📖 Biblical apologetics IBAA

11-Year-Old Girl Discovers Ancient Shekel Coin Believed to Have Been Minted on the Temple Mount

2021-11-26T08:56:59.972Z

An 11-year-old girl in Jerusalem uncovered a silver shekel coin that archeologists believe could have been minted by a priest in the Temple Mount 2,000 years ago.

The discovery of the coin was made by Liel Krutokop, who was sifting through dirt during a family-friendly "archaeological experience" in collaboration with the City of David and Emek Tzurim National Park in Jerusalem.

"We poured the bucket with the dirt on the strainer, and as we filtered the stones that were inside, I saw something round," Krutokop said. "At first, I did not know what it was, but it looked different from all the other stones … I was very excited."

The coin, which was found on the ancient "Pilgrimage Road" in the City of David, had the engraving "Second Year." It was likely used during the second year of the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Roman empire between 67 and 68 AD.

According to CBN News, the other side of the coin had "Holy Jerusalem" written on it in ancient Hebrew. The phrase appeared next to an inscription denoting the headquarters of the High Priest.

Dr. Robert Kool, Head of the Coin Department of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said that the coin was likely made from high-quality silver located in the Second Temple reserves.

"If so, we can say with caution that this coin is, apparently, one of the only items we hold today that originated on the Temple [Mount] itself," Kool said.

"This is a rare find, since out of many thousands of coins discovered to date in archeological excavations, only about 30 coins are coins made of silver, from the period of the Great Revolt," he continued.

Kool also theorized that a priest who was sympathetic to the Jewish rebels minted the ancient coin.

"A currency is a sign of sovereignty," he explained. "If you go into rebellion, you use one of the most obvious symbols of independence, and you mint coins. The inscription on the coin clearly expresses the rebels' aspirations."

He added that the Hebrew inscription was not "accidental" despite no longer being in use at the time.

"The use of this script came to express the longing of the people of the period for the days of David and Solomon and the days of a united Jewish kingdom – days when the people of Israel had full independence in the land," he said.

According to experts, the coin was used for trade in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago before the destruction of the Temple by the Romans.

"This street, which connected the Siloam Pool in the south of the City of David to the Temple Mount in the north, was Jerusalem's main street during the Second Temple period, where thousands of pilgrims marched on their way to the Temple," archaeologist Ari Levy, Director of the Excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said.

"There is no doubt that there would have been extensive trading here," he added. "This is evidenced by the many weights and bronze coins we have found here. But to find a rebel coin made of pure silver is definitely very special and exciting."

The coin has been chemically cleaned and will be shown to the public for the Hannukah holiday at Emek Tzurim National Park.

Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Krugloff, this is a stock image.

John MacArthur's Church Wins $800,000 Settlement with City, State in Major Religious Liberty Case

2021-09-09T10:07:02.771Z

Los Angeles County and the state of California have agreed to pay $800,000 in attorney's fees to John MacArthur's church after the congregation prevailed in multiple courts over the issue of COVID-19 restrictions.

Last year, MacArthur and Grace Community Church defied restrictions prohibiting indoor services, sparking a series of legal actions by both the county and the state intended to force the congregation into compliance.

The county threatened the church with thousands of dollars in fines. At one point, MacArthur faced potential arrest.

In the end, though, Grace Community Church prevailed in court, in part because the U.S. Supreme Court issued a major ruling in November siding with churches in other jurisdictions.

The county and the state each will pay $400,000 as part of the "prevailing party" attorney's fees. MacArthur, during a sermon Sunday, said all the money will go to the Thomas More Society, which represented the church.

The Thomas More Society called it a "big religious liberty win" for the church.

"Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Church refused to bow to government tyranny and they finally obtained the excellent result they deserved," said Charles LiMandri, special counsel for the Thomas More Society. "Thanks to their courage and perseverance, justice prevailed, and the First Amendment was vindicated. No longer can the County of Los Angeles and the State of California treat people of faith like second-class citizens. This result is a victory for all Americans who cherish religious liberty."

Grace Community argued that it had a constitutional right to worship indoors.

"We are very grateful for our Lord's protection and providence throughout this past year. Our commitment to the Word of God and his church has never wavered," MacArthur said. "We have simply continued to stand firm, as we always have and always will. We put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the head of the church. Over the past year, our congregation has seen his hand of blessing in ways like never before, and the Lord's promise has been realized: 'I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.'"

