Israelites moved on to attack the city of Ai. The spies Joshua sent to Ai thought the city would be easy to overtake—much easier than Jericho—and they suggested Joshua only send two or three thousand troops.
Much to their shock, the Israelites were chased out of Ai, and thirty-six of them were killed. Joshua tore his clothes and bemoaned their attempts at conquering Canaan.
He told God, “The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”. God responded by telling Joshua that some Israelites had sinned by taking devoted things. The people were to consecrate themselves, and then the following morning the perpetrator would be identified by lot.
When morning came, each tribe presented itself. The tribe of Judah was chosen by lot, then the clan of the Zerahites, then the family of Zimri, then Achan. “Then Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me’”.
Achan confessed his sin, admitting that in Jericho he saw a robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a fifity-shekel bar of gold that he “coveted,” took, and hid in a hole he had dug within his tent. Messengers from Joshua confirmed the plunder was found in Achan’s tent, and they brought it before the assembly.
The Israelites then stoned Achan, his children, and his livestock and burned the bodies; they also burned Achan’s tent, the plunder he had taken, and “all that he had” in the Valley of Achor (i.e., the “Valley of Trouble”). The pile of stones was left there as a reminder of Achan’s sin and the high cost of not obeying the Lord.
After Achan was judged, God told Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land”.
The Israelites laid an ambush and soundly defeated Ai, killing all of its inhabitants. This time, the Israelites were allowed to take the plunder for themselves. Only Jericho, the first city in Canaan, had been wholly devoted to the Lord.
The story of Achan is a stark reminder of the penalty of sin, which is death. We also see two truths illustrated plainly: first, that sin is never an isolated event—our sin always has a ripple effect that touches others.
Achan’s sin led to the deaths of thirty-six of his fellow soldiers and defeat for the whole army. Second, we can always be sure that our sins will find us out. Hiding the evidence in our tents will not conceal it from God.
Achan’s sin was grave. He took what was God’s. The Israelites had been specifically warned about the consequences of not doing as God instructed. Joshua told them, “Keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it”.
Achan’s sin was a clear and willful violation of a direct order, and he did bring trouble on the entire camp of Israel. Also, Achan was given time to repent on his own; he could have come forward at any time, yet chose to wait through the casting of lots.
Rather than admit his guilt and perhaps call on the mercy of God or at least demonstrate reverence for Him, Achan attempted to hide. “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy”.
The first man created on earth. Adam is the father and patriarch of the human race on the earth.
His transgression in the Garden of Eden caused him to “fall” and become mortal, a step necessary in order for mankind to progress on this earth. Adam and Eve should therefore be honored for their role in making our eternal growth possible.
God created man in his own image. God gave man dominion over all things and commanded him to multiply and fill the earth. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and forbade them to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam named every living creature.
Adam and Eve were married by God. Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan, partook of the forbidden fruit, and were cast out of the Garden of Eden. Adam was 930 years old at his death.
After the death of his elder brothers Amnon and Absalom, Adonijah considered himself the heir-apparent to the throne. He acquired chariots and a large entourage. Although the king was aware of this, he neither rebuked his son nor made any inquiry into his actions.
David’s silence may have been interpreted by Adonijah and others as consent. Adonijah consulted and obtained the support of both the commander of the army Joab and the influential priest Abiathar. However, the priest Zadok; Benaiah, head of the king’s bodyguard; Nathan, the court prophet; and others did not side with Adonijah.
In anticipation of his father’s imminent death, Adonijah invited his brother princes and the court officials to a solemn sacrifice in order to announce his claim to the throne. He did not invite Solomon or any of his supporters.
Assuming that Adonijah will soon move to eliminate any rivals or opposition, Nathan warns Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and counsels her to remind the king of a previous promise to make Solomon his successor.
However, Adonijah was supplanted by Solomon through the influence of Bathsheba, and through the diplomacy of the prophet Nathan. They induced David to give orders that Solomon should immediately be proclaimed and admitted to the throne.
Adonijah fled and took refuge at the altar, receiving pardon for his conduct from Solomon on the condition that he showed himself a worthy man. He afterwards made a second attempt to gain the throne, by trying to marry David’s last woman, Abishag from Shunem, but Solomon denied authorization for such an engagement, even though Bathsheba now pleaded on Adonijah’s behalf. He was then put to death.
Most commentators believe Agur lived in the same era as Solomon. We don’t know much about Agur except what we can glean from this one chapter.
The name Agur comes from a Hebrew word meaning “collector.” Agur and Jakeh are only mentioned here in the Bible and are otherwise unknown.
Agur’s proverbs offer insight regarding his thoughts on life. Agur was weary and worn out, he did not consider himself wise, and he considered God’s words completely true.
In Proverbs 30 Agur expresses to God a request that the Lord remove lying from him and give him neither riches nor poverty.
Agur’s teachings include a warning not to slander servants and an observation that many people see themselves as better than they really are. Agur then begins a numbered list of sayings that includes three things never satisfied the barren womb, the land’s need for water, and the end of a fire. Verse 17 adds that the person who mocks his parents will experience judgment.
Verses 18–19 list four things beyond Agur’s understanding: an eagle in the sky, a serpent on a rock, a ship on the seas, and a man with a woman.
In verses 21–23 is a list of four things that cause the earth to tremble: a slave who becomes king, a well-fed fool, an unloved married woman, and a servant who replaces the wife in the household.
Verses 24–28 note four small things that are very wise: ants, rock badgers, locusts, and lizards. Verses 29–31 specify four proud things: a lion, a rooster, a goat, and a king with his army. Verses 32–33 advise that, if you have been foolish in exalting yourself, you need to stop; also, prodding someone to anger is unwise.
These simple yet profound observations on life reveal many aspects of this otherwise unknown man named Agur. For example, Agur realized God’s wisdom was greater than his own. He understood the temptation of riches. He knew many aspects of life and of God’s creation would remain a mystery beyond his understanding.
And Agur knew the importance of controlling anger, avoiding foolishness, and living for God. He encourages his readers to refrain from a life that dishonors God and results in judgment. Rather, Agur promotes living life with a proper fear of God and concern for other people.
Ahab was one in a line of increasingly evil kings in Israel’s history, starting with the reign of Jeroboam. King Ahab “did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him”.
Among the events chronicled in Ahab’s life that led to his downfall was his marriage to an evil woman named Jezebel who had a particular hatred for God’s people. Because of his marriage to a pagan woman, Ahab devoted himself to the worship of the false gods Baal and Asherah in Israel.
The evil of King Ahab was countered by the prophet Elijah who warned Ahab of coming judgment if he did not obey the Lord. Ahab blamed Elijah for bringing trouble on Israel, but it was Ahab’s promotion of idolatry that was the true cause of the three-and-a-half-year famine. In a dramatic confrontation between Elijah and Ahab’s false prophets, God proved to Israel that He, not Baal, was the true God. All of Ahab’s men of Baal were killed that day.
King Ahab also disobeyed the Lord’s direct command to destroy Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram. God set it up so that Ahab would lead Israel to victory, but Ahab made a treaty with the king he was supposed to kill. Therefore, God told Ahab through an unnamed prophet, “it is your life for his life, your people for his people”.
The event that sealed Ahab’s doom was his murder of an innocent man. Ahab coveted a vineyard belonging to a man named Naboth. The king offered to buy the vineyard, but Naboth refused, because the Law forbade him to sell it.
While Ahab sulked about it in his palace, his wife arranged Naboth’s murder. Once the vineyard’s owner was out of the way, King Ahab took the vineyard for himself.
Elijah came to Ahab and told him the Lord would deal with him by cutting off all his descendants. Also, Ahab himself would suffer an ignoble fate: “In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!”.
Upon hearing this, Ahab “tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly”. In response to Ahab’s repentance, God mercifully postponed the destruction of Ahab’s dynasty until after Ahab was dead.
The prophesied judgment against Ahab came true exactly as Elijah predicted. God used Ahab’s own false prophets to entice him into going to the battle at Ramoth-Gilead, where he was hit by a “random” arrow and slowly bled to death in his chariot.
Later, “they washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the Lord had declared”. After Ahab’s death, Jehu killed Jezebel and all of Ahab’s descendants.
The name Xerxes does not appear in the Hebrew text of Scripture. In the Hebrew text, the king’s name is Ahasuerus. Nothing is known of a king named Ahasuerus from secular sources, and the names of all the Persian kings from this time period are known.
Most commentators equate Esther’s king with Xerxes I (485–465 BC), son of Darius I, the fourth emperor of the Achaemenid Empire—thus the translation in some modern versions. (There is some evidence to show that the Hebrew name Ahasuerus can be easily derived from the Persian name.)
The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) uses the name Artaxerxes, which further complicates the issue, for there were two Persian rulers by that name: Artaxerxes I (465–424 BC) and Artaxerxes II (404–359 BC).
What we know of the character of Xerxes I fits with what we see in the book of Esther. Xerxes had a summer palace in Susa. He was known for his drinking, lavish banquets, harsh temper, and sexual appetite.
Esther mentions a foiled plot against his life, and we know from secular history that, later, in 465, Xerxes was assassinated by the head of his bodyguard.
The most likely scenario is that the episode of Xerxes’ life involving Esther took place after Xerxes’ disastrous invasion of Greece in 480 BC. Xerxes’ forces paid a heavy toll at the pass of Thermopylae at the hands of the fabled 300 Spartans and were defeated at Salamis. Returning home, Xerxes turned to domestic affairs.
King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) plays a prominent role in the book of Esther. In chapter 1 he gives a great banquet for his nobles and, after several days of eating and drinking, orders that the queen Vashti appear at the banquet so the men there might see her great beauty. Vashti refuses to attend, so the king deposes her.
Xerxes begins to regret his decision to oust the queen, and he decides to find a new queen. The queen of Persia was not simply the wife of the king. The queenship was an honorary/political position.
The king was a polygamist with many wives and concubines in his harem, but the queen was a special wife occupying a favored position. A call is sent out throughout the kingdom for all beautiful virgins to be gathered into the harem so that the king could choose a new queen from among them.
As a member of the harem, a woman would technically be the property of the king—either a wife or a concubine. Each of the women would spend a night with the king. After their night together, each woman would be moved to the “other side” of the harem and would never see the king again, unless he called for her.
When he found the “right one,” Xerxes would name her queen, although she would not be his exclusive wife or sexual partner. A woman whom Xerxes never called again would live her life in the harem as a pampered prisoner with no possibility for a real marriage or family of her own.
A Jewess named Esther, who was raised by her cousin Mordecai, was one of the women rounded up for Xerxes. She was eventually named queen, but she kept her nationality a secret. Mordecai is anxious for Esther and loiters day after day near the harem quarters to monitor how she is doing. In so doing, he overhears a plot to kill the king. He reports it to Esther, who reports it to the king, and the plot is foiled.
One of Xerxes’ chief advisors, Haman, is angered that Mordecai will not bow down to him, so he hatches a plot to kill not only Mordecai but all of the Jews. Haman convinces King Xerxes to authorize the extermination; however, it appears that the king does not know the identity of the people that Haman plans to wipe out—only that they are enemies of the state.
He trusts Haman to handle the details. Mordecai informs Esther of the danger the Jews are in and convinces her to intercede with the king. The problem Esther faces is that Xerxes has not called for her for some time and, if she approaches him without being summoned, she risks death.
At this point, neither the king nor Haman knows Esther’s nationality or her relationship to Mordecai.
Mordecai encourages Esther to take the risk, saying that perhaps she has been made queen “for such a time as this”.
The queen approaches Xerxes, and he extends his scepter to her, signifying that he welcomes her into his presence. Instead of explaining her predicament, however, Esther invites the king and Haman to a private banquet.
At the banquet Esther again puts off addressing the issue; instead, she asks the king and Haman to come to another banquet the next day, which they agree to do. Haman is so overjoyed and emboldened by the special attention he’s receiving from the queen that he decides to have Mordecai hanged in advance of the general slaughter of the Jews.
The king cannot sleep, so he has the royal annals read to him. When the account of the foiled plot against his life is recounted, Xerxes asks if Mordecai has ever been honored for saving him. When he finds that Mordecai has never been rewarded, Xerxes decides to remedy the oversight.
At that moment, Haman enters, and the king asks him, What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor? Haman thinks the king is referring to him, so he proposes a lavish public display: For the man whom the king delights to honor, let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set.
And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
The king thinks it is a splendid idea to be carried out immediately and tells Haman, Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.
So, in what some would call a strange “twist of fate,” Haman has to publicly honor Mordecai. After his humiliation, Haman hurriedly prepares for the banquet with Esther and the king, as Haman’s family laments that certainly fate is against him now.
At the second banquet, Xerxes asks Esther, What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled. Esther begs for the life of herself and her people.
The king is enraged and asks who would dare plot such a thing. Esther answers, “A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman! The king rushes from the room in a rage, and Haman throws himself upon the couch where Esther is reclining to plead for his life.
At that moment, the king returns and misinterprets Haman’s actions: Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house? Haman is whisked away and hanged on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.
The house of Haman is given to Esther, and his position in the court is given to Mordecai.
Even though Haman is out of the way, the plot to kill all the Jews is still afoot. It appears that the king’s edict called for citizens of Persia to kill Jews on a certain day and confiscate their property.
The edict, which could not be rescinded, is modified to allow the Jews to defend themselves, and in chapter 9 they are able to withstand the attack, and many of their enemies are killed.
God is not mentioned in the book of Esther, but He is conspicuous by His absence. In Esther we do not see any miracles or divine intervention. However, we do see an abundance of providence, which is God’s control and provision through “natural” means.
It is clear that the writer of the book intends us to see God’s unseen hand behind every detail and ironic twist of “fate.” Although Xerxes is the king, he is not ultimately in charge. The king of Persia is little more than a bit player in God’s all-encompassing drama.
Was king of Judah, and the son and successor of Jotham. Ahaz was 20 when he became king of Judah and reigned for 16 years. Ahaz is portrayed as an evil king in the Book of Kings.
Edwin R. Thiele concluded that Ahaz was coregent with Jotham from 736/735 BC, and that his sole reign began in 732/731 and ended in 716/715 BC. The Gospel of Matthew lists Ahaz of Judah in the genealogy of Jesus. He is also mentioned in the book of Isaiah.
Ahaz’s reign commenced at the age of 20, in the 17th year of the reign of Pekah of Israel. Immediately upon his accession Ahaz had to meet a coalition formed by northern Israel, under Pekah, and Damascus (Syria), under Rezin.
These kings wished to compel him to join them in opposing the Assyrians, who were arming a force against the Northern Kingdom under Tiglath-Pileser III. (Pul). To protect himself Ahaz called in the aid of the Assyrians. Tiglath-Pileser sacked Damascus and annexed Aram.
According to 2 Kings, the population of Aram was deported and Rezin executed. Tiglath-Pileser then attacked Israel and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria. Tiglath-Pileser also records this act in one of his inscriptions.
Through Assyria’s intervention, and as a result of its invasion and subjection of the kingdom of Damascus and the Kingdom of Israel, Ahaz was relieved of his troublesome neighbors; but his protector henceforth claimed and held suzerainty over his kingdom.
This war of invasion lasted two years (734-732 BC), and ended in the capture and annexation of Damascus to Assyria and of the territory of Israel north of the border of Jezreel.
Ahaz in the meanwhile furnished auxiliaries to Tiglath-Pileser. This appeal to Assyria met with stern opposition from the prophet Isaiah, who counseled Ahaz to rely upon the Lord and not upon outside aid. The sequel seemed to justify the king and to condemn the prophet.
Ahaz, during his whole reign, was free from troubles with which the neighboring rulers were harassed, who from time to time revolted against Assyria.
Thus it was that, in 722, Samaria was taken and northern Israel wholly incorporated into the Assyrian empire.
Ahaz, who was irresolute and impressionable, yielded readily to the glamour and prestige of the Assyrians in religion as well as in politics. In 732 he went to Damascus to swear homage to Tiglath-Pileser and his gods; and, taking a fancy to an altar which he saw there, he had one like it made in Jerusalem, which, with a corresponding change in ritual, he made a permanent feature of the Temple worship.
Changes were also made in the arrangements and furniture of the Temple, “because of the king of Assyria”. Furthermore, Ahaz fitted up an astrological observatory with accompanying sacrifices, after the fashion of the ruling people. In other ways Ahaz lowered the character of the national worship. It is recorded that he even offered his son by fire to Moloch.
His government is considered by the Deuteronomistic historian, as having been disastrous to the religious state of the country; and a large part of the reforming work of his son Hezekiah was aimed at undoing the evil that Ahaz had done.
He died at the age of 36 and was succeeded by his son, Hezekiah. Because of his wickedness he was not brought into the sepulcher of the kings.
An insight into Ahaz’s neglect of the worship of the Lord is found in the statement that on the first day of the month of Nisan that followed Ahaz’s death, his son Hezekiah commissioned the priests and Levites to open and repair the doors of the Temple and to remove the defilements of the sanctuary, a task which took 16 days.
(Peter’s brother) (Fisherman) Brother of Simon Peter. As a disciple of John the Baptist he met Jesus and then brought Peter to meet Jesus. He was one of the earliest called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and was one of the Twelve. The Apostle was Crucified on an X-shaped Cross, the two ends of which were in the ground.
The sordid story of Amnon and Tamar is part of the disintegration of David’s family after his sin with Bathsheba. Amnon was the half-brother of Tamar, as they shared the same father, David.
Tamar is described as a virgin and “beautiful,” and Amnon was highly attracted to her. Amnon did not know what to do about his infatuation, and he soon confided in a friend named Jonadab.
Jonadab was “very shrewd” and gave Amnon a plan, saying, Go to bed and pretend to be ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.
The idea was to get Amnon and Tamar alone together, and then Amnon could do as he pleased. Amnon followed this evil plan. He asked for his half-sister to bring him some food, and Tamar, out of obedience to her father and the kindness of her heart, did so.
Amnon sent everyone else out of the room and asked Tamar to come closer. Rather than take the food she offered, Amnon grabbed Tamar and tried to wrestle her into the bed. Tamar firmly refused the incestuous relationship, crying out, No, my brother! Don’t do this wicked thing. Amnon then forced himself upon Tamar and raped her.
Afterwards, Amnon was said to hate Tamar more than he had loved her before the rape occurred. It was never really love at all, but brazen lust. Absalom, Tamar’s full-brother, found out about the deed, and so did David. David’s response was to become furious, but he took no real action.
Absalom cared for Tamar in his own home and would not speak to Amnon. Two years later Absalom commanded his servants to murder Amnon in revenge. Absalom fled the country for a time and later returned to David.
Was one of the Twelve Minor Prophets. An older contemporary of Hosea and Isaiah, Amos was active c. 760–755 BCE during the reign of Jeroboam II (786–746 BCE). He was from the southern Kingdom of Judah but preached in the northern Kingdom of Israel.
Amos wrote at a time of relative peace and prosperity but also of neglect of GOD’s laws. He spoke against an increased disparity between the very wealthy and the very poor. His major themes of social justice, God’s omnipotence, and divine judgment became staples of prophecy. The Book of Amos is attributed to him.
Before becoming a prophet, Amos was a sheep herder and a sycamore fig farmer. Amos’ prior professions and his claim I am not a prophet nor a son of a prophet indicate that Amos was not from the school of prophets, which Amos claims makes him a true prophet.
Amos’ declaration marks a turning-point in the development of Old Testament prophecy. It is not mere chance that Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and almost all of the prophets who are more than unknown personages to whom a few prophetical speeches are ascribed, give first of all the story of their special calling.
All of them thereby seek to protest against the suspicion that they are professional prophets, because the latter discredited themselves by flattering national vanities and ignoring the misdeeds of prominent men.
The Bible speaks of his ministry and prophecies concluding around 762, two years before the earthquake that is spoken of in Amos 1:1, “…two years before the earthquake.”
The prophet Zechariah likely was referencing this same earthquake several centuries later. From Zechariah 14:5, “And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah.”
Despite being from the southern kingdom of Judah Amos’ prophetic message was aimed at the Northern Kingdom of Israel, particularly the cities of Samaria and Bethel.
Jeroboam II (c. 781–741 BCE), ruler of the Northern kingdom, had rapidly conquered Syria, Moab, and Ammon, and thereby extended his dominions from the source of the Orontes on the north to the Dead Sea on the south.
The whole northern empire of Solomon thus practically restored had enjoyed a long period of peace and security marked by a revival of artistic and commercial development. Social corruption and the oppression of the poor and helpless were prevalent.
Many availed themselves of the throngs which attended the sacred festivals to indulge in immoderate enjoyment and tumultuous revelry. Others, carried away by the free association with heathen peoples which resulted from conquest or commercial contact, went so far as to fuse with the Lord’s worship that of pagan deities.
Amos is the first of the prophets to write down the messages he has received. He has always been admired for the purity of his language, his beauty of diction, and his poetic art. In all these respects he is Isaiah’s spiritual progenitor.
What we know of Amos derives solely from the book that he himself authored. This makes it hard to know who the historical Amos truly was. Amos felt himself called to preach in Bethel, where there was a royal sanctuary, and there to announce the fall of the reigning dynasty and of the northern kingdom.
But he is denounced by the head priest Amaziah to King Jeroboam II and is advised to leave the kingdom. There is no reason to doubt that he was forced to leave the northern kingdom and to return to his native country.
Being thus prevented from bringing his message to an end, and from reaching the ear of those to whom he was sent, he had recourse to writing. If they could not hear his messages, they could read them, and if his contemporaries refused to do so, following generations might still profit by them.
No earlier instance of a literary prophet is known; but the example he gave was followed by others in an almost unbroken succession. It cannot be proved that Hosea knew the book of Amos, though there is no reason to doubt that he was acquainted with the latter’s work and experiences.
It is certain that Isaiah knew his book, for he follows and even imitates him in his early speeches. Cheyne concludes that Amos wrote the record of his prophetical work at Jerusalem, after his expulsion from the northern kingdom, and that he committed it to a circle of faithful followers residing there.
The apocryphal work The Lives of the Prophets records that Amos was killed by the son of Amaziah, priest of Bethel. It further states that before he died, Amos made his way back to his homeland and was buried there.
Archippus is mentioned in Colossians 4:17 and Philemon 1:2. In his letter to Philemon, Paul refers to Archippus as a fellow soldier. In Colossians 4:17, Paul requests his readers to tell Archippus:
See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord. Apparently, then, Archippus was a young man from Colossae tasked with some sort of ministry in the church. Many believe Archippus to have been the son of Philemon and Apphia, close friends of Paul’s.
The connection between Archippus and Philemon seems clear in Philemon 1:2–2, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker—also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home.
Paul is writing to a household. Philemon; his wife, Apphia; and his son, Archippus comprise the family unit. The church of Colossae met in their home. Some believe Paul’s words to Archippus to complete the ministry are a gentle rebuke for having neglected certain of his duties.
But a majority see Paul’s admonition to Archippus as simple encouragement, similar to Paul’s exhortations in his epistles to Timothy and Titus. One tradition holds that Archippus was a leader in Laodicea, a city about 12 miles away from Colossae.
It seems strange to send an admonition to Archippus through leaders of another church, but Paul’s intent was that the letter to the Colossians should be read in Laodicea, too: After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans. In any case, Archippus would receive the message.
Ultimately, we do not know much about Archippus other than he was a Christian in the early church who was granted a ministry from the Lord and who soldiered for the faith.
Paul’s encouragement to Archippus and his family should encourage all of us to also complete the ministry God has given us.
Artaxerxes is described in the Bible as having commissioned Ezra, a Jewish priest and scribe, by means of a letter of decree, to take charge of the ecclesiastical and civil affairs of the Jewish nation.
Ezra thereby left Babylon in the first month of the seventh year of Artaxerxes’ reign, at the head of a company of Jews that included priests and Levites. They arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month of the seventh year.
The rebuilding of the Jewish community in Jerusalem had begun under Cyrus the Great, who had permitted Jews held captive in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple of Solomon.
Consequently, a number of Jews returned to Jerusalem in 538 BC, and the foundation of this “Second Temple” was laid in 536 BC, in the second year of their return. After a period of strife, the temple was finally completed in the sixth year of Darius, 516 BC.
In Artaxerxes’ 21st year (445 BC), Nehemiah, the king’s cupbearer, apparently was also a friend of the king as in that year Artaxerxes inquired after Nehemiah’s sadness. Nehemiah related to him the plight of the Jewish people and that the city of Jerusalem was undefended.
The king sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem with letters of safe passage to the governors in Trans-Euphrates, and to Asaph, keeper of the royal forests, to make beams for the citadel by the Temple and to rebuild the city walls.
Asa was a descendant of David and the third king of the southern kingdom of Judah. He ruled for forty-one years and “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God”.
Asa became king of Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam of Israel’s reign (Jeroboam was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the kingdom divided). Asa’s father, Abijah, had done much evil in God’s sight and only ruled for three years. Asa’s grandfather, Rehoboam, had also done evil in God’s sight.
But King Asa instituted reform; he removed the male shrine prostitutes, cut down Asherah poles, and even deposed his grandmother from her position as queen mother because of her involvement with Asherah worship.
Asa also commanded his people to follow the Lord. First Kings 15:14 says, “Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life”.
Judah was at peace with surrounding nations for ten years during Asa’s reign. Second Chronicles 15 describes a time when Azariah, a prophet, told Asa that, if he sought the Lord, God would be with him. This encouraged Asa to remove idols and to repair the altar at the Lord’s temple.
He assembled the people together to sacrifice to the Lord: They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.
They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.
Asa built up the fortified cities, and Judah enjoyed a time of prosperity. When Zerah the Cushite marched out to make war against Judah, Asa called on God for aid. The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the Lord and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.
Unfortunately, in the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign, he made some mistakes. When King Baasha of Israel fortified Ramah to isolate the territory of Judah, Asa made a treaty with Ben-Hadad, king of Aram. The treaty was effective in stopping Israel, and the Judahites took supplies from Ramah and built up Geba and Mizpah, but the treaty with Aram was not pleasing to God.
Hanani, the seer, visited Asa and reminded him of the way God had conquered the Cushites. He chastised Asa for relying on Ben-Hadad instead of God. Rather than repent of his sin, however, Asa became angry; he began to oppress some of his people. For the remainder of Asa’s reign, his kingdom was at war.
In the thirty-ninth year of Asa’s reign, he got a severe foot disease, but he looked only to the physicians for help and not God. In the forty-first year of his reign, Asa died and was buried with great honor.
Despite a less-than-ideal end to his reign, Asa is considered a godly and good king. His son, Jehoshaphat, succeeded him and ruled for twenty-five years. Jehoshaphat was also a godly ruler, following in his father’s footsteps and seeking the Lord, yet he also made foolish alliances with those who did not follow the Lord.
The life of King Asa is an example to all of us of how easy it is to drift away from the Lord. Asa began his reign with a strong commitment to God, but as years went by his dedication faltered, bringing unnecessary trouble.
Balaam was a wicked prophet in the Bible and is noteworthy because, although he was a wicked prophet, he was not a false prophet. That is, Balaam did hear from God, and God did give him some true prophecies to speak.
However, Balaam’s heart was not right with God, and eventually he showed his true colors by betraying Israel and leading them astray.
In Numbers we find the story about Balaam and the king of Moab, a man called Balak. King Balak wanted to weaken the children of Israel, who on their way to Canaan had moved in on his territory. Balak sent to Balaam, who lived in Mesopotamia along the Euphrates River, and asked him to curse Israel in exchange for a reward.
Balaam was apparently willing to do this but said he needed God’s permission. Balaam, of course, had no power, in himself, to curse Israel, but, if God were willing to curse Israel, Balaam would be rewarded through Balak. God told Balaam, “You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed”.
King Balak then sent “other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first”, promising a handsome reward. This time God said, “Go with them, but do only what I tell you”.
The next morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and left for Moab. God sent an angel to oppose Balaam on the way. The donkey Balaam was riding could see the angel, but Balaam could not, and when the donkey three times moved to avoid the angel, Balaam was angry and beat the animal.
“Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth”, and it rebuked the prophet for the beatings. “Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn”.
The angel told Balaam that he certainly would have killed Balaam had not the donkey spared his life. Ironically, a dumb beast had more wisdom than God’s prophet. The angel then repeated to Balaam the instruction that he was only to speak what God told him to speak concerning the Hebrews.
In Moab, King Balak took the prophet Balaam up to a high place called Bamoth Baal and told him to curse the Israelites. Balaam first offered fourteen sacrifices on seven altars and met with the Lord.
He then declared the message God gave him: a blessing on Israel: “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?”.
King Balak was upset that Balaam had pronounced a blessing on Israel rather than a curse, but he had him try again, this time from the top of Pisgah. Balaam sacrificed another fourteen animals and met with the Lord. When he faced Israel, Balaam again spoke a blessing: “I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it”.
King Balak told Balaam that, if he was going to keep blessing Israel, it was better for him to just shut up. But the king decided to try one more time, taking Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland. Again, Balaam offered fourteen animals on seven newly built altars.
Then “the Spirit of God came on him and he spoke his message”. The third message was not what the Moabite king wanted to hear: “How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel!”.
Balaam’s three prophecies of blessing on Israel infuriated the king of Moab, who told the prophet to go back home with no reward: “Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded”.
Before he left, Balaam reminded the king that he had said from the very beginning he could only say what God told him to say. Then he gave the king four more prophecies, gratis. In the fourth prophecy, Balaam foretold of the Messiah: “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth”. Balaam’s seven prophecies were seven blessings on God’s people; it was God’s enemies who were cursed.
However, later on Balaam figured out a way to get his reward from Balak. Balaam advised the Moabites on how to entice the people of Israel with prostitutes and idolatry. He could not curse Israel directly, so he came up with a plan for Israel to bring a curse upon themselves.
Balak followed Balaam’s advice, and Israel fell into sin, worshiping Baal of Peor and committing fornication with Midianite women. For this God plagued them, and 24,000 men died.
Barabbas is mentioned in all four gospels of the New Testament: His life intersects that of Christ at the trial of Jesus. Jesus was standing before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who had already declared Jesus innocent of anything worthy of death.
Pilate knew that Jesus was being railroaded and it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him, so he looked for a way to release Jesus and still keep the peace.
Pilate offered the mob a choice: the release of Jesus or the release of Barabbas, a well-known criminal who had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.
The release of a Jewish prisoner was customary before the feast of Passover. The Roman governor granted clemency to one criminal as an act of goodwill toward the Jews whom he governed.
The choice Pilate set before them could not have been more clear-cut: a high-profile killer and rabble-rouser who was unquestionably guilty, or a teacher and miracle-worker who was demonstrably innocent. The crowd chose Barabbas to be released.
Pilate seems to have been surprised at the crowd’s insistence that Barabbas be set free instead of Jesus. The governor stated that the charges against Jesus were baseless and appealed to the crowd three times to choose sensibly.
But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. Pilate released Barabbas and handed over Jesus to be scourged and crucified.
Initially rejected Jesus because Jesus was from Nazareth but acknowledged him as the “Son of God” and “King of Israel” when they met. He was Tortured & Crucified in India.
As Jesus was walking by him, Bartimaeus heard who it was that was passing and called out to Him: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! By calling Jesus the Son of David, the blind man was affirming his belief that Jesus was the Messiah.
The people told Bartimaeus to be quiet, but he kept calling out, even more loudly and persistently than before. This is further proof of his faith. In addition to his proclamation of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, the blind man showed that he believed in Jesus’ goodness and deference to the poor and needy.
Bartimaeus believed that Jesus was not like the other religious leaders, who believed that an individual’s poverty or blindness or bad circumstances were a result of God’s judgment.
Jesus responded to Bartimaeus’s cries by telling His disciples to call the blind man over. Blind Bartimaeus jumped up and went to Jesus, and Jesus asked him, What do you want me to do for you? The beggar could have asked for money or for food, but his faith was bigger than that.
Bartimaeus said, Rabbi, I want to see. There is no pretention or religious pride in this interchange between God and man. The blind man had a desire, and he ran to Jesus with that desire.
He simply expressed to Jesus his desire, trusting that Jesus was both willing and able to fulfill it. Jesus said to him, Go your faith has healed you, and Blind Bartimaeus instantly recovered his sight and followed Jesus.
By saying, Your faith has made you well, Jesus emphasizes the necessity of faith. Blind Bartimaeus had the kind of faith that pleases God—a wholehearted trust in the Healer.
Jesus showed once again that God rewards those who earnestly seek him. Blind Bartimaeus understood this truth. He earnestly sought the Lord, and his actions reflected the kind of faith that is pleasing to God.
Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam. Her father is identified by some scholars with Eliam mentioned as the son of Ahithophel, who is described as the Gilonite. Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and afterward of David, by whom she gave birth to Solomon, who succeeded David as king.
David’s seduction of Bathsheba, is omitted in the Books of Chronicles. The story is told that David, while walking on the roof of his palace, saw Bathsheba, who was then the wife of Uriah, having a bath. He immediately desired her and later made her pregnant.
In an effort to conceal his sin, and save Bathsheba from punishment for adultery, David summoned Uriah from the army (with whom he was on campaign) in the hope that Uriah would re-consummate his marriage and think that the child was his. But Uriah was unwilling to violate the ancient kingdom rule applying to warriors in active service. Rather than go home to his own bed, he preferred to remain with the palace troops.
After repeated efforts to convince Uriah to have sex with Bathsheba, the king gave the order to his general, Joab, that Uriah should be placed on the front lines of the battle, where Uriah would be more likely to die. David had Uriah himself carry the message that led to his death. After Uriah was dead, David married the now widowed Bathsheba.
David’s action was displeasing to the Lord, who accordingly sent Nathan the prophet to reprove the king. After relating the parable of the rich man who took away the one little ewe lamb of his poor neighbor, and exciting the king’s anger against the unrighteous act, the prophet applied the case directly to David’s action with regard to Bathsheba.
The king at once confessed his sin and expressed sincere repentance. Bathsheba’s first child by David was struck with a severe illness and died, unnamed, a few days after birth, which the king accepted as his punishment. Nathan also noted that David’s house would be punished to avenge Uriah’s murder.
Bathsheba later gave birth to David’s son Solomon. David’s punishment came to pass years later when one of David’s much-loved sons, Absalom, led an insurrection that plunged the kingdom into civil war.
Moreover, to manifest his claim to be the new king, Absalom had sexual intercourse in public with ten of his father’s concubines, which could be considered a direct, tenfold divine retribution for David’s taking the woman of another man.
In David’s old age, Bathsheba secured the succession to the throne by Solomon, her son with David, according to David’s earlier promise, instead of David’s elder surviving sons by other wives, such as Kileab, Adonijah and others.
Belshazzar was the last king of ancient Babylon and is mentioned in Daniel 5. Belshazzar reigned for a short time during the life of Daniel the prophet. His name, meaning “Bel protect the king,” is a prayer to a Babylonian god; as his story shows, Bel was powerless to save this evil ruler.
Belshazzar ruled Babylon, a powerful nation with a long history and a long line of powerful kings. One of those kings was Nebuchadnezzar, who had conquered Judah, bringing the temple treasures to Babylon along with Daniel and many other captives. Belshazzar was Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson through his daughter Nitocris. Belshazzar calls Nebuchadnezzar his “father” in Daniel 5:13, but this is a generic use of the word father, meaning “ancestor.”
During his life, King Nebuchadnezzar had encountered the God of Israel’s power and was humbled by Him, but twenty years after Nebuchadnezzar’s death, his grandson Belshazzar praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
One fateful night in 539 BC, as the Medes and the Persians lay siege to the city of Babylon, King Belshazzar held a feast with his household and a thousand of his noblemen.
The king demanded all the gold and silver cups and vessels plundered from the Jewish temple be brought to the royal banquet hall. They filled the vessels with wine and drank from them, praising their false gods.
The use of the articles from the Jewish temple was a blasphemous attempt for Belshazzar to relive the glory days of his kingdom, to recall the time when Babylon was conquering other nations instead of being threatened with annihilation from the Persians outside their walls.
As the drunken king reveled, God sent him a sign: a human hand appeared, floating near the lampstand and writing four words in the plaster of the wall: “MENE MENE TEKEL PARSIN.” Then, the hand disappeared.
The king paled and was extremely frightened; he called his wise men and astrologers and enchanters to tell him what the writing meant, promising that whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom. But none of the wise men of Babylon could interpret the words.
Hearing a commotion in the banquet hall, the queen (possibly Nitocris or even Nebuchadnezzar’s widow) came to investigate. She remembered Daniel as one whose wisdom Nebuchadnezzar had trusted, and she told Belshazzar to summon the Jewish prophet.
Daniel was brought before the king, but he refused the gifts Belshazzar offered him, the kingdom was not his to give, as it turned out. Daniel rebuked Belshazzar’s pride: although the king knew the story of how God humbled his grandfather, he did not humble himself. Instead, he dishonored God by drinking from the sacred items of the temple.
Then, Daniel interpreted the words on the wall. Mene means God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. Tekel means you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting. Parsin means your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. Daniel never revealed what language those words belong to.
That night, the Persians invaded. Cyrus the Great, king of Medo-Persia, broke through the supposedly impenetrable wall of Babylon by cleverly diverting the river flowing into the city so that his soldiers could enter through the river duct.
Historical records show that this invasion was made possible because the entire city was involved in a great feast—the feast of Belshazzar mentioned in Daniel 5. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.
Benaiah was inspired by a noble ambition. He came of a noble ancestry, whose forefathers had left their impress upon the history of the nation. Born well, Benaiah sought to live well.
Absalom became a traitor to his godly father and broke his heart. The sons of priestly Eli lived in sin and died in disgrace. Benaiah, privileged with the example of godly parentage, looked upon life as a challenge to personal and individual responsibility.
He was fearless in his destruction of Israel’s foes. Born in an age of warfare, when youths were valiant in fight and middle-aged men were veterans, Benaiah had been valiant in many a campaign against hostile nations.
This grandson of a valiant man of Kabzeel had many mighty deeds to his credit. Three glimpses are given of Benaiah’s bravery. He confronted two lionhearted men of Moab—giants among their fellows—either of whom would have been more than a match for any ordinary soldier; but Benaiah took them both on and was the victor.
Then he attacked the Egyptian of “great statute” but although this dark-skinned giant carried a spear “like a weaver’s beam” Benaiah met him with an ordinary staff and left the field victorious.
Benaiah’s next exploit finds him attacking not “lionhearted men” but an actual lion that had alarmed the people. A pit was dug to trap the marauding lion, and snow fell and hid the trap in a most effective way. The lion fell into the pit and vainly tried to extricate itself.
Benaiah, the hero who had vanquished a giant and conquered two lionhearted Moabites, descended the pit on a snowy day and single-handed slew the lion. No wonder David, who also had slain a lion, gave Benaiah the chief place among the favored three.
In the Old Testament, the second son of Jacob and Rachel.
Jacob blessed Benjamin. The descendants of Benjamin were a warlike race. Two important Benjamites were Saul, the first Israelite king, and Paul, the New Testament Apostle.
The name “Bezalel” means “in the shadow of God.” Bezalel is described in the genealogical lists as the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
He was said to be highly gifted as a workman, showing great skill and originality in engraving precious metals and stones and in wood-carving. He was also a master-workman, having many apprentices under him whom he instructed in the arts.
According to the narrative in Exodus, he was called and endowed by God to direct the construction of the tent of meeting and its sacred furniture, and also to prepare the priests’ garments and the oil and incense required for the service. He was also in charge of the holy oils, incense and priestly vestments. Caleb was his great-grandfather.
The rabbinical tradition relates that when God determined to appoint Bezalel architect of the desert Tabernacle, He asked Moses whether the choice were agreeable to him, and received the reply: “Lord, if he is acceptable to Thee, surely he must be so to me!” At God’s command, however, the choice was referred to the people for approval and was endorsed by them.
