QUEEN OF SHEBA - NYOBS 33.02

QUEEN OF SHEBA

THE LEGEND LIVES

First Word

There is not much said in scripture about the Queen of Sheba except her interest in King Solomon.  With that said; must speculation and imagination has been penned about who she was including

her romantic interests and some entrusted secrets. – To get an idea of “what they were thinking”,

I have to go to books outside the Bible and that’s just the way it is.

Sheba - Saba

• The Hebrew spelling of Sheba was Saba and the people were known as Sabeans.
• The precise location of Sheba is not evident from Biblical sources, however some Scholars insist she ruled the tribes in the mountainous country of Southwest Arabia.
• Archaeological discoveries around 1762 have indicated that the Sabeans were in Southwest Africa (Yemen) and apparently colonized parts of the adjacent Ethiopian coast south of Egypt.
• Josephus, the Jewish Historian describes the Queen’s realm to be Egypt and Ethiopia.
• They had settled in close proximity to the Hamitic (Ham) groups; the Egyptians and Ethiopians which testifies to a blending of Semitic elements in their culture.
• Although Sheba was not a large nation, it enjoyed a sophisticated culture, because of its trade in Frankincense and Myrrh. – They were TRADERS, RAIDERS and SLAVERS.

Job 1:14-15 – Raiders and Slavers

14 A messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,

15 and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!  NIV

Joel 3:8 - Slave trade

8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away. The LORD has spoken. NIV

Merchandise

• Scripture holds that Sheba or Saba was a wealthy country with herds of camels, Slaves and exports of gold, precious stones, Frankincense, Myrrh, and Calamus – They were a strong commercial power and were originally camel nomads.
• Calamus is a tall perennial wetland plant. The scented leaves have traditionally been used medicinally and to make fragrances and the dried and powdered rhizome has been used as a substitute for ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• The Israelites did not use gold for money, but mainly for decorations because the metal was soft enough to be shaped by craftsmen into ornaments; but was too soft for weapons.
• Their trade routes included Africa and India – At times they controlled the Port of Aden and utilized merchant ships for their cargo as well as had overland caravan trade routes.
• King Solomon had built a fleet of ships at the port city of Ezion-Geber that made regular trade voyages on the Red Sea, so trading between the two was very brisk.

Isa 60:6 – Sheba had Herds of camels and incense

6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense NIV

Ezek 27:22-23 – Gold, precious stones and spices

22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices and precious stones, and gold.

23 "`Haran, Canneh and Eden and merchants of Sheba, Asshur and Kilmad traded with you. NIV

Jer 6:20 – Sheba had Calamus

20 What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? NIV

The Story        

• Jesus refereed to her as the “Queen of the South”, so she was an actual person and not a myth. The Legendary name of the Queen of Sheba was Balkis. - She was a contemporary of King Solomon in the tenth Century B.C – The Nation of Sheba was polytheistic with worship of the sun, moon and star gods. - The ONE GOD of Israel intrigued her.
• Despite considerable achievement in agriculture mostly due to favorable rainfall conditions and an effective irrigation system, she still depended on the income from the trade routes.
• The Queen made the trip of some 1,300 miles to see King Solomon; probably at first overland by camel caravan, then by ship the rest of the way and then with great Pomp and ceremony to impress Solomon she come by Camel caravan into the city of Jerusalem.
• Jerusalem Today is the center for Three World Religions, Islam, Judaism and Christianity
• She came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions and riddles to investigate his fame of unmatched wisdom. - I think she may have also been motivated by her underlying interest in seeking special treatment for her merchants to negotiate unhindered movement in the international trade routes throughout the land that Solomon controlled.
• Solomon collected money from the merchants that used Israel’s trade routes.
• Solomon showed her around and she said that what she had heard was only the half of what she had seen. – She posed many curious questions and mysterious riddles to him which he answered more quickly than she had imagined and was “quite taken” by the King. - She was overwhelmed by the orderly manner of his kingdom and his FAITH – There was no more spirit in her. - Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her
• The Queen blessed King Solomon and blessed the God of Israel for blessing Solomon and Israel with such splendor. – Then she brought in her gifts of gold, spices, incense and some special wood. - Never again did such abundance of spices, come in as that which she gave King Solomon.
• The two great rulers exchanged gifts, respect and a mutual admiration for the ONE GOD of Israel.

Luke 11:31 – Jesus called her the Queen of the South

31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.  NIV

Matt 12:42 - The Queen of the South

42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. NIV

1 Kings 10:1-8 – QUEEN OF SHEBA arrives with a caravan

1 When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.

2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan-with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones-she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.

