Author Archives: Guestspeaker

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About Guestspeaker

A joint effort of several authors who do find that nobody can keep standing at the side and that “Everyone" must care about what is going on in today’s world. We are a bunch of people who do not mind that somebody has a totally different idea but is willing to share the ideas with others and to be Active and willing to let others understand how "today’s decisions will influence the future”. Therefore we would love to see many others to "Act today".
by | 2026/04/04 · 6:11 pm

The Song at the sea and building of the temple under Solomon

Then will Moses sing, and the sons of Israel, this song to Jehovah; and they will speak, saying, I will sing to Jehovah, for exalting himself, he was exalted: the horse and his horsemen he threw into the sea.

2 Jehovah my strength and song, and he shall be to me for salvation: this my God, and I will cause him to rest; the God of my father, and I will exalt him.

3 Jehovah, a man of war: Jehovah his name.

4 The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he threw into the sea; his chosen rulers sank in the sea of sedge.

5 The depths will cover them: they will go down into the deep as a stone.

6 Thy right hand, Jehovah, was magnified in strength: thy right hand, Jehovah, will break in pieces the enemy.

7 And in the multitude of thy majesty thou wilt destroy those rising up against thee: thou wilt send forth thine anger; it shall eat them as straw.

8 And by the spirit of thine anger the waters shook them off, the flowings stood up as a heap: the depths were contracted in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will enclose, I will divide the spoil: my soul shall be filled with them: I will draw out my sword, my hand shall dispossess them.

10 Thou didst blow with thy spirit; the sea covered them: they rolled down as lead in the great waters.

11 Who like thee among the gods, O Jehovah? who like thee magnified in in holiness, wonderful in praise, doing a wonder?

12 Thou didst stretch forth thy right hand, the earth will swallow them.

13 Thou didst lead in thy kindness this people thou didst redeem: thou didst conduct with thy strength to thy holy dwelling.

14 The peoples heard, and they will be angry: pain took those inhabiting Philistia.

15 Then the chiefs of Edom trembled; the mighty of Moab, trembling, shall take them; all those dwelling in Canaan melted away.

16 Dread shall fall upon them and terror: by the greatness of thine arm they shall be dumb as a stone; till thy people pass over, O Jehovah: till this people pass over, thou didst buy.

17 Thou shalt bring them in and shalt plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, into the place of thy Sabbath, thou didst make, O Jehovah: a holy place, O Jehovah, which thy hands prepared.

18 Jehovah shall reign forever and yet.

19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen, into the sea, and Jehovah will turn back over them the water of the sea: and the sons of Israel went on the dry land in the midst of the sea.

20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, will take the drum in her hand; and all the women will go forth after her, with drums and with lutes.

21 And Miriam will sing to them, Sing ye to Jehovah, for being lifted up, he was lifted up: the horse and his horseman he threw into the sea.

Exodus 15:1–21

Original Meaning. This song is a poetic rendering of the narrative of the death of Egypt’s army described toward the end of chapter 14. Perhaps more importantly, it is also the gateway to what will be the focus of attention for the remainder of the book. It reminds the reader not only of what has just transpired but gives a glimpse of what will soon take place. It is the bridge that closes the first half of the book and begins the second half. After we leave this passage, Egypt will remain in Israel’s rearview mirror and her desert wandering will have begun.

Verses 1–12 recount the destruction of the Egyptians. Verse 13 introduces the purpose for which the Israelites have been permitted to escape the doomed Egyptian army: God “redeemed” his people in order to lead them to his “holy dwelling.” What is the identity of this dwelling? We can say that God is bringing his people out of Egypt in order that he might be present with them, and that presence will be manifest in “sacred space” that takes three forms. God’s self-revelation at Sinai, although itself a frighteningly powerful reality, is a prelude to the permanence of his presence in the land and the temple.

The building of the temple under Solomon is the culminating stage in which God’s presence will abide with his people. For the ancient Israelites, the building of the temple was not an afterthought, nor was it, like church buildings today, “a nice thing to have but you don’t really need it.” Jerusalem and the temple are where God chooses to make his dwelling. It is his house. As we will see with respect to the tabernacle (the forerunner to the temple), it is more than simply a place where God chooses to dwell. It is constructed in such a way that brings to mind God’s first earthly dwelling with his people, Eden — the first “temple.” And Eden itself represents God’s heavenly throne room, where God’s presence is most full.

The allusion to the temple raises another issue. Is this reference not anachronistic, since the temple will not be built until several hundred years after the crossing of the sea? This has led some scholars to conclude that the Song at the Sea was written either in whole or in part well after the events themselves. Such a theory also seems to be supported by 15:14–16. One should not glance over the fact that 15:14–15 mention the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, and Canaanites. These are peoples with which Israel will not come into contact until well after they leave Sinai. In fact, the Philistines and Canaanites will not be encountered for at least another forty years.

To make such an assertion is not to deny the reality of prophecy in the Old Testament. What I am suggesting is that the written version of the poem as we have it is the product of the mature reflection on the crossing of the sea from the point of view of those who have not only the exodus but also the conquest behind them. Moses and the Israelites did sing the Song at the Sea, but the inspired version …

 

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The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition; by Christopher A. Beetham; Nancy L. Erickson

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘the NIV Application Commentary on the Bible’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

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Preceding

 

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Additional reading

  1. Questions about Learning about God
  2. Matthew 23:16-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Woe 3: Blind Guides and Gold
  3. Today’s Thought “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? ” (June 22)
  4. Music to transcend language barriers
  5. The Soul not a ghost
  6. Cognizance at the doorstep or at the internet socket

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by | 2026/03/28 · 8:10 pm

Snakes and the uraeus symbol of Egyptian power

Exodus Chapter 7

7:10 snake. The Hebrew word here is different from the one used in 4:3. The Hebrew word here can refer to a sea-monster, dragon, crocodile or snake. The purpose of this event is also different. The sign with Moses’ staff was for the Israelite elders. They saw it and, initially, believed Moses (4:30–31). The sign with Aaron’s staff is for Pharaoh and his officials and demonstrates what appears to be an assault on Egyptian ideology. If Aaron’s staff did indeed become a snake, then its devouring of the magicians’ snakes, on the one hand, demonstrates an overpowering of the magicians and even a commandeering of their own abilities and expertise.

On the other hand, it could also serve as an attack on the snake as a symbol of Egyptian power. It is hard to know, though, whether Aaron’s staff was supposed to become a snake that the Egyptians feared and despised or one that they worshipped. In ancient Egypt various preternatural beings (deities, demons, etc.) took the form of a snake; e.g., Apophis*1 was an evil serpent and a great enemy of the sun-god Re. In Egyptian mythology, he regularly attacked the sun-god and, unless regularly defeated, could impede or even halt the sun-god’s orbit and thus bring disaster for human life on earth. Another important snake-deity was the goddess Wadjit *2. She functioned as the protective and representative deity of Lower Egypt, the delta region. She was normally portrayed as an up-reared cobra — referred to as a uraeus —ready to strike. Wadjit was represented by the uraeus *2 adorning the Egyptian king’s headdress. Having the cobra just above the king’s forehead was meant to bring protection to Pharaoh and terror to his enemies.

The inscription commemorating Rameses II’s victory at Qadesh over the Hittites (c. 1275 BC) also refers to Wadjit. Rameses speaks of how he entered the fray and fought ferociously, with his “uraeus-serpent” beating back his enemies and spitting “fiery flame” into the faces of his enemies. The uraeus on the king’s head imbued him with the mystical force by which he maintained order in Egypt and even the entire world; no uraeus meant no power.

The episode with Aaron’s staff makes a more effective attack on Egyptian ideology if the snake is one like the king’s uraeus rather than an evil creature like Apophis. If so, this narrative is another instance when the Biblical text takes a power symbol, crucial within the Egyptian worldview, and attempts to reverse its power and make it advantageous for the Israelites.

