Fascinating Trivia (People,
Biblical & Miscellaneous)
Spotless Lambs & Manger Location
Livestock feeding troughs (mangers) in the time of Jesus were
made out of stone. The manger in
which the baby Jesus was placed was located in a specialized
livestock area that was used only for raising spotless and
perfect lambs for sacrificial purposes. The tower of Eder,
mentioned in the Bible, was a place where sacrificial lambs were
raised for the temple.
Amazing Timing at Crucifixion
In the Jewish temple, two sacrificial lambs were placed on the
altar each day, always one at 9am and one at 3pm.
Interestingly, Jesus (Yeshua) was crucified at 9am and gave up
the ghost on the cross at 3pm.
King David:
In 1993, an inscription was discovered commemorating
the victory of the king of Damascus over the house of David.
Ancient Cities Today – Smyrna
Town of ancient Smyrna in Asia Minor in Bible times (Rev 1:11)
is called Izmir today and is in Turkey. It is a port city on the
Mediterranean Sea. The Persians founded Smyrna during the reign
of king Darius. In about 334 BC, after being dormant for a
while, Alexander the Great revived the town.
Ancient Cities Today – Babylon
In about 1840, a German archeologist discovered the city of
Babylon (56 miles in circumference) and the palace of
Nebuchadnezzar. Before his fall, Saddam Hussein was
restoring that palace and rebuilding parts of the city including
the temple. During the Iraq war, some of the U.S. military
had been housed in that location.
Archeology Find in Greece – Corinth:
In 1929, evidence of
apostle Paul's visit to the people of Greece and Corinth was
found when an interesting stone was uncovered.
Archeologists discovered a 1st century AD pavement stone in
Corinth that can still be viewed today. It contains the
following inscription:
"Erastus in return for the office of
public works commissioner laid this pavement at his own
expense."
Erastus is mentioned three times in the New Testament. In
Romans 16:23 (KJV): Gaius mine host, and of the whole church,
saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you,
and Quartus a brother. In the ASV & AMP Bibles
"chamberlain" is translated as "city treasurer." Erastus
is also mentioned in Acts 19:22 and 2 Timothy 4:20.
Verbatim
The
word “Verbatim” refers to the word-for-word method of recording
events as they happened, and was developed by the Roman slave
Tiro, a slave of Cicero. He used a symbol (the @ symbol) that is
used today in all email addresses. Since this verbatim method of
recording events word-for-word was used during the Roman empire
era, many events could have been recorded accurately using this
method, like the extraordinary martyrdom of Polycarp, for
example.
King David
In 1993, an inscription was discovered commemorating the
victory of the king of Damascus over the house of David.
Oldest Tree 4300 Years Old
The
oldest tree ever found, thus far, is 4300 yrs old. Isn't it is
interesting that 4300 years age is very comparable with the
estimate of the Great Flood occurring about 4400 years ago.
Why Were Abraham and Sarah’s Names
Changed?
Why
was Sarai’s name changed to Sarah and Abram’s name changed to
Abraham? All Hebrew alphabet letters are also pictures and have
meanings. The “h” in the Hebrew alphabet (#5
in the table on the archeology page, pronounced "hey") means
“grace.” They both received grace from the Lord, replacing their
works with his grace. (re: Their works resulting in a baby born
of a servant/bondswoman, whereas Isaac was born out of grace).
Interestingly, the Hebrew letter lexicon representing the “i” at
the end of Sarai’s original name is a picture of a hand and
means “works” – works by the hand.
The Harvest Theme & Prophecy
The
Feast of Tabernacles (or Festival of Ingathering) and the
Harvest theme: A week of observances/celebration. This could
very well provide a clue to the order in which the rapture and
great tribulation will occur, because Bible prophecy often
involves 1 day meaning 1 year in terms of prophecy timing.
Therefore, 7 days may refer to the 7 years of Great Tribulation.
As a result, the rapture “harvest of souls” could precede the
Great Tribulation.
Calendar Trivia & 7th Millennium
There was an error introduced into the Hebrew calendar – most
say purposely, resulting in that calendar being behind by 230
years (other accounts 240 years), resulting in 6,000+ calendar
years passing instead of 5,771+. The “Great Sabbath” refers to
the 7th millennium, or 7th period of 1,000 years. Therefore, we
have already entered the 7th millennium and are essentially on
“borrowed time” awaiting the rapture and Jesus’ second coming.
