2500 year old Judah soldiers handwriting discovery confirms Gods word is true

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Israeli archaeologist Prof. Ehud Netzer displays the shard from a 2,000-year-old amphora bearing the name of “Herod the Great, King of Judea” July 9. The unique ceramic shard, found during a recent archaeological dig on the ancient desert fortress of Masada, came from a large amphora used for shipping Italian wine to the king who ruled the holy land at the time of Jesus’ birth.

2500 years old pottery
The discovery in question refers to findings posted in April by Israel’s Tel Aviv University, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which demonstrates that it was not only the elites who could read.

“We’re dealing with really low-level soldiers in a remote place who can write,” said Israel Finkelstein, an archaeologist and biblical scholar at Tel Aviv University. “So there must have been some sort of educational system in Judah at that time.”

Finkelstein suggested that what this discovery means is that people in the kingdom had the capacity to write and put together parts of the Old Testament even earlier than it was believed.

“There’s a heated discussion regarding the timing of the composition of a critical mass of biblical texts, but to answer this, one must ask a broader question: What were the literacy rates in Judah at the end of the First Temple period? And what were the literacy rates later on?” the researcher elaborated.

The Bible states in Genesis 5:1, that Adam, the first man in the Bible, had the ability to speak and write.

The Israelites were commanded to write the commands of the Lord on their door posts and bind them on their hands and foreheads (Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:18–20), if they could not read or write, what would be the point of these commands?

Most conservative biblical scholars who start with God’s Word believe the Old Testament record that the books were written by the persons associated with them or those who claim to have written them. They also accept that these books were written during the time period they claim to have been written in (e.g., the prophet Isaiah during the reigns of the pre-exilic kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah). If these books were not written until decades or even centuries after the events happened, the historicity, accuracy, and infallibility of the texts are called into question since they claim to have been written much earlier.

The pottery shards discovery in Judah, supports the accuracy of God’s Word, because it shows that Israelites were more literate than many scholars believe.

“If history has taught anything, it’s that eventually research and science will confirm Scripture. We have an imperfect and incomplete understanding of history and science, but God’s Word was ultimately written by the God who was there and who never lies (Titus 1:2),” the article added.

 

WHAT GOD IS DOING WITH THE GATHERINGS

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A report prepared by Pastor Ron Sawka of Arise 5

Unlike a conference with pre-determined speakers and pre-set teachings, in a Gathering believers answer a call from the Lord to come together to worship and wait on Him. These Gatherings (Gathering in His Presence) happen and  people come from all over because they feel led to attend. Perhaps the biggest component is the presence of God. It’s like Moses who said, “Lord, if You don’t go with us, then I don’t want to go” (Exod. 33:15, paraphrased). So, we gather because we feel led to. We worship and bless the Lord and then watch and obey as He leads.

For me, this walking together with others in the Gatherings began after the March 2011 Tsunami in Japan. One of the first things the Lord told me was to attend the Gathering/Homecoming in Hong Kong that July. Teddy and I attended, and I got the understanding that somehow He would use the Gathering to bring breakthrough in Japan.

This year, the Lord called us to have three large Gatherings. The first was at Kobe, Japan, in May. The theme the Lord gave us was that He was opening the gates (Ps. 24), and that these were gates of harvest—not just in Japan, but in every nation.

The second was in Hong Kong in July, and the theme was alignment. The scripture the Lord gave was Exodus 12:41. When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He brought them out as the “armies of the Lord.” They were aligned and organized. The Lord has been preparing the nations, and now they are aligned. Because of this, there is great authority for the advance of the kingdom of God.

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isa. 43:18–19).

