Tradicat

 + JMJ  Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Holy New Year!   P^3  

  + JMJ December 24 Yesterday we talked about how the Greeks took over Judea, and how the Machabees fought the Greek Seleucids. Judah Machabeus and his brothers belonged to the Hasmonean family. The Hasmoneans continued to rule Judea and for some time, Judea was independent. The territory of Judea expanded northward to include 2 non-Jewish regions; Sumeria and Idumaea. During this time, the Jews were mainly concerned with keeping their independence, and the purity of the Jewish religion.  The Pharisees and the Saducees came into existence, as well as the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was a council of 71 Jewish leaders who made important decisions. Meanwhile, the Roman Empire had grown very powerful. So far, Judea was on friendly terms with Rome, but things were about to change. The leader of Judea died and ...

  + JMJ December 23 We have seen how the Persians, under Cyrus the Great took over the Chaldean Empire. King Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to Judea,their homeland, and rebuild the Temple at Jerusalem. The Persians went on to conquer most of the known world. They took over Egypt, putting an end to the dynasty of the great Pharaohs. India also became a Persian province. The Persians tried to take over Greece as well, but they were defeated at the battle of Marathon. (This victory was remembered by the Greeks with the Marathon races.) The Persians ruled for many years, but eventually their empire came to an end. A young man named Alexander the Great led armies out of Greece and in a few short years, he took over the civilized world. In 331 B.C. the Greeks took over Judea and Judea became a Greek province. Many Jews move...

  + JMJ December 22 In the year 539 B.C. King Cyrus the Great and his Persian armies took over Babylon. The Jews had been captive in Babylon for 58 years since the Chaldeans forced them to go there in 597 B.C.  The Jews had a prophecy; “I am the Lord, that make all things…that raise up the word of My servant, and perform the counsel of My messengers, who say to Jerusalem: Thou shalt be inhabited: and to the cities of Juda: You shall be built, and I will raise up the wastes thereof…Who say to Cyrus: Thou art My shepherd, and thou shalt perform all My pleasure. Who say to Jerusalem: Thou shalt be built: and to the temple: thy foundations shall be laid.” (Isaias 44:24-28) Thus read the prophecy which was written by the prophet Isaias, more than 70 years before the Jews were taken captive to Babylon, and more than 110 years before Cyrus was b...

  + JMJ December 21 Yesterday, we read how the Jews were taken into captivity by the Chaldeans and forced to live in Babylon. King Darius of Babylon liked Daniel very much and wanted to put him in charge of his kingdom. Others were jealous of Daniel and they looked for a way to get rid of him. Using flattery, they got the king to make a law forbidding anyone to pray except to the king for 30 days. Anyone caught disobeying the king’s law would be thrown to the lions. When Daniel went to pray to God, the jealous men brought Daniel before the king. Then the king knew he had been tricked into killing his friend, but he prayed that Daniel’s God would deliver him. The next morning, King Darius hurried to the den and Daniel answered him that an angel of the Lord had shut up the mouths of the lions. The king was “exceeding glad”...

  + JMJ December 20  In our study of Old Testament history, we’ve seen how after the reign of Solomon, the Hebrew people divided into 2 kingdoms. 10 tribes broke away and formed the Kingdom of Israel in the north. Their king, Jeroboam, did not want his people to go to Jerusalem to worship God, so he set up the golden calf idols at Bethel and Dan. The kingdom of Israel was eventually taken over by the Assyrians and the people were forced to leave their homes. They were dispersed all over the world, becoming the “Lost Tribes of Israel”. The other kingdom was the Kingdom of Judah. The Kingdom of Judah was made up of 2 tribes; Judah and Benjamin. The Assyrians tried to take over Judah as well, but as we read yesterday, Judith killed the Assyrian general, Holophernes and for some time they were left in peace. The A...

  + JMJ December 19 So the Assyrians conquered the kingdom of Israel and the 10 tribes became known as the “Lost Tribes of Israel”. For many years the Assyrians were the strongest nation in the world. Their capital city was Ninive. The Assyrians spent their time fighting wars and destroying other countries. In 650 B.C. , about 70 years after Israel was overrun, the Assyrian king told his general, Holofernes to take over the kingdoms of the west, and destroy all other gods so that he might be the god of the world. Holophernes led an army of 120 000 soldiers, and 12 000 archers and horsemen as well as flocks of sheep and countless camels and provisions so that they covered the earth like locusts. (Jud 2:11) The Assyrians wreaked havoc and destruction. They killed men, women and children or sold them into slavery. Th...

