Although by Bible times people had moved out of the original cave dwellings that were abundant in the ancient Middle East, there were always people who lived in caves. Lot lived in a cave after his escape from Sodom (Gen 19:30), and the Edomites made and enlarged caves in the rock face at Petra for living and for public affairs.
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First and 2 Kings trace the history of Israel during the four hundred years from the death of King David to the destruction of Jerusalem. Each king is judged on whether he was obedient to God or did evil in His sight. Many lessons follow from these stories.
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Music was very much a part of religious life, and musicians had always been important. They were classed along with smiths and those who possessed flocks and herds. Jubal was recognized as the father of all who played the pipe (Gen 4:20-21). We therefore find many examples of music in Bible times. The instruments that were played are not always easy to identify from their Hebrew names, but the following instruments (arranged alphabetically) are the most important ones used:
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ISAIAH 45:7 – 7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
FROM THE HEBREW AND GREEK KEY WORD STUDY BIBLE pg 1993
7451. ra’, rah; from 7489; bad or (as noun) evil (natural) or mora): -adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (-ure), distress, evil (I – favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, x great, grief (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st), wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine, ra’ ‘ah, raw-aw’; as adjective or noun.)
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It was Solomon who built up a professional army, for through taxation and trading he was able to accumulate sufficient wealth to pay for it (1 Kings 10:25-27). In times of national emergency the regular army was supplemented by conscripts. Recruiting officers went through the tribes on such occasions and were still in use at a much later date (2 Kings 25:18; 2 Chronicles 11:1).
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The metalsmith has a very old pedigree. Cain was a smith, and it was one of his descendants, Tubal-Cain, who was described as “the forger of instruments of bronze and iron” (Genesis 4:17,22). Cain was the father of the Midianite tribe of Kenites who seem to have been involved in many aspects of Israel’s history (see, for example Genesis 15:19; 1 Samuel 15:6). They appear to have exploited the copper of the Sinai with the Egyptians. Artifacts of Kenite metalworking have yielded much of the archaeological information we know concerning ancient metal-working.
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Exodus 19 describes Israel arriving at Sinai. This chapter is important for understanding the events at Sinai, where Israel spent over two years (Numbers 10:11). God addressed the people as “the house of Jacob. . . the people of Israel . . .” (Exodus 19:3) as a way to remind them that they were the people of the covenant, the descendants of Abraham. What was about to happen at Sinai was not a new covenant with the people but an extension of the covenant God made with Abraham.
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These laws sound rigid and austere in their proclamations, and we cannot say for sure how often this particular punishment was employed. What we can say for sure is that exceptions were allowed, as illustrated by Jesus. He did not demand that the woman caught in adultery be executed but instead disarmed her executioners and urged her to leave her lift of sin (John 8:3-11).
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And worse yet, we hear of Israelite women who, prior to the reforms of Josiah, took it on themselves to weave in service to the pagan goddess Asherah (2 Kings 23:7).
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (WEAVE PT3)GREAT HIGH PRIEST
When Christ is called our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) it is because he and he alone was chosen by God to make the perfect sacrifice and intercession for us before God’s merciful throne-and not before an earthly throne, but before the very throne of God’s presence!
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