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Siege of Masada [73 ce] Written By: Tony Bunting Siege of Masada, (73 ce). After the fall of Jerusalem Emperor Titus returned to Rome and received a triumphant welcome. At the same time, the Romans began to restore order in Judaea by putting down any final resistance and regaining control of the last few strongholds held by Zealots. The last and longest of these final encounters was the Siege of Masada. Masada, Israel Ruins of the Masada fortress, southeastern Israel, near the Dead Sea.Medioimages/Photodisc/Getty Images Only a small number of Zealots escaped the massacre of men, women, and children when Jerusalem fell in 70 ce. Some of those who escaped—members of the extremist Sicarii sect—settled in the apparently impregnable mountaintop fortress of Masada. The Romans, commanded by Lucius Silva, laid siege to Masada, building a circumvallation wall around the mountain. A blockade would have been lengthy, however, because the defenders had plentiful food and water supplies. So the Romans also set about building a massive earth ramp on the western side of the fortress. Built under constant fire from the defenders, the ramp was 1,968 feet (600 m) long and rose 200 feet (61 m) to the fortress walls. The Romans then pushed a siege tower up the ramp. Equipped with a ram, this soon battered a breach in the wall. When the Romans entered the fortress, however, they discovered that its 960 inhabitants had committed mass suicide, preferring death at their own hands to slavery or execution. Jewish historian Josephus claimed to have been given a full account of the siege by two women who survived by hiding inside a drain. The witnesses claimed that, because suicide was against Jewish belief, the Sicarii had drawn lots to kill each other, with the last man the only one to take his own life. Masada was the last act of the Jewish war. The Jews became scattered into areas around the Mediterranean with many thousands being sold into slavery. Losses: Sicarii, 1,000; Roman, unknown.

I actually have known of God, Jesus and all this stuff sense my first bibal class. I've been saved by Baptist and Catholics you name the denomination and I've been there. By now I've been saved probably 90 times. What gives? Please explain to me If we all are "Christians" and read I'm assuming from the same book why so many are lost? This is as far as I'll go for now cause I'm new and don't wanna over stay my welcome.. Peace

There are numerous historical, linguistic and archaeological evidences that back up the veracity of the Bible. For example, it is quite easy to walk where Jesus, King David, Solomon, etc. walked in the Bible, and there are often even churches built on the most famous sites. In addition, there are literally thousands of manuscripts from the New Testament that prove our current Bible is accurate. Lastly, the Bible has been proven over and over again archaeologically. In fact, I know of two scholars who went to Israel with the express purpose of disproving the Bible and ended up becoming believers in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Well, it is just about the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. For those not familiar with that, it is a time in church history, where people were waking up to how far the church had degraded since it's inception. A reformation was needed, because church leadership, to a great degree, had become corrupted. Church positions were basically for sale to the highest bidder. The church was allowing people to buy indulgences, basically a license to sin, and shorten one's time in Purgatory. These could be used for yourself, or to shorten the time of a deceased loved one. Purgatory was basically seen as a place where a person paid for their sins by suffering until their sins were paid for and they could attain to heaven. In other words, the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross was deemed inadequate - definitely not the gospel, nor in the Bible. Church leadership (and by that I mean the Pope, Bishops, Cardinals, all the way down to priests) was falling prey to pride, sexual sin, hunger for power, greed and the like. The Bible was not yet in the hands of common people, nor was it necessarily in a language that ordinary people could understand, Christians were totally dependent, on what their leaders told them the Bible said, and what the Bible meant. That was a very quick summary of the conditions that had developed in the first 1500 years of the church. It is not my purpose to lecture anyone on church history, nor am I qualified to do so. I just wanted to give a quick background of what lead to the Reformation. Generally it is held, that the Reformation began when a German monk (Martin Luther) nailed his 95 theses on the door of Wittenberg Castle. That can be debated, but it was certainly a pivotal event. Now, the main thing I came to do, was to open a discussion about the five "solas" of the reformation. These are 5 ideas, that sort of embody the spirit of the Reformation, the main things that were seen as needing to be addressed and focused upon in the church as it existed at the time. Luther's hope, was not to attack the church, or start a new denomination, nor anything of the sort. His hope was to start a bit of a dialogue or debate, an opportunity for the church to do a little self examination. Sola, comes from a Latin word meaning alone or sole. The solas are these: SOLA SCRIPTURA SOLA FIDE SOLA GRATIA SOLO CHRISTO SOLI DEO GLORIA Sola scriptura, is the idea, that only the scripture, is ultimately a trustworthy source of information about spiritual matters. The traditions of the church, lack any real authority. Likewise, the leadership of the church, was also not authoritative, and must be subservient to the word of God. Sola fide, is the idea that salvation comes by faith alone, not by works, God grants salvation, and believers do not earn it by doing good deeds. Sola gratia, is closely related to sola fide. It is the idea, that mankind does not earn, cannot earn, and can never deserve salvation. Salvation is a free gift that God bestows to believers, totally apart from any merit of their own. Solo Christo, addresses the subject of and object of the faith of believers who will inherit salvation. Our faith is in Christ alone. There is nothing or no one in which we place our faith apart from Christ. No faith in works, nor the church, nor Mary the mother of Jesus, not the saints, not our prayers or rituals - our faith is in Jesus alone, regarding salvation. Sola deo gloria, informs us that all glory, is due to God alone, no one else gets credit or glory for what God has done for us. Of course, this implies the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as the one true God. They could be stated, that the scriptures alone, authoritatively teach us that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. That is what I have to say, to start this topic. If anyone chooses to, they may add to the discussion, elaborate, offer scripture, etc. I just thought it fitting, at this time of the impending 500 years anniversary of the Reformation, to offer some thought and reflection on what it was/is about.