Moses thereupon commanded Bezalel to set about making the Tabernacle, the holy Ark, and the sacred utensils. It is to be noted, however, that Moses mentioned these in somewhat inverted order, putting the Tabernacle last.
Bezalel sagely suggested to him that men usually build the house first and afterward provide the furnishings; but that, inasmuch as Moses had ordered the Tabernacle to be built last, there was probably some mistake and God’s command must have run differently.
Bezalel possessed such great wisdom that he could combine those letters of the alphabet with which heaven and earth were created; this being the meaning of the statement: “I have filled him with wisdom and knowledge,” which were the implements by means of which God created the world.
By virtue of his profound wisdom, Bezalel succeeded in erecting a sanctuary which seemed a fit abiding-place for God, who is so exalted in time and space.
The candlestick of the sanctuary was of so complicated a nature that Moses could not comprehend it, although God twice showed him a heavenly model; but when he described it to Bezalel, the latter understood immediately, and made it at once; whereupon Moses expressed his admiration for the quick wisdom of Bezalel, saying again that he must have been “in the shadow of God” when the heavenly models were shown him.
Bezalel is said to have been only thirteen years of age when he accomplished his great work; he owed his wisdom to the merits of pious parents; his grandfather being Hur and his grandmother Miriam, he was thus a grandnephew of Moses.
The son of Rahab (who may be Rahab of Jericho) and Salmon, Boaz was a wealthy landowner of Bethlehem in Judea, and kinsman of Elimelech, Naomi‘s late husband.
He noticed Ruth, the widowed Moabite daughter-in-law of Naomi, a relative of his, gleaning grain in his fields. He soon learns of the difficult circumstances her family is in and Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi. In response, Boaz invites her to eat with him and his workers, as well as deliberately leaving grain for her to claim while keeping a protective eye on her.
Ruth approaches Boaz and asks him to exercise his right of kinship and marry her. Boaz accepts, provided that another with a superior claim declines. Since the first son of Ruth and a kinsman of her late husband would be deemed the legal offspring of the decedent and heir to Elimelech, the other kinsman defers to Boaz.
In marrying Ruth, Boaz revives Elimelech’s lineage, and the patrimony is secured to Naomi’s family. Their son was Obed, father of Jesse, and grandfather of David. According to Josephus, he lived at the time of Eli.
The story of Caleb, a faithful man of God, begins in the book of Numbers. After being delivered from bondage in Egypt, the Israelites were led by God to the border of the land of Canaan, a land “flowing with milk and honey” that God had promised they would inherit.
Moses had chosen twelve men, one from each tribe, to scout the land before entering. Among them was Caleb, representing the tribe of Judah. The twelve men spied out the land for forty days and then came back to Moses.
They reported that the land was indeed fruitful but its inhabitants were the mighty descendants of Anak. Terrified by the size and strength of the Canaanites, ten of the spies warned Moses not to enter Canaan.
Caleb silenced the murmuring, fearful men by saying, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it”. Caleb took his stand because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.
Caleb knew of the promises of God to the Israelites, and, despite the evidence of his own eyes regarding the obstacles, he had faith that God would give them victory over the Canaanites.
Unfortunately, the people of Israel ignored Caleb and listened to the report of the other spies. They were so frightened that they wept all night and even wished they had died at the hands of their slave masters in Egypt. They turned on Caleb and Joshua (the spy from Ephraim) and wanted to stone them on the spot.
God was exceedingly angry with the people and threatened to destroy them until Moses interceded for them. God relented, but He decreed that the people would wander in the wilderness until all of that faithless generation had died. But God said that “my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly” and gave him the promise that he would own all the land he had seen as a spy.
The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years until all of that generation, except Joshua and Caleb, died. After the forty years of wandering and five more years of war within Canaan, Caleb was 85 years old; yet he was as strong as ever and able to fight the same Anakites that had frightened his countrymen. His confidence was born out of his absolute faith in the promises of God.
Caleb’s territory in Canaan included “Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, the sons of Anak. From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher)”.
Othniel, a nephew of Caleb, captured Kiriath Sepher and was given Caleb’s daughter Aksah to wed. Later, Aksah asked her father to include some springs of water as part of her inheritance, and Caleb gave them to her. Later still, Othniel, Caleb’s son-in-law, became Israel’s first judge.
From the accounts of the life of Caleb, we see a faithful man who trusted God to fulfill His promises when others allowed their fears to override their small faith. Even into his later years, Caleb remained steadfast in his faith.
God blessed Caleb for his faithfulness and patience, an encouragement to us to believe God. Like Caleb, we should be prepared to follow God in every circumstance, patiently waiting for Him to fulfill His promises and ready to take action when the time is right.
High priest from A.D. 18 to A.D. 36; son-in-law of Annas, high priest A.D. 7–14. He belonged to the Sadducee party and took an active part in the attack made upon our Lord and His disciples.
Cain is the first child of Eve, the first murderer, and the first human being to fall under a curse. Cain treacherously murdered his brother Abel, lied about the murder to God, and as a result was cursed and marked for life.
With the earth left cursed to drink Abel’s blood, Cain was no longer able to farm the land. Cain is punished as a “fugitive and wanderer”.
He receives a mark from God, commonly referred to as the mark of Cain, representing God’s promise to protect Cain from being murdered.
The name of the fourth son of Ham; also used to denote the tribe inhabiting the lowland (hence the name) toward the Mediterranean coast of Palestine; sometimes as a general name for all the non-Israelite inhabitants of the country west of Jordan, called by the Greeks Phoenicians.
The Hebrew and Phoenician languages were almost identical. As the Phoenicians were great traders, Canaanite came to denote merchant.
Cyrus is a king mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible and is identified as Cyrus the Great (also Cyrus II or Cyrus the Elder) who reigned over Persia between 539—530 BC. This pagan king is important in Jewish history because it was under his rule that Jews were first allowed to return to Israel after 70 years of captivity.
In one of the most amazing prophecies of the Bible, Isaiah predicts Cyrus’ decree to free the Jews. One hundred fifty years before Cyrus lived, the prophet calls him by name and gives details of Cyrus’ benevolence to the Jews:
This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him. I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge. Evincing His sovereignty over all nations, God says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please.
King Cyrus actively assisted the Jews in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem under Ezra and Zerubbabel. Cyrus restored the temple treasures to Jerusalem and allowed building expenses to be paid from the royal treasury.
Cyrus’s beneficence helped to restart the temple worship practices that had languished during the 70 years of the Jews’ captivity. Some commentators point to Cyrus’s decree to rebuild Jerusalem as the official beginning of Judaism.
Among the Jews deported from Judah and later placed under the rule of Cyrus include the prophet Daniel. In fact, we are told Daniel served until at least the third year of King Cyrus, approximately 536 BC.
That being the case, Daniel likely had some personal involvement in the decree that was made in support of the Jews. The historian Josephus says that Cyrus was informed of the biblical prophecies written about him. The natural person to have shown Cyrus the scrolls was Daniel, a high-ranking official in Persia.
Besides his dealings with the Jews, Cyrus is known for his advancement of human rights, his brilliant military strategy, and his bridging of Eastern and Western cultures.
He was a king of tremendous influence and a person God used to help fulfill an important Old Testament prophecy. God’s use of Cyrus as a shepherd for His people illustrates the truth of Proverbs 21:1, The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the young Jewish nobility carried off to Babylon following the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
The four are chosen for their intellect and beauty to be trained in the Babylonian court and are given new names. Daniel is given the Babylonian name Belteshazzar, while his companions are given the Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
Daniel and his friends refuse the food and wine provided by the king of Babylon to avoid becoming defiled. They receive wisdom from God and surpass all the magicians and enchanters of the kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a giant statue made of four metals with feet of mingled iron and clay, smashed by a stone from heaven.
Only Daniel is able to interpret it: the dream signifies four kingdoms, of which Babylon is the first, but God will destroy them and replace them with his own kingdom.
Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great tree that shelters all the world and of a heavenly figure who decrees that the tree will be destroyed; again, only Daniel can interpret the dream, which concerns the sovereignty of God over the kings of the earth.
When Nebuchadnezzar’s son King Belshazzar uses the vessels from the Jewish temple for his feast, a hand appears and writes a mysterious message on the wall, which only Daniel can interpret; it tells the king that his kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians, because Belshazzar, unlike Nebuchadnezzar, has not acknowledged the sovereignty of the God of Daniel.
The Medes and Persians overthrow Nebuchadnezzar and the new king, Darius the Mede, appoints Daniel to high authority. Jealous rivals attempt to destroy Daniel with an accusation that he worships God instead of the king, and Daniel is thrown into a den of lions, but an angel saves him, his accusers are destroyed, and Daniel is restored to his position.
In the third year of Darius, Daniel has a series of visions. In the first, four beasts come out of the sea, the last with ten horns, and an eleventh horn grows and achieves dominion over the Earth and the Ancient of Days (God) gives dominion to one like a son of man.
An angel interprets the vision. In the second, a ram with two horns is attacked by a goat with one horn; the one horn breaks and is replaced by four. A little horn arises and attacks the people of God and the temple, and Daniel is informed how long the little horn’s dominion will endure. In the third, Daniel is troubled to read in holy scripture (the book is not named but appears to be Jeremiah) that Jerusalem would be desolate for 70 years.
Daniel repents on behalf of the Jews and requests that Jerusalem and its people be restored. An angel refers to a period of 70 sevens (or weeks) of years. In the final vision, Daniel sees a period of history culminating in a struggle between the “king of the north” and the king of the south in which God’s people suffer terribly; an angel explains that in the end the righteous will be vindicated and God’s kingdom will be established on Earth.
The book of Ezra mentions a king named Darius, also known as Darius I. He was the son of Hystaspes, the founder of the Persian dynasty. Darius I was king of Persia from 521 to 486 BC. His reign followed that of Cyrus the Great.
Darius I is presented as a good king who helped the Israelites in several ways. Prior to Darius’s reign, the Jews who had returned from the Babylonian Captivity had begun rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem.
At that time, Israel’s enemies did everything in their power to disrupt the construction, and they had succeeded in halting the building during the reigns of the kings Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes.
When Darius became king, construction of the temple resumed in the second year of his reign. But the Jews’ enemies again attempted to thwart their efforts. Tattenai, the Persian governor of Judea, wrote a letter to Darius in an effort to turn the king against the Israelites and stop the building of the temple.
But Darius responded by commanding Tattenai and his companions to stay far away from the site and let the Jewish elders continue with the rebuilding. Furthermore, the king decreed that the Jewish workers were to be paid from the royal treasury, that the builders would be given whatever was needed for the burnt offerings, and that anyone attempting to destroy the temple or disobey his decree would be impaled on a beam from his own house, which would be made a pile of rubble.
By his decrees, Darius I showed himself to be a friend of Israel, and the Jews in Jerusalem prospered under his watch. The temple was completed in the sixth year of his reign.
The first book of Samuel portrays David as the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse of Bethlehem. His mother is not named in any book of the Bible, but the Talmud identifies her as Nitzevet daughter of Adael.
God is angered when Saul, Israel’s king, unlawfully offers a sacrifice and later disobeys a divine instruction to not only kill all of the Amalekites, but to destroy also their confiscated property. Consequently, he sends the prophet Samuel to anoint David, the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem, to be king instead.
God sends an evil spirit to torment Saul. Saul’s courtiers recommend that he send for David, a man skillful on the lyre, wise in speech, and brave in battle. So David enters Saul’s service as one of the royal armor-bearers, and plays the lyre to soothe the king, who from time to time is troubled by an evil spirit.
War comes between Israel and the Philistines, and the giant Goliath challenges the Israelites to send out a champion to face him in single combat. David, sent by his father to bring provisions to his brothers serving in Saul’s army, declares that he can defeat Goliath. Refusing the king’s offer of the royal armor, he kills Goliath with his sling. Saul inquires the name of the young hero’s father.
Saul sets David over his army. All Israel loves David, but his popularity causes Saul to fear him (“What else can he wish but the kingdom?”). Saul plots his death, but Saul’s son Jonathan, one of those who loves David, warns him of his father’s schemes and David flees.
He goes first to Nob, where he is fed by the priest Ahimelech and given Goliath’s sword, and then to Gath, the Philistine city of Goliath, intending to seek refuge with King Achish there. Achish’s servants or officials question his loyalty, and David sees that he is in danger there.
He goes next to the cave of Adullam, where his family join him. From there he goes to seek refuge with the king of Moab, but the prophet Gad advises him to leave and he goes to the Forest of Hereth, and then to Keilah, where is involved in a further battle with the Philistines.
Saul plans to besiege Keilah so that he can capture David, so David leaves the city in order to protect its inhabitants. From there he takes refuge in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Jonathan meets with David again and confirms his loyalty to David as the future king.
The people of Ziph notify Saul that David is taking refuge in their territory, Saul seeks confirmation and plans to capture David in the Wilderness of Maon, but his attention is diverted by a renewed Philistine invasion and David is able to secure some respite at Ein Gedi.
Returning from battle with the Philistines, Saul heads to Ein Gedi in pursuit of David and enters the cave where, as it happens, David and his supporters are hiding, “to attend to his needs”. David realizes he has an opportunity to kill Saul, but this is not his intention:
he secretly cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe and when Saul has left the cave he comes out to pay homage to Saul as the king and to demonstrate, using the piece of robe, that he holds no malice towards Saul. The two are thus reconciled and Saul recognizes David as his successor.
Subsequently, Saul and David were reconciled following a similar occurrence when David was able to infiltrate Saul’s camp on the hill of Hachilah and remove his spear and a jug of water from his side while he and his guards lay asleep.
In this account, David is advised by Abishai that this is his opportunity to kill Saul, but David declines, saying he will not stretch out [his] hand against the Lord’s anointed. David shows, by removing Saul’s spear, that he had chance to take Saul’s life but did not do so.
Saul confesses that he has been wrong to pursue David, blesses him and promises that he will do great things and surely triumph. David prays that his own protection will be like his protection of Saul. This, it seems, was their last interview: after this they saw each other no more.
David took refuge a second time with Achish, the Philistine king of Gath. Achish permits David to reside in Ziklag, close to the border between Gath and Judea, from where he leads raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites, but leads Achish to believe he is attacking the Israelites in Judah, the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites.
Achish believes that David had become a loyal vassal, but he never wins the trust of the princes or lords of Gath and at their request Achish instructs David to remain behind to guard the camp when the Philistines march against Saul. David returns to Ziklag.
Jonathan and Saul are killed in battle, and David is anointed king over Judah. In the north, Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth is anointed king of Israel, and war ensues until Ish-Bosheth is murdered. With the death of Saul’s son, the elders of Israel come to Hebron and David is anointed king over all of Israel.
He conquers Jerusalem, previously a Jebusite stronghold, and makes it his capital. He brings the Ark of the Covenant to the city, intending to build a temple for God, but the prophet Nathan forbids it, prophesying that the temple would be built by one of his sons.
Nathan also prophesies that God has made a covenant with the house of David stating, your throne shall be established forever. David wins more victories over the Philistines, while the Moabites, Edomites, Amalekites, Ammonites and king Hadadezer of Aram-Zobah pay tribute after being defeated.
During a siege to conquer the Ammonite capital of Rabbah, David seduces Bathsheba and causes the death of her husband Uriah the Hittite. In response, Nathan prophesies the punishment that shall fall upon him stating, the sword shall never depart from your house.
In fulfillment of these words, David’s son Absalom rebels. The rebellion ends at the battle of the Wood of Ephraim. Absalom’s forces are routed, and Absalom is caught by his long hair in the branches of a tree, and killed by Joab, contrary to David’s order.
Joab was the commander of David’s army. David laments the death of his favorite son. When David is old and bedridden, Adonijah, his eldest surviving son and natural heir, declares himself king.
Bathsheba and Nathan go to David and obtain his agreement to crown Bathsheba’s son Solomon as king, according to David’s earlier promise, and the revolt of Adonijah is put down. David dies at the age of 70 after reigning for 40 years, and on his deathbed counsels Solomon to walk in the ways of God and to take revenge on his enemies.
The account of Deborah and Barak is found in Judges 4 and 5 in the Old Testament. The Israelites had been under the control of the Canaanite king Jabin and the commander of his army, Sisera. The Canaanites had 900 chariots of iron and ruled over Israel for 20 years.
A prophetess named Deborah judged or made rulings for the people of Israel under a palm tree during that time. One of Deborah’s judgments was to instruct Barak to summon 10,000 men and attack Jabin’s army.
Likely fearful to comply with such a command, Barak told Deborah, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go”. She replied, Certainly I will go with you, But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.
Deborah and Barak then gathered 10,000 troops and attack Sisera and his army. Barak’s troops won. All Sisera’s troops fell by the sword; not a man was left. Sisera himself fled to the tent of a Hebrew woman named Jael. She gave him milk to drink and covered him with a blanket in the tent. Then, Jael picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.
Following this battle, God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites. And the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him. Deborah’s prophecy was fulfilled: Barak won, Sisera was killed by a woman, and the Israelites were freed from their enemies.
Judges chapter 5 then records the song of Deborah and Barak, written to rejoice in God’s victory over the Canaanites. The lyrics encourage the actions of Deborah and Barak, saying, “Wake up, wake up, Deborah!, Wake up, wake up, break out in song!
Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam”. Jael’s role is also heralded: “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women”.
The song of Deborah and Barak also gives some more detail about the victory over the Canaanites: “The earth shook, the heavens poured, / the clouds poured down water”. Evidently, God used a flood to disable the iron chariots of Sisera. The victory was supernatural.
Chapter 5 concludes with the statement, “And the land had peace forty years.” This impressive time of peace lasted until Midian took control of Israel, necessitating Gideon’s rise.
Ehud served as the second judge of Israel following Othniel. After Othniel’s death, the people of Israel sinned and fell to the king of Moab, serving him for 18 years. When the Israelites cried out for help, God sent Ehud to serve as judge.
Facts about Ehud include that he was the son of Gera and belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. He was also noted as a left-handed man. This detail would become important to the success of his mission.
Beginning in Judges 3:16, we read that Ehud made himself a small sword (about 16 inches long) and strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes—had Ehud been right-handed, he would have carried the sword on his left side. Next, he visited the Moabites’ King Eglon under pretense of paying a tribute. When Ehud was checked for weapons, his small sword was apparently missed as it was in an unexpected location.
Following the presentation of his tribute, Ehud said that he had a secret message for the king. Everyone left the room except Ehud and King Eglon. Ehud then pulled out his sword and stuck it into the king’s stomach. The king was obese, and the sword disappeared inside his belly. Ehud left the sword and escaped through a porch opening.
When Eglon’s servants later found the king dead, Ehud had already escaped and rallied the people of Israel. Going to the town of Seraiah, located in Ephraim, Ehud sounded a horn or shofar. The Israelites cut off the Moabites at the Jordan River. Judges 3:29 records that about 10,000 Moabites were killed in the battle.
Once free from Eglon’s rule, the Israelites enjoyed 80 years of peace, the longest peaceful period recorded during the time of the judges. While this account is one of the more graphic scenes in Scripture, it is also very insightful. The original readers would have seen the power of God in this story for a variety of reasons.
First, a lone man walked into the king’s palace, assassinated the king, and walked out without being captured. This was a highly unexpected event that involved great risk.
Second, one battle changed the next 80 years of Israel’s history. Ehud’s story involves more than removing a wicked leader; it includes a change in national history for an entire generation.
Third, Ehud’s success is a story of freedom. Just as God had redeemed Israel from Pharaoh and the land of Egypt when they cried out for help, God redeemed Israel from their bondage under King Eglon when they turned to Him.
Eleazar was Aaron’s third son by his wife Elisheba. Eleazar became a priest along with his father and three brothers. He married a daughter of Putiel who bore him a son, Phinehas.
After his two older brothers, Nadab and Abihu, were killed for making an unholy offering to God, and during his fathers lifetime, “he was supervisor over those who had charge of the sanctuary”.
When Aaron died at Mount Hor, Eleazar became the high priest. Before Moses died, the Lord instructed Moses to appoint Joshua as his successor, and to “stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation”.
Eleazar served as the high priest through the rest of Moses’ life and throughout Joshua’s leadership in taking over Canaan.
Eli in the Bible was a Jewish priest living in the days of the judges and serving God at the tabernacle in Shiloh, a city near the hill country of Ephraim. Eli is best remembered for his blessing on Samuel’s mother and for his part in Samuel’s first prophecy.
Eli had two wicked sons named Hophni and Phineas; they also served in the tabernacle but did not know the Lord. They violated the Law by keeping and eating meat from the sacrifices that was not allocated to them. They also had sex with the women who served at the doorway to the tent of meeting.
The bad behavior of Eli’s sons was apparently widely known, and the report came back to Eli. When he found out about these things, he rebuked his sons but failed to make them stop, allowing them to continue to profane the tabernacle.
Apparently, there was some lack of zeal on Eli’s part; some part of Eli’s heart was with his sons and not with the Lord. We know this because God sent a prophet to Eli to deliver a dire message concerning Eli’s household: I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age. What happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day.
This was a terrible curse, because the Levites depended on the priesthood for their living. Eli’s family line would be supplanted by another, more faithful priest: “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always”.
The priest God raised up was a boy named Samuel, who was dedicated to the tabernacle by his mother, Hannah, a formerly barren woman who had prayed for a child. Hannah spoke her prayer in Eli’s presence, and he had blessed her: “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him”. God answered Hannah’s prayer, and she had a son. After Samuel was weaned, she gave him to the Lord’s service.
The young Samuel lived in the tabernacle, under the tutelage and care of Eli. Each year, Hannah brought Samuel a linen ephod for him to wear in the house of the Lord. Eli again blessed Hannah and her husband, asking God to give Hannah children to replace the one she had dedicated to the Lord. Hannah eventually gave birth to three more sons and two daughters.
Later, when Samuel was a little older and Eli’s eyes were so weak that he could barely see, the Lord Himself spoke to Samuel. In the middle of the night, the Lord “came and stood” in Samuel’s room and told the young boy to deliver to Eli the message that it was almost time for the prophesied judgment to fall upon his family. Eli humbly accepted God’s decree, and Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord in Shiloh.
A short time after that, the Philistines came against Israel to attack them. Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phineas, went to battle, and they brought with them the Ark of the Covenant thinking it would guarantee protection against their enemies. However, God was not with them, and Eli’s two sons were killed, along with about 30,000 foot soldiers of Israel.
In addition, the Ark was captured by the Philistines. When Eli heard the bad news, he fell off of his seat, and his neck was broken “for he was old and heavy”. Meanwhile, Eli’s pregnant daughter-in-law, Phinehas’s wife, went into labor; she died during delivery, but not before she named her son Ichabod, saying, The Glory has departed from Israel.
Thus, Eli’s grandson, born on a day of death and defeat, was given a name meaning “No Glory.” Eli had been a priest in Israel and a judge for forty years.
Elihu was one of Job’s friends—not one of the three who had come to comfort Job at the beginning of the book, but one who arrives later and offers the last and longest single speech to Job. Elihu is identified only as the son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. Elihu offers a response to Job that lifts up the Lord, condemns Job’s three friends, and rightly confronts Job.
Elihu focuses his response on rebuking Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. In verse 12 he notes, I gave you my full attention. But not one of you has proved Job wrong; none of you has answered his arguments. Because Elihu was younger than the other friends of Job, he had held his peace during their conversation to that point.
But he could finally take no more. Elihu speaks up because he is very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God and with Job’s three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
Elihu turns his attention to Job. He declares Job wrong in saying he was without any sin and that God would not answer. Elihu says, But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal.
Elihu shifts to declaring God’s justice. He specifically states, It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.
Elihu turns again to Job in condemnation. Elihu says, Indeed, God does not listen to [the arrogant person’s] empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it. How much less, then, will he listen when you say that you do not see him, that your case is before him and you must wait for him.
Elihu highlights God’s greatness. This lengthy portion declares many of God’s attributes. Elihu states, how great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. Elihu rightly points Job to God’s might, saying, listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders.
In short, Elihu condemns Job’s friends and Job’s claim of being without sin, declares God’s justice, condemns Job’s attitude toward God, and exalts God’s greatness.
Elihu’s four-part speech is followed by God breaking His silence to directly answer Job. In Job 42:7 the Lord condemns Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Elihu is not mentioned again after he finishes his speech, but, significantly, he is not rebuked by God.
Elihu’s life and speech offer many insights for today. First, he dealt with the real issues of the situation rather than looking at the situation from a human perspective. Second, he emphasized God and His greatness rather than focus on a human response to problems. Third, he responded with respect, allowing others to speak first before offering his own response. These traits can help us today as we seek to understand why God allows suffering and as we attempt to help others who face suffering.
By the 9th century BC, the Kingdom of Israel, once united under Solomon, was divided into the northern Kingdom of Israel and southern Kingdom of Judah, which retained the historical capital of Jerusalem along with its Temple.
Omri, King of Israel, continued policies dating from the reign of Jeroboam, contrary to religious law, that were intended to reorient religious focus away from Jerusalem: encouraging the building of local temple altars for sacrifices, appointing priests from outside the family of the Levites, and allowing or encouraging temples dedicated to Baal, an important deity in ancient Canaanite religion.
Omri achieved domestic security with a marriage alliance between his son Ahab and princess Jezebel, a priestess of Baal and the daughter of the king of Sidon in Pheonicia. These solutions brought security and economic prosperity to Israel for a time, but did not bring peace with the Israelite prophets, who were interested in a strict deuteronomic interpretation of the religious law.
Under Ahab’s kingship, these tensions were exacerbated. Ahab built a temple for Baal, and his wife Jezebel brought a large entourage of priests and prophets of Baal and Asherah into the country.
It is in this context that Elijah is introduced in 1 Kings 17:1 as Elijah “the Tishbite“. He warns Ahab that there will be years of catastrophic drought so severe that not even dew will form, because Ahab and his queen stand at the end of a line of kings of Israel who are said to have “done evil in the sight of the Lord.”
No background for the person of Elijah is given except for his brief description as being a “Tishbite.” His name in Hebrew means “My God is Yahweh”, and may be a title applied to him because of his challenge to worship of Baal. Elijah’s challenge is bold and direct. Baal was the Canaanite god responsible for rain, thunder, lightning, and dew. Elijah not only challenges Baal on behalf of God himself, he challenges Jezebel, her priests, Ahab and the people of Israel.
After Elijah’s confrontation with Ahab, God tells him to flee out of Israel, to a hiding place by the brook Chorath, east of the Jordan, where he will be fed by ravens. When the brook dries up, God sends him to a widow living in the town of Zarephath in Phoenicia.
When Elijah finds her and asks to be fed, she says that she does not have sufficient food to keep her and her own son alive. Elijah tells her that God will not allow her supply of flour or oil to run out, saying, “Do not be afraid . . . For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.”
She feeds him the last of their food, and Elijah’s promise miraculously comes true. God gave her “manna” from heaven even while he was withholding food from his unfaithful people in the promised land. Sometime later the widow’s son dies and the widow cries, “You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!”
Elijah prays that God might restore her son so that the trustworthiness of God’s word might be demonstrated. 1 Kings 17:22 relates how God “listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.”
This is the first instance of raising the dead recorded in Scripture. This non-Israelite widow was granted the life of her son, the only hope for a widow in ancient society. The widow cried, “…the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.” She made a confession that the Israelites had failed to make.
After more than three years of drought and famine, God tells Elijah to return to Ahab and announce the end of the drought: not occasioned by repentance in Israel but by the command of the Lord, who had determined to reveal himself again to his people.
While on his way, Elijah meets Obadiah, the head of Ahab’s household, who had hidden a hundred Jewish prophets when Ahab and Jezebel had been killing them. Elijah sends Obadiah back to Ahab to announce his return to Israel.
When Ahab confronts Elijah, he refers to him as the “troubler of Israel.” Elijah responds by throwing the charge back at Ahab, saying that it is Ahab who has troubled Israel by allowing the worship of false gods.
Elijah then berates both the people of Israel and Ahab for their acquiescence in Baal worship. “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people were silent.
The Hebrew for this word, “go limping” or “waver”, is the same as that used for “danced” in verse 26, where the prophets of Baal frantically dance. Elijah speaks with sharp irony: in the religious ambivalence of Israel, he is portraying here as engaging in a wild and futile religious “dance”.
At this point Elijah proposes a direct test of the powers of Baal and the Jewish God. The people of Israel, 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of Asherah are summoned to Mount Carmel. Two altars are built, one for Baal and one for God. Wood is laid on the altars. Two oxen are slaughtered and cut into pieces; the pieces are laid on the wood.
Elijah then invites the priests of Baal to pray for fire to light the sacrifice. They pray from morning to noon without success. Elijah ridicules their efforts. “At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
They respond by cutting themselves and adding their own blood to the sacrifice (such mutilation of the body was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic law). They continue praying until evening without success.
Elijah now orders that the altar of his god be drenched with water from “four large jars” poured three times. He asks God to accept the sacrifice. Fire falls from the sky, consuming the water, the sacrifice and the stones of the altar itself as well.
Elijah then orders the deaths of the prophets of Baal. Elijah prays earnestly for rain to fall again on the land. Then the rains begin, signaling the end of the famine.
Jezebel, enraged that Elijah had ordered the deaths of her priests, threatens to kill Elijah. Later Elijah would prophesy about Jezebel’s death, because of her sin. Later, Elijah flees to Beersheba in Judah, continues alone into the wilderness, and finally sits down under a Retamaine shrub, praying for death.
He falls asleep under the tree; the angel of the Lord touches him and tells him to wake up and eat. When he awakens he finds bread and a jar of water. He eats, drinks, and goes back to sleep. The angel comes a second time and tells him to eat and drink because he has a long journey ahead of him.
Elijah travels for forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb, where Moses had received the Ten Commandments. Elijah is the only person described in the Bible as returning to Horeb, after Moses and his generation had left Horeb several centuries before. He seeks shelter in a cave.
God again speaks to Elijah: “What doest thou here, Elijah?”. Elijah did not give a direct answer to the Lord’s question but evades and equivocates, implying that the work the Lord had begun centuries earlier had now come to nothing, and that his own work was fruitless.
Unlike Moses, who tried to defend Israel when they sinned with the golden calf, Elijah bitterly complains over the Israelites’ unfaithfulness and says he is the “only one left”. Up until this time Elijah has only the word of God to guide him, but now he is told to go outside the cave and “stand before the Lord.”
A terrible wind passes, but God is not in the wind. A great earthquake shakes the mountain, but God is not in the earthquake. Then a fire passes the mountain, but God is not in the fire. Then a “still small voice” comes to Elijah and asks again, “What doest thou here, Elijah?”
Elijah again evades the question and his lament is unrevised, showing that he did not understand the importance of the divine revelation he had just witnessed. God then sends him out again, this time to Damascus to anoint Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as his replacement.
Elijah encounters Ahab again in 1 Kings 21, after Ahab has acquired possession of a vineyard by murder. Ahab desires to have the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel. He offers a better vineyard or a fair price for the land. But Naboth tells Ahab that God has told him not to part with the land. Ahab accepts this answer with sullen bad grace.
Jezebel, however, plots a method for acquiring the land. She sends letters, in Ahab’s name, to the elders and nobles who lived near Naboth. They are to arrange a feast and invite Naboth. At the feast, false charges of cursing God and Ahab are to be made against him. The plot is carried out and Naboth is stoned to death. When word comes that Naboth is dead, Jezebel tells Ahab to take possession of the vineyard.
God again speaks to Elijah and sends him to confront Ahab with a question and a prophecy: “Have you killed, and also taken possession?” and, “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood.” Ahab begins the confrontation by calling Elijah his enemy. Elijah responds by throwing the charge back at him, telling him that he has made himself the enemy of God by his own actions.
Elijah then goes beyond the prophecy he was given and tells Ahab that his entire kingdom will reject his authority; that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs within Jezreel; and that his family will be consumed by dogs as well (if they die in a city) or by birds (if they die in the country). When Ahab hears this he repents to such a degree that God relents in punishing Ahab but will punish Jezebel and their son: Ahaziah.
Elijah continues now from Ahab to an encounter with Ahaziah. The scene opens with Ahaziah seriously injured in a fall. He sends to the priests of Baalzebub in Ekron, outside the kingdom of Israel, to know if he will recover.
Elijah intercepts his messengers and sends them back to Ahaziah with a message “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?”
Ahaziah asks the messengers to describe the person who gave them this message. They tell him he was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist and he instantly recognizes the description as Elijah the Tishbite.
Ahaziah sends out three groups of soldiers to arrest Elijah. The first two are destroyed by fire which Elijah calls down from heaven. The leader of the third group asks for mercy for himself and his men. Elijah agrees to accompany this third group to Ahaziah, where he gives his prophecy in person.
According to 2 Kings 2:3-9, Eliseus and “the sons of the prophets” knew beforehand about the Elijah’s future ascension to heaven. Eliseus asked Elijah to “let a double portion” of Elijah’s “spirit” be upon him. Elijah agreed with the condition, that Eliseus would see him be “taken”.
Elijah, in company with Elisha (Eliseus), approaches the Jordan. He rolls up his mantle and strikes the water. The water immediately divides and Elijah and Elisha cross on dry land. Suddenly, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appear and Elijah is lifted up in a whirlwind. As Elijah is lifted up, his mantle falls to the ground and Elisha picks it up.
Elisha’s story is related in the Book of Kings in the Hebrew Bible. He was a prophet and a wonder-worker of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who was active during the reign of Joram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Jehoash (Joash). Elisha was the son of Shaphat, a wealthy land-owner of Abel-meholah; he became the attendant and disciple of Elijah.
His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor. After learning in the cave on Mount Horeb, that Elisha, the son of Shaphat, had been selected by Yahweh as his successor in the prophetic office, Elijah set out to find him.
On his way from Sinai to Damascus, Elijah found Elisha “one of them that were ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen“. Elisha delayed only long enough to kill the yoke of oxen, whose flesh he boiled with the wood of his plough. He went over to him, threw his mantle over Elisha’s shoulders, and at once adopted him as a son, investing him with the prophetic office.
Elisha accepted this call about four years before the death of Israel’s King Ahab. For the next seven or eight years Elisha became Elijah’s close attendant until Elijah was taken up into heaven. During all these years we hear nothing of Elisha except in connection with the closing scenes of Elijah’s life.
After he had shared this farewell repast with his father, mother, and friends, the newly chosen prophet “went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.” He went with his master from Gilgal to Bethel, to Jericho, and thence to the eastern side of the Jordan, the waters of which, touched by the mantle, divided, so as to permit both to pass over on dry ground. Elisha then was separated from Elijah by a fiery chariot, and Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into Heaven.
Before Elijah was taken up into the whirlwind, Elisha asked to “inherit a double-portion” of Elijah’s spirit. Some scholars see this as indicative of the property inheritance customs of the time, where the oldest son received twice as much of the father’s inheritance as each of the younger sons.
In this interpretation Elisha is asking that he may be seen as the “rightful heir” and successor to Elijah. Critics of this view point out that Elisha was already appointed as Elijah’s successor earlier in the narrative and that Elisha is described as performing twice as many miracles as Elijah.
In this interpretation the “double-portion” isn’t merely an allusion to primacy in succession, but is instead a request for greater prophetic power even than Elijah. Much of this confusion comes from translations which incorrectly translate the phrase as a “double portion” while in Hebrew Elisha asks for “two thirds of a portion” of the prophetic spirit that imbued Elijah.
By means of the mantle let fall from Elijah, Elisha miraculously crossed the Jordan again, and Elisha returned to Jericho, where he won the gratitude of the people by purifying the unwholesome waters of their spring and making them drinkable.
Before he settled in Samaria, Elisha passed some time on Mount Carmel. When the armies of Judah, Israel and Edom, then allied against Mesha, the Moabite king, were being tortured by drought in the Idumean desert, Elisha consented to intervene.
His double prediction regarding relief from drought and victory over the Moabites was fulfilled on the following morning. When a group of boys (or youths]) from Bethel taunted the prophet for his baldness, Elisha cursed them in the name of Yahweh and two female bears came out of the forest and tore forty-two of the boys.
He became noted in Israel, and for six decades (892–832 B.C.) held the office of “prophet in Israel”. He is called a patriot because of his help to soldiers and kings.
To relieve the widow importuned by a hard creditor, Elisha so multiplied a little oil as to enable her, not only to pay her debt, but to provide for her family needs.
To reward the rich lady of Shunem for her hospitality, he obtained for her from Yahweh, at first the birth of a son, and subsequently the resurrection of her child, who had died. To nourish the sons of the prophets pressed by famine, Elisha changed into wholesome food the pottage made from poisonous gourds.
Elisha cured the Syrian military commander Naaman of leprosy but punished his own servant Gehazi, who took money from Naaman. Naaman, at first reluctant, obeyed Elisha, and washed seven times in the Jordan.
Finding his flesh “restored like the flesh of a little child”, the general was so impressed by this evidence of God’s power, and by the disinterestedness of His Prophet, as to express his deep conviction that “there is no other God in all the earth, but only in Israel”.
In the Christian tradition, Jesus referred to this event when he said, “And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet: and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian”.
Elisha’s public political actions included repeatedly saving King Jehoram of Israel from the ambushes planned by Ben-Hadad, ordering the elders to shut the door against the messenger of Israel’s ungrateful king, bewildering with a strange blindness the soldiers of the Syrian king, making iron float to relieve from embarrassment a son of a prophet, confidently predicting the sudden flight of the enemy and the consequent cessation of the famine, and unmasking the treachery of Hazael.
Other miracles Elisha accomplishes include multiplying the twenty loaves of new barley into a sufficient supply for a hundred men, and for a disciple of the schools of the prophets, he recovers an axe fallen into the waters of the Jordan.
He administered the miracle at Dothan, half-way on the road between Samaria and Jezreel, and at the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, Elisha prophesied about the terrible sufferings of the people of Samaria and their eventual relief.
Elisha then journeyed to Damascus and prophesied that Hazael would be king over Syria; thereafter he directs one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel, in place of Ahab.
Mindful of the order given to Elijah, Elisha delegated a son of one of the prophets to quietly anoint Jehu King of Israel, and to commission him to cut off the house of Ahab.
The death of Jehoram, pierced by an arrow from Jehu’s bow, the ignominious end of Jezebel, the slaughter of Ahab’s seventy sons, proved how faithfully executed was the Divine command.
After predicting to Jehoash his victory over the Syrians at Aphek, as well as three other subsequent victories, ever bold before kings, ever kindly towards the lowly, “Elisha died, and they buried him”.
While Elisha lay on his death-bed in his own house, Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu, came to mourn over his approaching departure, and uttered the same words as those of Elisha when Elijah was taken away, indicating his value to him: “My father, my father! the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.”
The touch of his corpse served to resuscitate a dead man. A year after Elisha’s death and burial a body was placed in his grave. As soon as the body touched Elisha’s remains the man “revived and stood up on his feet”. It has been said, that this dead man was Shallum (son of Tikvah), keeper of the temple-wardrobe in the reign of Josiah and husband of Huldah the prophetess.
Elimelech was a member of the tribe of Judah, a native of Bethlehem Judah, a man of wealth and probably head of a family or clan. He lived during the period of the Judges, had a hereditary possession near Bethlehem, and is chiefly known as the husband of Naomi, the mother-in-law of Ruth and ancestress of David the king.
Because of a severe famine in Judea, he emigrated to the land of Moab with his wife and his sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Not long afterward he died, and his two sons married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah.
Ten years in all were spent in Moab, when the two sons died, and the three widows were left. Soon afterward Naomi decided to return to Judah, and the sequel is told in the Book of Ruth.