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#christians

#faithfulness

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#hope

https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/john-macarthurs-church-wins-800000-settlement-with-city-state-in-major-religious-liberty-case.html

The Current State of Christians in Afghanistan

2021-08-30T09:27:29.442Z

The world is watching in horror as the Taliban reemerges to take over the nation of Afghanistan. In the midst of the onslaught, the Afghan church — a fledgling body 20 years ago — faces intense persecution as the Taliban promises Sharia Law in the new Afghanistan.

World Magazine Senior Editor Mindy Belz and I spoke at length yesterday about the implications the Taliban takeover will have on the Christian Church in Afghanistan.

Below is an excerpt from our interview.

[The Afghan church] is a unique community, mostly aged 40 and younger. They are all Muslim converts. It’s one of the fastest growing churches in the world. Since they are a tiny church, now doubled in size, they are considered very fast-growing. There are perhaps only 2,000 people. But they are an important force in Afghanistan, simply because of the force that the Gospel is. Because of the love of Jesus, the reach they have is a real thing in a dark, Taliban-shadowed country.

About two years ago, a number of these church community leaders did something amazing and brave: they decided to change their identity, their religious affiliation in particular, on their national identification cards.

All Afghan citizens have a national ID card. They are used all the time for many reasons. They often show religious affiliation. That affiliation tends to be handed down by the father of the family.

The new Christian church elders wanted to change their identification for the sake of their future generations. Not all Christians agreed that this was a good idea, but several dozens of them have changed their official identification to Christian. Now the government records show Christian affiliation. These are the Christians that have been targeted over the past few days.

At least one Christian that I know of has received a letter from the Taliban stating: “We know where you are, and we know what you’re doing.” This implies that the Taliban has access to this government record.

The Taliban then showed up to this Christian’s house the day before the full city takeover. They have also visited other Christian homes. You might argue these are small, isolated incidents, but they play against the backdrop of nearby atrocities: Afghan military who have been hauled out of their homes and shot, and in one case beheaded.

Afghan Christians are totally vulnerable with no political power. They have no-one to appeal to. They don’t even generally qualify for special immigrant visas to the United States or other Western countries because they have avoided working for American organizations or working for the Afghan military. To do so potentially exposes them to attention and danger.

That was an excerpt from a conversation I had with World Magazine Senior Editor Mindy Belz. She is an expert not only on the Middle East, but on Christians and the Christian movement there.

In our talk yesterday on Afghanistan, we spoke about the history of the country over the past 20 years, and how different U.S. presidents have understood the situation there. We also discussed how the recent withdrawal of the Afghan president has created a political vacuum for Taliban reemergence. Visit breakpoint.org to listen to the entire conversation.

reakPointis a program of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. BreakPoint commentaries offer incisive content people can't find anywhere else; content that cuts through the fog of relativism and the news cycle with truth and compassion. Founded by Chuck Colson (1931 – 2012) in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends. Today, you can get it in written and a variety of audio formats: on the web, the radio, or your favorite podcast app on the go.

John Stonestreet is President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and radio host of BreakPoint, a daily national radio program providing thought-provoking commentaries on current events and life issues from a biblical worldview. John holds degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (IL) and Bryan College (TN), and is the co-author of Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview.

Источник: https://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/breakpoint/the-current-state-of-christians-in-afghanistan.html

Christian Organization in Haiti Calls for Prayer as Death Toll Tops 2,100

2021-08-25T05:56:43.381Z

A Christian nonprofit organization based in Haiti is urging people worldwide to pray for the nation’s recovery following a massive 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck last Saturday near Les Cayes.

As of late Wednesday, Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency reported the death toll at 2,189, with 12,268 people injured and dozens still missing.

In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Dr. David Vanderpool, the founder of LiveBeyond, explained how the organization is operating in the Caribbean country at the present time.

LiveBeyond is working as part of a disaster relief group under the Haitian Ministry of Health as they have put up a hospital to receive injured people by helicopter.

“Even though I’m not currently there now, our base is operating completely normal, and our staff have reported that we are feeding more people because marketplaces and ports have been shut down in Haiti, so food is scarce,” Vanderpool explained. “Typically, persecution increases faith for those who have faith."

“Introducing people to the Christian faith is a real challenging situation because many people respond differently,” he noted. “But many Haitians with faith have turned to God more now than ever.”