3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her.

4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the Wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built,

5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.

6 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.

7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.

8 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!

2 Chron 9:1-8 – She gave gold, precious stone and spices

1 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan-with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones-she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind.

2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.

3 When the queen of Sheba saw the Wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built,

4 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.

5 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.

6 But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.

7 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!

8 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness."  NIV

2 Chron 9:13-14 - Revenues from merchants and traders

13 The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, 

14 not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. NIV

120 Talents of Gold

• Talent – the heaviest unit of weight measurement in the Hebrew system. The common talent was about 3000 shekels or the weight that a man could carry.
• Four Talent Standards of weight; (1) The Common - (2) The Common Royal (5% heavier than the common weight) - (3) The Heavy Common (twice the common) - (4) The Heavy Common Royal (5% heavier than the heavy common).
• The Queen of Sheba gave Solomon 120 talents of Gold - At first Israel used the Babylonian “common talent” of 66 pounds as their “Talent” standard, but later went to the “heavy common talent” which was 132 pounds – So the Queen gave King Solomon between 7,920 to 15,840 pounds of Gold depending on the standard used..  GOOD GRIEF
• In 1970 the price of gold was $37.00 an ounce or $592.00 a pound
• In 2010 the price of gold was $1,410 an ounce or $22,560 a pound
• So the Queen gave Solomon Gold at the 2010 standard of $178,675,200 to $357,350,400

1 Kings 10:10 – She Gave Solomon 120 talents of gold

10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

2 Chron 9:9 – 120 talents of gold

9 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

Josephus Account

• This is a partial “selected” account of what Josephus, the Jewish Historian wrote about the Queen of Sheba.  I have shortened it, because it is quite lengthy and wordy.
• You will notice how greatly she was affected by Solomon and it reports furniture that she gave him which apparently was loaded on other boats that accompanied her.

Josephus 8.6.5

5.165 There was then a woman, queen of Egypt and Ethiopia, she was inquisitive into philosophy – When this Queen heard of the virtue and prudence of Solomon, she had a great mind to see him; and the reports that went every day abroad induced her to come to him.

5.166 She proposed questions of very great difficulty, and entreated that he would solve their HIDDEN meanings.  Accordingly she came to Jerusalem with great splendor and rich furniture.

5.167 Upon the Kings reception of her, he both showed her a great desire to please her, and easily comprehending in his mind the meaning of the CURIOUS questions she propounded to him.  He resolved them sooner than anybody could have expected.

5.169 But she was beyond measure astonished at the house which was called the Forest of Lebanon….and the daily sacrifices which were offered to God…

5.170 When she saw that this was done every day, she was in the greatest admiration imaginable, insomuch that she was not able to contain the surprise she was in, but openly confessed how wonderful she was affected.

5.174 Now when the Queen had thus demonstrated in words how deeply the king had affected her, her disposition was known by certain presents, for she gave him twenty talents of gold and an immense quantity of spices and precious stone.

5.175 Solomon also repaid her with many good things, and principally by bestowing upon her what she chose of her on inclination, for there was nothing that she desired which he denied her and he was very generous and liberal in his own temper, so did he show the greatness of his soul in bestowing on her what she herself desired of him…. She returned to her own kingdom.

1 Kings 10:11-12 – Other ships with wood products

11 (Hiram's ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones.

12 The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.) NIV

The Legend Begins

• This is where the Legend of a ROMANCE between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon begins. - Marriages were often “contracted” to cement alliances with other nations.
• Legend has it that she wanted a child by Solomon and so she became one of his wives and became pregnant before she returned to Ethiopia.
• Ethiopian tradition says the son of Solomon and the Queen was Menelik I, or Ibn al-Hakim which means “Son of the Wise Man”. – It was said that the son visited Solomon and studied about the religion of the Israelites and at some point returned to his home to found his own dynasty.
• The tradition that the royal line of Menelik I is descended from Solomon and the queen is difficult to prove or disprove.
• BAM - In 1955 the revised Ethiopian Constitution states that the Royal line “descends without interruption from the dynasty of Menelik I, son of the Queen of Ethiopia, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of Jerusalem”.

