David’s courage as a warrior is legendary. His bravery was evident even during his teenage years when he faced down and defeated the Philistine giant Goliath. But a good military leader needs more than personal courage. Above all. he must be able to recruit, motivate, and deploy an army. King David excelled in these abilities.
Continue reading DAVID THE WARRIOR
In Exodus 12, God gives Moses the instructions and requirements for the Passover.
Continue reading THE PASSOVER IN THE BIBLE
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Continue reading SCRIPTURES OF THE DAY (JOHN 19:28-37 “THE DEATH OF JESUS)
The sights, sounds, and smells of any form of public execution are never pleasant, but it is hard to find a method of execution more disturbing than crucifixion. The notion of crucifixion seems to have grown from the practice of impaling lifeless of living persons on a post. This practice morphed into crucifixion and was employed by the Persians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Jews, and eventually Romans.
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The motif of the torn garment is linked to political changes in Israel as well. When Saul was rejected as king, he tore the hem of Samuel’s garment just before hearing “the LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors” (1 Sam 15:27-28; also read 28:17). Later when David’s son Solomon harbored sins that were not appropriate
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (TEAR A GARMENT PT 2 OF 2)
There are many things we may want in life but only two things we really need to sustain life: food and water. A famine takes both away. The famines mentioned in the Bible were typically initiated by a change in climate or a declaration of war. The food and water resources of the Promised Land were based on predictable climatic patterns that brought rain and dew into the region during expected season (Deut 11:10-15). This moisture recharged the springs and wells,
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King Sennacherib of Assyria had a huge army and ruled a large empire. And he was determined to add Judah to the list of nations under his control. He believed that no one could resist his demands-after all. Assyria had never lost a war, and Judah was a small nation. But Sennacherib failed to realize that Judah was different-it’s king, Hezekiah, depended on the Lord to fight Judah’s battles.
Continue reading DID YOU KNOW THAT AN ANGEL ONCE DESTROYED AN ENTIE ARMY?
This amazing event began when the people of Judah were threatened by armies from three countries. After God told King Jehoshaphat that he would protect Judah, the king planned for battle. He decided that a choir should go in from of the army, singing a hymn. When the enemy soldiers heard the choir, they began fighting among themselves and destroyed each other!
Continue reading DID YOU KNOW THAT A CHOIR ONCE WON A BATTLE?
When warfare took place it was normally at a time when food was available to live off the land and when weather conditions made war feasible (2 Samuel 11:1). So far as the Jewish army was concerned, the central “administration” unit (Numbers 2:17) was surrounded by four divisions (Numbers 2) and was preceded by an advance guard.
Continue reading MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE BIBLE (CAMPAIGING)
From an early age we are taught to respect the belongings of others even if our size and strength make it possible to take them by force. In order to understand the actions of the people of the ancient Near East, we need to make a major adjustment in this thinking. Within the cultural construct of this world, the expectation was that those who were victorious in battle had the right to seize the personal property of those defeated and even enslave the owners of that property. This practice of plundering is mentioned repeatedly in the literature of the ancient world peatedly in the literature of the ancient world and illustrated in the art of the empires that rose to power during the Old Testament era.
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (PLUNDER)