This time in Munich, the key verse was Isaiah 43:18–19, and the theme was how He is doing a new thing. He is releasing His water of blessing for the kingdom of God to spread throughout the earth. Not just rains from heaven—and thus rivers flowing—but also water springing up from the deep. It’s like tectonic plates under the earth are shifting and the underground and ancient water is coming up. Furthermore, the wells of salvation (Isa. 12:3) from earlier generations are also being reopened. It was no mistake that God had us meet in Germany, the land from which the first Reformation came. It was also prophesied that the wells of the Moravians (the group that began to take the gospel from Europe to almost every nation) are now being opened again. Those wells are being reopened, as are older wells—even those going all the way back to the early church are opening up.

There were many specific things that happened, some of which are as follows:

  • Israeli believers forgave Germany and blessed them. These two “father nations” are now arising to bless other countries.
  • As a prophetic act, Jewish believers blessed the Arab believers, knowing that Israel must first bless them (Ishmael came first [Gen. 16–17]) in order for themselves to be blessed.
  • This blessing will result in a great breaking off of the orphan spirit that hinders so many believers worldwide. On Tuesday afternoon, the Lord showed us that it was time for the spirit of fatherlessness to be removed and that He was doing it. (Note: Feeling of fatherlessness and the orphan spirit often come about because of antisemitism. Thus, part of the solution has been the healing for Israel to now be able to forgive and to bless others.)
  • There is a new fire of God being released in His people and giving birth to a youth movement in every nation.

The main point is that God has brought us to a new place and time, and that He is doing a new thing. He doesn’t want us to focus on old things, but know that He is releasing vast wells of salvation. He wants us to know and see it.

Several representatives of Watchmen for the Nations who organize the Gatherings, visited Australia in July, 2015  (Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne). A tentative time, place and name for a Gathering has been prayerfully submitted to Watchmen for the Nations. Please pray, God will show Watchmen for the Nations, His will in this matter.

A Palestinian, now Israeli diplomat provides understanding and hope

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This young man’s story sheds immense light on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and the only possible solution. It gave me fresh insight and hope. It is a 30 minute presentation, but once you start, you will watch it to the end. A must see video.

 

Iraqui Jihadist declares a new Caliphate

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Alleged ISIL leader appears in video footageJihadist map of Muslim Caliphate

 

On Friday, July 4th, a 42-year-old Iraqi Jihadist leader who fights under the name Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi appeared in a mosque in the city of Mosul, which his group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) had seized weeks earlier, along with swathes of Iraq and Syria. Al-Baghdadi, dressed in long black robes delivered a sermon announcing that he would henceforth be known as Caliph Ibrahim, emir of the faithful in the Islamic state.

A caliphate is an Islamic state – and then some. In theory, a caliphate is more than just a country that happens to be officially Muslim; it is supposed to encompass every Muslim on earth. The last time that sort of caliphate existed was many centuries ago. But the word caliphate still evokes the idea of a glorious and unified Islamic civilization.

What does a caliph do, exactly?

Originally, the caliph was the person who took over Mohammed’s (1) rule over the unified Islamic state and (2) responsibility for all Muslims. Over the next seven hundred years, Mohammed’s memory obviously faded, but those remained the two defining responsibilities: rule over a unified Islamic state and bear responsibility for the community of all Muslims, or the ummah.

The present-day Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in declaring himself a caliph and his terrorist mini-state a caliphate, is communicating that he believes he is fighting on behalf of all Muslims worldwide (he does not count Shia Muslims in this, only Sunnis) and that he is the representative of God on earth. He is also sort of suggesting a desire to continue ISIS’s advance until he has conquered all Muslim-majority lands, which is an aspiration that’s hinted at frequently in jihadist maps of a unified Islamic empire – see map above.

Could this man lead the armies in the battle of Gog and Magog referred to in Ezekiel 38 & 39 which occurs about the middle of The Tribulation?

IS THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST NEAR?

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You need to watch this video and hear what Joel Richardson has to say. Can’t say I am enamoured with Sid Roth but the video produced by Iran on the ‘Return of the Mahdi’ is startling and Joel’s comparison with the Biblical Anti Christ compelling.