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Abraham (Abram)
Abraham is recorded as the ‘founding father’ of the Hebrews. He is the husband of Sarah (Sarai) and the father of Isaac. According to Genesis, the name ‘Abraham’ means ‘father of the multitude’.
Abraham is associated with two important beliefs: the ‘promised land’, and the ‘covenant’.
A covenant is an agreement. Genesis tells us that God calls Abraham to leave his home country and to travel to an unknown land. In return for Abraham’s obedience, God promises him two things: a land that will be his (‘from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites’ [Gen 15:18-21]), and as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and grains of sand on the beach (Gen 22:17).
Although Abraham is old and childless, he trusts God and does as he is asked, and in time, Sarah gives birth to a son whom they name Isaac.
However, Abraham’s story does not end there. At some point in Isaac’s youth, Abraham is told by God he must offer his young son as a sacrifice. Abraham sets out for Mount Moriah where he makes an altar for God. As Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son, an angel appears to stop him and to provide a ram for the sacrifice instead.
Isaac later marries Rebekah and they have twins, Esau and Jacob. Jacob then goes on to marry Rachel and Leah and to father 12 sons. After Jacob changes his name to Israel, his sons and their families become known as the 12 tribes of Israel or the Israelites. Thus the covenant God made with Abraham is fulfilled: he is the father of a great nation with many descendants living in a land promised to them.
The place at which Abraham built his altar to sacrifice Isaac is now the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It is a sacred place for Jews, Christians and Muslims, all of whom celebrate Abraham as their father in faith.
The story of Abraham and Sarah is recorded in Genesis 11:26-25:10.
Abraham is recorded as the ‘founding father’ of the Hebrews. He is the husband of Sarah (Sarai) and the father of Isaac. According to Genesis, the name ‘Abraham’ means ‘father of the multitude’.
Abraham is associated with two important beliefs: the ‘promised land’, and the ‘covenant’.
A covenant is an agreement. Genesis tells us that God calls Abraham to leave his home country and to travel to an unknown land. In return for Abraham’s obedience, God promises him two things: a land that will be his (‘from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites’ [Gen 15:18-21]), and as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and grains of sand on the beach (Gen 22:17).
Although Abraham is old and childless, he trusts God and does as he is asked, and in time, Sarah gives birth to a son whom they name Isaac.
However, Abraham’s story does not end there. At some point in Isaac’s youth, Abraham is told by God he must offer his young son as a sacrifice. Abraham sets out for Mount Moriah where he makes an altar for God. As Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son, an angel appears to stop him and to provide a ram for the sacrifice instead.
Isaac later marries Rebekah and they have twins, Esau and Jacob. Jacob then goes on to marry Rachel and Leah and to father 12 sons. After Jacob changes his name to Israel, his sons and their families become known as the 12 tribes of Israel or the Israelites. Thus the covenant God made with Abraham is fulfilled: he is the father of a great nation with many descendants living in a land promised to them.
The place at which Abraham built his altar to sacrifice Isaac is now the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It is a sacred place for Jews, Christians and Muslims, all of whom celebrate Abraham as their father in faith.
The story of Abraham and Sarah is recorded in Genesis 11:26-25:10.
Adonai
.A name of God or a way to refer to God meaning “my Lord”. The Jewish religion held the name of God (YHVH) as extremely holy, only to be pronounced by the Jewish High Priest once each year on the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, so Adonai was used as an acceptable substitute that facilitated day-to-day religious activity.
.A name of God or a way to refer to God meaning “my Lord”. The Jewish religion held the name of God (YHVH) as extremely holy, only to be pronounced by the Jewish High Priest once each year on the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, so Adonai was used as an acceptable substitute that facilitated day-to-day religious activity.
Angel
Angels are referred to repeatedly throughout the Bible. In the biblical text, angels are real, living beings. Spiritual and non-physical, some take on a physical appearance for a period of time. A human encounter with an angel is in some sense an encounter with God. On many occasions God chooses to be known through an angel (Ex 3:2). The main activities of an angel are to offer praise and worship of God, to make announcements, to carry messages on behalf of God and to guide and protect people. Angels were deeply involved in proclaiming the birth of Jesus. The book of Hebrews (Heb 1:14) refers to angels as 'ministering spirits sent to serve.'
Angels are referred to repeatedly throughout the Bible. In the biblical text, angels are real, living beings. Spiritual and non-physical, some take on a physical appearance for a period of time. A human encounter with an angel is in some sense an encounter with God. On many occasions God chooses to be known through an angel (Ex 3:2). The main activities of an angel are to offer praise and worship of God, to make announcements, to carry messages on behalf of God and to guide and protect people. Angels were deeply involved in proclaiming the birth of Jesus. The book of Hebrews (Heb 1:14) refers to angels as 'ministering spirits sent to serve.'
Anointing
Anointing is the placing of oil on a person or object. Anointing was both an everyday and a sacred action. Oil was placed on a body to heal a wound and it was also used, perfumed, as a cosmetic. People who were to undertake religious duties, such as kings, were consecrated (set apart) by anointing. The Hebrew verb for anointing is mashah. It is very similar to the word messiah, which means ‘anointed one’. For Christians, Jesus was the messiah.
Anointing is the placing of oil on a person or object. Anointing was both an everyday and a sacred action. Oil was placed on a body to heal a wound and it was also used, perfumed, as a cosmetic. People who were to undertake religious duties, such as kings, were consecrated (set apart) by anointing. The Hebrew verb for anointing is mashah. It is very similar to the word messiah, which means ‘anointed one’. For Christians, Jesus was the messiah.
Assyrians
Peoples of Assyria, a Mesopotamian kingdom and empire of the ancient Near East that existed as a state from perhaps as early as the 25th century BC (in the form of the Assur city-state) until its collapse between 612 BC and 609 BC - spanning the periods of the Early to Middle Bronze Age through to the late Iron Age. From the end of the seventh century BC (when the Neo-Assyrian state fell) to the mid-seventh century AD, it survived as a geopolitical entity.
A largely Semitic-speaking realm, Assyria was centred on the Tigris in Upper Mesopotamia (modern northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and the northwestern fringes of Iran).
Peoples of Assyria, a Mesopotamian kingdom and empire of the ancient Near East that existed as a state from perhaps as early as the 25th century BC (in the form of the Assur city-state) until its collapse between 612 BC and 609 BC - spanning the periods of the Early to Middle Bronze Age through to the late Iron Age. From the end of the seventh century BC (when the Neo-Assyrian state fell) to the mid-seventh century AD, it survived as a geopolitical entity.
A largely Semitic-speaking realm, Assyria was centred on the Tigris in Upper Mesopotamia (modern northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and the northwestern fringes of Iran).
Augustus (Emperor)
The Emperor Augustus was the Roman emperor of what was considered ‘all the world’ from 27 BCE to 14 CE. As Emperor, he was entitled to know how many people were in his empire. The simplest way of doing this was to ask them to return to the place of their ancestors and to ‘register’ their name.
The Emperor Augustus was the Roman emperor of what was considered ‘all the world’ from 27 BCE to 14 CE. As Emperor, he was entitled to know how many people were in his empire. The simplest way of doing this was to ask them to return to the place of their ancestors and to ‘register’ their name.