Tag Archives: Christianity

How Does the Book of Daniel Fit into the Bible and history? Part 1

Posted on by
Reply

puzzle fitHow does the book of Daniel fit into the Bible and history?

The following is a rather detailed history of the O.T. leading up to the time of Daniel. It will best serve as a personal Old Testament Bible guide. Memorizing it could be daunting. Knowing where to find the answer is the best approach. Find it in THIS background to Daniel. This would be the equivalent in most universities at a graduate level study. Do not be alarmed. There are no written tests.

Three Periods of Old Testament History:

The first verse in the Bible reveals that…

…“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 NASB

We do not know exactly when creation took place, as there may be a gap between

Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 as the additional possibility of a gap between these two verses and when God created day and night (V5). The way we currently understand the laws of Physics, including the Theory of General Relativity, secular and evangelical scientists are certain that the universe (time, space, and matter) had a beginning and has not always existed. The book of Genesis reveals that God created the universe “In the beginning…” This is also the beginning of the period we will label the Pre-Abrahamic period of Old Testament History; prehistoric per secularists.

In the Pre-Abrahamic period, the book of Genesis describes:

  1. From where man, woman, and marriage come.
  2. It explains from where sin and death come.
  3. It details the first murder.
  4. It describes a time when God destroyed the earth by a great flood.
  5. It outlines from where the nations and the diversity of races and languages that we have on the earth came. (It is not our goal at the present time to go into detail on any of these events. This study sheet is an overview of the Old Testament and what it is about to be better understood where and how the book of Daniel fits into the Old and New Testament.)

The Patriarchal period. Abraham is a man to whom three great religions trace their origins: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Both Jews and Arabs genetically come from Abraham. Abraham left his country, Ur in Babylon (modern day Iraq), and followed God to a new country, Canaan, where modern day Israel and Palestine are located.

Abraham had two sons, Ishmael, from whom the Arabs trace their lineage, and Isaac, from whom Israel and the Jews trace their lineage. Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob, who later changed his name to Israel, had twelve sons – the twelve tribes of Israel are descendants of these twelve sons. The book of Genesis (which covers a longer period of time than the rest of the Bible combined) ends up with Jacob and his twelve sons and one daughter, their wives, and their kids all moving down to Egypt to avoid starving in a famine. (By the way, the book of Job is about another man who probably lived during Abraham’s time.)

The offspring of Israel (Jacob) spent more than 400 years in Egypt, and became slaves to the Egyptians probably toward the end of this period of time. The book of Exodus takes up Israel’s history near the end of this 400 year period in Egypt. Thus begins the third period of Old Testament history, Egypt and the Exodus. Four books of the Bible – Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy – cover this period of time lasting about 40 years; mostly the wilderness wandering of the Israelites.

10During this period of time, God used Moses to liberate the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Also during this time, God gives Moses the Ten Commandments and other laws for the Nation of Israel. After God gives the Ten Commandments and the other laws,

Moses sends twelve spies into Canaan. When they return, ten of the spies give a bad report which scares the Israelites. They complain to Moses and to God refusing to enter the Promised Land. God punishes Israel by making the continue living in the desert for about 40 years. The Egypt and the Exodus period begin about 1446 BC.

After the 40 years of living and wandering in the desert, the next period begins. This period, Conquering the Land, covers about 10 years. Israel conquers some of the land of Canaan in the area of the world now known as Israel and Palestine. The people of

Canaan were evil but their origin comes is based in the time of Abraham through Ishmael and Esau.

They sacrificed their own kids to a god named Molech by burning them alive. This gruesome act is one of the reasons that God ordered Israel to conquer the land of Canaan. The book of Joshua covers this period of Old Testament history. Israel conquered Canaan beginning around 1406 BC, but they never followed through per God’s instructions.

Dr. jStark

April 2019

 

Acts 14a

Posted on by
Reply

“And it came to pass that they spoke so well in Iconium and in the Spirit that a great number of Jews and Greeks came to Christ that day.” Paul and Barnabas, probably including Luke, were in southern Turkey of today and anointed in the Spirit. They were drawing large crowds of “wanna learn” people in this melting pot territory. Yes, the venue was again the synagogue. These people were hungry for actuality, not someone’s personal reality or perception of actuality.

melting pot

The Melting Pot

 

At our Bible School, Cadillac Community Bible School, a junior college for bible studies, we have a motto take from Romans 10:14…

How can one call upon the Lord if not aware of God? How can they learn unless someone will teach? How can one understand that which s/he does not know?