Epaphroditus played a key role in biblical history, even if his name is not immediately recognizable. He is mentioned by name twice in the book of Philippians, one of Paul’s Prison Epistles. Epaphroditus is the one who delivered the original manuscript of Philippians to its original recipients, the church in Philippi.
Paul was under house arrest in Rome, and the church in Philippi desired to send Paul what we might call a care package. The Philippian believers gathered supplies and sent them to Rome by the hand of one of their own, a man named Epaphroditus.
Epaphroditus faithfully delivered the gift from his home church and then went above and beyond the call of duty. In his fervor to serve the Lord by serving Paul, Epaphroditus became seriously ill and, in fact, almost died.
God graciously granted Epaphroditus health, and Paul sent his friend back home with the newly penned book of Philippians. This is part of what Paul wrote: I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.
For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
To the Philippians, Epaphroditus was a messenger who delivered a package. To Paul, however, he was so much more: a brother (belonging to the same family), a co-worker (laboring toward the same goal), and a fellow soldier (sharing the same trials).
Epaphroditus was a man of obvious devotion, faithfulness, and self-sacrifice. He put the interests of others before himself and so modeled the mind of Christ.
He labored on Paul’s behalf until his own health broke, and, even when he was sick, Epaphroditus took no thought of himself; rather, he was distressed because his church had heard of his illness, and he didn’t want them to worry.
Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.
They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. The very next verse is the oft-quoted promise that God takes care of those who put God first: And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Interestingly, Epaphroditus’s name is of pagan origin. It means belonging to Aphrodite—the name of the goddess is actually incorporated into the name Epaphroditus.
Such is the power of the gospel that a man is set free from dead paganism to serve the living God. When Epaphroditus received the gospel, he was belonging to Jesus, and the idol had no more claim on him, regardless of his name. The new birth trumped the birth name.
When a man like Epaphroditus gives of himself for the sake of God’s kingdom, many people benefit. Such a man is worthy of honor, and his presence is cause for rejoicing.
There had been a Jewish community at Ephesus for over three hundred years when Paul the Apostle visited Ephesus around 53 AD. Paul set out on his third missionary journey in 54 AD.
He spent three months teaching in a synagogue in an effort to bring the Jews to accept union with the gentiles in Christianity, but without success. For the next two years he stayed in Ephesus seeking to convert Hellenized Jews and gentiles, and appears to have made many converts.
The Apostle John (4 BC – 100 AD) was traditionally said to have come to Ephesus during the period when Agrippa I (37-44) was suppressing the church of Jerusalem.
There are records of John being arrested by the Emperor Domitian (reigned 81 -96 AD).
He was released late in his life and returned to Ephesus, where it is thought that he wrote his Gospel. Tradition says that the Virgin Mary lived in Ephesus near to John.
Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria who was a disciple of John the Baptist, arrived in Ephesus and met with Aquila and Priscilla.
Christian canon identifies the Epistle to the Ephesians as a letter to the church in Ephesus, and John of Patmos mentions the church as one of the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation.
In Revelation (2:1–3), the church’s perseverance, scrutiny toward alleged apostles and hatred of the Nicolatians are lauded, but the church is said to have left its first love, to which Revelation calls on it to return.
Based on these traditions, it is generally believed that the city hosted a significant Christian community already from the 1st-2nd centuries.
Ephesus associated with the life of several saints of that era, such as the Philip the Evangelist, brother of the Apostle Barnabas, Hermione, Aristobulus, Paul of Thebes, Adauctus and his daughter, Callisthene.
It is also thought that Mary Magdalene also lived there. Moreover, according to the Christian tradition, the first bishop of Ephesus was Apostle Timothy, student of the Apostle Paul.
Until the 4th century AD, Christianity and Paganism co-existed in the city, but Christianity became the dominant religion in Ephesus in the course of time.
This is mainly evident from the conversion of religious monuments, the increased use of Christian symbols, as well as the destruction of various pagan places of worship. The apostle John has his grave in Ephesus.
Hairy. Elder son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob. The two brothers were rivals from their birth and became the ancestors of rival nations, the Israelites and Edomites.
Esau sold to Jacob his birthright, by which he lost both the leadership of the tribe and also the covenant blessing. He married against the wishes of his parents and settled in Mount Seir.
He was living there on Jacob’s return from Padan-Aram. By that time he saw clearly that the covenant blessing and the land of Canaan would not be his, and the brothers separated in friendly fashion. Of Esau’s subsequent history nothing is known.
Esther, the Jewish maiden, was taken from her familiar surroundings and the care of her beloved uncle, Mordecai, and placed in the palace to become one of the women who would be used to satisfy the sexual desires of the king.
King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) was the son of the famed king, Darius I, who is mentioned in Ezra; Daniel; Haggai. The year of the incident between Esther and King Ahasuerus was about 483 B.C. The empire of King Ahasuerus was enormous; in fact, it was the largest the world had ever seen.
It covered the area now known as Turkey, as well as Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel; it also encompassed sections of modern-day Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and Saudi Arabia.
As with most of the pagan Gentile kings of that day, King Ahasuerus enjoyed putting on public displays of his wealth and power, which included feasts that sometimes lasted for as much as 180 days.
Evidently, during the feast that is mentioned in Esther 1:10-11, the king requested that his wife, Queen Vashti, come before the entire gathering of important men and officials to show them her great beauty wearing her crown. The speculation is that King Ahasuerus wanted Vashti to appear wearing only the crown.
Queen Vashti refused to put her nude body on public display, and so the king—who was not used to being denied anything—became enraged, dethroned her as queen, and banished her from the kingdom.
Afterwards, he made a decision to replace his wife with another woman. Josephus, the Jewish historian, records that King Ahasuerus had a total of 400 women selected to fill the harem, from which he would eventually choose his wife and queen.
The time came, after a full year of preparation, for each of the women to spend a night with the king. Until that time, they were kept in the harem, by Hegai, but afterwards, because they were no longer virgins, they were moved to the area set aside to house the concubines – or mistresses – where they were put under the watchful eye of another eunuch, named Shaashgaz.
Eventually, Esther’s time came, and because of her humility and acceptance of her position as servant, she went into the king’s chamber. She was so extraordinarily beautiful, both inside and out, that the king was immediately smitten with her and made the decision to name her as the replacement for Queen Vashti, so he placed the crown upon her head.
Almost as soon as Esther was confirmed as queen, the king appointed an evil man over his affairs. His name was Haman, and he despised the Israelite people.
Haman was a descendant of Agag, who was the king of the Amalekites, a people who were Israel’s sworn enemy for generations, and bigotry and prejudice against Israel were deeply rooted within his darkened heart.
Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, knew the heart of this wicked man and knew he hated the Israelite people. Haman manipulated and maneuvered until he was able to get into a position of authority from which he would be able to destroy them, so Mordecai enlisted Esther’s aid in correcting the situation.
Esther took her life in her hands and decided to intercede with the king on behalf of her beloved people, Israel, no matter the consequences to herself. Anyone approaching the king without being summoned was immediately put to death.
She enlists Mordecai to gather the Israelites together and fast for three days, and by implication pray for her. Esther’s fast could have no other object but to obtain God’s favor and protection in the dangerous course on which she was about to enter: When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.
Her bravery and faith in God are a testament to the trust this young woman had in the living God. She is a lesson in God’s sovereignty over His creation. He maneuvers every aspect of life to position people, governments, and situations for His plan and purpose.
We may never know what God is doing, but a time might come when we realize why we have gone through certain experiences, or met certain people, or lived in certain areas, or shopped in certain stores, or taken certain trips. The time may come when everything comes together, and we look back and see that we, too, were put in that moment of time, just as Esther.
She was put into a harem “for such a time as this.” She was given to a king “for such a time as this.” She was strengthened and prepared to intercede for her people “for such a time as this”. Esther is truly a reminder of God’s promise, as written in Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
The first woman to live on this earth. She was Adam’s wife. In Hebrew the name means “life.” She was so named because she was the “mother of all living”.
She and Adam, the first man, will share eternal glory for their role in making possible the eternal progress of all mankind.
Eve was tempted and partook of the forbidden fruit. Eve recognized the necessity of the Fall and the joys of redemption.
The Prophet Ezekiel is the author of the Book. He was a contemporary of both Jeremiah and Daniel. The Book of Ezekiel was likely written between 593 and 565 B.C. during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews.
Ezekiel ministered to his generation who were both exceedingly sinful and thoroughly hopeless. By means of his prophetic ministry he attempted to bring them to immediate repentance and to confidence in the distant future.
He taught that: (1) God works through human messengers; (2) Even in defeat and despair God’s people need to affirm God’s sovereignty; (3) God’s Word never fails; (4) God is present and can be worshiped anywhere; (5) People must obey God if they expect to receive blessings; and (6) God’s Kingdom will come.
How can you cope with a world gone astray? Ezekiel, destined to begin his life’s ministry as a priest at age thirty, was uprooted from his homeland and marched off to Babylon at age of twenty-five. For five years he languished in despair. At age thirty a majestic vision of Yahweh’s glory captivated his being in Babylon.
The priest/prophet discovered God was not confined to the narrow strictures of Ezekiel’s native land. Instead, He is a universal God who commands and controls persons and nations. In Babylon, God imparted to Ezekiel His Word for the people. His call experience transformed Ezekiel. He became avidly devoted to God’s Word.
He realized he had nothing personally to assist the captives in their bitter situation, but he was convinced God’s Word spoke to their condition and could give them victory in it. Ezekiel used various methods to convey God’s Word to his people.
He used art in drawing a depiction of Jerusalem, symbolic actions and unusual conduct to secure attention. He cut his hair and beard to demonstrate what God would do to Jerusalem and its inhabitants.
Ezekiel 34 is the chapter wherein God denounces the leaders of Israel as false shepherds for their poor care of His people. Instead of caring for the sheep of Israel, they cared for themselves. They ate well, were well-clothed and well-cared for by the very people they had been placed over.
By contrast, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep and who protects them from the wolves who would destroy the flock. Verse 4 of chapter 34 describes people whom the shepherds failed to minister to as weak, sick, injured and lost.
Jesus is the Great Physician who heals our spiritual wounds by His death on the cross. He is the one who seeks and saves that which is lost.
The Book of Ezekiel calls us to join in a fresh and living encounter with the God of Abraham, Moses and the prophets. We must be overcomers or we will be overcome.
Ezekiel challenged us to experience a life changing vision of God’s power, knowledge, eternal presence and holiness; to let God direct us; to comprehend the depth of and commitment to evil that lodges in each human heart; to recognize that God holds His servants responsible for warning wicked men of their peril.
Ezra was the second of three key leaders to leave Babylon for the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Zerubbabel reconstructed the temple, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls and Ezra restored the worship.
Ezra was a scribe and priest sent with religious and political powers by the Persian King Artaxerxes to lead a group of Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. Ezra condemned mixed marriages and encouraged Jews to divorce and banish their foreign wives. The most dramatic part of the book is the crisis over marriages between Jewish leaders and women from the peoples of the lands.
Ezra renewed the celebration of festivals and supported the rededication of the temple and the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall. Ezra 7:10 describes a shaping of the community in accordance with the Torah. Ezra’s goal was to implement the Torah, and his impeccable priestly and scribal credentials allowed him to remain the model leader.
The book of Ezra continues from where 2 Chronicles ends, with Cyrus, king of Persia, issuing a decree which permits the Jews of his kingdom to return to Jerusalem after seventy years of captivity. God is universally sovereign and can use a polytheistic king of Persia to make possible His people’s release.
He used Artaxerxes, another Persian king, to authorize and finance the trip and Ezra to teach God’s people His Law. This same king also helped Nehemiah restore some measure of respectability to God’s holy city.
Ezra’s effective ministry included teaching the Word of God, initiating reforms, restoring worship and leading spiritual revival in Jerusalem. These reforms magnified the need for a genuine concern for reputation and for public image.
What must the world think of God’s people with dilapidated city walls? What would distinguish God’s people who were guilty of intermarriage with those not in proper covenant relationship with the one true God?
Nehemiah and Ezra were then, and are now, an encouragement to God’s people to magnify worship as their top priority, to emphasize the need for and use of God’s Word as the only authoritative rule for living, and to be concerned about the image God’s people show to the world.
Ezra came back from captivity in Babylon expecting to find the people serving the Lord with gladness, but upon his return to Jerusalem, he found the opposite. He was frustrated and sorrowful. His heart ached, but he still trusted the Lord. He wanted the Lord to change the situation and blamed himself for not being able to change the people’s hearts.
He wanted the people to know how important and essential the Word of God was. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah were written to fulfill the Word of God. Nothing must supersede worship of God, and obedience is not optional.
The Sovereign God looks over and protects His children, always keeping His promises and providing encouragement through those He sends. Even when His plan seems to be interrupted, as with the rebuilding of Jerusalem, God steps in at the appropriate time to continue His plan.
God is as intimately involved in our lives as He was with Ezra’s life, and like Ezra we are sometimes enabled to do the impossible. Ezra did the impossible, for the hand the Lord his God was on him. Every believer is a living temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells.
The opposing forces in Ezra’s day were people with evil in their hearts. The opposing force in our Christian lives today is evil himself, Satan, who has come to destroy us and in turn destroy God’s temple. Our goals should be worthy in God’s eyes as well as our own.
Yesterday’s sorrows can be today’s successes if the hand of the Lord is upon us. Ezra’s goal was worthy in God’s eyes, and he effectively used the returning Jews’ sorrows for the success of rebuilding God’s city and restoring worship.
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The account of Gideon’s life is recorded in Judges 6:11-8:32. The backdrop for Gideon’s biography begins with the Israelites being ravaged by the Midianites as a consequence of their disobedience to God.
For seven years they faced invasions from the Midianites, Amalekites, and Eastern foreigners who ruined their crops and destroyed their cattle. Although they had been unfaithful to God by worshipping the gods of the Amorites, they cried out to God for His help without realizing why this was happening to them.
And so God sends them a prophet to remind them of how the one true God had provided for them in the past and yet how quickly they had forsaken Him.
God hears their cries and graciously intervenes by sending an angel to Gideon to call him into service. Gideon, whose name means “cutter” or “cutter of trees,” belonged to an undistinguished family of the Abiezrites, but from the angel’s greeting we can assume that Gideon had already proved to be a mighty warrior.
Though Gideon was a willing servant of God, he needed assurance that it was, in fact, God calling him to this divine service. In accomplishing the mission set before him by God, Gideon proves himself to be faithful, a mighty warrior, a strong leader of men, and a diplomat. Gideon was the fifth judge and renowned as the greatest of Israel.
The highlights of Gideon’s life include his victorious battle against Israel’s enemies. However, we mustn’t overlook his amazing faith, by which he carried out God’s mission and which was first put to the test and confirmed when he destroyed the Baal idols his father and the community had been worshipping.
Gideon’s battle triumph is preceded by God’s anointing. It was no small feat that Gideon managed to enlist his tribesmen, the Abiezerites, to go into battle with him. These were the men whose idols he had destroyed and who had renamed him “Jerub-Baal”.
Before entering battle, Gideon’s troops number 32,000, but in obedience to God he reduces them by 22,000. Again in obedience to God he decreases the remaining 10,000 by a further 9,700, leaving him with just 300 men.
This was against an enemy that is described as thick as locusts with camels as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. With the battle finally won, the people suggest that Gideon rule over them as their king, but he declines their accolades and tells them the Lord will rule over them.
Gideon had proved his faithfulness to God, and his obedience had required him to take a stand against his own father and tribe. And, although he feared his own people, from the three requests he made for the Lord’s confirmation of His will, it is evident he feared God much more.
In battle he took on far greater odds than were realistic to mere mortals. When the Israelites wanted to honor him as their king for triumphing over their enemies and restoring Israel’s pride, Gideon, recognizing God as the real victor in the battle, declines their request and affords the rightful sovereignty to God.
This was a great test of Gideon’s faithfulness, when he could so easily have succumbed to pride by accepting the people’s honor. So, it is with great surprise that we see Gideon go on to compromise his faith by requesting they all contribute gold from the plunder of the battle so he could create an “ephod,” a breastplate or mask used in cultic worship. And, as we see it became a snare to Gideon and his family.
The supreme Governor of the universe and the Father of mankind. We learn from the revelations that have been given that there are three separate persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
When one speaks of God, it is generally the Father who is referred to; that is, Elohim. All mankind are His children. The personage known as Jehovah in Old Testament times, and who is usually identified in the Old Testament as Lord (in small capitals), is the Son, known as Jesus Christ, and who is also a God.
Jesus works under the direction of the Father and is in complete harmony with Him. All mankind are His brethren and sisters, He being the eldest of the spirit children of Elohim. Many of the things that the scripture says were done by God were actually done by the Lord (Jesus).
Thus the scripture says that “God created the heaven and the earth”, but we know that it was actually the Lord (Jesus) who was the creator, or as Paul said, God created all things by Christ Jesus. The Holy Ghost is also a God and is variously called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit, the Spirit of God, etc.
Although God created all things and is the ruler of the universe, being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent (through His Spirit), mankind has a special relationship to Him that differentiates man from all other created things: man is literally God’s offspring, made in His image, whereas all other things are but the work of His hands.
Was the wife of the prophet Hosea, mentioned in the Hebrew Bible‘s Book of Hosea. Hosea 1:2 refers to her alternatively as a “promiscuous woman“, a “harlot“, and a “whore” but Hosea is told to marry her according to Divine appointment. She is also described as the daughter of Diblaim.
Hosea 1 relates how Hosea has three children, a son called Jezreel, a daughter Lo-Ruhamah and another son Lo-Ammi. All the names are described in the text as having symbolic meaning, reflecting the relationship between God and Israel.
Jezreel is named after the valley of that name. Lo-Ruhamah is named to denote the ruined condition of the kingdom of Israel and Lo-Ammi is named in token of God’s rejection of his people.
In 3:1, however, it says that she is “loved by another man and is an adulteress”. Hosea is told to buy her back, and he does so for 15 shekels and a quantity of barley. Exodus 21:32 establishes the value of a maidservant at 30 shekels so Gomer’s value is diminished. She is not mentioned again in the book.
The relationship between Hosea and Gomer has been posited to be a parallel to the relationship between God and Israel. Even though Gomer runs away from Hosea and sleeps with another man, he loves her anyway and forgives her.
Likewise, even though the people of Israel worshiped other gods, God continued to love them and did not abandon his covenant with them.
We know little of Habakkuk beyond the two mentions of his name in this book of prophecy. Both times, he identified himself as “Habakkuk the prophet”, a term that seems to indicate Habakkuk was a professional prophet.
This could mean that Habakkuk was trained in the Law of Moses in a prophetic school, an institution for educating prophets that cropped up after the days of Samuel.
Habakkuk also could have been a priest involved with the worship of God at the temple. This assumption is based on the book’s final, psalm-like statement: For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
Determining the date of the book of Habakkuk is quite a bit easier than dating most books. He spoke often of an imminent Babylonian invasion, an event that occurred on a smaller scale in 605 BC before the total destruction of Judah’s capital city, Jerusalem, in 586 BC.
The way Habakkuk described Judah indicates a low time in its history. If the dating is to remain close to the Babylonian invasion, Habakkuk likely prophesied in the first five years of Jehoiakim’s reign (609–598 BC) to a king who led his people into evil.
Habakkuk’s prophecy was directed to a world that, through the eyes of God’s people, must have seemed on the edge of disaster. Even when the northern kingdom had been destroyed in 722 BC, God’s people remained in Judah.
However, with another powerful foreign army on the rampage, faithful people like Habakkuk were wondering what God was doing. Hadn’t He given the land to His people? Would He now take it away?
Habakkuk’s prayer of faith for the remainder of God’s people in the face of such destruction still stands today as a remarkable witness of true faith and undying hope.
Habakkuk provides us one of the most remarkable sections in all of Scripture, as it contains an extended dialogue between Habakkuk and God. The prophet initiated this conversation based on his distress about God’s “inaction” in the world. He wanted to see God do something more, particularly in the area of justice for evildoers.
The book of Habakkuk pictures a frustrated prophet, much like Jonah, though Habakkuk channeled his frustration into prayers and eventually praise to God, rather than trying to run from the Lord as Jonah did.
As the prophet Habakkuk stood in Jerusalem and pondered the state of his nation, Judah, he must have been dumbfounded. So much evil thrived, completely in the open, but God remained strangely silent. Where was He? How long would He allow this mess to continue?
Not long, according to the Lord. Another nation, the Babylonians, would come and execute justice on the Lord’s behalf. The wicked in Judah, those who thought they would get away with their evil deeds forever, were soon to be punished.
The book of Habakkuk offers us a picture of a prideful people being humbled, while the righteous live by faith in God. It reminds us that while God may seem silent and uninvolved in our world, He always has a plan to deal with evil and always works out justice eventually.
The example of the prophet Habakkuk encourages believers to wait on the Lord, expecting that He will indeed work out all things for our good.
Habakkuk asked God the kind of question that so many of us have pondered, Why do you force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day?. We have all seen the evidence of evil in our lives. We’ve all been touched by it. And we bear scars at various stages of healing.
Surrounded by evil as if we are trapped in a dark prison cell of our own making, we are often downtrodden by our poor choices and our fallen world. However, the book of Habakkuk reminds us that no place is too dark and no wall too thick for God’s grace to penetrate in a powerful and life-affirming way.
In the Old Testament, the Egyptian handmaid of Sarah. She became a wife of Abraham and the mother of Ishmael. The Lord promised Hagar that a great nation would descend from her son.
The prophet Haggai recorded his four messages to the Jewish people of Jerusalem in 520 BC, eighteen years after their return from exile in Babylon (538 BC).
Haggai 2:3 seems to indicate that the prophet had seen Jerusalem before the destruction of the temple and the exile in 586 BC, meaning he was more than seventy years old by the time he delivered his prophecies. From these facts, the picture of Haggai begins to come into focus.
He was an older man looking back on the glories of his nation, a prophet imbued with a passionate desire to see his people rise up from the ashes of exile and reclaim their rightful place as God’s light to the nations.
Haggai’s prophecy came at a time when the people of Judah were extremely vulnerable. They had been humbled by their exile to Babylon, hopeful in their return to their Promised Land, and then so discouraged by opposition in their rebuilding of the temple that they had quit.
Now, sixteen years later, with Haggai blaming their lack of food, clothing, and shelter on their failure to rebuild the temple, the Jews were receptive to his message of rebuilding the Lord’s house.
Unlike most of the other prophets, Haggai explicitly dated his prophecies, down to the day. He gave four separate messages, the first on August 29, 520 BC; the second on October 17, 520 BC; and the final two on December 18, 520 BC. These messages encouraged the people of Judah to finish building the temple and to have hope in God for the promise of blessings in the future.
After thousands of years, the book of Haggai remains largely unique among the books of Old Testament prophets for one key reason: the people of Judah listened! Haggai’s message to rebuild the temple was passionate, simple, and straightforward.
No one could mistake whether or not his direction had been followed—the results would be evident for all the people to see. Through the physical act of rebuilding the temple, the people began to indicate a shift in their spiritual lives: from devotion to self toward devotion to God.
Haggai had an important message for the Jews who had recently returned from exile. They had forgotten their God, choosing instead to focus on their own interests, so it was time for them to consider [their] ways.
Nothing was more important for the Jews than to show that the Lord was at the center of their thoughts and actions, so Haggai directed them to finish rebuilding God’s temple.
However, rather than leaving them alone with the task of rebuilding, Haggai continued to preach to the Jews, encouraging them with the hope of future glory in the temple and a victory to come over the enemies of God’s people.
According to Haggai’s message, if the people would place God at the center of their lives, they would realize the future blessings that God had in store for His people.
The Jews who emigrated from Babylon to their original homeland of Judah faced intense opposition, both external and internal. Ezra 4:1–5 records the external resistance to the project of rebuilding the temple.
The enemies of Judah first attempted to infiltrate the ranks of the builders, and when that didn’t work, they resorted to scare tactics. Haggai, on the other hand, focused on the internal opposition they faced, namely from their own sin.
The Jews had thoughtlessly placed their own interests before the Lord’s interests, looking after their own safety and security without giving consideration to the status of the Lord’s house.
Haggai’s encouragement to rebuild the temple in the face of the Jews’ neglect brings to mind the apostle Paul’s exhortation to Christians to build our lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ.
Are you building a life that reflects your status as a temple of the Holy Spirit, leaving a legacy that will stand the test of time? Find encouragement for that construction project in the four passionate sermons from this Old Testament prophet.
Son of Noah; cursed. His descendants were the southern nations: from Cush came the dark-skinned race of eastern Africa and southern Arabia; from Mizraim the Egyptians; from Phut the Libyans; from Canaan the inhabitants of Palestine before the arrival of the Semitic races.
Haman is introduced as an enemy of Mordecai and the Jewish people: When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai.
Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. Haman’s goal was the genocide of the Jews, becoming the opponent of Esther and her people in the book of Esther.
Haman was an Agagite and the son of Hammedatha. Haman was likely a descendent of Agag, king of the Amalekites, long-time enemies of the Jewish people. God had told King Saul to destroy the Amalekites centuries earlier, but Saul failed to obey the command. His disobedience led to the loss of his kingdom and, in Esther’s time, the threat of annihilation for all Jews.
Haman was married to a woman named Zeresh, and they had ten sons. Haman was a close confidant of King Xerxes (or Ahasuerus). Haman took personally the fact that Mordecai would not bow down to him, and his personal slight grew into a murderous hatred of all Jews.
Using his connection with the king, Haman was able to pass a law commanding the genocide of the Jews: Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
Haman had selected the day for the slaughter by casting lots (in Hebrew, purim). Wanting to make an example of Mordecai, Haman built a special gallows about 75 feet high, to hang his enemy on.
God has a way of turning the tables, though. Much to Haman’s chagrin, King Xerxes (who was unaware of Haman’s vendetta against Mordecai) commanded that Mordecai be honored for thwarting an assassination attempt against the king.
To Haman’s utter mortification, the king commanded that Haman do the honors—Haman had the task of walking Mordecai through the city on horseback and proclaiming the king’s admiration for him. Zeresh and Haman’s advisors saw this turn of events as an ill omen that presaged Haman’s downfall.
Queen Esther, a Jewess herself, used her position to intercede for her people. She did this by inviting the king and Haman to two banquets—which Haman (who was unaware of the queen’s ancestry) took as a great honor. At the second banquet, Esther confronted the king regarding Haman’s plot against her people. The king was furious and left the room.
Seeing he had incurred the wrath of Xerxes, Haman fell before Esther to plead for his life. The king re-entered the room, saw Haman on the couch with the queen, and said, Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house? One of the king’s eunuchs then informed the king that Haman had prepared gallows for Mordecai.
And the king said, Hang him on that. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated. Haman’s hostility toward the Jewish people resulted in his own death.
On the fateful day appointed for the destruction of the Jews, it was the Jews’ enemies who were destroyed instead. The ten sons of Haman were also hanged.
The Jewish Feast of Purim, a celebration of the deliverance detailed in the book of Esther, is named after the lots that Haman cast. On Purim, the book of Esther is read in the synagogue, and every time the name “Haman” is read, the audience drowns out the sound with ratchet-type noisemakers called graggers (or groggers) or by anything loud and annoying: alarm clocks, toy xylophones, balloons popped with pins, dolls that cry, toy police sirens, whistles, etc.
The account of Hannah and Samuel is found in 1 Samuel 1 and 2. Hannah was one of two wives of a Jewish man named Elkanah. The other wife, Peninnah, had children, but Hannah was unable to have children.
The Bible’s account of Hannah starts before Samuel was born. One year, Hannah traveled to Shiloh where the tabernacle was. At the entrance of the tabernacle, she prayed for a child. She made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head”.
The priest Eli saw Hannah praying intensely but silently and, thinking she was drunk, rebuked her. Once Hannah explained that she was praying, the priest blessed her and asked God to grant her request. She returned home and was able to conceive. Hannah bore a son and named him “Samuel,” which means “I have asked for him from the LORD”.
Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah and Samuel travel to Shiloh, taking a sacrifice with them. After the sacrifice was offered, Hannah presents the young Samuel to Eli and says, I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. The chapter concludes with Samuel worshiping the Lord at the tabernacle.
Hannah offers a prayer of thanksgiving to God and returns home. It is then revealed that Eli’s sons were wicked men who did evil in the tabernacle. In contrast, Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod.
Hannah got to see Samuel at least once a year; when she and her husband went up to offer the annual sacrifice, Hannah would always take along a little robe for Samuel. And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, ‘May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.’ Then they would go home.
Hannah’s story ends with an answer to Eli’s prayer. First Samuel says, The Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
Hannah’s oldest son, Samuel, would go on to become the spiritual leader of Israel. As the prophet and judge of the nation, Samuel would anoint the nation’s first two kings, Saul and David.
King Herod the Great, born 73 B.C., is best-known for his attempts to murder the baby Jesus. His family converted to Judaism. He married Marianne and thus aligned himself with the Maccabees.
Herod was a successful but very unpopular ruler. He rebuilt the temple in an attempt to win favor with his subjects. However, he was well-known for his intense cruelty. He killed his own wife, despite loving her, out of jealousy and also killed three of his children.
When he learned of the birth of Jesus and found the child was said to be the King of the Jews, he asked the wise men to return to let him know where the child was, claiming he wanted to worship him.
The wise men received divine warning to not return to Herod, so they took another route home. When they didn’t return, Herod merely had all the boys under the age of two killed in Bethlehem and the surrounding area.
However, Joseph had been warned in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus and so Jesus was spared. Joseph was told by an angel in another dream when it was safe to return following the death of Herod.
The Bible’s account of Hannah starts before Samuel was born. One year, Hannah traveled to Shiloh where the tabernacle was. At the entrance of the tabernacle, she prayed for a child. She made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head”.
The priest Eli saw Hannah praying intensely but silently and, thinking she was drunk, rebuked her. Once Hannah explained that she was praying, the priest blessed her and asked God to grant her request. She returned home and was able to conceive. Hannah bore a son and named him “Samuel,” which means “I have asked for him from the LORD”.
Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah and Samuel travel to Shiloh, taking a sacrifice with them. After the sacrifice was offered, Hannah presents the young Samuel to Eli and says, I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. The chapter concludes with Samuel worshiping the Lord at the tabernacle.
Hannah offers a prayer of thanksgiving to God and returns home. It is then revealed that Eli’s sons were wicked men who did evil in the tabernacle. In contrast, Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod.
Hannah got to see Samuel at least once a year; when she and her husband went up to offer the annual sacrifice, Hannah would always take along a little robe for Samuel. And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, ‘May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.’ Then they would go home.
Hannah’s story ends with an answer to Eli’s prayer. First Samuel says, The Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
Hannah’s oldest son, Samuel, would go on to become the spiritual leader of Israel. As the prophet and judge of the nation, Samuel would anoint the nation’s first two kings, Saul and David.
Hezekiah was one of the few kings of Judah who was constantly aware of God’s acts in the past and His involvement in the events of every day. The Bible describes Hezekiah as a king who had a close relationship with God, one who did “what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God”.
Hezekiah, a son of the wicked King Ahaz, reigned over the southern kingdom of Judah for twenty-nine years, from c. 726 to 697 BC. He began his reign at age 25. He was more zealous for the Lord than any of his predecessors. During his reign, the prophets Isaiah and Micah ministered in Judah.
After Ahaz’s wicked reign, there was much work to do, and Hezekiah boldly cleaned house. Pagan altars, idols, and temples were destroyed. The bronze serpent that Moses had made in the desert was also destroyed, because the people had made it an idol.
The temple in Jerusalem, whose doors had been nailed shut by Hezekiah’s own father, was cleaned out and reopened. The Levitical priesthood was reinstated, and the Passover was reinstituted as a national holiday. Under Hezekiah’s reforms, revival came to Judah.
Because King Hezekiah put God first in everything he did, God prospered him. Hezekiah held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.
In 701 BC, Hezekiah and all of Judah faced a crisis. The Assyrians, the dominant world power at the time, invaded Judah and marched against Jerusalem. The Assyrians had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and many other nations, and now they threatened Judah. In their threats against the city of Jerusalem, the Assyrians openly defied the God of Judah, likening Him to the powerless gods of the nations they had conquered.
Faced with the Assyrian threat, Hezekiah sent word to the prophet Isaiah). The Lord, through Isaiah, reassured the king that Assyria would never enter Jerusalem. Rather, the invaders would be sent home, and the city of Jerusalem would be spared.
In the temple, Hezekiah prays a beautiful prayer for help, asking God to vindicate Himself: “Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God”.
God, faithful as always, kept His promise to protect Jerusalem. That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp.
When the people got up the next morning they found all the dead bodies. The remaining Assyrians quickly broke camp and withdrew in abject defeat. The Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. He took care of them on every side.
Later, Hezekiah became very sick. Isaiah told him to set things in order and prepare to die. But Hezekiah prayed, beseeching God to be merciful and to remember all the good he had done. Before Isaiah had even left the king’s house, God told Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that his prayer had been heard and that his life would be extended fifteen years. Isaiah applied a poultice, and Hezekiah was healed.
However, soon after his healing, Hezekiah made a serious mistake. The Babylonians sent a gift to Hezekiah, for they had heard Hezekiah had been sick. In foolish pride, Hezekiah showed the Babylonians all his treasures, all the silver and gold, and everything in his arsenal.
There was nothing Hezekiah did not parade in front of them. Isaiah rebuked Hezekiah for this act and prophesied that all the king had shown the Babylonians would one day be taken to Babylon—along with Hezekiah’s own descendants.
During the years following his illness, Hezekiah fathered the heir to Judah’s throne, Manasseh, who would turn out to be the evilest king ever to reign in Judah. Tradition has it that Manasseh is the one who murdered Hezekiah’s friend, Isaiah.
Hezekiah’s life is a model of faithfulness and trust in the Lord. His faith was more than superficial, as his bold reforms show. Hezekiah’s trust in the Lord was rewarded with answered prayer, successful endeavors, and miraculous victory over his enemies.
When faced with an impossible situation, surrounded by the dreadful and determined Assyrian army, Hezekiah did exactly the right thing—he prayed. And God answered.
The name “Hosea”, meaning “salvation”, or “He saves”, or “He helps”, seems to have been not uncommon, being derived from the auspicious verb from which we have the frequently recurring word “salvation”.
Although it is not expressly stated in the Book of Hosea, it is apparent from the level of detail and familiarity focused on northern geography, that Hosea conducted his prophetic ministries in the Northern Israel (Samaria) of which he was a native.
Little is known about the life or social status of Hosea. According to the Book of Hosea, he married the prostitute Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, at God‘s command. In Hosea 5:8, there is a reference to the wars which led to the capture of the kingdom by the Assyrians (c. 734–732 BC).
Hosea’s family life reflected the “adulterous” relationship which Israel had built with polytheistic gods. The relationship between Hosea and Gomer parallels the relationship between God and Israel.
Even though Gomer runs away from Hosea and sleeps with another man, he loves her anyway and forgives her. Likewise, even though the people of Israel worshipped false gods, God continued to love them and did not abandon his covenant with them.
Similarly, his children’s names made them like walking prophecies of the fall of the ruling dynasty and the severed covenant with God – much like the prophet Isaiah a generation later.
The name of Hosea’s daughter, Lo-Ruhamah, which translates as “not pitied”, is chosen by God as a sign of displeasure with the people of Israel for following false gods. (In Hosea 2:23 she is redeemed, shown mercy with the term Ruhamah.)
The name of Hosea’s son, Lo-Ammi, which translates as “not my people”, is chosen by the Lord as a sign of the Lord’s displeasure with the people of Israel for following those false gods (see Hosea 1:8–9).
One of the early writing prophets, Hosea used his own experience as a symbolic representation of God and Israel: God the husband, Israel the wife. Hosea’s wife left him to go with other men; Israel left the Lord to go with false gods.
Hosea searched for his wife, found her and brought her back; God would not abandon Israel and brought them back even though they had forsaken him.
The Book of Hosea was a severe warning to the northern kingdom against the growing idolatry being practiced there; the book was a dramatic call to repentance. Christians extend the analogy of Hosea to Christ and the church: Christ the husband, his church the bride.
Christians see in this book a comparable call to the church not to forsake the Lord Jesus Christ. Christians also take the buying back of Gomer as the redemptive qualities of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
The son born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, the child of promise, and the heir of the promises.
The main interest of his life gathers around his birth, the sacrifice on Mount Moriah, his marriage to Rebekah, and his dealings with his sons Jacob (Israel) and Esau.
In character he appears to have been a peace-loving shepherd of great personal piety, full of affection for the members of his own family. He lived 180 years.
The Holy Prophet Isaiah lived 700 years before the birth of Christ and was of royal lineage. Isaiah’s father Amos raised his son in the fear of God and in the law of the Lord.
Having attained the age of maturity, the Prophet Isaiah entered into marriage with a pious prophetess and had a son Jashub. Saint Isaiah was called to prophetic service during the reign of Oziah [Uzziah], king of Judea, and he prophesied for 60 years during the reign of kings Joatham, Achaz [Ahaz], Hezekiah and Manasseh.
The start of his service was marked by the following vision: he beheld the Lord God, sitting in a majestic heavenly temple upon a high throne. Six-winged Seraphim encircled Him.
With two wings they covered their faces, and with two wings they covered their feet, and with two wings they flew about crying out one to another, “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord
Sabaoth, heaven and earth are filled with His glory!” The pillars of the heavenly temple shook from their shouts, and in the temple arose the smoke of incense.
The prophet cried out in terror, “Oh, an accursed man am I, granted to behold the Lord Sabaoth, and having impure lips and living amidst an impure people!” Then was sent him one of the Seraphim, having in hand a red-hot coal, which he took with tongs from the altar of the Lord.
He touched it to the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah and said, “Lo, this has touched thy lips, and will take away with thine iniquities, and will cleanse thy sins.” After this Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, directed towards him, “Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people?”
Isaiah answered, “Here am I, send me”. And the Lord sent him to the Jews to exhort them to turn from the ways of impiety and idol worship, and to offer repentance.
To those that repent and turn to the true God, the Lord promised mercy and forgiveness, but punishment and the judgment of God are appointed for the unrepentant.
Then Isaiah asked the Lord, how long would the falling away of the Jewish nation from God continue. The Lord answered, “Until the cities be deserted, by reason of there being no people, and the land shall be made desolate.
Just as when a tree be felled and from the stump come forth new shoots, so also from the destruction of the nation a holy remnant will remain, from which will emerge a new tribe.”
Isaiah left behind him a book of prophecy in which he denounces the Jews for their unfaithfulness to the God of their Fathers. He predicted the captivity of the Jews and their return from captivity during the time of the emperor Cyrus, the destruction and renewal of Jerusalem and of the Temple.
Together with this he predicts the historical fate also of the other nations bordering the Jews. But what is most important of all for us, the Prophet Isaiah with particular clarity and detail prophesies about the coming of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The prophet names the Messiah as God and Man, teacher of all the nations, founder of the Kingdom of peace and love.
The prophet foretells the birth of the Messiah from a Virgin, and with particular clarity he describes the Suffering of the Messiah for the sins of the world. He foresees His Resurrection and the universal spreading of His Church.
By his clear foretelling of Christ the Savior, the Prophet Isaiah deserves to be called an Old Testament Evangelist. To him belong the words, “He beareth our sins and is smitten for us…. He was wounded for our sins and tortured for our transgressions.
The chastisement of our world was upon Him, and by His wounds we were healed….”
The holy Prophet Isaiah had also a gift of wonderworking. And so, when during the time of a siege of Jerusalem by enemies the besieged had become exhausted with
thirst, he by his prayer drew out from beneath Mount Sion a spring of water, which was called Siloam, i.e. “sent from God.”