1917 to 1967 – Exactly a Span of a Jubilee
In
1917, Jerusalem was liberated from Turkish rule by Britain. In
1967, Jerusalem was finally back in Israel's hands after the
Six-Day War. The Bible proclaims that after each period of 7
times 7 years (49 years) the following year (50th year) is
proclaimed a Jubilee year (Lev 25:8-10, 13), with the
shofar/"trumpet" sounding on the
10th Day of the month of
Tishri. In a Jubilee year, lands are returned to their
original owners. So, it seems very interesting that
Jerusalem was back in Israel's hands in the 50th year after
1917. In 1917, British General Allenby's planes flew over
Jerusalem and dropped leaflets that said to surrender over the
Turkish-held Jerusalem, and they surrendered without bloodshed.
The
50th Jubilee year is also the 1st year towards counting the next
49 years. So, if one added 49 years from the previous Year
#49 (1966) that gives us the year 2015; thus a Jubilee span
could be celebrated in 2016. Since we are living in the
end times, maybe we could look forward to a great celebration by
2016? Only time will tell. But, interesting food for
thought. We will not know the exact hour or day, but we
were told to be watchful of the general time frame...........
Little Known Historical Details –
Pontius Pilate Proceedings with Jesus
According to the historical records of Nicodemus, the following
occurred when Jesus was brought to Pilate by the chief priests
and scribes and many of the Jews:
.......They say to him, We do not say that he is a king, but he
saith he is one. And Pilate having called the officer saith to
him, Let Jesus be brought with gentleness. And the officer went
out and, having recognized him, worshiped him, and taking a
scarf in his hand spread it on the ground, and said to him,
Lord, walk here, and come in, for the governor calleth three.
And the Jews seeing what the officer did cried out against
Pilate, saying, Why didst thou not order him by a crier to come
in, rather than by an officer? For when the officer saw him he
worshiped him, and spread his scarf on the ground and made him
walk on it like a king.
And Pilate
called the officer and said to him, Why hast thou done this, and
spread thy scarf on the ground and made Jesus walk upon it? The
officer saith to him, My lord governor, When thou sentest me to
Jerusalem to Alexander, I saw Him sitting on an ass, and the
children of the Hebrews held boughs in their hands and cried
out, and others spread out their garments, saying, Save now,
thou who art in the highest: blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord.
The Jews cried
out, and said to the officer, The children of the Hebrews cried
out in Hebrew; whence has thou the Greek? The officer saith to
them, I asked on of the Jews and said, What is that they cry out
in Hebrew? And he explained to me. Pilate saith to them, How did
they cry out in Hebrew? The Jews said to him, Hosanna membrome,
barouchamma Adonai. Pilate saith to them, And how is Hosanna and
the rest interpreted?> The Jews say unto him, Save now, thou
that art in the highest: Blessed is he that cometh in the name
of the Lord. Pilate saith to them, If ye bear witness that these
words were spoken by the children, how hath the officer done
wrong? And they were silent. The governor saith to the officer,
Go and bring him in what manner thou wilt. And the officer went
out and did the same as before, and said to Jesus, Lord, enter,
the governor calleth thee.
And when
Jesus entered, and the standard-bearers holding the standards
(i.e. flag, banner), the tops of the standards bowed down and
worshiped Jesus. And when the Jews saw the manner of the
standards, how they bowed down and worshiped Jesus, they cried
out exceedingly against the standard-bearers. And Pilate said to
the Jews, Do ye not marvel how the banners bowed down and
worshiped Jesus? The Jews said to Pilate, We saw how the
standard-bearers bowed down and worshiped him. And the governor
called the standard-bearers and said to them, Why did ye do so?
They said to Pilate, We are Greeks and wait upon the gods, how
could we worship him? but as we were holding the banners they
bowed down of themselves an worshiped him.
Pilate said to the chiefs of the synagogues and the elders of
the people, Choose ye strong and powerful men, and let them hold
the standards, and let us see if they bow down of themselves.
And the elder of the Jews took twelve strong and powerful men,
and made six together hold the standards, and they stood before
the judgment-seat of the governor. And Pilate saith to the
officer, Take him out of the praetorium, and bring him in again
in what manner thou wilt. And Jesus and the officer went out of
the praetorium. And Pilate called those who before held the
banners, and saith to them, I have sworn by the salvation of
Caesar that if the standards do not bow down when Jesus entereth
I will cut off your heads. And the governor gave order the
second time that Jesus should come in. And the officer did the
same as before, and earnestly entreated Jesus to tread upon his
scarf. And be trod on it, and came in. And as he entered the
standards bowed down again and worshiped Jesus.