A collection of some of the Proofs of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Bible ? ? ✝️ ? ? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *******Please go to YouTube and search for "Proofs of God, Christ, and the Bible Playlist" to find a playlist of 78 videos and growing of proofs of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Bible!******* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoy the written articles, here! Scientific The scientific evidence against spanking, timeouts, and sleep training http://qz.com/310622/the-scientific-evidence-against-spanking-timeouts-and-sleep-training/ Young Earth Science http://creation.com/age-of-the-earth#20110326 101 evidences for a young age of the Earth and the universe http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/101_evidences_for_a_young_age_of_the_Earth_and_the_universe Ten Reasons Why Sex Should Wait Until Marriage http://www.unification.net/tfv/tenreasons.html Archaeological Biblical Archaeology: Factual Evidence to Support the Historicity of the Bible http://www.equip.org/article/biblical-archaeology-factual-evidence-to-support-the-historicity-of-the-bible/ Ten Top Biblical Archaeology Discoveries http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/free-ebooks/ten-top-biblical-archaeology-discoveries/ Archaeology and the Bible http://www.christiananswers.net/archaeology/home.html Does Archaeology Support the Bible? https://answersingenesis.org/archaeology/does-archaeology-support-the-bible/ Archaeology and the Bible http://www.alwaysbeready.com/archaeological-evidence-for-the-bible Archeological Evidence http://www.bibleevidences.com/archeology.htm 50 People in the Bible Confirmed Archaeologically! http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/50-people-in-the-bible-confirmed-archaeologically/ Archaeological proof of the Exodus from Egypt (Not an affiliate) http://www.patternsofevidence.com/ History Institute Creation Research “The Bible has proven to be more historically and archaeologically accurate than any other ancient book. It has been subjected to the minutest scientific textual analysis possible to humanity and has been proven to be authentic in every way.” http://www.icr.org/biblical-record History Of The Bible http://www.allaboutthejourney.org/history-of-the-bible.htm Health Health Benefits of Fasting! (Cleansing not recommended) http://www.santosaphuket.com/fasting-water-vs-dry/ These Identical Twins Prove That Smoking Ages You http://guff.com/these-identical-twins-prove-that-smoking-ages-you/501 Nature / The Universe The Fibonacci Sequence Represented in the Universe, Plants, Animals, the Human Body, and more! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100518867557259&type=1&l=4e3a6843cd Beauty in every grain: For the first time remarkable photographs reveal hidden charms of ordinary SAND http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2011471/Pictures-sand-Close-photographs-reveal-incredible-beauty.html 26 Pictures Will Make You Re-Evaluate Your Entire Existence http://zumfeed.com/space/1222-26-pictures-will-make-you-re-evaluate-your-entire-existence.html Medical Science Proof We Can Think With Our <3 Hearts <3 Like the Bible has Made Clear! http://www.naturalnews.com/028537_organ_transplants_memories.html The Most Powerful Natural Antibiotic Ever – Kills Any Infections in The Body http://www.getholistichealth.com/41297/the-most-powerful-natural-antibiotic-ever-kills-any-infections-in-the-body/ Lemon is allegedly 10,000 stronger than chemotherapy in killing cancer cells! http://www.getholistichealth.com/42611/heres-why-you-should-always-freeze-your-lemons/ New Study Links GMOs To Cancer, Liver/Kidney Damage & Severe Hormonal Disruption http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/07/15/new-study-links-gmos-to-cancer-liverkidney-damage-severe-hormonal-disruption/ How Negative Thoughts and Emotions Harm Your Body http://steptohealth.com/negative-thoughts-emotions-harm-body/ The Dangers of Synthetic Foods http://3harmfulfoods.com/?v15=1&rc=1 Astronomy New Astronomical Proofs for the Existence of God http://www.reasons.org/articles/new-astronomical-proofs-for-the-existence-of-god The Bible and Astronomy http://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/is-the-bible-true/the-bible-and-astronomy