It was to this spring afterwards that the Savior sent the man blind from birth to wash, and He restored his sight. By the prayer of the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord prolonged the life of Hezekiah for 15 years.
The Prophet Isaiah died a martyr’s death. By order of the Jewish king Manasseh he was sawn through by a wood-saw. The prophet was buried not far from the Pool of Siloam.
Ish-Bosheth was a son of King Saul. David was king in the city of Hebron and over the tribe of Judah. Ish-Bosheth was made king over the rest of Israel: Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel. Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.
Following a battle at Gibeon between Judah and Israel, Abner chose to join David. Abner was a military leader to Ish-Bosheth, who accused Abner of sleeping with his concubine. In his anger over the false charge, Abner vowed to turn the rest of Israel over to David.
During this time, Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.
They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. The assassins brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David, expecting to receive a reward.
Yet David was displeased at their merciless action and had these men killed, their feet and hands cut off, and their bodies hanged beside a pool in Hebron. In contrast, the head of Ish-Bosheth was buried in Hebron. These events took place after David had ruled at Hebron for about seven and a half years.
The end of Ish-Bosheth’s life, though violent, opened the door for David’s rule to expand from Judah to all of Israel. The prophecy of long ago finally came true: David was the king of all Israel.
When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
Despite the many violent acts that took place between the people of David’s kingdom and the kingdom of Ish-Bosheth, God was at work, preparing the way for His promise to be fulfilled. David ultimately reigned over Israel from Jerusalem. He served as an ancestor to Jesus Christ, the One who will ultimately reign forever.
Son of Abraham and Hagar the Egyptian. He was the child “born after the flesh” and not the child “by promise” and was sent from home after mocking Isaac. His descendants, the Ishmaelites, appear to have been a wandering race, living by plunder, having commercial relations and intermarrying with the heathen nations of Canaan. He lived 137 years.
The youngest son of Aaron the High Priest. Following the construction of the Tabernacle, he was responsible for recording an inventory to ensure that the constructed Tabernacle and its contents conformed to the vision given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.
After the death of his two eldest brothers, Nadab and Abihu, when they had been punished by the Lord for performing an unauthorized sacrificial offering, Ithamar served as a priest along with his elder brother, Eleazar, and Ithamar and Eleazar are regarded as the direct male ancestors of all Kohanim.
Leviticus 10:16-18 records an incident when Moses was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, for failing to eat a sin offering inside the Tabernacle in accordance with the
regulations set out in the preceding chapters of Leviticus regarding the entitlement of the priests to a share of the offerings they made on behalf of the Israelite people.
During the travels of the Israelites in the wilderness, Ithamar was responsible for the work of the sons of Gershon and Merari, the carriers of the Tabernacle fittings and structures, whilst Eleazar was responsible for the work of the sons of Kohath, who carried the cult objects (the ark, the altar and the lampstand).
He was also in charge of the work of the Levites in general.
The younger of the twin sons of Isaac. The two brothers were rivals from their birth, and Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, were rivals of the Israelites.
The chief events of Jacob’s life were the “purchase” of the birthright; the dream and vow; his long stay in the house of Laban.
The return to Canaan, the reception at Penuel of the new name of Israel, and the reconciliation with Esau; his later life with his family at Shechem, Ephrath, and Mamre (Hebron); his journey into Egypt, his death there, and his burial in the cave of Machpelah.
It was through Jacob that the covenant of Abraham continued; it was then passed on to Joseph and Ephraim. He lived 147 years.
Jael in the Bible was the wife of a man named Heber, who was a Kenite. The Kenites were related to the Midianites. Jael features in the book of Judges as a heroic woman who killed Sisera, the leader of King Jabin’s Canaanite army. Jabin was trying to conquer Israel, which was at that time under the leadership of Deborah, a prophetess and the only female to judge the nation of Israel.
When Sisera and his army came against Israel, Deborah sent word to Barak of the tribe of Naphtali that he was to fight the Canaanites and deliver Israel from Jabin’s hand. Barak was unwilling to go into battle without Deborah by his side. Deborah agreed to go with him but told him that, because of his reticence, a woman would get the honor of killing Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army.
As the Israelites were winning the battle, as prophesied by Deborah, Sisera left his decimated army at the Kishon River and fled on foot. He came to Heber’s property and sought refuge there, knowing that Heber was in alliance with King Jabin.
Heber’s wife, Jael, welcomed Sisera with the words “Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid”. She brought Sisera into her tent, covered him with a blanket, and gave him some milk to drink. Jael was kind and hospitable, but she had an ulterior motive.
After Sisera had eaten well and was asleep, Jael took a tent peg and a mallet and sneaked up on Sisera. She placed the tent peg’s point on his temple and hit the peg with the mallet, driving it through his temple with such force that it stuck in the ground on the other side of his head. Thus Sisera died.
Deborah’s prophecy was fulfilled: the honor of killing the captain of Jabin’s army went to a woman. That woman was Jael. As Barak pursued Sisera, he came to Heber’s settlement. Jael went to meet him and brought him into the tent to show him what she had done. Sisera’s body was lying there with a tent peg in his temple. Later, Barak and Deborah sang a song of the battle, and in the song they honored Jael by name.
As Jesus walked with Jairus, they had to press through a large crowd. It is likely that the crowd slowed Jesus’ progress considerably, and this must have been frustrating for Jairus—time was of the essence, since his daughter was at the point of death.
In the midst of the crowd, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and touched the hem of his robe, saying to herself, If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed. Her flow of blood dried up immediately.
Jesus felt that power had gone out from Him, and He turned to ask who had touched His clothing. The woman came to Him, trembling in fear, and, falling before Him, told Him the truth. Jesus said, Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.
As Jesus was speaking to the woman, some people from the house of Jairus arrived and told Jairus that his daughter was dead and there was no need to trouble Jesus anymore. Jesus overheard the news and gave Jairus two commands and a promise: Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.
Together, they continued toward the house of Jairus. When they got there, the mourners were wailing and weeping, but Jesus asked them, Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.
The mourners turned into scoffers, laughing and making fun of Jesus. Undeterred, Jesus went into the house, taking with Him Jairus and his wife, along with Peter, James, and John.
Jesus entered the room where Jairus’ daughter lay. He took the dead girl by the hand and said, Talitha Cumi, which means, Little girl, I say to you, arise. Immediately, the girl’s spirit returned, and she got up and began walking around. Jesus then commanded Jairus to give his daughter something to eat but not to tell anyone about the miracle.
When Jesus stopped on His way to Jairus’ house to speak to the woman in the crowd, He allowed time to pass. Jesus was not worried about Jairus’ daughter dying. He knew all along that He would heal her, even if that meant raising her from the dead.
In a beautiful act of mercy, Jesus stops to care for the woman in the crowd who had reached out to Him in faith. Jairus undoubtedly felt the urgency of his situation, and he probably chafed at what he saw as a delay. His daughter was lying at death’s door, and Jesus was taking His time.
Jairus learned that God’s timing and purpose are not like ours. Sometimes He requires patience from us, sometimes He waits longer than we think is rational, and sometimes He allows temporary loss in order to show us the eternal abundance of His blessing.
Jairus was a leader in the synagogue, and the bleeding woman in the crowd was likely an outcast because of her ailment. But Jesus graciously met their respective needs and responded to their faith with equal love, power, and willingness to heal.
He shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.
James was a son of Mary and Joseph and therefore a half-brother to Jesus and brother to Joseph, Simon, Judas, and their sisters. In the Gospels, James is mentioned a couple of times, but at that time he misunderstood Jesus’ ministry and was not a believer.
James becomes one of the earliest witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. He then stays in Jerusalem and forms part of the group of believers who pray in the upper room. From that time forward, James’ status within the Jerusalem church begins to grow.
James is still in Jerusalem when the recently converted Saul arrives to meet with him and Peter. Several years later, when Peter escapes from prison, he reports to James about the miraculous manner of the escape.
When the Jerusalem Council convenes, James is the apparent chairman. He is also an elder of the church, called a pillar in Galatians 2:9. Later, James again presides over a meeting in Jerusalem, this time after Paul’s third missionary journey.
It is believed that James was martyred about A.D. 62, although there is no biblical record of his death. James is the author of the epistle of James, which he wrote somewhere between A.D. 50 and A.D. 60.
James identifies himself by name but simply describes himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. His letter deals more with Christian ethics than Christian theology. Its theme is the outworking of faith—the external evidence of internal conversion.
A study of James’ life provides some important lessons for us. His conversion gives testimony to the overwhelming power that came from being a witness of Jesus’ resurrection: James turned from being a skeptic to a leader in the church based on his meeting the resurrected Christ.
James’ speech at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:14-21 reveals his reliance on Scripture, his desire for peace within the church, his emphasis of grace over the law, and his care for Gentile believers, although he himself ministered almost exclusively to Jewish Christians.
Also worthy of note is James’ humility—he never uses his position as Jesus’ blood relative as a basis for authority. Rather, James portrays himself as a servant of Jesus, nothing more. In short, James was a gracious leader through whom the church was richly blessed.
From his early years James was a Nazarene, a man especially dedicated to God. The Nazarenes vowed to preserve their virginity, to abstain from wine, to refrain from eating meat, and not to cut their hair.
The vow of the Nazarenes symbolized a life of holiness and purity, commanded formerly by the Lord for all Israel. When the Savior began to teach the nation about the Kingdom of God, Saint James believed in Christ and became His apostle. He was chosen as the first Bishop of Jerusalem.
Saint James presided over the Council of Jerusalem and his word was decisive. In his thirty years as bishop, Saint James converted many of the Jews to Christianity. Annoyed by this, the Pharisees and the Scribes plotted together to kill Saint James.
They led the saint up on the pinnacle of the Jerusalem Temple and asked what he thought of Jesus. The holy Apostle began to bear witness that Christ is the Messiah, which was not the response the Pharisees were expecting.
Greatly angered, the Jewish teachers threw him off the roof. The saint did not die immediately, but gathering his final strength, he prayed to the Lord for his enemies while they were stoning him. Saint James’ martyrdom occurred about 63 A.D.
(son of Alphaeus) James the Less or James the Younger– his Mother was called “the other Mary”. Some think that Matthew & he were Brothers because they were both the Sons of Alphaeus, but never called brothers. Became one of Jesus’ Disciples. Was Stoned & Clubbed to Death in Jerusalem.
(son of Zebedee) (Fisherman) Also in core group; he and his Brother John asked Jesus for places of honor in his Kingdom; wanted to call fire down to destroy a Samaritan village; first disciple to be martyred. James was killed by the sword by King Herod Agrippa.
Eldest son of Noah. His descendants were dispersed over the European coasts of the Mediterranean and the districts adjoining the Black and Caspian seas, forming what is now called the Indo-European family of nations.
Was a prominent priest during the reigns of Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash. Jehoiada became the brother-in-law of King Ahaziah as a result of his marriage with princess Jehosheba.
Both Jehosheba and Ahaziah were children of King Jehoram of Judah. Ahaziah died a year after assuming the throne, which was then usurped by his mother Athaliah, who ordered the execution of all members of the royal family.
Jehosheba and Jehoiada rescued from Athaliah’s slaughter, Athaliah’s one-year-old grandson, Joash. For six years, they hid the sole surviving heir to the throne within the Temple. Jehoiada was instrumental in the staging of the coup that dethroned and killed Athaliah. Under Jehoiada’s guidance, Baal-worship was renounced and the altar and temple of Baal were destroyed.
Jehoiada is also noteworthy for the national covenant that he made “between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’s people”. Jehoiada lived 130 years and was buried very honorably among the kings in the city of David. Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, was later martyred by King Joash. He lived to be one hundred and thirty years old.
Jehoshaphat ascended the throne at the age of thirty-five and reigned for twenty-five years. He spent the first years of his reign fortifying his kingdom against the Kingdom of Israel. His zeal in suppressing the idolatrous worship of the “high places” is commended in 2 Chronicles.
In the third year of his reign Jehoshaphat sent out priests and Levites over the land to instruct the people in the Law, an activity commanded for a Sabbatical year. The author of the Books of Chronicles generally praises his reign, stating that the kingdom enjoyed a great measure of peace and prosperity, the blessing of God resting on the people “in their basket and their store.”
Jehoshaphat also pursued alliances with the northern kingdom. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram married Ahab‘s daughter Athaliah. In the eighteenth year of his reign Jehosaphat visited Ahab in Samaria, and nearly lost his life accompanying his ally to the siege of Ramoth-Gilead.
While Jehoshaphat safely returned from this battle, he was reproached by the prophet Jehu, son of Hanani, about this alliance. We are told that Jehoshaphat repented, and returned to his former course of opposition to all idolatry, and promoting the worship of God and in the government of his people.
He subsequently joined Jehoram of Israel, in a war against the Moabites, who were under tribute to Israel. The Moabites were subdued, but seeing Mesha‘s act of offering his own son as a human sacrifice on the walls of Kir of Moab filled Jehoshaphat with horror, and he withdrew and returned to his own land.
The Moabites formed a great and powerful confederacy with the surrounding nations and marched against Jehoshaphat. The allied forces were encamped at Ein Gedi. The king and his people were filled with alarm.
The king prayed in the court of the Temple, “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do; but our eyes are upon you.”.
The voice of Jahaziel the Levite was heard announcing that the next day all this great host would be overthrown. So it was, for they quarreled among themselves, and slew one another, leaving to the people of Judah only to gather the rich spoils of the slain. Soon after this victory Jehoshaphat died after a reign of twenty-five years at the age of sixty.
Before his reign as king, Jehu functioned as a commander in the army of Ahab in the northern kingdom of Israel. Jehu was the son of Jehoshaphat, although he is more commonly mentioned as son of Nimshi, his grandfather, perhaps because Nimshi was more well-known. Jehu’s name, meaning “Yahweh is he,” portrays well his future, God-given task: to obliterate the house of Ahab along with the worship of Baal that pervaded Israel at the time.
Jehu was a reformer of sorts who was used by God to clean up the mess that Ahab had made. Of King Ahab it is recorded that he “did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him”. Marrying Jezebel, daughter of the king of the Sidonians, Ahab was seduced into her idolatrous worship of Baal and Ashtoreth.
Although God was patient for a time with Ahab, his many sins eventually brought God’s judgment upon his family line. This judgment first lands upon Ahab’s own head, as he is shot and killed in a battle against the Arameans.
God chose Jehu as one of three men who would enact His judgment upon Ahab’s family. God told the prophet Elijah, Anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. One way or another, Ahab’s dynasty would be destroyed.
God also chose Jehu to be the king of Israel. After he was anointed king, Jehu immediately took steps to secure the throne. Knowing that Joram, son of Ahab, had recently gone to Jezreel to recover from wounds in a battle against the Arameans, Jehu ordered his men to seal the city so that no one could alert Joram of Jehu’s anointing.
Jehu made haste to Jezreel and killed two of Ahab’s sons—Joram, king of northern Israel, and Ahaziah, king of Judah. Jehu then proceeded to Jezebel’s palace in Jezreel, where the queen stood watching for him at her window.
At Jehu’s command, eunuchs surrounding Jezebel threw her down from the window. Jezebel’s blood splattered over the pavement, and, just as had occurred to Ahab, her blood was licked up by the dogs and her body eaten.
Jehu left no man standing who was in alliance with King Ahab, as God had commanded long before through Elijah. Entering the temple of Baal, Jehu slaughtered all the priests of Baal and destroyed the temple and its sacred stone, thus eradicating Baal worship in Israel.
The Lord blessed Jehu for his obedience, granting him a dynasty that would last to the fourth generation. However, because Jehu continued to hold on to the idolatrous worship of King Jeroboam, God began to reduce the size of Israel, gradually giving them over to the power of even Hazael of Syria. Jehu reigned over Israel a total of twenty-eight years and was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz.
Jephthah served as a judge over Israel for six years following the leadership of Jair. His account is recorded in Judges 11:1—12:7.
First, Jephthah was a Gileadite but was born of a prostitute. Though a mighty warrior, he was driven away from the family as an adult because he was considered an illegitimate child. Verse 3 records that he moved to the land of Tob and lived among a gang of scoundrels.
Later, the Ammonites came against Israel in war. The Israelites sent for Jephthah, asking for his help. The elders of Gilead offered to serve Jephthah if he helped them defeat their enemy. Jephthah accepted their offer and then sent a message to the Ammonite king in an attempt to avoid war.
The Ammonite king rejected Jephthah’s message, and war was inevitable. Jephthah made a vow to God, saying, “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering”. Jephthah then defeated the Ammonites and returned home to Mizpah.
When Jephthah arrived at home, his daughter, an only child, was the first to come out of his house. Jephthah evidently expected an animal to exit, but this unexpected event caused him to tear his clothes in mourning.
When he told his daughter of his vow, she surprisingly accepted the consequences, only asking for two months to mourn
beforehand. The event was so well-known among the Israelites that it became a custom for the daughters of Israel to mourn the event each year for four days.
After Jephthah’s actions to defeat the Ammonites, the people of Ephraim were angry with him for attacking without their help. They threatened to burn his house over him with fire. This led to a battle between the tribes of Ephraim and Gilead. Gilead won, killing 42,000 Ephraimites.
Jeremiah the prophet lived in the final days of the crumbling nation of Israel. He was, appropriately, the last prophet that God sent to preach to the southern kingdom, which comprised the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
God had repeatedly warned Israel to stop their idolatrous behavior, but they would not listen, so He tore the 12 tribes asunder, sending the 10 northern tribes into captivity at the hands of the Assyrians.
Then God sent Jeremiah to give Judah the last warning before He cast them out of the land, decimating the nation and sending them into captivity in the pagan kingdom of Babylon.
Jeremiah, a faithful, God-fearing man, was called to tell Israel that, because of their unrepentant sin, their God had turned against them and was now prepared to remove them from the land at the hands of a pagan king whom He called “My servant”.
No doubt Jeremiah, who was only about 17 when God called him, had great inner turmoil over the fate of his people, and he begged them to listen.
He is known as the weeping prophet, because he cried tears of sadness, not only because he knew what was about to happen, but because no matter how hard he tried, the people would not listen.
Furthermore, he found no human comfort. God had forbidden him to marry or have children, and his friends had turned their backs on him. So, along with the burden of the knowledge of impending judgment, he also must have felt very lonely.
God knew that this was the best course for Jeremiah, because He went on to tell him how horrible conditions would be in a short time, with babies, children, and adults dying grievous deaths, their bodies unable to even be buried, and their flesh devoured by the birds.
Obviously, the people of Israel had become so hardened by the numbing effects of sin that they no longer believed God, nor did they fear Him. Jeremiah preached for 40 years, and not once did he see any real success in changing or softening the hearts and minds of his stubborn, idolatrous people.
The other prophets of Israel had witnessed some successes, at least for a little while, but not Jeremiah. He was speaking to a brick wall; however, his words were not wasted. They were pearls being cast before swine, in a sense, and they were convicting every person who heard them and refused to heed the warning.
Jeremiah tried to make the people understand their problem was a lack of belief, trust, and faith in God, along with an absence of fear which caused them to take Him for granted. It is very easy to be lulled into a false sense of security, especially when the focus is not on God.
The nation of Israel, just like many nations today, had stopped putting God first, and had replaced Him with false gods, those that would not make them feel guilty or convict them of sin. God had delivered His people from bondage in Egypt, had performed miracles before them, and had even parted the waters of the sea for them.
In spite of all these displays of God’s power, they returned to the false practices they had learned in Egypt, even making vows to the false queen of heaven, along with performing the other rites and rituals that were part of the Egyptian culture and religion. God finally turned them over to their idolatry, saying, Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!.
Jeremiah’s constant loneliness and isolation finally got the best of him, and he became discouraged.
He sank into a quagmire where many believers seem to get stuck when they think their efforts are not making a difference and time is ticking away. Jeremiah was emotionally spent, even to the point of doubting God, but God was not done with him.
Jeremiah 15:19 records a lesson for each believer to remember in those times when he feels alone, useless, and discouraged and whose faith is wavering: Therefore this is what the LORD says: If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
God was saying to Jeremiah, come back to Me, and I will restore to you the joy of your salvation. These are similar to the words penned by David when he repented of his sin with Bathsheba.
What we learn from the life of Jeremiah is the comfort of knowing that, just like every believer, even great prophets of God can experience rejection, depression, and discouragement in their walk with the Lord.
This is a normal part of growing spiritually, because our sinful nature fights against our new nature, that which is born of the Spirit of God, according to Galatians 5:17: For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But just as Jeremiah found, we can know that the faithfulness of our God is infinite; even when we are unfaithful to Him, He remains steadfast.
Jeremiah was given the task of delivering an unpopular, convicting message to Israel, one that caused him great mental anguish, as well as making him despised in the eyes of his people.
God says that His truth sounds like foolishness to those who are lost, but to believers it is the very words of life. He also says that the time will come when people will not tolerate the truth. Those in Israel in Jeremiah’s day did not want to hear what he had to say, and his constant warning of judgment annoyed them.
This is true of the world today, as believers who are following God’s instructions are warning the lost and dying world of impending judgment. Even though most are not listening, we must persevere in proclaiming truth in order to rescue some from the terrible judgment that will inevitably come.
Jeroboam was the son of Nebat, a member of the Tribe of Ephraim of Zereda. His mother, named Zeruah was a widow. He had at least two sons, Abijah and Nadab, who succeeded him on the throne.
While still a young man, King Solomon made him superintendent over his tribesmen in the building of the fortress Millo in Jerusalem and of other public works, and he naturally became conversant with the widespread discontent caused by the extravagances which marked the reign of Solomon.
Influenced by the words of the prophet Ahijah, he began to form conspiracies with the view of becoming king of the ten northern tribes; but these were discovered, and he fled to Egypt, where he remained under the protection of pharaoh Shishak until the death of Solomon.
After this event he returned and participated in a delegation sent to ask the new king Rehoboam to reduce taxes. After Rehoboam rejected their petition ten of the tribes withdrew their allegiance to the house of David and proclaimed Jeroboam their king, forming the northern kingdom of Israel (Samaria). Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remaining with the new kingdom of Judah, and Rehoboam.
He rebuilt and fortified Shechem as the capital of the northern kingdom, and fearing that pilgrimages to the temple in Jerusalem prescribed by the Law might be an occasion for his people to go back to their old allegiance, he built two state temples, with golden calves, one in Bethel and the other in Dan.
Although criticized for his cultic activities, calf worship was not new in Israelite ritual, but a reintroduction of earlier ritual. Bethel and Dan were already established cultic sites.
According to 1 Kings 13:1–6, while Jeroboam was engaged in offering incense at Bethel, a “man of God” warned him that “a son named Josiah will be born to the house of David” who would destroy the altar (referring to King Josiah of Judah who would rule approximately three hundred years later).
Attempting to arrest the prophet for his bold words of defiance, Jeroboam’s hand was “dried up”, and the altar before which he stood was rent asunder. At his urgent entreaty his hand was restored him again; but the miracle made no abiding impression on him. This “man of God” who warned Jeroboam has been equated with a seer named Iddo.
Jeroboam’s son Abijah gets sick, and he sends his wife to the prophet Ahijah. Ahijah’s message, however, is that Abijah will die, which he does.
Jeroboam was in constant “war with the house of Judah”. While the southern kingdom made no serious effort to militarily regain power over the north, there was a long-lasting boundary dispute, fighting over which lasted during the reigns of several kings on both sides before being finally settled.
In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah, Rehoboam’s son, became king of Judah. During his short reign of three years, Abijah went to considerable lengths to bring the Kingdom of Israel back under his control. He waged a major battle against Jeroboam in the mountains of Ephraim.
Abijah had a force of 400,000 and Jeroboam 800,000. The Biblical sources mention that Abijah addressed the armies of Israel, urging them to submit and to let the Kingdom of Israel be whole again, but his plea fell on deaf ears.
Abijah then rallied his own troops with a phrase which has since become famous: “God is with us as our leader.” The biblical account states that his elite warriors fended off a pincer movement to rout Jeroboam’s troops—killing 500,000 of them.
Jeroboam was crippled by this severe defeat to Abijah and posed little threat to the Kingdom of Judah for the rest of his reign. He also lost the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, with their surrounding villages.
Bethel was an important center for Jeroboam’s Golden Calf cult (which used non-Levites as priests), located on Israel’s southern border, which had been allocated to the tribe of Benjamin by Joshua, as was Ephron, which is believed to be the Ophrah that was allocated to the tribe of Benjamin by Joshua.
Jeroboam died soon after Abijam.
Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of God. He is our Redeemer. Each of these titles points to the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can return to live with our Heavenly Father.
Jesus suffered and was crucified for the sins of the world, giving each of God’s children the gift of repentance and forgiveness. Only by His mercy and grace can anyone be saved.
His subsequent Resurrection prepared the way for every person to overcome physical death as well. These events are called the Atonement. In short, Jesus Christ saves us from sin and death. For that, He is very literally our Savior and Redeemer.
In the future Jesus Christ will return to reign on earth in peace for a thousand years. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He will be our Lord forever. He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New.
Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.
Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He went about doing good, yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example.
He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.
He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.
We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father.
He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.
Jethro was the father-in-law of Moses and father of Zipporah. Jethro is first mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 2:16 where he is described as “a priest of Midian.” He is also referred to as Reuel, which could indicate the equivalent of a last name.
The name Reuel means “friend of God,” so the fact that the Bible calls him first by this name may mean that he was a priest of the Most High God, rather than a pagan deity as some have suggested.
Many people in the Bible were called by two names such as Jacob (Israel), Simon (Peter), Matthew (Levi), and Paul (Saul). Sometimes the name change was due to an encounter with God. Other times it may have simply been a second name, in the way that a man named Ben Jones may be called both “Ben” and “Jones.”
Exodus 2 details the account of Moses’ first encounter with Jethro. When Moses was on the run from Pharaoh, after having killed an Egyptian, he found himself in Midian by a well.
Jethro’s seven daughters were shepherdesses who came to the well to water their sheep. However, some men chased the women away, and Moses came to their defense. In gratitude for Moses’ care of his daughters, Jethro invited him for dinner.
Over the course of time, Jethro gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses for a wife, and they had two sons. Moses stayed with the Midianites for forty years until God called to him from the burning bush. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, gave him his blessing to return to his people in obedience to God.
Jethro is highlighted again in Exodus chapter 18. Moses had sent Zipporah and their sons back to Midian, rather than take them to Egypt, perhaps due to the dangers he would face in leading an entire nation out of slavery. Moses clearly trusted Jethro to take good care of his family and use wisdom in knowing when to reunite them.
In Exodus 18, Jethro brings Zipporah and the children to Moses at Sinai. The relationship between Moses and Jethro was always cordial, and
Jethro offers some fatherly advice when he sees the overwhelming responsibility facing his son-in-law. Moses takes Jethro’s advice on how to delegate authority: “Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said”.
Moses then sends Jethro back to Midian with his blessing. From all we can tell in the Bible, Jethro was a godly man of integrity who played a small part in God’s great story of deliverance for the Israelites.
He is a good role model for in-laws. He offered wise counsel, stepped in to help when needed, and then got out of the way.
Jezebel, from the Old Testament (Kings I and II), was the wife of King Ahab who ruled the kingdom of Israel. By opposing the worship of the Hebrew god Yahweh, neglecting the rights and well-being of her subjects, and challenging the great prophets Elijah and Elisha, she prompted the internal conflict that plagued Israel for decades.
Tyrannical Rule of Jezebel
When Jezebel married Ahab, she influenced him to worship Baal, a nature god. As a woman seeking more power, she sought to destroy those who questioned her and most of the prophets of Yahweh were murdered at her request. These evil and tyrannical works motivated the righteous vengeance of Elijah who correctly predicted the encounter of a severe drought as divine retribution against Jezebel. Elijah later had the Baal priests killed after they had failed in a contest with him to see which God would answer their prayers to inflame a bull offering, Baal or Yahweh. When Jezebel learned of the killing, she furiously vowed to have Elijah killed, forcing him to flee for his life (I Kings 18:19–19:3).
Murderous Envy
Another cruel act credited to Jezebel is written in I Kings 21:5–16. Next to Ahab’s dwelling was a vineyard, which he envied and desired. It was owned by a civilian, Naboth of Jezreel. When Naboth declined to part with his vineyard as “the inheritance of my fathers” and Jezebel falsely accused him with cursing “God and the king,” which resulted in Naboth’s death by stoning. Elijah faced Ahab in the vineyard, prophesying that he and all his successors would be slain and that dogs would devour Jezebel.
Jezebel is Thrown Over and Overthrown
Some years after, Ahab died in fighting with the Syrians and Jezebel continued on for nearly another ten years. Elijah’s heir, Elisha the prophet, continued the determination to end Baal worship. He anointed a militant leader named Jehu to be king of Israel, an order that prompted civil war as Jehoram, Jezebel’s son, then ruled. Jehu then killed Jehoram and sought to overthrow Jezebel and take his place as ruler of Israel. Anticipating him, she decorated herself in fancy clothing for the occasion. Looking down from her window, she mocked him, and Jehu commanded her eunuchs to toss her out of the window. After her fall and death, he ordered that she be buried as a king’s daughter, however, it was found that dogs had eaten most of her body, just as Elijah had predicted. Jezebel has come to be recognized as a model of the wicked woman, embodying the characteristics of cruelty, greed, and vanity.
Joab was a son of Zeruiah, King David’s sister and was therefore one of David’s nephews. Joab’s brothers were two of David’s brave warriors, Abishai and Asahel.
Joab was positioned as commander of David’s armies because of his victory over the Jebusites, resulting in the possession of the city of Jerusalem. It was through this victory that Jerusalem became “the city of David”.
Joab fought and won many battles for the king, but his personal lack of self-control was problematic. In a war against the forces of Ish-Bosheth, Joab’s brother Asahel was killed by Abner, the commander of Ish-Bosheth’s armies.
Joab was furious and pursued Abner to kill him, but Abner escaped. Later, after Abner swore allegiance to David, Joab’s fuse blew, and his desire to avenge his brother’s blood drove him to deceive and murder Abner.
This action deeply grieved David, but the king felt unable to bring justice against the mighty Joab. Instead, David pronounced a curse over Joab and his future descendants: May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.
As the commander of David’s armies, Joab was provided many victories by God, but Joab caused much grief to the king and to Israel. His anger and perhaps the power of his position drove him to poor decisions at times.
In addition to his murder of Abner, Joab killed his own cousin, Amasa—and his betrayal was Judas-style, accompanied by a kiss: Joab said to Amasa, ‘How are you, my brother?’ Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died.
Joab disobeyed King David’s command to spare Absalom’s life, himself striking Absalom with three javelins. David mourned the death of his son Absalom, a response that was sternly reprimanded by Joab.
It was also Joab who, in accordance with David’s command, placed Uriah the Hittite at the front of the battle to be killed, so that David could feel justified in marrying Uriah’s widow.
Joab, for all his faults, was obviously a capable man of war and valiant on the battlefield. And he ought to be given credit for his loyalty to David for almost four decades. Joab also counseled David when David sinfully desired to take a census; if David had heeded Joab’s advice, he could have spared his nation the plague that befell Israel.
When David was on his death bed, Joab conspired with Adonijah to install Adonijah as the next king, instead of Solomon. This action, plus Joab’s other rash decisions, vengeful murders, and inability to take certain important orders, finally drove David over the edge.
David commanded Solomon to ensure Joab’s execution, an act that was carried out by Benaniah as Joab was clinging to the horns of the altar in hopes of finding clemency.
Job was a wealthy landowner and father. He is one of the best-known biblical heroes. But we know little more than that he was stripped of everything, without warning, and that his faith was severely tested.
Though the text does not directly identify its setting, internal clues indicate that Job lived during the time of the patriarchs, approximately 2100 to 1900 BC. Job lived an additional 140 years after his tragedies occurred, perhaps to around 210 years total.
His long lifespan generally corresponds to that of Terah (Abraham’s father), Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Also, Job’s wealth was measured in livestock, as was Abraham’s. Like the patriarchs, Job used God’s unique title “El Shaddai” (God Almighty).
The book of Job does not mention the Mosaic Law; indeed, Job’s daughters were equal heirs with his sons, and Job himself, though not a priest, offered sacrifices—things not possible under the Law. Though we cannot be certain, Job may have lived during the time of Jacob or shortly thereafter.
Job lived in the land of Uz, but no one really knows where Uz was located. Scholars believe it was outside of Canaan, near the desert because the customs, vocabulary, and references to geography and natural history relate to northern Arabia.
We know little of the prophet Joel beyond a few personal details contained in the book itself. He identified himself as the son of Pethuel, preached to the people of Judah, and expressed a great deal of interest in Jerusalem.
Joel also made several comments on the priests and the temple, indicating a familiarity with the center of worship in Judah.
Joel often drew upon natural imagery—the sun and the moon, the grass and the locusts—and in general seemed to understand the reality that truth must have an impact on us in the real world.
Dating the writing of the book of Joel remains one of the most difficult tasks for Old Testament scholars because unlike most prophetic writers, Joel gave no explicit indication of his time period. In particular, Joel refrained from mentioning the current ruling kings.
One of the most compelling arguments for dating the writing of the book of Joel explains this omission by suggesting the prophecy occurred in the aftermath of Judah’s only ruling queen, Athaliah (d. 835 BC).
Upon her death, she left only her young son, Joash, to rule. But because Joash was too young to rule, the priest Jehoida ruled in his place until he came of age.
So if Joel prophesied during this caretaking period, it would make sense that he mentioned no official king. The book of Joel also makes ample mention of priests, temple rituals, and nations, such as Phoenicia, Philistia, Egypt, and Edom, that were prominent in the late ninth century BC.
All of this points to a date of approximately 835 BC or soon after, making Joel one of the earliest writing prophets, as well as a contemporary of the prophet Elisha.
The book focuses its prophetic judgment on the southern kingdom of Judah with frequent references to Zion and the temple worship. Joel’s familiarity with this area and the worship in the temple suggests that he lived in Judah, possibly even in the city of Jerusalem itself.
The book of Joel’s importance to the canon of Scripture stems from its being the first to develop an oft-mentioned biblical idea: the day of the Lord. While Obadiah mentioned the terrifying event first, Joel’s book gives some of the most striking and specific details in all of Scripture about the day of the Lord.
Days cloaked in darkness, armies that conquer like consuming fire, and the moon turning to blood. Rooted in such vibrant and physical imagery, this time of ultimate judgment, still future for us today, makes clear the seriousness of God’s judgment on sin.
Son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, being of priestly descent through both parents. This lineage was essential, since John was the embodiment of the law of Moses, designed to prepare the way for the Messiah and make ready a people to receive Him.
He was the outstanding bearer of the Aaronic Priesthood in all history and was entrusted with its most noble mission. His forthcoming birth and the nature of his ministry were announced to John’s father by the angel Gabriel.
He was a child of promise, with prophecies of his mission having been given by Isaiah and Malachi. He grew up in the desert until the time arrived for his ministry to prepare the way for the Savior.
The sign of the dove, as an emblem for the Holy Ghost, was a pre-appointed signal by which John knew he was to recognize that he had baptized the Son of God. At the time of the baptism of Jesus, John saw the sign and heard the voice of the Father bearing record that Jesus was the Beloved Son, in whom the Father was well pleased.
He had preached and baptized for several months before he baptized the Savior and continued to do so afterwards for several months. At least two of those who were later to become members of the Twelve, John and Andrew, were disciples of John before they met Jesus.
It is probable that others of the Twelve were also tutored by him. He watched, without feelings of jealousy, the waning of his own influence and the growth of the influence of Jesus. He was shut up in prison by order of Herod for criticizing Herod’s unlawful marriage of Herodias.
While in prison, John sent two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus to reassure their faith. Many have thought this event reflected a lack of confidence in John’s own mind. However, Jesus took the occasion to bear testimony of the great work John had done, emphasizing that he was unwavering and true.
Jesus also pointed out that John had fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi. Jesus praised John as a prophet, saying there is none who was greater. This greatness consisted of his unique privileges and the quality of his work.
He alone was entrusted with the mission of preparing the way and baptizing the Savior of the world. He did no miracle but magnificently fulfilled his assignment in bearing testimony of Jesus Christ. Jesus characterized John as a burning and a shining light. After nearly a year in prison, John was beheaded at the instigation of Herodias.
(James’ brother) (Fisherman) One of the Twelve Apostles in the New Testament, a son of Zebedee, and a brother of James. In his early life he was a fisherman. He is probably the unnamed disciple of John the Baptist mentioned. Later he received a call to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
He wrote the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. He was one of three who were with the Lord at the raising of Jairus’s daughter, at the Mount of Transfiguration, and in Gethsemane. In his own writings he refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved and as the other disciple.
Jesus also called him and his brother Boanerges, sons of thunder. There are frequent references to him in the accounts of the Crucifixion and Resurrection. John was later banished to Patmos, where he wrote the book of Revelation. He died of old age.
The book of Jonah, written primarily in the third person, does not explicitly name the prophet as the author of his own account, but we have no reason to doubt either the inspiration or the historical veracity of the book.
Identified in verse 1 as the son of Amittai, Jonah came from a town called Gath-hepher, near Nazareth in the area that later came to be known as Galilee. This makes Jonah one of the few prophets who hailed from the northern kingdom of Israel.
During Jonah’s years as a prophet, Israel stood tall among the nations, though in a political rather than a spiritual sense. The reign of Jeroboam II (793–753 BC), who was an evil king before the Lord, saw Israel’s borders expand to their greatest extent since the time of Solomon.
Increased prosperity resulted in a materialistic culture that thrived on injustice to the poor and oppressed, one of the key messages of Jonah’s prophetic contemporary, Amos.
However, rather than direct Jonah to prophesy to his own people, God commissioned him to the Assyrian capital of Nineveh. At first unwilling to make the journey northeast to deliver God’s message, Jonah turned and aimed for the farthest westward point known to him—Tarshish, located in modern-day Spain.
After God eventually turned Jonah in the right direction, the prophet obediently prophesied to the people of Nineveh while Ashurdan III (772–754 BC) sat on the throne of Assyria.
Though Assyria had been in a politically weakened state for some time, by the time of Jonah their cruelty to captives and other undesirables was well-known in Israel, creating an obvious need for Jonah’s message of repentance.
Jonah was one of only four writing prophets that Jesus mentioned by name during His earthly ministry (Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah were the others). But Jonah received more than a mere mention.
Jesus actually identified Himself with the prophet’s three-day sojourn in the belly of the great fish, noting it as a foreshadowing of His own death, when Jesus would spend three days “in the heart of the earth,” before His resurrection (Matthew 12:39–41).
Jesus’s identification with the prophet at the lowest point of Jonah’s life finds echoes in the book of Hebrews, where it teaches that Jesus “had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest” (Hebrews 2:17).
The book of Jonah stands as an important link in the prophetic chain, giving readers a glimpse of Christ’s death and resurrection hundreds of years before they occurred.
When the call of God came to him, Jonah could not see beyond his own selfish desire for God to punish the Assyrians. How could God want him to take a message of mercy to such people? Before Jonah could relay God’s message, he had to be broken.
He had to learn something about the mercy of the Lord. Through his flight to Tarshish, his shipwreck, and his time in the great fish, Jonah was convinced in a powerful way that all salvation comes from the Lord. And because of God’s supreme power, only God decides where to pour out His salvation and His mercy.
Do you ever find yourself fighting God—your desires pulling you one way, God’s desires pulling you another? Jonah found himself in that very position, but his own desire won out over God’s for a time. Or so he thought.
As we often see in our own lives, God accomplished His purposes through Jonah even though it meant God doling out a heavy dose of humility on a prideful and unwilling heart.
While Jonah eventually departed and proclaimed God’s message, the lesson of his story does not end there. Jonah prophesied to Nineveh but he wasn’t happy about it.