We Teach – You Decide

This is the purpose of missionary work be it in one’s own backyard or across the great seas. Recall in an earlier Acts study article of Barnabas and Paul were set aside by the Holy Spirit even though at that time they were not bible school graduates; never attended a seminary. This raises a question MOST who say or claim to be Christian do not wish to address. Why do we sometimes invite a person to church to get the message of Christ when that is supposed to be our own nature?

The Acts 14 the synagogue leaders couldn’t stand idly by and watch their financial sources move away from Judaism to Christianity (The Way). It was more than just tithers they were losing, but power over them. So what do they do? These Jewish leaders within the synagogue did what is one of Satan’s more powerful tools of deception…planting doubt in the minds of the new believers who were still ignorant of their new found faith. So many in the past and present have tried to find faith but are left up to their own initiatives to become learned, remaining milk of the word believers.

This takes us back to the Pyramid of Learning once again. Skip a step and the nose of the “iceberg” sinks lower into the water. Let’s explain for those who have not or are not familiar with this learning principle.LEARNKNG

This same principle is the basis of Romans 14:10 which already is mentioned in this article. Let’s put it in today’s terminology. How can one be aware of anything unless someone tells him or her? How can one gain knowledge or begin to take root, unless someone teaches then nurtures and feeds them? How can one gain understanding without knowledge of the subject? How weak must be one’s (faith) without these key steps: awareness, knowledge, and understanding? Removing each step in this learning pyramid simply drops the level above the water line of confidence and evidence.

This is what the synagogue leaders knew well. Strike quickly or plant questions in the minds of those who have little knowledge and even less understanding of their new found faith. Satan planted a question of assurance in the minds of Eve, Adam, Judas, Cain, Peter, the kings of the Kingdom of Israel (northern ten tribes), and so on.

This was quick to happen. In verse 5 of Acts 14 the rogue unbelieving Jews and Gentiles designed to stone Barnabas and Paul but verse 2 tells us it was already in their mind. They had to flee for their lives. They ended up in Lycaonia, a district in the Roman province of Galatia. Lystra was about 18 miles from Lycaonia, and was the home of Lois, Eunice and Timothy (16:1; 2 Tim. 1:5).

JIV NOTE: Keep in mind that but one chapter back (Acts 13:50) Paul and company had been ruthlessly kicked out of Antioch, *Pisidian. *This is in what we today call Turkey. This is not the Antioch just north of Jerusalem.

So what do Paul and Barnabas do after fleeing a place for the second time? They go right back into the den of opposition at the local synagogues in Galatia and Lycaonia.

NOTE: William Ramsay demonstrated that Lystra and Derbe were indeed together in the Roman province of Lycaonia, but only between A.D. 37 and 72, the exact period these events in Acts took place. This kind of accuracy persuaded Ramsay that the Biblical account was true, especially in an age when they were all thought to be fables and made-up stories.

In 1852, age 5, William Ramsey began his education at Mr. Stark’s Preparatory School in Glasgow, Scotland. In about 1863, age 10, William began attending Glasgow Academy. William entered the University of Glasgow in October 1866, age 14. One might say, he had a great mind and became known as a top scientist and researcher in his lifetime.

Please note: Mr. Stark’s Preparatory School is not Dr. Jstark; but a distant family member who lived in Scotland. One of mine and Mr. Stark’s relative was the Admiral in charge of the Pacific Fleet when Japan attacked Hawaii. It was a group of Israeli Tribe of Gad family that went to the British Isles. 

In Acts we find Paul and a man who was known by the entire community as crippled from birth; a beggar of alms. He overheard when Paul and Barnabas shared their testimonies and gospel message. We find this episode in Acts 14:8 – 10. However, the crowd calls out that they must be gods; Zeus (Paul) and Hermes (Barnabas). They had to stop them from offering sacrifices to them.

