Alphabetical Index to Bible Timeline – Page 73 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on July 12, 2012June 10, 2019 by Margaret Hunter — 32 Comments

Jehu Righteous King

Jehu (name meaning him who exists) was the son of Jehoshaphat often also commonly mentioned as son of Nimshi, his grandfather. Perhaps because Nimshi was more well-known. Ultimately, God chose Jehu to be king because he knew that he could trust this god fearing man to lead the people in true worship. He appears on the Old Testament Timeline during the reign of the Kings of the Divided Kingdom.

False Worship in Israel

When the kingdom of Israel split in half the northern kingdom of Israel was brought into false worship by a man named King Jeroboam. This king started the Golden Calf cult and turned the hearts of many Israelites from God. Since that time, pagan worship had corrupted many of God’s people for a long period. King Ahab and his Phoenician wife made things worse by introducing Baal worship into the land of Israel. God could no longer tolerate this idolatry, and he authorized Jehu to become king to put an end to this problem.

Jehu is Anointed King

Elisha was a prophet of God who served under Elijah another great prophet of God. Elijah was taken up to heaven, and Elisha became the next leader of the prophets of Israel during the period when King Ahab and Jezebel were alive. After Ahab had died his son, Ahaziah came to power in Israel. Ahaziah was just as corrupt as his father. One day Elisha told one of his prophets to go and find Jehu and privately anoint him king. The prophet who anointed Jehu king wasn’t named in the Bible. While the unnamed prophet was telling Jehu about his newfound position, he also told him that he must eliminate the rest of Ahab’s lineage. Once Jehu completed this task, he would then become the undisputed king of Israel.

Jehu Fulfills God’s Judgment

Jehu gathers some of his soldiers, and they ride off to find King Ahaziah and King Joram to wipe out the rest of Ahab’s lineage. Jehu ends up throwing King Joram’s body onto Naboth’s land. Naboth was a godly man that Jezebel killed to get his land for her husband, King Ahab. So God took his revenge against Ahab and Jezebel by killing their son Joram on the same piece of land. Jehu then continued pursuing Ahaziah whom he wounded. Ahaziah escaped to Megiddo and died there.

The Death of Jezebel

Jehu then goes after Jezebel. He sees her sitting out on a balcony of her palace waiting for him, and he has a few eunuchs throw her body down. She hits the wall before hitting the ground, and she is trampled on by horses. Jehu goes in to eat and tells some of his servants to bury her body but when they go to perform this task they only find her skull, feet, and hands.

The Rest of Jehu’s Reign

King Jehu spent the rest of his reign wiping out the remaining members of Ahab’s lineage and he also wiped out all of the people who were associated with this evil king. King Jehu was able to rid Israel of Baal worship by eliminating all of the prophets of this false god. The only thing that he didn’t do was to get rid of the Golden Calf worship that was started by Jeroboam when the kingdom first split. Jehu ruled the land for 28 years before he passed away.

Biblical References

2 Kings 9:1-13 Jehu is anointed king, and God gives him the task of eliminating the rest of Ahab’s family line.
2 Kings 9:14-29 King Ahaziah and King Joram are killed by Jehu.
2 Kings, 9 Jezebel is killed by Jehu.
2 Kings 10 Jehu wiped out Baal worship, but he doesn’t do away with the Golden Calf religion.

References:
http://biblegateway.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehu

http://www.studylight.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T4942

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jehu.jpg

Posted on July 11, 2012June 10, 2019 by Margaret Hunter — 4 Comments

Ahaziah, King in Israel

King Ahab and his wife Jezebel were the parents of King Ahaziah ( the name means seized by God) of Israel. King Ahaziah took over the throne after his father was killed in battle. He appears on the Biblical Timeline during the reign of kings of the Divided Kingdom. Once he became king he continued on in the worship of Baal just like his father. God is not happy with Ahaziah’s leadership of Israel and eventually removes him from the throne.

Ahaziah’s Evil Practices

The God of Israel doesn’t want his people to worship anything but himself. When the people of Israel were led into the worship of Baal by Ahaziah this angered the Lord. Ahaziah was continuing a practice that began with Jeroboam who was the first king of Israel when the nation split. Israel had worshipped many false God’s since that time and it was causing major problems for the country. Since Ahaziah’s parents were Ahab and Jezebel he had grown up worshipping the pagan god Baal. His mother Jezebel was still alive during his reign and her practices were continued by him.