A collection of some of the Proofs of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Bible ALL of these fields of study prove Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Bible to be the truth of the universe! -Science! -Quantum Physics! -Archaeology! -Mathematics! -Biblical Prophecy! -Nature! -History! -Health! -Cosmology! -Medical Science! -Astronomy! -Testimonies! -Kingdom Power! ******************************************************************************************* ***************** - Search on YouTube: “Proofs of God, Christ, and the Bible Playlist” - ***************** *******************************************************************************************

Blessings Brothers & Sisters Recently I noticed many discussions where someone asks a simply question"Where did you get that information?"I'm sure that has always been a very common question but there are a couple of reasons that it really got my attention and I will go on to explain why.... There are several re-actions(please not I intentionally used the word REACTION here) A) the person who has been asked this question will take offense & reply"I don't have to answer that B) Try to defend their position by quoting verses of Scripture completely out of context Immediately they copy C) In less than 30 seconds they will copy/paste an answer from an information website that is someones commentary or answer which is their personal interpretation and D) they simply post an external link? Then,you do have people that do not REACT but replies after a few minutes,hours or even the next day...these folks usually will take the time to explain where & why or they truly don't remember and will say so OR tell you they will get back to you....& I'm sure there are tons of other responses to the question but that is just to name a few The reason I started this discussion is so you(we) can all ask ourselves "Where do get MY information" In other words ,,,"what are your sources & do you really take the time to test & approve? Not only should we see if the information we gathered is in accordance with Gods Word but also we must make sure that whoever has quoted Scripture has done so accurately......if someone responds & post a verse of Scripture do you go to the Bible to see that it has been quoted correctly?Perhaps you have memorized each& every Word that you do know it is precise?Well,Holy Spirit does bring Remembrance to us as we are firmly rooted & grounded in the Word of God ,yet ,,,ask yourself,have I prayed & tried the spirit? You see,I did a little experiment with a dear friend of mine & asked her if I was quoting the Scriptures accurately(I changed one word here & one word there,it w4ould be similar & still it changed the entire meaning of Gods Word) As a mature Spirit Filled woman of god ,her first response was "Let me first get my Bible" I said"No no,I want to try something" So she agreed & the outcome was not a surprise,,,,,she didn't notice,couldn't pinpoint the error.....being she is well versed in Scripture she often said" Wait a minute ,that does not seem quite right!!!!" There are many times I see someones a reply ,full of quoted Scriptures,some I know very well(to the letter) & others I double check to make sure......& then there are times,I must admit,that I carelessly have taken for granted that they are accurate without giving it much thought.....don't you? So please,don't take anyone at THEIR word,we humans can & do make mistakes,we are not perfect although we strive for Perfection in Christ Jesus.It is not a race to put up a reply as quickly as possible,if you are unsure of the answer & have a favorite website that you believe to be a reliable source,check it....be sure they have not only provided good information but that their sources are good also & ACCURATE,,,,,just because someone refers to Scripture does not mean the shoe fits or that it was even copied without addition or with omission......we each have a responsibility to seek Gods Truth ,we have a PERSONAL Relationship with God in Christ,we are Indwelled by Holy Spirit,we can approach the Throne of Grace Boldly & Confidently for ourselves,,,,& one day when we are asked the very same question,by Jesus,,,,,"Because he/she said so" will not suffice..... The internet provides a wealth of information & if you do your due diligence you can benefit tremendously by what is available but be CAREFUL & VIGILANT.....Google is not a source in itself,I hear a lot of people say "Well,I googled it!" ...Great.but where did google lead you to ,it is merely a search engine to point you in the right direction....In my younger days we didn't have computers,the library was one place to go to find information....we had to "take notes" & would end up with heaps & heaps of paperwork to do research.....a few times I have been asked what my sources are & honestly,it could take weeks to sort through hundreds of papers to find but I can tell you this much,I never took anyone's word for what they said to be "facts"....I looked it up * then I looked that up which lead to looking that up & so on & so on.......today,everything is at your fingertips in an instant we can research what may have taken many days so it is not that difficult And the same goes for rumors & hearsay,just because there are 5 websites that say "So & so is a false teacher" does not make it so,did you hear with your own ears,who are these people saying so?and more importantly,WHY are they saying so.....have they quoted one paragraph that was certainly a false doctrine that the person said & nobody quoted the second paragraph where that person explained that he was showing a false doctrine?lol Be alert,double check,triple check....do not be a rumor monger just because you have not taken the time to do proper research,that is not what a Christian does,,,,,we have to be accountable for every word spoken........and many things we do not know or are not sure of we must be sure to say so OR don't say it,it is not edifying.....We don't have to have ALL the answers nor are we expected to,I very rarely hear 3 little words ...."I don't know" or "I wouldn't know".....they are not difficult words to say Thanks for reading & I do hope to encourage everyone to got the extra mile and with just a little more time & effort I guarantee that we will grow that much more and not only be Bountifully Blessed but be a blessing as well! I am excited to hear what you have to offer to contribute to this Topic & if you have anything to add to enrich this Body of Christ,,,,,,,Peace to you & have a Glorious day with God!!! With love-in Christ,kwik

