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.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURIOSITIES (A KING IN A STABLE)
Usually a ring with a seal carefully crafted upon it that an important or rich person used to authenticate a document. It was used much like a signature on a document today. The ring of kings would carry the highest authority in a land and empowered subordinates to act for the king. Examples of such rings in the Bible are: Pharaoh’s ring given to Joseph (Gen 41:42); Ahasuerus’s ring given to Haman and then to Mordecai after Haman was hanged (Esther 3:10,12; 8:2); King Darius’s sealing the den of lions after Daniel was thrown into it (Dan 6:17).
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (SIGNET)
MEANING: “Good fortune (or “warrior”)
SYMBOL: Tents, like a battlefield camp
STONE/COLOR: Emerald (or diamond) /Possibly a stone with little color
Continue reading INFORMATION ABOUT GAD, ASHER, ISSACHAR (3 OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL)MEANING: “Praise”
Symbol: Lion
STONE/COLOR: Carnelian (or ruby)/Red
Continue reading INFORMATION ABOUT JUDAH,DAN,NAPHTALI (3 OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL)
REUBEN –
MEANING: “SEE, A SON!”
SYMBOL: WATER (OR MANDRAKE PLANT: GEN 30:14)
Continue reading INFORMATION ABOUT REUBEN,SIMEON,LEVI,(3 OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL)
The Jews from Matthew’s day would have disagreed. Tradition-minded Jews kept a record of their ancestors partly because certain rights and responsibilities were inherited. Priests descended from Aaron, the brother of Moses. Kings-and the coming Messiah-would descend from David, Israel’s most revered king.
Continue reading SHAKING JESUS’ FAMILY TREE
Joseph had an extraordinary ability to shine in the darkest of places, to thrive under circumstances that could have crushed his spirit. He demonstrated this ability early.
Joseph’s 10 older brothers hated him because their father, Jacob, loved him-much more than he loved the rest of his children. He lavished attention and gifts on Joseph while the rest of his sons burned with envy.
Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (JOSEPH “BLOOM WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED”)
Joseph’s problems likely started the day he was born.
Continue reading A LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT JOSEPH
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (ACTS 1:9-26 JESUS ASCENDS TO HEAVEN, THE UPPER ROOM PRAYER MEETING, MATTHIAS CHOSEN)
Mary had a front-row seat for an unbelievable life full of amazing stories: the angel Gabriel showing up out of the blue to tell her that she, a virgin, was pregnant (Luke 1:26-38)-and not just expecting, but expecting the Son of God; the baby’s birth in an animal shed far from home (Luke 2:1-7); the odd parade of well-wishers saying beautiful and occasionally frightening things (Matt 2:1-12; Luke 2:8-38); the mad dash to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath (Matt 2:13-14).
Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (MARY “THE MOTHER AND FIRST DISCIPLE OF JESUS”)