884. The red fox, an animal we regard as exceedingly clever, won no praise from Solomon. Every reference to it in the Bible is contemptuous. Because they scavenged like wild dogs and hyenas, in the Israelite cities foxes were killed quickly. They feed on almost anything: rodents, eggs, insects, and grass. They even eat fruit, which may explain Solomon's reference to "the little foxes that ruin the vineyards" (Song of Sol. 2:15).
885. Pigs were unclean and not domesticated by the Hebrews. They are mentioned, but the references are always negative. Jesus drew demons into a herd of pigs, and the prodigal son who squanders everything and ends up tending to pigs has reached the very lowest level of employment.
886. Ravens and crows were common birds. The raven was the first bird to leave the ark (Gen. 8:6-7). Elijah was fed by ravens while he was hiding from enemies (1 Kings 17:6).
887. The ostrich was abundant in the Arabian Desert in Job's time, but it became extinct there during World War II. Job paints a vivid word picture of the ostrich in chapter 39 (vv. 13-17).
888. The crane is tall and stately with a wingspan of about eight feet. It is the largest migrating bird to fly over the Holy Land. Its mass flights are dramatic because the birds number in the thousands, and also because they make a trumpeting sound that fills the air. One of the loudest sounds made by any bird, it is produced by the crane's extremely long windpipe, which is coiled like a French horn.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Saturday, November 28, 2015
The Animal Kingdom V
879. The bear is given little mention in the Bible. However, they were perhaps feared more than lions (Amos 5:19). Researchers believe the references are to the Syrian brown bear, a species found today in certain parts of the Bible region. The young children who mocked Elisha because of his baldness were eaten by bears.
880. Behemoth...or hippopotamus? In a long series of verses in chapter 40 of the Book of Job, the main character describes an animal he calls a "behemoth," but it is vey likely a hippopotamus. Hippopotami may have inhabited the Jordan Valley in Biblical times, although none are found there now. The Hebrews knew them in Egypt, and it is even possible that Job's behemoth is derived from the Egyptian name for this animal-pehemau, which means "ox of the water."
881. An unknown beast. Job goes to great length (thirty-four verses in chapter 41) identifying the "leviathan." Commentators on the Bible disagree as to whether the leviathan was a crocodile, a whale, or even some mythical animal. Most likely Job had in mind a crocodile, although his description includes fire spouting from its mouth.
882. The "beasts of the earth" that Jeremiah said would appear after the destruction of Judah probably referred to wild dogs and hyenas. Today dogs are known as "man's best friend," but during Biblical times packs of snarling dogs foraged through the city streets and even dug up corpses to feed on them. When Jezebel's body was eaten by dogs after her death, it was a sign of utter humiliation.
883. The striped hyena is found in the Holy Land and was the most feared and detested of the animal kingdom in the ancient world, due to its habit of digging up graves. The only people who did not hold this strong aversion to hyenas were the Egyptians, who domesticated them for a source of food. Young hyenas are easy to tame and quickly become attached to their masters.
880. Behemoth...or hippopotamus? In a long series of verses in chapter 40 of the Book of Job, the main character describes an animal he calls a "behemoth," but it is vey likely a hippopotamus. Hippopotami may have inhabited the Jordan Valley in Biblical times, although none are found there now. The Hebrews knew them in Egypt, and it is even possible that Job's behemoth is derived from the Egyptian name for this animal-pehemau, which means "ox of the water."
881. An unknown beast. Job goes to great length (thirty-four verses in chapter 41) identifying the "leviathan." Commentators on the Bible disagree as to whether the leviathan was a crocodile, a whale, or even some mythical animal. Most likely Job had in mind a crocodile, although his description includes fire spouting from its mouth.
882. The "beasts of the earth" that Jeremiah said would appear after the destruction of Judah probably referred to wild dogs and hyenas. Today dogs are known as "man's best friend," but during Biblical times packs of snarling dogs foraged through the city streets and even dug up corpses to feed on them. When Jezebel's body was eaten by dogs after her death, it was a sign of utter humiliation.