1 Kings 10:13 – Solomon gave the Queen ALL she desired

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

NIV

2 Chron 9:12 – She received ALL she asked for.

12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

NIV

1 Kings 3:1 – Marriage to obtain alliances with other nations

1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh King of Egypt and married his daughter. NIV

Ethiopia – Fiction or Fact

• Other writing not found in the Bible suggest that SOLOMON, concerned about an invading army, built a replica of the Ark of the Covenant for protection and that the real Ark was sent to ETHIOPIA for safe keeping with his SON that he fathered with the Queen of Sheba and is under guard there even today awaiting its return..
• More – June 26, 2009, Abune Paulos, the patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia attested that the Ark is being kept safe and secure in a church in Axum, Ethiopia.
• The Apocrypha says the Ark was carried off into Babylon… did they get a replica? - NYOBS 16.20 ARK OF THE COVENANT

Isa 18:1 – The Ark is in Ethiopia (Angel Wings on the Ark)

1 Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia KJV

1 Esdras 1:54 (Apocrypha) – Carried off to Babylon – Replica?

54 Babylonians took all the holy vessels of the Lord, both great and small, and the ark of God, and the King’s treasures and carried them away into Babylon.

Evangelization

• This is where the rubber meets the road.  Solomon asked God to give him wisdom and He did plus what he didn’t ask for which was riches.  Solomon started out with a heart after God and it showed in his actions of building a temple to God and his daily sacrifices.
• In turn God blessed Solomon and the nation of Israel and that got a lot of people’s attention as multitudes were coming to Jerusalem to worship the true and living God.
• In Sheba they worshiped many gods; the sun, moon and stars
• The Queen of Sheba had heard about a Temple where the common man could approach the one True God and when she came she saw for herself Solomon DAILY going up to the Temple to offer burnt offerings to his God. – Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of Sin. (Jesus was the final sacrifice)
• Solomon told the Queen the secret of his kingdom, that it was Jehovah God that had given him the wisdom.
• It was then that the Queen of Sheba accepted and blessed the God of Israel as the one and only true and living God.
• This was the zenith of the kingdom of Israel which was characterized by faithful witnessing

1 Kings 4:29 – God gave Solomon wisdom

29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

NIV

1 Kings 10:24 – Multitudes heard what God put in Solomon’s heart

24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. KJV

1 Kings 4:34 – Men of all nations were Evangelized

34 Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.

NIV

Heb 9:22 - Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness

22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness NIV

2 Chron 9:2 – Solomon told the Queen about his God

2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not. KJV

1 Kings 10:9 – The Queen accepted the God of Israel

9 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness."

                        IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE GOD

OF SOLOMON THE KING OF ISRAEL AND BALKIS THE QUEEN OF SHEBA

THEN CHECK OUT NYOBS 29.02 – THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY.

If you do not believe in God then check out NYOBS 06.22 – HELL

Wait, there’s more

• When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ born of a woman, to redeem and save mankind.
• No one can come to God except through His Son – We can’t do anything to earn salvation – We are saved by His grace; it is a Gift of God.
• If we reject Jesus Christ; God’s ONLY begotten Son, then we are Calling God a LIAR and reject Him and stand condemned already because there is no other way.

Galatians 4:4-5 – When the time had come God sent His Son
⁴ But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. (NIV2011)

1 John 5:10-12 - You call God a LIAR if you reject His Son
¹⁰Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a LIAR, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (NIV2011)

John 3:18 – If you do not believe, you stand condemned already.
¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (NIV2011)

John 14:6 – No one can come to God except through His Son
⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV2011)

Ephesians 2:8-9– We are saved by God’s Grace
⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast. KJV

In the multitude of counselors,

 there is wisdom.

Prov 11:14

I am grateful for those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I otherwise ever could have.

Antiquity of the Jews – Josephus Jewish Historian

Bible Almanac; The – Packer Tenny White

Harper’s Bible Dictionary – Harper & Row

History of Israel – J. Vernon McGee

Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s

Illustrated Bible Dictionary - Tyndale

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas & Tenney

Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul Gardner

GOOD SAMARITAN REVISITED - NYOBS 32.28

 GOOD SAMARITAN

Revisited 

The Story

• The discourse begins with the Command of Jesus to “Love your Neighbor”. - The question was put to Jesus by a Lawyer; “Who is your Neighbor”; which gave birth to this parable.
• I know you know the story of The Good Samaritan; about a man that was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho; a 15 mile trek downhill through a rocky and dangerous gorge some 3,300 feet below Jerusalem and through what I would call “The Bad Lands”.  A place haunted by marauding robbers that hid behind large boulders and sharp turns in the road.
• The Man fell among thieves who beat and stripped him of his clothes and left him half dead. 
• “By chance” or “coincidence”, a Priest and a Levite, who were both highly respected and in the service of the temple came upon the man – however, both of them passed him by; not even wanting to get close. - In the providence of God there is no such thing as “Chance”.
• Finally a good for nothing, low down, scumbag Samaritan came by and poured oil and wine on his wounds, and bandaged them; then took him to an inn and paid the inn keeper to take care of him and said on his return trip, he would reimburse the innkeeper for whatever he spent.
• The Question was then posed; which one of the three men was the neighbor and the Lawyer replied, “The one that showed Mercy”.

