10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (2 TIMOTHY 3:10-17 “THE MAN OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD”)
As students , we learned to raise our hand in the classroom to gain recognition to speak. The en masse raising of hands at a sporting event signals celebration. Neither of these forms of hand raising are apparent in the art and literature of the ancient Near East, but we do find both morals and gods depicted with uplifted hands in a variety of scenarios.
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (HANDS “TO RAISE OR STRETCH OUT” PT 1 OF 3)
Isn’t it amazing how an entire life can change in a moment? That’s the way it happened for the unnamed woman we meet in John 4.
Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (THE SAMARITAN WOMAN “MEETING THE THIRST QUENCHER”)
Sailors of ancient times tended to be very superstitious because of their constant exposure to the dangers of the sea. When a storm struck the ship in which Jonah was escaping from the call of the Lord, they assumed the pagan gods were punishing them because of their displeasure with one person on board.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURIOSITIES (SUPERSTITIOUS SAILORS)
Someone once remarked that growing old isn’t a battle but a massacre.
Sadly, in most cases this is all too true. If we live long enough, we are forced to grieve a lone, painful series of losses. As we age, we say farewell-usually to our careers, often to our health, sometimes to our memories, always to the independent lives we once knew. And the older we get, the more often we will have to stand in funeral homes and cemeteries and say goodbye to beloved family members and dear friends.
Continue reading WOMAN OF THE BIBLE (ANNA “FAITHFUL TO THE VERY END”)
1.Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (PROVERBS 8:1-36 “THE EXCELLENCE OF WISDOM”)
It’s hard to find nice things to say about the woman whose name has become synonymous for being shameless, brazen, and morally bankrupt.
Jezebel came from royalty-her father was Ethbaal, a Phoenician king. She also married into royalty-her husband, Ahab, was the king of the ten tribes that made up the northern kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 16:29-33),
Continue reading WOMAN OF THE DAY (JAZEBEL “HOW NOT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE”)
Artisans of the past were occasionally commissioned by their benefactors to create works of art that delivered messages and captured beauty. One mode of delivery was engraving: the incising of words or images into clay, wood, stone, or metal. The process of engraving began with the purchase or production of the necessary tools for the job. The engraving tool could be a reed stylus, metal chisel, or flint point (Job 19:24; Jer 17:1), depending on the hardness of the
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (ENGRAVE 1 OF 2)
Essential part of Jewish life in Bible times. According to Eccles. 3:4, there is “a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (NASB). Dances were performed on both sacred and secular occasions, though the Hebrew mind would not likely have thought in these terms.
Continue reading DEFINITOIN OF THE DAY (DANCING)
8 This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;
9 That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrews, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (JEREMIAH 34:8-22 “TREACHEROUS TREATMENT OF SLAVES”)