JOPPA

Joppa: beauty, a town in the portion of Dan (Joshua 19:46; A.V., "Japho"), on a sandy promontory ( a high point of land or rock projecting into a body of water) between Caesarea and Gaza, and at a distance of 30 miles north-west from Jerusalem. It is one of the oldest towns in Asia. It was and still is the chief sea-port of Judea. It was and still is a most dangerous seaport. It was never taken by force or violence from the Phoenicians. It became a Jewish town only in the second century B.C. It was from this port that Jonah "took ship to flee from the presence of the Lord" (Jonah 1:3). To this place also the wood cut in Lebanon by Hiram's men for Solomon was brought in floats (2 Chronicles 2:16); and here the material for the building of the second temple was also landed (Ezra 3:7). At Joppa, in the house of Simon the tanner, "by the sea-side," Peter resided "many days," and here, "on the house-top," he had his "vision of tolerance" (Acts 9:36-43). It bears the modern name of Jaffa, and exhibits all the decrepitude and squalor of cities ruled over by the Turks. "Scarcely any other town has been so often overthrown, sacked, pillaged, burned, and rebuilt." Its present population is said to be about 16,000. It was taken by the French under Napoleon in 1799, who gave orders for the massacre here of 4,000 prisoners. It is connected with Jerusalem by the only carriage road that exists in the country, and also by a railway completed in 1892. It is noticed on monuments B.C. 1600-1300, and was attacked by Sannacharib B.C. 702.

Who was the disciple that also brought a person back from the dead?

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG
SOURCES: King James Bible, Smith's Bible Dictionary
All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

JONAH AND THE CITY OF NINEVEH

Even tho God had called Jonah to help prolong the life of the enemy nation, which in fact was in the process of exterminating his own nation, it is no wonder he fled in the opposite direction, in his patriotic dread of a brutal and relentless military machine that was closing in on God's people.

Is the Book historical?
Naturally, because of the fish story, the unbelieving mind rebells at accepting it as factual. They call it fiction or a parable. Jesus unmistakably regarded it as an historical fact (Matthew 12:39-41). We would have to stretch our imagination to see it any other way considering the language He used. He called it a "sign" of his own resurrection. Jesus put the fish, the repentance of the Ninevites, His resurrection, and the judgement day in the same category. He surely was talking of reality when He spoke of His resurrection and the judgement day. Thus Jesus accepted the Jonah story. For us, who believe in and have accepted God, that settles it. We believe that it actually occurred just as recorded, and that Jonah himself, under the direction of God's Spirit wrote the book, with no attempt to excuse his own unworthy showing, and that the book, under the direction of God's Spirit, was placed among the Sacred Writings in the Temple as a part of God's unfolding revelation of Himself.

The point of the story is that it was a miracle, a divine showing of Jonah's mission to Nineveh. Except for some such astounding miracle the Ninevites would have given little heed to Jonah (Luke 11:30).

Chapter 1
"Tarshish" is thought to have been in Spain. Jonah therefore was going to the very end of the then know world.
Chapter 2
Jonah could have been trained to pray in the words of the Psalms, like this beautiful prayer. His returned landing could have been near Joppa and surely was witnessed by many.
Chapter 3
In his preaching, Jonah, probably told his experience with the fish (whale), along with those who had witnessed his story for verification. Speaking in the name of God of the nation whom the Ninevites had begun to plunder, they took him seriously, and became terrified.
Chapter 4
He had come , not only to seek their repentance, but to announce their doom. But God was please at their repentance (just as He is with ours), and put off their punishment, much to Jonah's disappointment. The last verse in the Book of Jonah expresses God's feelings about Nineveh. God's love of little children. God was willing to put off the destruction of that great city, Nineveh, because His own heart rebelled at the thought of the slaughter of innocent babes (sixscore thousand). Jesus was and does love children, and child-life behavior in adults. God was even concerned with the slaughter of many cattle.

The last of the archaeological notes on the City of Nineveh:
As far as is known, there is no record of Nineveh's repentance in the Assyrian inscriptions. There are, however, traces that Adad-Nirari made reforms similar to those of Amenophis IV in Egypt. Under the reigns of the three kings following Adad-Nirari there was a slow down in Assyrian conquests. During this time Israel recovered lost territory (II Kings 14:25). Was Jonah's work the beginning of World Missions?

The "Jonah" mound is the second largest mound in the ruins of Nineveh and is called "Yunas." "Yunas" is the native word for "Jonah." The mound covers 40 acres, and is 100 feet high. It contains the supposed tomb of Jonah. This tomb is so sacred to the natives that no large scale excavation has been permitted in the mound (at the time of this books writing).

What was God's purpose in it?
For one thing, it may have postponed the captivity of Israel, for lust of conquest was one of the things repented of (Jonah 3:8).
Most importantly, it seems to have been intended of God as a hint to His Own Nation that He was also interested in other nations.
Second, Jonah's home was Gath-hepher (II Kings 14:25), near Nazareth the home of Jesus, of whom Jonah was a "sign."
Third, Joppa, where Jonah embarked, to avoid preaching to another nation, was the very place which God chose, 800 years later, to tell Peter to receive men of other nations (Acts 10).
Fourth, Jesus quoted it as a prophetic picture of His own resurrection on the "third" day (Matthew 12:40).
So, all in all, the Story of Jonah is a grand historical picture of Jesus' own resurrection and His mission to ALL nations.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible, Halley's Bible Handbook

"CHRIST'S CONCERN FOR THANKLESNESS"
1 THES 5:18
"Rejoice always, Pray without ceasing, in Everything give Thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
"Happy Thanks-Giving!"
A. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A REQUEST: LK 17:13,"And they lifted up their
voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
1. As a child of God, you can ask Jesus directly and face to face;
MK 11:24"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you
pray, Believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
Amen? Back then, others spoke to God in Prayer, 2 CHRON 6:29-30,&
Heaven would answer. Can you imagine, even the Pharaoh in a sense
prayed through Moses & Aron; EX 12:32"...and bless me also."
2. But here when Jesus passed through Samaria & Galilee, and in a
certain village He met 10 men who were Lepers, but stood afar off.
What a dreadful & cursed desease, Leprosy is. Even a Man of Valor,
like Naaman, had Leprosy, 2 KI 5:1, no one was exempt. Leprosy is
like sin to us all, LEV 13:38, read for yourselves. These 10 men yelled
out to Jesus & begged for mercy, for they knew He had power to heal.
Nothing is Impossible for God! Trust me, so "Don't be, act, or pray like
a Billy-Goat-Christian", Amen? Understand? "Yes Lord, BUT!" "I would
Lord, BUT!" "I know Lord, BUT!" By Faith, let your Requests be known.

B. HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THE RESULT: LK 18:41,"What do you want Me
to do for you?" (Specific prayers are best, so is specific confession!)
1. Here, Jesus saw the 10 Lepers & heard them & answered their
Prayer LK 17:13-14,"Go, show yourselves to the priests." What? Yes,
Jesus, saw with understanding; never laid hands on them; so what
really provided healing? Are you Listening? "Obedience to Jesus!"
2. The lepers Obedience to the Instructions of Jesus, & they went to
show themselves to the priests, and "As they went,...they were Healed."
LK 17:14. No fanfare or great festival, just as it was with Naaman, he
wanted a big "Healing Festival" but God through Elisha, sent word to
Naaman, the Man of Valor, to dip himself 7-times in the muddy waters
of the Jordan river, & his Leprosy be gone & his flesh made young as
that of a child; 2 KI 5:14-15. "Healed by his Obedience!" Amen? Amen
3. The Result should be? Falling down on his face at the feet of Jesus,
and with a loud voice Glorifying and Praising God, & giving Thanks.
Falling on your face, is an expression of worship. 10 Lepers healed, &
only One came back to give Thanks? LK 17:15-16. Sad, is it not?

C. HOW IS YOUR REACTION: EPH 5:20,"...giving Thanks always for all things
to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,..."
1. As there should have been 10 men return to Jesus Christ, thus He
asks, LK 17:17-18,"But where are the nine?" Where there not any found
who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" We too tend
to act as those nine; Thoughtless & Thankless, to God, to our Spouses,
to our Children, to our Parents, to our Neighbors, Friends & Relatives!!
So let us Change our ways &: "Show appreciation; Express gratitude;
Give thanks always,EPH 5:20, 1 THES 5:17, COL 3:15." Amen? Amen
2. Remember, Jesus Christ:"Heard their Cry, Saw their Condition, Had
Compassion, Gave Healing!" Let us not just follow the world,2TIM 3:1-5,
BUT: COL 2:6-7,
"As you therefore have received CHRIST JESUS the Lord, so walk in HIM, rooted &
built up in HIM & established in faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with THANKSGIVING."


