Dr Paul Allen

“Give glory to the LORD your God , before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.” ( Jeremiah 13:16 ) The figurative representations of Christ as the foundation rock of the great spiritual house of God ( Matthew 16:18 ; Ephesians 2:20 ; 1 Peter 2:6 ) and also as the water-yielding rock of sustenance in the wilderness ( 1 Corinthians 10:4 ) are two of the great symbols of the Bible . But for those who reject Him, He becomes “a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense. . . . And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken” ( Isaiah 8:14-15 ). Not only will the stone cause such a one to stumble, but Jesus said, “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” ( Matthew 21:44 ). This figure is taken from the fall of the great image in Nebuchadn...

Late 3rd century/early 4th century Christians depicted the fiery furnace in the Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Hebrews 11:6 When we are facing a tough, extreme, or tragic situation, our faith is either strengthened or destroyed. Consider the intensity of a fire. Most things can’t withstand its heat, as it can consume entire forests and neighborhoods in a matter of days. But the same fire doesn’t burn up gold. Instead, it purifies it. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced the furnace, they confirmed they would praise only the living God . It was a death sentence . They could have decided to save themselves by doing what the king wanted, but their faith would have been unreliable—burned up in the midst of danger. Instead they went against the king by keeping their loyalty to the Lord . Their faith was purified. Whether God saved them or decided not to, their faith didn’t waver because the holy object of their faith never wavers. (And God did save...

English: Angel smites the Assyrians (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” ( Daniel 4:17 ) Who are these mysterious “watchers” who are so concerned that we know that “the powers that be are ordained of God ” ( Romans 13:1 ), sometimes even including the “basest of men?” They are mentioned in the Bible only here in the fourth chapter of Daniel (see also vv. 13, 23), all three times evidently synonymous with “the holy ones,” beings who come down from heaven. Such phrases could apply only to angels, created to serve the Lord and the “heirs of salvation” ( Psalm 103:20 ; Hebrews 1:14 ). The word is used here in reference to Nebuchadnezzar ’s vision and period of insanity. Although it is used nowhere else in the Bible, it occurs frequently i...

English: An image of Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream, as described in the Second Chapter of Daniel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Summary justice was to be meted out on the offender, declared the herald, v. 6. The king’s golden image was to be worshipped as soon as the music played; else ‘the same hour’ the burning fiery furnace would teach others a lesson few would forget. And ‘ Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury’ had reinforced the command, vv. 13–15. In uncontrollable fury the king had increased the degree of barbarity ‘seven times more than’ his previous requirements. The ‘exceeding hot’ flame—now almost as incandescent as Nebuchadnezzar’s fury—claimed the lives of the king’s guards, v. 22. Nevertheless, those three Hebrews testified resolutely that their God was able to deliver them, v. 17. The God they described to the infuriated monarch was ‘our God whom we serve’, v. 17. They may have served Him among their own people, certainly they had in the school in wh...

Hannah Giving Her Son Samuel to the Priest (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Samuel is one of the most intriguing Old Testament figures (to me, at least). He’s a star player in the story of David and Saul: the first two God -anointed kings of Israel . We meet him as a baby. We see him as a national leader, intercessor, and even a ghost. Here’s a few interesting biblical facts about Samuel. Samuel is a miracle child. The Bible tells of many significant adults, but only a handful of significant pregnancies. Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob & Esau, Perez, Samson, and Jesus are the others. We meet Samuel’s parents before we meet him. His mother Hannah cannot have children, but God hears her prayers and opens her womb, blessing her with the child Samuel. Samuel’s name means “name of God.” Samuel is from the tribe of Levi. He may have had Ephraimite blood, too ( 1 Ch 6:33–38 , 1 Sa 1:1 ). This qualified him to serve in the temple , but Samuel was much more than a priest (see below). Samuel is t...

All 21 dreams included: Abimelech ’s warning Jacob ’s ladder Jacob’s call home Laban ’s warning Joseph ’s grain Joseph’s stars The cupbearer ’s grapes The baker’s baskets Pharaoh ’s cows Pharaoh’s ears of grain The runaway barley loaf God ’s offer to Solomon Nebuchanezzar’s statue Nebuchadnezzar ’s tree Daniel’s four beasts Backstory for Joseph The magi’s warning An angel directing Joseph to Egypt An angel telling Joseph to return God telling Joseph to steer clear of Judea Pilate’s wife’s nightmare Related articles Genesis Chapter 20 - Abraham and Sarah Deceive Abimelech (lastdayscalendar.com) Genesis Chapter 20 - Abraham and Sarah Deceive Abimelech (lastdaysbible.wordpress.com) "Dreams and Dreamers (pjsprayerline.blogspot.com) Dreaming Dreams of the Almighty(2) (vanguardngr.com) Moses Versus Joseph: A Biblical Lesson in Communication about Climate Change (cliffmass.blogspot.com) Joseph Was Forgotten! (enjoyingthebible.wordpress.com...