Vanderpool, who is also a trauma surgeon, founded LiveBeyond in 2005 to provide disaster relief following Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, the organization expanded to Haiti in response to a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that killed over 300,000.

Vanderpool and his wife Laurie also serve as missionaries in Haiti following previous efforts around the world for LiveBeyond.

Throughout his time there, Vanderpool noticed that many Haitians practice Voodoo and that its priests are known for "casting spells and asserting their power in Haiti’s villages," and "they often are well-off."

He contended that many people in Haiti are worshipping the devil “through Voodoo and they understand there are bad spiritual forces in the world, and that when bad things are happening it’s due to the evil that Satan brings about.”

“Many Haitians have a clear picture of the spiritual realm, and they know God is a God of love,” he continued. But on the one hand, Satan has power in this world because he can do things in this world and God doesn’t necessarily stop him. And the Haitians that worship Satan tap into the power that Satan has, and that is the attraction.”

While acknowledging that “it’s a complex issue,” Vanderpool hopes that he and LiveBeyond can “continue to preach about the truth” that is found in God alone while continuing their humanitarian efforts.

He also discouraged church missions groups from traveling to Haiti at the present time due to increasing gang violence.

“I would discourage any short-term mission trips to Haiti at this time because of the increased danger," Vanderpool cautioned. "The way people can help is to find a good organization that is feeding children and support it."

Another way for people to help Haiti is to keep the country in prayer.

“We are asking people to pray that the peace of God will permeate Haiti, that God will allow His peace to reign in Haiti, and godly leaders will be raised up in the country,” Vanderpool said.

“Pray that the corruption that exists in Haiti will be eliminated and that godliness will then reign,” he continued. “Our hopes and dreams are to continue to expand our mission and to be able to take care of more people and that more Haitians will follow a godly path.”

Just days after Saturday’s earthquake, Tropical Storm Grace made landfall on Monday, bringing heavy rainfall and flooding to already hurting communities.

Aside from LiveBeyond, other Christian organizations such as Samaritan’s Purses and World Vision launched relief efforts in Haiti earlier this week.

#biblicalfaith

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#christians

#faithfulness

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#hope

Mud experiments overturn long-held geological beliefs

2021-08-23T11:58:55.083Z

A call for a radical reappraisal of all previous interpretations of mudstone deposits

New research presented in Science magazine documents how, contrary to conventional wisdom, mud can deposit from rapidly flowing water.1 These findings cut across beliefs held by geologists for over a century and signal that ‘mudstone science is poised for a paradigm shift.’2

Using specially designed laboratory equipment, Juergen Schieber, John Southard and Kevin Thaisen have shown that mud-sized material will deposit under much higher current velocities than previously thought.

For more than a hundred years, geoscientists have assumed that long periods of quiet water conditions are required for the deposition of mud. Based on that belief, whenever geologists have encountered mud deposits in the sedimentary record they have interpreted them as forming in a tranquil deposition environment.

… mud-sized material will deposit under much higher current velocities than previously thought.

Long-age scientists have long attacked the idea that Noah’s Flood was a real, historical event, and disparaged the claim by young-earth creationists that the year-long Flood can account for most of the geological deposits exposed on the earth today. One of their major arguments concerns this widely held but erroneous belief.

For example, Alan Hayward uses the Haymond rock formation in the USA for this purpose, describing it as almost a mile (1.6 km) thick, extending over a large area, and containing more than 30,000 alternating layers of shale and sandstone.3

Hayward assumed the conventional geological beliefs about the deposition of mud as fact: ‘Shale is made of compacted clay. As most readers will have noticed, clay consists of exceedingly fine particles which take a long time to settle in water. Turbulence keeps them in suspension and consequently clay will only settle in calm water.’

He then uses these erroneous ideas to disparage the biblical account of the global Flood: ‘How did the Flood bring in a thin layer of sand and deposit it over a large area, then bring in a thin layer of clay and all this to settle quietly—all in a matter of minutes? And then repeat the whole performance fifteen thousand times?’

He then mocks the scientific standing of Flood geologists. ‘It seems rather obvious that there is only one way in which a series of events could possibly occur. God would have to direct and control the whole process miraculously to achieve this result.’

Geological interpretations will be affected.

In other words, Flood geology is not real science because it needs to invoke supernatural intervention to explain an otherwise implausible (in his view) position.

However, the latest research report in Science turns Hayward’s argument on its head. The fact that muds deposit from flowing water means that the whole formation could be explained by catastrophic deposition, possibly within days or hours.

