The story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem can be read in the 21st chapter of Matthew and it tells us how he sent two of his disciples to a village to get a donkey with a colt beside it. He told them to bring the donkey and the colt to him so he can ride the donkey on his way to Jerusalem. But why did Jesus choose the lowly donkey instead of getting a magnificent horse to ride on?
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Jesus rode a donkey for three reasons. The first one is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, making his triumphant entry while riding a lowly animal a symbol of peace. When horses are mentioned in the Bible they are almost always in relation to kings and war, while donkeys are mentioned in relation to common people. The donkey’s purpose was in agriculture as well as trade.
“Jesus used the donkey to connect with the common people.”
Smaller than horses and gifted with cautiousness, that can sometimes be mistaken for stubbornness, donkeys were not usually used during times of war. Zechariah 9:9 prophesied the coming of a king “righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This prophecy was fulfilled in Matthew 21:1-11 when Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem and it was triumphant because he had done so without bloodshed on the side of the people.
Second, in the ancient Biblical world, a leader rode on a horse if he was coming in war and a donkey to signify peace.
Third, Jesus used the donkey to connect with the common people. Life was also not easy for a Jew living under Roman rule in the 1st century—more so for the poor. But Jesus embraced the poor and sick people during his time here on earth. His choice of a donkey instead of a horse was God’s way of saying that he came as a king who will serve and save the oppressed.
Israel was a fledgling country during the reign of King David with enemies that surrounded the country on all sides. This part in history is listed on the Bible Timeline Poster around 1029 BC. Throughout Saul’s reign, incursions by neighboring tribes were constant, and it was no different during David’s reign. King David himself started his military career by slaying Goliath, one of the Philistines’ well-known giant warriors. 2 Samuel 8 offers a glimpse of David’s victories at the height of his reign.
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The Philistines were mentioned in the Bible as early as Genesis 10, in the Table of Nations under Ham (Genesis 10:14). The relationship between earlier patriarchs and the Philistines was civil. It was only when Israel emerged as a nation after the Exodus from Egypt that the relationship between the two turned hostile. The Philistines emerged as their archenemies after the Israelites settled in Canaan.
These ancient people lived on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean in cities that include Gaza, Gath, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Ekron. Raids, as well as full-blown wars with the Philistines, were common from the time of the judge Shamgar (Judges 3:31) to Samson to David. After many years of war with the Philistines, they were finally subdued by David and he took control of Gath and its surrounding villages (1 Chronicles 18:1).
“Matteo Rosselli, The triumphant David.”
Moab, Ammon, and Amalek
The Moabites and Ammonites lived respectively east of the Dead Sea and Jordan River; while the Amalekites settled north of Kadesh Barnea in the Negev Desert. In Deuteronomy 2:9 and 2:19, the Israelites were instructed not to harass or provoke the Moabites and Ammonites owing to their descent from Lot. The Amalekites (who were Esau’s descendants) were Israel’s enemies as early as the days of wandering in the Sinai desert (Exodus 17:8).
These three surrounding tribes, however, were used by God to turn the Israelites around each time they did evil at the time of the judges. They were still raiding Israelite towns during the time of David. After he had been proclaimed king, David subdued the Ammonites. This was following the humiliation his delegates suffered while offering sympathy to the king of Ammon from his father’s death. Hanun, king of Ammon, further provoked David by assembling a coalition of Arameans and Ammonites to attack Israel. David’s commanders of the army, Joab and his brother Abishai defeated this alliance.
The last details about David’s war with the Moabites are in 2 Samuel 8:2 and 1 Chronicles 18:2. Where he dealt with the Moabites violently after their defeat and they became his subjects. The Amalekites, however, continued to be Israel’s enemy. It culminated when the Amalekites raided Negev and Ziklag. They held captive all the women and children and carried them off. Two of David’s wives were among the captives. David and his men later pursued them and recovered the women and children (1 Samuel 30).
The Amalekites gradually disappeared from the Biblical narrative after David’s time, while the Moabites and Ammonites made intermittent incursions and waged war against Israel.