God's blessings on each of you,
LJG

SOURCE:
REVGUNTHER

JONAH

JONAH

Name means "dove"

Jonah is the fifth of the minor prophets, was the son of Amittai, and a native of Gath-hepher (2 Kings 14:25). He flourished in or before the reign of Jeroboam II, about 820 B.C. Having already prophesied to Israel, he was sent to Nineveh. The time was one of political revival in Israel; but before long the Assyrians were to be employed by God as a scourge upon them. The Prophet shrank from a commission which HE, Jonah, felt sure would result in the sparing of a hostile city (Jonah 4:2). He attempted to escape to Tarshish. The providence of God watched over him, first in a storm, and then in his being swallowed by a large fish for a period of three days and nights. After he was delivered out of the great fish, Jonah went ahead with what God had told him to do. That was to go to Nineveh. The king, "believing him to be a minister from the supreme deity of the nation," and having head of his miraculous deliverance, ordered a general fast, and averted the threatened judgement. But the prophet, not from personal but national feelings, grudged the Mercy shown to a heathen nation. He was therefore taught by the significant lesson of the "gourd," whose growth and decay brought the truth at once home to him, that he was sent to testify by deed, as other prophets would afterward testify by word, the capacity of Gentiles for salvation, and the design of God to make them partakers of it. This was "the sign of the prophet Jonas" (Luke 11:29 & 30). Jonah's stay in the belly of the great fish was a way of foretelling the resurrection of Christ (Matthew 12:39, 41 and 16:4)

Jonah tried to run and hide, Jesus didn't. Jonah was human, Jesus a Holy man.
Don't we do try to run and hide today as well as Jonah did? No, of course, we aren't swallowed by a great fish or whale (Matthew 12:40). Just as God was watching over Jonah, He will, if we will let Him, watches over us. Just like with Jonah we are, allowing for the fact that we have accepted Him as our personal Savior, going to do what God wants us to do sooner or later. Why is it sometimes later than sooner? Because like Jonah we are only human. It is His will, not ours, that will be done.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible; Smith's Bible Dictionary
All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

GREAT NEWS GREAT IS THE JOY

GOD IS A WONDERFUL GOD,
AWESOME IN ALL HIS WAYS
I HAVE SOME WONDERFUL NEWS

We have all been wondering just what this pain in my arm was, and now after 3 and 1/2 months I know what it is. Before I get into what it is I must share with you that for the first time since this started I am pain free, No my bra was not to tight! The doctor before letting me go gave me a wonderful shot of cortisone and a second one of dordol or something like that. Do I care what it was, at the moment no, it is just good to not hurt. Okay I know you want an answer. Well in my neck I have two vertebrae numbers 5 and 6 that have spurs all over them and they are pressing into my disc. Yes these little spurs even are into my shoulder. I guess they like to travel in groups. So now we know what is causing the pain. And even better the doctor has a solution. First I go to a neurosurgeon and he will see if it is bad enough for surgery to remove the disc and shave/cut/file down all the little spurs. However they do it. Anyway if he doesn't think it is bad enough to do the surgery then I will go back to this doctor and they will treat me with medicine until it gets bad enough for the second doctor to think it does need surgery and then he will do it. Isn't that great. Well the third Doctor has a different story, He says "By My stripes you are healed" and there are scriptures in this beautiful Book that He has instructed me to read. Now these scriptures will give me strength and courage and guide me to go to the doctors and do what they say concerning what they have found. And if I am healed then Praise's to God, and if I go through surgery Praises to God. Whatever happens praises to God. So be happy with me and lets have joy deep down inside of us. God has a plan and it is bigger and better than any plan I could have. You know me I don't have time for this! So if you love me be happy for me, I wanted to know and now I know and now I go to the next step.

I love all of You Yours in Christ,
rECj

ZEPHANIAH

Zephaniah prophesied in the days of Josiah (1:1). He was a great-great grandson of Hezekiah, thus of royal blood, and kin to Josiah. Josiah (619-608 B.C.), preceded by the long wicked reign of Manasseh. Therefore the prophecy was delivered only a few years before Judah's Day of Doom struck.

Chapters 1:1-2:3
It is called The Great Day of God, mentioned over and over in these 2 chapter and in Chapter 3:8. A day of terror, about to break on Judah and surrounding nations. There is an unmistakable reference to Babylon invading and taking Judah captive which did happen 20 years later.

Chapters 2:4-3:8
Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, cities of Philistines. "Cherethites," another name for Philistines. Ethiopia, was south Egypt, whose rulers at that time controlled all Egypt. Assyria, with Nineveh, its proud capital, terror of the World. Within 20 years these lands all lay desolate under the heel of Babylon. In Zephaniah 2:13-15 this is what is said about Nineveh: And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern (porcupine) shall lodge in the upper lintels (columns) of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.
This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss (sneer), and wag his hand.

Chapter 3:9-20
The calm after the storm. Three times the prophet speaks of a remnant being saved and twice of their return from captivity, with the introduction into the earth of pure language, that is a Correct System of Thought about God. Language is the vehicle and expression of Truth. It is the prediction of a complete and perfect revelation of God to man ( the Gospel of Christ), as a result of which converts from among all nations would be brought to God, joyful with glad songs of redemption, all the earth resounding with the praise of God's people.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible, Halley's Bible Handbook

NINEVEH, THE CITY Part Three

Please forgive me for ramblin when I write. That is the same way I talk. It seems my mind just can't store all the information and thoughts in my brain all in the same place. You may think all this history is unimportant but please take a minute and think about what was written about the New Jerusalem coming down. These are places and people we will be talking to and walking with for eternity. Thank you, LJG

Two of the Prophets had to do with Nineveh, Jonah, about 785 B.C. and Nahum, about 630 B. C.; about 150 years apart. Jonah's was a message of Mercy; Nahum's, a message of Doom. Together they show God's way of dealing with nations: prolonging the day of grace, in the end bringing punishment for sins.

This is another Prophet that little is known about his personal life. In Verse 1:1 he is called the "Elkoshite." His name is in the word "Capernaum," which means "village of Nahum." This may indicate that he was a resident, or founder of Capernaum, which was later made famous as the center of Jesus' ministry. I have found no mention of this in my Bible. Easton, Hitchcock and Smith Dictionaries says the same thing about "Capernaum" and the meaning of the name is the same. Elkosh, his birth city, was probably nearby. There is said to have been an Elkosh on the Tigris, 20 miles north of Nineveh, and that Nahum may have been among the Israelite captives. If Capernaum were his home then Nahum was of the same locality as Jonah and Jesus.

As for the date of the Book. The Book itself indicates the limits within which the book belongs in time. Thebes (No-Amon) had fallen (3:8-10, 63 B.C.). The doom of Nineveh was portrayed as pending. It took place 607 B.C. Therefore Nahum was between 663 and 607. Nineveh is pictured in the full swing of its glory, and as its troubles began with the Scythian invasion (626 B.C.,), it may be a good guess to place the prophecy shortly before the Scythian invasion, say around 630 B.C. this would Nahum a contemporary of Zephaniah, who also predicted the ruin of Nineveh in language of amazing vividness (Zephaniah 2:12-15).

Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which had destroyed Israel. Founded shortly after the Flood and had been from the beginning been a rival of Babylon. Babylon in the south part of the Euphrates valley, Nineveh in the north part of the Euphrates valley; the two cities about 300 miles apart. Nineveh rose to world power about 900 B.C. Soon after that it began to cut off Israel. About 785 B.C. God had sent Jonah to Nineveh (with a stop over in the belly of the great fish) to try to get them to turn from its path of brutal conquest. During the next 60 years (by 721 B.C.), the Assyrian armies had completed the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Yet for another 100 years Nineveh continued to grow more and more powerful and arrogant.

Nineveh, was the queen city of the earth, at the time of Nahum prophecy, mighty and brutal beyond imagination head of a warrior state built on the loot of nations. Limitless wealth from the ends of the earth poured into its coffers. In Nahum 2:11-13 it is shown as a den of ravaging lions, feeding on the blood of nations.

The term Nineveh refers to the whole complex of associated villages served by one great irrigation system, and protected by the one network of fortifications based on the river defenses. The city proper is also called Nineveh. It is the great palace area in the heart of the greater system.