Daniel Wonderly is another who has used much ink and paper to mock young-earth creationist writings. He insinuates that young-earth creationists are uninformed, as reflected in the title of his book, ‘Neglect of Geologic Data: Sedimentary strata compared with young-earth creationist writings’.4

Surprisingly, his writings skeptical of Noah’s Flood are posted on the web site of the ASA, the American Scientific Affiliation, which describes itself as a fellowship of Christians in science who share a common fidelity to the Word of God and a commitment to integrity in the practice of science.

Wonderly follows a similar line to Hayward. In chapter 2 of his book he describes the immense thickness of sediments in the Appalachians, eastern USA, and argues that this amount of sediment could not possibly have been deposited in the year-long biblical Flood.5 It’s not that there is too much sediment but that the deposition rates were too slow.

His arguments hinge on his assumed deposition rates, which is why the latest experiments on mud deposition are so relevant. Wonderly says, ‘Most of the shale and mudstone strata were deposited in fairly deep waters in inland seas, and their rate of deposition was probably no more rapid than the slower rates we have cited for continental shelves.’

Interestingly, Wonderly here describes in detail events that occurred in the past but which have never been observed by any geologist. His whole argument is based on his beliefs. He goes on:

‘Even when a body of water is tranquil, at least many hours are required for the settling out of a single clay particle to become part of a shale or mudstone deposit. Even if the suspended clay particles have undergone flocculation (clumping), the water has to be essentially tranquil as the small clumps of flocculated clay are not nearly so dense as grains of sand.’6

Wonderly concludes, ‘One year just does not allow enough time for anything like the number of relatively quiet settling periods needed for the existing clay and mudstone layers.’ In other words, ‘Christian, you cannot accept the Bible as it reads.’

Mud can settle from flowing water.

Again, the latest research documented in Science shows that these ideas are wrong.

Schieber, the lead researcher for the Science article, said it should have been obvious that mud can settle from flowing water. ‘All you have to do is look around. After the creek on our university’s campus floods, you can see ripples on the sidewalks once the waters have subsided. Closely examined, these ripples consist of mud. Sedimentary geologists have assumed up until now that only sand can form ripples and that mud particles are too small and settle too slowly to do the same thing.’7

‘The results call for critical reappraisal of all mudstones previously interpreted as having been continuously deposited under still waters. Such rocks are widely used to infer past climates, ocean conditions and orbital variations.’—Joe Macquaker and Kevin Bohacs

With graduate student Kevin Thaisen, Schieber designed and built a ‘mud flume’ that looks a bit like an oval race track. They installed a motorized belt with paddles to keep the muddy water moving at a constant speed.

For mud they used extremely fine clays, calcium montmorillonite and kaolinite, as well as natural lake muds. According to conventional geological wisdom, talc-sized clay material would not settle from rapidly moving water. However, after only a short time the mud was moving along the bottom of the flume. According to Schieber, ‘They accumulated at flow velocities that are much higher than what anyone would have expected.’

Schieber suggests that one application of his research is by oil companies prospecting for oil and gas, because both organic matter and muds are sticky and are often found together. Along this line, his work could also be relevant to the way coal deposits form. Coal beds frequently alternate with shale and mudstone, so the traditional geological interpretation of coal forming in a swamp environment could be another cherished belief overturned by these findings.

Macquaker and Bohacs say of this research: ‘The results call for critical reappraisal of all mudstones previously interpreted as having been continuously deposited under still waters. Such rocks are widely used to infer past climates, ocean conditions and orbital variations.’8 What other sweeping global interpretations have been made from a faulty belief about the deposition of mudstone, a sedimentary rock comprising some two-thirds of the geological record?

Young-earth creationists have been challenging conventional interpretations of past geologic events for decades. The stranglehold of the uniformitarian paradigm, an anti-biblical belief system, has always choked a free and open discussion of alternative interpretations. Let’s hope these new experimental findings about mud and water will help to loosen that grip.

References

Schieber, J., Southard, J. and Thaisen, K., Accretion of mudstone beds from migrating floccule ripples, Science 318(5857):1760–1763, 2007. Return to Text.
Macquaker, J.H.S. and and Bohacs, K.M., On the accumulation of mud, Science 318(5857):1734–1735, 2007. Return to Text.