Aram
There were three Aramean kingdoms mentioned during Saul and David’s reign: Damascus, Beth Rehob, and Zobah. Arameans antagonized David in the alliance with each other and once in alliance with the Ammonites (2 Samuel 10:8). All these kingdoms were defeated by David (2 Samuel 8).
Edom
Edomites and Israelites were related through their ancestors Esau and Jacob, but the Edomites refused Israel passage through their territory on the way to the Promised Land. Furthermore, there was enmity between them during the reign of Saul. David defeated the Edomites in the Valley of Salt and made them his subjects (2 Samuel 8:12-13).
Israel’s Golden Age
David’s victories against neighboring tribes are listed in 2 Samuel 8. It could be said that this was the golden age of the fledgling nation. The tribes that were subdued became subjects who paid tribute to David and plundered goods were dedicated to the Lord. David’s influence reached north when the king of Hamath sent his own son Joram to congratulate him and give gifts. Solomon reaped the benefits of his father’s military victories when he consolidated power and ruled from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines after David’s death (2 Chronicles 9:26).
Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land in Canaan was long and full of battles against her neighbors. These conflicts are listed on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1079 BC. All throughout the books of Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, and Judges, Israel was surrounded by hostile peoples. Which included the Amalekites, Edomites, Amorites, Canaanites, Arameans, Moabites, Ammonites, Midianites, and Philistines. Israel’s long-standing archenemies in the region, however, were her immediate neighbors: the Ammonites, Moabites, and Philistines.
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According to the Old Testament, the Ammonites and Moabites were descended from Lot through his two daughters (Genesis 19:30-38). The Ammonites settled east of the Jordan River while the Moabites settled east of the Dead Sea. The Philistines were the Israelites’ adversaries during the years of the Judges and well into King David’s reign. The origin of the Philistines is still up for debate, but it was hypothesized that they were one of the Aegean peoples who settled on the Mediterranean coast around the same time as the arrival of the Israelites in the area.
“According to the Old Testament, the Ammonites and Moabites were descended from Lot through his two daughters (Genesis 19:30-38).”
Against the Ammonites
Saul went to war against the Ammonites, Moabites, and Philistines during the early years of his reign and was victorious against them. His first victory was against the Ammonite King Nahash. This was before Saul was even crowned the King of Israel (1 Samuel 11). The Israelites who lived in Jabesh-Gilead near the territory of the Ammonites sent a peace treaty to King Nahash, which he agreed to honor but laid out a condition that the right eye of each citizen will be gouged out in exchange. Saul rescued the people of Jabesh-Gilead after he mobilized thousands of men from Israel and Judah and launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites. The people of Israel held a ceremony in Gilgal that proclaimed him king after his victory against the Ammonites.
Against the Philistines
His next battle was against the Philistines, who lived on the west coast of the Mediterranean (1 Samuel 13). Due to the number of Philistine warriors and advanced weaponry that they used during the battle (1 Samuel 13:5, 1 Samuel 13:19), Saul, his son Jonathan, and their men were routed and dispersed. The Israelites were victorious against the Philistines later on with the help of Jonathan’s daring plan (1 Samuel 14:1-15) and the Philistine warriors’ confusion that resulted in them killing each other instead (1 Samuel 14:20).
Further Victories
Israel’s army led by King Saul was victorious later on against their hostile neighbors as summarized in 1 Samuel 14:47. He won battles against Moab, Ammon, the kingdom of Zobah (Aram-Zobah, in Syria, Edom (Idumea), and Philistia during this period.
The actual date of the Pyramid’s construction is still widely under speculation. This event, however, is listed on the Bible Timeline around 1904 BC. Ziggurats in Mesopotamia preceded Egypt’s pyramids by several hundred years. So it is hypothesized that the pyramids’ design was based on these ancient high-rise buildings. The earliest pyramids were step pyramids that resembled their Mesopotamian counterparts. Receding tiers or mastabas were built on top of the other to form a proto-pyramid structure. The perfect example of this was the pyramid of the 3rd Dynasty pharaoh Djoser in Saqqara. It was built around 2630 BC and rose to a height of 204 feet.
