The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 49,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 18 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
When visiting biblical sites I never tire of seeing sheep and their shepherds. I’m sure that is due in large measure to the frequent references in the Bible, not only to literal shepherds and sheep, but also the metaphorical usage.
Shepherd with sheep in biblical Pamphylia. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Elders of local churches are told: 1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly.
Revelation 7:17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Leave a Comment » | Bible History and Geography, Bible Study, Biblical Interpretation, New Testament, Old Testament, Pamphylia, photography, Sheep, Shepherd, Travel, Turkey | Permalink
Posted by Leon Mauldin
Judges 16:4 tells us about Samson’s attraction to the Philistine Delilah, the woman who would bring about his downfall: “After this it came about that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.”
You can see the valley of Sorek at distant center in our aerial photo here:
Valley of Sorek. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary has this brief info:
Sorek, Valley of [sôrˊĕk] (Heb. naḥal śōrēq “valley of a choice grape vine”). A valley to be identified with Wâdī eṣ-Ṣarâr, which runs in a northwesterly direction from the vicinity of Beth-shemesh (ca. 20 km. [13 mi.] west-southwest of Jerusalem) to the Mediterranean, meeting the sea about halfway between Ashdod and Tel Aviv. Delilah’s home was in the valley of Sorek, then under Philistine control (Judg. 16:4). (p. 964)
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
In the days when the judges ruled we read of Deborah, the only woman judge, whom God used to deliver Israel from the Canaanites headquartered at Hazor. Barak led Israel’s army. The ensuing battle took place in the vicinity of Mt. Tabor. The biblical text reads:
She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, “Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun'” (Judges 4:5-6).
Mt. Tabor in Israel. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary has this info re: Mt. Tabor:
Mountain in the valley of Jezreel. About six miles east of Nazareth, it has played an important role in Israel’s history since the period of the conquest. It served as a boundary point for the tribes of Naphtali, Issachar, and Zebulun (Josh. 19:12, 22), where the tribes worshiped early (Deut. 33:18–19). Barak gathered an army at Tabor to defend against Sisera (Judg. 4:6). Apparently, it was the site of false worship (Hos. 5:1). Tradition holds that Tabor was the site of Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:2), although no evidence exists to validate the claim.
Note the last statement in the above quotation, that no evidence exists that Mt. Tabor was the site of the transfiguration. Contextually the location of Mt. Hermon is to be preferred (Matt. 17:1), as it is situated in the vicinity of Caesarea Philippi where Jesus and the disciples were in Mt. 16.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
After studying the book of Judges, especially with the material recorded in chapters 17-21, the book of Ruth is so refreshing, like a breath of fresh air! This 4 chapter book tells how Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons left Bethlehem in time of famine for the fields of Moab, sojourning there for ten years. The sons married women of Moab, Ruth and Orpah. Elimelech and both sons died. When Naomi determined to return to Bethlehem, Ruth made the choice to go with her. She said,
Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me (Ruth 1:16-17).
The text narrates how Ruth met and married Boaz, describing Ruth as a hard worker, showing kindness to her mother-in-law, and known throughout the town as a virtuous woman, and depicting Boaz as equally magnanimous, walking in the fear of the LORD. But the real reason Ruth is in the Bible does not become apparent until the closing verses. Starting with Judah’s son Perez as his beginning point, the writer informs us:
Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron. 19 Hezron fathered Ram, who fathered Amminadab. Amminadab fathered Nahshon, who fathered Salmon. Salmon fathered Boaz, who fathered Obed. And Obed fathered Jesse, who fathered David (Ruth 4:18-22).
Ruth is thus seen in the lineage of the Messiah! Her story is one link in the chain of God’s Old Testament promise to bring Christ into the world to accomplish His great redemptive work. Matthew begins his gospel record with the genealogy of Christ, including Ruth: “Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse” (1:5).
Our photo, taken on the NW shore of the Dead Sea, looks across to the mountains of Moab, Ruth’s home.
View across Dead Sea, mountains of Moab in distance. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
OT Moab is today the territory of Jordan.
