Manasseh, king of Judah (697 – 642 BC), built altars in Jerusalem for all the “host of heaven” (2 Kings 21:5). He attempted to merge the worship of other gods with the worship of Yahweh. Manasseh’s efforts were reversed when Josiah came to the throne (2 Kings 23:7).
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (HOST OF HEAVEN PT 2 OF 2)
Cherubim is plural for the Hebrews word cherub, or angel, In the Old Testament, cherubim were heavenly beings who served God. In the Garden of Eden, angels guarded the tree of life (Gen 3:24). Two cherubim made of gold decorated the top of the ark of the covenant, symbolizing a covering of atonement (Exod 25:18-22). Given that God cannot Continue reading WHAT ARE CHERUBIM?
Piece of furniture for resting the feet, especially for one seated on a throne (2 Chron 9:18; James 2:3). The footstool of Tutankhamen of Egypt was carved with pictures of his enemies. Other Pharaohs were portrayed with their feet on their enemies’ heads. The footstool thus became a symbol for dominion. God is pictured as a king enthroned in heaven with the earth as His footstool (Isa 66:1; Matt 5:35). In Ps 99:5 and Lam 2:1 it is difficult to determine with certainty whether God’s footstool is the ark, the temple, or Zion (Isa 60:13, Ezek 43:7). Only 1 Chron 28:2 is an unambiguous reference to the ark as a resting place for God’s feet. Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY “FOOTSTOOL”
Marriage and the related symbols of bride and bridegroom play as large a role in Scripture as they did in real life in the ancient world. whether we consider the Old Testament picture of Israel as the bride and God as her bridegroom (Isa 62:4-5; Jer 2:2) or the New Testament picture of the church as the bride and Jesus as the bridegroom (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:21-32; Rev 21:2, 9), the message points to a special relationship God longs to have with his people. (See also BRIDE, BRIDEGROOM.) Continue reading SIGNS AND SYMBOLS OF THE BIBLE (MARRIAGE)
In the ancient world thrones served the same purpose they serve today: they were the elevated, often ornate seats upon which a person of authority-usually a king-would sit to rule and utter judgments. Thrones served as the symbol for the monarchy itself (Gen 41:40 NIV; 2 Sam 3:10; 1 Kings 1:46). The only throne with a detailed description in the Bible is Solomon’s throne (2 Chron 9:17-19; 1 Kings 10:18-20), a carved chair made of ivory overlaid with gold and situated on a platform six steps up from the ground. On