Bible Timeline – Page 11 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on November 13, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 6 Comments

Christmas – facts vs fictions

Christ’ s birth can be found on the Bible Timeline around 4 BC click here to read why.

The most common story told about Christmas starts around 2000 years in the past on December 25^th. Mary, on a donkey, travels to Bethlehem with Joseph and upon arriving desperately needs to find a place to have her baby. Unfortunately, all of the inns are full and send them away; eventually they are offered a lowly stable as shelter. Angels then sing to the shepherds and 3 kings on camels come to worship the new baby.

Believe it or not, this version is very different from the real story recorded in the Bible. Time and re-telling of the story so frequently in various forms like: plays, poetry, books or movies has changed many things.

-Did a donkey carry Mary to Bethlehem? It is possible, but that is not the only way to travel, and the Bible doesn’t specify how she got there. It simply states that she traveled with Joseph.

-Was Mary in labor upon first arriving in Bethlehem? Again the Bible does not say. It is possible that they were there weeks before. “While they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (Luke 2:6). It is more plausible that they were there in plenty of time for her to deliver and avoid more difficulty. – Were Joseph and Mary asking innkeepers for shelter? It is possible, but there is also no suggestion or plausible explanation to imply that they did. There is no innkeeper specifically recorded in the Bible during the Birth of Christ. It is more probable that they roomed inside a house with family or friends rather than a stable; which leads to the next question: -Did Mary have Jesus in a stable, barn, or cave? The Bible doesn’t state anything about those either. Only mentioning a manger, ‘They laid Jesus in a manger because there was no room for him in the guest room’. ‘Kataluma’ in the scriptures is Greek and can translate into ‘guest chamber or lodging place’. Or it could mean ‘a furnished, large, upper story room within a private house.’ (Mark 14:14-15). From biblical archeological studies, experts believe that Jesus was most likely delivered in the home of a family but ‘under’ the main living and guest rooms. -The accuracy of the song: “Away in a Manger” – ‘the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes’. The Bible does not say wether or not Jesus cried – there is no way to tell if that is true.

-Were angels there when Christ was born? This makes sense to think that there were, but the Bible does not say, and there is no recording that they were seen by Mary or Joseph during that period.

–Three Kings on Camels giving gifts at the birth of Christ. The scriptures do not mention kings or camels visiting Jesus. There is nothing to imply that they were kings. It does mention ‘wise men (magi)’ visiting but does not say how many. The word ‘magi’ in the scriptures does mean more than one so there could have been anything from 2 or many more. The number three comes from the three gifts that they presented to Christ which were: gold, frankincense and myrrh. There is also no record of where the wise man came from or what country.

Another thing to think about is that these ‘magi’ did not visit when Christ was in the manger. They came much later, after Christ’s visit to the Temple in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:21-22) It is during this moment that Jesus is referred to as a ‘child’ instead of a ‘baby’. It is likely that Jesus was over 2 years old at that time. (Mathew 2:16).

-Christ’s Birthday is December 25^th. Even though this is possible, it is not probable. The scriptures do not say a time of year but the issue with winter is that it would be strange for shepherds to be ‘abiding in the field’ during December when taking the sheep out would be pointless. This would also be a very hard time for Mary to go the many miles it took to get from Nazareth to Bethlehem (70).

It is more likely that it was the end of September during the yearly ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ during which journeying was more common. It is possible that Christmas was set as an ‘honored observation of the incarnation of the ‘Word made flesh’’(John 1:14).

It is likely that the angel foremost in the ‘heavenly host singing praises’ was Michael the archangel. The early churches recognized this as Michaelmas (‘Michale sent’) – September 29 which would be on the same day as the Feast of Tabernacles. Then it makes sense that Christ was born around that time or even in late December. So it is possible that Christmas (‘Christ sent’) is the actual day of his birth. This is also the darkest period of the year – the pagan ‘Satumalia’ and when the sun (the literal ‘light of the world’) is at its farthest point from the ‘Holy Land’. This would be an opportune time for Heavenly Father to bring forth the ‘spiritual light of the world’ as the ‘Savior, which is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:11).

-What causes Christians to have Christmas on December 25^th if that is not Christ’s Birth? This date was picked by the Roman Catholic Church. Rome ruled the majority of the Christian community for years causing that particular date to be a custom for the majority of Christians.

The frequent inaccuracies about the celebration of Christ’s birthday show a constant need for individuals to compare every spoken word with the Bible in keeping beliefs centered on truth.

More articles related to Christmas:
Was There a Census During The Bible Timeline When Christ Was Born?
How Many Wise Men?
Saint Nicholas – the Saint Behind Santa Claus
King Herod the Great – How He Died, Where He’s Buried
Why Talk About Good Friday At Christmas?
Was Christmas a Pagan Holiday? No. Here’s the proof.
Genealogy of Jesus Christ

References:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sunrise_Karkonosze_winter.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Shepherds#mediaviewer/File:Shiraki.jpg
http://christiananswers.net/christmas/mythsaboutchristmas.html
http://pixabay.com/en/crib-christmas-time-mallorca-advent-376226/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_and_Mary_arrive_at_Bethlehem.jpg

Posted on October 23, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 14 Comments

Judah, Son of Jacob

In the Book of Genesis, Judah was considered the founder and leader of the Tribe of Judah of the Israelites and can be found on the Bible Timeline around 1704 BC. He was Jacob and Leah’s fourth son, whose name means “praise” or “thanksgiving”. As mentioned in Genesis 29:35, upon giving birth to Judah, Leah sang praises to the Lord for having been blessed with a son.

In the Scriptures, Judah had several brothers including Reuben, Levi, Simeon, Zebulun and Issachar. In the Bible, narrations on Judah’s birth was followed by stories about how he and his brothers were jealous of Joseph, who was the favorite son of their father. When they had the chance they took Joseph and threw him into a pit and debated about what should be done with him. In Genesis 37:26-28, it was Judah who saw an Ishmaelite caravan passing them at that moment. The said caravan was bound for Egypt, and Judah suggested that instead of killing Joseph, he should be sold as a slave to this group of people. He believed it was better to gain profit from selling Joseph, which the other brothers took as a wise suggestion.

Eventually, Judah was wed to a Canaanite, who was the daughter of Shua. He soon had three children named Er, Onan, and Shelah. When Er died after marrying Tamar, Onan took her in based on what was the custom that prevailed during that time. However, Onan died, and before his death, he refused to have any children with Tamar. Based on the custom, Tamar had a choice to marry Shelah, yet Judah was against it. However, Tamar decided to trick Judah by disguising herself as a prostitute. The two had intercourse, and this resulted in Tamar’s pregnancy. Upon discovering that he was tricked, Judah attempted to have Tamar killed, but what stopped him from doing so was the revelation that he was the father of the unborn child.

Joseph and Judah

judah_and_joseph — Joseph and his family reunite.

After Joseph had been sold as a slave, he experienced great fortunes in the land of Egypt. In fact, he soon was awarded a high position, and he became successful about 20 years after his brothers’ betrayal.

When the brothers came to Egypt, they did not recognize at first that it was Joseph whom they were speaking with. An incident happened during their visit, and Simeon was told to remain as a hostage. And would only be released as soon as Benjamin another of Jacob’s sons was brought to the palace upon the brothers’ next visit.

Judah spoke to Jacob and assured his father that Benjamin would be kept safe during their return to Egypt. However, another incident occurred, and Joseph ordered for Benjamin to stay in Egypt as his slave. Judah, who was responsible for Benjamin, decided to plead by taking the place of their youngest brother instead, until Joseph finally revealed his real identity upon discovering that his brothers have changed for the better.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_(biblical_person)
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2013/20130421.htm
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0011_0_10397.html
http://pixabay.com/en/girl-praying-hands-eyelashes-15599/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamar_(Genesis)#mediaviewer/File:Rembrandt%27s_school_Tamar.JPG
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Figures_Joseph_Reveals_Himself.jpg

Posted on October 7, 2014October 4, 2022 by Amy — 2 Comments

Ibzan, Bible Judge

The name Ibzan is of Hebrew origin, which means ‘splendid’. In the Bible, this name is mentioned as one of the judges of Israel. He can be found on the Bible Timeline at the beginning of the 1st century B.C. There is little information stated in the Bible about him other than brief facts about his life and death. According to the Book of Judges 12:8-10 in the King James Version, Ibzan was originally from Bethlehem. He became a judge in Israel, and he remained in that position for seven years. Ibzan also had 30 sons and 30 daughters. He sent them abroad and took in 30 daughters-in-law for his sons. According to several scholars, this passage referred to Bethlehem as the place that was a part of the territory occupied by the Tribe of Zebulun. It was rather different from the Bethlehem that most people know, which was a part of the area where the Tribe of Judah remained. In the Talmud, though, Ibzan was often associated with Boaz, who was a figure mentioned in the Book of Ruth. This man settled in Bethlehem in the land of Judah, where he also lived with Ruth and consummated his marriage during the very last night of his life.

‘The lion is the symbol of the Tribe of Judah. It is often represented in Jewish art, such as this sculpture outside a synagogue.’

Accounts on Ibzan

There was not much detail presented in the Bible about the life and character of Ibzan. However, it was clear that Ibzan became Israel’s tenth judge. Although he was noted to have been originally from Bethlehem, it was not very clear if this town was the one from the Tribe of Zebulun or the Tribe of Judah.

Judge Ibzan served as Israel’s great judge for 7 years. There were accounts that he became a judge from 1081 to 1073 BC. When Ibzan died, he was buried in his hometown. Other than these details, there were not much stated about him. He had several sons and daughters that lived abroad, and he sent them far from their native land to find husbands and wives.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibzan
http://biblehub.com/topical/i/ibzan.htm
http://www.bibleview.org/en/Bible/Judges/Ibzan/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibzan#mediaviewer/File:Ibzan-Abesan.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribe_of_Judah#mediaviewer/File:Lion_of_Judah.jpg

Posted on October 3, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Syria, Ancient History of

Situated in the Middle East and bordered by several countries including Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, Syria was among the oldest inhabited places in the world. Based on the Bible Timeline it can be dated back to 1954 BC. The Dederiyeh Cave, which is located in Syria, contains a wide range of archeological finds including ceramics, tools and human skeletons that prove the existence of humans in this place.

Key Facts about Ancient Syria

Based on historians, Syria was a thriving trade region, largely because of its several ports located on the Mediterranean. It was also ruled by many Mesopotamian empires that supported its growth and development as a nation. The regions including Syria were once known by the name Eber Nari, which means “across the river.” It was the Mesopotamians who gave this name to the regions, and this included a few other areas including modern-day Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. Together, these nations were called “The Levant.”

syria_ancient_biblical — ‘Reliefs from Tel Halaf dating to the Aramean kingdom of Bit Bahiani.’

‘Reliefs from Tel Halaf dating to the Aramean kingdom of Bit Bahiani.’

In the Books of Nehemiah and Ezra, Eber Nari was often mentioned. There were also accounts of the region in the texts of the Persian and Assyrian kings. As for the modern name of the region of Syria, it was noted by some scholars that this originated from Herodotus, as he had a habit of pertaining to the entirely of Mesopotamia as simple Assyria.

Thus, when the Assyrian Empire reached its end in 612 BC, its western regions were referred to as Assyria. However, it was popularly known as Syria when the Seleucid Empire took over. There were assumptions, though, that the name originated from the Hebrew language as the inhabitants were called Siryons. The people were called this way because of the metal armor worn by the soldiers, which was called “Siryon.”

Early Developments in the Regions of Syria

There were early settlers in the area including Tell Brak. After some excavations made in this region, there were arguments by scholars that early civilization started in the north. However, it was also possible that progress has been simultaneous in both of the areas in Mesopotamia. It was only after Max Mallowan’s excavations at Tell Brak that it confirmed them in this part of the region.

Mari and Ebla were the two most significant cities in Syria during early civilizations. These two cities were known to dress in Sumerian fashion, and they worshiped deities by the Sumerians. Also, there were cuneiform tablet collections that were written in the Sumerian and Akkadian languages. These tablets included information about the day to day life and economy of the early civilization in the region, as well as some personal letters.

As for the excavations conducted in Ebla, it was discovered that the palace was burned once including Nineveh‘s famous library. Fortunately, the fire helped bake the clay tablets, which also preserved these. Hence, these tablets provided an understanding of the life and civilizations in Mesopotamia including Ancient Syria.

References:
http://www.ancient.eu/syria/
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/syria/qt/110607Syria.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria#mediaviewer/File:Syria_(orthographic_projection).svg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria#mediaviewer/File:Geretteteg%C3%B6tter_l%C3%B6wen.JPG

Posted on September 27, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 1 Comment

Syria, Biblical Nation

Today’s Syria is much smaller than the Syria of Ancient times ‘Greater Syria’. It was an expanse just on the East side of the Mediterranean. Surrounded by the Arabian Desert and the Taurus Mountain range as such it was loved and hated at the same time as an intersection for both trade and war. In conjunction Greater, Syria had many different peoples and beliefs. All through history it has been the focus of diverse languages academically and confrontationally from the Middle East to the West. Syria can be found on the Bible Timeline around 1954 BC.

The name was originated from the Greeks and Romans and most likely linked to the Babylonian ‘suri’. Arabs first spoke of Syria and an undetermined area around it as ‘Sham’ meaning ‘northern region,’ ‘the north’, ‘Syria’, or ‘Damascus’. The first known city in the area was Ebla (by today’s Idib, northern Syria). It established itself by trading along the Mesopotamian regions (Sumer, Assyria, Akkad along with the Hurrian and Hattian civilizations to the northwest of Asia Minor). There are also gifts from Pharaohs discovered from dig sites to suggest contact with Egypt as well. Along with that is on of the first dated writings from Syria as a trading arrangement with Vizier Ibrium from Elba and a mysterious nation Abarsal in 2300 BC. Today’s link to the Eblaite language is East Semitic also related to the Akkadian dialect.

syria,biblical — ‘Ancient city of Palmyra.’

Syria was taken over by the Persians sometime around 500 BC, then by the Greeks in 333 BC, the Romans in 64 AD. There they built a castle in Palmyra where it still has remains. Muslim Arabs took over Damascus in 635 AD, and the start of 1095, Syria was the focus of the Crusades, but the Christians were beaten back. The Turkish Ottoman Empire invaded in 1516 and reigned for four hundred years till 1920 with the close of World War I as the French took over Syria and Lebanon.

There is much more history involved with Syria here a brief list of events:

BC –

3000 Semites inhabited Syria
2400 Mesopotamian city in Nagar grew very strong
2100 Amorites traveled out of Arabian Peninsula and built several small regions
1500 Arameans influenced the Syrian dialect
1200 Syria was conquered by the Persians
332 Alexander the Great took over
300 – 64 the capital of Syria was Antioch
274 – 271 Ptolemy’s beat Antiochus I, Seleucid king that was attempting to enlarge hold on Syria and Anatolia
64 Pompey beat Seleucid Antiochus XIII and made Syria Roman governed

AD-

117 Hadrian ruled
262-266 Syria was once again under Roman rule
266 King Odenathus Roman monarch was killed; Zenobia Septimia, his wife, took over
270 Zenobia of Syria announced herself as the Queen of the East, fought nearby Roman cities and took over Egypt
636 Battle of Yamuk, Islamic troops, beat Byzantine army and took Syria
661 Umayyad Caliphate reign was started with Muawiva ibn Abi Sufyan
1098 & 1110 First Crusaders invaded Mara in Syria then Saida
1174-1183 Nureddin monarch of Syria passed away, Ayyubids took over and created structure and expansion
1202 Huge earthquake 30,000 deaths
1250 Egyptian Mamlukes conquered the majority of Syria
1300 Syria fought off the last of the Crusaders
1492 Jews traveled to Syria after being chased out of Spain
1496 Battle of Mari Dabik, Turks defeated Syria and started Ottoman Empire
1831 Egypt took over Syria and Joran
1840 Britain and Austria pushed Egypt out
1860 more than 25,000 Christians were martyred in Damascus – France deployed 5,000 men to Syria to end killings
1869 Suez Canal was built and took a lot of Syria’s trade advantage

For more of Syrian’s Timeline click here: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/syria/sytimeln.htm

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Syria
http://www.ancient.eu/syria/
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/syria/qt/110607Syria.htm
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/History/Syria-history.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria
http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Syria.html
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/syria/sytimeln.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria#mediaviewer/File:Flag_of_Syria.svg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria#mediaviewer/File:Temple_of_Bel,_Palmyra_15.jpg

Posted on September 24, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Kemuel

In the Bible, Kemuel is referred to as Nahor’s son, who was also the father of Aram. As for the meaning behind this name, Kemuel means “raised of God”, as it was evident in several instances throughout his life. He can be found on the Bible Timeline around 1854 BC.

Possible Meaning of the Name

There are various assumptions about the meaning behind the name Kemuel. For instance, it is believed that this name means ‘Congregation of God’, which was proposed by Gesenius. However, there are also some people who referred to this name as “standing grain”. Or somewhat similar to the concept of the human harvest, which was synonymous with the grains of God as in the Book of Matthew.

On the other hand, the Hebrews considered this name as more aptly interpreted as the rising of God. This means, God is always in defense of his people, and that there is an existing campaign against evil.

Kemuel in the Bible

The name Kemuel was not frequently mentioned in the Bible. However, he had some relevance to the story of Abraham. Perhaps, it will be of help to go back to the story of Abraham, specifically the part where he was commanded by God to sacrifice his son and offer him as a burnt offering.

When God ordered Abraham to do this, the latter did his best to follow exactly what the Lord wanted him to accomplish. Thus, he woke up early the next day, and he traveled to the place God told him to go, along with his two slaves and Isaac.

Abraham prepared the altar where he would offer his son to God. Then, he ordered his slaves to stay with the donkeys, so he and Isaac could proceed to the altar for the offering. As they approached the site, Isaac asked Abraham where the animal to be offered to God was. Abraham only answered that God would provide the offering, and that all they needed was to go to the site where the altar was located.

The moment Abraham started to lift his hand to kill his own son, an angel of God spoke to him and stopped him from proceeding to slaughter Isaac. Then, God spoke and told Abraham that now he has proven his love, and there is no need to sacrifice his son. In a moment, a ram appeared, and Abraham caught the animal to serve it as an offering to the Lord.

From that moment, Abraham called the place as “The Lord will Provide”, all because of the situation where God provided him a better offering instead of sacrificing his son’s life.

For the second time, the angel of God spoke from heaven and told Abraham that he would be blessed with numerous descendants. This was all because of his obedience and great love for God. Moreover, he and his young men traveled to Beersheba, where Abraham lived.

The angel also told Abraham that Milcah, who was living with Nahor, has given birth to some children. These were Uz (the first-born), Buz, and Kemuel (Aram’s father). There were also Hazo, Chesed, Jidlaph, Bethuel, and Pildash, which were all the eight children of Milcah.

References:
http://biblehub.com/esv/genesis/22.htm
http://www.studylight.org/bible/hcs/genesis/22-21.html

Posted on September 19, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Greece Beginning 1500 BC

During the Minoan period at about 2nd millennium BC an organized society -that would eventually become Greece – was created, particularly in Crete. It was at this period that there was great progress in the region, primarily when communication facilitated the interaction between East Mediterranean nations and the Minoans. Soon, there was a continuing exchange of ideas that had a huge impact on the Minoan culture, as well as the spread of government, religion and cultures throughout the Greek mainland and the vast Aegean islands. It was also in the Minoan period that Crete became popular for its craftworks and jewelry. They were also known as the leading importers of raw materials, oil, food and wine. Thus, the very first mercantile navy was also developed during this era in the region.