And when Pilate saw it he was afraid and sought to rise up from
the judgment-seat. And while it was yet in his mind to rise his
wife sent to him, saying, Have nothing to do with this just
man.............
Pilate's Letter to Herod
Excerpt from a historical letter to Herod from Pilate after
Jesus had risen:
................Now when Procla, my wife, heard that Jesus was
risen, and had appeared in Galilee, she took with her Longinus
the centurion and twelve soldiers, the same that had watched at
the sepulcher, and went to greet the face of Christ, as if to a
great spectacle, and saw Him with His disciples.
n Now while they were standing, and wondering, and gazing
at Him, He looked at them, and said to them, What is it? Do ye
believe in Me? Procla, know that in the covenant which God gave
to the fathers, it is said that everyone which had perished
should live by means of my death, which ye have seen. And now,
ye see that I live, whom ye crucified. And I suffered many
things, till that I was laid in the sepulcher. But now, hear Me,
and believe in My Father — God who is in Me. for I loosed the
cords of death, and brake the gates of Sheol; and My coming
shall be hereafter.
And when Procla
my wife and the Romans heard these things, they came and told
me, weeping; for they also were against Him, when they devised
the evils which they had done unto Him. so that, I also was on
the couch of my bed in affliction, and put on a garment of
mourning, and took unto me fifty Romans with my wife and went
into Galilee.
And when I was going
in the way I testified these things; that Herod did these things
by me, that he took counsel with me, and constrained me to arm
my hands against Him, and to judge Him that judgeth all, and to
scourge the Just One, Lord of the just. And when we drew nigh to
Him, O Herod, a great voice was heard from heaven, and dreadful
thunder, and the earth trembled, and gave forth a sweet smell,
like unto which was never perceived even in the temple of
Jerusalem. Now while I stood in the way, our Lord saw me as He
stood and talked with His disciples. But I prayed in my heart,
for I knew that it was He whom ye delivered unto me, that He was
lord of created things and Creator of all. But we, when we saw
Him, all of us fell upon our faces before His feet. And I said
with a loud voice, I have sinned, O Lord, in that I sat and
judged Thee, who avengest all in truth. And lo, I know that Thou
art God, the Son of God, and I beheld Thy humanity and not Thy
divinity. But Herod, with the children of Israel, constrained me
to do evil unto Thee. Have pity, therefore, upon me, O God of
Israel!
And my wife, in great
anguish, said, God of heaven and of earth, God of Israel, reward
me not according to the deeds of Pontius Pilate, nor according
to the will of the children of Israel, nor according to the
thought of the sons of the priests; but remember my husband in
Thy glory!
Now our Lord drew near
and raised up me and my wife, and the Romans; and I looked at
Him and saw there were on Him the scars of His cross. And He
said, That which all the righteous father hoped to receive, and
saw not — in thy time of the Lord of Time, the Son of Man, the
Son of the Most High. who is forever, arose from the dead, and
is glorified on high by all that He created, and established
forever and ever.
Pilate's Last Words:
According to the historical records of the trial and
condemnation of Pilate by Caesar, the following are the last
words by Pilate and his wife, Procla. Caesar commanded the
beheading of Pilate, saying As he laid hands upon the just man,
that is called Christ, he also shall fall in like manner, and
find no deliverance.
And when Pilate
came to the place he prayed in silence, saying O Lord, destroy
not me with the wicked Hebrews, for I should not have laid hands
upon thee, but for the nation of lawless Jews, because they
provoked sedition against me: but thou knowest that I did it in
ignorance. Destroy me not, therefore, for this my sin, nor be
mindful of the evil that is in me, O Lord, and in thy servant
Procla who standeth with me in this the hour of my death, whom
thou taughtest to prophesy that thou must be nailed to the
cross. D not punish her too in my sin, but forgive us, and
number us in the portion of they just ones. And behold, when
Pilate had finished his prayer, there came a voice from heaven,
saying All generations and the families of the Gentiles shall
call thee blessed, because under thee were fulfilled all these
things that were spoken by the prophets concerning me; and thou
thyself must appear as my witness at my second coming, when I
shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel, and them that have not
confessed my name. And the head of Pilate was cut off, and
behold an angel of the Lord received it. And when his wife
Procla saw the angel coming and received his head, she also,
being filled with joy, forthwith gave up the ghost, and was
buried with her husband.
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