We can easily overlook what Acts 14:16 is telling us about man’s free will. ”In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.” “He,” meaning God; “all nations” meaning mankind. Paul and Barnabas tried diligently to persuade them that they were not Zeus and Hermes. What did the trick? The evil doers from Antioch and Iconium who followed them. They did the same thing as was done in Antioch and Iconium. They planted doubt in their ignorant minds of limited knowledge. Recall that earlier these evil doers (most likely Jews) wanted to stone them. They still had this on their minds after catching up with Paul and Barnabas. This time they did stone Paul after dragging him out of the city.

Probably thinking their evil mission accomplished, these bad guys left the city and returned home because in v19 we read they supposed Paul to be dead. Some of the disciples (learners) gathered around Paul’s body probably to bury him. But, he gets up, walks back into the city where he was just stoned and continues his mission.

Rev. Dr. Jstark
October, 2018

PS; “And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.” This was very likely the very first Missionary Conference in Christendom history.

 

Jeremiah Chapter 48 (Moab)

Posted on by
Reply

Moab? Ammon? Edom? There are many names and terms in chapter 48 of Jeremiah that most will simply read through or past them. This article will discuss the chapter but also define some of the terms to help with knowledge and potential understanding.

Let’s begin with a map of this time in Jeremiah. We can see Moab’s geographical location.map moab time It is between Edom and Ammon. Today this is mostly Jordan. To the north is war-torn Syria; a true source of potential war that could spread with powerful weapons of mass destruction in their hands. This may very easily fit into God’s final judgement plans. The orange indicates the map as it stood in 1000 B.C. The gray is how it politically and geographically lines up today (2017 A.D.).

Now to help us better understanding all the names a few terms in Jeremiah 48, read the following. (Boring perhaps but better understanding and identifiers)

Jeremiah 48:1 “Woe unto Nebo” This is a Babylonian deity. It is also a mountain in Moab, southern Jordan. It is also the Mount upon which Moses stood in order to view the Promised Land. Moses saw the lands but never entered it.

Jeremiah 48:1 “Kiriathaim is confounded and taken” Kiriathaim is a city in NW Palestine.

Jeremiah 48:1 “Misgab is confounded” This is a term for ‘a high place.’ It was a Moab fortress. Odd as it may seem, perhaps a curiosity… it is only mentioned one time in scripture.

Jeremiah 48:2 “in Heshbon” Mistakenly many would take this word for the name of a person, place or thing. It is and isn’t these. It means “contrived intelligence.” It is also a destroyed village on the east side of the Jordan. It is here where [ESV; verse 2a] Moab is no more. In Heshbon they planned disaster against her.

Jeremiah 48:2 “Madmen?” The people here may have been ‘mad’ but in this incident it is a location in north-west Moab of old. It has several meanings; “dung hill” is one of them. It was once a city located between the boundaries of the Tribes of Gad and Reuben east of the Jordan River.

Jeremiah 48:3 “Horoniam” This is a Moabite ‘double cave town.’ Obviously it is located in a mountain; thus the cave implication. Today it is an unidentified place in southern Moab (Jordan).

jordan todayIt would be safe by now to understand that this very descriptive chapter in Jeremiah is location specific. In short, it is a complete destruction. Moab, a tribe descended from Lot and his daughter, and per other verses in chapter 48, is important to God-Jehovah. In verse 42 it explains that they magnified themselves above the Lord (ESV). Not unusual but a sin against God. It is a sin for which there is a cost and God is judge; the only judge. The existence of the Kingdom of Moab is attested to by numerous archaeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes a Moabite victory over an unnamed son of King Omri of the northern ten Tribes of Israel. This area today is within the Kingdom of Jordan.

Originally the territory of ancient Moab was dominated by a race of giants known as the Emim. At the time when Moses came to the area with the children of Israel Moab was an area that ranged from the brook Zered on the South, and the river Arnon on the North. During the period of Old Testament history there were numerous cities within this region, and we know this from the Scriptures and also from the famous Moabite stone. The cities mentioned were Dibon, Nebo, Beth-diblaim, Kerioth, and Zoar [Bible History Online].

Unless one has happened upon the scripture or the secular history of this, most do not realize that Moab helped Nebuchadnezzar in his conquering of other nations; particularly the Kingdom of Judah. After their help, he turned on them, conquering and removing them as a people in this land.