Marriage of the Israelites was very different from our western marriage of today. Although there is a great amount no known know about Israelite marriage, it customs and bindings, the biblical references that speak on this essential topic us that many Israelite marriage customs were very different than those our modern western societies. Number one,it is known that Israelite girls were expected to have maintained their virginity when they got married—and according to Deuteronomy Chap 22:1 could even be put to death if they were found not to be—men were allowed to marry multiple women. It is hard to know how common polygamy, unacceptable as it is now, which entailed a husband the right of being married to more than one woman, really was in ancient Israel. Also, certain evidence tells us that compared to wifes, the husband had more control over whom they married. For example, Samson chooses his own wife in Judges 14, even though his parents disapprove of the match speaks of a somewhat strong, somewhat independent degree of independence for men for selecting a mate. Most likely, young girls of age were married around puberty whereas young men were somewhat older than who they were marrying. Though unions were generally based more on economic or social considerations than romantic ones, some texts, including the Song of Songs, show us that ideas of passion and romantic love were also not only present but strong in ancient Israel. Number two In order to marry woman, a man would give her father a gift called the Mohar that would officaily seal and begin the betrothal between betrothed. Betrothal was, and today still is, a much firmer commitment than today’s engagement. Though one might think of the betrothal Mohar as a purchase price, this is inaccurate. Anthropologists call this gift “bridewealth.” It is found in many societies throughout the world and is not considered human sale by the people of those cultures—Israelite wives were never thought of as slaves in biblical times, though Israelite men sometimes did their marry slave women or servants. Some length of time after the betrothal, wedding festivities, often involving several or even weeks of feasting, would occur. The relationship between husbands and wives was not as equal in the ancient Near East as in modern Western Society, including Israel. Ba‘al, one of the Hebrew words for “husband,” also meant “lord” or “master,” and many Israelite men had life-and-death power over women in the case of adultery, which in ancient Israel involved a woman having sex outside of her marriage or a man having sex with another man’s wife. Men, though, could have multiple wives and concubines and were allowed to go to prostitutes, thus monogamy was a one-way street in this culture.And is the main reason prompting Jesus to to say the rules for divorce in the Gospel of Matthew... Matthew 19:9 "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." Finally, i say in a firm, final summarization , not all biblical texts are in agreement on every issue regarding marriage perhaps it changed with the constant struggle between conservatism and liberality in different tribes climates and Eras, More suggesting that different Israelite communities and authors had diverse and sometimes colliding viewpoints on more male dominant or gender equal marriage and that Israelite viewpoints evolved over time. Many biblical customs would be unfamiliar or even objectionable to many people living in our present- day Sex obsessed western societies today. Still, when we read the impassioned romantic poetry of the Song of Songs, we realize that some things, don't, never can, and never will change with love and marriage, Thank you.

I have serious doubts about not only Christianity but Religion in general...Anyone care Explain why I should Listen to "Gods Word"

I read an article and come across this line in it " 62 percent of Americans said they believe that God has given the United States a special role in human history ". I will post a link to the full article below. I was curious where this thinking comes from? How is it biblical to say america has a special role in human history? I also thought the article as a whole might make for interesting discussion. http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2015/July06/061a.html God Bless Firestormx

(if I put this in the wrong board, feel free to move it. Just let me know where you moved it to) In the OT when the ancient Jews slaughtered and sacrificed an animal, was the meat of the animal eaten, or did it just burn up until there was nothing left but ashes? Even if it was eaten by slaves, or even the other animals the people kept, at least it was used for something. I can understand where grain offerings or wine offering may have been wasted. But since I'm talking about ancient times, where most things were scarce, it's problematic to me that an all good and all loving God would have the people waste what little resources they had. Now I realize there may have been some exceptions to this where God made them waste a resource to drive home the point that they had committed a terrible sin. So I'm not talking so much about sin offerings, but the daily sacrifice. Maybe the priests ate it because they had no land or animals of their own? I read the OT a very long time ago and only re read Proverbs, Psalms and certain sections of Genesis, Daniel and other books. But I never reread the whole OT. That's why I'm so ill informed about this. I am going somewhere with this. But first I need to be more certain of my facts. John