Amazing Trip Through the Bible – Page 4 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on March 15, 2016March 15, 2016 by Kat Cendana — Leave a comment

Saul wars against the Ammonites, Moabites, Syria, Idumea, and Philistines

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.

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.

Saul_at_War — “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.

References:
http://www.bible-history.com/maps/Map-Kingdom-of-Saul-enlarged.pdf http://www.britannica.com/topic/Philistine-people
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1703-aram-zobah
Picture By Artemisia Gentileschi – The Athenaeum: Home – info – pic, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6905206

Posted on March 9, 2016March 10, 2016 by Kat Cendana — 20 Comments

Abraham Gave Tithes to Melchizedek, and Was Blessed By Him

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”.

Background

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.

Abraham_Blessed — “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.

References:
Picture By Dieric Bouts,the older. At The Church of Saint Peter, Leuven, Belgium – http://www.heiligenlexikon.de/Fotos/Abraham-Melchisedek.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=597499

Posted on March 8, 2016June 7, 2016 by Kat Cendana — 14 Comments

Abraham’s Long Journey to Canaan, Trusting God:

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.)

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.

Abraham_to_Canaan — Traveling straight through the desert had many dangers.

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.

Posted on March 7, 2016March 7, 2016 by Kat Cendana — 30 Comments

Abraham Lived During The Life Of Shem

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.

Ancestor	Age Upon Fatherhood	Age Upon Death
Shem	100	600
Arphaxad	35	438
Shelah	30	433
Eber	34	464
Peleg	30	239
Reu	32	239
Serug	30	230
Nahor	29	148
Terah	70	205
Abraham	100	175

Abraham and Shem — “The genealogy of Shem to Abraham according to the Bible”

“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.

References:
Picture By Drnhawkins – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6877274

Posted on March 4, 2016June 5, 2019 by Kat Cendana — Leave a comment

Abraham, 75 years old, departed with Lot from Haran

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.

The Call of Abram (Abraham)

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.

References:
Genesis 11:31-32
Genesis 12
http://www.penn.museum/sites/iraq/?page_id=24
Picture By József Molnár – Own work (scanned), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2684048

Posted on March 3, 2016March 3, 2016 by Kat Cendana — 2 Comments

Laban, Rebecca’s Brother

Laban was the son of Bethuel and Milcah and brother to Rebecca. He was Isaac’s cousin, and later he became Isaac’s brother-in-law after Rebecca’s marriage. Laban was also the father-in-law and uncle to Jacob through marriage to Leah and Rachel. He can be found on the Bible Timeline around 1829 BC.

Laban was first mentioned in the Bible after Abraham’s chief servant set off to Paddan Aram (Aram Naharaim) to do his master’s bidding of finding a suitable wife for Isaac from his own kin. After the servant’s initial meeting with Rebecca by the town’s well, she rushed back to her family and told them about a man who gave her a gold nose ring and gold bracelets. Laban played a crucial role in Isaac and Rebecca’s marriage. He acted as the head of the family as Abraham’s servant asked for Rebecca’s hand in marriage on behalf of Isaac. Laban and his father Bethuel did not consent nor decline but acknowledged that the matter “is from the Lord” (Genesis 24:50).

“Laban and Jacob make a covenant together, as narrated in Genesis 31:44–54”

Laban once again became part of the story when his nephew Jacob fled his family after stealing his twin brother’s birthright. Laban gave his nephew refuge in Paddan Aram, and Jacob worked for him for seven years after meeting and falling in love with Laban’s daughter Rachel. The relationship between Laban and his son-in-law soured after a series of frauds which included the switching of brides during Rachel’s supposed wedding night, Laban’s dishonesty in the division of flocks, and changing of Jacob’s wages ten times. Jacob summed up the injustice he experienced with Laban in the passage below.

“I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.” Genesis 31:38-43 NIV

Both, later on, agreed on a covenant and parted on good terms.

References:
Picture By illustrators of the 1728 Figures de la Bible, Gerard Hoet (1648-1733) and others, published by P. de Hondt in The Hague in 1728 – http://www.mythfolklore.net/lahaye/032/LaHaye1728Figures032GenXXXI44-54JacobLabanMakeCovenant.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8479622

Posted on March 2, 2016March 29, 2016 by Kat Cendana — Leave a comment

Habakkuk 629 B.C

Habakkuk was a prophet who existed in the Hebrew Bible. He is listed on the Bible Timeline Poster around 629 BC. Very little is known about his life and very little about his life is mentioned in the Bible. What is noteworthy are his works, particularly the book of Habakkuk. The Book of Habakkuk is a short book of the Bible which is attributed to Habakkuk. The book contains five oracles about the Chaldeans which were a small Semitic nation that emerged during the period of the late tenth and early ninth century BC. It also contains a song of praise to God.

The book has been admired by many scholars for its originality and uniqueness. As the book questions the working of God himself. This was extremely bold considering the times and suggests that the man was of great literary talent.

