Tag: war

  • Acts 8:1 Syria – Strategic Map into all of the world

    Acts 8:1 Syria – Strategic Map into all of the world

    Our cover photo may look like an intelligence map for a modern military operation in Syria. That’s right. War in Syria is hardly anything new under the sun.

    So you ask, what does this have to do with a first century Syria of the Roman Empire and Jesus’ great commission?

    Syria - strategic topographical map
    Some text on Talk of JESUS .com will appear in other languages for readers who translate our English language site for ease of reading.

    وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «اذْهَبُوا إلَى العَالَمِ أجْمَعَ، وَبَشِّرُوا جَمِيعَ النَّاسِ.

    Click this for English and Hindi translations of Arabic above: Gospel of Mark 16:15

    Syria: A frequent field פַּדָּן of battle for all of the world

    Follow the link above and you will discover that we have journeyed to these fields of Syria many times in the Bible.

    • And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; H6307 and pitched his tent before the city. – Genesis 32:18 KJV
      • Padan or Padan-aram = “field”
        • a plain or tableland in northern Mesopotamia in Aram, a region of Syria

      Today’s lesson on Syria sets the scene of ACTS in maps and history.

      IF we are successful in this lesson in cartography from a former C-minus geography student, we may all learn something about how Syria became a most important ‘where’ to go on our mission journeys of the first century Church.

      From the shores to the mountaintops

      Credits & Disclaimer:
      I have taken due diligence to link sources of this publically available material; however, PLEASE NOTE: In spite of the reliable information included in these website sources, MANY write from an Anti-Christ and ANTI-GOD perspective, quoting theorized dates & other unsubstantiated editorial commentary as facts. Nevertheless you should gain an understanding of the lows and highs of these journeys on the roads of Acts through Syria. 

      War near Israel:

      DCS Syria Map:

      Historical and Geographical Introduction by 132nd.AssafB

      Syria dcs map

      This is presentation about the new DCS map: Syria made by Ugra Media, and it is focused on the area between the north of Israel and the neighbouring countries of Syria and Lebanon..

      The goal is providing a solid background, both for building realistic DCS scenarios and for historical interests.

      What struck the most was seeing places such as Tyre on the map, and many others that recur through history since ancient civilizations, I did not think about that!

      Source: Digital Combat Simulator
      Watch a little to see the terrain of Syria near Israel if you would like

      Contemporary Squabbles, Wars, Conflits, etc & so on..

      A picture shows the scene after an explosive device exploded in a taxi in Syria's town of Azaz in the rebel-controlled northern countryside of Syria's Aleppo province near the border with Turkey, on January 13. -/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

      [Read more]

      ARGUMENT An expert’s point of view on a current event.
      Syria Is Neither Stable Nor Safe
      An unfinished war has been almost forgotten by the West.
      By James Snell, a British writer.

      JANUARY 29, 2022, 6:00 AM

      At least three Syrian children are dead this month from inadequate protection against the snowstorms and subzero temperatures that have made 2022 the coldest winter in 40 years in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. Their mothers are among Syria’s 6.8 million internally displaced persons.


      THE JERUSALEM POST By HASAN ISMAIK
       Published: FEBRUARY 19, 2022 

      Perhaps you recall or have studied the Six-Day War, or Arab-Israeli War of 1967, War between Israel and the Arab countries of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.

      Again, these same areas at issue surrounding the Promised Land had become areas where opposing military groups could lay siege of terror from the heights above the fields and towns of Israel just as has happened for thousands of years.


      Meanwhile, returning to the Roman Empire and Syria

      roman routes into Syria

      WorldHistory.org

      Syria was an important province of the Roman Republic and, later the Roman Empire. Both Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great favored the region and, after the rise of the empire, it was considered one of the most essential regions owing to its trade routes and ports on the Mediterranean Sea.


      Fleeing another Empire

      Here in Acts 6 we discovered a Jerusalem divided by traditions of east & west.

      Acts 6 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, maps of empires impacting the Jews

      Truly, there was more than one Jewish diaspora;

      most notably the one where Israel and Judah fell and the Jews were sent to other lands, mostly to the east.

      These lands were later captured by Alexander of Macedonia to their west, riches of a world which Rome sought to control beyond Syria and the Jordan.

      Roman Empire AD14 with Parthia to the east beyond Roman Syria
      Syria – between two empires AD 14

      In the early days of Judea, Herod the Great negotiated with Rome to build a shaky autonomy. But a generation and several Caesars later, Judea’s political alliance would be decimated by Rome with its imposing brand of a military peace.

      So another diaspora (of sorts), one of Jews AND these new Messianic Jews or Christfollowers would take place.

