Here is some more "sweet evidence" that proves the Bible accuracy.
Moses described the land the Israelites were going to inherit as a "good and spacious, ...a land flowing with milk and honey."
But what was the source of this honey? Was the honey just the sweet juice from dates, figs, or grapes or was it the wild honey Mathew and other Bible writers mentioned? In Mathew 3: 1, 4 Gospel Writer, Mathew, said that John the Baptist existed on locusts such wild honey while living in the wilderness.
The Israelites made good use of such juices no doubt, , but recent archaeological finds show that some of them were skilled beekeepers. A Professsor (Amihai) Mazar of the Hebrew University has mentioned the archaeological evidence of this.
He mentions an apiary found at Tel Rehov which dates back to the time of Solomon's Temple Period around the 10th and 9th centuries B.C.E.
Such apiaries as this one played a significant role in early development of the Jewish nation. This one had some 100 hives set up in three rows and according to scholar could produce up to 100 tons of honey and beeswax annually.
This honey and beeswax was used in a number of industries.These apiaries provided the early Israelites not only with a delicious food and food sweetener, but also with a steady supply of beeswax used in the metal and leather industries. And it was also used in the production of writing boards which consisted of a wooden panel and recess filled with the wax.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Saturday, June 16, 2012
How Great Was Babylon Really?
Nebuchadnezzar, King of ancient Babylon seemed to think that the city he build was truly magnificent, saying at Daniel 4:30: " Is not this Babylon the Great, that I myself have built for the royal house with the strength of my might and the dignity of my majesty?" But was he deluding himself?
He was quite a builder. According to historian the main temple in Babylon featured a tower or ziggurat over 230 feet or 70 meters high. That would make it comparable many of the modern sky scrapers designed by architects today. This was in addition to many temples, palaces, walls and that magnificent terraced garden.
But according to the author of Babylon--City of Wonders The Processional Way which ran through the Ishtar gate was bordered by statues of striding lions and was his grandest project as a builder.
The gate itself was covered with deep blue glazed bricks which featured reliefs of hundreds of marching bulls and dragons.
Visitors to this ancient city must have been awestruck by the magnificence of this and other architectural projects -- as were the archaeologists was uncovered the evidence of much of his work in the earth part of the Twentieth Century. He definitely was not deluding himself when speaking of the city he had designed and had built.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Was the Flood of Noah's Day Really Global?
What do you think of the flood of Noah's Day. Myth or reality?
Many experts have tried to explain away the flood of Noah's day as described in the Bible as merely the sudden flooding of the Black Sea -- and many persons accept that.
But is that all it really was. There is evidence from all over the world that it was a global flood. Take the frozen carcasses of elephants and other animals discovered frozen solid in the Arctic tundra with edible food still in their mouths. Take the discovery shells and other objects found on some of the highest mountains.
And take for example the huge flood that geologists said roared through the northwestern part of the United States thousands of years ago. One of these swept through this area as a wall of water 600 metres high at some 105 kilometers an hour. They say there is evidence of this being a huge wall of water containing some 2,000 cubic kilometers of water and weighing more than two trillion tons. And much of that water is still here -- with the earth still 71 percent water.
This flood is not an isolated piece of flood evidence. Similar geological evidence of a huge flood in other areas of the globe have convinced open-minded scientists that a global flood as described in the Bible is a distinct possibility.
So the next time you read the part of the Bible which says, "The deluge went on for forth days upon the earth...And waters overwhelmed the earth so greatly that all the tall mountains that were under the whole heavens came to be covered. Up to fifteen cubits [6.5 metres] the waters overwhelmed them and the mountains became covered" think of the evidence that -- yes -- it really did happen.
Many experts have tried to explain away the flood of Noah's day as described in the Bible as merely the sudden flooding of the Black Sea -- and many persons accept that.
But is that all it really was. There is evidence from all over the world that it was a global flood. Take the frozen carcasses of elephants and other animals discovered frozen solid in the Arctic tundra with edible food still in their mouths. Take the discovery shells and other objects found on some of the highest mountains.
And take for example the huge flood that geologists said roared through the northwestern part of the United States thousands of years ago. One of these swept through this area as a wall of water 600 metres high at some 105 kilometers an hour. They say there is evidence of this being a huge wall of water containing some 2,000 cubic kilometers of water and weighing more than two trillion tons. And much of that water is still here -- with the earth still 71 percent water.
This flood is not an isolated piece of flood evidence. Similar geological evidence of a huge flood in other areas of the globe have convinced open-minded scientists that a global flood as described in the Bible is a distinct possibility.