It was protected by 5 walls and 3 moats (canals) built by the forced labor of unnumbered thousands of foreign captives, Jonah's mention of 120,000 babes (Jonah 4:11), suggests it might have had a population of near a million. The inner city of Nineveh proper, about 3 miles long and one and a half miles wide, built at the junction of the Tigris and Kosher rivers, was protected by walls 100 feet high, and broad enough at the top to hold 4 chariots driven abreast, in an 8 mile circle.

About 20 years after Nahum's prediction an army of Babylonians and Medes closed in on Nineveh. After a 2 year siege a sudden rise of the river washed away part of the walls. Nahum had predicted that the "river gates would be opened" for the destroying army (2:6). It all came to pass exactly as Nahum had pictured it; and the bloody vile city passed into oblivion (2:3-4; 3:1-7).

Its destruction was so complete that even its site was forgotten. When Alexander the Great fought the famous battle of Arbela (331 B.C.), near the site of Nineveh, he did not even know there had ever been a city there.

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

SOURCE: King James Bible, Halley's Bible Handbook

NINEVEH, THE CITY PART TWO

The work of exploration has been carried on almost continuously and a vast treasury of specimens of old Assyrian art has been exhumed. Palace after palace has been discovered, with their decorations and their sculptured slabs, revealing the life and manners of this ancient people, their arts of war and peace, the forms of their religion, the style of their architecture, and the magnificence of their monarchs. The streets of the city have been explored, the inscriptions on the bricks and tablets and sculptured figures have been read, and now the secrets of their history have been brought to light.

One of the most remarkable of recent discoveries is that of the library of King Assur-bani-pal, or, as the Greek historians call him, Sardanapalos, the grandson of Sennacherib. This library consists of about ten thousand flat bricks or tablets, all written over with Assyrian characters. They contain a record of the history, the laws, and the religion of Assyria. These strange clay leaves found in the royal library form the most valuable of all the treasuries of the literature of the old world. The library contains also old Acadian documents, which are the oldest extant documents in the world, dating as far back as probably about the time of Abraham.

"The Assyrian royalty is, perhaps, the most luxurious of our century. Its victories and conquests, uninterrupted for one hundred years, have enriched it with the spoil of twenty people. Sargon has taken what remained to the Hittites; Sennacherib overcame Chaldea, and the treasures of Babylon were transferred to his coffers; Esarhaddon and Assur-bani-pal himself have pillaged Egypt and her great cities, Sais, Memphis, and Thebes of the hundred gates...Now foreign merchants flock into Nineveh, bringing with them the most valuable productions from all countries, gold and perfume from South Arabia and the Chaldean Sea, Egyptian linen and glass-work, carved enamels, goldsmiths' work, tin, silver, Phoenician purple; cedar wood from Lebanon, unassailable by worms; furs and iron from Asia Minor and Armenia."

The bas-relief's, alabaster slabs, and sculptured monuments found in these recovered palaces serve in a remarkable manner to confirm the Old Testament history of the kings of Israel. The appearances of the ruins show that the destruction of the city was due not only to the assailing foe but also to the flood and fire, thus confirming the ancient prophecies concerning it. "The recent excavations," says Rawlinson, "have shown that fire was a great instrument in the destruction of the Nineveh palaces. Calcined alabaster, charred wood, and charcoal, colossal statues split through with heat, are met with in parts of the Nineveh mounds, and attest the veracity of prophecy."

God's blessing's to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible, Easton' Bible Dictionayr
All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

NINEVEH, THE CITY

Genesis 10:11-12, Out of that land went forth Asshur and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

This is the first mention of the city of Nineveh. It is not mentioned again until the days of Jonah (Jonah 3:2 & 4:11), described as a great and populous city, the flourishing capital of the the Assyrian empire (2 Kings 19:36 and Isaiah 37:37). The Book of Nahum is mostly about the total destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the empire of Assyria. It was not mentioned again until Matthew 12:41 and Luke 11:32.

On the eastern or left bank of the Tigris River was found this "exceeding great city." It was some 30 miles and had a average width of 10 miles or more from the river back to the eastern hills. Now the whole extensive, immense area is nothing more than ruins. Centrally located on the great highway from the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean it unites the East and the West, wealth flowed into it from many sources, so that it became the greatest of all ancient cities.

Signs of weakness began to show in the Assyrian empire around 633 B.C., the Medes attacked Nineveh, in the end, joined by the Babylonians and the Susianians, again attacked it, after it fell, the city was destroyed to the ground. This was the end of the Assyrian empire, its provinces was divided between the Medes and Babylonians. "After having ruled for more than six hundred years with hideous tyranny and violence, from the Caucasus and the Caspian to the Persian Gulf, and from beyond the Tigris to Asia Minor and Egypt, it vanished like a dream" (Nahum 2:6-11). it was God's doing, His judgement on Assyria's pride. (Isaiah 10:5-19).

The great Assyrian empire and its magnificent capital was almost a total blank 40 years ago. Vague memories indeed had survived of its power and greatness, but very little else was really known about it. Other cities which had perished, as Palmyra, Persepolis, and Thebes, had left ruins to mark their sites and tell of their former greatness; but of this city, imperial Nineveh, not a single sign seemed to remain, and the very place on which it had stood was only a matter of conjecture. In fulfillment of prophecy, God made "an utter end of the place." It became a "desolation."

In the days of the Greek historian Herodotus, 400 B.C., it had become a thing of the past; and when Xenophon the historian passed the place in the "Retreat of the Ten Thousand," the very memory of its name had been lost. It was buried out of sight, and no one knew its grave. It is never again to rise from its ruins.

At length, after being lost for more than two thousand years, the city was disentombed. A little more than 40 years ago the French consul at Mosul began to search the vast mounds that lay along the opposite bank of the river. The Arabs whom he employed in these excavations, to their great surprise, came upon the ruins of a building at the mound of Khorsabad, which, on further exploration, turned out to be the royal palace of Sargon, one of the Assyrian kings. They found their way into its extensive courts and chambers, brought forth from its hidden depths many wonderful sculptures and other relics of those ancient times.

Part two tomorrow.

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: Kings James Bible, Easton's Bible Dictionary
All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

NAHUM

How many of us have ever read Nahum? I hadn't. But it is so beautifully written, makes you sit up and think and tells all. I don't know how right I am in my thinking, but I also think it is describing the world we live in as well. After reading the verses below, I pray that you will want to read the rest of the Book of Nahum. I had to. Worried about time? Well, there isn't but three chapters so it won't take all that long. It will, I think, refresh your spirit. We all need that from time to time.

Nahum 1:2-8
God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence; yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
Who can stand before indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

Now I know there are a lot of you who are going to say, "Oh goody, I can just sit back and do nothing. He said He would take care of it all." Well, my friend you are so wrong. Why do you think that Nineveh and so many of the other cities fell? Simply because the citizens would not take a stand against the evil going on in their city. By not taking a stand we condone the evil and are just as guilty as the ones that committed the crime. How many of us can and would "shake the dust off our feet and never look back?" Oh no, we can't have that no, we might hurt someone's feelings. We have to love everybody. Yes we do, you are right there. But one thing is forgotten in loving, we are told, in the Bible, that we are to "love the good and hate the evil."

Look what he said, "and he knoweth them that trust in him." How do we show Him we knoweth Him and love Him? By seeking Him and His words. By letting Him tell us what to do. Then by being brave enough to follow the path He has told us to follow. It isn't always going to be easy, but with Him by our side, we can accomplish the impossible. God will then do as He says in Nahum 1:12, Thus saith the Lord; Thought they e quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. Verse 13: For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

MORE ON COLOR

Today is a follow up on colors. I went further to see what else I could find about colors in my Bible Concordance. The first one we will start with is BLACKNESS and how it is referred to in the Bible Verses.

Blackness. destitute of light;
A. Literally of:
hair...Song of Solomon 5:11
skin...Song of Solomon 1:5
A horse...Zech. 6:2
The sky...1 Kings 18:45
A mountain...Heb. 12:18
Night...Prov. 7:9
B. Figuratively of:
Affliction...Job 30:30
Lam. 510
Mourning...Jer. 8:21
Jer. 14:2
Foreboding evil...Joel 2:6
Nahum 2:10
Hell...Jude 13
C. Specifically:
Let the blackness of the day...Job 3:5
Clothe Heaven with...Isa 50:3
Shall gather...Joel 1:26
NOTE; Blackness is also referred to as sorrow. Song of Solomon is a love song to the Creator.