The origin of meteorite chondrules

2021-08-23T11:47:18.268Z

Figure 1. A 4.6 x 3.8 cm cross section of the Gujba meteorite found in Nigeria showing abundant chondrules (white spheres)

Meteorites are claimed by secular scientists to be the rocky debris left over after the formation of the solar system. Chondrites, stone meteorites, represent 85% of the rocks that fall on the earth; the remaining 15% mostly are iron meteorites. Uniformitarian scientists believe the inner four rocky planets of the solar system, including the earth, were formed largely or totally of chondritic rock. That is one reason for the intense study of chondrites.

Naturalistic origin of chondrites not even in sight

There are a number of problems with the secular understanding of the origin of chondrites. First, they cannot be observed forming today. Therefore, all ideas on the origin of chondrites go against the uniformitarian principle of ‘the present is the key to the past’. This is also true of all other ideas of origins in the solar system and universe.1,2 Of course the researchers claim conditions were unique 4.5 billion years ago, so that solar system formation just happened to form.3 But even with the special ‘back then’ conditions, there are other problems.

Chondrites, stone meteorites, represent 85% of the rocks that fall on the earth; the remaining 15% mostly are iron meteorites

A second issue is the temperature necessary for meteorite and/or planet formation.

“But meteoriticists have been hard pressed to come up with enough energy even then to rapidly heat rocky dust to 1600 kelvin or more and melt it into globules. The nebula at the time was merely warm—at most several hundred kelvin.”1

Globules need to be melted in order to form chondrites. One researcher was able to come up with 14 heating mechanisms for dust, which brings up a second problem, that such ideas cannot be tested:

“None [of the 14 heating mechanisms], Rubin noted, struck astrophysicists as particularly plausible. … ‘There are a lot of models out there, but I’m not sure how you can really test them … .’”1

Because of the huge challenges for a naturalistic origin for chondrules, the origin of chondrites is a major mystery for astronomical science

Evolutionary scientists have a number of hypotheses, but they need to consider whether their ideas make sense and whether they can be tested.

A third problem is the origin of chondrules within chondrites, the melted globules, which range in size from a few micrometres to a centimetre (figure 1). Chondrules are composed mostly of the silicate minerals olivine and pyroxene, thought to be common mantle rocks of the earth, embedded in a smooth matrix. Chondrules

“… form as molten or partially molten droplets in space before being accreted to their parent asteroids. … Chondrules are believed to have formed by a rapid (flash) heating (within minutes or less) and melting of solid dust aggregates of approximately Solar composition under temperatures of about 1000 K.” 4

So, chondrules are believed to have been rapidly heated, anywhere from 1,000 to 1,600 K, and became molten before incorporation into its parent asteroid. Some chondrules have textures that show rapid cooling from a molten mass. Needless to say, such processes are beyond experimentation and testing.

An analysis of the chemistry, rock types, and isotopes reveals additional problems. Chondrules are quite diverse with four groups and 12 subgroups. There is no ‘normal’ type of chondrule, making it virtually impossible to come up with a uniform origin model. They have also retained their ‘volatiles’. Volatiles are those elements or minerals that are more easily vapourized. Why should chondrules contain volatiles if they melt at hot temperatures? Moreover, researchers conclude that some chondrules must have been ‘remelted’ or partially ‘remelted’.

Because of the huge challenges for a naturalistic origin for chondrules, the origin of chondrites is a major mystery for astronomical science:

“Blobs called chondrules in the fabric of rocks from space have long baffled scientists. A new idea may shed light on their origins, but some experts have given up hope. … How would you like your decades of research on a field’s central problem to be summed up by the statement that ‘these objects remain as enigmatic as ever?’”1

These challenges are better explained by God creating the solar system in a very short time, as described in Genesis.

References and notes

Psarris, S., What You Aren’t Being Told About Astronomy, vol. 1: Our Created Solar System, Creation Astronomy Media (DVD), 2009. Return to text.
Psarris, S., What You Aren’t Being Told About Astronomy, vol. 2: Our Created Stars and Galaxies, Creation Astronomy Media (DVD), 2011. Return to text.
Kerr, R.A., Meteorite mystery edges closer to an answer—or the end of a field, Science 341:126–127, 2013. Return to text.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chondrule, accessed 10 November 2014. Return to text.

Happy Feast of the Transfiguration!

2021-08-19T06:57:57.835Z

Happy Feast of the Transfiguration, everyone! Since it’s Sunday, here is the Gospel of the day!

Matthew 17

1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

2 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.

3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.

4Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid.