7:11 magicians. The Hebrew term appears related to an Egyptian word often used to refer to theological specialists in ancient Egypt who studied their culture’s sacred literature and knew an array of secret charms, spells and rituals. They were often said to be associated with the “House of Life,” a special section in some Egyptian temples that housed ritual and magic texts said to be inspired by the sun-god. They would have practised “sympathetic magic”  …

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Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes, Bringing to life the Ancient World of Scripture; by Craig Keener; John H. Walton; Publisher: Zondervan, 2016

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

*1

A depiction of Apophis based on the depiction in the tomb of Ramesses I.

Apophis = Apopis = Apep = Aphoph: ancient Egyptian deity, demon of chaos, who embodied darkness and disorder, and was thus the opponent of light and Maat (order/truth). He had the form of a serpent and, as the foe of the sun god, Re, represented all that was outside the ordered cosmos. Although many serpents symbolised divinity and royalty, Apopis threatened the underworld and symbolised evil.

The Egyptians believed that the king could help maintain the order of the world and assist Re by performing rituals against Apopis.

*2

An illustration of Wadjet based on depictions in tombs.

Illustration of uraeus

Uraeus: a representation of the sacred asp (Naja haje) appearing in ancient Egyptian art and especially on the headdress of rulers and serving as a symbol of sovereignty

Wadjit = Wadjet = Uto = Buto = Uadjet = Udjo, cobra goddess of ancient Egypt. Depicted as a cobra twined around a papyrus stem, she was the tutelary goddess of Lower Egypt. Wadjet and Nekhbet (Nekhebet), the vulture-goddess of Upper Egypt, were the protective goddesses of the king and were sometimes represented together on the king’s diadem, symbolising his reign over all of Egypt.

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Preceding

 

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by | 2026/03/24 · 9:28 am

Verlangen om zich te bevrijden van elende

Gedachte van de week

Wezens verlangen ernaar zich te bevrijden van ellende,
Maar het ongeluk zelf haasten ze zich om te vangen.
Ze verlangen naar vreugde, maar in hun onwetendheid,
Vernietig het, zoals ze een gehate vijand zouden doen.

SHANTIDEVA (685-763)
Shantideva, De Weg van de Bodhisattva: Een vertaling van de Bodhicharyavatara Hoofdstuk I, v 28, vertaling door de Padmakara Translation Group, 1997.

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by | 2026/03/24 · 9:21 am

Longing to free themselves from misery

Thought of the week

Beings long to free themselves from misery,
But misery itself they race to catch.
They long for joy, but in their ignorance,
Destroy it, as they would a hated enemy.

SHANTIDEVA (685-763)
Shantideva,The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyavatara Chapter I, v 28, translation by the Padmakara Translation Group, 1997.

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by | 2026/03/21 · 10:00 am

Moses going out to be with his people

11 And it will be in these days, and Moses will become great, and he will go forth to his brethren, and he will see their burdens: and he will see a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, from his brethren.

12 And he will turn hither and thither, and will see that there is no man, and he will smite the Egyptian, and hide him in the sand.

13 And he will go forth in the second day, and behold, two men, Hebrews, quarreling; and he will say to the unjust one, For what wilt thou smite thy friend?

14 And he will say, Who set thee for a chief man and judge over us? dost thou think to kill me as thou didst kill the Egyptian? and Moses will be afraid, and will say, Surely, this word was known.

15 And Pharaoh will hear this word, and he will seek to kill Moses. And Moses will flee from the face of Pharaoh, and he will dwell in the land of Midian: and he will sit down by the well.

16 And to the priest of Midian, seven daughters: and they will come and will draw and fill the watering troughs to water the sheep of their father.

17 And the shepherds will come, and will expel them: and Moses will rise up and help them, and will water their sheep.

18 And they will come to Reuel their father, and he will say, Wherefore hastened ye to come this day?

19 And they will say, A man, an Egyptian, delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and also drawing, drew for us, and watered the sheep.

20 And he will say to his daughters, Where is he? for what this left ye the man? call to him and he shall eat bread.

21 And Moses will be contented to dwell with the man, and he will give Zipporah his daughter to Moses.

22 And she will bear a son, and he will call his name Gershom; for he said, I was a sojourner in a strange land.

23 And it will be in these many days, and the king of Egypt will die: and the sons of Israel will groan, from the work; and they will cry out, and their supplication will go up to God from the work.

24 And God will hear their groaning, and God will remember his covenant with Abraham, with Isaak and with Jacob.

25 And God will see the sons of Israel, and God will know.

Exodus 2:11–25

Original Meaning. By the time we reach 2:11, Moses has apparently grown to be a man, as the following narrative makes clear. Moses goes out to be with his people. It is not clear whether he at this point has already consciously identified himself with his true countrymen. Nowhere in this passage do we see Moses consider himself an Israelite. The fact that he goes out to observe the suffering of his countrymen certainly suggests a strong degree of compassion but not necessarily blood-kinship.

The Egyptian’s “beating” the Hebrew slave (2:11) evokes a strong action on Moses’s part. However conscious Moses is of his own background, it is clear that Moses is incensed enough at what he sees to kill the Egyptian, thus severing his ties with the Egyptian aristocracy.

In 2:13 Moses intercedes in another conflict, but now between two Israelites. This incident serves to introduce two interconnected themes that recur throughout the Pentateuch: Israel’s rebellion and the rejection of Moses. Moses’s role as redeemer at its very beginning is already met with his own people questioning his authority.

Pharaoh’s determination to kill Moses drives Moses away to Midian. His choice of haven is significant. Midian serves to tie Moses to the patriarchs. Perhaps most significant, Moses’s departure from Egypt into the Sinai desert foreshadows the exodus itself.

Regarding Moses’s marriage, anyone familiar with the patriarchal narratives will be reminded of Genesis 24 and 29, where Isaac and Jacob, respectively, meet their wives. The clear difference between these narratives is that Isaac and Jacob marry descendants of Abraham, while Moses marries a foreign woman. Moses finds acceptance apart from his own people, first by being raised in an Egyptian household and now by starting his own household on foreign soil with a foreign wife. Once again, Moses’s circumstances anticipate Israel’s forty-year “exile” in the desert.

In 2:23–25 the Israelites “groan” and “cry out.” God responds because he remembers “his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (2:24). With these concluding verses, the stage is set. The next scene of the drama of Israel’s redemption is about to unfold. How, then, will God aid his covenant people?

Application. Humility is a central quality that defines the Christian. There are times, however, when humility is not something we choose but is thrust upon us. Moses chose to help his Hebrew brother; he never intended to flee his home as a result. Christians often find themselves in a state of enforced humility simply by virtue of their Christian witness. We who are Christ’s ambassadors can expect nothing less than that which our Lord himself endured.

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The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition; by Christopher A. Beetham; Nancy L. Erickson

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘the NIV Application Commentary on the Bible’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

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Additional reading

  1. To shoot with words to bring man on the right track
  2. Today’s thought “That my name might be proclaimed” (January 31)

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by | 2026/03/15 · 7:10 pm

About Joseph giving to his father and his brethren possession in the land of Egypt and about days drawing near to die

Genesis chapter 47

47:11 11 And Joseph will place his father and his brethren, and will give to them possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, according to what Pharaoh commanded.

district of Rameses. At this period Rameses was not a common name and no city was yet so named. The pharaohs with the names Rameses do not come along until the thirteenth century BC. It is logical to conclude that this geographic name is supplied at a later period. The city of Rameses, Pi-Ramesse, is eventually going to be located at Qantir/Avaris (Tell ed-Dab’a, which has been extensively excavated and provides much evidence of a Semitic population that lived there). The site was founded in the Twelfth Dynasty (1963–1786 BC), the most likely setting for Joseph. Despite the growing Syro-Palestinian population of this town over the next several centuries, no remains permit the identification of descendants of Abraham. The material culture is Canaanite and the religious practices show a syncretism of Canaanite and Egyptian elements.

47:19 19 For what shall we die before thine eyes, also we, also our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh: and give seed, and we shall live and not die, and the land shall not be laid waste.