2 Kings 24:1–20 Nebuchadnezzar II , one of the greatest and longest-reigning monarchs of Mesopotamia, ruled Babylon from 605 to 562 B.C. He is mentioned some 90 times in the Old Testament , more than any other foreign king. The Bible records his campaigns against Jerusalem in 605, 597 and 586 B.C., culminating in the captivity of Judah . The first four chapters of Daniel detail events in Babylon during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. Outside the Bible we have many contemporary records from Babylon, as well as later writings extolling Nebuchadnezzar’s accomplishments: hundreds of contracts, several inscriptions, detail from classical historians and the Babylonian Chronicle , which documents Nebuchadnezzar’s accomplishments from his first through his eleventh year. However, there are still large gaps in our knowledge about his reign. Nebuchadnezzar distinguished himself while still crown prince by defeating the Egyptians at Carchemish (southern Turkey) in 605 B.C. (see Je...

English: The Prophet Ezekiel (Ez. 14:1-21) Русский: Пророк Иезекииль (Иез. 14:1-21) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) " Son of man , I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel : . . . When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning . . . the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand." ( Ezekiel 3:17-18 ) Our text comprises part of Ezekiel's commission as prophet to Judah. His function was compared to a watchman on the city walls whose duty was to warn the city of impending danger. Ezekiel was to warn the apostate people of Jerusalem of the coming invasion by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar . God warned Ezekiel that if he refused to pass on whatever messages he received from God, he himself would be held accountable . On the other hand, Ezekiel was not accountable for the response of the hearer. "Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness . . . he sha...

English: An image of Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream, as described in the Second Chapter of Daniel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) 2 Kings 24:1–20 .  Nebuchadnezzar II , one of the greatest and longest-reigning monarchs of Mesopotamia, ruled Babylon from 605 to 562 B.C. He is mentioned some 90 times in the Old Testament , more than any other foreign king. The Bible records his campaigns against Jerusalem in 605, 597 and 586 B.C., culminating in the captivity of Judah. The first four chapters of Daniel detail events in Babylon during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. Outside the Bible we have many contemporary records from Babylon, as well as later writings extolling Nebuchadnezzar’s accomplishments: hundreds of contracts, several inscriptions, detail from classical historians and the Babylonian Chronicle , which documents Nebuchadnezzar’s accomplishments from his first through his eleventh year. However, there are still large gaps in our knowledge about his reign. Nebuchadnezzar...

Pergamon Museum Berlin 2007089 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Original image description from the Deutsche Fotothek: Deutsch: Berlin. Pergamonmuseum, Ischtar-Tor (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Ishtar Gate. Pergamon Berlin Museum. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) City model of the main procession street (Aj-ibur-shapu) and Ishtar Gate in Babylon. Model at the Pergamonmuseum. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Ishtar Gate is a symbol of ancient Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar II. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Babylon-ishtar-mod (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Throughout 1898 and the early part of 1899 Robert Koldewey reconnoitered the ancient city of Babylon . A brilliant architect and archaeologist, he knew he was to be appointed to head the digging. The German Oriental Society was picking up the tab and outfitting the expedition in full. The real work began after he received the expected authorization. On this date, March 23, 1899, he began excavation in earnest on the east side of the mound of Kasr. Digging wi...

Image via Wikipedia "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." ( Isaiah 43:2 )   Although this tremendous promise is primarily to be understood in a spiritual sense (deliverance through overflowing sorrows and fiery trials), God has demonstrated His ability to fulfill the spiritual aspects of the promise by its miraculous literal fulfillment in the physical realm, on special occasions. The crossing of the Red Sea by the children of Israel is an obvious example of safe passage through deep waters.   The amazing experience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Nebuchadnezzar 's fiery furnace is the most spectacular example of deliverance from burning. As the three emerged unscathed from the "exceeding hot" flames, the king was astounded when he "saw these men, upon whose bodies the ...