      Roman, Greek and Syrian towns would eventually try to send them all away.

      Christ followers would read Luke’s account of ACTS 7 & 8 at a time of new persecutions to both Jews and Christians after A.D. 60.

      Jerusalem, too, would once again fall to Rome’s Legions in A.D. 70.


      In the Timeline of ACTS

      If you had been following events back in Jerusalem (during the time Philip strategically fled to Samaria, ended up in Gaza and then amazingly found himself in Azotus), you would have observed several political attempts by Jerusalem’s rulers to follow such disciples of Jesus into all of the world
      anywhere these men might threaten the rule of Judea-ism [sic].

      Roman soldiers, as in years prior, were never far from the political wrangling between the Sanhedrin and Christians like Peter and Stephen who stood against Judea’s adopted Jewish traditions.

      • 27 BCE – Tarsus is capital of Roman province of Syria-Cilicia Phoenice
      • 66 CE – 73 CE – Syrian troops participate in the First Jewish-Roman War.
        • source [additional detailed timeline below]

      This second diaspora occurs after Rome tramples Jerusalem, when Christians have already fled to gentile and Roman cities. Disciples of Jesus in these places hear encouragement or read the record of earlier events in ACTS, which have taken place a generation or so earlier [30+ years].

      map of Syria, ruled froj Tarsus
      Roman cities of Syria

      “anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi”

      Historical ACTS ‘in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ’

      A.D., as world calendars denoted for nearly two millennia when men dared not overtly call any era 'common.' i.e. the anti-Christ designations of: BCE or CE
      ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
      
      Dates below approximate from multiple sources:
      - including Historical Atlas of the Bible
      • AD 6-AD14 – Judea is a ‘prefectorial’ province of Rome
      • AD26-AD36 – Pontius Pilate is Procurator of Syria-Cilicia Phoenice and its client states
      • AD27 – John the Baptist, a prophet-preacher popular in Judea is jailed then beheaded by Herod
      • AD30 – Pontius Pilate agrees to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who surrendered to the Temple police, was subjected to a mockery of a public trial and attracted multitudes of men and women wherever He taught in Syria’s towns and deserted places, not to mention this troublesome town of Jerusalem.
        • AD30 JESUS appears to more than five hundred men in various places for forty days RISEN from death!
        • The APOSTLES remain in Jerusalem, working miracles and challenged by the Sanhedrin.
      • AD34 – AD36 EVENTS RECORDED BY LUKE IN ACTS 7-8
      • AD37 – Caligula becomes Caesar of Rome
      • AD38 – Persecution of Jews in Alexandria in Aegyptus [Egypt}
      • AD39 – Mission of Peter in Samaria (More on that later from ACTS)
      • AD41 – Claudia becomes Caesar of Rome and Herod King of Chalcis [Lebanon]
        • AD44 – Judea returned to status as prefectorial province of Rome
      • AD45 – Paul begins his first of three mission trips (Much more later in ACTS)
      • AD48 – Famine in Judea [SEE above & current similar situation in Syria]
      • AD54 – Nero becomes Caesar of Rome
        • AD50’s – Gospel of Mark most likely written, shared and preached
          • More mission trips of Paul, finally ending in Rome
      • AD60 – Estimated date Luke’s Gospel first published;
        • also Paul’s hearing before Portius Festus, Procurator of Judea, who hearing his appeal to Caesar sent him to Nero in Rome, where he writes and sends many letters to the Church throughout the Empire until he is beheaded in Rome in AD67.

      ~AD 64 – ACTS of the Apostles published

      Acts Apostolos - Acts of the Apostles - the chronicles of Christ's Apostles - a history of Christ's Church including early leaders like Stephen, Philip the Evangelist, Paul, Barnabas and many others
      Acts of the Apostles + a History of Christ’s Church
      Most readers of Acts reading about Persecution beginning with Stephen have already experienced more persecution in the ensuing generations.
      the stoning of Stephen in Jerusalem

      “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

      “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”

      Acts of the Apostles 7:59b,60b – CSB


      ACTS 8:

      Starting with that day, there arose intense persecution against the Messianic Community in Yerushalayim; all but the emissaries were scattered throughout the regions of Y’hudah and Shomron.

      2 Some godly men buried Stephen and mourned him deeply. 3 But Sha’ul set out to destroy the Messianic Community — entering house after house, he dragged off both men and women and handed them over to be put in prison. 4 However, those who were scattered announced the Good News of the Word wherever they went…

      14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they would receive the Holy Spirit…

      Philip the evangelist flees Jerusalem to Samaria, but then receives a command to go to Gaza, where he baptized an Ethiopian, is taken up from there to Ashdod and preaches along the coast in towns leading to Ceasarea

      .. the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away.. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.