883. The striped hyena is found in the Holy Land and was the most feared and detested of the animal kingdom in the ancient world, due to its habit of digging up graves. The only people who did not hold this strong aversion to hyenas were the Egyptians, who domesticated them for a source of food. Young hyenas are easy to tame and quickly become attached to their masters.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
The Animal Kingdom lV
874. It is completely untrue that a camel has a special sense of direction in the trackless desert. In fact camels easily lose their way and often become separated from the rest of the caravans.
875. Locusts are insects, the most-mentioned insect in the whole Bible. They destroy crops and plague people. They were one of the plagues sent upon Egypt by God before pharaoh let His people go out of the land. Some think they were permitted as food, however, because John the Baptist ate locusts and honey while staying in the wilderness (Mark 1:6).
876. Insects such as ants and honeybees were well-respected in the Bible. Ants are busy animals and work hard to stay organized; Proverbs rewards the ant by giving it a place in Scripture. Honey was a special commodity in the Middle East, and honeybees were prized.
877. Flies, fleas, and gnats (also translated "lice") were disliked strongly and could also carry disease. As in modern times, such insects were greatly unappreciated. They were a plague that descended on Egypt when pharaoh remained stubborn about letting the Israelites leave.
878. Lions were kept by royalty and remain a sign of wealth and power. The regal beasts were a common enough animal in the Old Testament, but they have since become extinct in the Middle East. Killing a lion was a sign of great strength, as evidenced by David and Samson when they slew the majestic beasts.
875. Locusts are insects, the most-mentioned insect in the whole Bible. They destroy crops and plague people. They were one of the plagues sent upon Egypt by God before pharaoh let His people go out of the land. Some think they were permitted as food, however, because John the Baptist ate locusts and honey while staying in the wilderness (Mark 1:6).
876. Insects such as ants and honeybees were well-respected in the Bible. Ants are busy animals and work hard to stay organized; Proverbs rewards the ant by giving it a place in Scripture. Honey was a special commodity in the Middle East, and honeybees were prized.
877. Flies, fleas, and gnats (also translated "lice") were disliked strongly and could also carry disease. As in modern times, such insects were greatly unappreciated. They were a plague that descended on Egypt when pharaoh remained stubborn about letting the Israelites leave.
878. Lions were kept by royalty and remain a sign of wealth and power. The regal beasts were a common enough animal in the Old Testament, but they have since become extinct in the Middle East. Killing a lion was a sign of great strength, as evidenced by David and Samson when they slew the majestic beasts.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
The Animal Kingdom lll
869. Horses were used largely for battle purposes. They were a war symbol of power and strength. They weren't as strong or as capable as the donkeys, camels, and cattle to serve as beasts of burden.
870. Jericho, an imposing fortress near where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea, stood in the way of the Israelites, but with the blasts of the ram's horn, or shofar, the walls tumbled down. Ancient breeds of sheep often grew huge horns from which musical instruments were made. The horn was heated with steam until it was soft enough for its natural curve to be straightened out. Then the wide end where the horn had been attached to the ram was bent at almost a right angle.
871. The camel had not yet reached Egypt when Abraham visited, according to the findings of archaeologists. It was common in the Fertile Crescent where Abraham's servant was sent to find a bride for his son Isaac. In Genesis 24:12-21, the servant came upon Rebekah who, in offering to water the servant's camels, showed herself to be God's choice for Isaac.
872. The Biblical camel is the one-humped kind, often called a dromedary. Camels are desirable animals only to people who live in deserts because they are excellently adapted to the conditions there. But most of the ancient world preferred other beasts of burden such as donkeys, horses, and oxen. The camel has only one baby every three years, and sometimes fewer than that. Its ability to learn is meager, and it is impossible to train one to respond as well as a horse. It is so bad tempered (especially the males) that Roman soldiers kept them outside the walls of their posts.
