AN ENTRY TO THE PROMISED LAND

Immediately after the conquest of an amazing thing: tribes of Israel taken root in the occupied land. They have abandoned the nomadic lifestyle. Canaan since time immemorial experienced raids of nomads, but they have always been sporadic. Tribes of the invaders appeared suddenly, grazed their cattle, and then also disappeared suddenly. The Israelis, on the other hand, have become sedentary, have started to process fields and clear forests. The children of Israel have left tents and built a hut: they settled among the ruins of houses in conquered cities. During the excavation of the Davira, Vefsamisa and Bethel on the surface of the remaining burnt formation in these cities remains of utensils.

The excavation has unequivocally established in that era a historic turning point. Where once were the homes of aristocrats and the palaces of ancient feudal lords, rural huts and fences. The massive defensive walls bear traces of repair. But the Israelis have very thin walls of brickwork. Erection of new strong defensive walls required the forced labour and the Israelis hate it more than anything else. They considered themselves free and independent people.

Quickly, many new settlements had traces of archaeologists found throughout the mountain districts. But the settlements remained very few: the basic building blocks of Israelis were Sun dried bricks of mud, and the construction of these were short-lived.

The Israelis were the real pioneers in these mountains. They are living in the uninhabited area of arid regions. It may sound implausible, but the technique used by the ancestors of the present-day Israelis were partially picked and used again in the modern State of Israel. The ancient children of Israel buried in the land of big vessels to collect rainwater and faced them inside a special lime stucco, which is still unknown. The catch was so strong that he could resist the destruction of thousands of years.

THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW HISTORY

 

Recently, after 3000 years, once again it has been proven that Saul was a tactician. One example shows how the Bible can be fine even in the slightest details, and how reliable are her dates and information. The description of this truly amazing event we owe the British army officer, major Vivinu Gilbert. In his memoirs he says:

"During the first world war, Allenby in Palestine, once by the light of candles was looking for in the Bible one name. His squad was ordered to take the village, which was situated on a rocky hill on the far side of a deep valley. The village was called Mikhmas settlement and this name seemed familiar. The Scripture was the story of how Jonathan at night with his Squire went through two sharp rocks to get to the filistimskomu: "there was a sharp rock on the one hand; the name of one Bocec, and the name of the other Hay. They scrambled up the rock and beat a number of the Philistines on the half of the field, "the pair of oxen in the day. The main force of the enemy were surrounded by armies of Saul, scattered and ran. Then Saul attacked enemies with all his army and defeated them.

The Commander thought this place could still be the narrow passage between two cliffs, and at the end of the aisle "half of the field. Then they sent a patrol discovered the passage, which very loosely guarded by the Turks and passed by two pointed rocks-it's clearly been Bocec and hay. From the top of the patrol were able to make out in the Moonlight next to Mihmasom a level field. The Commander changed the plan of attack and decided not to attack the detachment and Mikhmas settlement sent through the Gorge under the cover of darkness, only one company.

Soldiers silently killed several met the Turks and fled through the rocks. Shortly before dawn, company took up a position at the half of the field.

Turks woke up and began to run in panic: they decided that are surrounded by an army of Allenby. All of them were either killed or captured. So, after thousands of years the British army has successfully used the tactics of Saul and Jonathan.

LIFE IN ANCIENT ISRAEL

Against the backdrop of the magnificent luxury of ancient Egypt, Babylon and Assyria home life of ancient Israel may seem drab and monotonous. Indeed, it does not compare with the Golden splendor of Troy, nor with the elegance of Egypt's Tutankhamen and Nefertiti. But the Israelis were languishing in hopeless, sad existence, not any entertainment?

Far from it.

 

Recipes cooking aromas from the plant, archaeologists found beneath the rubble walls, remains of aristocratic houses and Royal palaces. Expert advice on production of incense were highly valued. For mixing the ingredients applied mortar with Pestles; they were made of ivory, limestone, and sometimes of precious Alabaster. The spirits were stored in small bottles of burnt clay. In larger vessels and jugs were holding incense, usually olive oil. Olive oil was considered useful for skin and hair. They were even poor people (of course, without aromatic additives and high value components), since olive trees in Palestine met in abundance.

Ablution water was part of Israel's tradition. The Israelis first before and after meals, washed the feet of visitors who came to the House, and every night they washed themselves. Numerous biblical evidence of this custom are found during excavations stone bowls, basins and clay sinks. For swimming, the Israelis used SOAP, made from plants and various minerals.

It is known that the people of ancient Israel had a penchant for bright colours. Israelis have stained your clothes and house walls, and Israeli women enjoy colorful make-up.

 

In the Old Testament there are mentions of cushions that members sat at the table, but the beds in the modern sense of the Word does not refer anywhere: bed was a rare luxury in ancient Israel.