Greece_history — When the Volcano Santorini erupted, there was mass destruction of Crete

When the Volcano Santorini erupted, there was mass destruction of Crete

The successful state of affairs flourished, although there was a disruption when Crete was greatly destroyed because of a natural catastrophe. The volcano of Santorini erupted during about 1500 BC, and this created much destruction to the region. When the Cretan culture collapsed, the Mycenaeans took advantage of the situation. They also positioned themselves as the primary force in the entire Aegean islands. The Mycenaeans established their cities including Athens, Lolkos, Thebes, Pylos and Tiryns as their bureaucratic centers. Greece can be found on the Bible Timeline starting 1500 BC. During this era in the Mycenaean civilization, the Greek society was largely based on warfare ruled by the elite classes. Nevertheless, the culture continued to flourish for about 400 years. The war-chiefs created cities that remained powerful, particularly in agriculture and art. There was no equal distribution of wealth, unlike in the early Minoan societies. Instead, only the warring chiefs became richer, and they spent their wealth on invasions and battles. The palace sites of the Minoans were under the control of the Mycenaeans beginning about 1420 BC, and they made use of the Linear A Minoan script to suit their own language. This was considered as a form of the Greek language. Overall, the Mycenaeans merely adapted the culture and art of the Minoan instead of destroying them. Although the Mycenaeans were in power during this period, there were clearly some traces of the existence of the Minoan culture as it was merely improved and adapted by the new rulers. The rule of the Mycenaean kings continued until about 1200 BC, as it was during this period that

their power began to decline. Then, by the 12th century BC, they completely lost control of the region, specifically because of the invasion of the Dorian tribes coming from the northern portion of Greece.

At this time, Knossos was still regarded as the administrative center until the period of 1200 BC. The mountain site of Karfi became the last of the sites of the Minoan. This area also provided evidence of the Minoan civilization even up to the Iron Age.

References:
http://www.hellenicfoundation.com/History.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoan_civilization
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/%CE%9A%CF%81%CE%AE%CF%84%CE%B7#mediaviewer/File:Spinalonga_fort_on_the_island_of_Spinalonga.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Volcanic_eruptions_in_art#mediaviewer/File:Cotopaxi_church.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Knossos_overall#mediaviewer/File:Reconstruccio_Knossos.jpg

Posted on September 8, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 1 Comment

Gad and Asher

Gad and Asher were the two sons of Zilpah and Jacob. They can be found on the Bible Timeline between 1754-1704 B.C. Zilpah was the maidservant of Leah, Jacob’s first wife. When Leah ceased to bear children, at least temporarily, she gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob to have children for her.

This was part of an ongoing competition between Leah and her sister Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife. As Rachel was Jacob’s first choice of the two sisters (Genesis 29:18), Rachel and Leah were continually vying for Jacob’s affection. Bearing children was the way that wives won the favor of their husband in those times.

Though these two are considered minor characters in the Bible, each eventually became a leader of one of the tribes of Israel.

Gad

Gad, according to the Hebrew translation, means luck or fortune. Leah named him this because she considered it such good fortune that though she had stopped producing children, her maidservant had been able to bare one for her. Gad’s mother Zilpah acted as a surrogate for Leah (Genesis 30:11). Gad was Jacob’s seventh son and the founder of the tribe of Gad. According to Genesis 46:16, Gad had the following sons: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Iri, Arodi, and Areli.

When Jacob, also known as Israel, was near the end of his life he pronounced a blessing over each of his sons. The words that he spoke over Gad were, “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.” (Genesis 49:19)

Asher

Asher was Jacob’s eighth son, whose name is believed to mean happiness. The first appearance of Asher in the Bible is found in Genesis 30:13 when Leah was very pleased to have had her maidservant bare yet another son for her to her husband, Jacob. “Then Leah said, ‘How happy I am! The women will call me happy.’ According to Genesis 46:17 Asher was the father of four sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. It also mentions that these boys had a sister Serah.