Buy us and our land. Joseph’s policy suggests a shift from privately owned property to centralised ownership of property worked by tenant farmers. The Middle Kingdom and Early New Kingdom (2100–1500 bce) evidence large tracts of crown property administered by government officials. In this way, centralisation is in evidence as is the state-run redistributive economy. In the New Kingdom, much land gradually came under control of the temples. In that period, there was no longer any private property, but only personal rights to the use of property granted in trust for a land-owning institution such as the crown or temple.

Though it may appear as if Joseph’s policies were economically repressive, hard times require hard solutions. The text documents the sequence of how the people were impoverished by the famine (not by the government). First, they spent all their money buying food, then they traded away their livestock, and finally, they gave up their land and worked as tenant farmers. Their rent for the land was 20 percent of the produce — a lower than normal percentage in the ancient world. This was a progressive tax in that it was proportioned according to income. Theoretically, then, a prosperous farmer could have rebuilt his wealth when the famine ended, though it is not clear whether he would have been allowed to buy back the land. This turned Egypt into a state in which all the wealth was centralised in the government. Despite the personal hardship and servitude that resulted, the people were grateful for their lives.

47:22 22 Only the land of the priests he bought not; for to the priests a portion from Pharaoh, and they ate their portion which Pharaoh gave to them; for this they sold not their lands.

priests … received a regular allotment from Pharaoh. Priests did not need to grow their own food, and therefore shortages did not drive them to sell their land. Instead, temples, like the kings, were owners of land and benefited from renting out the land to be farmed by labourers. Temple ownership of land is well documented in Egypt of all periods, but became extensive by the mid-second millennium BCE.

47:29 29 And the days of Israel will draw near to die: and he will call to his son Joseph, and will say to him, If now I found grace in thine eyes, put now thy hand under my thigh, and thou shalt do to me kindness and truth: now thou shalt not bury me in Egypt.

Do not bury me in Egypt. Jacob’s sentiment reflects the extent to which he is tied to the land of Canaan, as it looks to both past and future.

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Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes, Bringing to life the Ancient World of Scripture; by Craig Keener; John H. Walton; Publisher: Zondervan, 2016

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

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Additional reading

  1. Today’s thought “Few and evil days” (January 28)
  2. Living stones 3 Jacob and a “living stone”
  3. What Faith looks like: “Joseph”

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by | 2026/03/08 · 6:54 pm

Mandragora or mandrake plants to make a barren woman conceive

Genesis chapter 30

30:14  And Reuben will go in the day of the harvest of wheat, and will find apples of mandrakes in the field, and he will bring them to Leah his mother: and Rachel will say to Leah, Give now to me of thy son’s apples of mandrakes.

mandrake plants. The usual identification of this plant is Mandragora, frequently believed in the ancient and classical world to possess magical properties, primarily as an aphrodisiac (see SS 7:13) with the power to make a barren woman conceive. In Egypt it appears to be the aroma that had the erotic powers. Modern study has confirmed that the fruit is a sedative, narcotic and purgative. Unusual characteristics include that the shape of the roots is often reminiscent of the human form and that the plant shines in the dark. Yet there remains some question whether the identification with the fruit in this passage as Mandragora is correct since that plant is not known to grow in Mesopotamia.

30:25 25 And it shall be when Rachel bare Joseph, and Jacob will say to Laban, send me away, and I shall go to my place and to my land.

After Rachel gave birth. A woman’s status in the marriage is not fully attained until she bears a son. In some contracts from the second millennium BC, a time limit is set after which she can be divorced should an heir not be provided. Prior to Joseph’s birth, it would have been inappropriate for Jacob to leave with Rachel since her status would be more secure with family in the area.

30:27 27 And Laban will say to him, If now I found grace in thine eyes, I prognosticated, and Jehovah will praise me because of thee.

learned by divination. The details of the divination are not given here, so we do not know what sort of specialist Laban consulted (if any) or what class of divination was used. Divination is divided into categories labelled “inspired” (divine communication using a human intermediary, e.g., prophecy, dreams) or “deductive” (divine communication through events and phenomena, either provoked situations, such as lots or extispicy using animal entrails, or passive, such as celestial observation). Given Laban’s report of the result of the divination, it is most likely that he consulted an expert in extispicy. In this procedure, a binary (yes/no) question is posed and then the specialist slaughters an animal and examines the entrails (usually the liver) for indications that their experience dictates as being positive or negative. To get the information Laban conveys, he must have asked whether Jacob’s God was the one bringing prosperity.

30:32 32 I will pass over among all thy sheep this day, removing from thence every sheep speckled and patched, and every sheep black among the lambs; and the patched and speckled among the she-goats; and it shall be my hire.

They will be my wages. Shepherds’ wages in the ancient Near East were usually the by-products of the herd (mostly a percentage of the wool and milk). Sometimes the shepherd would also get to keep a percentage of the new births. The percentage is not often stated in the texts, but one text from Ischali indicates that the shepherd was allowed to keep 20 percent. Rather than using a percentage, Jacob requests that his share be those that are marked in their colouring. The Awassi fat-tailed sheep was most common in the region and was usually white. Goats were typically black. Deviations from these norms were relatively uncommon and would certainly have been less than 20 percent in normal circumstances.

30:38 38 And he set the rods which he stripped, in the flowings of channels of water, when the flock shall come to drink before the sheep, and they shall be in heat in coming to drink.

Genesis 30:41-42 41 And it was in every one conceiving of the strong sheep, and Jacob put the rods before the eyes of the sheep in the floorings, to conceive among the rods. 42 And in the sheep being feeble, he will not put in: and those being feeble, were to Laban, and those being strong, to Jacob. 43 And the man will break forth greatly, greatly; and there will be to him many sheep and maids, and servants, and camels and asses.

placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs. In vv. 41–42 Jacob shows some knowledge of breeding by favouring the stronger animals. The principle of “like breeds like” is common in pastoral societies worldwide.

 

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Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes, Bringing to life the Ancient World of Scripture; by Craig Keener; John H. Walton; Publisher: Zondervan, 2016

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

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by | 2026/03/02 · 10:00 am

Joseph’s status and dreams

And Jacob will dwell in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

2 These the generations of Jacob: Joseph the son of seventeen years, was feeding the sheep with his brethren, and this youth with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph will bring their evil slander to their father.

3 And Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, for to him he was the son of old age: and he made for him a tunic (reaching to the soles of the feet).

4 And his brethren will see that their father loved him above all his brethren, and they will hate him, and will not be able to speak to him for peace.

(Genesis 37:1-4)

Joseph’s Status (37:1–4). When this account begins, Jacob and his family have been back in the land of Canaan for about a decade. They have resumed their vocations as itinerant herders. The favouritism that Jacob felt for Rachel has apparently transferred to her older son, Joseph, for Jacob bestows special status on Joseph. Most scholars acknowledge that status, not just favour, is what the special coat represents. Most commentators favour something along the line of a full-length coat or a long-sleeved coat, either of which would indicate that Joseph is management, not labour.

5 And Joseph will dream a dream, and he will announce to his brethren: and they will add yet to hate him.

6 And he will say to them, Hear, now, this dream which I dreamed.

7 And behold, we binding sheaves in the midst of the field; and behold, my sheaf arose, and also stood; and behold your sheaves will turn about and will worship to my sheaf.

8 And his brethren will say to him, Reigning, shalt thou reign over us? or ruling, shalt thou rule over us? And they will add yet to hate him for his dreams and for his words.

9 And he will dream yet another dream, and he will recount it to his brethren, and he will say, Behold I dreamed a dream yet again: and behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars worshipping to me.

10 And he will recount to his father and to his brethren. And his father will rebuke him, and will say to him, What this dream which thou didst dream? Coming, shall I and thy mother and thy brethren come to worship to thee upon the earth?

