In the previous post, we read that King Nebuchadnezzar had commanded all the magicians and sorcerers of Babylon to make known to him both the details of his dream and its meaning or face death. He was astute enough to know that they might try to trick him to save their lives; and he made it impossible to do that. At this point, Daniel asked the king to spare the rest; and that he be taken before him to identify…
In this segment we will take a brief look at history. In 612 BC, there was a battle for control of the Eastern world. Nabopolassar, king of Babylon had died and his son Nebuchadnezzar, now ruler, refused to align with Egypt and Pharaoh Necho. In 605 Nebuchadnezzar defeated Necho at Carchemish establishing the greatest of all kingdoms of men -– the Chaldean or Babylonian. Nebuchadnezzar overran Israel (now known as Palestine), in 601 and again in 597 effectively destroying the country and later…
When Jesus had asked, "who do people say that I am." Peter, characteristically outspoken, gave answer: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Then Jesus said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth, will have been bound in heaven…
Let's forget five second and one sentence prayers. Not that short scriptural ones are a waste for those who pray; but let's get to the meat of the matter. We should be purifying ourselves daily and praising the God of Heaven and Earth, and his Christ. Calling aloud for aid (whether anyone around us hears it or not); and asking God for assistance when our souls are in peril (whether real or perceived). We should also be giving thanks when things may seem just fine…
Paul and Barnabas are about to leave Antioch on their second journey going to places they had previously been and made converts in establishing congregations. There is a disagreement among them as to where they might go. And they settle on Barnabas and John Mark going in one direction (starting in Cyprus), while Paul and Silas would go through Syria and Cilicia, ending in Asia Minor. On the way, Paul meets a young preacher named Timothy who becomes instrumental in…
Many of the mighty works of Jesus, the Son of God, were done around the Sea of Galilee, and since he was human as well as divine, time came when he got tired and had to take a rest away from the crowds and multitudes. As recorded in Matthew 16, he left the press of the surroundings and went with his disciples to Caesarea Philippi. There he asked them what public opinion was concerning his identity. They said that some believed that he…
“You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me,…
“Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for…
Now we get to the hard questions. Did David do all of God’s will? We can recognize that this is not a rhetorical question as we, along with Paul’s audience, can now see the answer. In 1 Samuel, God’s statement regarding David as a man after his heart is given in context. Keep in mind that this is the only other description using those words. Samuel tells King Saul: “…your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his…
I noted in the last installment that no healer today can do anything remotely like the miracle of healing the lame man in Acts 3. I have put these same thoughts out before in discussions of miracles and healings. This miracle was performed out in plain sight, about three in the afternoon, and moved in action from the entrance at the Beautiful Gate to the Temple grounds and into Solomon’s Court and around the colonnades. Hundreds of people were coming and…