      Meanwhile, Sha’ul, still breathing murderous threats against the Lord’s talmidim, went to the cohen hagadol..

      Acts of the Apostles 9:1 Complete Jewish Bible
      syria in 30 BC

      ACTS:

      to be continued..

      (in Damascus)

      От Марка 16:15

      Великое поручение и вознесение Иисуса


    • for by strength shall no man prevail

      for by strength shall no man prevail

      Refugees have no strength

      Do you recognize the caution from 1 Samuel 2:9b? The attached summer rerun is repetitious as war and suffering. It noted Iraq. Since then Syria or any number of countries in Africa or Asia or South and Central America could have been our examples. Today we have finally ‘ended’ a 20 year war in Afghanistan.

      And as the observant may note, the Bible shows suffering many times and in many wars, famines and persecutions.

      Scriptures

      1 Samuel 2:9

      Genesis 6

      Acts 7 & 9

      1 Corinthians 16

      Original talkofJESUS.com post

      from Nov. 3, 2014 – Topic: Help & Pray for the Persecuted
      Summer Reruns! with picture of sun wearing sunglasses
      Summer 2021 AD {Scriptural} Reruns
      • CLICK “…Continue reading ” above,
      • THEN Ask a question or comment at the end of this post
      • OR email Roger@talkofJesus.com with your reaction, questions & comments.

      Stay tuned from more Summer of 2021 Reruns from talkofJESUS.com

      (ditto: Summer 2022 – more to come)

    • Apocalypse 5 – the Beginning of The End

      Apocalypse 5 – the Beginning of The End

      AWE of things unseen uncovered, creatures of Heaven hardly imagined and devastations of earth unimaginable! This is what the Lord Jesus Christ reveals [ἀποκάλυψις – apokalypsis] to the Apostle John.

      Excepts from Revelation 4: 

      The Throne Room of Heaven

      .. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here …

      .. and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

      .. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones..

      And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices:

      Revelation 4:5a KJV

      6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.

      ! ! ! ! Living Creatures

      The first living creature was like a lion.. each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within..

      “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”

      Revelation 4:8b NASB

      And when the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,

      the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they will worship Him who lives forever and ever..

      scroll with seven seals

      5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?”

      .. 6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slaughtered..

      8 When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb..

      “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

      Revelation 5:9b NASB

      .. 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders..

      “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.”

      Revelation 5:12 NASB – the loud praise of thousands of angels

      .. 14 And the four living creatures were saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

      Come and see!

      Last time in Apocalypse 4 – Tribulation begins – The End Revealed, after the LAMB opened the first seal we heard the loud voice of the first creature near to the Throne say, “Come.”

      Then we saw a rider with a bow on a white horse.

      He went out conquering and in order to conquer.


      He shall strike down the wicked from afar

      With inescapable arrows from the string of his bow

      The Face of the Lion whose wrath did slay them

      His enemies will never know

      Roger @talk of Jesus {dot}.com

      The Second Seal:

      War on Earth

      • Have you fully fallen in fear and awe before the One on the Throne as the Lamb opened the scroll?
      • Did the ἀποκάλυψις
        • ‘disclosure of truth concerning things before unknown’
        • convict your sinful soul as if you were dead before Him?
      • Could you face any of the four living creatures ever-vigilant in holiness surrounding the Throne of the One Creator and eternal LORD?

      Before we observe the opening of the second seal, returning to The Throne Room of Heaven, let’s look once more upon this scene with the second living creature.

      Revelation 4-5 excerpt:

      .. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne..

      .. and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind..

      .. the second living creature was like an ox..

      .. Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside..

      I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders..

      saying with a loud voice:

      “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
      To receive power…

      .. Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!”

      Revelation 6:

      3 When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!”

      Notice that the second living creature, which the KJV translates, ‘beast also speaks with authority; for these four are nearest worshipers of the Lord God!

      The four living beasts serve the Throne of the LORD — they are His messengers, all similar in power and fearful appearance, and yet different as personalities of man are both alike yet individual. The four horsemen also sent (by the living messengers of the Throne) also differ in appearance as do their horses and the judgments for which each is sent out to all the earth.

      4 Another horse, fiery red, went out.

      And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another;

      and there was given to him a great sword.

      From the unsealed judgment read from the scroll, two have gone out

      – one with a bow to conquer from afar and now

      • a rider who will spill the blood of war by the hand of a mighty rider of the horse red as fire!
      To be continued...
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