Herein we find another touchstone for our lives: aligning our desires with God’s is always a process. Just because we go through the motions of following God’s will does not mean our hearts are aligned with His. God wanted Jonah’s actions and his heart. He wants ours as well.
In the Old Testament, the firstborn son of Jacob and Rachel. Joseph obtained the birthright in Israel because Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob’s first wife, lost the privilege by transgression.
Because he was worthy, Joseph, as the firstborn son of Jacob’s second wife, was next in line for the blessing. Joseph also received a blessing from his father shortly before Jacob died.
Joseph was a man of great character, an individual “discreet and wise”. His rejection of Potiphar’s wife is an example of faith, chastity, and personal integrity.
In Egypt, when Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers, he thanked instead of blamed them for how they had treated him. He believed their actions had helped to accomplish God’s divine will.
Jacob loved Joseph very much and gave him a coat of many colors. Because of jealousy Joseph’s brothers grew to hate him and plotted to kill him, but instead sold him to merchants, who were on their way to Egypt.
In Egypt, the Lord prospered Joseph and he became ruler of Potiphar’s house. Potiphar’s wife lied, saying that Joseph attempted to seduce her; Joseph was wrongly condemned and put into prison.
Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief butler and baker. Pharaoh began to favor Joseph because Joseph had interpreted one of Pharaoh’s dreams; he made Joseph a ruler over Egypt.
Ephraim and Manasseh were born. Joseph was reunited with his father and brothers. Joseph died in Egypt at the age of 110 years.
Husband of Mary, mother of Jesus. Joseph was a descendant of David and lived in Nazareth. He was espoused to Mary. Just before their marriage, Mary received a visit from the angel Gabriel, who announced that Mary had been chosen to be the mother of the Savior. Joseph also received revelation of this divine birth.
Mary was Jesus’ only earthly parent because God the Father was Jesus’ father. But the Jews thought of Joseph as Jesus’ father, and Jesus treated him as such. Warned by heavenly dreams, Joseph preserved the infant Jesus’ life by fleeing to Egypt. After Herod died, an angel instructed Joseph to take the Christ child back to Israel.
Joseph of Arimathea was a biblical figure who played an important role in the burial of Jesus Christ. His account can be found in each of the four Gospels. He is called Joseph of Arimathea because he came from the Judean town of Arimathea and to distinguish him from other Josephs in the Bible.
While there is not much information in the Bible about Joseph of Arimathea, there are certain things we can glean from the text. We learn that Joseph was actually a part of the Council, or Sanhedrin—the group of Jewish religious leaders who called for Jesus’ crucifixion.
However, as we read on we see that Joseph was opposed to the Council’s decision and was in fact a secret follower of Jesus. Joseph was a wealthy man, although the source of his wealth is unknown. In addition, the Bible refers to Joseph as a good and upright man.
After Jesus’ death on the cross, Joseph, at great risk to himself and his reputation, went to the Roman governor Pilate to request Jesus’ body. Nicodemus, the Pharisee who had visited Jesus at night to ask questions about God’s Kingdom, accompanied Joseph. The two men were granted custody of Jesus’ body, and they immediately began to prepare the body for burial.
Following Jewish custom, they wrapped the body in strips of linen and mixed in myrrh and aloe. However, it was the Day of Preparation—the sixth day of the week, just before the Jewish Sabbath—and it was late in the day.
Joseph and Nicodemus hurriedly placed Jesus in Joseph’s own tomb, located in a garden near the place of Jesus’ crucifixion. Unbeknownst to Joseph and Nicodemus, their choice to put Jesus in Joseph’s tomb fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy spoken hundreds of years before Jesus’ death:
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. This is one of the many prophecies that have confirmed Jesus’ identity as the Messiah and Son of God.
The day after Jesus’ burial, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate to request that the stone Joseph had placed in front of the tomb be sealed, and a guard posted, for three days.
They cited Jesus’ assertion that He would rise after three days and claimed the disciples might attempt to steal the body in order to fabricate a resurrection. Their precautions were for naught, as Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, just as He had predicted.
Joshua is best known as Moses’ second in command who takes over and leads the Israelites into the Promised Land after Moses’ death.
Joshua is considered one of the Bible’s greatest military leaders for leading the seven-year conquest of the Promised Land, and is often held up as a model for leadership and a source of practical application on how to be an effective leader. Let’s look at his life from a biblical perspective.
As a military leader, Joshua would be considered one of the greatest generals in human history, but it would be a mistake to credit Israel’s victory solely to Joshua’s skill as a military general.
The first time we see Joshua is in Exodus 17 in the battle against the Amalekites. Exodus 17:13 tells us that Joshua “overwhelmed Amalek and his people,” and so we’re tempted to conclude that Joshua’s military expertise saved the day.
But in this passage we see something odd occurring. In verse 11 we read, “Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.” Eventually, Moses’ arms grew so weary that Aaron had to bring a stone to prop them up. Hence, we see in this vignette that Joshua prevailed because God gave him the battle.
The same can be said of the military victories in the Promised Land. The Lord had promised sure victory and delivered it in convincing fashion. The only exception is in the battle of Ai. There are several things to note about this incident. Israel broke faith with God in regards to the “devoted things”.
God had commanded the Israelites to devote everything to destruction, and Achan had kept some of the loot from the battle of Jericho for himself. Because of this, God judged them by not giving them the victory at Ai.
Another thing to note is that there is no explicit command by God to go against Ai. The purpose of putting these two battle stories side by side is show that when God sets the program and agenda, victory follows, but when man sets the program and agenda, failure ensues.
Jericho was the Lord’s battle; Ai was not. God redeemed the situation and eventually gave them the victory, but not until after the object lesson was given. Further evidence of Joshua’s leadership qualities can be seen in his rock-solid faith in God.
When the Israelites were on the edge of the Promised Land, God commanded Moses to send out twelve people to spy out the land, one from each of the tribes of Israel. Upon their return, ten reported that the land, while bounteous as the Lord had promised, was occupied by strong and fierce warriors dwelling in large, fortified cities.
Furthermore, the Nephilim (giants from the Israelites’ perspective) were in the land.
However, Joshua and Caleb were the only two who urged the people to take the land. Here we see one thing that sets Joshua (and Caleb) apart from the rest of the Israelites—they believed in the promises of God.
They were not intimidated by the size of the warriors or the strength of the cities. Rather, they knew their God and remembered how He had dealt with Egypt, the most powerful nation on the earth at that time.
If God could take care of the mighty Egyptian army, He could certainly take care of the various Canaanite tribes. God rewarded Joshua’s and Caleb’s faith by exempting them from the entire generation of Israelites that would perish in the wilderness.
We see Joshua’s faithfulness in the act of obediently consecrating the people before the invasion of the Promised Land and again after the defeat at Ai.
But no more clearly is Joshua’s faithfulness on display than at the end of the book that bears his name when he gathers the people together one last time and recounts the deeds of God on their behalf.
After that speech, Joshua urges the people to forsake their idols and remain faithful to the covenant that God made with them at Sinai, saying, “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.
The primary lesson to draw from Joshua’s life is that God is faithful to His promises. God promised Abraham that his descendants would dwell in the land, and under Joshua, God brought the people into the land that He had promised to give to them.
This act completed the mission of redemption that God started with Moses in bringing Israel out of Egypt. It is also a type which points to the ultimate redemption that Jesus brings to the community of faith. Like Moses, Jesus delivered us from bondage and slavery to sin, and like Joshua, Jesus will bring us into the eternal Promised Land and everlasting Sabbath rest.
Josiah was the king of Judah from approximately 640 to 609 B.C. His reign in Jerusalem is discussed in 2 Kings 22–23 and 2 Chronicles 34–35. Josiah was the son of King Amon and the grandson of King Manasseh—both of them wicked kings of Judah.
Yet Josiah was a godly king and known as one of the world’s youngest kings; he began his reign at age 8 after his father was assassinated. A highlight of Josiah’s reign was his rediscovery of the Law of the Lord.
Second Kings 22:2 introduces Josiah by saying, And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
In the eighteenth year of his reign, he raised money to repair the temple, and during the repairs the high priest Hilkiah found the Book of the Law. When Hilkiah read it to Josiah, the king tore his clothes, a sign of mourning and repentance (verse 11).
King Josiah called for a time of national repentance. The Law was read to the people of the land, and a covenant made between the people and the Lord: The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep
his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.
Many reforms followed. The temple was cleansed from all objects of pagan worship, and the idolatrous high places in the land were demolished. Josiah restored the observance of the Passover and removed mediums and witches from the land.
Second Kings 23:25 records, Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.
God’s wrath would later come upon Judah due to the evil King Manasseh had done, but the judgment was delayed because of Josiah’s godly life and leadership. Josiah died in battle against the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho at Megiddo. King Josiah was buried in Jerusalem in his own tomb, and his son Jehoahaz took the role of king.
Much can be learned from Josiah’s life that is positive. First, Josiah shows the influence a person can have from a very young age. Even children have enormous potential to live for God and to have great impact.
Second, Josiah lived a life fully committed and obedient to God and was blessed for it. Third, Josiah properly responded to God’s Word. By the time he became king, the Scriptures had long been neglected, and Josiah’s heart was smitten by the failure of his people to honor God’s Word.
Josiah had Scripture read to the people and made a commitment to live by it. Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken . . . I also have heard you, declares the Lord.
One of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles in the New Testament. His surname meant man of Kerioth. He was from the tribe of Judah and was the only Apostle who was not a Galilean.
He received thirty pieces of silver for delivering Christ to one of the chief priestsand betrayed the Lord with a kiss. He later committed suicide by hanging himself.
Jude (alternatively Judas or Judah) is believed by some to be one of the four brothers of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is traditionally identified as the author of the Epistle of Jude, a short epistle which is reckoned among the seven general epistles of the New Testament.
It is placed after Paul’s epistles and before the Book of Revelation — and considered canonical by Christians.
The Book of Jude
The origins of devotion to St. Jude as the patron of difficult or hopeless cases are nearly as obscure as details of the life of the great Apostle. These origins seemed to have been a spontaneous rising of interest among the faithful themselves, prompted possibly by the fact that according to tradition, St. Jude was a near relative or cousin of Jesus and that as a child, he was a playmate of the Lord.
Confusion of the names of St. Jude and the traitor, Judas, effectively discouraged devotion to the saint for many centuries. Devotion to him, consequently, has been of relatively recent origin although there is evidence that this devotion was held in high esteem during the Middle Ages.
Impetus to this devotion was undoubtedly given by Our Lord Himself who directed St. Bridget of Sweden to turn to St. Jude with great faith and confidence. “In accordance with his surname, Thaddeus’ the amiable, loving,” said Our Lord, “he will show himself most willing to give help.”
St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Less, and a relative of our Savior. Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, ldumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem.
He is the author of an epistle to the Churches of the East, particularly the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics. This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia. The final conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity did not take place until the 3rd century of our era.
We are told that St. Jude’s father, Alphaeus, was murdered because of his forth-right and outspoken Devotion to the risen Christ. The mother of St. Jude and St. James the Less, also named Mary, was a cousin of the Virgin Mary. After her death, miracles were attributed to her intercession.
St. Jude is shown, traditionally, as carrying the image of Jesus in his hand. This represents, according to tradition the imprint of the Divine Countenance that was entrusted to him by Jesus.
The circumstances were these: King Abagaro of Edessa, who suffered from leprosy, sent word to Jesus asking Him to come and cure him. With his request, we are told, the King sent an artist to return with a picture of the Master.
Impressed with his great faith. Our Lord pressed his image on a cloth and gave it to St. Jude to bring to the King of Edessa and cure him. The King was cured by St. Jude and together with most of his subjects was converted to Christianity.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, St. Jude travelled throughout Mesopotamia for a period of ten years preaching and converting many to Christianity.
He probably returned to Jerusalem for the Council of the Apostles, and then he and St. Simon visited Libya and Persia where many more converts were made,
St. Jude died a martyr’s death.
Tradition tells us that he was clubbed, possibly into insensibility, and his head was then shattered with a broad ax. Sometime after his death, St. Jude’s body was brought to Rome and placed in a crypt under the principal altar of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Korah, one of the rich leaders of the Levites, and a cousin of Moses and Aaron, felt that he had been slighted and overlooked in the distribution of the highest priestly honors and leadership. He envied Moses and Aaron, and also his cousin Elzaphan, who had been put in charge of the Levites, after Aaron’s family had become elevated to the rank of Kohanim (Priests).
Realizing that despite his riches and influence he alone could do very little to shake the people’s faith and confidence in Moses and Aaron, Korah looked for associates in his campaign against them. Korah went to the people of the tribe of Reuben, his neighbors in the camping order. Being daily in close contact with them, Korah easily swayed the opinions of their leaders and drew them into his conspiracy.
Amongst the Reubenites were two men, Dathan and Abiram. They were the first to rally to the party of Korah, and they were his most eager agents among their tribesmen. Their experienced and clever campaigning, aided by Korah’s riches, influence, and knowledge, induced as many as 250 respected leaders of the Jewish camp to join the rebellion.
They now felt bold enough to go out into the open and speak up against Moses’ leadership of the people. Adopting the mantle of piety and justice, and pretending to be a champion of his people, Korah accused Moses and Aaron of imposing their leadership upon the community.
“You take too much upon yourselves, for the entire congregation are all holy, and the Lord is in their midst. So why do raise yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?” said Korah and his men to Moses and Aaron.
When Moses heard of the public accusations made against him by members of the tribe of Levi and their associates, he prayed to God for guidance in his new tribulation. Then he addressed himself to Korah and his party, and told them to prepare themselves for the next day, when God would show whom He considered worthy to serve Him as priests.
All the contestants were to take censers and offer incense before God. God would then show whether He approved of this act. Moses spoke to Korah privately and warned him against his lust for personal honor.
“Is it not enough that the God of Israel has distinguished you from the congregation of Israel to draw you near to Him, to perform the service in the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them? ” Moses said. But his words fell on deaf ears.
After his unsuccessful talk with Korah, Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, ringleaders of the rebellion among the non-Levites. However, they replied with their usual arrogance: “”We will not go up. Is it not enough that you have brought us out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert, that you should also exercise authority over us? “
Moses was deeply hurt by this venomous attack upon his leadership, and he prayed to God to expose the wickedness of these people before the entire congregation of Israel.
The next morning Korah’s associates appeared before the Tabernacle with censers, as Moses had told them to do. With them came the entire community whom Korah had called to witness the proceedings. Then God told Moses to order the children of Israel to separate themselves from Korah and his associates, and everything that belonged to them, for fear that they share the rebels’ fate.
Again Moses and the Elders approached Dathan and Abiram in a last minute effort to induce them to repent of their sin. However, it was in vain, and Moses ordered the rest of the people to depart from the tents of Dathan and Abiram. The people obeyed. Dathan and Abiram and their families stood in front of their tents, and in a defiant mood continued to abuse Moses.
Gravely, Moses told the children of Israel: “With this you shall know that the Lord sent me to do all these deeds, for I did not devise them myself. If these men die as all men die and the fate of all men will be visited upon them, then the Lord has not sent me.
But if the Lord creates a creation, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that is theirs, and they descend alive into the grave, you will know that these men have provoked the Lord.”
Hardly had Moses finished speaking, when the earth cleft asunder, and swallowed Korah and his associates with their families and belongings. They were buried alive and perished by a terrible death that made the people who stood nearby flee in terror. The next instant a fire from heaven devoured the 250 men who had dared to contest Aaron’s priestly authority by offering incense.
Eldest daughter of Laban. She became Jacob’s wife through a trick of Laban’s, who passed her off as his daughter Rachel; being veiled, the mistake was not discovered till after the marriage had taken place. She became the mother of six sons and one daughter.
King Lemuel is mentioned as the author of Proverbs 31, at least of the first nine verses. Proverbs 31:1introduces this section: The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
So, as Lemuel was growing up, his mother gave him sage advice, which he later arranged in poetic form and recorded for the ages. The whole process was supervised by the Holy Spirit, and the result was an inspired utterance.
We don’t know much about King Lemuel, other than what is revealed in Proverbs 31. The name Lemuel means “for God” or “devoted to God.” Based on the one passage attributed to Lemuel, we know that Lemuel was a king, he had a wise mother, and he wrote some poetry.
Many commentators have surmised that Lemuel is actually King Solomon—in which case the mother would be Bathsheba. It could be that Lemuel was a pet name for Solomon, used by his mother in tender address, and that Solomon wrote down her advice in the manner she would have expressed it.
Another theory is that Lemuel is actually King Hezekiah. A third theory is that Lemuel and his mother are fictional characters created by Solomon as a picture of an ideal king and queen mother.
The counsel from King Lemuel’s mother is good advice for any leader of men. She warns Lemuel not to fall into the trap of immorality; chasing after women will sap a king’s strength. Then she warns her son against the dangers of alcohol; a drunken king is never a good king. A ruler who craves beer and wine will pervert justice and act lawlessly.
Finally, King Lemuel’s mother instructs her son about the necessity of true justice: Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. May the Lord grant us many rulers like King Lemuel who heed this advice of a queen mother on ruling well.
The concluding chapters of Judges highlight the fact that everyone did what was right in his own eyes. The account of the Levite and his concubine begins in Judges 19.
The Levite’s concubine had run away and been unfaithful to him. From the start, there is the problem of a Levite (from the priestly tribe) having a concubine, and then there is the problem of the woman being involved in a sexual relationship with someone else.
As he travelled to bring the woman back to his home, the Levite stopped for the night in Gibeah, a town of the Benjamites. An older man insisted they stay at his home instead of in the town square. As they were at the man’s home, Some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house.
Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him. The host tried to reason with them, but they would not listen. To spare himself, the Levite sent his own concubine outside. The mob abused her that night. When the man opened the door in the morning, the concubine’s dead body was there at the entrance.
The Levite placed her body on his donkey and traveled home. He then cut her body into 12 pieces—one for each tribe of Israel—and sent the pieces throughout the land.
The striking response was, Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt. Just imagine! We must do something! So speak up!.
The tribes of Israel (minus Benjamin) came together and decided to have the men who killed the concubine put to death. But when they confronted the people of Benjamin, the Benjamites refused to turn the guilty men over for their crimes. A civil war erupted, with the tribe of Benjamin eventually being defeated. All but 600 men of Benjamin were killed.
Judges 21 records the aftermath of this war. After a period of mourning, the nation’s leaders sought to find a way to keep the tribe of Benjamin alive. Their answer was to punish the city of Jabesh-Gilead, who did not respond to the call to gather against the Benjamites. The punishment was that the 600 Benjamite men were allowed to steal young women from Jabesh-Gilead to take as their wives.
In the Old Testament, the son of Haran and nephew of Abraham. Haran died because of the famine in Ur. Lot left Ur with Abraham and Sarah and traveled with them to Canaan. Lot chose to live in Sodom.
The Lord sent messengers to warn Lot to flee from Sodom before the Lord destroyed it because of the wickedness of the people; however, Lot’s wife looked backward at the destruction and became a pillar of salt.
While Luke’s name never appears in this gospel, ancient Christian tradition unanimously ascribes the book to him. One ancient prologue written to introduce the gospel describes Luke as a Syrian from Antioch. With this piece of information, we can deduce that Luke was probably not Jewish.
Paul also listed him with other Gentiles in his greetings to the Colossians (4:14). The ancient prologue goes on to state that Luke eventually settled in the Greek city of Thebes, where he died at age 84.
Luke’s own introduction to his gospel indicates that Luke composed the letter with the purpose of providing a careful rendering of the events of Christ’s life in chronological order.
As a physician, Luke would have been trained as a careful observer, a quality that would have been invaluable in this project. The result was the first part of a two-volume work written to Theophilus. We know the subsequent volume as Acts.
Much of the dating of the book of Luke depends on the dating of Acts. Luke’s second volume cuts off with Paul imprisoned in Rome, before Paul’s death (AD 68) and even before the persecution of Christians broke out under Nero (AD 64). It stands to reason that the book of Luke was completed before Acts. But when?
Acts 21:17 says that Luke accompanied Paul on the apostle’s final visit to Jerusalem, a visit that occurred in AD 57–58. Eventually, the Jews had Paul arrested in the temple, a two-year ordeal which ended with Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea.
Luke likely used this time apart from Paul to begin gathering information for writing the gospel from primary sources—those people who had witnessed the ministry, death, and resurrection appearances of Jesus.
If Luke took to writing his gospel soon after the information was gathered, then it would have been completed around AD 60, after Paul had been transferred to a Roman prison.
Luke’s interest in people is undeniable. Much of the material unique to Luke’s gospel involves Jesus’s interactions with individuals, many of them on the fringes of acceptable society—sinners, women, and children among them.
Like Matthew and Mark, Luke recorded the incident of a woman coming to pour perfume on Jesus’s feet. But Luke was the only gospel writer to point out the fact known to all present that she was an immoral woman.
In a similar way, we find in Luke alone the conversation between the robbers crucified alongside Jesus, one of them defending Jesus and receiving the promise of paradise. Luke’s portrayal of Jesus reveals in our Lord a man come to minister and show compassion to all people, no matter their station in life.
Just as Matthew portrays Jesus as the King, and as Mark reveals Him as the Servant, so Luke offers a unique perspective of Jesus as the Son of Man. This phrase, “Son of Man,” was Jesus’s favorite way to refer to Himself.
Most famous among the people unique to Luke’s gospel is the tax collector Zaccheus, a short man who had to climb a tree to see over the crowds as Jesus approached his town. Jesus ended up sharing a meal with Zaccheus at his house, much to the chagrin of the local religious leaders.
When Zaccheus expressed his regret over his former way of life and vowed to make restitution, Jesus responded with what became the theme of Luke’s gospel: For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke portrayed Jesus as God’s ideal Man, who offers salvation to all humanity—Jew and Gentile alike.
The richness of Luke’s portrayal of Jesus has profound implications for our relationship with God today. Jesus walks through Luke’s gospel illustrating His deep and abiding care for people, regardless of what they have done or their status in society.
BIBLICAL PEOPLE
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The final book of the Old Testament, Malachi received its name from its author. In Hebrew, the name comes from a word meaning “messenger,” which points to Malachi’s role as a prophet of the Lord, delivering God’s message to God’s people.
Malachi offered no other identifying information about himself, leaving out markers typical of other prophets such as his father’s name or the current leader of Israel.
However, based on the content of the book, it becomes clear that Malachi delivered his message of judgment to a Judean audience familiar with worshipping at the temple in Jerusalem.
The people of Judah had turned away from the true worship of the Lord, leaving themselves under judgment and in need of salvation.
Malachi certainly wrote to the people of Judah, but the historical setting becomes clearer in Malachi 1:8. Here the prophet used the Persian word for governor, indicating a time period between 538–333 BC, when the Persian Empire ruled the Promised Land.
Malachi also wrote about the corruption of the temple sacrifices, meaning that he likely delivered his message many years after the Israelites rebuilt the temple in 515 BC.
The prophet’s concerns mirror those of Nehemiah’s, suggesting that Malachi prophesied to the people while Nehemiah left the city for several years, beginning in 432 BC.
Malachi’s unique position as the final book of the Old Testament offers a glimpse into the hearts of Israelite men and women, members of a nation that had been specially chosen by God, descendants of Abraham, and inheritors of the rich tradition of the Jewish people.
Their history told of glories like the exodus from Egypt and the faithfulness of God to King David. But they had also experienced the judgment of wandering in the desert and the shame of exile from the Promised Land.
At the time of Malachi, well over a thousand years after Abraham’s era, the Israelites had the advantage and weight of history on their side; they could see the shining rewards of faithfulness and the punishments associated with judgment, even to the point of being uprooted from their land.
But even then, with all that perspective, the book of Malachi teaches us that they still strayed from the Lord’s path. They needed God’s intervention as much as ever, so this book, as a final statement of judgment in the Old Testament, anticipates God’s saving work through the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The people of Judah began to be exiled from the Promised Land in 605 BC, returning from Babylon seventy years later. By the time of Malachi, they had been back in the land for more than a hundred years and were looking for the blessings they expected to receive when they returned.
Though the temple had been rebuilt, the fervor of those early returning Israelites gave way to a thorough apathy for the things of God. This led to rampant corruption among the priesthood and a spiritual lethargy among the people.
Malachi came along at a time when the people were struggling to believe that God loved them. The people focused on their unfortunate circumstances and refused to account for their own sinful deeds.
God pointed the finger back at them, and through Malachi, God told the people where they had fallen short of their covenant with Him. If they hoped to see changes, they needed to take responsibility for their own actions and serve God faithfully according to the promise their fathers had made to God on Mount Sinai all those years before.
Throughout Israel’s history, the nation failed and God called His people back to Himself. Each time, Israel would fail again, prompting the cycle to begin again. God’s final word of the Old Testament concerns judgment for sin and testifies to our inability to love Him without the help of His grace.
Do you struggle to follow God consistently? Malachi’s call prompts us to live faithfully before God and offers hope that God is not yet through with extending mercy to His people.
John Mark, often just called Mark, is the author of the gospel of Mark. He was a believer in the early church mentioned directly only in the book of Acts. John Mark is first mentioned as the son of a woman named Mary, whose house was being used as a place for believers to gather and pray.
Later, Mark is mentioned as a companion of Barnabas and Paul during their travels together. John Mark was also Barnabas’ cousin.
John Mark was a helper on Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey. However, he did not stay through the whole trip. John Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas in Pamphylia and left the work. The Bible does not say why Mark deserted, but his departure came right after a mostly fruitless time in Cyprus.
Only one conversion is recorded in Cyprus, but there had been strong demonic opposition. It’s likely that the young John Mark was discouraged at the hardness of the way and decided to return to the comforts of home.
Sometime later, after Paul and Barnabas had returned from their first journey, Paul expressed a desire to go back to the brothers in the cities they had previously visited to see how everyone was doing. Barnabas agreed, apparently upon the provision that they take John Mark with them.
Paul refused to have Mark on the trip, however, citing Mark’s previous desertion. Paul thought it best not to have a quitter with them; they needed someone more dependable.
Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement about John Mark and wound up separating from each other and going on separate journeys. Barnabas took John Mark with him to Cyprus, and Paul took Silas with him through Syria and Cilicia to encourage the believers in the churches in those areas.
Barnabas, the son of encouragement, desired to forgive John Mark’s failure and to give him another chance. Paul took the more rational view: pioneering missionary work requires dedication, resolve, and endurance. Paul saw John Mark as a risk to their mission.
John Mark sails off to Cyprus with his cousin Barnabas, but that is not the end of his story. Years later, he is with Paul, who calls him a fellow worker. And near the end of Paul’s life, Paul sends a request to Timothy from a Roman prison: Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
Obviously, John Mark had matured through the years and had become a faithful servant of the Lord. Paul recognized his progress and considered him a valuable companion.
John Mark wrote the gospel that bears his name sometime between AD 55 and 59. There could be a veiled reference to John Mark in Mark 14:51–52. In that passage a young man, roused from sleep on the night that Jesus was arrested, attempts to follow the Lord, and the mob who had Jesus in custody attempts to seize him.
The young man escapes and flees into the night. The fact that this incident is only recorded in Mark’s gospel—and the fact that the young man is anonymous—has led some scholars to surmise that the fleeing young man is actually John Mark.
In the New Testament, a virgin chosen by God the Father to be the mother of His Son in the flesh. After Jesus’ birth, Mary had other children. She was betrothed to Joseph. Joseph was told not to divorce Mary or release her from the betrothal.
The wise men visited Mary. Mary and Joseph fled with the child Jesus to Egypt. After
Herod’s death, the family returned to Nazareth. The angel Gabriel visited her. She visited Elisabeth, her cousin. Mary gave a psalm of praise to the Lord.
Mary went to Bethlehem with Joseph. Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid him in a manger. The shepherds went to Bethlehem to visit the Christ child. Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Passover. Mary was at the wedding at Cana.
The Savior, while on the cross, asked John to care for his mother.
Mary was with the Apostles after Christ was taken up into heaven.
Mary was a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.
Mary would be a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel.
Mary Magdalene was a woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons. The name Magdalene likely indicates that she came from Magdala, a city on the southwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus cast seven demons from her, she became one of His followers.
Mary Magdalene has been associated with the woman in the city who was a sinner who washed Jesus’ feet, but there is no scriptural basis for this. The city of Magdala did have a reputation for prostitution.
This information, coupled with the fact that Luke first mentions Mary Magdalene immediately following his account of the sinful woman, has led some to equate the two women. But there is no scriptural evidence to support this idea.
Mary Magdalene is nowhere identified as a prostitute or as a sinful woman, despite popular portrayals of her as such. Mary Magdalene is also often associated with the woman whom Jesus saved from stoning after she had been taken in adultery. But this is an association with no evidence.
Mary Magdalene witnessed most of the events surrounding the crucifixion. She was present at the mock trial of Jesus; she heard Pontius Pilate pronounce the death sentence; and she saw Jesus beaten and humiliated by the crowd.
She was one of the women who stood near Jesus during the crucifixion to try to comfort Him. The earliest witness to the resurrection of Jesus, she was sent by Jesus to tell the others.
Although this is the last mention of her in the Bible, she was probably among the women who gathered with the apostles to await the promised coming of the Holy Spirit.
(the tax collector) Son of Alphaeus is also called Levi. Abandoned his corrupt (and financially profitable) way of life to follow Jesus; invited Jesus to a party with his notorious friends; wrote the Gospel of Matthew. He was killed with a halberd (a pike fitted with an ax head) in Nadabah.
Was chosen to become the 12th Apostle after Judas Iscariot had committed suicide. He was Stoned, then Beheaded at Jerusalem.
Melchizedek, whose name means king of righteousness, was a king of Salem (Jerusalem) and priest of the Most High God. Melchizedek’s sudden appearance and disappearance in the book of Genesis is somewhat mysterious.
Melchizedek and Abraham first met after Abraham’s defeat of Chedorlaomer and his three allies. Melchizedek presented bread and wine to Abraham and his weary men, demonstrating friendship. He bestowed a blessing on Abraham in the name of El Elyon (God Most High) and praised God for giving Abraham a victory in battle.
Abraham presented Melchizedek with a tithe (a tenth) of all the items he had gathered. By this act Abraham indicated that he recognized Melchizedek as a priest who ranked higher spiritually than he.
In Psalm 110, a messianic psalm written by David, Melchizedek is presented as a type of Christ. This theme is repeated in the book of Hebrews, where both Melchizedek and Christ are considered kings of righteousness and peace.
By citing Melchizedek and his unique priesthood as a type, the writer shows that Christ’s new priesthood is superior to the old Levitical order and the priesthood of Aaron.
Some propose that Melchizedek was actually a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, or a Christophany. This is a possible theory, given that Abraham had received such a visit before. Consider Genesis 17 where Abraham saw and spoke with the Lord (El Shaddai) in the form of a man.
Hebrews 6:20 says, [Jesus] has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. This term order would ordinarily indicate a succession of priests holding the office.
None are ever mentioned, however, in the long interval from Melchizedek to Christ, an anomaly that can be solved by assuming that Melchizedek and Christ are really the same person. Thus the order is eternally vested in Him and Him alone.
Hebrews 7:3 says that Melchizedek was without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. The question is whether the author of Hebrews means this actually or figuratively.
If the description in Hebrews is literal, then it is indeed difficult to see how it could be properly applied to anyone but the Lord Jesus Christ. No mere earthly king remains a priest forever, and no mere human is without father or mother.
If Genesis 14 describes a theophany, then God the Son came to give Abraham His blessing, appearing as the King of Righteousness, the King of Peace, and the Mediator between God and Man.
If the description of Melchizedek is figurative, then the details of having no genealogy, no beginning or ending, and a ceaseless ministry are simply statements accentuating the mysterious nature of the person who met Abraham.
In this case, the silence in the Genesis account concerning these details is purposeful and better serves to link Melchizedek with Christ. Are Melchizedek and Jesus the same person?
A case can be made either way. At the very least, Melchizedek is a type of Christ, prefiguring the Lord’s ministry. But it is also possible that Abraham, after his weary battle, met and gave honor to the Lord Jesus Himself.
There are two men by the name of Mephibosheth in the Bible, both in 2 Samuel. The less prominent one was a son of King Saul; he was delivered by David to the Gibeonites to be hanged in retaliation for Saul’s earlier slaughter of a band of Gibeonites.
The other Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, who was the son of King Saul and a special friend of King David. When Mephibosheth was five years old, his father Jonathan was killed in battle. warn Lot to flee from Sodom before the Lord destroyed it because of the wickedness of the people; however, Lot’s wife looked backward at the destruction and became a pillar of salt.
Fearing that the Philistines would seek to take the life of the young boy, a nurse fled with him to Gibeah, the royal residence, but in her haste she dropped him and both of his feet were crippled. He was carried to the land of Gilead, where he found refuge in the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.
Some years later, when King David had conquered all of Israel’s enemies, he remembered the family of his friend Jonathan, and, wishing to display his loving loyalty to Jonathan by ministering to his family, David found out that Mephibosheth was residing in the house of Machir. So he sent royal messengers there, and brought Mephibosheth and his infant son Micah to Jerusalem, where they resided from that point on.
Later, when David invited the young boy to be part of his court, he entrusted the family property to a steward, Ziba. During Absalom’s rebellion, Ziba tried unsuccessfully to turn David against Mephibosheth. Upon the king’s return to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth vindicated himself and was allowed to remain in the king’s house.
Judges 17 and 18 record the story of a man named Micah who built a shrine and worshiped human-made idols. (This man should not to be confused with the prophet Micah.) Obviously, what Micah did was wrong. The author of the Book of Judges includes the story in order to teach us some lessons.
First, it is clear that worshiping idols stands in opposition to God’s commands. The first of the Ten Commandments reads, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
Second, external religious actions are not enough; faith in the true God is required. Micah was certainly zealous. He built a shrine, made an ephod to use in religious activities, and fashioned some household idols. He was excited to have hired his own, personal priest: “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest”. However, Micah’s actions were not based on the teachings of God’s Word. He sought to serve God the way he wanted, not the way God had commanded.
Third, false beliefs lead to false teachings. When the people of Dan inquired concerning a place to settle, Micah’s priest told them what they wanted to hear: “Go in peace. Your journey has the LORD’s approval”. Yet the Danites’ journey was a violent one that resulted in the destruction of a peaceful town.
Fourth, sinful actions by one person can have a long-term impact. The closing verses of this account leave us with these words: The Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land.
They continued to use the idol Micah had made, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh. Micah’s false gods led to false worship among an entire tribe of Israel for several generations. We may not think our sinful actions hurt others, yet they do. They can even leave a long-term negative impact on entire communities for years to come.
The Book of Micah
The prophet Micah identified himself by his hometown, called Moresheth Gath, which sat near the border of Philistia and Judah about twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem.
Dwelling in a largely agricultural part of the country, Micah lived outside the governmental centers of power in his nation, leading to his strong concern for the lowly and less fortunate of society—the lame, the outcasts, and the afflicted.
Therefore, Micah directed much of his prophecy toward the powerful leaders of Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities of Israel and Judah, respectively (1:1).
As a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea, Micah prophesied during the momentous years surrounding the tragic fall of Israel to the Assyrian Empire (722 BC), an event he also predicted.
Micah stated in his introduction to the book that he prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah, failing to mention the simultaneous string of dishonorable kings that closed out the northern kingdom of Israel.
During this period, while Israel was imploding from the effects of evil and unfaithful leadership, Judah seemed on a roller-coaster ride—ascending to the heights of its destiny in one generation, only to fall into the doldrums in another.
In Judah at this time, good kings and evil kings alternated with each other, a pattern seen in the reigns of Jotham (good); Ahaz (evil); and Hezekiah (good).
The book of Micah provides one of the most significant prophecies of Jesus Christ’s birth in all the Old Testament, pointing some seven hundred years before Christ’s birth to His birthplace of Bethlehem and to His eternal nature.
Surrounding Micah’s prophecy of Jesus’s birth is one of the most lucid pictures of the world’s future under the reign of the Prince of Peace. This future kingdom, which scholars call the millennial kingdom, will be characterized by the presence of many nations living with one another.
They will live in peace and security and come to Jerusalem to worship the reigning king, that is, Jesus Himself. Because these events have not yet occurred, we look forward to the millennial kingdom at some undetermined time in the future.
Much of Micah’s book revolves around two significant predictions: one of judgment on Israel and Judah, the other of the restoration of God’s people in the millennial kingdom.
Judgment and restoration inspire fear and hope, two ideas wrapped up in the final sequence of Micah’s prophecy, a courtroom scene in which God’s people stand trial before their Creator for turning away from Him and from others.
In this sequence, God reminds the people of His good works on their behalf, how He cared for them while they cared only for themselves.
But rather than leave God’s people with the fear and sting of judgment, the book of Micah concludes with the prophet’s call on the Lord as his only source of salvation and mercy, pointing the people toward an everlasting hope in their everlasting God.
Much of Micah’s indictment against Israel and Judah involves these nations’ injustice toward the lowly—unjust business dealings, robbery, mistreatment of women and children, and a government that lived in luxury off the hard work of its nation’s people.
Micah’s impassioned plea for God’s chosen people to repent will cut many of us to the quick. Most of us don’t decide daily to cut people down or find ways to carry out injustice. Instead, we do it out of habit.
Let’s allow the words of Micah to break us out of our apathy about extending justice and kindness to others and press on toward a world that better resembles the harmonious millennial kingdom to come. Let’s determine to live as God desires, to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.
Miriam in the Bible is Moses’ older sister. She is called “Miriam the prophetess”. She plays an important role in several episodes of Moses’ life and in the exodus of Israel from Egypt.
Miriam is most likely the sister who watches over her baby brother Moses among the bulrushes on the banks of the Nile. Their mother had hidden Moses in a basket on the river bank to protect him from Pharaoh’s decree to throw all Hebrew baby boys into the river.
As Miriam watches, Pharaoh’s daughter discovers and pities Moses, and Miriam quickly intervenes to ask if the Egyptian princess would like a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for her. The princess agrees, and Miriam quickly gets their mother.
Pharaoh’s daughter commands Moses’ biological mother to nurse him and bring him back to her when he is older. By the grace of God, Miriam helps save the infant Moses.
Miriam had another brother, Aaron. Their parents, Amram and Jochebed, were both from the Levite tribe of Israel. Together, God uses Moses, Miriam, and Aaron to lead the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land in Canaan.
After miraculously crossing the Red Sea on dry ground and seeing the Egyptian army overthrown in the sea, Miriam leads the women with a tambourine in worshipping God with song and dance. She is given the title “prophetess,” the first of only a handful of women in Scripture identified that way. Others called a “prophetess” are Deborah, Huldah, Isaiah’s wife, Anna, and Philip’s four daughters.
Unfortunately, Miriam later falls into a spirit of complaining. Both Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses for marrying a Cushite or Ethiopian woman, but Miriam is listed first so it is likely she instigated the complaint.
While the complaint was ostensibly against Moses’ wife, the discontent ran deeper: “‘Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?’ they asked. ‘Hasn’t he also spoken through us?’”. In her criticism, Miriam was questioning the Lord’s wisdom in choosing Moses as the leader.
God was angry that Miriam and Aaron were so willing to speak against the servant He had chosen. The Lord struck Miriam with leprosy. Aaron, realizing the foolishness of their words, repented of his sin, and Moses, ever the intercessor, prayed on behalf of his sister: “Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘Please, God, heal her!’”. After a week-long quarantine, Miriam was healed and rejoined the camp.
As Miriam’s leprosy convicted Aaron of the foolish words they had spoken against God’s chosen servant, it should also remind us not to judge those around us or live in jealousy when God has given a specific call to someone else.