Jehu’s Prophecy against Ahaziah

God decided to get rid of Ahaziah and he used Jehu the son of King Jehoshaphat to carry out this task. Elisha was a prophet of God who authorized one of his prophets to anoint Jehu as king. While Jehu was being anointed with oil, the prophet told him that he would be responsible for slaughtering Ahab’s descendants and wiping out his family line. Jehu accepted his anointment and carried out God’s judgment on Ahab’s house.

King Ahaziah

Jehu Slaughters Ahaziah

Shortly after Jehu is anointed king he goes out to slaughter Ahaziah and his brother King Joram. He takes some of his soldiers and rides off to kill the two kings. King Ahaziah and King Joram try to figure out Jehu’s intentions and they realize that he isn’t coming in peace. Jehu shoots King Joram with an arrow between the shoulders that pierces his heart. Joram’s body is thrown down on a plot of land belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. This fulfilled a part of God’s prophecy concerning the elimination of Ahab’s lineage. Jehu persues Ahaziah and wounds him. Though Ahaziah escapes to Megiddo, he subsequently dies in there.

Ahaziah’s Reign

Ahaziah’s reign was short and very brief just like the other Israeli kings before him. God had given this king an opportunity to bring his people back into the true worship of the Lord, but he was too committed to the gods of his parents. Jeroboam’s Golden Calf cult and Ahab’s worship of Baal had caused many of the people who were in power to believe that worshipping pagan deities was the right way to go. They had forgotten about God and the Lord made them pay for not honoring him. Jehu became the next king after the death of Ahaziah because he no longer had any remaining kinsmen to place on the throne.

References:

1 Kings 22:40 Ahaziah becomes king after Ahab passes away.
1 Kings 22: 51-53 Ahaziah continues to lead the people in Baal worship.
2 Kings 9:1-13 Jehu is anointed king and God gives him the task of eliminating the rest of Ahab’s family line including Ahaziah.
2 Kings 9:14-29 Ahaziah is mortally wounded by Jehu and dies in Megiddo.

References:
http://biblegateway.com
http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/p117.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahaziah_of_Israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahaziah_of_Israel.jpg

Posted on July 10, 2012April 7, 2021 by Margaret Hunter — 2 Comments

Jezebel

Jezebel is considered one of the most evil women in all of history. Ironically her name means chaste. Her story is told in the Bible in the books of 1 and 2 Kings. Ahab and Jezebel were part of a horrible line of rulers that started with Jeroboam, who was the first king of Israel when the kingdom split from Judah. She is found on the Biblical Timeline Poster during the reign of kings after the Division of the Kingdoms.

Jezebel and Ahab Meeting Elijah in Naboth’s Vineyard Giclee. Print by Sir Frank Dicksee

Jezebel Gains Power in Israel

Ahab was the son of Omri, who was a wicked ruler of Israel. After his death, Ahab took over the kingdom. God said that Ahab was extremely evil and early on in his reign he married a foreign princess from Phoenicia named Jezebel, who was a worshipper of Baal. Ahab’s and Jezebel’s rule was a continuation of bad leadership that began with Jeroboam. When Jezebel became queen, she quickly tries to take over Israel with her pagan worship and idolatrous practices.

Jezebel’s Evil Deeds

Once Jezebel became the Queen of Israel, she started the worship of Baal and had Ahab lead the people in this type of practice. In 1 Kings 18:4 she started to kill off God’s prophets, and she began to set up her own prophets who honored Baal. The rest of 1 Kings 18 tells about how God’s prophet Elijah defeated the Baal’s prophets and in doing so became an enemy of Jezebel. Jezebel also killed a godly man named Naboth to give his land to Ahab. She encouraged Ahab to set up shrines to Baal and the other pagan gods that she worshiped. God also stated that Jezebel committed witchcraft.

Jezebel’s Death

Eventually, God became fed up with Jezebel. He told Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat that he was going to be king and that he had to avenge the deaths of his prophets that Jezebel killed. He also revealed to Jehu that he was going to use him to wipe out Ahab’s lineage and that Jezebel was going to be eaten by dogs instead of being buried. This incident takes place in 2 Kings 9: 1-11. Jehu’s next move was to kill Joram (Ahab and Jezebel’s son) and King Ahaziah of Judah before taking down Jezebel. Jezebel found out about Joram’s and King Ahaziah’s death at the hand of Jehu. She knew that he was going to come eventually after her. She then put on some make-up and tried to make herself attractive for Jehu. She sat out on the balcony of her palace to greet Jehu as he approached her home. When he was near, she asked him if he had come in peace but Jehu asked if there any of her servants who was on his side. Two or three eunuchs threw Jezebel off of the balcony. She hit the wall before landing on the ground and then she was trampled underfoot by horses. Jehu decided to get some food after the incident and told his men to bury Jezebel. When his men went outside to gather her body dogs ate it up only leaving her skull, feet, and hands. God’s judgment against Jezebel had finally been carried out as promised.

Biblical References

1 Kings 16:31 Jezebel becomes the Queen of Israel because of her marriage to King Ahab.
1 Kings 18:31-32 Jezebel encourages Ahab and the Israelites to worship Baal.
1 Kings 18:4 Jezebel starts to kill off God’s prophets once she gains power.
1 Kings 18 Elijah the prophet confronts Jezebel’s prophets on Mount Carmel and makes Jezebel into one of his greatest enemies.
1 Kings 21:1-15 Jezebel kills a godly man named Naboth and gives his land to King Ahab.
2 Kings 9:22 Jehu tells Joram that his mother practices witchcraft and idolatry.
2 Kings 9:1-11 God reveals to Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat that he is going to be king once he wipes out Ahab’s lineage and kills Jezebel.
2 Kings 9:14-29 Jehu slays Joram and King Ahaziah.
2 Kings 9:30-37 Jehu slays Jezebel, and her tyranny comes to an end.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://www.womeninthebible.net/1.12.Jezebel.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jezebel
http://www.wordlibrary.co.uk/article.php?id=162
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jezabel-and-Ahab-Meeting-Elijah-in-Naboth-s-Vineyard.jpg

Posted on July 9, 2012March 29, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 2 Comments

Elah and King Zimri of Israel, King

When the kingdom of Israel had split into half Jeroboam had ruled Israel in the north. Once he was made king he caused the people to sin by turning them away from worshipping God. So the Lord judged Jeroboam and wiped out his family line through a man named Bashaa (1 Kings 15:25-31). Once Bashaa was on the throne, he committed the same sins as Jeroboam and led the people into false worship. Once he had passed away, his son Elah (the name means an oath or a curse) became the next king. These kings are found on the Bible Timeline Poster during the reign of the Kings after the Division of the Kingdom.

Elah,King of Isreal — Elah, King of Isreal

Bashaa’s Sins

Bashaa slew Nadab and took over the kingdom from him. Once he became king he didn’t turn the people back to worship God instead he continued with the pagan practices that were started by Jeroboam. As a result, God used the prophet Jehu to tell him that his family line was going to be wiped out. This was the same judgment that he used against Jeroboam.

Jehu’s Prophecy

God used a prophet named Jehu to inform Bashaa about his judgment. God stated through Jehu that he lifted up Bashaa to rule over his people. Bashaa didn’t lead the people back into the true worship of God. As a result, God said that Bashaa’s kinsmen would be eaten by dogs when they died in the city and consumed by birds when they died in the country. Once Bashaa had died, his son Elah became king.

Elah the King

Elah had become king, and he continued in the ways of his father, Bashaa. During his reign one of his officials named Zimri had plotted to kill him. One day King Elah was spending some time at the home of one of his royal officials. This particular administrator was named Arza, and he was the palace, administrator. King Elah and Arza were passing the night away drinking, and that’s when he struck him down. After killing Elah, Zimri became the king. Elah only reigned for two years just like his father. Zimri wiped out all of Bashaa’s family line (and his male friends) starting with Elah.

Zimri’s Rule of Israel

Zimri was a soldier who commanded half of the charioteers. Once the army had heard that he killed King Elah, they declared the commander of their army named Omri as their leader. Omri and the Israeli soldiers moved against Zimri and surrounded the city of Tirzah were he ruled. Zimri knew he couldn’t defeat Omri, and he set fire to the palace. Zimri only ruled Israel for seven days before he was removed from the throne. God already knew that Zimri was going to follow in the ways of Jeroboam and 1 Kings 16:19 states that this is the reason he was quickly removed from his position as king. King Elah and King Zimri probably were both destined to rule Israel for a long time, but they had to do rule on God’s terms. Apparently neither one of these rulers understood this important fact. As a result of their decisions to worship false gods they both died horrible deaths, and they only ruled Israel for a short period.

Biblical References

1 Kings 12:1-24 The Kingdom of Israel splits and Jeroboam rules the north. He begins the Golden Calf Cult, which is still carried out by Elah and Zimri.
1 Kings 15:25-31 Bashaa destroys Jeroboam and his family line and sets himself up as king. Bashaa is the father of Elah.
1 Kings 16:1-4 Jehu the prophet tells Bashaa about his coming demise as king.
1 Kings 16:13 Elah becomes king after his father dies and continues in the way of the Golden Calf Cult.
1 Kings 16:8-11 Zimri slays Elah, and God fulfills his judgment against Bashaa through the death of his son. Zimri also wipes out the rest of Bashaa’s line. Zimri becomes king.
I Kings 16:16 A military commander named Omri is made king by the Israeli soldiers, and he attacks Zimri.
I Kings 16:19 Zimri sets the palace on fire and dies, and Omri is now the new king. Zimri only rules Israel for seven days.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com/

Posted on July 6, 2012August 6, 2018 by Margaret Hunter — 2 Comments

Nadab son of Jeroboam, King

Nadab (name may mean free and voluntary gift, generous) was the son of Jeroboam, and his reign was a relatively short one that only lasted for a few years. Nadab’s problems began with his father. Nadab’s fate as a ruler was already sealed from God’s judgment against Jeroboam. He appears on the Biblical Timeline Chart during the time of the Kings after the Division of the Kingdoms.
Jeroboam’s Judgment

In 1 Kings 14:1-11 Jeroboam’s son Abijah became ill, and Jeroboam wanted to know if his son was going to live. So he told his wife to disguise herself and go to the city of Shiloh to an old and blind prophet of God named Ahijah. Jeroboam believed that the old prophet would be the only person who could tell him if his son would live. Jeroboam’s wife agreed and went to the old prophet’s home. Ahijah knew it was Jeroboam’s wife even though he couldn’t see her, and he then prophesized that Jeroboam’s line would be wipe out because of disobedience to God. Ahijah also told Jeroboam’s wife that the boy was going to die and that he would be the only member of their family that would be buried. She went back to Jeroboam and told him what the old prophet had said. Jeroboam eventually died after a 22-year reign.

God’s Specific Reason for Removing Jeroboam’s Line

God was seriously upset with Jeroboam and the choices that he made to do evil. God used the old prophet Ahijah to tell Jeroboam’s wife that he raised Jeroboam to take over the kingdom after he had removed it from the house of David. The Lord also goes on say that Jeroboam wasn’t anything like King David because he didn’t follow all of his commands, and he didn’t follow after him with all of his heart. He also points out that Jeroboam did more evil deeds than all those who lived before him. Ahijah also revealed how Jeroboam made God angry and then turned his back on him. These are the reasons as to why God’s judgment was hard on Jeroboam.

King Nadab

King Nadab was the son of Jeroboam and he ruled the kingdom after his father passed away (1 Kings 14:20). He followed in the ways of his father. He grew up in the ways of the Golden Calf Cult, and he promoted this form of worship among the Israelites. He was on the throne for about two years when a man named Bashaa plotted to kill him. Bashaa was the son of a man named Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar. He decided to assassinate Nabad when the Israeli army was attacking a Philistine town. When the moment was right Bashaa struck him down during the siege. Bashaa then made himself king.