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Egyptians were in a transition during this period. They were on their way of perfecting the design of the pyramids as shown in the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu. And later the predecessor of ‘true’ pyramids, the Red or North Pyramid built by the same pharaoh. By circa 2500 BC, Egyptians have perfected the art and engineering of the now smooth-sided pyramids of Giza, also known as the Great Pyramids.
“The reconstructed facade of the Neo-Sumerian Great Ziggurat of Ur, near Nasiriyah, Iraq”
True Pyramids of the Old Kingdom’s 4th Dynasty
Khufu, Sneferu’s son, built Egypt’s largest and first true pyramid at Giza, which is located south of Cairo. The chosen site was the high end of a natural plateau to ensure the visibility of the pyramid. It once had an original height of 481 feet but was reduced to 455.2 feet when the pyramidion was stolen. Khafre’s pyramid sits right beside his father Khufu’s and is the second largest at 448 feet while Menkaure’s pyramid is the smallest at 215 feet.
Khufu’s Great Pyramid
The pyramid had a perfect orientation to the points of the compass and was designed with precise dimensions. The south shaft of the King’s chamber of the Great Pyramid was aligned to face Orion and the other shaft in the Queen’s chamber was aligned to Sirius. There are still debates whether these are for astrological purposes as Orion was associated with Osiris, god of the underworld or for a practical reason such as an air shaft.
Thousands of tons of granite, limestone, as well as mortar were quarried from Aswan, Tura, and surrounding areas and transported to Giza. The Great Pyramid weighs 6.5 million tons with each block of stone averaging about 2.5 tons and covers an area of 756 feet (13 acres). Each side measures 5.5 acres, and it has 203 level of steps toward the summit. The interior chamber blocks and casing stones (Tura limestones) were cut with high precision, but many of these casing stones were loosened after a massive earthquake in early 1300 AD. So what remains today is the original interior blocks. The loosened casing stones were later on carted off mid-1300 AD as materials to build a mosque in Cairo.
Khufu’s pyramid was built by thousands of men. The Greeks hypothesized that it took 20 years to finish the Great Pyramid, and approximately 100,000 slaves were employed seasonally to build it. But there is evidence that up to 20,000 skilled craftsmen were employed and worked in the area on a permanent basis.
Pyramids were built throughout the 6th Dynasty, but these generally fell out of fashion later on. The high cost of building these royal tombs contributed to their halt and succeeding dynasties switched from pyramids to carved cliff-side tombs to reduce looting by grave robbers.
Egypt’s 12th Dynasty lasted from circa 1985-1773 BC, which is listed on the Biblical Timeline Poster with World History around that time. It began with the reign of Amenemhat I to the first attested female Egyptian monarch Queen Sobekneferu. After the chaos of the First Intermediate Period, Egypt was unified under the 11th Dynasty that ruled from Thebes. Mentuhotep II of Upper Egypt (c 2081–1938 BC) defeated the Herakleopolis-based 10th Dynasty so by 1968 BC, he had reunited Egypt and ushered in the dawn of the Middle Kingdom. Egypt’s 11th Dynasty starting from Mentuhotep I to Mentuhotep IV lasted for 143 years. This ended with a coup, which the first 12th Dynasty pharaoh, Amenemhat took part in.
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Amenemhat I (1985-1956 BC) was a vizier of the little-known Mentuhotep IV of the 11th Dynasty before his ascension as pharaoh. He was not of royal birth and may have usurped the throne through violence. The Prophecy of Neferty may have been composed to assert the legitimacy of his rule. Amenemhat is credited with moving the capital from Thebes to Amenemhat-itj-tawy (Itjtawy) in the Faiyum region. There his government would have been closer to Asia where incursions from Asiatics frequently happened. Having a new capital also meant that the officials based in Itjtawy would be dependent on the Pharaoh, and would not have had their own power bases.