Skin, THE OUTER COVERING OF A BODY,
A. Of animals, used for:
Clothing...Gen 3:21
Deception...Gen 27:16
Coverings...Ex 26:14
Bottles...Josh 9:4
B. Of man:
Seat of disease...Lev. 13:1-46
Sign of race...Jer. 13:23 Jeremiah is asking the black to turn away from evil and accept the Good
Seal of death...Job 19:26
White
A. Descriptive of:
Glory and majesty...Dan. 7:9
Rev. 20:11
Purity, glory...Rev 1:14
Victory...Rev 6:2
Completion...John 4:35
B. Black, descriptive of
Sorrow, calamity...Joel 2:6
Hell...Jude 13
C. Green, descriptive of
Spiritual privileges...Jer 11:16
Spiritual life...Psa 52:8
Psa 92:12-15
D. Red (crimson), descriptive of:
God's wrath...Psa 75:8
Atonement...Is 63:2
Persecution...Rev 12:3
Drunkenness...Prov 23:29
Sinfulness...Is 1:18
E. Purple, descriptive of
Royalty...Judges 8:26
Wealth...Luke 16:19
Luxury...Rev 17:4
F. Blue, descriptive of
Divine revelations...Ex 24:10
Heavenly character...Ex 28:31

What we have learned today about color, God just considers it the "outer covering," and is more concerned with the "inter covering" (my words) of our bodies. Doesn't that tell us what we are to believe, behave and act upon? Shouldn't we be more concerned with colors that will help us maintain and get to Heaven that what is on the outside of a person's body?

Let's all of us, red, yellow, black and white live by the Bible so we can bring forth a healing that can and will be felt world wide.

Did you know?:
A black man helped Jesus carry His Cross
The first saved Gentile was a Roman Soldier

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

GOD IS NOT COLOR BLIND

Doubt it? Then just take a look around you. What do you see? Trees of all shades of green, beautiful flowers of many different shapes, sizes and colors. Colors so bright and some not so bright. It does take our breath away sometimes.

Now another type of color I would like to talk about for just a few minutes. Skin color. We are taught, well a lot of us were, from early childhood that God loves all the little children of the world, red, yellow, black and white. Everyone of us who have accepted God as their personal Savior are His children (Romans 8:16). So, then, why do we have so much trouble with our skin color? You think we aren't all going to the same Heaven? Think God loves one color more than the other? Where in the Bible does it say that? Is God going to have separate parts of Heaven for the different colors of skin? Well, being I have never been to Heaven, yet, I can't honestly say, but this I do believe, if God was going to have us all separated then He would have said so. I know in the OLD TESTAMENT God told the people not to enter into marriage with certain people. When the people disobeyed, as you know people will do, some of those places were made barren. There are places that today will not grow anything. But I can't find where Jesus said anything about color of skin. Can you?

Moses married an Ethiopian woman. When Aaron and Miriam got upset about it, what did the Lord do? First of all He took the side of Moses. Second of all, Aaron was not permitted to enter into the promise land either, and He gave Miriam leprosy, of which He later took off her thanks to Moses asking God to do so. Could this not be telling us what was coming in the later world? Couldn't this be saying it is alright in the sight of God?

Have you ever stopped to think about the color of skin Jesus had? Well, I guess not. Jesus was dark skinned, brown or whatever color you might like to call it. Anyway, He is not white skinned as we see white. You know what God told John to write about Heaven? He saw a new Heaven coming down...(Rev. 21:2). God showed John a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal coming out the throne of God and out of the Lamb ( surely you know that the Lamb is Jesus). On either side of the river was the tree of life (Rev 22:1-5).

So, now I ask you where is the tree of life? In the Garden of Eden. Where is the Garden of Eden? Where the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers originally met. Where is the place the new Heaven coming down?

We need to all get down off our high horses and think about all this. Get in the Bible, see what God and the Lamb is telling us to do. Live only by God's instructions and stop all this hate and being lead around by our noses by moral men. There is no moral man alive that can save us or would do for us what God and Jesus has and will continue to do if we only allow Them to do so.

Remember what the greatest commandment was? LOVE... So let's love each other, red, yellow, black or white.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

ABSALOM

ABSALOM means father of peace, "peaceful"

After reading this you will think as I do, he certainly didn't live up to his name.

He was David's son by Maacah (2 Samuel 3:3). He was noted for his personal beauty and for the extra-ordinary profusion of the hair of his head (2 Samuel 14:25-26). The first public act of his life was the blood-revenge he executed against Amnon, David's eldest son, who had basely wronged Absalom's sister Tamar. This revenge was executed at the time of the festivities connected with a great sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor. David's other sons fled from the place in horror, and brought the tidings of the death of Amnon to Jerusalem. Alarmed for the consequences of the act, Absalom fled to his grandfather at Geshur, and there he stayed for three years (2 Samuel 3:3; 13:23-38).

David mourned his absent son, now branded with the guilt of killing his brother. As the result of a stratagem carried out by a woman of Tekoah, Joab received David's permission to invite Absalom back to Jerusalem. He returned but two years elapsed before his father admitted him into his presence (2 Samuel 14:28. Absalom was now probably the oldest surviving son of David, and as he was of royal descent by his mother as well as by his father, he began to aspire to the throne.

His pretensions were favored by the people. By many arts he gained their affection; and after his return from Geshur (2 Samuel 15:7) he went up to Hebron, the old capital of Judah, along with a great body of the people, and there proclaimed himself king. The revolt was so successful that David found it necessary to quit Jerusalem and flee to Mahanaim, beyond Jordan; where upon Absalom returned to Jerusalem and took possession of the throne without opposition. Ahithophel, who had been David's chief counselor, deserted him and joined Absalom, whose chief counselor he now became. Hush also joined Absalom, but only for the purpose of trying to counteract the counsels of Ahithophel, and so to advantage David's cause. He was so far successful that by his advice, which was preferred to that of Ahithophel, Absalom delayed to march an army against his father, who thus gained time to prepare for the de fence.

Absalom at length marched out against his father, whose army, under the command of Joab, he encountered on the borders of the forest of Ephraim. Twenty thousand of Absalom's army were slain in that fatal battle, and the rest fled. Absalom fled on a swift mule; but his long flowing hair, or more likely his head, was caught in the bough of an oak, and there he was left suspended til Joab came up and pierced him through with three darts. His body was then taken down and cast into a pit dug in the forest, and a heap of stones was raised over his grave. When the tidings of the result of that battle were brought to David, as he sat impatiently at the gate of Mahanaim, and he was told that Absalom had been slain, he gave way to the bitter lamentation: "O my son Absalom my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom my son, my son!" (2 Samuel 18:33). Absalom's three sons (2 Samuel 14:27) had all died before him, so that he left only a daughter, Tamar, who became the grandmother of Abijah.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SOURCE: King James Bible, Easton's Bible Dictionary
All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

AARONITES AND ABRAHAM

The Arabs still show with respect the traditionary site of Aaron's grave on one of the two summits of Mount Hor, which is marked by Mohammedan chapel. His name is mentioned in the Koran, and there are found in the writings of the rabbi's many fabulous stories regarding him.

AARONITES: the descendants of Aaron, and therefore priests. Jehoiada, the father of Benaiah, led 3,700 Aaronites as "fighting men" to the support of David at Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:27. Eleazar (Numbers 3:32, and at a later period Zadok (1 Chronicles 27:17), was their chief.

HEBRON
A city in the south end of the valley of Eshcol, about midway between Jerusalem and Beersheba, from which it is 20 miles away in a straight line. it was built "seven years before Zoan in Egypt" (Genesis 13:18; Numbers 13:22). It still exists under the same name, and is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Its earlier name was Kirjath-arba (Genesis 23:2; Joshua 14:15; 15:3). But "Hebron would appear to have been the original name of the city, and it was not til after Abraham's stay there that it received the name Kirjath-arba, who (Arba) was not the founder but the conqueror of the city, having led the tribe of the Anakim, to which he belonged. It retained this name til it came into the possession Caleb, when the Israelites restored the Original name Hebron."

The name of this city does not occur in any of the prophets or in the New Testament. It is found about forty times in the Old Testament. It was the favorite home of Abraham. Here he pitched his tent under the oaks of Mamre, by which name it cane afterwards to be known; and here Sarah died, and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23:17-20), which he bought from Ephron the Hittite. From this place the patriarch departed for Egypt by way of Beersheba (Genesis 37:14; 46:1). It was taken by Joshua and given to Caleb (Joshua 10:36-37).

When David became king of Judah this was his royal residence, and he resided here for seven and a half years (2 Samuel 5:5); and here he was anointed as king over all Israel (2 Samuel 2:2-4, 11; I Kings 2:11). It became the residence also of the rebellious Absalom (2 Samuel 15:10), who probably expected to find his chief support in the tribe of Judah, now called el-Khulil.