According to the New World Encyclopedia, records of the Moabites, if not the people themselves, disappeared after or around the time of the return of a remnant of Judeans from their 70 year captivity in Babylon. Up to the time of King David, the Moabites were a constant thorn in the side of nation of Israel defeating them at times of war. This is especially true during the time of the judges when an Israeli Confederacy existed. Israel was then ruled by judges but lived within their own tribal territories. Each man did as he saw was right back then [Judges 21:25; Judges 17:6].

Jeremiah 48:46 and 47 are significant verses of prophecy. We are told in Numbers 21:29 and again in 2 Kings 3:27 that the god of the Moabites was named Chemosh. During the end and downfall years of King Solomon, he too erected a “high-place to Chemosh” to satisfy the whim of one of his many foreign wives. We find this in 1 Kings 11:7 & 8. It wasn’t until the last good king of Judah, Josiah, that this “high-place” and other gods of enemies inside Judean lands were destroyed. This we read in 2 Kings 23:1-37.

The final three verses say much about the prophetic destinies of Moab. Plural word, destinies, because the prophecy is two if not three-fold.

[V45] “A fire will come out of Heshbon. It will destroy [devour] the corner of Moab, burn the hair on the heads of its occupants.” We should note that the word devour in the Hebrew in this verse is ‘âkal. It means more than to burn like one would expect from a fire. It also means “to eat away at.” Just like a cancer from nuclear fallout.

JIV NOTE: This has the tinge of a future nuclear explosion that casts its radiation a great distance. One of the consequences of radiation is the losing of hair.

[V46] Their sons and daughters will be taken captive and the “people of Chemosh [their idol-god] shall perish.” This is recorded as having happened when Nebuchadnezzar overran these once furious people of war. As we have mentioned before, this is a routine of both the Assyrians of old and the Babylonians; i.e. to remove them from their homelands.

[V47] There is a distant sounding prophecy of God promising to return these relatives of the Israelites through Abraham’s nephew Lot…[KJV] ”Yet I will bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days.”  The final sentences says the “thus far is the judgment of Moab.” Thus far; what does this mean? It means this will do it for now but there is more coming in End Time be it reprieve or final judgement.

2 Corinthians 5:10  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Who is next? Jeremiah 49 tells us about the other daughter of Lot and her descendants; the Ammonites. Has anyone noticed that Jeremiah has shifted away from the judgements of Judah to those of its neighbors? It is Nebuchadnezzar causing all of this havoc. This is why he is also identified several times in Jeremiah, even though evil, as “the servant of God” [Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6; 43:10].

JIV NOTE: In his own ignorance he is carrying out the will of God-Jehovah. It is not the will of the god of Babylon. That would be Baal, but he or it is only made of inanimate material. “The servant of God” translates as “an instrument of God” as through him we find Daniel interpreting Neb’s dreams. Through that we get a glimpse into a prophetic future that is very comprehensive and accurate. We also get a shirt-tail introduction to Revelation. 

miniJimRev Dr. Jstark – November 2017

 

Revelation Chapter 21

Posted on by
Reply

The last book of the Bible - RevelationsWe are about to conclude our look at and study of the Book of Revelation. Other than the first three chapters it is all about Israel and those who live in and during the tribulation 7 years. It will be good for us to recall a few things about Israel.

Every conflict in or around Israel is not THE [Revelation] SIGN of End Time. There has been conflict in the Middle East and especially with Israel since recorded history. The only time on can point to a semi-peaceful time in Israel was BEFORE King Saul. For 400 years the 12 Tribes lived within their own territories and only joined forces when an outside force caused problems or attacked one of the other tribal territories. But, even during the time of the Judges there was trouble, wars and in some instances, inter/intra-tribal conflict. We do not wish to get off topic so here are a few reminders of Israel and End Time: [God’s covenants with Israel are FOR ISRAEL and will be fulfilled to the letter]