  + JMJ December 18 Yesterday we talked about how the Assyrians took over the kingdom of Israel. Israel, you remember, was made up of the 10 tribes of Israel in the north, who broke away during the reign of King Solomon's son, Roboam. Because the Temple of Jerusalem was in the kingdom of Judea in the south, however, the other tribes would not go there to worship as God commanded. Instead they set up false gods at the places of Bethel and Dan. Over the years, God sent prophets to bring His people back, but in the end, the Assyrians took over Israel. Not all Israelites worshiped false gods, though. At the same time that the Assyrians were taking over Israel (722 B.C.), there lived a man named Tobias. He was of the Hebrew tribe and city of Nephtali. Tobias did not worship the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. H...

+ JMJ December 17 Yesterday we talked about how God took Elias up in a fiery chariot. Eliseus (Elisha) succeeded Elias around the year 850 B.C. By God’s power, Eliseus raised a boy to life and multiplied food to feed the hungry. Eliseus sent the general Naaman, to wash 7 times in the river Jordan, and Naaman was cured of his leprosy.  King Achab and Queen Jezebel were still living at that time. They were the 2 worst rulers in Israel. They both came to a bitter end. Achab was shot with an arrow in battle and Jezebel was thrown out of a window. Jehu became king of Israel. King Jehu killed all the sons of Achab, and cut off their heads. King Jehu also killed all the followers of the idol Baal. However, King Jehu did not get rid of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan, which had been set up by the first king of Israel to keep the...

  + JMJ December 16 The reign of Kings Saul, David and Solomon lasted just 120 years. Each ruled for 40 years. The reign of King David was the golden time of Israel’s history. Jerusalem was the capital of the kingdom, and it prefigured our final home with God; the “Heavenly Jerusalem”. The climax of this time came when David’s son, Solomon built the Temple at Jerusalem; a fitting place to house God’s Ark of the Covenant. Solomon’s Temple was magnificent, but the good times were not to last. Solomon grew proud and disobeyed God’s commands. He gathered money and power, taxing his people heavily. He made agreements with pagan nations, and the women they sent to live at Solomon's palace as wives brought idolatry into Israel. When Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam became king. Rehoboam wa...

  + JMJ December 15 After Saul died, David became the next king of Israel. Under King David, the Israelites finished the conquest of the Promised Land. For the first time, they were united and at peace. This was about 1000 years before the coming of Christ. If you look at the time chart at the end of the Bible, you will see that there are about 4000 years from Adam to the birth of Christ. The 4 weeks of Advent signify these 4 thousand years. 4000 B.C.- Adam 3000 B.C.- Noe 2000 B.C.- Abraham 1000 B.C.- King David King David was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, “I will make nations out of thee and kings shall come out of thee” (Gen 17:6) In the book of Deuteronomy, we read how God told His people that as soon as they were at peace, He would choose the place where they could offer...

  + JMJ December 14 Yesterday we read about King Saul. At first Saul was a good king, but then he disobeyed God. God rejected Saul and commanded the prophet Samuel to find a new king for Israel. “And the Lord said to Samuel…fill thy horn with oil, and come, that I may send thee to Isai (Jesse) the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.” (1 Kings 16:1) So Samuel went to Jesse in Bethlehem, and who do you think Jesse was?  He was the grandson of Booz and Ruth! (The "Jesse Tree" is named after this Jesse) Jesse brought each of his seven sons to Samuel. They were all large men and very impressive, but God told Samuel that He did not judge by the outward appearance. And when all seven sons had come, Samuel asked Jesse if these were all his sons. Jesse replied that he had one more; a boy, who looked after the sheep. Samuel told Jesse to bring him, and when he was come, God said that he was the chosen one. And the boy’s nam...

 + JMJ I received two comments from a friend about a New Brunswick COVID-19 restriction giving Business / Retail the option to require proof of vaccination. Hi Tradical, Hope you do not agree with New Brunswick government on allowing grocery stores the option of banning unvaccinated from their stores. Cultural Marxism is gaining ground. God Bless.  Hi Tradical, I hope you post my previous comment, would be interesting to see some other comments. Maybe put it as a post by itself, encourage other readers to comment.   Apocalypse 13: 17: And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Source: http://catholicbible.online/side_by_side/NT/Apoc/ch_13 It should be obvious to my readers that I wouldn't agree with requiring proof of vaccination to enter a grocery store. The problem is that this is restriction (see references) is a generic one that includes grocery stores - that are an essential service. I'...

  + JMJ December 13 We have been talking about the time of the Judges. The Judges were leaders who came to the help of Israel when there was great need. They united the people to fight against their enemies. At other times, each of the twelve tribes ran their own affairs. The book of Judges ends with the words, “In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.” (Judges 21:24) Now we come to the birth of Samuel. Samuel’s mother, Anna had wanted to have a baby for a long time. She promised God that if He sent her a little boy, she would give him to the Lord all the days of his life and would never cut his hair (according to the Nazarite law…just like Samson). God heard Anna’s prayer and sent her a son. When Samuel was old enough, Anna gave Samuel to Heli, the high priest and judge, saying: “My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God: my mouth is enlarged over my enemie...