The Extermination of Jeroboam’s Line

The death of Nadab signaled the beginning of the end of the rest of Jeroboam’s family line. Once Bashaa became king, God used him to wipe out all of Jeroboam’s kinsmen and according to the prophecy none of them were properly buried. This story is found in 1 Kings 15: 25-31.

Biblical References

1 Kings 14:1-11 The prophet Ahijah explains God’s judgment on Jeroboam.
1 Kings 14:20 King Nadab becomes ruler of Israel
1 Kings 15:25-31 Nadab is slain by a Baasha from the tribe of Issachar, and the rest of Jeroboam’s family line was completely wiped out right after his death.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeroboam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nadab_of_Israel.jpg

Posted on June 29, 2012May 10, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 4 Comments

Israel, Division of the Kingdoms of

Problems for Israel began during the time that King David ruled the land. It all started when he committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, before killing him. In 2 Samuel 12:10 God told David that the sword wasn’t going to depart from his house because of this sin. Even though the punishments by God were carried out during David’s reign; Solomon and his grandson Rehoboam had experienced some of these problems as well. All three rulers were indirectly responsible for the division that was to come upon Israel. The Division of the Kingdoms is placed on the Bible Timeline Chart at 975 BC.

Solomon’s Sin and Rehoboam’s Trouble

God warned Solomon not turn from being obedient to his commands. Solomon allowed his heart to be changed by his many different wives and concubines. As a result of his actions, God had decided to split the kingdom in half. This prophecy wasn’t going to take place in Solomon’s lifetime because of God’s promise to David. God’s judgment had fallen on Israel during the rule of his son Rehoboam. Once King Solomon had died King Rehoboam took the throne and people despised his rule.

Israel,Division_of_Kingdoms — Map of the United Kingdom of Israel, around the time of David and Saul (11th century B.C. Vassal states and defeated kingdoms in red.)

Map of the United Kingdom of Israel, around the time of David and Saul (11th century B.C. Vassal states and defeated kingdoms in red.)

The Kingdom Splits

Many of the tribes of Israel didn’t like Rehoboam’s policies because they thought they were worse than some of his father’s. Though Solomon was a highly honored ruler, he did burden the people with labor and taxes. As a result of these actions, the people wanted Rehoboam to take a different approach to rule. But he refused and decided to make things harder on the people. His actions caused ten of the tribes of Israel to break away and form their kingdom.

Jeroboam and the people responded to Rehoboam by stating that they will no longer live under his rule. All of the people of Israel departed to their houses except for the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

Jeroboam and the Ten Tribes

The Israelites made Jeroboam their king. The Israelite kingdom consisted of the tribes of Reuben, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, Manasseh and Levi. Once Jeroboam was in power, he began to worship two golden calves. As a result of this act, God said that he handled leading Israel back into sin. As a result of this sin, many of the kings after Jeroboam didn’t rule very long or very well because they worshipped the calves, and God judged them for their disobedience.

The Strife of Two Kingdoms

Rehoboam and Jeroboam were going to go to war initially, but God had advised the king not to fight against his brothers at this particular time in history. They both still ruled Israel and Judah and built up their armies. They eventually fought battles against one another that lasted for many years.

The significance of this split can still be seen today because the current Israeli state consists of people who are not all Jews. This is because the ten tribes that were conquered by Assyria never returned from their captivity. One day God will reunite the whole nation again. Ezekiel 37:15-17 explains how this will take place.

Biblical References

2 Samuel 12:10 God told David that the sword wasn’t going to depart from his house because of his sin with Bathsheba.
1 Kings 9: 6-7 God warns Solomon about being obedient to his commands.
1 Kings 11: 11-13 God decided to split the Kingdom in half because of his disobedience with his many foreign wives.
1 Kings 12: 1-24 Rehoboam refuses to listen to the people’s demands when he becomes king and as a result of his actions he causes the kingdom to Israel to split in half. He rules the southern kingdom of Judah.
1 Kings 12: 25-33 Northern Israel is ruled by Jeroboam and he starts the Golden Calf cult that will harm the Israelites relationship with God for many years.
1 Kings 12: 20-24 Rehoboam and Jeroboam initiates an ongoing war between Israel and Judah.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2010/20100723.htm
http://bible.org/seriespage/great-divorce-kingdom-divided
http://www.apostoliclighthouse.org/Lesson5-3.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kingdom_of_Israel_1020_map.svg

Posted on June 28, 2012July 31, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — 4 Comments

Solomon of the Old Testament, King

King Solomon was the son of King David and God considered him to be the wisest man on Earth. Solomon lived a full and spectacular life like his father before him. He was not only the most knowledgeable man to have ever existed he was also extremely rich, very renown and one of Israel’s greatest rulers. He appears on the Biblical Timeline as king beginning in 1015 BC.