So the next time you read the part of the Bible which says, "The deluge went on for forth days upon the earth...And waters overwhelmed the earth so greatly that all the tall mountains that were under the whole heavens came to be covered. Up to fifteen cubits [6.5 metres] the waters overwhelmed them and the mountains became covered" think of the evidence that -- yes -- it really did happen.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Jesus' Death Stumbled Many
Jesus' death did stumble many. They were revolted by his impalement and stopped believing in him. As the Apostle Paul said at 1 Corinthians 1:23, this "became a cause for stumbling." But why?
The reason, is that in the eyes of most Jews, according to historian, Ben Witherington III, such as an impalement was "the most shameful way to died in the world. He says that people in the Middle East believed that the nature of your death portrayed who you were as a person -- and being impaled was usually reserved for criminals guilty of murder or sedition.
So in the eyes of many Jesus must have been really a scoundrel -- a person guilty of blasphemy against God and sedition against the state as the Jewish Sanhedrin alleged.
This seems strange since centuries earlier Hebrew prophets predicted the vile treatment that the Messiah would receive at the hands of his enemies, but still it did happen.
In view of this it does not seem reasonable to believe, as some Bible critics do, that the early Gospel writers, Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, made up the accounts of Jesus' trial, death, and resurrection.
If they were trying to create myths about Jesus in order to attract others to their beliefs this is not the way they would have gone about it in view of the way most Jews viewed death by impalement.
The reason, is that in the eyes of most Jews, according to historian, Ben Witherington III, such as an impalement was "the most shameful way to died in the world. He says that people in the Middle East believed that the nature of your death portrayed who you were as a person -- and being impaled was usually reserved for criminals guilty of murder or sedition.
So in the eyes of many Jesus must have been really a scoundrel -- a person guilty of blasphemy against God and sedition against the state as the Jewish Sanhedrin alleged.
This seems strange since centuries earlier Hebrew prophets predicted the vile treatment that the Messiah would receive at the hands of his enemies, but still it did happen.
In view of this it does not seem reasonable to believe, as some Bible critics do, that the early Gospel writers, Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, made up the accounts of Jesus' trial, death, and resurrection.
If they were trying to create myths about Jesus in order to attract others to their beliefs this is not the way they would have gone about it in view of the way most Jews viewed death by impalement.
Friday, June 1, 2012
What Was This Coccus-Scarlet Material?
Exactly what was this coccus-scarlet material mentioned by Moses in his description of the tabernacle, Israel's ancient center of worship and the High Priest's clothing, as the writing of Pliny, a Roman historian?
Moses at Exodus 26: 1 and Exodus 38:18 says tent cloths forming the walls and gate of the tabernacle...were made of "blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen." and at Exodus 28: 1-6 he mentions that the garments of the high priest were also made using a coccus-scarlet material.
His reference to a coccus-scarlet is a dye extracted from the bodies of female insects of the Coccidae family -- found in the Middle East as well as the Mediterranean areas on lermes oak tree.
Since it is the eggs that actually contained the dye harvesters waited until the wingless female, about the size and shape of a pea, was filled with these eggs and then plucked them off the oak trees.
The females were then crushed to release the water soluble dye for dyeing linen, wool, and other materials used in the clothing of the Israelite priests as well as high ranking officials in other countries such as Italy.
It was a rich, highly esteemed color before and after the time of Jesus Christ.
( Biblical History of David and Edom Below)
Moses at Exodus 26: 1 and Exodus 38:18 says tent cloths forming the walls and gate of the tabernacle...were made of "blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen." and at Exodus 28: 1-6 he mentions that the garments of the high priest were also made using a coccus-scarlet material.
His reference to a coccus-scarlet is a dye extracted from the bodies of female insects of the Coccidae family -- found in the Middle East as well as the Mediterranean areas on lermes oak tree.
Since it is the eggs that actually contained the dye harvesters waited until the wingless female, about the size and shape of a pea, was filled with these eggs and then plucked them off the oak trees.
The females were then crushed to release the water soluble dye for dyeing linen, wool, and other materials used in the clothing of the Israelite priests as well as high ranking officials in other countries such as Italy.
It was a rich, highly esteemed color before and after the time of Jesus Christ.
( Biblical History of David and Edom Below)
Bible History of David and Edom Accurate
Critics have long sought to discredit the Biblical account of King David but archaeologists have vindicated it on two fronts.
First of all did King David actually exist or is this just a piece of Biblical mythology as some claim? Before there was little or no proof outside of the Bible itself that he did actually exist.
In 1993, however, archaeologists discovered a basalt stone in northern Israel from the ninth century B.C.E. On it they read the words: "House of David" and "kings of Israel". Proof of his existence apart from the Biblical account.
Now, what about Biblical accounts such as 2 Samuel 8: 13, 14 describing battles with Edom? Until recently critics claimed that Edom during the reign of David was just a small pastoral society that could not possibly threaten David and Israel.
