A Day of Rest

I'm taking a day of rest on this Sunday to recharge my batteries and gear up for the next stage of the Devotion's journey: the Wisdom literature.

So far we have made quite a bit of progress since I started journaling my way through the Bible in July of 2007. I still remember Genesis with fondness even though it was over 16 months ago! The history of Israel as recorded in the Old Testament spans from the calling of Abraham in 2200 BC or so to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in the 430s BC. The Scripture goes silent over the next 400 years, though God was not finished working with Israel. For a hundred more years Persia ruled over Judah, the southern province that once was a nation, then came Alexander the Great of Greece in the 330's. When Alexander died, his four generals divided the kingdom and Judah fell under the dynasty of one of them. Things got really bad in 165 BC when a Greek ruler named Antiochus Epiphanes decided to enter the holy of holies in Jerusalem and, thus, committed the "abomination that causes desolation" prophesied in Daniel. That action led to a Jewish revolt against Antiochus led by the Maccabees family that earned freedom for Israel. But freedom was short lived. Rome was emerging as a world power and through an effort to secure the nation with Roman help, the Jews lost their independence. Pompey marched through Jerusalem and Israel fell under Roman rule up through the opening of the Gospels.

But there was much more written than a few history books in the Old Testament period, so our journey will resume with good ole Job on Monday. We'll move through the "wisdom" literature and then to the prophets. Until then.... have a great Sunday!

Be God's!

-- Brother John