Luke 10:27 - Love your neighbor

27 He (The Lawyer) answered: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, `Love your neighbor as yourself.'" NIV

Luke 10:29-37 – Who is my neighbor

29 But he (The Lawyer) wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him

34 and He bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.

35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." NIV

The Allegory

• St. Augustine in the fourth Century embraced an allegory that this story really represented THE FALL OF MAN AND HIS REDEMPTION; here’s how it all unpacks;
• The Man that was traveling represents Adam or ALL of mankind.
• Jerusalem is a state of peace and is where God dwells – It was Adams home in Paradise
• The Trip from where God dwells was down hill all the way.
• Jericho is a city that had been cursed. – This represents the fallen world. 
• The Robbers are Hostile influences, mischief, misery and enemies of the soul that strip off the “Garment” of righteous and immortality.– Thieves lead a man out of God’s way so they can BIND HIM with unbelief, giving him a hardened heart and ignorance of God’s Word. – The thieves are bold and cunning and come disguised as angels of light; they deceive, beguile, and assault. Satan comes to bind you up with sin and seeks to kill, steal and destroy.
• The Wounds are our evil SINS – The wretched, miserable state and deplorable condition of all men by nature. – The sinful wounds have marred the very “image of God” that we were made in. - We seek sinful pleasures, sinful profits and sinful honors. - Sin makes the Soul spiritual dead leaving the body desperately wounded and half alive. – We are to watch and pray that we will be able to escape the lure of temptations that WILL come our way.
• The Priest represents The Law that could not relieve, help, cure or bring salvation.
• The Levite represents the Legal Sacrifices that could not relieve, help or bring salvation. – Interestingly both the Priest and the Levite knew The Law about loving God & your neighbor
• The Good Samaritan is Jesus Christ who heals and comforts mankind – He saw our wounds and our blood from eternity and had pity and compassion – He assumed the nature of man and came to him and applied His own precious blood to his wounded soul. – He has disarmed the robber, the thief, by triumphing over him with the cross and made a public spectacle of him. - While we were still sinners, Christ died for us – He found us when we didn’t seek Him.
• The Oil is the soothing oil of gladness that covers the wounds of sin.
• The Wine provides cheering, reviving and strengthening of our nature.
• The Donkey is the FREE doctrine of Grace that we did nothing to earn. – The doctrine of True Grace that carries us to the Inn. - Strange and false doctrine will carry us away.
• The Inn is the Church and the body of Christ; the Disciples and followers – A place of refuge, safety with all the privileges. - Come, all you who are thirsty, you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
• The Inn Keeper is the Watchman, the Overseer, Pastor or Minister; the Shepard who takes care of the flock and was commanded by Jesus to “Feed my Lambs”.
• The Money – The TWO-pence GIVEN represent the Grace Gifts and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit imparted to the Pastor; as well as represents the Old and New Testament.
• The returning Good Samaritan is the SECOND COMING of Christ – Christ was manifested in order to destroy the works of Satan. – The Messiah has loosed the pains of death – It could not hold Him. 
• The Repayment is the glorious reward all ministers of the GOSPEL will receive.
• I think its fun to note that the Inn Keeper; which is the church and its followers operated on the PROMISE, that the Good Samaritan or Jesus Christ having already made full payment would RETURN AGAIN for the fallen Man which is all of mankind.
• By Faith, we await the Promise of our Reward - No good thing will He withhold from us.

Josh 6:26 - Jericho had been cursed

26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: "Cursed before the LORD is the man who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: "At the cost of his firstborn son will he lay its foundations; NIV

Acts 8:23 – Robbers - Bound by Sin; unbelief, bitterness

23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.  NKJV

John 10:10 – Satan is the Robber; the Thief

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. NIV

Ezek 16:6-8 – I saw you struggling in your own blood

6 "And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!'