Solomon, King_of_Israel — Judgment of Solomon

Solomon’s Birth

King Solomon’s story begins with his father, David. In 2 Samuel 11, King David didn’t go off to war with his soldiers during a particular campaign against the Ammonites. While at his palace he saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba. She was the wife of Uriah the Hittite who was one of his most loyal soldiers. King David didn’t care and ultimately had Uriah killed and Bathsheba moved into his palace. God dealt with King David behind his sin because David’s actions displeased him (see 2 Samuel 11:27). The prophet Nathan was sent to King David to tell him about the punishments that God had given to him for his sins. One of God’s punishment’s towards David was to kill the first child that he had with Bathsheba. After losing this child, Bathsheba bore him another son and his name was Solomon.

Solomon Becomes the King

1 Kings tell about King David’s last years as ruler. He had to govern his kingdom from his bedside because his old age. An older son of his named Adonijah claimed the throne. God sent Nathan to Bathsheba so he could tell her what she must do to stay alive and have Solomon to become king. Ultimately, Bathsheba and Nathan convinced the king that Solomon should sit on the throne and David swore that Solomon would be the next ruler. King David had his servants proclaim Solomon the next ruler all throughout the land and Adonijah had fearfully submitted to his authority(1 Kings 1:49-53).

The Wisdom of Solomon

God had appeared to Solomon in a dream during the early days of his reign. The Lord told Solomon he could have whatever he desired because he truly worshiped and honored him as he was instructed by his father. Solomon chose wisdom as a gift from God, and the Lord blessed him with wealth, honor, and a long life because of his choice. 1 Kings 3:16-28 is an example of Solomon’s great wisdom and heart for justice. He had rightfully decided a matter between two prostitutes on a child. When the people heard about his judgment on the matter, his fame spread wide and far. Solomon’s wisdom has also been recorded in the Bible within the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

The End of Solomon’s Reign

In 1 Kings, 9 Solomon builds the temple to God. After he was finished building the temple God warns Solomon that if he doesn’t obey him he will cut off Israel from the land that he gave them. Solomon’s greatest sin was taking too many foreign women as wives. This ultimately resulted in God dividing up the kingdom. 1 Kings 11:1-3 states that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. All of these women eventually turned Solomon’s heart away from God and the Lord judged him. God decided to divide up the kingdom from the line of David but not to completely take it away because of the promise that he made to David. The last part of Solomon’s rule was not good according to God. After ruling the land for 40 years, Solomon died and was buried in the city of David.

Biblical References to King Solomon

1 Kings 1:32-40 David has his servants declare Solomon’s rule throughout the land
1 Kings 13:4-15 God appears to Solomon in a dream and grants him wealth, honor, and a long lasting life because he chooses wisdom as a gift.
1 Kings 13:16-28 Solomon decides a matter between two prostitutes and his fame spreads far and wide because of his judgment.
1 Kings 9 Solomon builds the temple for God.
1 Kings 9:2-6 God’s warns Solomon not to turn away from serving him, or he would have to suffer the consequences.
1 Kings 11:1-3 states that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines and this displeases the Lord.
1 Kings 11:9-13 God decided to divide up the kingdom from the line of David.
1 Kings 11:14-40 Scriptures outline the major problems that Solomon had during the last few years of their reign.

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Solomon.html
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/solomon.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon

Posted on June 27, 2012August 19, 2015 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

China, Brick and Stone Work In

The Shang Dynasty ruled China for many years until they were defeated by the Zhou clan around 1200 to 1000 B.C. which is where it appears on the Bible Timeline with World History. When the Zhou Dynasty took over China they altered the political, social and religious institutions. The Zhou created a piece of legislation called the “Mandate of Heaven” which gave them the right to rule the former Shang society. They used this legislation to change the different parts of the culture including the architecture. The Zhou rulers wisely left most of the Shang architecture in place, but they made some adjustments on the major political, social and religious structures that reflected their style of rule.

