Tradicat

  + 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 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...

  + JMJ December 12 The last of the 12 judges was Samson. Before Samson was born, the Israelites once more fell into evil. God allowed their enemies the Philistines to take over. After 40 years, the Israelites again turned back to God and God heard their prayers. And an angel appeared to Samson’s mother telling her that she would have a son, who would be a Nazarite of God. According to the Old Law, the Nazarites were those who led a more perfect life. They abstained from wine, and all unclean things. They were not supposed to cut their hair for the law stated “All the time of his separation no razor shall pass over his head, until the day be fulfilled of his consecration to the Lord. He shall be holy and shall let the hair on his head grow.” (Num 6:5) For this reason, Samson had long hair. Samson led the people of Israel for 20 years. He had immense strength. He could kill a lion with his bare hands and fight many Philistines  (Judges 15:15), but he had...

  + JMJ December 11 Yesterday, we talked about how the Israelite entered the Promised Land. Today we call this area Palestine, or the Holy Land. For the next 150 years, the Israelites go through a cycle; First they turn away from God and fall into idolatry. As a consequence, they become weak and their enemies take over. Then they return to God and pray to God for help. God saves them, after which: they are good for a time. Then the same thing happens all over again This happened 7 times in 150 years We may be inclined to shake our heads at this, but how many times do we go back to confession having committed the same sins! We know that sinning does not bring happiness, but we do the same thing over and over. We must work to be stronger in our resolutions and stay close to God, Who is our strength. Our Lady will help us too, and our guardian angel, if we ask them for help. Our Lady told St. Catherine Laboure that many graces would be given to us if we only a...

  + JMJ December 10 Right after Balaam blessed the Israelites, some of God’s chosen people began to do bad things. First they started to spend time with the Moabites. The Moabites were pagans who worshipped false gods, especially one called “Beelphegor” (or Baal of Peor. Many times we will see this false god Baal come up in the history of the Old Testament.)

  + JMJ December 9 The Israelites lived in the desert for 40 years. As time went on, Moses’ sister died then his older brother Aaron died. Then the Israelites began to complain that they were tired of eating manna all the time! Can you believe it? Here God makes a miracle every day to feed them and they complain they’re getting tired of it.

  + JMJ December 8 In our study of the Bible so far, we have taken a look at what happened in the books of Genesis and Exodus. Since Leviticus is mostly full of laws and not much history, we will go on to Numbers. The book of Numbers begins with a census. All the Israelites who lived at that time were numbered. (hence the name Numbers) Then the book goes on to describe the history of the Israelites, from the time they leave Mount Sinai, until they reach the Promised Land 40 years later.

  + JMJ December 7 Pharaoh would not let the Israelites leave Egypt so God sent sufferings; 10 plagues to encourage Pharaoh to change his mind. Pharaoh was very stubborn, though and with each plague, he still refused to let the Hebrews go. The 10 plagues were: water in the Nile River turned to blood frogs dust was changed to small insects flies a disease killed all the cattle sores called boils broke out on people and animals hail and lightning locusts (grasshoppers) ate all the plants darkness every first born Egyptian boy died. Before God sent the tenth plague, He told the people of Israel that each household must kill a lamb and spread its blood on the doorway of their homes. When the angel of death went through Egypt, it would see the blood of the lamb and pass over that house, sparing the boys inside. For this reason that night was called the Passover. Every year, the Jewish people celebrate the Passover in remembrance of that night in Egypt. In fact, Our Lo...