In Israel with familiarity only aristocrats. The bed was a commoner's cloak, which he went to envelop for the night. This is reflected in the legislation, which States that "human bed" can be taken as collateral, but only for the day: at night it should return. In 1959, due to a fluke in the ruins of Yavne-Yam, South of Tel Aviv, was discovered by a unique instrument that has a real case of the cloak as a pledge.

The cloak was a woolen blanket and served for various purposes. Not only does it protect from the cold and used as a bed, but could also serve as a bedding and carpet.

 

Us removes from the noise and clatter of the century of technology, and we often dream about returning peace and quiet good old times. But whether the life of ancient Israel was calmer than the life of the modern European.

Instead of roaring speakers and loudspeakers surrounding Israeli tents and buildings announced the rumbling mill grinders. Mills worked from dawn to dusk, grinding grain into flour. This process was similar to the modern coffee grinders, but was far more difficult. To move a heavy millstone, requiring a lot of strength.

Protests and then emerging about increased noise levels in the major cities, in the old days would have been simply impossible. If, around the mill and the mill would have reigned in the country. In the vision of Jeremiah, said  the horrors that await the nation of Israel during the period of the Babylonian captivity, says: "and stop the voice of joy and the voice of gaiety, the voice of bridegroom and bride's voice, the sound of millstones and the light fixture. And all the land that is desolate and horror; and these people will serve the King of Babylon seventy years.

 

ABOUT THE MEDICINE OF THE ANCIENT WORLD

In those days Hezekiah became ill terminally. What illness coincided with the moment of feverish political activity, was a serious setback. After all, many States Syria and Palestine stand on cunning and prudent King of Judea, with hope. But how does Hezekiah was healed?

"And Isaiah said: take a layer of figs. And they took, and appended a abscess; and he recovered.

In the history it is not uncommon to find amazing Parallels and analogies. It happened in the case of this biblical method of treatment.

In 1939, in the North of the Syrian harbor of Ras shamra French archaeologists discovered among the ruins of the Phoenician port of Ugarit fragments of ancient books on veterinary medicine. Recipes collected in it, have been successfully used by peoples of the ancient East since time immemorial. These natural medicines can be effectively used to treat people.

Many of the tried and tested remedies of this kind, rising back to biblical times and are usually made from natural components, now irrevocably lost. But many have survived to pass on from generation to generation; among them-and therapeutic SALVES of figs recipe. To this day, Swiss doctors prescribe to treat some kinds of abscesses broth chopped figs to milk. Another tool, like a layer of figs-thick sticky cream of grape juice. To figs also added raisins and oatmeal.

 NOTE. Under an existing information, in ancient Israel in different centuries art of doctoring women owned all.

JEWS OUTSIDE THE NATIVE LAND

"Build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens. And take care of the welfare of the city, in which I moved you, and pray for the Lord; because the well-being of him and you will be peace. "

So wrote the Prophet Jeremiah from Jerusalem the elders, priests, other prophets, and an entire nation, which is on the order of Nebuchadnezzar was relocated to Babylon. Following his wise Council, exiles began to care about the well-being of the people "and succeeded in doing so. Babylonian captivity was not any comparison with the harsh living conditions of the children of Israel on the Nile, Pitome and Raamsese in the days of Moses. The Babylonians, with rare exceptions, not forced Jews to the heavy physical labor. So, nowhere does it say that the prisoners were involved in the production of bricks, the brick industry in Babylon was in those days, perhaps the first in the world. After all, when Nebuchadnezzar in Mesopotamia was a great building.

Anyone who has taken advantage of by Jeremiah, have made great strides.

At home, the Judea were sedentary farmers, shepherds and artisans. Now, however, the profession of merchant, merchant became the main among these people, and it remains to this day.

A better school than the Babylonian captivity, it was impossible for Israelis and imagine. Babylon, this international centre of trade, industry and commerce, was, in fact, the greatest of the school and the other cities of the ancient world, House all the homeless. This metropolis, the ruins of which 2500 years later, traces of the former greatness and glory, was second to none in the ancient East.

THE SHROUD

The Gospel says, "so they took Jesus ' body and particular its swaddling clothes with fragrances, as commonly executed Jews".

In 1204, during the 4th crusade, the Crusaders captured Constantine and Paul, in connection with the event chronicler Rober de Clary said that a Frenchman by the name of Otto de la Roche took as a trophy piece of linen cloth. This shroud size 1.1 x 4.36 m was notable because bore the fingerprints of blood and sweat. If you look closely you can see the outlines of the human body. She was first in France and then came to Turin.

Claim that the shroud was in Jerusalem to V or VI century. Tradition says that this is precisely the linen shroud, which Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body of Christ.

In 1889, the interest in the legendary piece of flax broke out with renewed vigor. Technological progress has allowed to photograph the Shroud for the first time, finally. And the result was astounding: a photographic negative, changing black and white scenes, it became clear seen face.

This sensational photograph rushed study specialists from all over the world. