Category Archives: bible

Historical Footnote for 1 Samuel

We don’t know all that happened, but the narrative in 1 Samuel 1-6 recounts the loss of the Ark of Covenant. It doesn’t say what happened to Shiloh, but the Tabernacle standing there disappears from history. It is quite likely … Continue reading

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Law of Moses — 1 Samuel 7:3-17

Samuel was from the Tribe of Ephraim, and was a major prophet, defacto High Priest (because he grew up in the Tabernacle), and the last judge. Israel was under oppression from a new threat. The Philistines had colonized the southwestern … Continue reading

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Law of Moses — Ruth 3

The story of Ruth falls near the end of the Period of Judges. Despite the hideous idolatry and debauchery of the times, some people still did the right thing. During a famine in Israel, a man from the Tribe of … Continue reading

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Law of Moses — Judges 3:12-30

The basic cyclical pattern of Judges goes like this: Israel would engage in idolatry. God would remove their covering and deliver them into an oppressor’s hands. They would pay a hefty tribute to someone who was not a covenant ruler. … Continue reading

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Law of Moses — Judges 2

The balance of the Book of Joshua relates the destruction of the most significant temple cities. Then, when God told Joshua to pass the torch, for the duration of that generation of people, Israel continued subduing the people of the … Continue reading

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Law of Moses — Joshua 7

Once again we are dealing with Amorites, who are not famous for building much of anything. The east ridge of the Jordan Valley was filled with sites of ancient pagan shrines, mostly in ruins at this time. The Amorite way … Continue reading

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Law of God — Joshua 6

First, a few reminders are in order. Jericho is one of the most ancient sites of human occupation one can find on the earth, all the way back to Neolithic times, at least. It was a fairly high mound already … Continue reading

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The Law of Moses — Joshua 5

The passage is short, but it requires a lot of context. Keep in mind that the Conquest of Canaan Land was not a standard military invasion. It was purely a religious war aimed at destroying the major pagan temples in … Continue reading

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Law of Moses — Deuteronomy 30:11-20

The basic concept is not so hard to grasp. God made us for better things, but we are fallen. The human race, consistent with its nature, chose to follow human reason instead of revelation. The only recovery from that fall … Continue reading

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Law of Moses — Deuteronomy 29

Many religions refer to the goal of reaching an enlightened state. This was a common element in the various religions of the Ancient Near East (ANE), as well. The broad culture of the ANE presumed that the ultimate good for … Continue reading

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