Miriam had an opportunity to show the people of Israel what it meant to live in love as a servant of God without complaining, and, for most of her life, she did; but she failed in the matter of Moses’ wife.
Our next encounter with Miriam is at the end of the 40-year desert wandering. Because of their grumbling and lack of faith in God, the first generation of Israelites to leave captivity was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. This included the prophetess Miriam.
Most of the older generation had already died in the wilderness when Israel comes back to Kadesh, where they had started their wanderings. It’s here that Miriam dies and is buried. Hers was a life of responsibility and service, of God’s calling and providence, yet it also reminds us that no one is too important to receive God’s discipline for personal sin.
Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah.
Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
These verses note the following facts about Mordecai: 1) he was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, 2) he lived in Susa, the capital of Persia, 3) he had been taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, and 4) he acted as a father to Esther.
When Esther was selected as one of the virgins to possibly be the next queen of King Xerxes (or Ahasuerus), Mordecai advised her not to reveal her Jewish background.
Esther was crowned queen.
Mordecai, who worked at the palace gate, hears of an assassination plot against the king. Mordecai reports the plot to Esther, and the queen passes the intelligence on to Xerxes. The would-be assassins are stopped, and Mordecai’s name is recorded in the king’s chronicles as the one who took action to preserve the king’s life.
Mordecai was hated by Haman, an Agagite who held a prominent office in the kingdom. Haman’s hatred was due to Mordecai’s refusal to bow in honor to him. As a Jew, Mordecai would only bow to the Lord God of Israel.
Haman was not content with simply doing away with Mordecai, however: Having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
Haman spoke to the king and secured the king’s permission to annihilate the Jewish people on select date in the future. When Mordecai heard of the decree, he tore his clothing, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
Mordecai had been checking on Esther each day. When she discovered he was mourning, she inquired of the cause. Mordecai informed Esther of Haman’s plot against the Jews, telling her to go before the king and plead for the Jews’ lives. At this, Esther balked—she did not have freedom to enter the king’s presence without a summons; to approach the king uninvited was punishable by death.
Mordecai responded with logic: if she did not go before the king, she was dead anyway, for she herself was endangered by the king’s edict. Mordecai ends his message to the queen with this famous statement: Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?
Esther agreed that she must break the Persian law that forbade access to the king, saying, “If I perish, I perish”. She fasted for three days and then entered the king’s presence uninvited.
Xerxes received her graciously, however, and Esther took the opportunity to invite the king and Haman to a banquet. At the meal, the king asked Esther if she had a request, and Esther asked for their presence at another banquet the next night.
Haman, who was ignorant of the queen’s ethnicity, was pleased to be honored with not one banquet but two. On the way home, he was happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. Once he arrived home, he issued an order to build a 75-foot-high gallows upon which to hang Mordecai.
That night after Esther’s first meal, King Xerxes couldn’t sleep. As a sleep-aid, he had his chronicles read to him. It just so happened that the account of Mordecai’s thwarting the assassination was read. The king then discovered that nothing had been done to repay Mordecai for his good deed.
At that moment, Haman entered the palace in order to obtain the king’s permission to hang Mordecai—he never got the chance to ask, though, because the king ordered Haman to immediately take Mordecai through the streets of Susa to pay him homage. Haman was thus humbled before his enemy, and Mordecai received due honor.
After his humiliating experience of honoring Mordecai, Haman returned to the palace for Esther’s second banquet. During the meal, the king again asked Esther if she had a request. This time, she pleaded for the king to rescue her and her people from destruction, and she pointed out Haman as the one wanting to kill her.
Haman was summarily put to death on the very gallows he had erected for Mordecai, and the Jews were given permission to defend themselves. The Jews successfully overcame Haman’s evil plot, and Mordecai was rewarded with a promotion.
The final verse of Esther notes, Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.
Moses was born in Egypt, at a time when the Israelites were slaves to the rulers of the land and subject to many harsh decrees. He was the third born of Jocheved and Amram‘s three children — his brother Aaron was his senior by three years, and his sister Miriam by six.
When he was three months old, Moses was hidden in a basket set afloat in the Nile to escape Pharaoh’s decree that all male Hebrew children be drowned; he was retrieved from the river by Pharaoh’s daughter, Batyah, who raised him in the palace.
At age 20, Moses fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian he saw beating a Jew and made his way to Midian, where he married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, and fathered two sons, Gershom and Eliezer.
When he was 80 years old, Moses was shepherding his father-in-law’s sheep when God revealed himself to him in a burning bush at Mount Horeb (Sinai) and instructed him to liberate the Children of Israel.
Moses took the Israelites out of Egypt, performed numerous miracles for them (the ten plagues in Egypt, the splitting of the sea, extracting water from a rock, bringing down the manna, and numerous others).
He received the Torah from God and taught it to the people, built the Mishkan (Divine dwelling) in the desert, and led the Children of Israel for 40 years as they journeyed through the wilderness; but God did not allow him to bring them into the Holy Land. Moses passed away on his 120th birthday on Mount Nebo, within sight of the land he yearned to enter.
Nadab and Abihu were the oldest and second oldest sons of Aaron, the brother of Moses and first high priest of Israel. The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.
Exodus 24 includes Nadab and Abihu as two of the leaders of Israel who came before the Lord. They were given the special privilege of seeing a vision of God: “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel.
Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank”.
Nadab and Abihu are best known, however, for offering “unauthorized fire” before the Lord in the tabernacle and dying as a result. Leviticus 10:1–2 shares this sobering account, stating, “Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command.
So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.” Why did God put Nadab and Abihu to death? Leviticus 10:3 offers the explanation: “Moses then said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke of when he said: ‘“Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.”’”
Those who served as priests before the Lord were required to serve Him honorably. If they did not, the consequence was death. In the case of Aaron’s sons, they dishonored the Lord by disobeying His command to only use fire from the brazen altar in the tabernacle. The “unauthorized fire” they offered was taken from another source.
In the account of Terah‘s family mentioned in Genesis 11:26–32, Nahor II (Hebrew: נָחוֹר – Nāḥōr) is listed as the son of Terah, amongst two other brothers, Abram and Haran (v.26,27).
His grandfather was Nahor I, son of Serug. Nahor married the daughter of his brother Haran, Milcah, his niece (v.29).
They may all have been born and raised in the city of Ur: the biblical account states that “Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 11:28).
In the King James Version, Nahor is also referred to as Nachor (Joshua 24:2).
When Abram had an encounter with God, this brother directed his family to leave their native land and go to the land of Canaan.
Terah, their father, coordinated the gathering of his family to journey west to their destination (Genesis 11:31). They followed the Euphrates River, with their herds, to the Paddan Aram region.
This was about halfway along the Fertile Crescent between Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean, in what is now southeastern Turkey.
In this region, Nahor and his family settled except for his brother Haran, who had died sometime ago back in Ur (v.28). The city where they settled, Harran, is the place where Nahor’s father would die (v.32).
Nahor II continued his own travels and settled in the region of Aram Naharaim, where he founded the town of Nahor (Gen.24:10). Here, he and Milcah had eight sons (Gen.22:20–23):
The only mention in Scripture of Nahum the Elkoshite occurs in the first verse of his own book. While scholars have proposed a number of theories about Nahum’s hometown, Elkosh, the best option identifies it with a city in southern Judah that later came to be known as Elcesi, near where the prophet Micah lived.
Nahum’s prophecy against the city of Nineveh would have been significant for the people of Judah, who would have needed encouragement in the face of the terrifying power of the Assyrian Empire.
The book of Nahum mentions the recent fall of No-Amon, or Thebes, which occurred in 663 BC, as well as the coming destruction of Nineveh, which happened in 612 BC. But when, during this more than fifty-year period, did Nahum preach?
The Assyrian Empire, which had its capital at Nineveh, was at its most powerful in the first half of this period, having a stranglehold on Judah during King Manesseh’s reign. Also, while the book of Nahum mentions the destruction of Thebes, it does not mention its reconstruction, which took place in 654 BC.
This leads us to date Nahum’s prophecy between the years of 663 and 654 BC. Nahum preached during the reign of King Manesseh, one of the most evil kings in Judah’s long history, a man who needed the pain of his own experience to teach him the lessons of being a good king.
Commentator J. Barton Payne suggests that Manasseh’s great conversion took place late in his reign, around 648 BC, six years before his death. That means Nahum preached during the darkest period in Judah’s history to that point, a time filled with idolatry of all kinds in a nation that had completely turned its back on God.
The Lord’s willingness to send Nahum, whose name means “comfort,” into such a hopeless situation evidences His unrelenting and overwhelming grace.
Nahum’s singular focus on the impending judgment of Nineveh offers a continuation of the story that began in Jonah.
Sometime around 760 BC, God sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach repentance and hope to the Assyrian people, a message they heard and adopted—at least for a time. One hundred years later, during the time of Nahum, the Assyrians had returned to their bullish ways, conquering the northern kingdom of Israel and lording their power over Judah in the south.
Jonah failed to realize what Nahum reminded the people of Judah: God’s justice is always right and always sure. Should He choose to grant mercy for a time, that good gift will not compromise the Lord’s ultimate sense of justice for all in the end.
After allowing approximately two hundred years of powerful Assyrian kings and rulers, God announced through Nahum His plans to judge the city of Nineveh.
While the book clearly shows God’s concern over sin, His willingness to punish those guilty of wickedness, and His power to carry out His desire for judgment, it also contains rays of hope shining through the darkness.
Most significant, the people of Judah would have immediately taken hope in the idea that Nineveh, their primary oppressor for generations, would soon come under judgment from God.
Also, a small but faithful remnant in an increasingly idolatrous Judah would have been comforted by declarations of God’s slowness to anger, His goodness and strength, and His restorative power.
No doubt we all have felt overwhelmed by the darkness both within ourselves and in our world. Nahum lived in a dark time, a time in which the faithful few must have wondered how long they would have to resist cultural and spiritual compromise.
Have you ever found your will to do what’s right weakening as you became discouraged with what you saw in your life and in the world around you? The prophet Nahum reminds us of God’s active hand, working even in the darkest of times to bring justice and hope throughout the world.
Naomi lived during the time of the judges. She was the wife of a man named Elimelek, and they lived in Bethlehem with their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. Naomi’s life illustrates the power of God to bring something good out of bitter circumstances.
When a famine hits Judea, Elimelek and Naomi and their two boys relocate to Moab. There, Mahlon and Kilion marry two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. After about ten years, tragedy strikes.
Elimelek dies, and both of Naomi’s sons also die, leaving Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah widows. Naomi, hearing that the famine in Judea was over, decides to return home. Orpah stays in Moab, but Ruth choses to move to the land of Israel with Naomi.
The book of Ruth is the story of Naomi and Ruth returning to Bethlehem and how Ruth married a man named Boaz and bore a son, Obed, who became the grandfather of David and the ancestor of Jesus Christ.
The name Naomi means “sweet, pleasant,” which gives us an idea of Naomi’s basic character. We see her giving her blessing to Ruth and Orpah when she tells them to return to their mothers’ homes so that they might find new husbands: she kisses them and asks that the Lord deal kindly with them.
But her heartache in Moab was more than Naomi could bear. When she and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem, the women of the town greet Naomi by name, but she cries, Don’t call me Naomi, Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.
I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me. The name Mara means “bitter.”
The cup of affliction is a bitter cup, but Naomi understood that the affliction came from the God who is sovereign in all things. Little did she know that from this bitter sorrow great blessings would come to her, her descendants, and the world through Jesus Christ.
Ruth meets a local landowner, Boaz, who is very kind to her. Naomi again recognizes the providence of God in providing a kinsman-redeemer for Ruth. Naomi declares that the Lord has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.
Seeing God’s hand in these events, Naomi encourages Ruth to go to Boaz as he slept in the threshing floor in order to request that he redeem her and her property. Naomi’s concern was for Ruth’s future, that Ruth would gain a husband and provider.
Naomi’s bitterness is turned to joy. In the end, she gains a son-in-law who would provide for both her and Ruth. She also becomes a grandmother to Ruth’s son, Obed.
Then the women of Bethlehem say to Naomi, Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.
Naomi was no longer Mara. Her life again became sweet and pleasant, blessed by God.
Nathan was a prophet in the Bible who lived during the reign of King David in Israel. God spoke to David through Nathan on several occasions. Nathan was a member of David’s royal court and one of his closest advisors.
Nathan apparently also knew Bathsheba well enough to speak to her about Adonijah’s attempt to usurp David’s throne from her son, Solomon) and to enlist her help in bringing the matter to the king. There are three or four stories in the Bible featuring Nathan that occurred during some of the darkest and most emotional times in David’s life.
The first mention of Nathan establishes his relationship with David as a trusted advisor. David decides to build God a house, because the king is living in a beautiful cedar palace and thinks it wrong that the Ark of the Covenant should be housed in a lowly tent (the tabernacle).
David tells Nathan about his plans to build a house for God, and Nathan says he should go ahead and do it because the Lord is with him. Then God visits Nathan in a vision and tells him to return to David and inform him that God doesn’t need the king to build him a house; rather, God would establish David’s dynasty, through his son, forever.
His son Solomon would be the one to build God’s house. Nathan relays this important message to the king, and David utters a grateful and beautiful prayer to God for His grace.
The next time Nathan is mentioned, it is after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and brought about her husband’s death to hide her pregnancy. At that point, David had made Bathsheba his wife and had seemingly gotten away with his sin, but the Lord knew about it and told Nathan to rebuke David.
Nathan went to David and wisely told the king a fable about a rich man and a poor man: the rich man was visited by a traveler, so he took the poor man’s only possession, a little ewe lamb that he loved as a pet, to feed his guest, rather than taking a lamb from his own extensive flocks.
David was enraged at the story and declared that the rich man had no pity and deserved to die. Nathan then points to David and says, “You are the man!”. Nathan reveals that David’s sin was like that of the rich man, because David took away Uriah’s wife.
Nathan then prophecies to David, in God’s own words: I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more.
Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.
David confesses to Nathan that he has sinned against the Lord, and Nathan comforts him, saying that the Lord has forgiven his sin and that David’s life will not be required of him. Nonetheless, David’s child by Bathsheba was to die. David, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, pens Psalm 51 after this encounter with Nathan the prophet.
After the death of David’s child, his wife Bathsheba became pregnant again, this time with a son whom they named Solomon. The Lord sent Nathan to David again, this time to say that the Lord loved his son Solomon, and they called Solomon “Jedidiah,” a name that means “beloved of the Lord”. Solomon later built God’s house, the temple, and became an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Nebuchadnezzar II, sometimes alternately spelled Nebuchadrezzar, was king of Babylonia from approximately 605 BC until approximately 562 BC. He is considered the greatest king of the Babylonian Empire and is credited with the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar is mentioned by name around 90 times in the Bible, in both the historical and prophetic literature of the Hebrew Scriptures. Nebuchadnezzar receives the most attention in the book of Daniel, appearing as the main character, beside Daniel, in chapters 1–4.
In biblical history, Nebuchadnezzar is most famous for the conquering of Judah and the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem in 586 BC. Judah had become a tribute state to Babylon in 605 BC but rebelled in 597 BC during the reign of Jehoiachin and then again in 588 BC during the reign of Zedekiah.
Tired of the rebellions and seeing that Judah had not learned its lesson when he invaded, conquered, and deported Judah in 597, Nebuchadnezzar and his general, Nebuzaradan, proceeded to completely destroy the temple and most of Jerusalem, deporting most of the remaining residents to Babylon. In this, Nebuchadnezzar served as God’s instrument of judgment on Judah for its idolatry, unfaithfulness, and disobedience.
Secular history records Nebuchadnezzar as a brutal, powerful, and ambitious king, and the Bible, for the most part, agrees. However, the book of Daniel gives additional insight into his character. Daniel chapter 2 records God giving Nebuchadnezzar a dream about what kingdoms would arise after his own.
In the dream, Nebuchadnezzar was a “head of gold” on a statue, with the descending parts of the body, comprised of silver, bronze, iron, and iron mixed with clay, representing the less powerful kingdoms that would come after him. Nebuchadnezzar demanded the astrologers and wise men to interpret his dream without him telling it to them and, when they were unable to, Nebuchadnezzar ordered all of the astrologers and wise men to be killed.
Daniel spoke up and, through a miracle from God, interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The king then promoted Daniel to be one of his most influential advisors. Interestingly, when Daniel interpreted his dream, Nebuchadnezzar declared, Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.
In Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar created a gold statue of himself and required all the people to bow down to it whenever the music played. Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, refused, and the king had them thrown into a blazing furnace.
Miraculously, God protected them, and when they came out of the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.
Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.
In Daniel chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar is given another dream by God. Daniel interpreted the dream for Nebuchadnezzar and informed him that the dream was a warning to the king to humble himself and recognize that his power, wealth, and influence were from God, not of his own making.
Nebuchadnezzar did not heed the warning of the dream, so God judged him as the dream had declared. Nebuchadnezzar was driven insane for seven years. When the king’s sanity was restored, he finally humbled himself before God.
In Daniel 4:3, Nebuchadnezzar declares, How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.
Nebuchadnezzar continued in Daniel 4:34–37, For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
The exclamations of Nebuchadnezzar recorded in the book of Daniel have led some to consider the possibility that Nebuchadnezzar became a believer in the one true God. History records Nebuchadnezzar being a follower of the Babylonian gods Nabu and Marduk.
Is it possible that Nebuchadnezzar renounced these false gods and instead only worshipped the one true God? Yes, it is possible. If nothing else, Nebuchadnezzar became a henotheist, believing in many gods but worshipping only one God as supreme. Based on his words recorded in Daniel, it definitely seems like Nebuchadnezzar submitted himself to the one true God.
Further evidence is the fact that God refers to Nebuchadnezzar as “my servant” three times in the book of Jeremiah. Was Nebuchadnezzar saved? Ultimately, this is not a question that can be answered dogmatically. Whatever the case, the story of Nebuchadnezzar is an example of God’s sovereignty over all men and the truth that the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.
Ezra and Nehemiah were contemporaries, and they both wrote about the rebuilding of Jerusalem, which occurred many years after its destruction by the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar. Ezra wrote about the rebuilding of the temple under Zerubbabel, while Nehemiah wrote concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls.
From ancient times, the cities located in the Middle East were surrounded by stone walls with gates that were guarded for the protection of the citizens.
The important men of each city would gather at the gate where they would conduct the business of the city, share important information, or just pass the time of day.
Nehemiah’s account begins in 445 B.C., and this date is important because the prophet Daniel, a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah, wrote the “70 weeks of years” prophecy based on a very specific date—March 15, 445 B.C. This date is crucial to the beginning of the prophecy; it kicks off the start of the timeframe, which ends with the second coming of Jesus Christ.
This prophecy was written long before Jesus came the first time, but it continues through those years leading up to His being “cut off.” It gives details about the antichrist, how he will come onto the world scene, and how he will move against Israel in his final assault on God and His people.
Daniel’s prophecy is found in Daniel 9:25: “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.”
Little did Nehemiah know that he was fulfilling the prophecy written by Daniel, but this faithful servant, who was also captive in Babylon at the time, begins his writings with intercessory prayer for his people, Israel, just as Daniel constantly prayed on their behalf, beseeching God to have mercy on them and return them to their homeland.
Nehemiah listed specific dates, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in order that there might be a written record as to the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem.
Before he asked the king’s permission to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, Nehemiah prayed, and God granted his request. As he was leaving Babylon, he met some Arab men who mocked him for what he was about to do.
Nehemiah 2:20 records his statement, which stands even today as a testament to who has the right to the city known as Jerusalem: “I answered them by saying, ‘The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.’”
Nehemiah continued in his quest to rebuild Jerusalem. God provided all the necessary workers, and the building began. However, they were not without enemies, those who desired to stop the rebuilding. But God intervened as He had done with Moses.
Nehemiah 4:20 records, “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” This was God’s pre-ordained plan to bring His people out of bondage and back into their land to worship in the temple once again.
We can learn from the life of Nehemiah valuable lessons in restoring and maintaining a relationship with God. As the people returned to the rebuilt city, the first order of business was to make certain that they understood the Law of Moses. Ezra, a priest, spent many hours reading the Law before the assembly, making sure they understood what God desired.
Nehemiah 8:18 records what should be part of every believer’s life, the daily reading of God’s Word: “Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.”
Nehemiah stands as a testament to faithfulness and perseverance. He lived far away from his home, yet he never gave up hope that someday he would return to it. He spent most of his life in exile in a pagan land, yet he never wavered in his faith and trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
He was a prayer warrior, putting everything before the Lord in prayer, interceding on behalf of his people, and he was rewarded for his diligence and perseverance.
Nehemiah cared so much for his people that he never gave up the hope of their restoration, not only to their homeland, but to the God that first called their forefather, Abraham, out of the same area and made a covenant with him, one which Nehemiah believed would stand forever.
Born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus in December of AD 37, Nero became the fifth emperor of Rome. Nero, along with Rome’s first four emperors—Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius—made up what is called the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
Nero was adopted by his great uncle Claudius to become his successor, and upon Claudius’s death in AD 54 Nero became the youngest emperor at age 16. His reign lasted nearly fourteen years, until AD 68 when he committed suicide at the age of 30.
Nero took the throne approximately two decades after Christ was crucified. Although still in its infancy, Christianity was spreading rapidly during this time. In fact, approximately fourteen of the New Testament’s twenty-seven books were written in whole or in part during Nero’s emperorship.
Also during Nero’s reign the apostle Paul was confined to house arrest in Rome (AD 60—63), where he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Nero was the Caesar to whom Paul appealed for justice during his trial in Caesarea.
The early years of Nero’s rule were marked by an enhancement of the cultural life of the Roman Empire. Thanks to the guidance of his advisors, namely the Praetorian Prefect Burrus and the famous Roman philosopher Seneca, Rome maintained a stable government during his early years.
Nero loved the arts and was an accomplished singer and musician. He also enjoyed athletic competitions and took part in many chariot races, even winning a race in the Olympic Games at Greece.
Nero’s legacy, however, is not a pleasant one. Although his regime began with mildness and idealism, it ended with cruelty and tyranny. He began murdering anyone who became an obstacle to him; his victims include his own wife and mother as well as his step-brother Britannicus—Emperor Claudius’s biological son.
In July of 64, the Great Fire of Rome broke out and lasted for six days. Of Rome’s fourteen districts, only three escaped damage from the fire. Some historians believe Nero may have been responsible for the fire, although his involvement is not clear.
What is clear is that Nero deflected the focus from himself by blaming the fire on the Christians, many of whom he tortured and killed. The historian Tacitus describes these atrocities:
Covered with the skins of beasts, [Christians] were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as nightly illumination when daylight had expired.
Nero’s use of Christians as human torches to light his evening garden parties is well documented. Ultimately, it is the brutality inflicted on the early Christians for which Nero is best remembered.
The end of Nero’s reign was filled with strife. Tension among Roman leaders ultimately became so great that the Praetorian Guard transferred their loyalty from Nero to Galba, leading the Senate to declare Nero a public enemy.
Nero was forced to flee Rome, and he later took his own life. Having no heir to succeed him, Nero was the last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
Nero’s death was followed by a brief period of civil war, which was then followed by the rise and fall of four emperors in a single year, a chaotic period of Roman history known as The Year of the Four Emperors.
Noah was the son of Lamech, the grandson of Methuselah, and the great-grandson of Enoch. The scriptures list him as the 10th patriarch from Adam.
Noah was ordained to the priesthood when he was 10 years old by his grandfather Methuselah. He was a person of integrity and did all that God commanded him.
Noah lived at a time when people thought and did evil continually, and God called him to be a preacher of righteousness to that wicked generation.
When the people rejected his message, God commanded Noah to build an ark, gather animals, and prepare for a flood. Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives were the only people on the whole earth saved from the flood. After the flood, God made covenants with Noah.
Noah not only served as one of God’s prophets but was also a ministering angel after he died and brought heavenly messages before the birth of Christ and during the Restoration. He lived 950 years.
In this, the shortest book of the Old Testament, it seems the prophet Obadiah considered each word a high-priced commodity. Apparently, he was unable to afford any words describing himself or his family in any way.
Therefore, while twelve other men named Obadiah appear in Scripture, Old Testament scholars cannot identify with certainty any of them as the author of this book.
Though the ultimate identity of this prophet is shrouded in mystery, Obadiah’s emphasis on Jerusalem throughout this prophecy of judgment on the foreign nation of Edom, allows us at least to presume that Obadiah came from somewhere near the holy city in the southern kingdom of Judah.
Dating the book of Obadiah accurately is nearly impossible due to the scant historical information contained in the book. While several options have been proposed by scholars, the best argument places Obadiah in the 840s BC, making him the earliest writing prophet, a few years prior to Joel, and a contemporary of Elisha.
The biggest piece of evidence for this early date comes from Obadiah 1:10–14, which indicates an Edomite invasion of Jerusalem. While Edom was too weak a nation to ever invade Judah on its own, Edom no doubt participated with other nations when the winds of change blew in its favor.
In the 840s, when Edom rebelled against King Jehoram of Judah, the Philistines and the Arabians also invaded Jerusalem; While 2 Chronicles does not indicate the Edomites’ participation in the invasion, Obadiah 1:10–14 pictures the violent behavior that the Edomites carried out on their neighbors, waiting on nearby roads to cut down those fleeing from the invaders within Jerusalem.
The Edomites could have easily heard of Jerusalem’s invasion by foreign powers and entered themselves into the fray so that they too might benefit from plundering their neighbors in Jerusalem.
The majority of the book pronounces judgment on the foreign nation of Edom, making Obadiah one of only three prophets who pronounced judgment primarily on other nations (Nahum and Habakkuk are the others).
While others of the prophetic books contain passages of judgment against Edom and other nations, Obadiah’s singular focus points to a significant, albeit difficult, truth about humanity’s relationship with God: when people remove themselves from or place themselves in opposition to God’s people, they can expect judgment, rather than restoration, at the end of life.
Obadiah’s name, meaning “worshipper of Yahweh,” offers an interesting counterpoint to the message of judgment he pronounced on Edom, Judah’s neighbor to the southeast. As a worshipper of Yahweh, Obadiah placed himself in a position of humility before the Lord; he embraced his lowly place before the almighty God.
That God sent a man named “worshipper of Yahweh” to the people of Edom was no mistake. Edom had been found guilty of pride before the Lord. They had thought themselves greater than they were; great enough to mock, steal from, and even harm God’s chosen people.
But the “Lord GOD,” a name Obadiah used to stress God’s sovereign power over the nations, will not stand idly by and let His people suffer forever. Through Obadiah, God reminded Edom of their poor treatment of His people and promised redemption, not to the Edomites but to the people of Judah.
The nation of Edom, which eventually disappeared into history, remains one of the prime examples of the truth found in Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, / And a haughty spirit before stumbling.”
Obadiah’s prophecy focuses on the destructive power of pride. It reminds us of the consequences of living in a self-serving manner, of following through on our own feelings and desires without considering their impact on those around us. Do you struggle to set aside your own wants and desires for those of God and others?
Though such pride has been part of the lives of fallen human beings since the tragedy of the fall in Eden, Obadiah offers us a stark reminder to place ourselves under God’s authority, to subject our appetites to His purposes, and to find our hope in being His people when the restoration of all things comes.
Onesimus’ name is derived from a root that means beneficial, profitable, useful or helpful, but they all have the same idea but the question is this; were these statements about Philemon’s slave and how he was beneficial or helpful to Paul or was it his actual name?
Could this have been this runaway slave’s Christian name? Mysteries abound about this but we want to know more about who Onesimus was and not get preoccupied about his name.
The letter which Paul wrote to Philemon became canonized. Paul possibly never imagined that it would later become part of the New Testament but it was accepted as such quite early in the church’s history and it was widely circulated among the churches.
Paul wrote I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me).
The fact that Paul calls Onesimus useful might be a clue to his name because Paul says Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
Paul calls him my child perhaps revealing that Paul was his spiritual father, leading him to saving faith in Christ since he was no longer a bondservant but a brother in Christ. Whatever the case may be, Paul sent him back because it was the right thing to do as Paul didn’t want to do anything without Philemon’s consent.
Paul desired to keep Onesimus with him because he was serving him in prison but didn’t want to keep him if Philemon didn’t give his permission as he writes I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.
Upon Onesimus’ return, Paul asked Philemon to receive him as you would receive me considering they were partners in Christ. If nothing else, Paul said he would repay him for Onesimus’ service which could mean that Onesimus had apparently stolen some of his owners property so that he’d have the funds necessary to run away.
We are not sure how Onesimus came into contact with Paul. Was it because he had the customary hole in his ear that marked that of a slave and when the Roman authorities saw it, he was thrown into prison with Paul?
This could have been the occasion for Paul telling him about Jesus Christ and how he came to be saved. Onesimus must have been freed at some point, or he would have never been useful to Paul.
Paul was fortunate to have someone on the outside since many times prisoners of Rome had to find their resources outside of the prison walls. There are historical accounts of Onesimus becoming very useful and not just to Paul and Philemon.
Onesimus later came to be known as Onesimus of Byzantium and The Holy Apostle Onesimus in some of the Eastern Orthodox churches and was also referred to as Ignatius of Antioch as Bishop in Ephesus. Onesimus is thought to have died in 68 A.D.
One of the shortest books in the Bible, the Book of Philemon, is one of the most precious books there are in Scripture. It reveals that God desires forgiveness and that He is in the business of restoring lives and proves that There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
God sees no difference between His children. God has placed the cross for all to come to for forgiveness and the cross is level ground where the rich and the poor, the free and the slave, and the male and the female are seen as equal before God.
The name Onesiphorus may not have caught on like other Bible names such as Matthew, Mark, and Mary, but that’s not because of any negative connotation the name carries.
More likely, it’s the five-syllable pronunciation or the problems the spelling would cause. Onesiphorus the man was a personal friend of Paul’s and a great blessing to him. Onesiphorus lived up to his name, which means bringing profit.
Onesiphorus is only mentioned twice in the Bible, both times in the Epistle of 2 Timothy. Early in the Epistle, Paul writes a prayer of blessing upon Onesiphorus: May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.
On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
At the end of the letter, Paul sends greetings to the household of Onesiphorus. These two passages convey all we know about Onesiphorus’s background: (1) he was from Ephesus, where Paul had founded a church; (2) his whole family were believers; and (3) in Ephesus, he had helped Paul in many ways.
Paul wrote 2 Timothy from a Roman prison cell. It was a difficult time for the apostle, made more difficult by trusted friends who abandoned him in his hour of need. You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
In stark contrast to these deserters was Onesiphorus, who stayed with Paul through thick and thin. In fact, Onesiphorus went out of his way to track Paul down and visit him in prison.
In doing so, Onesiphorus showed great personal courage—it was dangerous to be called a Christian in Rome in those days—and compassion for the apostle.
Probably, Onesiphorus considered that he owed Paul a great debt. The church in Ephesus was a product of Paul’s third missionary journey. If not for Paul’s faithfulness in preaching the Word of God, Onesiphorus would not have heard the gospel.
In gratitude to the one who first told him of Christ, Onesiphorus determined to be a blessing to Paul. He often refreshed the imprisoned missionary and never balked at being known as an inmate’s friend.
Any physical or emotional blessing Onesiphorus could impart would still fall far short of the spiritual blessings he had received through the apostle. Because of the mercy Onesiphorus showed, Paul prays for mercy to be shown to him.
Paul’s prayer was no doubt grounded in Jesus’ promise in Matthew 5:7, Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Paul the Apostle (c. 5 – c. 67), commonly known as Saint Paul and also known by his Jewish name Saul of Tarsus was an apostle (though not one of the Twelve Apostles) who taught the gospel of the Christ to the first century world.
Paul is generally considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age and in the mid-30s to the mid-50s AD he founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe. He took advantage of his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to minister to both Jewish and Roman audiences.
According to writings in the New Testament and prior to his conversion, Paul was dedicated to persecuting the early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem. In the narrative of the Acts of the Apostles (often referred to simply as Acts),
Paul was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem when the resurrected Jesus appeared to him in a great light.
He was struck blind, but after three days his sight was restored by Ananias of Damascus and Paul began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God. Approximately half of the book of Acts deals with Paul’s life and works.
According to the account in Acts, it took place on the road to Damascus, where he reported having experienced a vision of the resurrected Jesus. The account says that he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Saul replied, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads).
According to the account in Acts 9:1–22, he was blinded for three days and had to be led into Damascus by the hand. During these three days, Saul took no food or water and spent his time in prayer to God.
When Ananias of Damascus arrived, he laid his hands on him and said: Brother Saul, the Lord, Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. His sight was restored, he got up and was baptized. This story occurs only in Acts, not in the Pauline epistles.
And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is the Son of God. And all who heard him were amazed and said, Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name?
And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests? But Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
Paul described himself as a servant of Jesus Christ; having experienced an unforeseen, sudden, startling change, due to all-powerful grace – not the fruit of his reasoning or thoughts.
Having seen Christ as did the other apostles when Christ appeared to him as he appeared to Peter, to James, to the Twelve, after his Resurrection; called to be an apostle; set apart for the gospel of God.
Paul described Jesus as having been promised by God beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures; being the true messiah and the Son of God;
having biological lineage from David; having been declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.
Being Jesus Christ our Lord; the One through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Jesus, lives in heaven; is God’s Son; would soon return.
The Cross, he now believed Jesus’ death was a voluntary sacrifice that reconciled sinners with God.
The Law, he now believed the law only reveals the extent of people’s enslavement to the power of sin – a power that must be broken by Christ.
Gentiles, he had believed Gentiles were outside the covenant that God made with Israel; he now believed Gentiles and Jews were united as the people of God in Christ Jesus.
Circumcision, had believed circumcision was the rite through which males became part of Israel, an exclusive community of God’s chosen people; he now believed that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything.
The new creation is what counts in the sight of God, and that this new creation is a work of Christ in the life of believers, making them part of the church, an inclusive community of Jews and Gentiles reconciled with God through faith.
Persecution, had believed his violent persecution of the church to be an indication of his zeal for his religion; he now believed Jewish hostility toward the church was sinful opposition that would incur God’s wrath.
He believed he was halted by Christ when his fury was at its height; It was through zeal that he persecuted the Church, and he obtained mercy because he had acted ignorantly in unbelief.
The Last Days, had believed God’s messiah would put an end to the old age of evil and initiate a new age of righteousness; he now believed this would happen in stages that had begun with the resurrection of Jesus, but the old age would continue until Jesus returns.
Paul is critical both theologically and empirically of claims of moral or lineal superiority of Jews while conversely strongly sustaining the notion of a special place for the Children of Israel.
There are debates as to whether Paul understood himself as commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles at the moment of his conversion.
Paul’s writings emphasized the crucifixion, Christ’s resurrection and the Parousia or second coming of Christ. The three major emphases in Paul’s writings:
His strongest emphasis was on the death, resurrection, and lordship of Jesus Christ.
He preached that one’s faith in Jesus assures that person a share in Jesus’ life (salvation). He saw Jesus’ death as being for the believers’ benefit, not a defeat. Jesus died so that believers’ sins would be forgiven.
The resurrection of Jesus was of primary importance to Paul, as may be seen in his first letter to the Thessalonians, which is the earliest surviving account of conversion to Christianity.
The resurrection brought the promise of salvation to believers. Paul taught that, when Christ returned, those who had died believing in Christ as the savior of mankind would be brought back to life, while those still alive would be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air.
Sanders concludes that Paul’s writings reveal what he calls the essence of the Christian message: God sent his Son. The Son was crucified for the sins of humanity.
After being dead three days, the Son was raised from the dead, defeating death.
The Son would soon return. Those in Christ will live with him forever. Followers are urged to live by a set apart (sanctified) standard – And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Book of Romans
As with all Paul’s epistles to the churches, his purpose in writing was to proclaim the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ by teaching doctrine and edify and encourage the believers who would receive his letter. Of particular concern to Paul were those to whom this letter was written—those in Rome who were loved by God and called to be saints.
Because he himself was a Roman citizen, he had a unique passion for those in the assembly of believers in Rome. Since he had not, to this point, visited the church in Rome, this letter also served as his introduction to them.
Paul was excited about being able to minister at last in this church, and everyone was well aware of that fact. The letter to the Romans was written from Corinth just prior to Paul’s trip to Jerusalem to deliver the alms that had been given for the poor there.
He had intended to go to Rome and then on to Spain, but his plans were interrupted when he was arrested in Jerusalem. He would eventually go to Rome as a prisoner. Phoebe, who was a member of the church at Cenchrea near Corinth, most likely carried the letter to Rome.
The Book of Romans is primarily a work of doctrine and can be divided into four sections: righteousness needed, 1:18–3:20; righteousness provided, 3:21–8:39; righteousness vindicated, 9:1–11:36; righteousness practiced, 12:1–15:13.
The main theme of this letter is obvious of course—righteousness. Guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul first condemns all men of their sinfulness. He expresses his desire to preach the truth of God’s Word to those in Rome.
It was his hope to have assurance they were staying on the right path. He strongly points out that he is not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power by which everyone is saved.
The Book of Romans tells us about God, who He is and what He has done. It tells us of Jesus Christ, what His death accomplished. It tells us about ourselves, what we were like without Christ and who we are after trusting in Christ.
Paul points out that God did not demand men have their lives straightened out before coming to Christ. While we were still sinners Christ died on a cross for our sins.
Paul uses several Old Testament people and events as illustrations of the glorious truths in the Book of Romans. Abraham believed and righteousness was imputed to him by his faith, not by his works.
In Romans 4:6-9, Paul refers to David who reiterated the same truth: Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.
Paul uses Adam to explain to the Romans the doctrine of inherited sin, and he uses the story of Sarah and Isaac, the child of promise, to illustrate the principle of Christians being the children of the promise of the divine grace of God through Christ.
In chapters 9–11, Paul recounts the history of the nation of Israel and declares that God has not completely and finally rejected Israel but has allowed them to stumble only until the full number of the Gentiles will be brought to salvation.
The Book of Romans makes it clear that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Every good deed we have ever done is as a filthy rag before God. So dead in our trespasses and sins are we that only the grace and mercy of God can save us.
God expressed that grace and mercy by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place. When we turn our lives over to Christ, we are no longer controlled by our sin nature, but we are controlled by the Spirit.
If we make confession that Jesus is Lord, and believe that He is raised from the dead, we are saved, born again. We need to live our lives offered to God as a living sacrifice to Him. Worship of the God who saved us should be our highest desire.
Perhaps the best application of Romans would be to apply Romans 1:16 and not be ashamed of the gospel. Instead, let us all be faithful in proclaiming it!
(also known as Simon) (Fisherman) Rock. Brother of Andrew and son of Jonah; also known as Simeon or Simon; originally a fisherman of Bethsaida, on the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee.
He was called by Jesus to be a disciple; at that time he was living at Capernaum with his wife and his wife’s mother. His Aramaic name, Cephas, of which Peter is the Greek equivalent, was given him by the Lord.
He was one of the three disciples present on several important occasions. Other references to him are found where we find his confession of the Lord as the Messiah and the Son of God.
The words then addressed to him, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, have been made the foundation of the papal claims. But it is the Christ, the Son of God, which Peter had just confessed, who is the true cornerstone of the Church.
Other events connected with his life: his denial; at the Resurrection; with our Lord by the Sea of Galilee; in Jerusalem after Pentecost; with Simon Magus; at Lydda and Joppa; with Cornelius; in prison; at the Jerusalem conference; and at Antioch.
From his epistle we learn that he worked in Babylon (which may be the well-known city on the Euphrates, or more likely is a disguised name for Rome) and had as his companions Mark and Silvanus or Silas.