Amenemhat I’s reign marked the return of centralized government, increased bureaucracy, rise in mineral wealth as evidenced by royal burials of this era, and an increase in living standards for middle-class Egyptians. He may have also built the undiscovered Walls-of-the-Ruler as mentioned in the Prophecy of Neferty, conducted several conquests to Nubia to obtain gold, and started a campaign westward to Libya. Amenemhat I’s 30-year reign ended when he was assassinated and his son Senusret I, who was raiding Bedouin tribes at that time, hurried back to Itjtawy to assume the throne.
Senusret I succeeded his father as pharaoh of Egypt, and reigned for 45 years (c. 1956-1911 BC). He expanded Egypt’s borders as far as Buhen in Nubia and built a fort there. They also mined gold, amethyst, copper, and other precious stones for jewelry and sculpture in Nubia. He was succeeded by his son Amenemhat II (c.1911-1877 BC).
Wars then became more frequent between Asiatics and Egyptians. He was followed by Senusret II (1877-1870 BC) who expanded trade to the Near East and was notable for his peaceful reign. He inaugurated the Faiyum irrigation system which connected the Nile with the Faiyum region.
“Bust of Senusret I in the Neues Museum, Berlin”
Egyptian Renaissance
Senusret III (c.1870-1831 BC) may have been the legendary ‘Sesostris’ mentioned by Egyptian historian Manetho and by Herodotus. He made repeated campaigns into Nubia during his reign, and much of these were violent. He also made, at least, one incursion into Palestine. His son, Amenemhat III (c. 1831-1786 BC), had a long and peaceful reign. It also marked a cultural and political peak during the 12th Dynasty. Amenemhat III was credited with building forts, shrines, and temples. He also strengthened Egypt’s borders and conducted extensive mining. The last years of his reign, however, were marked with low Nile floods and much of the building activities drained the economy. The combination of these factors contributed to Egypt’s economic and political decline at that time.
Decline and End of 12th Dynasty
Little is known regarding Amenemhat IV’s (1786-1777 BC) reign except that he came to it at an old age, and he held the throne for only nine years. He was followed by Queen Sobekkara Sobekneferu (1777-1773 BC) who was the first attested female pharaoh and was also Amenemhat’s IV’s wife and half-sister. Her reign lasted only four years, and her death without an heir marked the end of Egypt’s 12th Dynasty, as well as Egypt’s Middle Kingdom. The rule of competing dynasties and entry of the Hyksos from Asia marked the start of Second Intermediate Period.
Astronomy is defined as the scientific study of objects in outer space. However, in the ancient world, astronomy was used with astrology which is the study of the position and movement of celestial bodies and how these affect people’s lives. This is recorded on the Biblical Timeline with World History around 1954 BC. However, as early as 3000 BC, people in Mesopotamia observed the heavens and kept astronomical records. They divided time into minutes and seconds, developed a calendar system, and compiled star catalogs. Their knowledge of these subjects was also used in astrology as they lived in a harsh environment where food can be scarce, and they were surrounded by enemies from other lands. Which made them reliant on primitive astrology for signs, omens, and direction.
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Astronomy played a big part in ancient Mesopotamian religion with astral gods that included Anu (lord of the constellations), Nergal (god of the sun), Shamash or Utu (god of the sun), and Sin or Nanna (god of the moon). They are among the major astral deities worshiped by early Mesopotamians. This pantheon of gods was also included in the Sumerian folklore. Sumerians were credited to be world’s first known mathematicians and astronomers with their knowledge of geometry, algebra, and bookkeeping remarkably advanced.
“Babylonians were credited as the first ones who developed the earliest lunisolar calendar”
The Sumerians were later subdued by Akkadians (called Babylonians by the Greeks) under Sargon the Great. Babylonians adopted the Sumerian beliefs in gods such as Inanna, Zababu, Anu, and Enlil. Sargon even included his daughter, Enheduanna as priestess to Nanna (Sin). Some of the oldest collections of astronomical observations were written and collected at the time of Sargon of Akkad’s reign. Babylon is credited as the birthplace of ancient astrology and was the first to organize astrology some time in second millennium BC. Clay tablets inscribed with names of constellations and other astronomical events that have been recovered. Such as the Venus Tablets of King Ammisaduqa (one of the cuneiform tablets included in the Enuma Anu Enlil) which records the rising and setting of the planet Venus over a period of 21 years. Babylonians were credited as the first ones who developed the earliest lunisolar calendar with 12 months divisions. As well as accurately predicting solar and lunar eclipses. Eclipses were bad omens for Babylonian kings. Predicting these caused a person in advance to be killed in the king’s stead to appease the wrath of their gods.