In one part of the modern city is a great mosque, which is built over the grave of Machpelah. The first European who was permitted to enter this mosque was the Prince of Wales in 1862. It was also visited by the Marquis of Bute in 1866, and by the late Emperor Frederick of Germany (then the Crown-Prince of Prussia) in 1869.

One of the largest oaks in Palestine is found in the valley of Eshcol, about 3 Miles north of the town. It is believed by some to be the tree under which Abraham pitched his tent, and is called "Abraham's oak."

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

SOURCE: King James Bible, Easton's Bible Dictionary
All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

MOSES WE KNOW BUT AARON

Most of us know quite a bit about Moses. For example, Moses in the bulrushes, raised by Pharaoh's daughter, cut off the Egyptian's ear (Peter cut the ear off the Roman Soldier), hiding in the desert, the burning bush, send my brother, of slow speech, the 10 Commandments, had a temper, looked on the face of God, never died, taken straight on to heaven, and never entering into the Promised Land. But what of his brother Aaron? Let us learn a little today together.

Aaron the first born son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of Levi (Exodus 6:20). Some say the name means, mountaineer, yet others say it is mountain of strength, illuminator. Aaron was born three years before Moses (Exodus 2:1-4 and Exodus 7) and it appears many years after their sister Miriam.

Aaron's wife was Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab of the house of Judah ( Exodus 6:23 and 1 Chronicles 2:10), Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar were their 4 sons. God sent Aaron to Moses (Exodus 4:14-30), when it was nigh on to the time for Israel to be delivered. Moses and Aaron has been a long time separated. Aaron knew that he was to co-operate with Moses in all that had to be done in order to bring about the Exodus. Aaron was aware that he was to be the mouth piece for Moses, as Moses was slow of speech and Aaron was of a ready utterance ( Exodus 7;1,2,9,10 & 19). Aaron was true to the trust God had put in him and standing with Moses each time Moses was called before Pharaoh.

The first battle the tribes of Israel fought was with Amalek in Rephidim, there was Aaron standing on the hill with Moses watching the battle. Moses had the rod of God in his hands as long as Moses kept the rod up over his head the tribes would win, but lost when his arms fell. Aaron and his sister's husband, Hur, helped to keep Moses' arms up when they got so tired he couldn't do it by himself, thus enabling Joshua and the chosen warriors to claim the victory (Exodus 17:8-13).

When God told Moses it was time to go up the mountain to get the tablets of law, Aaron and two of his sons, Nadab and Abihu, also with them were 70 Israelites elders they were only allowed to go part way so they could behold the glory of God from afar (Exodus 19:24; 24:9-11). While Moses stayed on the mountain with God, Aaron returned to the people. Giving in to the people either in ignorance or because had an instable character or he could have been afraid of the people, the golden calf was made for them to worship (Exodus 32:4; Psalm 106:10). When Moses came down from the mountain top, Aaron was firmly rebuked by him. Thanks to Moses for running interference for Aaron, God forgave Aaron his sin (Deuteronomy 9:20).

God gave Moses the instructions for the way the worship services were to be conducted among the people, so in accordance with these instructions, Aaron and his 4 sons were consecrated to the office of priest's (Leviticus Chapters 8 and 9). Aaron was appointed the important position of the high priest.

When the Israelites reached Hazeroth, in "the wilderness of Paran," Aaron and Miriam started murmuring against Moses "because of the Ethiopian woman he had married," Zipporah was more than likely dead by then. But the Lord took Moses' side on this matter, cleared his name, leprosy was Miriam's punishment (Numbers 12). Aaron admitted his own and his sister's guilt and again at the intercession of Moses they were forgiven.

Twenty years later the children of Israel were camped in the wilderness of Paran, Korah, Dathan and Abiram conspired against Aaron and his sons; but a fearful judgment from God fell on them and they were destroyed. The very next day thousands of the people also perished by a fierce pestilence, the ravages of which only stopped by the interposition of Aaron (Numbers 16). So there would be further evidence of the Aaron's divine appointment to the priestly office, the chiefs of all the tribes were each required to bring to Moses a rod having the name of his tribe on it. These and Aaron's rod, as the chief of the tribe of Levi, were put in the tabernacle overnight. The next morning they found that the only rod that had changed was Aaron's as the tribe of the Levi. This rod had budded, blossomed and yielded almonds (Numbers 17:1-10). This rod was afterwards preserved in the tabernacle as a memorial of the divine appointment of Aaron to the priesthood.

The people were complaining of the lack of water for them and their cattle, and after seeking God's guidance, which was to take the people before the rock and speak to it so water would come forth. Instead Moses, yes he and Aaron did take the people before the rock, but instead of just speaking to the rock, Moses lifted his rod and struck the rock twice. Because of this, and his lack of faith in God, Moses and Aaron was not permitted to enter into the Promised Land.

When they arrived at Mount Hor, "in the edge of the land of Edom," God commanded Moses to take Aaron and his son Eleazar to the top of the mountain, so they would be in plain site of all the people. There he stripped Aaron of the priestly robes and then he put them on Aaron's son, Eleazar. There, at the age of 123, Aaron died (Numbers 20:23-29; Deuteronomy 10:6 & 32:50), was gathered unto his people, which mourned him for 30 days. The two son's who survived him was Eleazar, whose family held the high-priesthood till the time of Eli, and Ithamar, whose family, beginning with Eli, held the high-priesthood until the time of Solomon. Aaron's other two sons had been struck dead (Leviticus 10:1-2) for offering "strange fire" on the altar of incense. Like so many of us today they knew better but just had to do it anyway.

Aaron was the first anointed priest. His descendants, "the house of Aaron," represented the priesthood in general. In the time of David they were very numerous (1 Chronicles 12:27). The other branches of the tribe of Levi held subordinate positions in connection with the sacred office.

Aaron was a type of Christ in his official character as the high priest. His priesthood was a "shadow of heavenly things," and was intended to lead the people of Israel to look forward to the time when "another priest would arise" after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:20).

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible;
All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

CURSE

AAAHH, caught you didn't I? You think I am going to ramble on about profanity? Well, I'm not. Keep on reading. You are going to blessed I am sure.

Romans 12:14, Bless them which persecute you: bless and curse not. Luke 6:24, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. Genesis 12:3, and I will bless him that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee...Psalm 62:4,........they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.

All thru the Bible it speaks that God is the only One with the right to do any cursing. Now remember we are not talking about profanity. He cursed the fig tree and it withered. He cursed them that did wrong in His sight.

Yes, He still places curses on people, places and things of today. It is our place to bless others. Let God handle the curses.

1 Corinthians 4:12, and labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:.....

I am going to close with a several more scriptures. I think they speak better to us than I ever could.

Luke 6:22, Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
James 3:10, Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
1 Peter 3:9, Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are there unto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

The more blessings we ask for others, the more blessings God gives to us. The greatest blessing of all: We will inherit the kingdom of God.

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

SOURCE: King James Bible

TO PROSPER OR NOT

Ever wonder why we don't prosper? Well, lets see if we can figure it out.

First of all: Malachi 3:8-12; Will a man rob God? Ye are cursed with a curse; Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (see also Prov. 3:9) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes; and all nations shall call you blessed.
Second of all: Leviticus 27:30-34; And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's, it is holy unto the Lord. And if a man will at all redeem aught of his titles, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd or flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it.......These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.
Third of all: 3 John 2; Beloved, I wish above all things that thou may prosper and be in health, even as they soul prospereth.

Do you think I started out with the wrong one? I don't think so and here is why I feel that way. The first tells us what we should do, the second tells us why we should do it and the third tells us how to do it.

So, good for you, you picked up on the "be in health." Now you are thinking, "why do some Christians not have "health?" Does the scripture say anything about "GOOD, or BAD HEALTH?" Nope. To some Christians, I'm talking about me now, who have disabilities just think of them as one of many a thorn in our sides. Just because we belong to God doesn't mean that we won't have the same problems as the non Christians. The same will be visited on the saved as well as on the unsaved, according to God.

It is how we use and think about our "thorns" that matter (Rom. 15:1-2). I have health. I don't walk as fast as I once did, I don't talk and breath at the same time real well anymore, but other than that I am in health. I can witness to others who have these problems better than someone who doesn't. One of these days I will be running, shouting, singing, talking and breathing better than ever. OK, so it may be when I go home to be with God. But then who knows what is just around the next corner? I don't. Do you?