  1. There will be a mass return of Jews to the land of Israel (Deuteronomy 30:3; Isaiah 43:6; Ezekiel 34:11-13; 36:24; 37:1-14).
  2. The Antichrist will make a 7-year covenant of “peace” with Israel (Isaiah 28:18; Daniel 9:27)… but will violate it at the 3 ½ year point (Daniel 9:27)
  3. The temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 11:1).
  4. The Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel, and worldwide persecution of Israel will result (Daniel 9:27; 12:1, 11; Zechariah 11:16; Matthew 24:15, 21; Revelation 12:13). Israel will be invaded (Ezekiel chapters 38-39).
  5. Israel will finally recognize Jesus as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10). Israel will be regenerated, restored, and regathered (Jeremiah 33:8; Ezekiel 11:17; Romans 11:26).
  6. James 1:1 “… To God’s people who are scattered all over the world” [ERV].
  7. Genesis 32:12 “…and they (Israelis’) will be as the sands of the sea.” This means there will be so many of Israeli DNA in so many different places no one will be able to count them. One reason is that millions of these people do not know they are DNA of Israel. Yes, truly lost in annals of time that is no more.

Jeremiah wrote: “The LORD says, “At that time [End Time Tribulation or beginning of the Millennial Reign] the people of Israel and the people of Judah will be together…once again. The dispersions of the Northern Kingdom was in 722 B.C., and the Southern Kingdom, 597 B.C.). They will cry and cry together, and together, they will go look for the LORD their God.”  (Jeremiah 50:4-5).

Ezekiel as does Isaiah has much to say about the same thing. What God reveals to him is miniJimwhat is going to happen during the return of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem by setting foot on the Mount of Olives. God says (not Jesus) that He will join the two sticks of Judah and Israel.

“Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick…” [Ezekiel 37:19; NKJV]
In Revelation 21 we get a glimpse of the New Heaven and the New Earth through the eyes of the Apostle John. Recall that the first heavens (the skies above) and earth flee from the presents of God in our previous blog (Chapter 20:11 & 21:1). Judgement has come and these created elements flee their creator.

This brings to mind Philippians 2:10… “… at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven, on earth AND UNDER THE EARTH.” Even the fallen angels (demons; servants of Lucifer) will bow a knee. Can we even imagine this? It is the pinnacle example of the word TOTAL.

The New Jerusalem descends from Heaven and “Now God’s home is with [the, among] His people. He will live with them…” Verses 3 and 4 of Revelation 20 summarize it for us. No more pain, death, sorrow, tears, regrets, all of the old is no-more. God says that he will make EVERYTHING NEW. The Greek for all or everything is pas. It means “totally inclusive. No exceptions.” Then, the most famous of statements; reminiscent of what Jesus said on the cross when he gave up his spirit, God himself says in verse 6 of Revelation 21… “IT IS DONE!”  What God created in the beginning, the Alpha, is now the Omega; the end. All things will be new. We are given a very small glimpse of the new. Whatever it is, it didn’t exist prior to this moment. This also means that “TIME” as created back in Genesis 1:5 is no longer. This is the definition of eternity. Time is not a factor as it no longer exists. We will see this in chapter 22; our final blog on Revelation.

People often miss the fact that all this happens after the Tribulation, the Millennial Reign of Jesus and God, the Great White Throne Judgment, and the Battle of Gog/Magog when Satan is released for a short time.  John does not record nor is there any evidence that he has a glimpse of what is on the other side of the wall separating the old creation and the beginning of the ALL NEW. John simply tells us it is all new and only the faithful, chosen, redeemed and Saints will be there. During the Millennial Reign there will still be those who reject the rule of Jesus. Satan will call on these people for his Gog-Magog war against Jerusalem after the Millennial Reign.

Verse 7 is very telling: He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. The faithful, chosen, redeemed and Saints will:

  1. Inherit all things…
  2. God will be their (father because)…
  3. They will be his sons (children)

What happens to the rest of the judged? Verse 8 is quite clear on this matter; i.e. the second death and lake of brimstone.

V9: One of the seven angels who had [take note as this is past tense… *had] one of the 7 bowls or vials of judgment (plagues) comes to John to give him additional insight. This time it is something good. John is going to see “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” We must once again note why we believe Revelation, after the first three chapters, is mostly about Israel. John is shown the bride of Christ; i.e. the New Jerusalem descending from and going to a place not mentioned. We can easily figure this to be located on the new Earth. Verses 12-14 are all related to Israeli identifications. After all, this is the New Jerusalem so it is Israelites who occupy it and probably those Christians who have been grafted in per Romans 11:17.