When Assyrians conquered Babylon, much of what is known about astronomy and astrology was kept alive after the King Ashurbanipal of Assyria transferred important literary, mathematical, and astronomical works of his empire to his own library. The clay tablets where the astronomical observations were inscribed were then dug up thousands of years later in Kouyunjik (Nineveh).
Genesis 14:18 offers a succinct introduction as to who Melchizedek was. He was the “King of Salem… [and] priest of God Most High”. He blessed Abraham (called Abram at this time) after receiving a tenth of all the goods he recovered from the war between allied kings in the area. This event is listed on the Bible Timeline Poster around 2004 BC.
Melchizedek’s name was not mentioned again till much later. Starting in Psalms 110:4 and several chapters of Hebrews where it is evident that he was known and even revered generations later. In Hebrews 6:20, Jesus was likened to Melchizedek and has become “our eternal High Priest”.
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Abraham and his nephew Lot had stayed together since leaving Ur of the Chaldeans. Temporarily settling in Haran, and moving again to Canaan after Abram received a message from God. They settled amidst Bethel and Ai. The flocks owned by both men increased to the point that the land could not support both of them. Disputes broke out between their herdsmen, and they decided to separate. With Lot moving to the fertile Jordan valley to a place near Sodom (Genesis 13:12) while Abraham settled in Hebron.
“Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek”
Lot’s proximity to Sodom did not work out for his benefit as war broke out between allied kings of the area. The kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim went up against the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Genesis 14). The Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were defeated and fled. Leaving the people and their properties vulnerable to captivity and plunder which King Kedorloamer and his allies did after their victory. Lot was one of the captives; this news reached Abraham, who promptly gathered his men and went in pursuit of the kings with their captives. He defeated Kedorloamer and his allies north of Damascus. Then freed the captives and returned all the possessions they recovered to the king of Sodom.
Melchizedek was introduced in the following passage as he brought out bread and wine, blessed Abraham, and received the tenth of everything they had recovered.
Has God ever taken you on the long route to a promised blessing or leading? You could see a faster way, but instead off you went in almost the opposite direction. Maybe you are in the middle of one now.
Below is a quick summary of Abraham’s long-way-round journey from Ur to Canaan.
Let us know about your long journey (or journeys) in a comment, please.
The 11th chapter of Genesis tells us the story of the Tower of Babel and the journey of Terah along with his son Abraham with his wife Sarai and Terah’s grandson Lot. For reasons not specified in Genesis Chapter 11 of the Bible, they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans (present-day southern Iraq) to Canaan on the Mediterranean coast. We can only speculate as to why Terah did this but a peek at the location and political situation in Mesopotamia at that time would give us clues why he would take his family elsewhere. (For a better picture of Bible events and location, refer to the Holy Land Map in conjunction with this article.)
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Ur was a place of upheavals and it was under constant attack from hostile neighbors during the time of the patriarchs, so leaving the city for a more peaceful land would have been a more feasible choice for Terah and his family. Another possibility is that Terah may have recognized and worshiped the true God while Ur was a city full of people who were devoted to the Sumerian moon god Nanna (or Sin in Akkadian). We can see a problem in their beliefs if this is the case which may have driven Terah and his family to leave Ur.
Shorter Desert Route versus Longer River Route
Whatever the reason, Terah never reached his original destination of Canaan and they settled instead in Haran (present-day southern Turkey) where he died.
If we look at the map of modern day Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, and Israel, a journey from east to west through the Arabian desert would have been the shorter route. Terah and his family, however, took the longer route by following the Euphrates river upstream towards Haran. This makes more sense rather than making the journey across a perilous desert.