Now, however, according to the Biblical Archaeological Review fairly recent discoveries have proved that Edom was indeed a very complex society centuries earlier than critics have claimed. And could have been a serious threat to David's Israel as described in the Bible.
So the Biblical accounts of David's existence and battles with the Edom are accurate
First of all did King David actually exist or is this just a piece of Biblical mythology as some claim? Before there was little or no proof outside of the Bible itself that he did actually exist.
In 1993, however, archaeologists discovered a basalt stone in northern Israel from the ninth century B.C.E. On it they read the words: "House of David" and "kings of Israel". Proof of his existence apart from the Biblical account.
Now, what about Biblical accounts such as 2 Samuel 8: 13, 14 describing battles with Edom? Until recently critics claimed that Edom during the reign of David was just a small pastoral society that could not possibly threaten David and Israel.
Now, however, according to the Biblical Archaeological Review fairly recent discoveries have proved that Edom was indeed a very complex society centuries earlier than critics have claimed. And could have been a serious threat to David's Israel as described in the Bible.
So the Biblical accounts of David's existence and battles with the Edom are accurate
Monday, May 28, 2012
Real Opportunists in Ancient Israel
The scribes of ancient Israel proved to be real opportunists using their research and copyist skills to build great power alongside the Pharisees and Saducees of ancient Israel.
Before King Nubuchadrezzar's destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C. the focus of their work was transcribing portions of the Old Testament as well as business and government documents.
However after a remnant was set free by the Cyrus who defeated the Babylonians to establish a Medo-Persian empire stretching from the Mediterranean to the borders of India the Scribes assumed an ever more powerful role not just as copyists of the Law and rest of the Old Testament or Hebrew Scripturess, but also as interpreters and enforcers of that and other laws.
By the time of Jesus the Scribes had become a part of that elite group made up of the Chief Priest, priests, Sadducees, Pharisees and members of artistocratic families.
In small towns throughout Israel as well as in Jewish centres outside of Palestine these men secured positions as minor government officials and judges as well as the interpreters and enforcers of the Mosaic Law traditions.
Although they came from all walks of life: Some were priests, but others were originally fishermen, carpenters, and labourers, they studied hard from the age of 14 to 40 in order to be certified or ordained as Scribes.
They were highly revered by most of the common people because of their supposed knowledge of the Law Covenant and what it required of the people. This knowlege they jealously kept to themselves on the grounds the common people did not have the intelligence to understand why God required certain things from them under the Law Covenant. This was much like the clergy class in Europe during the Dark and Medieval Ages in Europe.
However, Most of the people never thought of questioning them and relatively few of the Biblical Jews ever realized that most of the traditions that they were forced to follow were nothing more than the creations of the Scribe brotherhood.
In Jerusalem itself the Scribes had even more power and prestige working closely with the Chief Priest and other Sanhedrin members. Many of them, in fact, became members of that supreme body which governed so much of the daily life of the Jewish people right up to and beyond the time of Jesus Christ and the Apostles.
Through their distorted interpretation of the Law Covenant and blind allegiance to those traditions they set themselves up as enemies of Jesus Christ.
Before King Nubuchadrezzar's destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C. the focus of their work was transcribing portions of the Old Testament as well as business and government documents.
However after a remnant was set free by the Cyrus who defeated the Babylonians to establish a Medo-Persian empire stretching from the Mediterranean to the borders of India the Scribes assumed an ever more powerful role not just as copyists of the Law and rest of the Old Testament or Hebrew Scripturess, but also as interpreters and enforcers of that and other laws.
By the time of Jesus the Scribes had become a part of that elite group made up of the Chief Priest, priests, Sadducees, Pharisees and members of artistocratic families.
In small towns throughout Israel as well as in Jewish centres outside of Palestine these men secured positions as minor government officials and judges as well as the interpreters and enforcers of the Mosaic Law traditions.
Although they came from all walks of life: Some were priests, but others were originally fishermen, carpenters, and labourers, they studied hard from the age of 14 to 40 in order to be certified or ordained as Scribes.
They were highly revered by most of the common people because of their supposed knowledge of the Law Covenant and what it required of the people. This knowlege they jealously kept to themselves on the grounds the common people did not have the intelligence to understand why God required certain things from them under the Law Covenant. This was much like the clergy class in Europe during the Dark and Medieval Ages in Europe.
However, Most of the people never thought of questioning them and relatively few of the Biblical Jews ever realized that most of the traditions that they were forced to follow were nothing more than the creations of the Scribe brotherhood.
In Jerusalem itself the Scribes had even more power and prestige working closely with the Chief Priest and other Sanhedrin members. Many of them, in fact, became members of that supreme body which governed so much of the daily life of the Jewish people right up to and beyond the time of Jesus Christ and the Apostles.
Through their distorted interpretation of the Law Covenant and blind allegiance to those traditions they set themselves up as enemies of Jesus Christ.
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