*This means that each of the 7 bowls of judgment are now empty; judgment done.

The New Jerusalem [v10] John sees descending from heaven is given exact measurements (1,400 miles in length, width and height). For more detail go to http://www.tourofheaven.com/eternal/new-jerusalem/size.aspx

Verse 21 is where we find the description of the streets paved with gold. The description of the New Jerusalem is not the entirety of the new earth. What John sees is only Jerusalem that descends from heaven (v10). We are not given any additional information as far as what the rest of the New Earth looks like; just the new Jerusalem. But we do know that more than the New Jerusalem exists. Verses 24 tells us:

“And the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.” [KJV]

There is some form of “nations” that will receive their light from the glory of Jesus and God residing in the New Jerusalem. We find this “light” described in V23; “…for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamb is the light thereof” [KJV].

Verse 25 tells us that the night and day created back in Genesis 1:5 is no more. This verse tells us that “there shall be no night there.” The closure of verse 27 in Revelation 21 is very clear as to who will and who will not be part of this “new everything.”

written.jpgThe only ones who will enter into this new creation will be those whose names are written in the Lamb’s “book of life.” The names are entered when one receives and accepts Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior. We demonstrate our faith in our actions, prayer, and bible study life. Being a Christian is a life style, not a religion.

Final word of caution to those who think Christianity is a religion and God is only love, not just(ice). Revelation 3:5

He who is overcoming–this one–shall be arrayed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the scroll of the life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before His messengers.

Are you overcoming and making Christ the center of your life thus overcoming? If not, then pay very close attention to the condition for NOT BEING BLOTTED OUT of the Book of Life. [I John 2:19; Hebrews 3:12; Mark 13:13; Exodus 32:32,33; Psalm 69:28]

 

Paul and Silas

Posted on by
Reply

The Bible often mentions earthquakes. If they are so, they are also a matter of secular records making these Bible records the same history as found in secular records. This series is designed to explore secular history, archeological digs [discoveries] and scriptural records of Biblical Earthquakes. This series will end with an article or two  on End-Time earthquakes. This is article number five in the series.

The Earthquake of Paul and Silas – Acts 16; Philippians; A Prison Letter

When we read the Book of Philippians, written from prison by the Apostle Paul, of an event recorded even in secular history. Many Bible teachers and scholars refer to the Book of Philippians as one of the “Prison Letters. [The other “prison letters” include Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon] Acts 16:16-39 records the same Bible history. We find Paul and Silas in chains due to the fact that they had cast out an evil spirit in a young girl, slave, who was able to predict (foretell) the future. In the Greek it means a μαντεύομαι, manteuomai: a prophet, soothsayer, one who utters spells.

SPECIAL NOTE: It is only fair to inform the reader of this article that the time period of this imprisonment is debatable. Many Bible scholars and well-meaning researchers have affixed multiple dates and places to this particular event. Some suggest it was around 52 A.D. and some go as far as to suggest it to be around 61 B.C. My personal approach in historical research is to look up major earthquakes in this region and connect the dots with Acts 16:26…[NIV] “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.” Secular historians and modern seismologist report such an earthquake around 58 to 61 A.D. in western Turkey near Ephesus.

We should keep in mind that Luke (supposed author of the Book of Acts) writes in Acts 16:16: “Once when we were going to the place of worship…” Note this is not at all specific to where this place of worship is and when it is. It is like telling a friend or group of people who are discussing particular life events that one of the participants simply starts in with the same introduction to the event s/he is going to explain; i.e. “Once when we (I) did such-and-such…”. It isn’t sequential, but it did happen sometime within his or her lifetime; perhaps as a teen, when just married, as an employee of whomever, while on a hunting trip or vacation, etc.
(Acts 16:20, 21) Paul and Silas’s accusers claimed “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us as Romans.” The fact that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens was unknown to their accusers and the magistrates who gave them a quick and speedy kangaroo trial (read the event in the Acts 16:37, 38 and see the terror that came over their accusers once this fact was revealed to them).

