Camels were a common sight throughout Bible times, particularly in cities and villages along caravan routes, where these long-distance beasts of burden might pause for a night before trudging on to their destination. In addition to being a means of
Continue reading BIBLE SIGNS & SYMBOLS (CAMEL)
In the ancient world lamps were usually made of pottery shaped like a shell with a rim across the top and a spout at one end to hold the wick. The lamps of Christians were decorated with Christian symbols. Olive oil was the most common fuel, and although lamps could hold enough oil to last through the night, housewives had to get up during the night and trim the wick. In Jesus’ day, the most common lamp was a wheel shape,
As a city symbolic of man’s power in rebellion against God, Nineveh ranks second only to Babylon. Yet it also stands out as an example of cultural repentance-the population of a large city recognizing the holiness of God and humbling themselves before him. Three of Israel’s prophets-Jonah, Nahum, and Zephaniah-had dealings with the city. Nineveh Continue reading BIBLE SIGNS & SYMBOLS (NINEVEH)
The term ark in Scriptures has two main meanings: one is a large boat built by Noah, and the other is the ark of the covenant that was housed in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Both of these images encapsulate important spiritual truths related to salvation.
Grapevines are a plant well suited to the climate of Palestine. Grapes were cultivated as far back as Noah’s day (Gen 9:20) and were eaten fresh, dried, or crushed to make juice, vinegar, or wine. In an area where water was often in short supply, the juice from grapes became crucial for life. Clusters of grapes as large as five kilograms (twelve pounds) have been reported in Palestine, giving validity to the spies’ account of the grapes in Canaan in
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The agricultural practice of grafting joining a shoot or bud to a growing plant so they grow together into a new plant-was well-known in the ancient world. It was usually done to promote new growth and increased fruit production among similar plant species. Grafting was a faster way to get a mature plant than starting from seeds. Often a branch from a cultivated tree would be grafted onto an already established wild tree, and the wild tree
Two brides take up most of the symbolic attention in the Bible. The bride of the Old Testament is Israel; the bride of the New Testament is the church, the bride of Christ. With the possible exception of the bride who takes the spotlight in Song of Solomon 4, the idea of a bride in the Old Testament was a daughter “paid for” by a bride-price and then wooed by her husband. Even in the case of Ruth, a widow, the proposal of marriage involved a cost: in this case, Boaz taking on responsibility not only for Ruth but also for
Having the key to something denotes power and authority. You have the right to enter in and the right to refuse entry to others. In the ancient world, keys were given to the steward, a servant whom the master of the house trusted to care for the household. The long, large keys of the day were often carried on a person’s shoulder.
While we almost always think first of marriage when the subject of rings comes up, the Bible records no instances where a ring is used as a symbol of marriage or wedding vows. But surprisingly, the first time a ring is mentioned in Scripture involves an interesting account of surrogate courtship. When Abraham’s servant Eliezer arrive in Haran on a mission to find a wife for young Isaac, he met a young woman at the city well whose name was Rebekah (Gen. 24:1-67). Discovering that Rebekah’s parents were relations of
The tabernacle was a religious structure built during the exodus when God’s people lived in tents. The Hebrew word mishkan, translated “tabernacle,” literally means “residence” or “dwelling place.” It is related to the word for God’s glorious presence, shekinah. Thus, the very word tabernacle connotes God’s indwelling presence among his people.