His final resting place is seen to be in dispute as it is claimed to be in multiple locations. Currently, the prophet’s tombs are located in two places; one in Israel and another in a shrine in Persia. There is a feast to celebrate him on the 2nd of January by the orthodox Christians and on the 15th of January by the Roman Catholics and the Greeks.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habakkuk
http://www.bible-history.com/faussets/H/Habakkuk/
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3379385,00.html
Picture By 18 century icon painter – Iconostasis of Transfiguration church, Kizhi monastery, Karelia, north Russia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3235522

Posted on March 1, 2016March 2, 2016 by Kat Cendana — 8 Comments

Circumcision, God’s Covenant With Abraham, The Law Of

God‘s covenant with Abraham with regards to the law of circumcision was a command given to Abraham by God instructing him to be circumcised. This event is listed on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1879 BC. God told Abraham that he and his descendants after him had to circumcise the flesh of their foreskins. This covenant between God and Abraham applied to all males of his generation and future generations. All had to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. The circumcision was seen as a covenant between the participant and God. This was significant because it was a reminder of the covenant embedded into their flesh.

“The Vision of the Lord Directing Abraham to Count the Stars “

People who weren’t circumcised were viewed as sinfully stubborn people. God viewed males who refused to be circumcised as people who have walked contrary to God and are unfaithful to him. The refusal of circumcision was also seen as a confession of inequity, not only of said person but also of his forefathers. Even though God was very critical of the uncircumcised, in the covenant he also stated that if a person is circumcised and does not keep with the righteous requirements of the law while an uncircumcised person does, the latter shall be more favorably viewed upon.

This covenant was only limited to Jews and did not extend to Christians. For Christians, it was optional, but God did emphasize that following his commandments were more important.

References:
http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVanswers/2005/07-16.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brit_milah
https://www.gci.org/law/circumcision
Picture By Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld – Der Literarische Satanist, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5469755

Posted on February 27, 2016March 3, 2016 by Kat Cendana — 6 Comments

Bethuel the Syrian, Rebecca’s Father 1804 BC

Bethuel the Syrian was the father of Laban and more importantly, Rebecca. He is listed on the Biblical Timeline Poster around 1804 BC. Bethuel was also related to Abraham through his parents Nahor and Milcah. Who were Abraham’s brother and niece respectively. Bethuel was the youngest of eight sons which included Uz, Buz, Kemuel, Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, and Jidlaph. He was first mentioned in Genesis 22:22-23.

Nahor settled in Paddan Aram (also known as Aram-naharaim, in northern Syria and now a site in Altinbasak village in southern Turkey) with his wife Milcah and eight sons which included Bethuel. Bethuel still lived in Paddam Aram when Abraham sent his servant to get a wife from his relatives for Isaac (Genesis 24).

“Isaac’s servant tying the bracelet on Rebecca’s arm”

Abraham’s servant prayed to God for guidance in choosing a suitable wife while resting beside a well just outside of town and saw Rebecca come out to draw water. Rebecca introduced herself as one of Bethuel’s children. He was also present (Genesis 24:50) during the servant’s narration of how Rebecca was chosen to be Isaac’s wife. Isaac and Rebecca were later married, making Bethuel both father-in-law and cousin to Isaac.

Bethuel’s grandson Jacob would come back years later to seek refuge from his brother Esau in his uncle Laban’s home in Paddan Aram. And later to marry two of Bethuel’s granddaughters Leah and Rachel.

References:
Picture By Benjamin West – yQFIolS8rKnHdA at Google Cultural Institute, zoom level maximum, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21980794

Posted on February 25, 2016March 29, 2016 by Kat Cendana — Leave a comment

Jacob Blessed Joseph’s Sons

Jacob lived a long and colorful life with more than his fair share of highs and lows starting from Genesis 25 up to Genesis 50. His history is listed on the Biblical Timeline Chart around 1704 BC. After his clan’s migration from Canaan to Egypt at the behest of his son Joseph, Jacob lived 17 more years. Bringing his age to a total of 147 at the time of his death (Genesis 47:28). In Genesis 48, old age had taken its toll on his body and the end of his life drew near. With his death fast approaching, he called Joseph to his side and made his son swear to transport his body out of Egypt and bury him where Abraham and Isaac were buried (Cave of Machpelah in Hebron).

Not long after, Jacob fell ill. Joseph took his sons Manasseh and Ephraim to his father to have them blessed before Jacob died (Genesis 48). These were his sons by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Heliopolis). The boys were born to Joseph in Egypt, but Jacob claimed them as his own (Genesis 48:5) and gave them his blessing. This is why after the establishment of Israel in Canaan, the Promised Land land was divided among the original ten sons of Jacob (except Joseph and Levi), plus Manasseh and Ephraim.

Jacob_blesses_Ephraim_and_Manasseh — Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

His eyesight was failing, so Joseph had to introduce his sons to his father. Following the custom back in the days of the patriarchs, older sons were placed on the right side, and younger ones were placed on the left side for the blessing. Jacob crossed his arms and laid his left hand on the older Manasseh’s head and favored the younger Ephraim with his right hand.

This perplexed Joseph, and he tried to correct his father, but for unknown reasons Jacob was bent on giving the younger Ephraim a greater portion of the blessing. This draws a parallel to the case of the other patriarchs when the younger son is favored by the father above the older one, including the cases of Ishmael and Isaac, as well as Esau and Jacob. The chapter is followed by Jacob giving all of his sons blessings in Genesis 49.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_the_Patriarch
http://www.bible-history.com/geography/maps/map_canaan_tribal_portions.html
Picture By Owen Jones – http://www.gallery.oldbookart.com/main.php?g2_itemId=30588, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18474305