11 And his brethren will envy him; and his father observed the word. (Genesis 37:5-11)

Joseph’s Dreams (37:5–11). Dreams in the ancient world were considered derived from the divine realm and were thus taken seriously. Dreams by prophets and kings often contained theophanies offering divine revelation. The ordinary dreams of common people were believed to contain omens that communicated information about what the gods were doing, though they usually made no reference to deity. Dreams were often filled with symbolism, necessitating an interpreter, though at times the symbols were reasonably self-evident. The information that came through dreams was not believed to be irreversible. Dreams of a rise to power like the ones Joseph had are known in the ancient Near East. There is nothing in Joseph’s dream that leads them to consider that Joseph’s eventual prominence will extend beyond the confines of the family. It is only his family members who bow down to him. It would not have occurred to any of them that Joseph would rise to the position of second-in-command of a dominant world power.

A curious feature of the second dream (37:9–10) is the symbolic presence of his mother and all eleven brothers. After all, his mother died giving birth to the last brother. The inclusion of his parents is of significance here, because the dream does not just suggest that Joseph will be first among his brothers. It suggests Joseph’s eventual prominence in the ancestral line, superseding even his parents in significance. This justifies the inclusion of family members living or dead.

12 And his brethren will go to feed their father’s sheep in Shechem.

13 And Israel will say to Joseph, Are not thy brethren feeding in Shechem? Come, and I will send thee to them. And he will say, Behold me.

14 And he will say to him, Go, now, see the peace of thy brethren, and the peace of the sheep; and turn back to me word: and he will send him from the valley of Hebron and he will go to Shechem.

15 And a man will find him, and behold, he wandered in the field. And the man will ask him, saying, What wilt thou seek?

16 And he will say, I am seeking my brethren; announce to me now where they are feeding.

17 And the man will say, They removed from this; for I heard them saying, We will go to Dothan. And Joseph will go after his brethren and will find them in Dothan.

18 And they will see him from far off and before he will draw near to them, and they will act deceitfully with him, to kill him.

19 And a man will say to his brother, Behold, this lord of dreams coming.

20 And now, come, and we will kill him, and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, An evil beast devoured him; and we shall see what will be his dreams.

21 And Reuben will hear, and will take him away out of their hands; and he will say, We will not strike the soul.

22 And Reuben will say to them, Ye shall not pour out blood; cast him into this pit which is in the desert, and ye shall not stretch forth the hand upon him; in order to take him away out of their hands to bring him back to his father.

23 And it shall be as Joseph came to his brethren, and they will strip off his tunic, the tunic reaching to the soles of the feet which was upon him.

24 And they will take him and will throw him into the pit; and the pit empty; water not in it.

25 And they will sit down to eat bread, and they will lift up their eyes, and will see, and behold travellers, Ishmaelites come from Gilead, and their camels bearing perfumes and balsam and myrrh, going to carry down to Egypt.

26 And Judah will say to his brethren, What the profit that we shall kill our brother, and conceal his blood?

27 Come, and we will sell him to the Ishmaelites, and our hand shall not be upon him; for he our brother, our flesh: and his brethren will hear.

28 And men will pass by, Midianites, merchants; and they will draw and bring up Joseph from the pit, and they will sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty of silver: and they will bring Joseph to Egypt.

29 And Reuben turned back to the pit; and behold, Joseph not in the pit: and he rent his garments.

30 And he will turn back to his brethren, and he will say, The child is not: and I, where shall I go?

31 And they will take Joseph’s tunic, and will slaughter a he-goat of the goats, and will dip the tunic in the blood.

32 And they will send the tunic, reaching down to the soles of the feet, and will bring to their father, and they will say, We found this: recognise now, is this thy son’s tunic or not?

33 And he will recognise it, and will say, My son’s tunic! an evil beast devoured him: tearing in pieces, he tare Joseph in pieces.

34 And Jacob will rend his garments, and will put sackcloth upon his loins, and will mourn for his son many days.

35 And all his sons and all his daughters, will rise up to comfort him; and he will refuse to be comforted; and will say, For I will go down to my son mourning to hades; and his father will weep for him.

36 And the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an eunuch of Pharaoh, chief of the cooks. (Genesis 37:12-36)

Brothers’ Revenge (37:12–36). From the home base in the Valley of Hebron (37:14) Shechem is just over fifty miles, and Dothan is about fourteen more. The journey would have taken Joseph four or five days. Joseph fails to find his brothers at Shechem and receives direction from a stranger (37:15–17).

Joseph’s brothers see him coming and begin to formulate a plan. We can imagine that at first the plan is just an idle suggestion, expressing their hatred of their brother. Even so, it quickly takes a serious turn. The text refrains from indicating which brother or brothers make the initial suggestion and, in so doing, implies that it represents something of a consensus. Reuben is the only objector as he adopts part of their suggestion (the cistern) but seeks to avoid violence. The text reports his intent to get Joseph back to the safety of his father.

…

The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition; by by Christopher A. Beetham; Nancy L. Erickson

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘the NIV Application Commentary on the Bible’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

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Additional reading

  1. Stories of the beginnings, and one Main book composed of four major sections
  2. A look at Abraham, the man of faith 1 Going away from the city of idolatry
  3. Today’s thought Jacob and Esau (January 15)
  4. Today’s thought Favouritism and prejudice (January 18)
  5. Today’s thought “Sun, moon and stars” (January 22)
  6. Today’s thought “The LORD caused all that he did to succeed” (January 24)
  7. Today’s thought “The lesson of Joseph” (January 25)
  8. Today’s thought “God sent me before you” (January 27)
  9. Today’s thought “Few and evil days” (January 28)
  10. Leading Egyptian Dates
  11. “Let My People Go, that they may serve me!”: The Passover & The Exodus.
  12. Helping others in times of trouble
  13. Forgiveness a command given for our well-being

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by | 2026/03/01 · 5:15 pm

Circumcision

Circumcision is well-known in the ancient Near East from as early as the fourth millennium BC, though the details of its practice and its significance vary from culture to culture. Circumcision was practiced in the ancient Near East by many peoples. The Egyptians practised circumcision as early as the third millennium BC. West Semitic peoples, Israelites, Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites performed circumcision. Eastern Semitic peoples did not (e.g., Assyrians, Babylonians, Akkadians) — ​nor did the Philistines, an Aegean or Greek people. Anthropological studies have suggested that the rite always has to do with at least one of four basic themes: fertility, virility, maturity and genealogy. Study of Egyptian mummies demonstrates that the surgical technique in Egypt differed from that used by the Israelites; while the Hebrews amputated the prepuce of the penis, the Egyptians merely incised the foreskin and so exposed the glans penis.

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Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes, Bringing to life the Ancient World of Scripture; by Craig Keener; John H. Walton; Publisher: Zondervan, 2016

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

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Preceding

  1. Why was Jesus circumcised at eight days old in accordance with Jewish law?
  2. Do those who want to follow Christ to be Jews
  3. Judaizers finding it so hard to accept that God no longer requires His people to keep the Mosaic Law

 

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Additional reading

  1. the Story of Abraham
  2. The Gospel to Abraham
  3. The Father of a Great Multitude and promises to be fulfilled completely
  4. God sets up the circumcision
  5. CovenantsDo not forget the important sign of beliefFinding the Messiah in Hebrew dictionaries – 1.
  6. Today’s thought “Period of uncleanness and offerings” (March 1)
  7. Today’s thought “Turning to a different gospel” (April 2)
  8. Today’s thought “Things known from of old” (November 4)
  9. Today’s Thought “God who knows the heart …” (May 05)
  10. Today’s thought “Ability to circumcise your heart” (May 13)
  11. Law and justice very important concepts
  12. Circumcising Timothy
  13. Expectations for kashrut to meet individual and contemporary norms
  14. The Gospel at Stake
  15. Not trying to make the heathen live like Jews #2
  16. A non-degrading people

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by | 2026/02/24 · 2:22 pm

Oracle and birth

19 And these the generations of Isaak, son of Abraham: Abraham begetting Isaak.

20 And Isaak shall be the son of forty years in his taking Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, sister of Laban the Syrian, to him for a wife.

21 And Isaak will supplicate to Jehovah for his wife, because she was barren: and Jehovah will be supplicated for him, and Rebekah his wife will conceive.

22 And the sons will struggle within her: and she will say, If so, wherefore am I thus? And she will go to inquire of Jehovah.

23 And Jehovah will say to her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy belly: and a people shall be strong above a people, and the great shall serve the small.

