The Bible and Ancient Civilizations

As we consider the Bible as history, I feel I need to throw around some big ideas as a preface to serious study. There are many sites online, many perspectives, many teachers and many errors in not only Biblical hermeneutics but also in historical references. One aspect of studying history that is not often discussed by those not involved with historiography is the difference that can occur between interpretation and perspective when information is being analyzed by different sources. Theological perspectives tend to dominate interpretation - whether you are a reformed calvinist or a weslyan arminian or perhaps a pre,post, or a-millenialist or perhaps a preterist. There are so many different thoughts on how to interpret scripture. It is no surprise that when discussing such a deep and important topic there are a multitude of errors to be made.
All this verbage is simply to state: Please don't believe everything you read. You will encounter many different opinions and interpretations. Ultimately, the Bible is the finally authority, but our responsibility is to apply the knowledge and tools which we have been given to try to determine not what we think it means, but what the writer was really trying to say, and ultimately what God was sharing with us about who HE is!

That being said, I hope never to provide you only with my own personal understanding. So, as I post links and information (whether about history and the Bible, theology, sermons, interpretation, etc.) I am trying to provide as many different perspectives as possible. Some of these perspectives might be quite incorrect. Please be discerning and thoughtful as you consider different pieces of information.

There are several different timelines available online. Here are a few:
Link to one online resource

and another

one here too

and here

I have not previewed all of these... but they might be a place to start comparing dates and information.

Thanks!

Why read the bible?

bruce spoke on 8-30 about why we read our bible. the 242 'take it further' link is below for some more reflections on why bible reading is important to us daily.

take it further

Thoughts?

This week's small group

Meets at Christina's house!!

September 3rd

Genesis 32-34 "He struggles with God" Hosea 12:2-5, Romans 9:6-15
Recap of the beginning of Genesis; Jacob & Esau, Jacob & God, Dinah & Shechem

Socialize: 6:30 PM
Discussion: 7:00-8:30 PM

Israel & the Edomites (part 2)

The Edomites and the Israelites mostly avoided each other through the era of the judges, but by the time of the kings it was a story of sporadic conflict:

1 Samuel 14 - Saul fights with the Edomites.
1 Samuel 21:7 - Saul's head sheperd is an Edomite.
1 Samuel 22 - King Saul's guards refuse to kill the priests but Doeg, the Edomite shepherd, agrees and kills 85 priests PLUS the men, women and children (even infants) in the place that provided David refuge. Just a guess, but this probably did not make God really happy.
2 Samuel 8:13-14 - God grants David victory over the Edomites.
1 Kings 11:1, 14 Solomon's many women included Edomites, and Solomon had advesaries from Edom.
2 Chronicles 20 & 2 Kings 3 - King Jehoshaphat fights alongside the Edomite king against the Moabites. (They win!)
2 Kings 8:20-22 - Edom revolts against Judah.
2 Chronicles 25 & 28 - Israelites with Edoms false gods & Edom takes prisoners from Judah.

(more about Edom during the time of the prophets forthcoming.....sometime)