When the Zhou took over they instituted a feudal-like system where the emperor ruled the whole entire land and Lords were instated in a fashion that was similar to kings and nobles during the middle ages. There were other classes of people which included the warriors, commoners and slaves. The Emperor ruled the land from his palace and their empire was constructed as a walled city since warfare was a common practice during this time period. The Lords allowed the commoners to work the land in the form of farming. Their farms consisted of nine plots of land arranged in nine even squares. This arrangement was to taken after the Chinese character or letter “Jing”. The middle plot was to be grown for the purpose of taxation. Many of the commoners lived in huts or houses made out of wood and they also existed in structures that were constructed from brick and stone. Many of the storage bins, walls and towers in the villages were constructed from these materials as well.

ChinaBrick_and_Stone_Works — loose bricks

When the Zhou built their cities they gridded them on a parallel pattern that allowed nine blocks to cross each other. This way they had could control the movement of people and carts within the city. This was also done for the purpose of protection. As with most cities, the administration district was located within the center parts of the town and the emperor’s palace was situated inside of the city instead of being located away from the main metropolitan area. The Zhou used this method in order to administer the empire more effectively and to keep order and civility within the empire. The emperor’s palace was constructed with stone, brick and mortar. The Zhou continued to use the same building techniques and styles as the Shang but once again they made a few changes.

Both the Shang and the Zhou Dynasties ruled China during the Bronze Age. Many Bronze Age constructions in China were erected with tools and equipment that allowed the workers to effectively construct and manufacture the buildings. Throughout the later Zhou period, when the Eastern Zhou split from their western counterparts the construction techniques and styles remained unchanged. Many of the brick and stone constructions that survived from the Zhou period still remain in modern day China. Though most of these structures were left over from the Shang Dynasty the Zhou’s influence can still be seen in these buildings, temples and palaces.

References:
http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Zhou/zhou-admin.html
http://www.chinese-architecture.info/A-HIST.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/719162/Chinese-architecture/283449/The-Zhou-dynasty-1046-256-bce
http://www1.chinaculture.org/library/2008-01/16/content_38819.htm

Posted on June 26, 2012August 19, 2015 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

China, Chou or Zhou Dynasty of

The Chow Dynasty in China is officially known as the Zhou and it is China’s oldest ruling line in the history of this nation. The Zhou Dynasty ruled from 1046 to 256 B.C. It appears on the Biblical Timeline with World History in the Chinese section during this time. This ruling class helped to shape and influence Chinese culture for thousands of years.

The Zhou Dynasty began to rule China after they defeated the Shang Dynasty which preceded them. Once they established their authority they backed it up by claiming that their right to be in control came from heaven. They came up with a document that gave them the authority to rule it also helped to transform their religious practices. Ancestor worship was a strong component and part of life for the Shang Dynasty and the Zhou wanted to separate from this old regime. So they decided that ancestor worship would become a more universalized process as opposed to worshipping individual family ancestors.

A somewhat mythical emperor named Ku is credited with starting the Zhou Dynasty. He settled his people near the Wei River valley in west-central China. Ku had led a large army across the Yellow River in China to defeat Shang King Di Xin and Zhou rule was established. When the Zhou had originally established their power they formed a centralized government. This type of government didn’t last long when the various princes began to fight and war among themselves for control. Internal strife caused the empire to split into two parts. The Eastern and Western Zhou Empire was the result of the split.

The Eastern Zhou Empire continued to divide and separate until there were many independent states that formed the empire. The Western Zhou remained unified after the split had occurred.