24 And her days shall be completed to bring forth; and behold, twins in her belly.

25 And the first shall come forth red, wholly as a mantle of hair: and they will call his name Esau.

26 And after this, his brother will come forth, and his hand having laid hold upon Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaak the son of sixty years in her bringing them forth.

27 And the boys will become great; and Esau will be a man knowing the chase, a man of the country; and Jacob an upright man, dwelling in tents.

28 And Isaak will love Esau for the chase in his mouth: and Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:19-28)

Oracle and Birth (25:19–28). This section begins the toledot* of Isaac. Though the barrenness obstacle that we saw in the Abraham story recurs in this generation, the text does not dwell on it. Instead, the obstacle in immediate focus is that once Rebekah conceives, she is troubled by a problem pregnancy. The terminology “to inquire of the Lord” (25:22) usually indicates the asking of an oracle.

Genesis 25:23 records the content of the oracle, which by its very nature suggests it was provided by a human expert or by a theophany since mechanistic oracles do not give verbal messages. The focus of the text is on the content of the oracle, not its source. The jostling Rebekah feels signifies that she is carrying twins and that there will be conflict between them, with the younger prevailing. It is this conflict and reversal (the younger prevailing) that define the dominant obstacles for the new generation. The oracle concerns the destiny of the descendants but gives no instruction for parenting the individuals.

Names in the ancient world most often made statements about a deity, but they also sometimes offered commentary on circumstances surrounding one’s birth. A creative name might do both — one directly and the other through wordplay. This is apparently the case in Jacob’s name. The name Yaqub-el is common in West Semitic and means “May the God El protect.” At the same time the noun using the same three root letters (ʿqb) means “heel.” Thus, the name combines the standard sentence name with a comment on the circumstances of Jacob’s birth.

The contrast between the two continues in their preferred lifestyles, and the conflict between them is energised by the favouritism shown by the parents. The verb translated “love” (25:28) is indicative of favour, choice, and preference. Rebekah undoubtedly loves both her children, but Jacob is her favourite and receives preferential treatment from her.

The qualities that endear Jacob to Rebekah are summarised in 25:27. The description of Jacob likely has to do with being an organised, administrative type of person who is conscientious, detail-oriented, well-rounded, and efficient. Such can only be speculation from what we observe about Jacob, for there are no occurrences of the adjective sufficiently nuanced in context to clarify these alternatives. The second description of him, staying “among the tents” (25:27), identifies him as engaged in seminomadic pastoralism rather than being a hunter like Esau.

29 And Jacob will boil a boiling, and Esau will come from the country, and he faint.

30 And Esau will say to Jacob, Give me now to eat from the red; this red, for I faint: for this he called his name Edom.

31 And Jacob will say, Sell this day thy birth-right to me.

32 And Esau will say, Behold, I am going to die, and what to me this birth-right?

33 And Jacob will say, Swear to me this day: and he will swear to him: and he will sell his birth-right to Jacob.

34 And Jacob gave Esau food, and the boiling of lentiles; and he will eat and drink and will rise and go forth: and Esau will despise the birth-right. (Genesis 25:29-34)

Birthright (25:29–34). The prize. We must first be clear about what is at stake. The birthright was the oldest son’s share of the material estate of the family. In the ancient world the firstborn typically received a double share of the inheritance. The fewer the number of sons, the greater the discrepancy. In the case of Esau and Jacob, Esau would receive two-thirds — twice what Jacob would receive. The sense of injustice would be substantially increased when the second born is a twin.

…

The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition; by by Christopher A. Beetham; Nancy L. Erickson

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘the NIV Application Commentary on the Bible’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

*

The toledot formula, occurring eleven times in the book of Genesis, serves as a heading which marks a transition to a new subject.

  1. Genesis 1:1–2:3 In the beginning (prologue)
  2. Genesis 2:4–4:26 Toledot of Heaven and Earth (narrative)
  3. Genesis 5:1–6:8 Toledot of Adam (genealogy, see Generations of Adam)
  4. Genesis 6:9–9:29 Toledot of Noah (Genesis flood narrative)
  5. Genesis 10:1–11:9 Toledot of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth (genealogy)
  6. Genesis 11:10–26 Toledot of Shem (genealogy)
  7. Genesis 11:27–25:11 Toledot of Terah (Abraham narrative)
  8. Genesis 25:12–18 Toledot of Ishmael (genealogy)
  9. Genesis 25:19–35:29 Toledot of Isaac (Jacob narrative)
  10. Genesis 36:1–36:8 Toledot of Esau (genealogy)
  11. Genesis 36:9–37:1 Toledot of Esau “the father of the Edomites” (genealogy)
  12. Genesis 37:2–50:26 Toledot of Jacob (Joseph narrative)

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Preceding

 

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Additional reading

  1. Keturah concubine of patriarch Abraham
  2. Today’s thought “Promise and prayer” (January 14)
  3. Today’s thought Jacob and Esau (January 15)
  4. Today’s thought “Forgive … from your heart” (January 16)
  5. Weekly World Watch for the end of April to beginning of May 2024

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by | 2026/02/22 · 4:51 pm

Abram, Abraham, El Shaddai, God Almighty and the naming of a person

Genesis 17

Drawing of the Deir ‘Alla inscription or Balaam inscription, listed as KAI 312, discovered during a 1967 excavation in Deir ‘Alla, Jordan.

17:1 God Almighty. Translates the epithet El-Shaddai. Much controversy surrounds the meaning of the name El-Shaddai. One Ugaritic text refers to “El of the field” (il sh) while Akkadian refers to the “Lord of the Mountain/Steppe” (belu shadu), though these may be descriptions rather than divine epithets. The only extra-Biblical use of the divine epithet occurs in the Balaam text of Deir Alla, where the shdyn are the beings of the heavenly council.

17:5 Abraham. Personal names in the ancient world provided much more than a moniker. Sometimes they preserved recognition of a distinguishing characteristic or reflected circumstances at the time of the person’s birth. Often they made statements about deity (e.g., Isaiah = Yahweh saves). Names generally offered information, at some level, about the person’s identity and in a variety of ways names were believed to be intertwined with a person’s destiny. Knowing a person’s name created a relationship with that person—i.e., the person was further known by knowing the name. Knowing a person’s name also provided potential power over that person, most radically when used in spells or hexes. The naming of a person was one of the most dramatic impositions of authority over another individual. Since the name of a person was believed to be intertwined with their destiny, to name a person meant that you controlled their identity and directed their destiny. In this verse, it is not that God is demonstrating his authority over Abram (though the fact that he can change his name is not insignificant), but more important, he is designating Abram’s destiny — to be the father of a multitude. The name Abram meant “the father is exalted.” Reference to “father” (ab) in personal names usually indicated veneration of an ancestor, so this name looked to the past. His new name Abraham designates him as the significant ancestor as it looks to future generations yet to be born.

 

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Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes, Bringing to life the Ancient World of Scripture; by Craig Keener; John H. Walton; Publisher: Zondervan, 2016

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

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Preceding

  1. God’s name on Seder Night
  2. Christopher Hitchens says God is not great

 

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Additional reading

  1. El-Shaddai God Almighty Who no-one may see and live
  2. Creator and Blogger God 5 Things to tell
  3. The Memorial Title
  4. Bible sayings about God
  5. Main verses in the Bible telling us Who God is #2 Some outstanding qualities of God
  6. El Shaddai Who appeared unto Abraham
  7. God Our Refuge
  8. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
  9. Extra verses to remember by The Name to be proclaimed
  10. Use of /Gebruik van Jehovah or/of Yahweh in Bible Translations/Bijbel vertalingen
  11. A look at the figure of Abram, who became the patriarch Abraham
  12. Jeruzalem Gods city
  13. A Prayer based on Deuteronomy 4:5–8

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by | 2026/02/20 · 2:14 pm

Looking at Abram and his homeland

27 And these the generations of Terah: Terah begetting Abram, Nahor, and Haran: and Haran begetting Lot.

28 And Haran will die at the face of Terah his father in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees.

29 And Abram and Nahor will take to them wives, the name of Abram’s wife Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

30 And Sarai shall be barren; to her not a child.

31 And Terah will take Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they shall come forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to move to the land of Canaan; and they will come to Haran, and will dwell there.