It was possibly under his direction that Mark wrote his Gospel. From A.D. 44 to 61 he was probably at work in Syrian towns, having Antioch as his center. It is generally believed that he suffered martyrdom at Rome, perhaps in 64 or 65.
Peter was one of the greatest of men. It is true that the New Testament recounts some mortal weaknesses, but it also illustrates that he overcame them and was made strong by his faith in Jesus Christ.
The Lord honored Peter by selecting him to hold the keys of the kingdom on earth, and it was upon the holy mount that Peter received these keys from the Savior, Moses, and Elias (Elijah).
Peter was the chief Apostle of his day; and after the death, Resurrection, and Ascension of the Savior, it was Peter who called the Church together and acted in the office of his calling as the one who possessed the keys of the priesthood.
It was through Peter’s ministry that the gospel was first opened up to the Gentiles. One of Three in core group of Disciples (Peter, James, and John); a leader of the Jerusalem church; baptized Gentiles; wrote 1 and 2 Peter. He was reportedly Crucified, upside down, during the reign of Emperor Nero.
He was one of the three disciples present on several important occasions. Other references to him are found where we find his confession of the Lord as the Messiah and the Son of God.
The words then addressed to him, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, have been made the foundation of the papal claims. But it is the Christ, the Son of God, which Peter had just confessed, who is the true cornerstone of the Church.
Other events connected with his life: his denial; at the Resurrection; with our Lord by the Sea of Galilee; in Jerusalem after Pentecost; with Simon Magus; at Lydda and Joppa; with Cornelius; in prison; at the Jerusalem conference; and at Antioch.
From his epistle we learn that he worked in Babylon (which may be the well-known city on the Euphrates, or more likely is a disguised name for Rome) and had as his companions Mark and Silvanus or Silas.
It was possibly under his direction that Mark wrote his Gospel. From A.D. 44 to 61 he was probably at work in Syrian towns, having Antioch as his center. It is generally believed that he suffered martyrdom at Rome, perhaps in 64 or 65.
Peter was one of the greatest of men. It is true that the New Testament recounts some mortal weaknesses, but it also illustrates that he overcame them and was made strong by his faith in Jesus Christ.
The Lord honored Peter by selecting him to hold the keys of the kingdom on earth, and it was upon the holy mount that Peter received these keys from the Savior, Moses, and Elias (Elijah).
Peter was the chief Apostle of his day; and after the death, Resurrection, and Ascension of the Savior, it was Peter who called the Church together and acted in the office of his calling as the one who possessed the keys of the priesthood.
It was through Peter’s ministry that the gospel was first opened up to the Gentiles. One of Three in core group of Disciples (Peter, James, and John); a leader of the Jerusalem church; baptized Gentiles; wrote 1 and 2 Peter. He was reportedly Crucified, upside down, during the reign of Emperor Nero.
The Book of 1st Peter
Simon Peter, also known as Cephas, was one of the first followers of Jesus Christ. He was an outspoken and ardent disciple, one of Jesus’ closest friends, an apostle, and a pillar of the church.
Peter was enthusiastic, strong-willed, impulsive, and, at times, brash. But for all his strengths, Peter had several failings in his life. Still, the Lord who chose him continued to mold him into exactly who He intended Peter to be.
Simon was originally from Bethsaida and lived in Capernaum, both cities on the coast of the Sea of Galilee. He was married, and he and James and John were partners in a profitable fishing business.
Simon met Jesus through his brother Andrew, who had followed Jesus after hearing John the Baptist proclaim that Jesus was the Lamb of God. Andrew immediately went to find his brother to bring him to Jesus.
Upon meeting Simon, Jesus gave him a new name: Cephas (Aramaic) or Peter (Greek), which means rock. Later, Jesus officially called Peter to follow Him, producing a miraculous catch of fish. Immediately, Peter left everything behind to follow the Lord.
For the next three years, Peter lived as a disciple of the Lord Jesus. Being a natural-born leader, Peter became the de facto spokesman for the Twelve. More significantly, it was Peter who first confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, a truth which Jesus said was divinely revealed to Peter.
Peter was part of the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples, along with James and John. Only those three were present when Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus and when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain. Peter and John were given the special task of preparing the final Passover meal.
In several instances, Peter showed himself to be impetuous to the point of rashness. For example, it was Peter who left the boat to walk on the water to Jesus and promptly took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink.
It was Peter who took Jesus aside to rebuke Him for speaking of His death and was swiftly corrected by the Lord. It was Peter who suggested erecting three tabernacles to honor Moses, Elijah, and Jesus and fell to the ground in fearful silence at God’s glory.
It was Peter who drew his sword and attacked the servant of the high priest and was immediately told to sheath his weapon. It was Peter who boasted that he would never forsake the Lord, even if everyone else did and later denied three times that he even knew the Lord.
Through all of Peter’s ups and downs, the Lord Jesus remained his loving Lord and faithful Guide. Jesus reaffirmed Simon as Peter, the Rock, in Matthew 16:18-19, promising that he would be instrumental in establishing Jesus’ Church.
After His resurrection, Jesus specifically named Peter as one who needed to hear the good news. And, repeating the miracle of the large catch of fish, Jesus made a special point of forgiving and restoring Peter and re-commissioning him as an apostle.
On the day of Pentecost, Peter was the main speaker to the crowd in Jerusalem, and the Church began with an influx of about 3,000 new believers. Later, Peter healed a lame beggar and preached boldly before the Sanhedrin. Even arrest, beatings, and threats could not dampen Peter’s resolve to preach the risen Christ.
Jesus’ promise that Peter would be foundational in building the Church was fulfilled in three stages: Peter preached on the day of Pentecost. Then, he was present when the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit.
Finally, he was summoned to the home of the Roman centurion Cornelius, who also believed and received the Holy Spirit. In this way, Peter unlocked three different worlds and opened the door of the Church to Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles.
Even as an apostle, Peter experienced some growing pains. At first, he had resisted taking the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile. However, when he saw the Romans receive the Holy Spirit in the same manner he had, Peter concluded that God does not show favoritism.
After that, Peter strongly defended the Gentiles’ position as believers and was adamant that they did not need to conform to Jewish law. Another episode of growth in Peter’s life concerns his visit to Antioch, where he enjoyed the fellowship of Gentile believers.
However, when some legalistic Jews arrived in Antioch, Peter, to appease them, withdrew from the Gentile Christians. The Apostle Paul saw this as hypocrisy and called it such to Peter’s face.
Later in life, Peter spent time with John Mark, who wrote the gospel of Mark based on Peter’s remembrances of his time with Jesus. Peter wrote two inspired epistles, 1 and 2 Peter, between A.D. 60 and 68.
Jesus said that Peter would die a martyr’s death a prophecy fulfilled, presumably, during Nero’s reign. Tradition has it that Peter was crucified upside down in Rome, and, although such the story may be true, there is no scriptural or historical witness to the particulars of Peter’s death.
Jesus overcomes fear. Whether stepping out of a boat onto a tossing sea or stepping across the threshold of a Gentile home for the first time, Peter found courage in following Christ. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.
Jesus forgives unfaithfulness. After he had boasted of his fidelity, Peter fervently denied the Lord three times. It seemed that Peter had burned his bridges, but Jesus lovingly rebuilt them and restored Peter to service.
Peter was a former failure, but, with Jesus, failure is not the end. If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Jesus patiently teaches. Over and over, Peter needed correction, and the Lord gave it with patience, firmness, and love. The Master Teacher looks for students willing to learn. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.
Jesus sees us as He intends us to be. The very first time they met, Jesus called Simon Peter. The rough and reckless fisherman was, in Jesus’ eyes, a firm and faithful rock. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.
Jesus uses unlikely heroes. Peter was a fisherman from Galilee, but Jesus called him to be a fisher of men. Because Peter was willing to leave all he had to follow Jesus, God used him in great ways.
As Peter preached, people were amazed at his boldness because he was unschooled and ordinary. But then they took note that Peter had been with Jesus. Being with Jesus makes all the difference.
The Israelites numbered about 70 when they first came to live in Egypt at the invitation of the Pharaoh whose vizier was Jacob’s 11th son Joseph-Imhotep. They were allowed to live in the best part of the land; Goshen.
Here they flourished and multiplied under the protection of Joseph who was second in charge of Egypt and had saved the country from a seven year famine by storing up grain to sell before the famine started.
Joseph had brought up all the land of Egypt and had made the Pharaoh very rich and powerful. Joseph lived until the age of 110 years and served several pharaohs. When he died, he was embalmed and given a royal Egyptian burial – some 80 years after he first entered Egypt.
The Israelites came to Egypt in the 3rd dynasty when Netjerikhet was the Pharaoh. Pharaoh Netjerikhet came to be known as Pharaoh Djoser as time went by (the pharaoh of Joseph).
The Israelites flourished and multiplied during the 3rd & 4th dynasties while Joseph was alive and continued to multiply during the 5th & 6th dynasties after his death.
The Bible tells how the Israelites are enslaved in Egypt and eventually escape under the leadership of Moses. At least one or two pharaohs are involved, the “pharaoh of the oppression” who enslaves the Israelites, and the “pharaoh of the exodus” during whose rule the Israelites escape.
The biblical story does not name or give enough information to identify the period in which the events are set. There have thus been many suggestions as to which of Egypt’s many rulers was involved.
Rabbinic sources state that the First Temple stood for 410 years and the Seder Olam Rabbah (c. 2nd century AD) place its construction in 832 BC and destruction in 422 BC (3338 AM), 165 years later than secular estimates. Given that flexibility, there is at least one strong possibility for the Pharaoh of Exodus: Neferhotep I, Pharaoh of the 13th Dynasty. Consider the following historical facts:
Neferhotep’s dynasty began because his predecessor, Amenemhat III, had no surviving sons and his daughter, Sobekneferu, was childless. This would explain why, in Exodus 2, Pharaoh’s house takes in an apparently orphaned Hebrew child. Sobekneferu could have been the Egyptian princess who drew Moses out of the Nile and named him.
Neferhotep I presided over Egypt during an era of profound chaos, described in the Ipuwer Papyrus: “Plague stalks through the land and blood is everywhere, the river is blood, gates, columns and walls are consumed with fire, the son of the high-born man is no longer to be recognized. The stranger people from outside are come into Egypt. Corn has perished everywhere.” Few monuments from the period survive.
Neferhotep was not succeeded by his son Wahneferhotep but rather by his brother Sobkhotpe IV. This fits with the story of the biblical Pharaoh, who lost a son to the final plague of Egypt, the death of the firstborn. There is no surviving mummy of Neferhotep. The lack of remains is to be expected if Neferhotep was among those swept away during the crossing of the Red Sea.
Other historical tidbits about the era of Neferhotep I overlap with the biblical story of Exodus. These include evidence of a slave town, Kahun, which appears to have been hastily abandoned, as Scripture describes.
Staves shaped like snakes have been found, dated to this same time period, echoing the tricks of the Pharaoh’s magicians. Shortly after Neferhotep’s reign, Egypt was overrun by the Hyskos, an unlikely event unless the nation was profoundly weakened.
Pharaoh Sesostris I is identified as the pharaoh who appointed Joseph over Egypt, with Joseph himself possibly being identified as Mentuhotep,
Sesostris’ vizier or prime minister. Sesostris III would have been the pharaoh who oppressed the Israelite slaves, and Sobekneferu, the daughter of Amenemhet III, was the princess who rescued Moses from the Nile.
Neferhotep I was the pharaoh who refused to let the Israelites go and who subsequently drowned in the Red Sea with his army. The Amalekites were the mysterious Hyksos who invaded Egypt after the Egyptian army had been destroyed. Going further back in history, Khufu was probably the pharaoh that Abraham met when he visited Egypt.
Philemon was a wealthy Christian, possibly a bishop of the house church that met in his home in Colosse. This letter is now generally regarded as one of the undisputed works of Paul. It is the shortest of Paul’s extant letters, consisting of only 335 words in the Greek text.
The letter is addressed to Philemon, who is described as a fellow worker of Paul. It is generally assumed that Philemon lived in Colossae; in the letter to the Colossians, Onesimus (the slave who fled from Philemon) and Archippus (whom Paul greets in the letter to Philemon) are described as members of the church there.
Philemon may have converted to Christianity through Paul’s ministry, possibly in Ephesus. The salutation mentions two other figures beyond Philemon. The first is Apphia, who is probably Philemon’s wife.
Paul also mentions Archippus, a fellow soldier; some have speculated that he is the son of Philemon and Apphia.
As a background to his specific plea for Onesimus, Paul clarifies his intentions and circumstances. Although he has the boldness to command Philemon to do what would be right in the circumstances, he prefers to base his appeal on his knowledge of Philemon’s love and generosity.
He also describes the affection he has for Onesimus and the transformation that has taken place with Onesimus’s conversion to the Christian faith. Where Onesimus was useless, now he is useful – a wordplay, as Onesimus means useful.
Paul indicates that he would have been glad to keep Onesimus with him but recognized that it was right to send him back.
Paul’s specific request is for Philemon to welcome Onesimus as he would welcome Paul, namely as a Christian brother. He offers to pay for any debt created by Onesimus’ departure and expresses his desire that Philemon might refresh his heart in Christ.
(Fisherman) Told Nathanael about Jesus; wondered how Jesus could feed 5,000; asked Jesus to show his followers God the Father; he and Andrew told Jesus that Greeks wanted to see him. He reportedly suffered Martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was severely flogged, imprisoned, and later Crucified.
Philip the evangelist or Philip the deacon. Philip was one of the original seven deacons selected to serve in the Jerusalem church. Philip had a heart for evangelism, and, when the great persecution arose in Acts 8:1, Philip left Jerusalem to become an evangelist in Samaria.
After the church in Samaria was started, Philip was used by the Holy Spirit to bring the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch, a member of the court of Candace, the Ethiopian queen.
Philip found the eunuch sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah and trying to make sense of the prophet’s words. Philip offered to explain, and the eunuch invited him to come up and sit with him.
In the end, the eunuch was saved and baptized. Immediately following the baptism, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away to Azotus, where he continued to preach the gospel in the towns from there to Caesarea. Twenty years later, Philip is mentioned again, still in Caesarea.
Paul and Luke and others were traveling to Jerusalem, and they stopped at Philip’s home in Caesarea. They stayed with Philip for several days. Philip had four virgin daughters at that time, all of whom had the gift of prophecy. That is the last time the Bible mentions the evangelist Philip.
Was the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 26–36. He served under Emperor Tiberius, and is best known today for the trial and crucifixion of Jesus.
The sources for Pilate’s life are an inscription known as the Pilate Stone, which confirms his historicity and establishes his title as prefect. Pilate was an equestrian of the Pontii family, and succeeded Valerius Gratus as prefect of Judaea in AD 26.
Once in his post he offended the religious sensibilities of his subjects, leading to harsh criticism from Philo, and many decades later, Josephus.
According to Josephus c. AD 93, Pilate was deposed and sent to Rome by Lucius Vitellius after harshly suppressing a Samaritan uprising, arriving just after the death of Tiberius which occurred on 16 March in AD 37. Pilate was replaced by Marcellus.
In all four gospel accounts, Pilate lobbies for Jesus to be spared his eventual fate of execution, and acquiesces only when the crowd refuses to relent. He thus seeks to avoid personal responsibility for the death of Jesus.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Pilate washes his hands to show that he is not responsible for the execution of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his death.
In the Gospel of Luke, Pilate not only agrees that Jesus did not conspire against Rome, but Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, also finds nothing treasonable in Jesus’ actions. In the Gospel of John, Pilate states “I find no guilt in Him [Jesus],” and he asks the Jews if Jesus should be released from custody.
The younger of the daughters of Laban, the dearly loved wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
Jeremiah, in a very beautiful passage, pictures Rachel as weeping in Ramah for her children, the descendants of Benjamin, Ramah being the place at which the exiles were assembled before their departure for Babylon.
Matthew quotes the passage in his description of the mourning at Bethlehem (where Rachel’s grave was) after the murder of the children.
Rahab’s story is found in Joshua 2–6. This passage describes the conquest of the fortified city of Jericho by the Israelites. In its day, Jericho was the most important Canaanite fortress city in the Jordan Valley. It was a stronghold directly in the path of the advancing Israelites, who had just crossed the Jordan River.
Before entering the land west of the Jordan, Joshua sent two spies to look over the land. The king of Jericho heard that two Israelite spies were within his city and ordered them to be brought out to him. Rahab, the woman with whom the spies were staying, protected them by hiding them on her roof.
She told them how the citizens of Jericho had been fearful of the Israelites ever since they defeated the Egyptians via the Red Sea miracle (some 40 years prior). She agreed to help them escape, provided that she and her family were spared in the upcoming battle.
The spies agreed to her request, giving her three conditions to be met: 1) she must distinguish her house from the others by hanging a scarlet rope out of the window so the Israelites would know which home to spare; 2) her family must be inside the house during the battle; and 3) she must not later turn on the spies.
Safely escaping the city, the two spies returned to Joshua and reported that the “whole land was melting with fear.” The Israelites crossed the Jordan into Canaan where they laid siege to the city of Jericho. The city was completely destroyed, and every man, woman, and child in it was killed.
Only Rahab and her family were spared. Ultimately, Rahab married Salmon, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah. Her son was Boaz, the husband of Ruth. Joseph, the legal father of Jesus, is her direct descendant.
Rahab was a young Canaanite prostitute and as such not a very likely candidate for a heroine of the faith. Jericho was one of the principal seats of idol worship, being especially devoted to Ashtaroth, the goddess of the moon. Here was centered all that was the vilest and most degrading in the religion of the Canaanites.
It is clear that Rahab was perceptive, intelligent and well informed. Rahab identified the spies for what they were, hid them, and had a plausible story ready with which to deceive the king’s agents. Rahab didn’t deny that she had entertained the men. She says that they left at dusk when it would be difficult for anyone to be sure of clearly seeing anything.
The agents did not dare to risk stopping to search Rahab’s house because, if they did, the spies might get away. Finally, the Canaanite prostitute gives the two Israelites excellent advice. She tells them to hide in the hills for three days before attempting to cross the Jordan.
Spiritually, Rahab was not in an ideal circumstance to come to faith in the one true God, the God of Israel. She was a citizen of a wicked city that was under God’s condemnation. Rahab was part of a corrupt, depraved, pagan culture. She had not benefited from the godly leadership of Moses or Joshua. However, Rahab had one asset—she had heard from the many men she came into contact with that the Israelites were to be feared.
She heard the stories of their escape from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the wanderings in the wilderness, and their recent victory over the Amorites. She learned enough to reach the correct, saving conclusion: “For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below”. It is this change of heart, this faith—coupled with the actions prompted by faith—that saved her and her family.
Daughter of Bethuel and sister of Laban; married to Isaac; mother of Esau and Jacob; pretends to be Isaac’s sister; angry with Esau, and helps to obtain the blessing for Jacob.
Rehoboam was 41 years old when he ascended the throne. The United Kingdom of Solomon breaks up, with Jeroboam ruling over the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
The assembly for the coronation of Solomon’s successor, Rehoboam, was called at Shechem, the one sacredly historic city within the territory of the Ten Tribes. Before the coronation took place, the assembly requested certain reforms in the policy followed by Rehoboam’s father, Solomon.
The reforms requested would materially reduce the royal exchequer and hence its power to continue the magnificence of Solomon’s court. The older men counseled Rehoboam at least to speak to the people in a civil manner (it is not clear whether they counseled him to accept the demands).
However, the new king sought the advice from the people he had grown up with, who advised the king to show no weakness to the people, and to tax them even more, which Rehoboam did.
He proclaimed to the people, “Whereas my father laid upon you a heavy yoke, so shall I add tenfold thereto. Whereas my father chastised (tortured) you with whips, so shall I chastise you with scorpions. For my littlest finger is thicker than my father’s loins; and your backs, which bent like reeds at my father’s touch, shall break like straws at my own touch.”
Although the ostensible reason was the heavy burden laid upon Israel because of Solomon’s great outlay for buildings and for luxury of all kinds, the other reasons include the historical opposition between the north and the south.
The two sections had acted independently until David, by his victories, succeeded in uniting all the tribes, though the Ephraimitic jealousy was ever ready to develop into open revolt. Religious considerations were also operative.
The building of the Temple was a severe blow for the various sanctuaries scattered through the land, and the priests of the high places probably supported the revolt. Josephus makes the rebels exclaim: ” We leave to Rehoboam the Temple his father built.”
Jeroboam and the people rebelled, with the ten northern tribes breaking away and forming a separate kingdom. The new breakaway kingdom continued to be called Kingdom of Israel, and was also known as Samaria, or Ephraim or the northern Kingdom. The realm Rehoboam was left with was called Kingdom of Judah.
Rehoboam went to war against the new Kingdom of Israel with a force of 180,000 soldiers. However, he was advised against fighting his brethren, and so returned to Jerusalem. The text reports that Israel and Judah were in a state of war throughout his 17-year reign.
In the 5th year of Rehoboam’s reign Shishaq, king of Egypt, brought a huge army and took many cities. According to Joshua, son of Nadav, that Rehoboam built fifteen fortified cities, indicates that the attack was not unexpected.
The account in Chronicles states that Shishaq marched with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen and troops who came with him from Egypt: Libyans, Sukkites, and Kushites. Shishaq’s armies captured all of the fortified towns leading to Jerusalem between Gezer and Gibeon.
When they laid siege to Jerusalem, Rehoboam gave Shishaq all of the treasures out of the temple as a tribute. The Egyptian campaign cut off trade with south Arabia via Elath and the Negev that had been established during Solomon’s reign. Judah became a vassal state of Egypt.
Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines. They bore him 28 sons and 60 daughters. His wives included Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
His sons with Mahalath were Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. After Mahalath he married his cousin Maacah, daughter of Absalom, David‘s son. His sons with Maacah were Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. The names of his other wives, sons and all his daughters are not given.
Rehoboam reigned for 17 years. When he died he was buried beside his ancestors in Jerusalem. He was succeeded by his son Abijah.
Ruth was “of the women of Moab” but was genetically linked to Israel through Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Ruth had married the son of an Israelite family while they were living in Moab, but at some point, her father-in-law, her husband, and her husband’s only brother passed away.
So Ruth had to make a decision whether to stay in Moab, her home, or to go with her mother-in-law, Naomi, to a land she had never known—Judah.
Ruth loved her mother-in-law, and had great compassion for her, seeing that she had lost not only her husband, but both of her sons. Ruth’s sister-in-law, Orpah, made the choice to go back to her people in Moab, but Ruth could not bear to part from Naomi or from the God of Israel that she had come to know.
They made the journey back to Judah to the city of Bethlehem, where they decided to settle. Ruth’s testimony preceded her, for the owner of a nearby field, Boaz, had heard of her faithfulness, as recorded in Ruth 2:11:
Boaz replied, I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.
The custom of Israel was that a man was to take his deceased brother’s wife in order to continue the family line. Since Ruth’s husband’s only brother had also died, and there was not an available male relative to claim her as a wife, she and Naomi would have to fend for themselves.
Boaz not only noticed Ruth’s beauty, inside and out, but he saw to it that she had companionship of other females, that she was protected, and that she had times of refreshing from her labor. Ruth reciprocated by displaying humility and appreciation, which only ingratiated her more to Boaz. And he continued to show her every courtesy.
Ruth and Boaz had come to know one another very well, but not in a romantic sense. They came to know each other’s good character, loyalty, faithfulness, and sense of commitment, all of which go into making a strong foundation on which to build lasting relationships and marriages.
Naomi reminded Ruth that Boaz was a male relative, a kinsman of Elimilech, Naomi’s husband; therefore, Boaz was qualified to become Ruth’s husband. It was of the utmost importance in Israel to perpetuate the name of every family of Israel, so this gave Ruth the right to appeal to Boaz to fill that role.
This is a custom that seems foreign to modern society; however, it goes to show just how important family ties and heritage are to God. This is why Satan continuously attacks the God-ordained family unit.
Ruth had an open mind and a teachable spirit, so she listened to her mother-in-law and took her advice. Ruth followed Naomi’s instructions to the letter; she trusted the Lord, and He rewarded her faithfulness by giving her not only a husband, but a son (Obed), a grandson (Jesse), and a great-grandson named David, the king of Israel.
Besides these gifts, God gave Ruth the blessing of being listed in the lineage of Jesus.
Samson lived in the land that God had given to the Israelites. But there were still other people who either inhabited the land or attacked the Israelites. God used men (and one woman) called Judges to lead and protect the people of Israel during this time before they had a king. One of these judges was Samson. Though we probably think of Samson as being a wicked man, God still used Samson to accomplish His purposes.
God had planned a special life for Samson. God visited Samson’s parents through an angel to tell them that Samson would be a Nazarite from birth. The vow of a Nazarite was typically for a set period of time and was voluntary. Yet, in Samson’s case, he was to be a Nazarite all his life and it was a calling by God, not a choice that Samson made personally.
This special vow put restrictions on his life. This included the food that Samson was to eat, that he was not to cut his hair with a razor, nor to be near a dead body. In exchange for these limitations, God endowed Samson with exceptional strength. Sadly, Samson violated all these restrictions during his life which brought him to a tragic end.
Samson met a woman from the Philistines. These were the enemies of the people of God. Samson’s parents tried to convince him to choose an Israelite woman to be his wife, but he refused their guidance. Even though Samson’s desires were carnal, God used this choice to accomplish His plan.
On Samson’s way to visit the woman he had chosen to be his wife, he met a young lion along the way. He was able to kill the lion with his bare hands. Apparently this was the first time the great strength from God appeared in his life. The Bible says that he did not even tell his parents about this event.
When Samson returned home from visiting the woman who was to become his wife, a swarm of bees inhabited the dead body of the lion. Samson took honey from the lion’s carcase—in violation of the Nazarite vow to avoid dead bodies. This event of the death of the lion and subsequent inhabitation by bees became the basis for a riddle he later told.
When preparing for the wedding feast a group of Philistine men, who apparently wanted to cause trouble, came to Samson. Samson proposed a challenge to them. He gave them a riddle that they had to answer within the week of the feast.
If they answered correctly he would give sheets and clothing for each of the 30 men. Or, they would do the same for him if they could not figure out the riddle.
The riddle was, “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.” The Philistine men were not able to answer the riddle on their own. They threatened the lives of Samson’s wife and her family to get her to discover the riddle from Samson. She pleaded with Samson for the answer during the feast. Samson finally revealed the answer to her.
The Philistine men came to Samson with the answer, “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” To obtain the clothing he needed to pay off the debt of the riddle, Samson went and slew 30 men from Ashkelon.
Samson’s wife was taken from him and he was not allowed by his father-in-law to have her. The father offered Samson a younger sister instead. Samson was not pleased with the idea of a substitute. As a punishment for taking away his wife Samson tied 300 foxes together by their tails in pairs and lit a torch between them. The foxes ran through the corn fields of the Philistines destroying their crops.
The Philistines retaliated against Samson by burning Samson’s wife and her household. Samson singlehandedly went to war against the Philistines. We are not told how many people Samson slew at that first battle, but apparently an impressive number. He then retreated to a mountain.
The men of the Philistines came to take Samson by force. But the men of Israel did not want their country destroyed because of this war. They knew the Philistines were mightier than Israel. Therefore, 3,000 Israelites came to Samson to ask him to turn himself in. He allowed them to bind him with ropes and deliver him to the Philistines.
When he arrived in the camp of the Philistines, Samson broke the ropes and again fought the men of the land. This time he battled with a donkey’s jawbone. He killed 1,000 Philistines before the fight was over. But, he was dying of thirst. God provided water for him from the jawbone.
This single-man war against the Philistines started a 20 year reign of Samson over the Philistines. Samson did not always obey God or His plan, yet God used Samson to lead and protect Israel. Therefore he is one of the many judges in the Bible that God used.
At one point Samson was surrounded by the Philistines in Gaza to capture him. He rose in the middle of the night and tore the gates of the city from their hinges. Then he carried them up to the top of a hill near Hebron. His great strength was demonstrated again and again.
Samson had a woman problem. The reason he was in Gaza previously was to be with a prostitute. Later he was in the Valley of Sorek with Delilah, who was not his wife. Delilah was a Philistine.
The leaders of the land each promised to pay her 1,100 pieces of silver for her help in discovering Samson’s strength and for bringing him into captivity.
Through various attempts and pleading, which you can read about in the story of Samson and Delilah, she was able to uncover his weakness. Samson was taken prisoner with the help of Delilah.
Samson’s hair had been cut and his eyes gouged out. He was taken to the grinding wheel of the Philistines. Samson was publicly humiliated. I don’t believe Samson’s strength was wrapped up in the length of his hair. His strength was something that was given to him by God for a purpose.
We see that the Spirit of God moved upon Samson to give him his strength (Judges 14:6). When Samson continually disregarded the vow, or calling, that God bestowed upon him, that is when his strength was taken away from him.
Samson was placed in front of the prison house to be humiliated once again. He asked the young boy that led him out (presumably like a dog on a leash) to place his hands on the pillars of the building. Though blinded and humiliated—or maybe because he was finally humbled.
Samson prayed that God would allow him to do a work on behalf of Israel once again. God granted him the strength to knock down the building. The Bible says that Samson slew more in his death under the rubble of the building than he did in his life.
Young Samuel was placed under the care and training of Eli, the priest and judge of Israel at that time. Toward the end of the period of the judges of Israel, the roughly 300 years between Joshua and King Saul, God began preparing a child who would have profound leadership skills and spiritual steadfastness to judge Israel.
After Samuel began serving as judge, he continued in this role “all the days of his life”. He also served as a teacher and prophet.
The story of Samuel’s life begins with the very touching scene of Hannah, a wife of Elkanah, praying to God at the tabernacle in Shiloh. She was pleading with God to allow her to bear a son because she was barren. Elkanah was a Levite of the region of Ephraim. His other wife, Peninnah, was able to bear several children, and she made Hannah’s life miserable.
Hannah made a vow to God that if He would allow her to bear a son, she would give the boy to the service of God all the days of his life. Some time passed and God answered Hannah’s prayer. She conceived and bore a son, calling his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord”.
After Samuel was weaned from his mother, he was placed under the care and training of Eli, the priest and judge of Israel at that time. In addition to teaching Samuel about God and His instructions, Eli gave the child Samuel light duties around the tabernacle, such as opening its doors.
It was during this time when Samuel was still a child that God began to speak to him. Samuel’s first message from God was quite sobering and was to be delivered to Eli, the aging leader of Israel. Samuel was to announce God’s punishment on Eli’s two wayward sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were abusing their priestly authority over the people and desecrating the sacrificial offerings.
God also severely reprimanded Eli for his tolerance of his sons’ behavior. Because of the disrespect shown to God, God told Eli that his descendants would die in “the flower of their age” and that He would choose another family to serve in the priestly line. The prophecy, “then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest and he shall walk before My anointed forever”, apparently referred to Zadok.
As Samuel grew and faithfully conveyed messages from God, it became obvious that God was working through him. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. Samuel was also referred to as a “seer”, another name for prophet.
The people of Israel consulted Samuel on difficult subjects, and the elders trembled before him as the representative of God’s authority. Yet in his great concern for the nation, at times he would be in deep intercessory prayer for them.
At times God had His prophets fulfill additional duties such as anointing future kings and working with them. Samuel was the instrument God used to anoint the first two physical kings of Israel, Saul and then David. Samuel cared for Saul and served as an instructor to him in his early years of kingship.
Later, when Saul overstepped his kingly authority and disregarded God’s commands, God spoke through Samuel to tell Saul that he was rejected as king over Israel. God then sent Samuel to anoint young David to be Israel’s next king. For a number of years David was close to Samuel, able to learn from his guidance and experience.
Another of Samuel’s leadership roles was that of chief judge of Israel after Eli, his predecessor, died. During the period of the judges, a judge was often a military champion or a deliverer that God would appoint to win victories over Israel’s enemies. Some familiar military judges included Joshua, Gideon, Deborah and Samson.
Samuel fulfilled a more general sense of a judge, being a person carefully selected by God for his integrity and skill to decide legal cases for the people. Samuel served as a judge who focused on teaching and administering justice.
A principle that is repeated time and again in the period of the judges can be found when Samuel explains to the people of Israel that they must put away their false idols and faithfully turn their hearts back to God. The ancient Israelites generally forsook their one true Protector and Provider until they faced a crisis.
On one occasion, the Philistines attacked Israel, and 30,000 of Israel’s foot soldiers died. Then God allowed the most holy object in all of Israel, the Ark of the Covenant, to be taken by the Philistines.
Samuel then advised them: If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths [Canaanite goddesses] from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines. Only then would God secure their land and give them protection from their enemies.
Samuel gathered the people, and they fasted that day, repenting of their sins. Then Samuel prayed on behalf of all the people. The outcome was that God gave them a miraculous victory over the enemy.
Samuel labored throughout his life for the welfare of his people and served as Israel’s last judge before the people asked for a monarchy. The biblical record shows that although there were battles and some losses by Israel’s armies, overall, the nation survived and flourished under the leadership of Samuel.
Eventually, order was established, godliness was promoted, and the nation was at peace and prospered. So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were three enemies of the Jews who made several attempts to stop Nehemiah from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Sanballat and Tobiah are upset about Nehemiah’s work: When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
In verse 19, they, along with Geshem the Arab, mock Nehemiah saying What is this you are doing? . . . Are you rebelling against the king? When the construction was taking place, their anger grew: When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews.
The Horonites and Ammonites were two of the people groups God had driven from the Promised Land for the Israelites. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were regional governors serving under the king of Persia.
Sanballat, called a Horonite, was probably from Horonaim, a city of Moab. Tobiah the Ammonite was governing an area east of the Jordan River. Geshem the Arab was most likely from the region south of Judah. Generations after Israel had first possessed the Promised Land, some of their old enemies were back, seeking to keep Jerusalem in ruins.
Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem used various ploys in their attempt to disrupt the Jews’ work. These three men sought to harm Nehemiah; intimidate him with false reports; deceive him with false prophets; and influence the nobles of Judah. Nehemiah adds that Eliashib the high priest was related to Tobiah and one of his grandsons was the son-in-law of Sanballat.
The efforts of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were futile for the simple reason that they were fighting God’s plan. The wall of Jerusalem was completed in record time. Nehemiah’s response to his enemies is instructive to us.
Rather than fear or worry or seek revenge, Nehemiah took the matter to the Lord: Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me.
Sarah means “princess.” The wife of Abraham, the form of the name used is Sarai. She was married to Abraham before he left Ur.
In her old age she became the mother of Isaac. She died before her husband and was buried in the cave of Machpelah at Hebron.
The Book of Job helps us to understand the following: Satan cannot bring financial and physical destruction upon us unless it is by God’s permission. God has power over what Satan can and cannot do. It is beyond our human ability to understand the “why’s” behind all the suffering in the world.
The wicked will receive their just dues. We cannot always blame suffering and sin on our lifestyles. Suffering may sometimes be allowed in our lives to purify, test, teach or strengthen the soul. God remains enough, deserves and requests our love and praise in all circumstances of life.
At the moment, Satan is not in hell. Rather, Satan roams the earth, seeking people to tempt into sin and thus separate from God. First Peter 5:8 states, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
In John 14:30, Jesus called Satan the “prince of this world,” and the apostle Paul referred to him as the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. Satan does not live in hell; he lives and works on the earth and in the heavens circling it.
Satan is the “father of lies”, and he influences and rules the world right now. Satan desires worship, and he uses deceit and distractions to draw man’s focus to himself. The world worships Satan in one way or another, except for those who are of the kingdom of God and are therefore called out of the Devil’s deceptions.
If a person is not a child of God, he is by default a child of Satan. First John 3:10 tells us how to distinguish the two: This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. James 4:4 explains that anyone who is a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
The Book of Matthew
At some unknown time in the past, he decided to rebel against God. When he rebelled against the Lord this beautiful creature became the Devil or the adversary. It is clear from Scripture that God did not create the Devil.
This creature became the Devil when he decided to rebel against God. Satan was cast out of God’s presence because of his sin.
The Book of Job informs us that he now has some access to God’s presence but only when the Lord allows it. Satan is presently deceiving humankind. The Bible calls him the prince of this world, the god of this age and the prince of the power of the air.
Jesus said to the religious leaders of His day: You are of your father the Devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
According to the Tanakh, Saul was the son of Kish, of the family of the Matrites, and a member of the tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve Tribes of Israel. It appears that he came from Gibeah.
Saul married Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz. They had four sons and two daughters. The sons were Jonathan, Abinadab, Malchishua and Ish-bosheth.
Their daughters were Merab and Michal. Saul also had a concubine named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, who bore him two sons, Armoni and Mephibosheth.
Saul is sent with a servant to look for his father’s strayed donkeys. Leaving his home at Gibeah, they eventually arrive at the district of Zuph, at which point Saul suggests abandoning their search.
Saul’s servant tells him that they happen to be near the town of Ramah, where a famous seer is located, and suggests that they should consult him first. The seer (later identified by the text as Samuel) offers hospitality to Saul and later anoints him in private.
A popular movement having arisen to establish a centralized monarchy like other nations, Samuel assembles the people at Mizpah in Benjamin to appoint a king. Samuel organizes the people by tribe and by clan. Using the Urim and Thummim, he selects the tribe of Benjamin, from within the tribe selecting the clan of Matri, and from them selecting Saul.
After having been chosen as monarch, Saul returns to his home in Gibeah, along with a number of followers. The Ammonites, led by Nahash, lay siege to Jabesh-Gilead. Under the terms of surrender, the occupants of the city are to be forced into slavery and have their right eyes removed.
Instead they send word of this to the other tribes of Israel, and the tribes west of the Jordan assemble an army under Saul. Saul leads the army to victory over the Ammonites, and the people congregate at Gilgal where they acclaim Saul as king and he is crowned.
Having been anointed by Samuel, Saul is told of signs indicating that he has been divinely appointed. The last of these is that Saul will be met by an ecstatic group of prophets leaving a high place and playing the lyre, tambourine, and flutes. Saul encounters the ecstatic prophets and joins them.
Later, Saul sends men to pursue David, but when they meet a group of ecstatic prophets playing music, they become possessed by a prophetic state and join in. Saul sends more men, but they too join the prophets. Eventually Saul himself goes, and also joins the prophets.
After relieving the siege of Jabesh-Gilead, Saul conducts military campaigns against the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Aram Rehob and the kings of Zobah, the Philistines, and the Amalekites. A biblical summary states that wherever he turned, he was victorious.
In his continuing battles with Philistines, Saul instructs his armies, by an rash oath, to fast. Jonathan’s party were not aware of the oath and ate honey, resulting in Jonathan realizing that he had broken an oath of which he was not aware, but was nevertheless liable for its breach, until popular intervention allowed Jonathan to be saved from death on account of his victory over the Philistines.
Saul planned a military action against the Philistines. Samuel said that he would arrive in seven days to perform the requisite rites. When a week passed with no word of Samuel, and with the Israelites growing restless, Saul prepares for battle by offering sacrifices. Samuel arrives just as Saul is finishing sacrificing and reprimands Saul for not obeying his instructions.
Later Samuel instructs Saul to make war on the Amalekites and to utterly destroy them. Having forewarned the Kenites who were living among the Amalekites to leave, Saul goes to war and defeats the Amalekites. Saul kills all the men, women, children and poor quality livestock, but leaves alive the king and best livestock.
When Samuel learns that Saul has not obeyed his instructions in full, he informs Saul that God has rejected him as king due to his disobedience. As Samuel turns to go, Saul seizes hold of his garments and tears off a piece; Samuel prophecies that the kingdom will likewise be torn from Saul. Samuel then kills the Amalekite king himself. Samuel and Saul each return home and never meet again after these events.