When Israel was pronouncing his final blessing over his sons, his blessing over Asher went like this: “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.” (Genesis 49:20)

Gad and Asher along with their brothers traveled to Egypt during a severe famine to find food and were eventually reunited with their long lost brother Joseph. The brothers had played an important role in causing Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, to be separated from the rest of the family. The result of this journey was that Jacob and all of the tribes of Israel eventually settled in Egypt as can be seen in detail in chapter 47 of the Book of Genesis.

Elsewhere in the World

During this period of the Bible World History time, the following events at various locations around the world are recorded:

Middle Kingdom of Egypt reestablished prosperity and stability. This brought about art, literature, and building projects reappearing on the Egyptian scene. Military and political security, agricultural and mineral wealth, and religion all flourished during this time period.
Hittites take over the area now covered by Turkey. The Hittites were considered members of the Bronze Age, but forerunners of the Iron Age.
Bronze to Iron Age – During this time period making items of bronze seemed to be migrating into the Iron Age. The manufacture of artifacts from iron was noted. Iron became a very valuable commodity and was used to produce goods.
In Greece – In Greece, the Middle Helladic Period was in full swing. During this time, settlements drew closer together and gravitated toward hilltops. During this time period, rectilinear pottery was being influenced into curvilinear by the Minoans.
China – The first Chinese dynasty known as the Xia migrated into the Shang dynasty around the 18^th century.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gad_(son_of_Jacob) http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mking/hd_mking.htm http://www.ancient.eu/Bronze_Age/ http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-ancient-history/helladic-civilization.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gad_(son_of_Jacob)#mediaviewer/File:Vladimirskaya_church_iconostasis_-_Gad_(16th_c.,_Yaroslavl).jpg

Posted on September 5, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 1 Comment

Leah, Biblical Figure

Leah was the oldest daughter of Laban, Rebekah’s brother. She was also the sister of Rachel and the wife of Jacob. The name Leah means weary. Leah was not noted for her beauty as her sister Rachel was, but for her weak, or delicate, eyes. She can be found in the Bible Timeline between 1754-1704 BC.

Rebekah’s son Jacob was sent to Laban to escape the wrath of his brother Esau whom he had deceived. While staying with and working for Laban, Jacob fell in love with Rachel, who was the younger sister of Leah. When Laban asked what payment Jacob would like for the work he was performing for Laban, Jacob requested to take Rachel as his wife in exchange for seven years of labor. Laban agreed. The majority of the details are recorded about Leah’s life events can be found in the 29^th and 30^thchapters of the Book of Genesis.

Leah Married Jacob through Deception

However, when the seven years of labor were finished, and Jacob claimed his payment, there was an unexpected twist of events. After he had spent his wedding night with his new bride, he awoke in the morning to discover that his bride was Leah and not Rachel. Having been deceived, Jacob was upset and questioned Laban about the identity of his bride. Jacob was informed that the custom of Laban’s people is to marry off the oldest daughter first. Therefore, Laban graciously agreed to give Jacob Rachel’s hand in marriage after his marriage week with Leah in exchange for another seven years of labor. Jacob agreed.

While Leah’s was Jacob’s first wife, she was not loved by her husband as her sister Rachel was. Because the Lord God seen that Leah was not loved, he graciously opened Leah’s womb. Leah bore Jacob his first four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Later she bore Jacob two more sons Issachar and Zebulun. Leah also later gave birth to a daughter named Dinah. With each child, Leah hoped to win the affections of her husband.

Because Leah was able to bear children and her sister Rachel was not, Rachel became very jealous of Leah because a childless woman was looked upon with despite in those days. The Lord did, however, eventually allow Rachel to bare two sons to Jacob.

The End of Leah’s Life

Leah, along with Jacob, Rachel, their maidservants and their livestock, left her native land of Haran and went to settle in Canaan. Leah lived there until she died and was buried in the cave in the field of Machpelah as mentioned in Genesis 49:29 – 31.