The documented record from the Bible and in Roman and Biblical history states that these men were put in prison with leg stocks; something usually reserved for only the most dangerous law breakers. In case the reader does not recall this recorded history, Paul and Silas were accused of anything but the truth. They had cast out an evil spirit that dwelt within this slave girl. This evil spirit recognized, as is stated in Acts 16:17, “these men are servants of the *Most High God.” She followed Paul and Silas around town with the spirit shouting out this fact.

*The Greek for “Most High” is hupsistos. It means the “Supreme God.” This fallen angel (evil spirit) and agent of Satan had to acknowledge the fact of God being supreme even above its boss, ol’ Satan/Lucifer.

We should also understand that during this time in history the Romans who occupied almost the entire Mediterranean area allowed Judaism and its offshoot of Christianity as Romans thought it to be, to be practiced (and protected). Romans viewed it as just another cult or religion within the massive Roman Empire.

The Romans had many gods including one to “the unknown god” (see Acts 17). Some of the Roman authorities saw the God of Judaism as possibly the unknown god for which the Romans even had a statue. This means from the onset, Paul and Silas were accused of something the Romans did NOT object to AT THIS TIME. The Emperor Nero soon changed all of this.
Historical Note: The Romans and The Romans , during the time of the Maccabees, had made an alliance and agreement to cooperate in most of life’s matters. This secular history can be read in 1 Maccabees 8:19-21, 29. The conclusion… since the Romans initially saw Christianity as an offshoot of Judaism, what Paul and Silas were doing was within the law.

Back to the real reason for Paul and Silas’s kangaroo trial: Acts 16: 17-19… Once the evil spirit was cast out, she (the slave girl) was no longer influenced by the evil spirit therefore incapable of foretelling the future; i.e. the money-making business of her owners and the real reason for bringing charges against Paul and Silas. Consequently these owners of the slave girl were put out of business. This fact was never mentioned in the kangaroo trial of Paul and Silas.

A Reader’s Note: The reader should take a few minutes to examine the scripture surrounding this point in history. It is directly relevant to recorded secular history and the earthquake mentioned in Acts 16:26.

EarthquakeThe short of it (the earthquake; v26)… shook the foundations of the prison opening the doors of not only the inner prison room in which Paul and Silas were chained, but all of the surrounding prison cells. In Roman times, this would mean death to the jailor if the prisoners escaped.

The aha-moment in secular and Biblical history…

In all likelihood, Philippi was not the epicenter of this earthquake and it is probable that Paul and Silas were not in prison in Philippi. After all, Paul was writing a letter to them. It may only be a coincident of timing but secular records and historians write that a very significant earthquake sometime around 59 to 61 A.D., the time in history when Paul and Silas were in prison, destroyed Laodicea, Colossus, and Hierapolis. These three cities were totaled as they lay within a natural fault between them and the Aegean Sea; the Northern and Western Anatolia Faults; the Lycus River Valley (http://www.padfield.com/2005/laodicea.html). A look at a map would also tell us that Ephesus was well within the tremors of this devastating earthquake recorded in both secular and Biblical history. After all, they are not separate histories. There is only one history and these coincide.

Scientist and seismologists tell us that tremors can travel thousands of miles and up to speeds of 500 plus miles per hour. The destroyed cities of Laodicea, Colossus, and Hierapolis were only a 90 to 100 miles, or so, from the eastern shores of the Aegean Sea where Philippi is/was almost on the western shores of this same Sea. Ephesus was next door to these cities within Turkey.

Secular records from Pliny, Eusebius, as do the Annuls of Tacitus record the same event within a few years [plus or minus] the earthquake record in the Book of Acts.

Coincidence… perhaps? But the records of the Bible and secularists match quite well. But, don’t take my word for it. Study it yourself. Secular history and Biblical history are not two unconnected stories. They are one history (not a story) recorded as a slice of the same historical pie.

Also see links:
1. http://religiouslyincorrect.com/Articles/TriCityAreaEarthquake.shtml
2. http://www.padfield.com/acrobat/history/laodicea.pdf
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seismic_wave
4. http://www.friendsandheroes.tv/episode19_paul_and_silas.html
5. http://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Philippians.html

a) Author: Philippians 1:1 identifies the author of the Book of Philippians as the apostle Paul, likely along with the help of Timothy.
b) Date of Writing: The Book of Philippians was written in approximately A.D. 61.

jStark3