873. It is true that a thirsty camel can drink enormous amounts of water very fast, about twenty-five gallons in approximately ten minutes. It is also true that a camel can travel four days without taking a single drink of water. It is not true, however, that water is stored in its hump. The camel's hump actually stores food. It is a mass of muscle around which fat accumulates. A camel can be fed at the beginning of a trip and not again until the end. After a long, hard journey, the hump shrinks and it flops to one side.
870. Jericho, an imposing fortress near where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea, stood in the way of the Israelites, but with the blasts of the ram's horn, or shofar, the walls tumbled down. Ancient breeds of sheep often grew huge horns from which musical instruments were made. The horn was heated with steam until it was soft enough for its natural curve to be straightened out. Then the wide end where the horn had been attached to the ram was bent at almost a right angle.
871. The camel had not yet reached Egypt when Abraham visited, according to the findings of archaeologists. It was common in the Fertile Crescent where Abraham's servant was sent to find a bride for his son Isaac. In Genesis 24:12-21, the servant came upon Rebekah who, in offering to water the servant's camels, showed herself to be God's choice for Isaac.
872. The Biblical camel is the one-humped kind, often called a dromedary. Camels are desirable animals only to people who live in deserts because they are excellently adapted to the conditions there. But most of the ancient world preferred other beasts of burden such as donkeys, horses, and oxen. The camel has only one baby every three years, and sometimes fewer than that. Its ability to learn is meager, and it is impossible to train one to respond as well as a horse. It is so bad tempered (especially the males) that Roman soldiers kept them outside the walls of their posts.
873. It is true that a thirsty camel can drink enormous amounts of water very fast, about twenty-five gallons in approximately ten minutes. It is also true that a camel can travel four days without taking a single drink of water. It is not true, however, that water is stored in its hump. The camel's hump actually stores food. It is a mass of muscle around which fat accumulates. A camel can be fed at the beginning of a trip and not again until the end. After a long, hard journey, the hump shrinks and it flops to one side.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
The Animal Kingdom ll
864. The first mention of a donkey, or ass, in the Bible occurs when it is stated that the Pharaoh of Egypt presented Abraham with several donkeys as gifts (Gen. 12:16). To the Egyptian, as in Abraham's culture, the donkey was solely a means of transporting goods. Only later was it used for riding, pulling the plow, and turning millstones to grind grain.
865. The domesticated donkey is one of the world's most useful animals. And it certainly was to the Hebrews. Numerous laws were given about their treatment, which testifies to the important place they held in the Hebrew economy. A donkey had to be rested on the Sabbath, and one that had fallen under the weight of its burden had to be helped.
866. Abraham used donkeys in his caravans long before camels were on the scene.
867. The Hebrews were the only people in the ancient world recorded as riding on donkeys. And only the common people did so. It was considered humiliating for a ruler to ride on one. Biblical kings such as David are recorded as riding on mules (the hybrid mix of a male donkey and a female horse) or in chariots pulled by horses, but never on donkeys. So when Jesus rode on a donkey, it was a symbol of His humility.
868. Donkeys go long periods without water, work hard in hot climates, and survive on a minimum amount of food. Also a donkeys milk is extremely nutritious, closely resembling human milk in its chemical composition.
865. The domesticated donkey is one of the world's most useful animals. And it certainly was to the Hebrews. Numerous laws were given about their treatment, which testifies to the important place they held in the Hebrew economy. A donkey had to be rested on the Sabbath, and one that had fallen under the weight of its burden had to be helped.
866. Abraham used donkeys in his caravans long before camels were on the scene.
867. The Hebrews were the only people in the ancient world recorded as riding on donkeys. And only the common people did so. It was considered humiliating for a ruler to ride on one. Biblical kings such as David are recorded as riding on mules (the hybrid mix of a male donkey and a female horse) or in chariots pulled by horses, but never on donkeys. So when Jesus rode on a donkey, it was a symbol of His humility.