Click image for larger view.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
From an entry entitled, “Weapons” in the Harper’s Bible Dictionary we read:
As in the modern world, advancements in ancient technology were quickly adapted for use in instruments of war. One of the most important steps in the history of weapons was the development of carburized iron, a phenomenon that occurred in the eastern Mediterranean toward the end of the second millennium B.C., but earlier improvements in metallurgy (i.e., the production of copper and bronze) had been applied to arms production for nearly two thousand years before the Iron Age. Naturally, the shape, size, and overall durability of dagger and sword blades and spearheads and arrowheads were affected by such improvements in copper, bronze, and iron technology. Another important weapon that improved over time was the chariot, whose speed and maneuverability were increased by changes in design and construction materials, including metals. Other major steps in the development of ancient weaponry include the invention of the composite bow, piercing battle-ax, “Corinthian” helmet, and siege engines (pp. 1123-1124).
The Metropolitan Museum in NY has several such helmets on display.
Corinthian Style Helmet. Photo by Leon Mauldin. Metropolitan Museum, NY.
This Grecian helmet, made of bronze and dating back to 7th-6th century BC, put me in mind of some biblical texts:
–Isaiah 59:17: He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. (Reference here is to the Lord, YHWH).
–Ephesians 6:17: And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The above Isaiah text provides background for this Ephesians passage. The New American Standard Bible uses all caps to indicate a quotation from the OT. The helmet is a vital part of the Christian’s armor listed in Eph. 6:10-17.
–1 Thessalonians 5:8: But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. A helmet protects the head. Here the hope of salvation possessed by Christians is said to be a helmet. Keep your helmet on. Keeping the hope of salvation constantly in the forefront of the mind serves to protect one against Satan’s devices.
I believe I’ll keep my helmet on!
2 Comments | Bible History and Geography, Bible Study, Biblical Interpretation, Corinth, Greece, New Testament, Old Testament, photography, Travel | Permalink
Posted by Leon Mauldin
During Egypt’s New Kingdom Period, in the 18th dynasty, Amenhotep III (ca. 1390-1352 BC) commissioned hundreds of statues of the goddess Sakhmet for his mortuary temple in western Thebes. These statues were intended as monumental prayers to appease the goddess and guarantee peace and health.
Goddess Sakhmet. Metropolitan Museum, NY. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
“The goddess Sakhmet represents the forces of violence, disaster, and illness. Her lion’s head expresses her potentially fierce and destructive character and, appropriately, her ancient Egyptian name, Sakhmet, means ‘the powerful one.’ The sun disk on her head identifies the goddess as the daughter of the sun god Re” (from museum placard).
This puts me in mind of what YHWH said prior to the 10th of the ten plagues of Egypt: “and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD” (Ex. 12:12).
Click image for larger view.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin
In our previous post (click here) on Bethlehem of Galilee we referenced Ibzan (of Judges 12:8-10) of Bethlehem and observed: “Very likely this is the Bethlehem of Galilee, not the Bethlehem of Judah.” A reader asks, “I’ve learned about the existence of this town sometime ago, but I’ve never found out WHY it is likely that this Bethlehem is Ibzan’s hometown. Which arguments support this assumption?”
That is a good question. First, remember that Joshua 19:15 lists Bethlehem among other cities Zebulun inherited.
Wolf, in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary observes, “The Zebulun location is favored because the southern city is usually identified as “Bethlehem in Judah” (17:7-9; 19:1-2, 18)” (Vol. 3, p.459). Note that is the wording repeatedly in each of these verses. It seems consistent that when the southern Bethlehem is intended, it is indicated, for example, Judges 17:7: “Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was staying there” (NASB). Note the rendering of the KJV: “And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.”
Keil & Delitzsch: “Ibzan sprang from Bethlehem,—hardly, however, the town of that name in the tribe of Judah, as Josephus affirms (Ant. v. 7, 13), for that is generally distinguished either as Bethlehem ‘of Judah’ (Judg. 17:7, 9; Ruth 1:2; 1 Sam. 17:12), or Bethlehem Ephratah (Micah 5:1), but probably Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun (Josh. 9:15)” (Vol 2, p. 287). To the Micah passage we could add Gen. 35:19: “So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)” (see also Gen. 48:7).