After Samuel tells Saul that God has rejected him as king, David, a son of Jesse, from the tribe of Judah, enters the story: from this point on Saul’s story is largely the account of his increasingly troubled relationship with David.
Samuel heads to Bethlehem, ostensibly to offer sacrifice and invited Jesse and his sons. Dining together, Jesse’s sons are brought one by one to Samuel, each being rejected; at last, Jesse sends for David, the youngest, who is tending sheep. When brought to Samuel, David is anointed by him in front of his other brothers.
Saul is troubled by a mental disorder described as an evil spirit sent by God. He requests soothing music, and a servant recommends David the son of Jesse, who is renowned for his skills as a harpist and other talents.
When word of Saul’s needs reaches Jesse, he sends David, who had been looking after Jesse’s flock, with gifts as a tribute, and David is appointed as Saul’s armor bearer. With Jesse’s permission he remains at court, playing the harp as needed to calm Saul during his troubled spells.
The Philistines return with an army to attack Israel, and the Philistine and Israelite forces gather on opposite sides of a valley. The Philistine’s champion Goliath issues a challenge for single combat, but none of the Israelite accept.
David is described as a young shepherd who happens to be delivering food to his three eldest brothers in the army, and he hears Goliath’s challenge. David speaks mockingly of the Philistines to some soldiers; his speech is overheard and reported to Saul, who summons David and appoints David as his champion. David easily defeats Goliath with a single shot from a sling.
Saul offered his elder daughter Merab as a wife to the now popular David, after his victory over Goliath, but David demurred. David distinguishes himself in the Philistine wars. Upon David’s return from battle, the women praise him in song:
Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands implying that David is the greater warrior. Saul fears David’s growing popularity and henceforth views him as a rival to the throne.
Saul’s son Jonathan and David become close friends. Jonathan recognizes David as the rightful king, and made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. Jonathan even gives David his military clothes, symbolizing David’s position as successor to Saul.
On two occasions, Saul threw a spear at David as he played the harp for Saul. David becomes increasingly successful and Saul becomes increasingly resentful. Now Saul actively plots against David. Saul offered his other daughter, Michal in marriage to David.
David initially rejects this offer also, claiming he is too poor. Saul offers to accept a bride price of 100 Philistine foreskins, intending that David die in the attempt. Instead, David obtains 200 foreskins and is consequently married to Michal.
Jonathan arranges a short-lived reconciliation between Saul and David and for a while David served Saul as in times past until the distressing spirit from the Lord re-appeared. Saul sends assassins in the night, but Michal helps him escape, tricking them by placing a household idol in his bed.
David flees to Jonathan, who arranges a meeting with his father. While dining with Saul, Jonathan explains David’s absence, saying he has been called away to his brothers. But Saul sees through the ruse and reprimands Jonathan for protecting David, warning him that his love of David will cost him the kingdom.
The next day, Jonathan meets with David and tells him Saul’s intent. The two friends say their goodbyes, and David flees into the countryside. Saul later marries Michal to another man.
Saul is later informed by his head shepherd, Doeg the Edomite, that high priest Ahimelech assisted David, giving him the sword of Goliath, which had been kept at the temple at Nob. Doeg kills Ahimelech and eighty-five other priests and Saul orders the death of the entire population of Nob.
David had left Nob by this point and had amassed some 300 disaffected men including some outlaws. With these men David rescues the town of Keilah from a Philistine attack. Saul realizes he could trap David and his men by laying the city to siege.
David realizes that the citizens of Keilah will betray him to Saul. He flees to Ziph pursued by Saul. Saul hunts David in the vicinity of Ziph on two occasions: Some of the inhabitants of Ziph betray David’s location to Saul, but David hears about it and flees with his men to Maon.
Saul follows David, but is forced to break off pursuit when the Philistines invade. After dealing with that threat Saul tracks David to the caves at Engedi. As he searches the cave David manages to cut off a piece of Saul’s robe without being discovered, yet David restrains his men from harming the king. David then leaves the cave, revealing himself to Saul, and gives a speech that persuades Saul to reconcile.
On the second occasion, Saul returns to Ziph with his men. When David hears of this, he slips into Saul’s camp by night, and again restrains his men from killing the king; instead he steals Saul’s spear and water jug, leaving his own spear thrust into the ground by Saul’s side.
The next day, David reveals himself to Saul, showing the jug and spear as proof that he could have slain him. David then persuades Saul to reconcile with him; the two swear never to harm each other. After this they never see each other again.
The Philistines make war again, assembling at Shunem, and Saul leads his army to face them at Mount Gilboa. Before the battle he goes to consult a medium or witch at Endor. The medium, unaware of his identity, reminds him that the king has made witchcraft a capital offence, but he assures her that Saul will not harm her.
She conjures the spirit of the prophet Samuel, who before his death had prophesied that he would lose the kingdom. Samuel tells him that God will no longer hear his prayers and that the next day he will lose both the battle and his life. Saul collapses in fear, and the medium restores him with food in anticipation of the next day’s battle.
As the defeated Israelites flee, Saul asks his armor bearer to kill him, but he refuses, and so Saul falls upon his own sword. The victorious Philistines recover Saul’s body as well as those of his three sons who also died in the battle, decapitated them and displayed them on the wall of Beth-Shan.
They display Saul’s armor in the temple of Ashtaroth (an Ascalonian temple of the Canaanites). But at night the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead retrieve the bodies for cremation and burial.
Later on, David takes the bones of Saul together and of his son Jonathan and buries them in Zela, in the tomb of his father.
Sennacherib is the biblical form of the name Sin-Akheeriba. Though a younger son, he was chosen as heir by his father, Sargon II. As crown prince, he gained experience fighting on the northern frontier.
On hearing of Sargon’s death, he hastened back to Nineveh, but rebellion broke out. In Babylonia, a Chaldean, Merodach-Baladan, seized the throne, supported by the Elamites, but he was put to flight and the Chaldean tribes surrendered.
The city-states and kingdoms of Syria and Palestine, encouraged by Egypt, refused tribute. In 701 B.C. Sennacherib marched to the coast and occupied Ascalon and Sidon; Judah was next invaded, Lachish captured by assault, and Jerusalem invested.
Hezekiah, King of Judah, defied the Assyrians and was forced to pay a heavy indemnity. Sennacherib then attempted to invade Egypt, but disaster, perhaps plague, struck his army and he was forced to turn back.
A second rebellion in Babylonia was foiled, and Sennacherib made his son, Assur-Nadin-Shum, king of Babylon. Merodach-Baladan took refuge in the marshes of southern Elam.
Seven years later, after repeated provocation, Sennacherib decided to seek him out; building a fleet at Nineveh, he sailed the ships downriver to Opis, then dragged them overland to the Euphrates, and thence to the Persian Gulf. After a sea battle, Elamite coastal towns were destroyed.
Meanwhile, Assur-Nadin-Shum was murdered and replaced by an Elamite nominee. In 689 Sennacherib avenged his son. Marching to Babylon, he took the city by storm and mercilessly destroyed it, deporting the inhabitants and flooding the ruins. This sacrilege to a holy city shocked the ancient world but effectively discouraged further rebellion.
The war annals of Sennacherib depict him as a ruthless destroyer, “the flame that consumes those who will not submit.” In his building inscriptions, however, he appears as “he who cares for the welfare of Assyria.”
His greatest achievement was the rebuilding of Nineveh, the ancient capital. He strengthened the walls, cut new streets, and redesigned the water system.
Water was brought from the hills 50 miles away and carried over a valley on a stone aqueduct—one of the engineering feats of antiquity.
His palace, built on an artificial platform, covered 8 acres and was surrounded by parks and orchards stocked with exotic plants and animals. In January 681, while at prayer, Sennacherib was murdered by his own sons.
It does seem clear from Scripture that there was an actual serpent in the Garden-he is described as one of the wild animals that God had made.
The serpent was not a supernatural being. In some way, Satan entered into the body of the serpent to tempt Adam and Eve.
Therefore, Satan himself is the personage behind the serpent. The serpent was the instrument the Devil used to do his bidding. Thus we can conclude that the tempter was the Devil who was disguised in the form of a snake.
The tempter used his craftiness to cause them to sin. God permitted Adam and Eve to be tested, but He certainly did not encourage them to sin or force them to sin.
They could have resisted the temptation if they so desired. Ultimately it was their fault for not resisting the temptation.
Son of Noah. Shem was the traditional ancestor of the Shemitic or Semitic races, a group of kindred nations, which includes the Arabs, the Hebrews and Phoenicians, the Arameans or Syrians, the Babylonians and Assyrians.
The languages spoken by these various nations were closely related and were known as the Semitic languages. In latter-day revelation Shem is referred to as “the great high priest”.
Silas was a leader in the early church, a fellow missionary with Paul, and a faithful brother. He was a Hellenistic Jew who, it seems, was also a Roman citizen. He is also referred to as Silvanus in Paul’s Epistles.
When we first meet Silas in Scripture, he is a leader and teacher in the Jerusalem church. After the Jerusalem Council, Silas was chosen to help communicate the council’s decision to Antioch, along with the apostle Paul. Soon afterwards, Paul set out on his second missionary journey, and he chose Silas to accompany him.
On this journey, Paul and Silas traveled to Greece. In Philippi, the missionaries were arrested, beaten, and imprisoned. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
God then miraculously released them, and the jailer, having witnessed their faith, asked them, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Paul and Silas answered, believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. The jailer was saved that night, and he and his family were all baptized.
The next day, the city officials learned that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, and they were immediately fearful; their mistreatment of Paul and Silas the day before had violated Roman law.
The city leaders immediately released Paul and Silas from custody. The missionaries left town, but they left behind a body of believers—the first church in Europe.
The start of the Philippian church is a great reminder that, even in extremely difficult times, God can bring about great things. God will glorify His name even through our trials and tribulations. Paul and Silas had this perspective, and that’s why they were able to sing at midnight.
The fact that the prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas singing hymns is not a detail to be skipped over lightly. As followers of Jesus Christ, we, too, have people watching how we react to life’s circumstances.
If Paul and Silas had been griping or protesting or whining about the injustice of their situation, the jailer would have never been drawn to believe in the Lord Jesus. But they responded to their situation gracefully and with joy.
Their actions were completely foreign to how others expected them to react. Because they were salt and light, others had their hearts opened to the gospel.
Later, Silas and Timothy ministered in Berea, and Silas spent extra time in Corinth, ministering after Paul left that city. Silas served with Peter as well; in fact, he is thought to have delivered the epistle of 1 Peter to its recipients.
Silas is a great example of someone who used his gifts to serve the Lord and others with all his heart. The apostles called him faithful, and he was known as one to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
Multitudes in the early church were blessed by Silas, and Paul and Peter were heartened by his faithful companionship. Silas was a brother born for adversity.
(the zealot also known as Simon the Canaanite) Became a Disciple of Jesus. He was believed to have been Crucified in what is today called Britain.
Simon of Cyrene is mentioned in three of the four Gospels as the man impelled by the Roman soldiers to carry Jesus’ cross out of Jerusalem. His place of origin has led many to wonder if he was of African descent (and therefore black), or if he was simply born there as were many others of Greek, Roman, and Jewish descent.
Cyrene was situated in modern-day Libya, on the northern coast of the African continent. Settled by the Greeks in 630 B.C. and later infused with a significant Jewish population, Cyrene was the capital of the Roman district of Cyrenaica at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. By then, Cyrene was home to a large number of Greek-speaking, or Hellenistic, Jews.
Many Jews from Cyrene had returned to their native Israel and were part of a community in Jerusalem called the Synagogue of the Freedmen comprising Jews from many other provinces including Alexandria (Egypt), Cilicia and Asia. Luke records men from Cyrene being among those converted at Pentecost.
After the martyrdom of Stephen, believers from Cyrene were among the first to be scattered by the persecution in Jerusalem; arriving in Antioch, they preached to the Gentiles there. These believers were instrumental in the formation of the church at Antioch, where, for the first time, the disciples were called Christians.
Simon of Cyrene is mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Matthew only records his name and place of origin, but Mark and Luke say that he was on his way in from the country. Mark, uncharacteristically, provides the most information about Simon, adding that he was the father of Alexander and Rufus, men obviously well known to Mark’s readers.
It is speculated that the Rufus mentioned here may be the same man Paul greets in his letter to Rome, whom he calls chosen in the Lord and whose mother has been a mother to me, too. Paul’s knowledge of Rufus’s family indicates that at some point they lived further east.
So does any of this indicate whether Simon was black? Ultimately, we don’t know for sure. There is always the possibility that Simon was an African who converted to Judaism, or that he was of mixed descent. However, considering that people of Jewish lineage lived throughout the Roman Empire, it is also possible that Simon of Cyrene was olive-skinned.
The Bible story about the city of Sodom and Gomorrah is a terribly sad story that reminds us just how much God hates sin. During the time of Abraham, three angels came to visit him and two of the angels decided to go visit Sodom and Gomorrah.
The Lord told Abraham that he was going to destroy the city because of the peoples sin. God also told Abraham that he would spare the people and not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if he was able to find even 10 people who were righteous.
When the two angels arrived in Sodom and Gomorrah, a man named Lot invited them to stay at his home. Some men from the city came to Lots home demanding to be given the two visitors so they could have sex with them.
Lot, trying to defend and protect the angels, offered the men his virgin daughters in their place. As the angry men tried to break into Lot’s home, the angels struck the men blind and then led Lot and his family out of the city.
As Lot’s family fled Sodom and Gomorrah, God rained down burning sulfur onto the city. All man, animals and vegetation were destroyed. The angels warned Lot and his family to not look back but his wife did not listen and was immediately turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back.
King Solomon was known for his wisdom, his wealth and his writings. He became ruler in approximately 967 B.C.E. and his kingdom extended from the Euphrates River in the north to Egypt in the south. His crowning achievement was the building of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Almost all knowledge of him is derived from the biblical books of Kings I and Chronicles II.
Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba. Solomon was not the oldest son of David, but David promised Bathsheba that Solomon would be the next king. When David’s elder son Adonijah declared himself king, David ordered his servants to bring Solomon to the Gihon spring where the priest anointed him while David was still alive. Solomon inherited a considerable empire from his father.
At first Solomon was faced with opposition. Two of David’s closest advisors, Joab son of Zeruiah and the priest Abiathar, sided with Adonijah. When Adonijah came to Solomon and requested the king’s servant as a wife, Solomon saw that this was a veiled threat to take over his kingdom and sent a messenger to kill Adonijah.
He banished Abiathar to the city of Anathoth. Solomon then followed his father’s last instructions in which David had ordered him to kill both Joab and one of his father’s enemies, Shimei son of Gera. Solomon thus overcame the last potential threats to his kingdom. He then appointed his friends to key military, governmental and religious posts.
Solomon accumulated enormous wealth. He controlled the entire region west of the Euphrates and had peace on his borders. Kings I states that he owned 12,000 horses with horsemen and 1,400 chariots. Remains of stalls for 450 horses have in fact been found in Megiddo.
Solomon strengthened his kingdom through marital alliances. 1 Kings records that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. He had a large share in the trade between northern and southern countries.
He established Israelite colonies around his province to look after military, administrative and commercial matters. The empire was divided into twelve districts, with Judah constituting its own political unit and enjoying certain privileges.
Although Solomon was young, he soon became known for his wisdom. The first and most famous incident of his cleverness as a judge was when two women came to his court with a baby whom both women claimed as their own. Solomon threatened to split the baby in half. One woman was prepared to accept the decision, but the other begged the King to give the live baby to the other woman. Solomon then knew the second woman was the mother.
People from surrounding nations also came to hear Solomon’s wisdom. He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. He wrote the Song of Songs, the Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
One of the most celebrated visits to Solomon was that of the Queen of Sheba, who came from southern Arabia. Historically, Arabia was a country rich in gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Solomon needed Sheba’s products and trade routes; the queen of Sheba needed Solomon’s cooperation in marketing her country’s goods. The queen came to Solomon with camels carrying spices, gold and precious stones. She asked him questions and riddles and was amazed at his wisdom.
Once Solomon’s empire was tranquil, he began to build the Holy Temple. He received wood from King Hiram of Tyre and imposed a compulsory labor service on both the Israelites and the foreign nations that were under his control.
His workers built the structure of the Temple, its decorations and its vessels. The Temple took seven years to complete. It was built of stone and cedar, carved within and overlaid with pure gold. When it was done, Solomon dedicated the Temple in a public ceremony of prayers and sacrifices.
Solomon was also renowned for his other building projects in which he used slave labor from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
He spent 13 years building his own palace, and also built a city wall, a citadel called the Millo, a palace for the daughter of Pharaoh (who was one of his wives) and facilities for foreign traders.
He erected cities for chariots and horsemen and created storage cities. He extended Jerusalem to the north and fortified cities near the mountains of Judah and Jerusalem.
Solomon’s downfall came in his old age. He had taken many foreign wives, whom he allowed to worship other gods. He even built shrines for the sacrifices of his foreign wives.
Within Solomon’s kingdom, he placed heavy taxation on the people, who became bitter. He also had the people work as soldiers, chief officers and commanders of his chariots and cavalry.
He granted special privileges to the tribes of Judah and this alienated the northern tribes. The prophet Ahijah of Shiloh prophesied that Jeroboam son of Nebat would become king over ten of the 12 tribes, instead of one of Solomon’s sons.
Outside Solomon’s kingdom, Hadad, of the royal family of Edom, rose up as an adversary of Israel. Rezon son of Eliada, ruler of Aram also fought Solomon, and created tension between the two kingdoms that was to last even after Solomon’s reign ended.
Solomon died in Jerusalem after 40 years as ruler of Israel. He was buried in the City of David. His son, Rehoboam succeeded him as king. Under Rehobaum’s rule, Solomon’s empire was lost and his kingdom was divided into two parts.
His name comes from the Hebrew word for peace (shalom), and he is recognized in the Bible as the ultimate peacemaker King in the history of the kingdom of Israel.
The book of Proverbs not only names Solomon as the author in the very first verse, but there are other verses that indicate that Solomon was the person responsible for the Proverbs.
The book of Kings indicates that Solomon was blessed with wisdom from God, he was a man of humility, and a great diplomat; to such an extent that people came from all over the world to hear his wisdom. The book of Kings also indicates that Solomon wrote over 3000 proverbs, and this is many more than the book of Proverbs contains.
David had chosen Solomon to sit upon the throne of Israel and serve the Lord. After Solomon had removed his enemies, he allied with the Pharaoh of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter to be his wife.
Solomon had thought intensely about his task to build a house for the Lord, the Temple in Jerusalem. He went to offer sacrifices to the Lord at Gibeon and that night the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying ask what you will and I will give it to you and Solomon said you have shown great mercy to your servant David, my father, even as he walked before you in truth and justice and with an upright heart.
You have continued your great mercy toward him and given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. And now, O Lord God, you have made your servant King succeeding David, my father. I am but a child and know not how to act.
You have chosen me to be king over so many that they cannot be counted. Give me, therefore, an understanding heart, to judge your people and to discern between good and evil.
The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s request and said, because you have not asked for long life or riches, nor for the death of your enemies, but have asked wisdom for yourself to discern what is right, I have done for you as you asked, and have given you a wise and understanding heart, so much so that you are unlike anyone before you, nor shall there be anyone like you after.
Yes, and the things also which you did not ask, I have given you: that is, riches and glory, so that you are incomparable with all previous kings. And if you will walk in my ways, and keep my precepts and my commandments, as your father, I will lengthen your life.
Terah is known in the Bible as the father of Abram (known later as Abraham), who in turn received the covenant promise of God regarding the future birth of His Son, Jesus. Terah is mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy in Luke 3:34.
Terah was the son of Nahor, who was of Noah’s son’s Shem’s line. Nahor fathered Terah at the young age of 29 years (Genesis 11:24), but Terah was 70 years old before his three sons, Abram, Nahor, and Haran, were born (verse 26).
Haran was the father of Lot, Abram’s nephew and traveling companion, but Haran died during Terah’s lifetime (verse 28). After Haran’s death, Terah uprooted his family from their home in Ur of the Chaldeans and set out for the land of Canaan.
For unknown reasons, Terah never made it to their destination but stopped and settled in Harran instead. This is where Terah died at age 205.
After Terah had passed away, God called Abram to continue the journey to Canaan. God promised to make Abram into a great nation (Genesis 12:1–2), even though Abram’s wife, Sarai, was barren (Genesis 11:30). Abraham heeded God’s command and put His trust in the Lord to the end of his days.
(also known as Judas, son of James and Lebbaeus)
Asked Jesus why he would reveal himself to his followers and not to the world.
He was Crucified at Edessa.
Suggested the Disciples go with Jesus to Bethany even if it meant death; asked Jesus about where he was going; refused to believe Jesus was risen until he could see Jesus alive and touch his wounds. He was reportedly killed with a Spear in India.
Formerly the governor of Kalhu and a general, the usurper Pulu assumed his Assyrian throne-name (Tiglath-Pileser) from two more-legitimate predecessors.
He described himself as a son of Adad-Nirari III in his inscriptions, but the accuracy of this claim remains uncertain. He seized the throne in the midst of civil war on 13 Ayaru, 745 BCE.
As a result of Pulu seizing the throne in a bloody coup d’état, the old royal family was slaughtered, and the new monarch set Assyria on the path to expand the empire in order to ensure the survival of the kingdom.
More so it was in Babylon that he was referred to as Pulu and his son as Ululayu. Pulu and both his sons taking up Assyrian names is another suggestion that they were foreigners who had usurped the crown of Assyria at the revolt of Kalhu.
Biblical records describe how Tiglath-Pileser III exacted 1,000 talents of silver as tribute from King Menahem of the Kingdom of Israel and later defeated his successor Pekah.
Pekah had allied with Rezin, king of the Arameans against Ahaz (known to the Assyrians as Yahu-Kkhazi), of the Kingdom of Judah, who responded by appealing for the Assyrian monarch’s help with the Temple gold and silver.
Tiglath-Pileser answered swiftly. He first marched his army down the eastern Mediterranean coast, taking coastal cities all the way to Egypt. This cut off his enemies’ access to the sea.
Once this was achieved, he returned to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, destroyed their army, and deported the Reubenites, Gadites, and the people of Manasseh to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan river. He then installed an Israelite puppet king, Hoshea, (732–723 BCE) in the place of Pekah.
He concluded this extensive campaign by marching north and west, ravaging Aramaea, seizing Damascus, executing Rezin, and deporting the survivors to Kir.
Beyond this, the Assyrian alliance was not beneficial to Ahaz.
Timothy was a native of Lystra. In the KJV New Testament, he is referenced a total of twenty-eight times (nine times using his well-known name and nineteen times as Timotheus).
Church tradition suggests he was born around 17 A.D. The mother of Timothy was a Jewess named Eunice. She later, however, became a Jewish Christian. His father was a Greek (Gentile). His grandmother on his mother’s side was named Lois and she, too, became a Christian.
Both women were likely converted during Paul’s first evangelistic journey to the city in 46 A.D., when he healed a cripple man but soon after was stoned to death and resurrected.
According to Paul, Timothy was taught, when he was a child, about the Scriptures. Note that the Old Testament, which many people disregard, was the foundation on which salvation could be achieved!
In early 50 A.D., Paul meets an unmarried Timothy in Lystra soon after he began his second missionary journey. At the time of their meeting, they were roughly 48 and 33 years old, respectively.
Based on the recommendation of several church members both in the city and in Iconium, Paul decides to take the young man with him as he travels preaching the gospel. Before this can happen, however, the apostle pays to have him circumcised.
Why did the apostle, who vigorously argued that circumcision was not necessary in order to receive salvation have his friend undergo this painful procedure? It was likely for the sake of expediency.
Paul’s method for evangelizing a particular area was to first visit the local synagogues and preach the gospel to Jews and proselytes. He would then (usually because many in the synagogue would reject his message) preach about God’s kingdom to Gentiles.
The apostle no doubt felt, given the zealously-held prejudices against those not circumcised, that a circumcised Timothy would circumvent these biases and allow the gospel to be heard by synagogue members.
Now, for Apostle Paul to travel among the Synagogues with a companion in this condition (uncircumcised), and to attempt to convince the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, when his associate and assistant in the work was an uncircumcised Heathen, would evidently have been to encumber his progress and embarrass his work.
Had Timothy not been circumcised, a storm would have gathered round the Apostle in his further progress. The Jews, who were ever ready to persecute him from city to city, would have denounced him still more violently in every Synagogue.
The Bible records, after he was ordained to serve by Paul and church brethren, he ministered in at least five New Testament churches. Timothy accompanied Paul on most of his second journey travels after he left Lystra.
Scripture then informs us he was with the apostle in Ephesus during his third missionary journey. While in the city he and a man named Erastus are sent by Paul to minister to brethren in Macedonia.
Later on, he meets with others at Troas to accompany the apostle through Asia on his way to Jerusalem. Paul is imprisoned in Rome, beginning in 61 A.D., at the end of his fourth missionary journey.
While he is in prison, he writes four epistles, three of which mention Timothy being with him. At the end of his fifth and final journey, while in Rome a second time just before his death, he requests his closest friend visit him and bring his personal copies of his writings.
Paul testifies to those in Philippi regarding Timothy’s unique Christian character and his dedication to spreading the gospel.
Catholic tradition states Timothy died in Ephesus when he was over 80 years old. According to the first chapter of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, he died in 97 A.D. upholding the truth of the Bible.
Foxe’s states he was the bishop of Ephesus and was murdered when he told a crowd of pagans that their idolatrous celebrations were ridiculous.
Titus was an early church leader, a trusted companion of the apostle Paul, and a faithful servant of the Lord. Titus was a Gentile who was led to faith in Christ by Paul.
He was drawn to the ministry and became a co-worker with Paul, accompanying him and Barnabas from Antioch to Jerusalem. At the Jerusalem Council, Titus would have been a prime example of a born-again Gentile Christian.
Titus was living proof that the rite of circumcision was unnecessary for salvation.
Later, Titus went to Corinth to serve the church there. On Paul’s third missionary journey, which took place from AD. 53–57, Paul arrived in Troas and expected to meet Titus there.
Not finding his friend, Paul left for Macedonia. Titus rejoined Paul in Philippi and gave him a good report of the ministry in Corinth. When Titus returned to Corinth, he hand-delivered the Epistle of 2 Corinthians and organized a collection for needy saints in Jerusalem.
Several years later, Titus and Paul traveled to the island of Crete, where Titus was left behind to continue and strengthen the work. Titus’ task was administrative, mostly: he was to maintain sound doctrine and straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town.
When Artemas and Tychicus arrived in Crete to direct the ministry, Paul summoned Titus to join him in Nicopolis, a city in the province of Achaia in western Greece.
The last mention of Titus in the Bible indicates that he was with Paul during Paul’s final Roman imprisonment. From Rome, Titus was sent to evangelize Dalmatia, an area which later became known as Yugoslavia and is now called Serbia and Montenegro.
As a Gentile Christian, Titus would have been particularly effective in combating the heresy of the Judaizers. The Judaizers insisted that all Christians were bound by the Mosaic Law.
Usually, the Judaizers honed in on circumcision: Gentiles must be circumcised, they said, in order to truly be saved. Titus knew this teaching well, for the subject had come up in Syrian Antioch, leading to the Jerusalem Council, of which he had been a part.
Titus was a faithful servant of the Lord and a dedicated aide to Paul. He must have been trustworthy and dependable, since Paul appointed him to lead works in Corinth, Crete, and Dalmatia.
Indeed, Paul calls him my partner and fellow worker. Knowing the difficult situations in both Corinth and Crete, we can infer that Titus was an insightful man who could handle problems with grace.
Scripture says that Titus had a God-given love for the Corinthian believers; in fact, in returning to Corinth, Titus went with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.
May we have the same zeal for the Lord that Titus showed. Every believer would do well to model Titus’s commitment to truth, fervor in spreading the gospel, and enthusiastic love for the church.
Tychicus is one of those Bible characters who probably don’t receive the recognition due them. True, Tychicus is only mentioned five times in the New Testament, but the ministry he provided was noteworthy.
We first meet Tychicus in Acts 20:4, during Paul’s third missionary journey. He is mentioned as one of Paul’s companions on the way from Corinth to Jerusalem to deliver a gift to the church there. We learn that Tychicus was a native of Asia, or what we would call Asia Minor today.
Tychicus is called a dear brother of Paul’s and a faithful servant of the Lord’s. In Colossians 4:7, Tychicus is a faithful minister and fellow servant who was with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment.
He was entrusted to deliver Paul’s epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians and to bring news of the apostle to those congregations: Tychicus will tell you all the news about me.
I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. Encouragement is also mentioned as part of Tychicus’s ministry in Ephesians 6:22.
In traveling to Colossae, Tychicus accompanied Onesimus, the former slave who was returning to Philemon. No doubt, Tychicus, as a good friend of Paul’s, emphasized the need for grace in receiving Onesimus back home.
Paul intended to send either Tychicus or another man to Crete in order to give Titus a chance to visit Paul. Later, Tychicus was with Paul in Rome during the apostle’s second Roman imprisonment, and Paul sent him to Ephesus in order to free up Timothy for a visit. In both Crete and Ephesus, then, Tychicus was an interim pastor of sorts, filling in for Titus and Timothy.
There is an unnamed believer alluded to in 2 Corinthians 8:22, described as a brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. Many commentators surmise that this is a reference to Tychicus. The description seems to fit.
We may not know much about Tychicus, but what we do know is impressive and praiseworthy. Tychicus was a trusted messenger, faithful preacher, and loyal friend. Paul placed great confidence in him, sending him to accomplish important works.
Tychicus obviously had the ability to minister in a variety of situations, bringing encouragement to those he served. Tychicus surely modeled the quality that all church elders are to possess.
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
King Uzziah was one of the good kings of Judah. His father was King Amaziah, and his mother was a woman named Jecoliah, from Jerusalem. Uzziah was the father of King Jotham.
Ministering during Uzziah’s reign were the prophets Hosea, Isaiah, Amos, and Jonah. The kings in the northern kingdom of Israel during his time were Jeroboam II, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea. Uzziah is also called Azariah in 2 Kings 14:21.
King Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for 52 years in Judah from approximately 790 to 739 BC. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord as his father Amaziah had done. King Uzziah sought the Lord during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God.
This Zechariah is most likely a godly prophet to whom Uzziah listened. As long as Uzziah made a point to seek God, God made him prosperous. Unfortunately, after Zechariah died, Uzziah made some mistakes later in his life.
King Uzziah in the Bible is shown as a wonderfully intelligent and innovative king, under whom the state of Judah prospered. He was used by God to defeat the Philistines and Arabs, he built fortified towers and strengthened the armies of Judah, and he commissioned skilled men to create devices that could shoot arrows and large stones at enemies from the city walls.
He also built up the land, and the Bible says he “loved the soil”. The Ammonites paid tribute to King Uzziah, and his fame spread all over the ancient world, as far as the border of Egypt.
Unfortunately, King Uzziah’s fame and strength led him to become proud, and this led to his downfall. He committed an unfaithful act by entering the temple of God to burn incense on the altar. Burning incense on the altar was something only the priests could do. By attempting to do this himself, Uzziah was basically saying he was above following the Law.
It was not a humble thing to do. Eighty courageous priests, led by Azariah, tried to stop the king: It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.
Uzziah became angry with the priests who dared confront him. But, while he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead). Uzziah ran from the temple in fear, because God had struck him.
From that day to the day of his death, King Uzziah was a leper. He lived in a separate palace and was not allowed to enter the temple of the Lord. His son, Jotham, governed the people in his place.
Grandson of the priest Iddo, Zechariah prophesied to the people of Judah after they returned from their seventy years of exile in Babylon. Zechariah’s grandfather returned from Babylon, his young grandson in tow, with the first group of Israelites allowed back, in 538 BC under the decree of Cyrus, king of Persia.
Because of his family lineage, Zechariah was a priest in addition to a prophet. He, therefore, would have had an intimate familiarity with the worship practices of the Jews, even if he had never served in a completed temple.
As a young man at the time of his first prophecies, his life more than likely extended into the reign of Xerxes I (485–465 BC), the king best known in the Bible for making Esther the queen of Persia.
Zechariah, a young man, especially when compared to his contemporary Haggai, came alongside the older prophet to deliver messages from the Lord to the Jewish remnant recently returned from Babylon.
While Haggai’s overall message had more of a cautionary tone to it (pointing out the Jews’ sin and self-focus), Zechariah emphasized a tone of encouragement to the struggling Israelites trying to rebuild their temple.
Zechariah’s dated visions and messages in chapters 1–8 all take place in the same general time period as Haggai’s, beginning in October–November 520 BC with a call for the people of Judah to repent.
He then received eight visions on the restless night of February 15, 519 BC, followed by four messages that he preached on December 7, 518 BC.
Though his final messages in chapters 9–14 go undated, the mention of Greece in 9:13 suggests the prophecies came much later in his life, presumably sometime in the 480s BC, before Ezra (458 BC) and Nehemiah (444 BC) arrived to again revitalize the Jewish people.
The book of Zechariah contains the clearest and the largest number of messianic (about the Messiah) passages among the Minor Prophets. In that respect, it’s possible to think of the book of Zechariah as a kind of miniature book of Isaiah.
Zechariah pictures Christ in both His first coming and His second coming. Jesus will come, according to Zechariah, as Savior, Judge, and ultimately, as the righteous King ruling His people from Jerusalem.
Meaning “Yahweh remembers”, Zechariah’s name was appropriate to the purpose of his prophecies. His book brims over with the hope that God would remember His promises to His people, even after all the time they spent outside the land.
The prophet used a simple structure of eight visions, four messages, and two oracles to anticipate the completion of the temple and, ultimately, the future reign of the Messiah from Jerusalem.
Like many of the prophets, Zechariah saw isolated snapshots of the future; therefore, certain events that seem to occur one right after the other in Zechariah’s prophecy actually often have generations or even millennia between them.
For a people newly returned from exile, Zechariah provided specific prophecy about their immediate and distant future—no doubt a great encouragement.
Their nation would still be judged for sin, but they would also be cleansed and restored, and God would rebuild His people.
Zechariah concluded his book by looking into the distant future, first at the rejection of the Messiah by Israel, and then at His eventual reign when Israel will finally be delivered.
Have you struggled with discouragement? Read Zechariah. While the book contains its share of judgments on the people of Judah and beyond, it overflows with hope in the future reign of the Lord over His people.
It’s easy to get caught up in the oftentimes depressing events of day-to-day life, to lose our perspective and live as people without hope. The book of Zechariah serves as a correction for that tendency in our lives. We have a hope that is sure. How refreshing!
In Zephaniah 1:1, the author introduces himself as Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Among the prophets, this is a unique introduction with its long list of fathers back to Zephaniah’s great-great grandfather, Hezekiah.
So why stop with Hezekiah? Most likely, the prophet wanted to highlight his royal lineage as a descendant of one of Judah’s good kings. The reference to “this place” in Zephaniah 1:4 indicates that he prophesied in Jerusalem, while his many references to temple worship display a strong familiarity with Israel’s religious culture.
All these factors paint the picture of a man who was at the center of Judah’s political and religious world, a man whose close proximity to those in power would have given his shocking message an even greater impact.
The book tells us that Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah, the king of Judah from 640 to 609 BC. We can begin to pinpoint exactly when Zephaniah prophesied by accounting for a few details in the text.
First, in 2:13 the prophet predicted the fall of Nineveh, an event which occurred in 612 BC. Further, Zephaniah made frequent quotations from the Law, a document that remained lost in Judah for much of Josiah’s reign. Therefore, Zephaniah more than likely prophesied in the latter part of Josiah’s rule, after the king discovered the scrolls of the Law in 622 BC.
This all means that Zephaniah grew up under the reign of Josiah’s predecessors: Josiah’s grandfather, the evil king Manasseh, and Manasseh’s son, the young and evil Amon.
As a young man, the prophet-to-be would have been surrounded by the trappings of idolatry, child sacrifice, and unjust killings—strong influences on a young mind. But Zephaniah grew into a man of God, able to stand before the people and proclaim God’s message of judgment and hope to a people that had gone astray.
This book mentions the day of the Lord more than does any other book in the Old Testament, clarifying the picture of Judah’s fall to Babylon and the eventual judgment and restoration of all humanity in the future.
In this case, it refers primarily to God’s impending time of judgment on the nation of Judah. Zephaniah saw in the day of the Lord the destruction of his country, his neighbors, and eventually the whole earth.
Zephaniah wrote that the day of the Lord was near, that it would be a time of wrath, that it would come as judgment on sin, and that ultimately it would result in the blessing of God’s presence among His people.
Like the writings of many of the prophets, the book of Zephaniah follows a pattern of judgment on all people for their sin followed by the restoration of God’s chosen people. Zephaniah’s primary target for God’s message of judgment, the nation of Judah, had fallen into grievous sin under the reign of their king, Manasseh.
Zephaniah’s prophecy shouted out for godliness and purity in a nation sinful to its core. The people of Judah had long since turned their backs on God, not only in their personal lives but also in their worship. This reflected the depth of their sin and the deep need for God’s people to be purged on their path to restoration.
Those living in Judah had turned the worship of God into a fiasco. Not only had they built their own places of worship to revere other gods (called “high places” in the Old Testament), but they had begun to desecrate the temple, which at that time was the dwelling place of God.
As modern-day believers in Christ, we, too, make a mockery of worship when we live in open sin. Do you come before the Lord with a false face, week in and week out, looking the part without acting it?
Allow Zephaniah to remind you how seriously God takes your life and your relationship with Him. And if you have failed, remember the message of Zephaniah 3, God is always a God of restoration and hope.
In 538 BC, Zerubbabel, the leader of the tribe of Judah, was part of the first wave of Jewish captives to return to Jerusalem. The Persian king appointed Zerubbabel as governor of Judah, and right away Zerubbabel began rebuilding the temple with the help of Joshua, the high priest. The first temple, built by King Solomon, had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC.
It took Zerubbabel two years to rebuild the foundation of the temple. Then construction was delayed by Samaritan settlers whose friendly overtures masked a hidden hostility. As a result of the opposition to the temple construction, Persia withdrew support for the project, and for seventeen years the temple sat unfinished.
Finally, God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage and support Zerubbabel, and the work on the second temple resumed. Four years later, in 515 BC, the temple was completed and dedicated with great fanfare.
The Jews also observed the Passover. It’s interesting that Zerubbabel is never mentioned in connection with the dedication ceremonies, nor is his name mentioned again after Ezra 5:1. For this reason, Zerubbabel’s temple is often referred to simply as the second temple.
It is obvious that the Lord God was pleased with Zerubbabel’s efforts in returning the captives to Jerusalem, in building the second temple, and in reestablishing the temple worship.
With God’s prompting, Haggai gave Zerubbabel a special blessing: On that day, declares the LORD Almighty, I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD Almighty.
As the second temple was being built, there was a group of Jews in Jerusalem who were rather disappointed. Older Jews who recalled the size and grandeur of the first temple regarded Zerubbabel’s temple as a poor substitute for the original. To their minds, it did not even begin to compare with the splendor of Solomon’s temple.
It was true that Zerubbabel’s temple was built on a smaller scale and with much fewer resources. Also, Solomon’s temple had housed the Ark of the Covenant, which was no longer in Israel’s possession. And at the first temple’s dedication, the altar had been lit by fire from heaven, and the temple had been filled with the Shekinah; attendees at the second temple’s dedication witnessed no such miracles.
Even so, Haggai prophesied that the second temple would one day have a magnificence to outshine the glory of the first. Haggai’s word was fulfilled 500 years later when Jesus Christ arrived on the scene. Zerubbabel’s temple was not as outwardly impressive as Solomon’s, but it had a greater glory: the Messiah Himself walked the courts of the temple that Zerubbabel built.
