Introduction
“Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Saviour; There is none besides Me.” Isaiah 45:21
“To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike?...” “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’” Isaiah 46: 5, 9-10.
I believe it is really important that to understand and appreciate the Bible, one has to have a sense of the land and the culture from which it sprang and it was why I have titled this post Understanding the Bible. For the bible is full of history, that takes my breath for time and time again it confirms the accuracy of God’s Word when delving into ancient history through the awesome work archaeologists have uncovered. And now with modern technology we can go behind the scenes as archaeologists unearth more in Ancient Jerusalem like the City of David, read the latest press releases from Israel or watch countless videos about the land and the people of Israel on YouTube, like the fantastic channel of Sergio and Rhonda covering biblical sites.
Since Spring 2018, when I first started drafting this post, I have spent a great deal of time researching and I soon realised that it had to be an ongoing project, which is why I published other posts in between. Since then, one of the many amazing things that has happened to me is the way information came to me by accident, or maybe not, whether historical or from the bible. I can only liken it to when recently I was forced to confront the truth that I needed new glasses! The Opticians I was referred to is 10 mins walk from where I live – in the High Street I shop frequently. I was so convinced that it must be hidden in some obscure place that I consulted my mobile for direction, and I would have missed it completely if I hadn't looked up at just the right moment. I was so surprised to learn that they have been located at the same spot for many years, few yards away and on the same side of the street from the supermarket I go to regularly. It reminds of how we read the scriptures over and over again and suddenly pow! And you find yourself saying I never noticed that before!
I hope and pray that as you read these posts you will be enriched and that it will encourage you to study and read the Word of the Living God and, if you are not a Christian, that you will be convicted by the Holy Spirit to believe the Way, the Truth and the Life that is Jesus Christ.
With that in mind, I want to delve into the history of Israel relating to the exiles, the gentile empires, the time of Jesus and up to the present day.