868. Donkeys go long periods without water, work hard in hot climates, and survive on a minimum amount of food. Also a donkeys milk is extremely nutritious, closely resembling human milk in its chemical composition.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
The Animal Kingdom l
859. The Bible is full of animal references. About eighty species of mammals are named, about twenty-five kinds of birds, eight types of reptiles and amphibians, and a dozen insects. We now know that many other living things inhabit these lands besides those named in the Bible. Yet this knowledge of approximately 125 kinds of animals reveals how remarkably familiar these ancient people were with the living things around them.
860. Sheep were the most important domestic animals of the Hebrews. Both goats and sheep provided meat, but the sheep was preferred for its wool and the goat furnished milk. Sheep were generally only eaten for sacrifices. The sheep is named more often in the Bible than any other animal-more than four hundred times.
861. The goat may have been the earliest food animal to be domesticated by man, and that probably took place in the vicinity of Jericho about nine thousand years ago. The only animal domesticated earlier was the dog! The goat is mentioned nearly two hundred times. Goats were especially appreciated for their ability to live on rough land and forage in difficult areas.
862. Cattle are actually descended from a wild breed of ox. They were used early on in the Bible for their milk, although the bulls were eventually prized even more for their abilities to carry heavy loads. Cows even carried the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel (1 Sam. 6:7)!
863. Cows are much more difficult to keep than sheep and goats. Cattle require more care, as well as a constant food supply, when they are in permanent settlements. Because Abraham lived much of his life as a nomad, he may have maintained cows, but certainly not as many as his sheep and goats.
860. Sheep were the most important domestic animals of the Hebrews. Both goats and sheep provided meat, but the sheep was preferred for its wool and the goat furnished milk. Sheep were generally only eaten for sacrifices. The sheep is named more often in the Bible than any other animal-more than four hundred times.
861. The goat may have been the earliest food animal to be domesticated by man, and that probably took place in the vicinity of Jericho about nine thousand years ago. The only animal domesticated earlier was the dog! The goat is mentioned nearly two hundred times. Goats were especially appreciated for their ability to live on rough land and forage in difficult areas.
862. Cattle are actually descended from a wild breed of ox. They were used early on in the Bible for their milk, although the bulls were eventually prized even more for their abilities to carry heavy loads. Cows even carried the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel (1 Sam. 6:7)!
863. Cows are much more difficult to keep than sheep and goats. Cattle require more care, as well as a constant food supply, when they are in permanent settlements. Because Abraham lived much of his life as a nomad, he may have maintained cows, but certainly not as many as his sheep and goats.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Angels in the Bible V
855. The Nephilim are a people spoken of in Genesis 6. Some believe this people of great strength were the result of fallen angels marrying the daughters of men on earth to produce offspring of unusual size and strength. The Bible calls these people "the heroes of old, men of renown." God did not look with favor on the actions of these angels, and their offspring were eventually wiped out with the flood.
856. Satan is perhaps the most famous angel of all time. He is a fallen angel, one who was cast out of Heaven after rebelling against God. Paul speaks of how satan "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14). In reality satan is "the prince of darkness."
857. A final battle between the good angels and the fallen angels is prophesized in Revelation 12:7-9: "And there was war in Heaven. Michael [archangel] and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in Heaven. The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."
858. Christians will see angels on the last day. Matthew 24:31 states that God will "send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the Heavens to the other." Angels will escort believers into Heaven and to the Holy Throne!
856. Satan is perhaps the most famous angel of all time. He is a fallen angel, one who was cast out of Heaven after rebelling against God. Paul speaks of how satan "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14). In reality satan is "the prince of darkness."
857. A final battle between the good angels and the fallen angels is prophesized in Revelation 12:7-9: "And there was war in Heaven. Michael [archangel] and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in Heaven. The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."
858. Christians will see angels on the last day. Matthew 24:31 states that God will "send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the Heavens to the other." Angels will escort believers into Heaven and to the Holy Throne!
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