Pulpit Commentary: “But as Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah is generally called Bethlehem of Judah, or Bethlehem-Ephratah, and as Elon and Abdon were judges in North-East Israel, it is perhaps more probable that Bethlehem of Zebulun is meant” (p. 136). In his comment above, author A.C. Hervey is making two points: the fuller designation (of Judah or Ephratah) is used when Bethlehem of the south is intended, and second, the context of Judges 12:8-10. Verse 11 mentions Judge Elon of Zebulun, and Judge Abdon (vv. 13-15), on the border between Ephraim and Manasseh. While it is not conclusive proof, Ibzan’s placement in the text is in the context of judges to the north. Note in this connection that Butler, in the Word Biblical Commentary observes, “The context appears to point to the northern location. . .” (Vol. 8, p. 297).
Avraham Negev states regarding Bethlehem of Galilee: “A town in the territory of Zebulun, (Josh. 19:15), the birth-place of the judge Ibzan and the place where he was buried (Judg. 12:8–10)” (The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land).
While I do not think that truth is determined by the number of people who advocate a particular position, it is true that the majority of scholars favor Bethlehem of Zebulun of Galilee as best fitting the text and context of Judges 12:8-10.
Bethlehem of Galilee. Further remains from the Templars. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
Click image for larger view.
1 Comment | Bethlehem, Bible History and Geography, Bible Study, Biblical Interpretation, Israel, Old Testament, photography, Travel | Tagged: Bethlehem of Galilee | Permalink
Posted by Leon Mauldin
In studying the book of Judges, brief mention is made of Ibzan of Bethlehem. The text notes that he had 30 sons and 30 daughters, and states that he judged Israel for seven years (Jud. 12:8-10). Very likely this is the Bethlehem of Galilee, not the Bethlehem of Judah, the latter being remembered of course as the birthplace of Jesus (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:1). There were two biblical cities named Bethlehem. This is why the Bible is very specific in clarifying that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judah in these texts.
Joshua 19 describes the inheritance of Zebulun (of Galilee) and Bethlehem is included in the list: “Included also were Kattah and Nahalal and Shimron and Idalah and Bethlehem; twelve cities with their villages” (v.15). Note the location of the map here:
Bethlehem of Galilee. Map by BibleAtlas.org.
Here is a shot of the city sign upon entering from the south.
Bethlehem of the Galilee sign. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
The earlier presence of the Templars may still be seen.
Bethlehem Templar Folk House. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
Today Bethlehem of the Galilee is a moshav, a cooperative agricultural community of individual farms.
Pasture in Bethlehem. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
Cattle at Bethlehem. Photo by Leon Mauldin.
3 Comments | Bible History and Geography, Bible Study, Biblical Interpretation, Israel, Joshua, New Testament, Old Testament, photography, Travel | Tagged: Bethlehem, Galilee | Permalink
Posted by Leon Mauldin
The biblical city of Philadelphia, one of the seven churches of Asia Minor (Rev. 3:7-13) was founded by Attalus II, king of Pergamum (159–138 BC).
W.M. Ramsay tells us that Attalus II’s “truth and loyalty to his brother Eumenes won him the epithet Philadelphus” (The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia, p. 391). Hence the name of the city, Philadelphia, which means brotherly love.
“Because of its strategic location, it [Philadelphia] served as a vital link in communication and trade between Sardis and Pergamum to the west and Laodicea and Hierapolis to the east. It was a center of agriculture, leather production, and textile industry” (Harper’s Bible Dictionary). Today Philadelphia is called Alaşehir.
Attalus II was also the founder of Attalia, mentioned in Acts 14:25-26 in connection with Paul’s return trip on his 1st Missionary Journey. This is the site of today’s Antalya, one of Turkey’s largest cities.
Eumenes, brother of Attalus II, was king of Pergamun 197-157 BC. He was the founder of the city of Hierapolis (Col. 4:13). It is fitting that there is a bust of Eumenes in the museum at Hierapolis.
King Eumenes II, brother to Attalus II Philadelphus. Photo ©Leon Mauldin.
Click image for larger view.
Leave a Comment » | Bible History and Geography, Bible Study, New Testament, Old Testament, photography, Travel, Turkey | Tagged: Attalus II, Eumenes, Philadelphia | Permalink
Posted by Leon Mauldin
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