Zechariah foresaw a future time when all of the nations would worship the one true God. The praise of the Lord would be so widespread that even horses would have “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD” inscribed on the bells on their harnesses. These are the same words embroidered on the hat worn by the high priest of Israel (Exod 28:36).
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After His birth in a stable in Bethlehem, the baby Jesus was placed in a manger, a feeding trough for livestock. This manger may have been hewed out of rock. Stone mangers about tree feet long, eighteen inches wide, and two feet deep have been discovered in the ruins of King Ahab’s stables at the ancient city of Megiddo.
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We also find Jesus using the perceptions linked with tax collectors to jolt the Jewish leaders from their complacency. While he was teaching in the temple courts during the final week of his life on earth, Jesus frequently clashed with the Jewish leaders, who questioned his authority and resisted his invitations to know him as their Savior from sin.
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The typical family of Bible times had its own looms and some family members who were skilled at the art of weaving (Prov 31:13). At its most fundamental level, weaving involved the interlocking of threads at right angles to one another in order to create a piece of cloth that could function as a garment, tent curtain, or even carrying sack. The threads were derived from wool, flax, or goat hair that could be left in their original, subtle tone or be dyed radiant colors.
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DEATH OF CAPERNAUM: The village remained exclusively Jewish, according to Epiphanius, a church leader born in the country in the AD 300s. In time, many Capernaum Jews converted to Christianity and are referred to in Jewish writings as minim, or heretics. By the AD 400s, Gentiles were living there. That’s when a church was built around Peter’s house-and archaeologists say gentiles did the building.
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The battle gear that David carried into battle against Goliath seemed ridiculous when compared to the giant’s weapons. Several items in David’s arsenal are mentioned in these verses.
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All these trapping mechanisms are mentioned by the biblical authors in figures of speech. Because these devices are often referenced with the same Hebrew or Greek term, we look to the larger context, which may be helpful in determining exactly which type of trapping device is
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In the Bible God is pictured in this pose when he is ready to strike those who rebel against him or to fight in defense of the helpless (Psa 10:12; 118:13-16; Isa 5:25; 10:4; 19:16).
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Roads of Bible times were little more than paths, rough and crude by modern standards. When a king traveled, his servants would go ahead of him, removing stones, filling in low places, and straightening curves so the king’s journey would be more pleasant.
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We may expect that the idea of one person owning another would be strongly censured in the Bible. What we find instead is a general acknowledgment of the existence of slavery, the use of slavery as a metaphor, and a theological trajectory that moved society in the direction of abolition without formally demanding it.
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (SLAVE “TO BECOME OR TO BE FREED” PT 1 OF 2)