32 And the days of Haran shall be five years and two hundred years; and Terah shall die in Haran. (Genesis 11:27-30)

Chronology of Abraham (11:27–30, 32). Abram’s entry into Canaan can be plausibly placed somewhere between 2100 and 1875 BC. Since the narrator elsewhere ties up loose ends further in time before moving along his chosen course, it is not unusual for him to report Terah’s death before turning all his attention to Abram, even though Terah died long after Abram left his hometown.

Abram’s Homeland (11:31). A quick check of the maps at the back of most Bibles confirms a consensus in popular circles concerning the identification of Abram’s hometown, Ur of the Chaldeans. This consensus is the result of the spectacular archaeological excavations done at the Sumerian site of Ur in southern Mesopotamia by Sir Leonard Woolley from 1922 to 1934. Though it makes for a convenient identification and there is no other archaeological site that carries the ancient name of Ur, there are reasons to remain skeptical about this identification. The question ought to be considered an open one, unresolved until further information comes to light.

And Jehovah will say to Abram, Go for thyself from thy land, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, to the land which I will shew thee.

2 And I will make thee into a great nation, and I will bless thee, and I will make thy name great; and thou shalt be blessed.

3 And I will praise them praising thee, and I will curse him cursing thee, and in thee shall all the families of the earth be praised. (Genesis 12:1-3)

Covenant Offer (12:1–3). Though Terah leads a portion of his clan to Haran, Yahweh makes the covenant initiative offer to Abram (12:1–3). He must decide whether to abandon his land in favour of the land Yahweh offers. He must decide whether to abandon what family he still has in favour of the family Yahweh promises. Abram must trust Yahweh to deliver what he has offered in order to give up so much that Abram already has to gain.

4 And Abram went according to which Jehovah spake to him, and Lot went with him: and Abram the son of five years and seventy years in his coming out of Haran.

5 And Abram will take Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their riches which they acquired, and the souls which they acquired in Haran, and they came forth to go into the land of Canaan; and they shall come into the land of Canaan.

6 And Abram shall pass over the land to the place Sichem, to the erect oak tree. And the Canaanite then in the land.

7 And Jehovah shall be seen to Abram, and will say, To thy seed will I give this land, and he will build there an altar to Jehovah, being seen to him.

8 And he will remove from thence to the mountain from the east of the house of God, and shall stretch forth his tent; Bethel from the sea, and Hai from the east, and he shall build there an altar to Jehovah, and will call upon the name of Jehovah.

9 And Abram will remove, going and removing to the desert. (Genesis 12:4-9)

Abram’s Itinerary and Offerings (12:4–9). The trip from Haran to Canaan is about five hundred miles and takes the better part of a month, even if Abram travels at normal caravan pace (about twenty miles per day). The stops indicated by the text, Shechem and Bethel, both become major sacred sites in later Israelite history. At each one Abram builds an altar. What function do these altars serve? It is of interest that the text makes no specific reference to offering a sacrifice at either site (though that may be implied in his calling on the name of Yahweh in 12:8).

18 And Abram will pitch his tent, and will come and will dwell by the oaks of Mamra which is in Hebron, and he will build there an altar to Jehovah.(Genesis 13:18)

It is not possible that the altar is simply built so that the clan can conduct their worship during the time they remain there. When he builds the altar at Hebron in 13:18, its purpose seems simply to service his worship needs while he is there.

Shechem and Bethel are both located in the central hill country, thirty-five miles north of Jerusalem. Perhaps because of its proximity to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, it has had a long history as a sacred site. The strategic position of Shechem, at the east entrance to the pass between these mountains, also made it an important trading centre. Bethel is usually identified with Beitin just over ten miles north of Jerusalem. There was a major fortified city on the site during the Middle Bronze Age.

10 And there shall be a famine in the land; and Abram will go down to Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was strong in the land.

11 And it shall be when he came near to go to Egypt, he will say to Sarai his wife, Behold, now I knew that thou wert a fair woman to see.

12 And it shall be when the Egyptians shall see thee, they shall say, This is his wife; and they will kill me, and thee they will permit to live.

13 Say, now, thou my sister, that it shall be well to me because of thee, and my soul shall live by means of thee.

14 And it shall be when Abram goes to Egypt, and the Egyptians will see the woman that she was very fair.

15 And Pharaoh’s rulers will see her, and will praise her to Pharaoh, and the woman shall be taken into Pharaoh’s house.

16 And he will do good to Abram on account of her; and there shall be to him sheep and oxen and he-asses, and servants and maids, and she-asses and camels.

17 And Jehovah will touch Pharaoh with great strokes, and his house on account of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

18 And Pharaoh will call to Abram, and will say, What this thou didst to me? why didst thou not declare to me that she is thy wife? (Genesis 12:10-18)

Abram in Egypt (12:10–18). Move to Egypt. Modern archaeologists and geologists have found evidence of a massive three-hundred-year drought cycle that occurred during the end of the third millennium …

 

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The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition; by by Christopher A. Beetham; Nancy L. Erickson

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘the NIV Application Commentary on the Bible’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

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Preceding

  1. 12 Verses: Where Is the Promised Land? and 4 Other Questions
  2. How Christian Zionism distorts scripture to serve empire

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Additional reading

  1. A look at Abraham, the man of faith 1 Going away from the city of idolatry
  2. the Story of Abraham
  3. The Call of Abraham
  4. Bible verses about Abraham’s calling
  5. Bible sayings on How to have faith like Abraham
  6. How to have faith like Abraham? 3 What does Scripture say about Abraham?
  7. Promises made by man and by God
  8. The Way of God or the way of the world?
  9. Today’s thought “We be brethren” (January 07)
  10. Looking at or dreaming of that land of honey and milk
  11. How Christian Zionism distorts scripture to serve empire
  12. Blessing from America to Israel

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by | 2026/02/18 · 7:56 pm

The Lunar Effect

The Lunar Effect

Today a holy period starts for two of the world’s major religions, as Muslims mark the first day of Ramadan and Roman Catholics observe Ash Wednesday, which kicks off Lent, a 40-day period of penitential preparation for Easter —a coincidence that occurs only about every 33 years.
Today is also the second of the 15-day festival of Chinese New Year, which began on the same day as Mardi Gras, often called “Fat Tuesday. Its traditions emerged in Europe within the broader pre-Lenten festival known as Carnival (or Carnaval), incorporating elements of earlier seasonal festivities associated with the coming of spring.
That these diverse events occur about the same time is no accident. Ramadan commences with the sighting of the waxing crescent moon, Chinese New Year begins with the new moon, and Lent is determined by counting backward from Easter, the timing of which is tied to the lunar calendar.
Discover the myth behind the Chinese zodiac.

The Myth Behind the Chinese Zodiac

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Did You Know? Ramadan. Learn about the customs and significance of Ramadan.

Why Ramadan Is So Significant for Muslims

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus, oil on canvas by Pascal Adolphe Jean Dagnan-Bouveret, 1896-97; in the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pa. 198 x 281 cm.