External factors that may put their life at risk during the desert journey include a lack of reliable sources of water, intense heat, constant temperature changes, and unpredictable sandstorms. Lack of food can also be a problem in a sparsely vegetated land while dangerous insects and animals also pose a threat. Bandits preying on passing vulnerable caravans also endangered their lives. There may have also been established routes throughout Mesopotamia that followed the Euphrates, so northwards to Haran is the better and safer choice.
Traveling straight through the desert had many dangers.
Onward to Canaan
Abraham’s family settled in Haran for many years until Terah died at the age of 205, then God called Abraham to go and continue the journey to Canaan. We can only surmise as to what drove their family to settle in Haran temporarily (whether it’s the town’s prosperity or relative peace), but to uproot himself and his family from a familiar land to live in another which was inhabited by people whose customs and gods differ from his can be unsettling.
He was 75 years old at that time and moving was not an easy task especially in his age. But this time, the command to move to Canaan came with a blessing explicitly stated in Genesis 12:2-3. So he packed all their belongings and journeyed again, reaching Shechem in Canaan first, then the hills of Bethel, and finally south to the Negev.
Our Own Long River Route
Abraham was often held as one whose faith and obedience shined brightly among the other characters in the Bible. The material and spiritual blessings that followed his obedience were well-documented, and he is recognized as someone Christians should emulate in faith.
We also take journeys, literally and spiritually (just like Abraham) and make hard decisions that will significantly impact our lives. Making the right choices (such as who to marry or whether to move to another city to pursue a leading) takes a lot of faith in God. The question is do we trust God enough to lead us out of our Ur of the Chaldeans and take us to a better place which He promised us? Do we take the shorter yet perilous desert route or do we have the patience to take the longer river route? Do we trust in our own intelligence or do we seek God first for His word in our decision-making process?
In your life, has God led you to the longer river route and how did it become a blessing? Comment below, please.
He was no doubt familiar with antediluvian events and would have given to his generation a very direct account of the same.
Abraham was one of Shem’s most distinguished descendants. (The line of descent from Shem down to Abraham is listed in Genesis 11:10-26.) This is listed on the Bible Timeline Chart around 2004 BC. His ancestors were ordered as follows.
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“The genealogy of Shem to Abraham according to the Bible”
Abraham (then named Abram) was born in Ur of the Chaldeans in Mesopotamia when his father Terah was 70 years old. There were several generations linking Shem with Abraham. However, Shem was still alive when Abraham was born. As mentioned in Genesis 11:11, Shem lived 500 years more after the birth of Arphaxad. This overlapping of years between the two may have allowed Abraham to learn about the antediluvian events directly from one of the people who survived the flood such as Shem. This included the Genesis creation narrative, the story of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, as well as other notable ancestors who came before Shem. Although the construction of the Tower of Babel was mentioned before the appearance of Abraham in Genesis 11, it is not clear whether Abraham lived before, during, or after this event.
For reasons not stated in the Bible, Terah took his son Abraham (then called Abram), his grandson Lot whose father died earlier in their homeland, and Abraham’s wife Sarah from Ur of the Chaldeans (traditionally modern day Tell al-Muqayyar, Iraq) to Canaan. Instead of continuing to Canaan, they stopped and settled in Haran where Terah died at the age of 205. Abraham’s departure from Haran is recorded on the Biblical Timeline Chart around 2004 BC.
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After staying in Haran for an unspecified period, God told Abraham to leave his country again and go to the land that the Lord would show him. This message contained a promise of great blessings for Abraham and his descendants. It was also extended to all the families on earth that would be blessed through him.
“A painting of Abraham’s departure by József Molnár.”
Abraham was 75 years old when he left Haran along with his wife Sarah (then named Sarai), his nephew Lot, their livestock, and everyone in their household. Their destination was far South into the land of Canaan. He went as far as Shechem (Tell Balata in present day Nablus city) where he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh.
In the succeeding verses, God promised the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. He moved on to the hills east of Bethel and later continued South to the desert area of Negev. He built altars and worshipped God in both places.