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

KNOWING OUR OWN FAULTS

Luke 6:37, Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive (others) and ye shall be forgiven.

How well do we know our faults? In some they are known real well. In others they aren't and they don't want to know them. It is so easy to walk around in a "holier than thou" attitude, with nose in the air, to think "we would never do that." No, you are right, you may never have the same faults as others or do as they do. BUT, have you ever stopped to think that you do the same things only in your own ways? Oh yes you do. I do. Sometimes the boulder gets so big in our own eyes that we can't or won't see the splinter in another's eye. What a shame on us.

We sometimes think that by giving or asking for forgiveness makes us weak. I disagree. It takes a mighty strong, big person to say, "I'm sorry please forgive me." It's a lil ole weak person that won't forgive. How many times do we go to God to ask for forgiveness? Does He hold it back from us? Of course not. So, what do we do? Oh we are so righteous that we have the right to withhold forgiveness, or so we think. We walk around thinking and telling everybody, "I just want you to know what so and so has done to me." Whose business is it anyway besides God, you and the person you won't forgive? Nobody's that's who.

Who knows us best, besides God? Isn't it our family and really close friends? Only a family member or friend that knows their own faults well enough can forgive you yours. We withhold forgiveness and love from those who have hurt us because we can. Love is one of the riches blessing from God and brightens our whole life and world.

Ever wonder what it would be like if God didn't forgive and love us? Sometimes we aren't able to say the words, maybe because we are too afraid of opening up old wounds. So, we try to find other ways of throwing out the Olive branch. Then we pray that the person or persons will pick up the Olive branch and go with it. Is that the right way? Probably not, but it is better than nothing. What and where is your Olive branch? Find it and use.

Whose examples are we following by not forgiving and loving those who love and know us best?

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

THE AMISH COMMUNITY

To the Amish Community,
Please accept my heart felt condolences on the loss of your children. I am so very sorry that I am late in sending them. I remembered to pray but forgot to let each of you know how I feel. I can't and won't say I know just how you feel. I don't. I have never lost a living child so I will not insult ya'll. I know it is hard for each of you even now. I saw the hurt and despair my mama went thru when she lost three of her children. Two boys and one girl. I don't know if the void of losing a child ever heals.

To the American Community,
Over the years so much criticism has been leveled at this wonderful Amish Community. Mainly I think because people are jealous of the Amish having the ability to live a separated live as we are instructed to do in the Bible. Thru this terrible period of there lives they are the ones that have shown the true love of God and the forgiveness that can come from Him. They are living the part of the Bible that says, "it is better to give than to receive." I am praying that the world will wake up, especially the Christians and the so called Christians, and learn a valuable lesson from these wonderful people. They live a life that "is in the world" but "not of this world." Again, this is what the Bible tells us to do and be. We "have" to live in the word but we aren't to be a "part" of the world. It is not a nice way to show the people of this world what the Amish community is like, but God does work in strange ways sometimes.

How many of us are so willing to forgive? To share what has been given to us by others? Not many I would dare to say. Most of us would want to go out and kill the person who committed this devil act.

So, Christians of the world, the next time you think about or start to say something negative about this Community, take a minute to remember they are talking the talk and walking the walk. Let us follow the example set for us by God and ask forgiveness for all the negative thoughts we may have had about them.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

THE PLANE CRASH OF 10/11/2006

Today lets take a little time to pray for the family and friends of Cory Lidle, the flight instructor, the others that have died or injured. Let us also remember the ones that have lost their apartments.

This is certainly a very trying time for all involved. We pray God will walk with them during this horrible period of their life.

This is going to be really hard on Cory Lidle's 6 year old son. Losing a parent at such an early age is especially heart breaking. It takes years to over come the loss. You learn to live with the loss, the pain gets lighter but the void will always remain with this child. His thoughts will always return to wonder how it might have been had his daddy lived.

Only those of us who have lost a parent at an early age knows and understands this pain and heartbreak. My daddy died when I was three. God is the only One who can help this child adjust. An adjustment that is no fault of the boy. That is an important lesson this son must come to terms with. He has to learn that only God knows the time and the way of our leaving this world. Not always easy but it is the truth.

God we are praying for all those involved in this unfortunate tragedy. Give them the strength that will guide them at this time. Hold them in Your unchanging love and caring arms. For those that don't know you as their personal Savior, we ask that they will turn their hearts and lives over to You. Thank you Jesus.

This is another reason that we should remember yesterday's thought. Take nothing for granted. We have no idea when it is our turn to go. Please, not only say the words but show the love to all those around you. Today, this minute could be our last on this earth.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SHARE THE LOVE

"Remember to always say what you mean. If you love someone, tell them. Don't be afraid to express yourself. Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you. Because when you decide that it is the right time it might be too late. Seize the day. Never have regrets. And most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for they have helped make you the person that you are today." author unknown

The above came in an e mail I received this morning. It touched my heart and brought back so many memories of the loved ones and a few friends. So many times in the hectic journey of our life's we forget to say what is most important in our hearts. We get side tracked. Oh yes, we think it, but it seems to never come out of our mouths.

So today, please take a minute and share the love and appreciation that we have in our hearts with those close to you. Maybe even someone that isn't close. It will make such a difference not only in your life but their's as well.

Remember the love Jesus had for us? Share the love.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

HAGGAI, some interesting facts

Darius, king of Persia, was the son of Hystaspes, of the royal family of the Achaemenidae. He did not immediately succeed Cyrus on the throne. There were two intermediate kings, viz., Cambyses (the Ahasuerus of Ezra), the son of Cyrus, who reigned from B.C. 529-522, and was succeeded by a usurper named Smerdis, who occupied the throne only ten months, and was succeeded by this Darius (B.C. 521-486). Smerdis was a Margian, and therefore had no sympathy with Cyrus and Cambyses in the manner in which they had treated the Jews. He issued a decree prohibiting the restoration of the temple and of Jerusalem (Ezra 4:17-22). But soon after his death and the accession of Darius, the Jews resumed their work, thinking that the edict of Smerdis would be now null and void, as Darius was in known harmony with the religious policy of Cyrus. The enemies of the Jews lost no time in bringing the matter under the notice of Darius, who caused search to be made for the decree of Cyrus (which see). It was not found at Babylon, but at Achmetha (Ezra 6:2); and Darius forthwith issued a new decree, giving the Jews full liberty to prosecute their work, at the same time requiring the Syrian satrap and his subordinates to give them all needed help. It was with the army of this king that the Greeks fought the famous battle of Marathon (B.C. 490). During his reign the Jews enjoyed much peace and prosperity. He was succeeded by Ahasuerus, known to the Greeks as Xerxes, who reigned for twenty-one years.

Signet: a seal used to attest documents (Daniel 6:8-10,12). In 6:17, this word properly denotes a ring. The impression of a signet ring on fine clay has recently been discovered among the ruins at Nineveh. It bears the name and title of an Egyptian king. Two actual signet rings of ancient Egyptian monarchs (Cheops and Horus) have also been discovered.
When digging a shaft close to the south wall of the temple area, the engineers of the Palestine Exploration Fund, at a depth of 12 feet below the surface, came upon a pavement of polished stones, formerly one of the streets of the city. Under this pavement they found a stratum of 16 feet of concrete, and among this concrete, 10 feet down, they found a signet stone bearing the inscription, in Old Hebrew characters, "Haggai, son of Shebaniah." It has been asked, Might not this be the actual seal of Haggai the prophet? We know that he was in Jerusalem after the Captivity; and it is somewhat singular that he alone of all the minor prophets makes mention of a signet (Haggai 2:23).

Seal: commonly a ring engraved with some device (Genesis 38:18,25). Jezebel "wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal" (1 Kings 21:8). Seals are frequently mentioned in Jewish history (Deuteronomy 32:34; Nehemiah 9:38; 10:1; Esther 3:12; Song of Solomon 8:6; Isaiah 8:16; Jeremiah 22:24; 32:44, etc.). Sealing a document was equivalent to the signature of the owner of the seal. "The use of a signet-ring by the monarch has recently received a remarkable illustration by the discovery of an impression of such a signet on fine clay at Koyunjik, the site of the ancient Nineveh. This seal appears to have been impressed from the bezel of a metallic finger-ring. It is an oval, Jeremiah 2 inches in length by 1 inch wide, and bears the image, name, and titles of the Egyptian king Sabaco" (Rawlinson's Hist. Illus. of the O.T., p. Jeremiah 46). The actual signet-rings of two Egyptian kings (Cheops and Horus) have been discovered.