Zhou society was agrarian based and it was similar to Europe’s feudal system. There were the Chinese versions of lords, nobles, warriors, serfs and peasants. Each of these rulers was subject to the emperor. A class of scholars emerged during the 4th century B.C. and Confucius was the most prominent member during this era. He tried to establish a system of government that was based on the virtue between the rulers and servants. Many of the contemporary rulers didn’t want this style of leadership and preferred the old order which allowed those in charge to dominate by authority and force. Confucius works were so prominent that they still influence China in modern times. The rulers and nobles lived in wall cities instead of palaces and many villages were protected inside of these city walls as well. Iron was introduced into China during the reign of the Zhou. This allowed their agrarian society to increase food production and to focus on developing the arts, sciences, and the various philosophies.

Zhou society went into decline in the 2nd century B.C. when the royal line was broken due to problems with the leadership. Many of the noble and lords within the Zhou empire separated themselves into independent states and didn’t try to unify into one government. Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Empire unified China under his rule in 221 B.C. and the Zhou never again rose to power.

References:
http://library.thinkquest.org/12255/library/dynasty/zhou.html
http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/yanglu/ECC_HISTORY_ZHOU%20DYNASTY.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhou_Dynasty
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/zhou/
http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t3w10zhoudynasty.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Warring_States_350_BC.png

Posted on June 25, 2012August 8, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

China, Eunuchs in

Eunuchs were castrated males who guarded an emperor’s harem and some were used in positions of leadership and government. China has a long history with the use of Eunuchs and many emperors routinely made them a part of their court. Eunuchs were used as a sign of status and affluence and the wealthy members of ancient Chinese society also utilized the services of eunuchs within their homes. They are placed on the Bible Timeline with World History in the Chinese section beginning in 1200 BC

Most eunuchs came from the poorer classes of society and many males either volunteered for this position or they were forced into this role. Prisoners, slaves, and indebted people were also made eunuchs as well. A lot of Chinese peasants who were poor and who had little hope of changing their circumstances would have their male sons castrated in hopes that they could make a fortune as a eunuch. This was a very risky practice because there wasn’t a guarantee that a male would survive the castration process.

The castration process was brutal during ancient times. When a male was made into a eunuch his genitals and penis was removed from his body. Ancient Chinese people used various methods to carry out this practice. A male’s private parts would be completely removed by a sword, ax or some other sharp instrument. When a male’s parts were removed he had a 50% chance of survival. There was a small opening that was created in the process that allowed the male to urinate. If a castrated male was able to get rid of urine then the process was usually a success. Castrated men also had to worry about contracting an infection. Males that were able to relieve themselves and to avoid infection were now able to be employed as eunuchs.

ChinaEunuchs_In — From Paludan’s source: “A group of eunuchs. Mural from the tomb of the prince Zhanghuai, 706, Qianling, Shaanxi.”

From Paludan’s source: “A group of eunuchs. Mural from the tomb of the prince Zhanghuai, 706, Qianling, Shaanxi.”

Eunuchs were then used to protect concubines and harems within an emperor’s court. They were trusted by the emperor’s and other wealthy men because they were not viewed as a threat. Many rulers and men with power feared rivals who could place their children in a position of power. Emperor’s also trusted eunuchs because they couldn’t defile their wives, concubines or harems. Since eunuchs were considered less than human and “less of a man” they were also entrusted with vital and important information. Eunuchs were also used as companions for princes and the children of wealthy people. In time, eunuchs had become very trusted and powerful members of many Chinese courts.

Eunuchs were used by the women in the court or harem in order to gain favor with an emperor or ruler. Some had learned how to manipulate rulers and used their newfound power to dictate the affairs of a kingdom. Some rulers didn’t want to deal with the daily politics and governance of their empires and they indirectly gave control of these matters over to their eunuchs.
Eunuchs were also mentioned in the Bible (see Isaiah 56:4) and Jesus spoke about the importance of sexual purity by becoming a spiritual eunuch (Matthew 19:12). Many other cultures such as the Egyptians, Babylonians and the Persians all employed the use of eunuchs. The Chinese people used the practice of eunuchs all the way up to the 20th century before the practice fell out of favor. The practice was outlawed in 1912 and the last Imperial Eunuch in China was Sun Yaoting who died in 1996.

References:
http://bible.cc/matthew/19-12.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunuch
http://www.allempires.com/article/index.php?q=china_eununchs_and_official_harem
http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/eunuchs1.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prince_Zhanghuai%27s_tomb,_eunuchs.JPG