From Ashes to Resurrection: The Story of Easter

Photograph by Moira Burke. Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pa., gift of Henry Clay Frick, 98.5

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Preceding

  1. From the Ramadan into the eid
  2. Saudi Arabia Calls On Muslims To Sight Ramadan Crescent Moon On Friday Evening
  3. About fasting by monotheists
  4. Lent, Holi, Purim, and Palm Sunday observed, and Ramadan entering its third week
  5. Pope Francis I making another passionate appeal for peace in Ukraine
  6. Aalst Carnival and Unia analyses reports
  7. Easter: Origins in a pagan Christ

 

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Discover More

  1. Religious Practices around the world
  2. Al-Fatiha [The Opening] Süra 1: 4-7 Merciful Lord of the Creation to show us the right path
  3. How Is the End of Ramadan Celebrated?
  4. Why Do Roman Catholics Eat Fish on Fridays?
  5. What would be your reason to fast
  6. No necessity for fasting
  7. Hezbollah’s retribution pulls Middle East to edge of all-out war
  8. The New Arab: Israeli protests seek to uphold the settler colonial status quo, Palestinian resistance is the means of liberation
  9. Lent, 40 days, meditation and repentance (Some View on the World) = Lent, 40 days, meditation and repentance (Our World)
  10. Lenten Season and our minds and hearts the spiritual temple in which God seeks to live
  11. Is “Holy Week” the most sacred time of the year
  12. Irminsul, dies natalis solis invicti, birthday of light, Christmas and Saturnalia
  13. Looking at 13 Adar until 16 Adar 5781 February 25-28 2021
  14. Days to be open to others
  15. Spoken in the name of Jehovah God for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience
  16. Not able to see Jesus working wonders
  17. The meek one riding on an ass
  18. Worthy partakers of the body of Christ
  19. Trying to Get Rid of Holy Days for a Long Time

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by | 2026/02/17 · 4:14 pm

The Historical setting of Genesis

Genesis 10

The Historical Setting of Genesis

Mesopotamia: Sumer Through Old Babylonia

Sumerians. It is not possible at this time to put Genesis 1–11 into a specific place in the historical record. Our history of the ancient Near East begins in earnest after writing has been invented, and the earliest civilisation known to us in the historical record is that of the Sumerians. This culture dominated southern Mesopotamia for over 500 years during the first half of the third millennium BC (2900–2350 BC), known as the Early Dynastic Period.*1

The Sumerians have become known through the excavation of several of their principal cities, which include Eridu, Uruk and Ur. The Sumerians are credited with many of the important developments in civilisation, including the foundations of mathematics, astronomy, law and medicine. Urbanisation is also first witnessed among the Sumerians. By the time of Abraham, the Sumerians no longer dominate the ancient Near East politically, but their culture continues to influence the region. Other cultures replace them in the political arena but benefit from the advances they made.

Dynasty of Akkad. In the middle of the twenty-fourth century BC, the Sumerian culture was overrun by the formation of an empire under the kingship of Sargon I, who established his capital at Akkad. He ruled all of southern Mesopotamia and ranged eastward into Elam and northwest to the Mediterranean on campaigns of a military and economic nature. The empire lasted for almost 150 years before being apparently overthrown by the Gutians (a barbaric people from the Zagros Mountains east of the Tigris), though other factors, including internal dissent, may have contributed to the downfall.

Ur III. Of the next century little is known as more than 20 Gutian kings succeeded one another. Just before 2100 BC, the city of Ur took control of southern Mesopotamia under the kingship of Ur-Nammu, and for the next century there was a Sumerian renaissance in what has been called the Ur III period. It is difficult to ascertain the limits of territorial control of the Ur III kings, though the territory does not seem to have been as extensive as that of the dynasty of Akkad. Under Ur-Nammu’s son Shulgi, the region enjoyed almost a half century of peace. Decline and fall came late in the twenty-first century BC through the infiltration of the Amorites and the increased aggression of the Elamites to the east. The Elamites finally overthrew the city.

It is against this backdrop of history that the OT patriarchs emerge. Some have pictured Abraham as leaving the sophisticated Ur that was the centre of the powerful Ur III period to settle in the unknown wilderness of Canaan, but that involves both chronological and geographic speculation. By the highest chronology (i.e., the earliest dates attributed to him), Abraham probably would have travelled from Ur to Harran during the reign of Ur-Nammu, but many scholars are inclined to place Abraham in the later Isin-Larsa period …

…

Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes, Bringing to life the Ancient World of Scripture; by Craig Keener; John H. Walton; Publisher: Zondervan, 2016

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

 

*Intro

Sumer was first settled between 4500 and 4000 bce by a non-Semitic people who did not speak the Sumerian language. These people now are called proto-Euphrateans or Ubaidians, for the village Al-ʿUbayd, where their remains were first discovered. The Ubaidians were the first civilising force in Sumer, draining the marshes for agriculture, developing trade, and establishing industries, including weaving, leatherwork, metalwork, masonry, and pottery. After the Ubaidian immigration to Mesopotamia, various Semitic peoples infiltrated their territory, adding their cultures to the Ubaidian culture and creating a high pre-Sumerian civilisation.

*1

Early Dynastic Period may refer to:

Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia)

The 1st dynasty (c. 2900–c. 2730 bce)

Narmer Palette
Narmer Palette From Hierakonpolis, beginning of 1st dynasty, c. 2900 bce; in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Reverse, showing a victory motive, King Narmer, wearing the crown of Upper Egypt, striking down an enemy held by the hair.

The beginning of the historical period is characterised by the introduction of written records in the form of regnal year names — the records that later were collected in documents such as the Palermo Stone. The first king of Egyptian history, Menes, is therefore a creation of the later record, not the actual unifier of the country; he is known from Egyptian king lists and from classical sources and is credited with irrigation works and with founding the capital, Memphis.

…

In the late Predynastic period and the first half of the 1st dynasty, Egypt extended its influence into southern Palestine and probably Sinai and conducted a campaign as far as the Second Cataract. The First Cataract area, with its center on Elephantine, an island in the Nile opposite the present-day town of Aswān, was permanently incorporated into Egypt, but Lower Nubia was not.

*2

bronze head of a king from Nineveh

Bronze head of a king from Nineveh Bronze head of a king, perhaps Sargon of Akkad, from Nineveh (now in Iraq), Akkadian period, c. 2300 bce; in the Iraq Museum, Baghdad.

Akkad, ancient region in what is now central Iraq. Akkad was the northern (or northwestern) division of ancient Babylonia.

The name Akkad was taken from the city of Agade, which was founded by the Semitic conqueror Sargon about 2300 bce. Sargon united the various city-states in the region and extended his rule to encompass much of Mesopotamia. After the fall of Sargon’s dynasty about 2150 bce, the central Iraq region was ruled by a state jointly composed of Sumerians and Akkadians.

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by | 2026/02/14 · 4:14 pm

Divine rest and temple buildings

Photo by Skyler Ewing on Pexels.com

2 And God will complete in the seventh day his work which he made, and he will rest in the seventh day from all his work which he made. (Genesis 2:2)

Rest

The concept of divine rest is prominent in ancient Near Eastern literature. Deity’s rest is achieved in a temple, generally as a result of order having been established. The rest, while it represents disengagement from any process of establishing order (whether through conflict with other deities or not), is more importantly an expression of engagement as the deity takes his place at the helm to maintain an ordered, secure and stable cosmos. The following aspects of divine rest can be found in literature of the ancient Near East:

1. The divine rest can be disturbed by rebellion.

2. The divine rest is achieved after conflict.

3. The divine rest is achieved after order-bringing acts of creation.

4. The divine rest is achieved in the temple.

5. The divine rest is achieved in part by creating people to work in their place and on their behalf.

6. The divine rest is characterised by ongoing control and stability.

Only point 3 is transparent in Genesis, though points 4 and 6 can also be defended. Given the connection between temple and rest in the ancient Near East, it becomes natural to see the Biblical creation of the cosmos as being configured in temple-building and dedication terms; the seven-day creation account culminating in divine rest should be understood as somehow parallel to the building of temples for divine rest. This course of analogy and logic results in the understanding that Ge 1 is framed in terms of the creation of a cosmic temple in which Yahweh takes up his repose. The seven days are comparable to seven-day temple dedications at the end of which the deity takes up his rest in the temple.

The temple on earth was considered only a type of the larger, archetypal cosmic temple, and there are many images and symbols that evoke the relationship between temple and cosmos. The temple is considered the centre of the cosmos and is itself a microcosmos. In Egypt the temple contained within its sacred precincts a representation of the original primeval hillock that emerged from the cosmic waters. In Mesopotamia, the primary imagery of the temple was that it was the centre of the cosmos. In Syro-Palestine, the temple is the architectural embodiment of the cosmic mountain. This concept is represented in Ugaritic literature as well as in the Bible, where Mount Zion is understood as the mountain of the Lord (e.g., Ps 48) and the place where his temple, a representation of Eden, was built. In Isa 66:1 the Lord indicated:

“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?”