8 When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine," says the Lord GOD.NKJV

Isa 65:1 - I was found by those who did not seek me

1 "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name,

I said, `Here am I, here am I.' NIV

Isa 1:6 - Soothed the wounds, welts and open sores with oil

6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness--only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.  NIV

Isa 53:5 - And by his wounds we are healed

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. NIV

Isa 61:3 – Give to you the Oil of Gladness instead of Mourning.

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. NIV

Heb 1:9 – Anointed you with the Oil of Gladness

9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."  NKJV

Ps 104:15 – Wine gladdens the heart

15 Wine that gladdens the heart of man, NIV

Eccl 10:19 – Wine makes you smile

19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, NIV

2 Sam 16:2 – Wine is refreshing

2 "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the desert." NIV

1 Tim 5:23 – Wine promotes healing

23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. NIV

Heb 13:9 – He was CARRIED away by the “Grace Doctrine”

9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by GRACE (doctrine) NIV

Isa 55:1 – Come you who have NO MONEY and eat freely

1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. NIV

Ps 23:1-5 – He PROVIDES, guides anoints me with oil

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.

3 He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

5 You anoint my head with oil; NIV

Phil 4:19 – God will SUPPLY all your needs.

19 My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. KJV

Ps 84:11 - No good thing does God withhold

11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. NIV

Isa 43:2 – GOD WILL BE WITH YOU

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. NKJV

Acts 2:23-24 –He loosed the pains of death; Couldn’t hold Him

23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. NKJV

Luke 21:36 – Watch and pray to escape Temptations

36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. NKJV

2 Cor 11:14-15 – Satan’s servants masquerade as angles of Light

14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. NIV

Matt 12:29 – Satan binds us then steals our possessions

29 "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. NIV

The Father of Lies

The thief tells young people, it’s too soon to mind heavenly things;

and when they have grown old, the thief tells them it’s too late.  Benjamin Keach

John 8:44 – Satan is a murderer and LIAR from the beginning

44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. NIV

Prov 4:20-27 – God’s Word is LIFE and HEALTH to the flesh

20 My son, attend to my words; Incline your ear unto my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart. For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a wayward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before thee. Make level the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil. ASV

Death Defeated

• Christ has conquered Satan and death and we didn’t even fight the battle, but we got the prize and now nothing can separate us from Him – We are more than a conqueror.
• I know and am convinced that he will guard and keep us until His return. - He who began a good work in us will carry it on to its completion. 
• God has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

1 John 3:8 – Christ - manifested to destroy the works of Satan.

8 To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.  ASV

Rom 5:8 - While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. NIV

Phil 1:6 - Christ began a good work in you will complete it.

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. NIV

2 Tim 1:12 – I know and am convinced that he will guard me.

12 I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. NIV

Heb 13:5 - Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you

5 God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." NIV

Col 2:115 – Christ has disarmed the enemy with the cross

115 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.  NIV

Rom 8:37– We are more than conquerors

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Rom 8:38-39- Nothing can separate us from Christ Jesus

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NIV

Without regard to race or religion, every man that “Needs Us” is our neighbor

Its not “Who is my Neighbor”, but “Am I a Neighbor”.

In the multitude of counselors,

 there is wisdom.

Prov 11:14

I am grateful for those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I otherwise ever could have.

A Commentary – Critical, Experimental & Practical – Eerdmans

All the Parables of the Bible – Herbert Lockyer

Annotated Reference Bible - DAKE

Antiquity of the Jews; The - Josephus; The Jewish Historian

Bible Almanac; The – Packer Tenney White

Baker Commentary on the Bible – Walter A. Elwell

Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer

Customs and Folkways of Jewish Life – Theodor H. Gaster

Exposition of the Parables – Benjamin Keach

Expositor’s Bible Commentary; The – Frank E. Gaebelein

Guide Post - Lent – Max Lucado

Harpers Bible Dictionary – Harper & Row

His Glory Revealed – John Hagee

Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Facts – Packer-Tenney White

Jewish book of Why; The – Kolatch

Liberty Commentary on the New Testament – Jerry Falwell

Matthew Henry’s Commentary – Zondervan

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

New International Version Bible – NIV

New Unger’s Bible Handbook; The – Gary N. Larson

One Hundred Bible Topics – Marvin Hunt

Paul & His Letters – John B. Polhill

The Message Bible

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries - Leon Morris

Vincent’s Word Studies of the NT – MacDonald

Webster’s New World College Dictionary - Webster

Why Do Catholics Do That? – Kevin Orlin Johnson

Wikipedia

Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer & Harrision

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The – Tenney