The use of seals is mentioned in the New Testament only in connection with the record of our Lord's burial (Matthew 27:66). The tomb was sealed by the Pharisees and chief priests for the purpose of making sure that the disciples would not come and steal the body away (Matthew 27:63,64). The mode of doing this was probably by stretching a cord across the stone and sealing it at both ends with sealing-clay. When God is said to have sealed the Redeemer, the meaning is, that he has attested his divine mission (John 6:27). Circumcision is a seal, an attestation of the covenant (Romans 4:11). Believers are sealed with the Spirit, as God's mark put upon them (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). Converts are by Paul styled the seal of his apostleship, i.e., they are its attestation (1 Corinthians 9:2). Seals and sealing are frequently mentioned in the book of Revelation (1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:1; 7:3; 10:4; 22:10).

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible, Easton Bible Handbook

HAGGAI means FESTIVE

This is the only Haggai mentioned in the Old Testament. His prophecy is clearly to be
dated in 520 B.C. during the second year of king Daruis reign.

One of the twelve minor prophets. He was the first of the three (Zechariah, his
contemporary, and Malachi, who was about one hundred years later, being the other two)
whose ministry belonged to the period of Jewish history which began after the return
from captivity in Babylon. Scarcely anything is known of his personal history. He may
have been one of the captives taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar or born in captivity.
He began his ministry about sixteen years after the Return. The work of rebuilding the
temple had been put a stop to through the intrigues of the Samaritans.

The prophets before the Exile, 586 B.C., foretold the fall of the Kingdom of Judea
falling to the Babylonian kindgom. After seventy years the Lord would let the people
would return to their homeland (Jer. 25:11-12, Dan 9:2). When the Babylonian empire
was destroyed by Cyrus, he was willing to let the Jews go back to the Land of Promise
for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. The work was started, soon the hostile
neighbors used their devices to bring the work to a stop. That wasn't the only problem,
the fifty thousand exiles who had returned to Jerusalem with resolve to do the
rebuilding so became indifferent so the Temple hadn't been touched in sixteen years,
until Darius Hystaspes came to the Persian throne.

After having been suspended for fifteen years, the work was resumed through the efforts
of Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 6:14), who by their exhortations roused the people from
their lethargy, and induced them to take advantage of the favourable opportunity that
had arisen in a change in the policy of the Persian government. Haggai's prophecies
have thus been characterized:, "There is a ponderous and simple dignity in the emphatic
reiteration addressed alike to every class of the community, prince, priest, and people,
'Be strong, be strong, be strong' (Haggai 2:4). 'Cleave, stick fast, to the work you
have to do;' or again, 'Consider your ways, consider, consider, consider' (Haggai 1:5,7;
2:15,18). It is the Hebrew phrase for the endeavour, characteristic of the gifted seers
of all times, to compel their hearers to turn the inside of their hearts outwards to
their own view, to take the mask from off their consciences, to 'see life steadily, and
to see it wholly.

It is not fair to Haggai to think or accuse him of only being concerned with the
rebuilding of the Temple. That was his beginning but he goes on to the glory of the
presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, the future establishment of God's earthly kingdom,
the judgment of God on ungodly world powers, and the blessing awaiting the nations that
will return to God.

God's blessing on each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible, Easton's Bible HandbookAll versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version —
are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to
them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them.
http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

AMOS and HIS CITY

AMOS: A BURDEN

One of the twelve minor prophets. He was a native of Tekota, the modern Tekua, a town about 12 miles south-east of Bethlehem. He was a man of humble birth, neither a "prophet nor a prophet's son," but "an herdman and a dresser of sycomore trees," R.V. He prophesied in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and was contemporary with Isaiah and Hosea (Amos 1:1; 7:14,15; Zechariah 14:5), who survived him a few years. Under Jeroboam II. the kingdom of Israel rose to the zenith of its prosperity; but that was followed by the prevalence of luxury and vice and idolatry. At this period Amos was called from his obscurity to remind the people of the law of God's retributive justice, and to call them to repentance.

The Book of Amos consists of three parts:

The nations around are summoned to judgment because of their sins (Amos 1:1-2:3). He quotes Joel 3:16.
The spiritual condition of Judah, and especially of Israel, is described (Amos 2:4-6:14).
In Amos 7:1-9:10 are recorded five prophetic visions. (a) The first two (Amos 7:1-6) refer to judgments against the guilty people. (b) The next two (Amos 7:7-9; 8:1-3) point out the ripeness of the people for the threatened judgements. 7:10-17 consists of a conversation between the prophet and the priest of Bethel. (c) The fifth describes the overthrow and ruin of Israel (Amos 9:1-10); to which is added the promise of the restoration of the kingdom and its final glory in the Messiah's kingdom.

The style is peculiar in the number of the allusions made to natural objects and to agricultural occupations. Other allusions show also that Amos was a student of the law as well as a "child of nature." These phrases are peculiar to him: "Cleanness of teeth" [i.e., want of bread] (Amos 4:6); "The excellency of Jacob" (Amos 6:8; 8:7); "The high places of Isaac" (Amos 7:9); "The house of Isaac" (Amos 7:16); "He that createth the wind" (Amos 4:13). Quoted, Acts 7:42.

“Tekoa” means a stockade

A town in the tribe of Judah. (2 Chronicles 11:6) on the range of hills which rise near Hebron and stretch eastward toward the Dead Sea. Jerome says that Tekoa was six Roman miles from Bethlehem, and that as he wrote he had that village daily before his eyes. The "wise woman" whom Joab employed to effect a reconciliation between David and Absalom was obtained from this place. (2 Samuel 14:2) Here also Ira the son of Ikkesh, one of David's thirty, "the mighty men," was born, and was called on that account "the Tekoite," (2 Samuel 23:26) It was one of the places which Rehoboam fortified, at the beginning of his reign, as a defence against invasion from the south. (2 Chronicles 11:6) Some of the people from Tekoa took part in building the walls of Jerusalem, after the return from the captivity. (Nehemiah 3:6,27) In (Jeremiah 6:1) the prophet exclaims, "Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem." But Tekoa is chiefly memorable as the birthplace (Amos 7:14) of the prophet Amos. Tekoa is still as Teku'a. It lies on an elevated hill, which spreads itself out into an irregular plain of moderate extent. Various ruins exist, such as the walls of houses, cisterns, broken columns and heaps of building-stones.

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

SOURCE: Smith's Bible Dictionary: All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

Smith’s Bible Dictionary

“Edom, Idumaea” means red

Edom, Idumaea: The name Edom was given to Esau, the first-born son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob, when he sold his birthright to the latter for a meal of lentil pottage. The country which the Lord subsequently gave to Esau was hence called "the country of Edom," (Genesis 32:3) and his descendants were called Edomites. Edom was called Mount Seir and Idumea also. Edom was wholly a mountainous country. It embraced the narrow mountainous tract (about 100 miles long by 20 broad) extending along the eastern side of the Arabah from the northern end of the Gulf of Elath to near the southern end of the Dead Sea. The ancient capital of Edom was Bozrah (Buseireh). Sela (Petra) appears to have been the principal stronghold in the days of Amaziah (B.C. 838). (2 Kings 14:7) Elath and Ezion-geber were the seaports. (2 Samuel 8:14; 1 Kings 9:26) History. --Esau's bitter hatred to his brother Jacob for fraudulently obtaining his blessing appears to have been inherited by his latest posterity. The Edomites peremptorily refused to permit the Israelites to pass through their land. (Numbers 20:18-21) For a period of 400 years we hear no more of the Edomites. They were then attacked and defeated by Saul, (1 Samuel 14:47) and some forty years later by David. (2 Samuel 8:13,14) In the reign of Jehoshaphat (B.c. 914) the Edomites attempted to invade Israel, but failed. (2 Chronicles 20:22) They joined Nebuchadnezzar when that king besieged Jerusalem. For their cruelty at this time they were fearfully denounced by the later prophets. (Isaiah 34:5-8; 63:1-4; Jeremiah 49:17) After this they settled in southern Palestine, and for more than four centuries continued to prosper. But during the warlike rule of the Maccabees they were again completely subdued, and even forced to conform to Jewish laws and rites, and submit to the government of Jewish prefects. The Edomites were now incorporated with the Jewish nation. They were idolaters. (2 Chronicles 25:14,15,20) Their habits were singular. The Horites, their predecessors in Mount Seir, were, as their name implies, troglodytes , or dwellers in caves; and the Edomites seem to have adopted their dwellings as well as their country. Everywhere we meet with caves and grottos hewn in the soft sandstone strata.