Here God indicates that the man-made temple cannot be considered the true temple (cf. 1Ki 8:27). It is only a micro-scale representation of the cosmic temple. Ps 78:69 communicates a similar idea by indicating that the temple was built on the model of the cosmos.

 

Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes, Bringing to life the Ancient World of Scripture; by Craig Keener; John H. Walton; Publisher: Zondervan, 2016

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

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by | 2026/02/11 · 7:46 pm

Whirlpools and despair

We can find in the Holy Scriptures that despair is useless and never ends. Some poets and storytellers also want to make this clear.

In this world, we have so many things to take into account and we must be careful not to get caught up in a whirlwind or a whirlpool that drags everything down into the depths.

Desperation often ends in disaster, whether individually or nationally. People who are close to despair become dangerous not only to themselves but also to others. That is why it is important that those around them ensure that no one has to become desperate.

Negative thoughts often cause people to fall into a downward spiral, where they risk losing faith in the future and becoming desperate. When you feel downcast or discouraged, try to lift yourself up with positive writings from the Bible and other positive sources. Try to find a way to live and love in more peaceful ways, and find happiness and energy in those you surround yourself with.

**

 

 

Desperation seldom works…

Like chasing the wind, it is a fleeting effort at best

At worst it’s a painful and humiliating defeat

Reality bites

Leaving us lost and alone

searching for answers that elude us at every turn

Desperation is an instinctive reaction

hoping to protect ourselves from the truth

that is clearly right in front of us

 

Painting: Dwight L.Roth

You can check out Dwight Roth’s books on Amazon Kindle here:

Top Dwight Roth titles

 

 

**

 

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Preceding

  1. Are you right down in the dumps? Stop digging!
  2. A Glory followed by Despair
  3. Within despair
  4. Do not take that gift of hope lightly
  5. The Person Who Cannot Despair
  6. Strength Surfaces in Times of Unheaval. Be the Catalyst!
  7. Tending to develop a genuine confidence in our Higher Power
  8. Strength Surfaces in Times of Unheaval. Be the Catalyst!

 

++

Additional reading

  1. Companionship
  2. Old age
  3. Dealing with worries in our lives
  4. Today’s thought “And they feared greatly” (February 6)
  5. Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair
  6. A pilgrimage not exactly without obstacles or obstacles #2 Not a cheap or easy flight but a life journey
  7. Honest-hearted people are losing faith in humanity and humanity losing faith in God
  8. A Living Faith #4 Effort
  9. Thinking ahead before Rosh Hashanah

 

+++

Further related

  1. I Need to Go
  2. You step out of your depth and out of your mind
  3. Desperation Leads to Faulty Decisions
  4. Feelings of Faith & Despair
  5. you don’t …
  6. On Unbearable Torments
  7. Solaritude by Robert Reece
  8. Thirsty
  9. Teadia
  10. A Faith Strong Enough to Carry Someone Else
  11. A cup of hope! (Part 2)
  12. Bible help for depression
  13. Considering Teach Me to Feel- Day 5
  14. Changing Circumstances, Unchanging God
  15. The Divine Usefulness of Trouble
  16. No Other Choice (Park Chan-wook, 2025)
  17. ‘Yesterday I turned 75; too many people my age hold onto positions
  18. Escape From The Dangers Of Desperation
  19. Abandoned

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by | 2026/02/05 · 8:31 am

Reminding yourself that God is talking

Remind yourself that God is talking. The catechism says we are to receive the Word “with readiness of mind, as the word of God.” When the Thessalonians heard the Word preached from Paul, they

“accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thess. 2:13).

On Sunday as you turn the pages in your Bible to the passage announced by the preacher, quietly confess the truth to yourself once again:

“God is about to speak. The Lord is talking. I have an audience with the great King of Kings.”

The Lord declares,

“This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isa. 66:2).

If you cannot get your head and heart to feel the weight of what is happening in the preaching of the Word, you will not likely tremble under its weighty glories.

 

Expository Preaching (Blessings of the Faith), David Strain

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by | 2026/02/03 · 8:00 am

Cultivation of godly affections that correspond to the truth

Cultivate godly affections that correspond to the truth. The catechism mentions three in particular. We are to receive the word “with faith, love, meekness.” If listening to preaching is a vital part of our worship, then our attitude toward the message really matters.
We’re not to be critical judges, assessing the message and comparing its delivery to that of our favorite celebrity preachers. We are not to be self-appointed doctrinal police, constantly scanning for error so that we can pounce with glee on the poor pastor’s mistakes. Let’s avoid imitating the scribes and the Pharisees who constantly tested Jesus, “lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say” (Luke 11:54). We are to hear the Word with godward affections.

The catechism mentions faith first. Hebrews 4:2 reminds us that the generation of Israelites who perished in the wilderness failed to enter the land of Canaan because

“the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.”

Faith is necessary if we are to benefit from the Word. Ask God to help you to truly believe what he has said and to trust in it today and tomorrow and in the years ahead.

Next, the catechism mentions love. Jesus said,

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” (John 14:23).

Love obeys the Word of God. It takes what faith believes and puts it to work. It keeps Christ’s commandments (see John 14:15). It’s not good enough merely to know the Word. We must learn to love it and to say with the psalmist,

“I find my delight in your commandments, which I love” (Ps. 119:47).

Finally, the catechism mentions meekness. James 1:21 reminds us that we are to

“put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

Meekly receiving the Word, James is telling us, is basic to dealing with the deep festering sins of our hearts. Meekness means refusing to presume that we know better than God. It is the one essential ingredient in a teachable spirit.

Expository Preaching (Blessings of the Faith), David Strain

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by | 2026/01/31 · 8:00 am

Expositional preaching Guards against hobby horses

Nothing can prevent a preacher with enough will and creativity from insisting on his hobby horses. John Stott retells the story of the Baptist preacher

“who had such pronounced views about baptism that he simply could not leave the subject alone. One morning he announced his text, ‘Adam, where art thou?’ He then continued, ‘There are three lines we shall follow. First, where Adam was; secondly, how he was to be got from where he was; and thirdly and lastly, a few words about baptism.’ ”

Even the best preachers are tempted to emphasize their favored subjects or to skip over the hard texts! But systematic expositional preaching does impose some much-needed discipline upon the pulpit and the preacher … and on the congregation too for that matter. After all, we may want our pet subjects addressed. We may believe that our priorities ought to be the priorities of every sermon (and of every other church member). But when preacher and hearer alike learn to submit themselves to the text, and the next, and to the one after that, we are spared from imbalance and idiosyncrasy. Peter Adam put it well when he said,

“Expository sermons help us to let God set the agenda for our lives. The danger of topical preaching is that it implies that we know what is important! Expository preaching lets God set the agenda in an obvious and public way.”

Expository Preaching (Blessings of the Faith), David Strain

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by | 2026/01/30 · 8:00 am

Expositional preaching models How to read the Bible

Preaching shapes those who listen to it, not just by what is being taught but, over time, by the way in which it is taught. When preachers give weight to the authority of Scripture and devote themselves to understanding the details of each text and the scope of the whole, they train their hearers to do the same. Faithful exposition works to avoid imposing meanings upon the text. It strives to avoid spiritualizing or reducing historical narrative to an arbitrary allegory. It shuns proof texts and mystical “words from the Lord” that care nothing for literary context. It nails the spiritual and ethical and doctrinal and pastoral and evangelistic burdens of the preacher and the hearers to the text itself. Furthermore, it disciplines us to patiently listen to God in his Word in the confidence that if we simply follow the teaching that is already there, rather than rush on to our own preoccupations and priorities, we will find the wisdom we need. The preacher is not just a Bible teacher and an evangelist and a pastor in the pulpit. He is also a model Bible reader. Regularly sitting under consistent scriptural exposition trains our interpretive muscles, informs our instincts as readers, and equips us to read both responsibly and profitably.

Expository Preaching (Blessings of the Faith), David Strain

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