Though Leah was not a highly visible character in the Bible, she gave birth to six sons who would later become half of the tribes of Israel. This included the line of Judah, from which was born Jesus Christ. Therefore, this seemingly insignificant Bible character was used to begin ushering in the ultimate salvation of the world.

Though the beginning of her family relationships appeared to entail deception, jealousy, rejection and family strife. The Lord God used these obviously imperfect beginnings as the catalyst to foster what most consider the single most important event in Biblical history. Through the descendants of Leah, the Lord Jesus Christ was born into this world many generations later.

What Was Happening in the Rest of the World?

During the period that Leah was alive, the rest of the world had continued to function. In China, Emperor YU ruled. The Intermediate Kingdoms existed in Egypt. Ramman lead in Assyria and the Hittites took over the area now covered by Turkey. This was also the time of Hammurabi, who was considered to be responsible for establishing the greatness of Babylon. Babylon was considered the world’s first metropolis.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammurabi
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Leah#mediaviewer/File:Dante%27s_Vision_of_Rachel_and_Leah.jpg

Posted on June 6, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 5 Comments

Heruli

A powerful tribe that was of East Germanic descent was the Heruli. During the 3rd century where they are located on the Bible Timeline with World History, these people left their land at Scandinavia to cross the Black Sea and settled in various places within the region. They were also known to be a significant part of incursions and raids that were initiated by Goths in Greece and the Balkans during 250 AD.

Features of the Heruli Culture

Based on historians, the Heruli was a tribe that followed polytheistic principles, which were known to practice the rites of making human sacrifices. Also, these people also believed in senicide or the act of assigning a non-family member to kill the elderly and sick individuals. After killing them, the bodies were to be burned on a wood pyre until it is barely recognizable. Moreover, women were ordered to hang themselves upon their husbands’ death.

When Justinian assumed the throne, the Heruli was convinced to adopt Christian beliefs. They also practiced a gentler and more humane way of life.

As for their military skills, the Heruli barely carried any protective armor. They also had no thick jackets or shields. Slaves are also expected to accompany Heruli troops during a combat. However, Heruli slaves were not given a chance to don a shield unless they had already proven their bravery and skills on the battlefield.

Gaining Power and Control

Along with the Goths, the Heruli sacked Athens, Sparta, and Byzantium. However, the Romans defeated them in 269 AD during an encounter near Naissus, which is modern-day Serbia. In the 4th century, this tribe was dominated by the Ostrogoths and the Huns.

In the Battle of Nedao, the Heruli successfully defeated the Huns and formed an independent kingdom. They decided to join forces with Odoacer, who was in charge of the foederati troops that handled deposing Emperor Romulus Augustus during the year 476 AD. By 508 AD, the Lombards defeated the Heruli, which forced them to go back to their homeland in Scandinavia.

The Heruli was mentioned in numerous narrative accounts aside from their collaboration with the Goths during the ravage of the coastal areas of the Black Sea. The Heruls was also one of the raiders in Spain and Gaul, as well as other tribes that conquered these areas such as the Alamanni, Franks, and Saxons. They were also referred to as the Western Heruli because they frequently settled at the lower Rhine.

When the Hunnic kingdom reached its end in 454 AD, as well as the victorious battle for the Heruls at Nedao, these people decided to establish their own kingdom. They chose areas found near the Theiss and March rivers, which is considered as modern-day Slovakia. Eventually, the Heruli teamed up with Odoacer, and this started the solid relationship between the two forces.

Fall of the Herulian Kingdom

When the Lombards conquered the kingdom established by the Heruli, this signaled the end of their powerful reign. There were some Heruls, who decided to join the Lombards while some of them found refuge with other tribes such as the Gepids. There were also reports that the Romans permitted the Heruli to settle in less populated areas near Singidunum. Soon after, there were no further historical records that pertained to this federated kingdom by the Heruli.

References:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/263960/Heruli
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Heruli.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heruli_seniores_shield_pattern.svg