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SOURCE: Smith's Bible Dictionary:
All versions of the Bible available on Christ Notes — including the King James Version — are in the Public Domain in the United States, meaning that no one owns the copyright to them. Thus, feel free to print, download, or otherwise distribute any part of the them. http://www.christnotes.org/help.php?topic=Permissions

JOEL, THE DAY OF OUR GOD

When we read Joel, we find several reasons for the writing of this Book. The locust, looks like a grasshopper, had destroyed the land along with drought. They were like an army, darkening the sky, eating every green thing in their path. Joel mentions 4 different names for the locust, or different stages of growth. The army of locusts is a reference to the coming day of our Lord. He gets the people to fall on their knees in repentance, and promises that if they obey God, the land would be restored to its former fruitfulness. God heard their pleas, made a covenant that the Spirit of the God would sent a period of universal peace and the people will overcome their foes. These locusts could be the ones in Revelation 9:1-11.

Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32 in Acts 2:17-21 on the day of Pentecost. The day of the Lord, is partially fulfilled by Holy Ghost manifesting Himself at Penecost. The predictions of Joel were partly fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, in the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, other parts are yet to be fulfilled, that is when Jesus returns on clouds of glory. What is in men's heart will tell how they will handle this day.

When Simon Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32, means that God had intended it to show the coming of the Gospel era. It would be day of judgement for the people (3:1-12). To Joel, it was the enemy nations of his time, Sidonians, Philistines, Egyptians, and the Edomites (3:4 &19). Joel 3:18, mountain flowing from the house of God, 3:9-12, the great battle in the valley of Jehosaphat (a valley of Kidron on the east side of Jerusalem) is a connection with the harvest, 3:14, the valley of decision, God uttering his voice from Jerusalem, 3:16, seems to be a picture of the coming of Jesus and the Holy Ghost influence would be given to all mankind, is representing the sickle that will be used in the grand harvest of souls.

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible, H H Halley's Bible Handbook

JOEL: JEHOVAH IS HIS GOD

God had chosen David and his people to be the rulers of Israel. But they took it upon themselves to depart from God's choice, deciding instead to chose their own kings after their wicked hearts.

The Hebrew name Yoel means "Yahweh, or Jehovah, is God." Like the name "Micah", it may mean that the parents made a confession of faith .

Joel (3:13-14) is like Zephaniah, a book of the coming judgement and also like Revelation, the earth's harvest (Revelation 15:15-16).

The second of the twelve minor prophets. Son of Pethuel. Only known personal history is recorded in this Book.

The son of Pedaiah (IChronicles 27:20), and a chief of the half-tribe of Manasseh west of Jordan, in the reign of David (B.C. 1014). The second of the twelve minor prophets, the son of Pethuel, probably prophesied in Judah in the reign of Uzziah, about B.C. 800. The book of Joel contains a grand outline of the whole terrible scene, which was to be depicted more and more in detail by subsequent prophets. The proximate event to which the prophecy related was a public calamity, then impending on Judah, of a two-plague of locusts --and continuing for several years. The prophet exhorts the people to turn to God with penitence, fasting and prayer; and then, he says, the plague shall cease, and the rain descendent in its season, and the land yield her accustomed fruit. Nay, the time will be a most joyful one; for God, by the outpouring of his Spirit, will extend the blessings of true religion to heathen lands. The prophecy is referred to in Acts 2.

There are thirteen other "Joel's" in the Old Testament, this prophet can't be identified with any of them. His message is mainly related with Jerusalem and Judah. As seen in these scriptures: "Zion," 2:1, 15 & 32, "children of Zion," 2:23, "Judah" and "Jerusalem," 2:32; 3:1, 16, 17, 18 & 20, "children of Judah" and "Jerusalem, 3:6, 8 & 19, he was a resident of Jerusalem. He knows a lot about the temple, 1:9-17, along with the personnel and services,2:14 & 17. But the way he tears the priests the apart indicates he was not among their class.

Joel, the book, does not give a time frame. The time is generally accepted as either being during the time of Joash (about 830 B.C.) or during Uzziah's reign (about 750 B.C.). This book is considered to be one of the earliest of the prophets of Judah.

As often happens, scholars aren't in agreement over the date of the writings of Joel. There are two main suggestions for the date. The first, early date during the reign of Joash or Jehoash in Judah, about 830 B.C. About 400 B.C., during the Persian period, a post-Exilic date. There are reasonable thoughts to suggest a later date. There is no mention of a ruling king in the title verse, 1:1 as there is in other pre-Exilic prophets. Samaria, the Northern Kingdom, is not mentioned, which probably means it has long been extinct. Israel is used for Judah by Joel, which would not have been done by any pre-Exilic prophet. That was a term used only for the ten northern tribes prior to 722 B.C., the fall of Samaria. In the post-Exilic society the priests were the leaders and not kings or nobles. Chapter 3:1, 2 & 17, Joel indicates the captivity had already happened.

As for this the second suggestion, the leadership of the priests instead of the kings and nobles are due to Jehoiada the high priest ruling the boy king, Joash. No mention of Samaria, above, doesn't have a great meaning, because Joel wasn't all that concerned with what was going on with the Northern Kingdom. Israel could be used for Judah as the rightful heir of the spiritual blessings of Jacob. Chapter 3:1 bring back the captivity, is simply saying "restore the fortune." There is nothing in Joel 3 that would not fit pre-Exilic times. Obadiah described the same events as stated in Joel 3.

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible, H H Halley's Bible Handbook, Smith's Bible Dictionary, Easton's Bible Dictionary

HOSEA, GOD STILL LOVES THEM AND US

HOSEA, GOD STILL LOVES THEM AND US

Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14:

Chapter 9:
Verse 1, Israel was not to have the joy, they had gone a whoring from they God, loved a reward upon every cornfloor. Verse 3, Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. This may not mean that they actually went to Egypt but was in Egypt like bondage. Many of the Jews did settle in Egypt after the captivity. Verse 6, they are gone because of destruction, Egypt shall gather them up and Memphis shall bury them, nettles shall posses their silver, thorns shall be in their tabernacles. Verse 7-8, sounds like these verses are referring to the way the people thought of Hosea. Verse 9, as in the days of Gibeah, they were deeply corrupted (a must read.. Judges 19: 22-30...a woman was molested all night long...read the rest to see what happened to her...even tho it wasn't even her fault). Verse 17, My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him; and the shall be wanderers among the nations. The Jews wanderings began in Hosea's life time and has continued down even to today.

Chapter 10:
Verse's 1-4, Israel is an empty vine, Their heart is divided, they have no king, because they didn't fear the Lord, spoken words, swearing falsely. Verse 5, The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven (calf idols). Verse 8, the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us and to the hills, Fall on us. Verse 11, Ephraim is as a heifer. Verse's 12-14, Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy. Ye have plowed wickedness. Therefore shall a tumult arise among they people. Verse 15, in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

Chapter 11:
Verse 1, going out of Egypt, this statement is quoted in Matthew 2:15 as to when Jesus' parents fled to Egypt. The Messianic Nation had to leave Egypt in its childhood, so did Jesus when He was a child. Verse 7, as the were bent on backsliding from God, His heart was yearning for them.

Chapter 12:
Verse 2, Israel's lying diplomacy, making secret agreements with Assyria and Egypt, one against the other, would naturally bring disaster. Verse 4, the center of their horrible idolatry was on the very spot where their father Jacob had dedicated his life to God (Genesis 28:13-15).

Chapter 13:
Verse 1, by adding Baal worship to calf worship, under Ahab brought national death.

Chapter 14:
Verse 2:14-20, Israel shall return to God. Jehovah's wayward bride shall return to her husband, and again respond to His love, as in the day's of her youth. These four things are what Hosea is about: Israel's idolatry, her wickedness, her captivity and her restoration.

Hosea had a filthy mess as is in found anywhere in the Bible. The utter beastly degradation of the people was simply unbelievable. But Hosea never gave up. He kept right on laboring unceasingly to make them understand that God still loved them.

Most of our Bible believing, God fearing Preachers and in some cases family and friends, yes even sometimes people we don't even know are laboring unceasingly to make us understand that God still loves us. I fully believe our World today is getting in just as filthy as Israel was. Haven't we just about reached utter degradation? Has money become an idol to a lot of people? What we need to do is check our own lives and see what we have set us idol's. Some of us might not be too happy with what we found there.

God's blessing to each of you,
LJG

Sources: Kings James Bible, H H Halley's Bible Handbook, Smith's Bible Dictionary, Easton's Bible Dictionary.