7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.”

8And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

The Transfiguration was a BIG event for the disciples of Jesus. Before the Transfiguration, they followed Him and watched Him preach and do all of these awesome miracles. And miracles are awesome things! But, many prophets before Jesus have done those miracles too. So, although Peter intellectually knew that Jesus was the Messiah (as he says in Matthew 16 somewhere!), it was still not something that he fully understood.

The Transfiguration changed it.

And, can you imagine it? Before the Transfiguration, Peter has seen so much. Already, he professes, when prompted, that Jesus is clearly the Messiah. But, the Transfiguration, this mystical encounter that he has with Jesus, changes everything.

And that is one reason why I love this painting.

In this example of colonial art, which might have come from the famed Cuzco School, famous for making beautiful, religious art with a distinct Peruvian flair, the ministry of Jesus is laid out in a variety of images. Jesus preaches, feeds the masses, heals, and even calms the storm.

But, at the very center of the picture, Jesus suggests going up to mountain. And then, at the height of the picture in the forefront, the Transfiguration occurs and the three disciples are literally floored by seeing Jesus transformed into God in this mystical experience.

Yes, Jesus showed that He was the Messiah in many places. And yes, Peter believed this profoundly. After all, when Jesus called Him, he left his entire old life behind and followed Jesus as His disciple! But, this was the point where Peter experienced the entire power of God and was left, babbling incoherently about tents, till Jesus snapped him out of it.

This of course didn’t mean that Peter followed Jesus perfectly from this point on. After all, he denied Jesus three times while Jesus was being condemned to death. Yet, this was one of most profound experiences that Peter had with the Lord, and he later wrote about it in what was today’s second reading:

2Peter 1

16We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

18We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Nor is the Transfiguration an event that we celebrate solely in the past! Often in our own lives, we too can believe in Christ and follow Him faithfully and do everything that we can to be with Christ.

Yet, some of us can sometimes experience profound, mystical experiences from the Lord in the form of personal revelations — revelations which are absolutely in accordance with the Gospel and Church teaching, but are personal in the nature that they touch us and reveal to us God’s glory. And honestly, those sorts of revelations can knock us a bit silly too! Many saints have reported such mystical encounters with Christ and, who knows? Maybe you have as well! If so, that might have been your own little mini-Transfiguration.

In any case, have a Blessed Feast! Through the Transfiguration, the Lord has revealed Himself to us in His Glory! Alleluia!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for revealing Yourself through the Transformation in Your glory. And thank You for being present in our lives and humbling Yourself as a man so that we can approach You more easily. Help us recognize You as Lord in all of Your Glory so that we may follow You more faithfully. If You choose to grant us mystical experiences, help us love You better. Amen.

Israeli Archaeologists Uncover Evidence of Biblical Earthquake Mentioned in Amos, Zechariah

2021-08-11T13:45:41.343Z

Archaeologists in Israel say they have uncovered physical evidence in Jerusalem of an earthquake referenced in the biblical books of Amos and Zechariah that struck during the divided kingdom and after the reigns of David and Solomon.

Zechariah 14:5, seen by many as a reference to the second coming of Christ, says, "You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah." Amos 1:1 also mentions the earthquake and says Amos saw a vision about Israel "two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel." Uzziah was considered a mostly "good" and godly king of the southern kingdom of Judah, while Jeroboam was a bad king who led the people away from God.

The Israel Antiquities Authority said this week it had uncovered archaeological evidence of the earthquake, which struck in Israel about 2,800 years ago. Although archaeologists previously discovered evidence of the quake elsewhere in Israel, it is the first time they've found evidence of it in Jerusalem itself.

Recent excavations in City of David National Park revealed a "layer of destruction from when the building's walls collapsed," including shattered vessels, bowls, lamps, cooking utensils and jars, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on its Facebook page.

Joe Uziel and Ortal Kalaf, excavation directors for the Israel Antiquities Authority, said the earthquake "was probably one of the strongest and most damaging earthquakes in ancient times," the Israel Antiquities Authority said.

Kalaf said in a video released by the Israel Antiquities Authority that the quake "was so strong that the people that came to live" in Jerusalem after the earthquake "built on top of the distraction, which enabled us to discover all of these beautiful finds."

"The people of Judah didn't forget this earthquake, and even 200 years later, the prophet Zachariah mentioned it," Kalaf said.

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, theLeaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star andthe Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Source: https://www.christianheadlines.com/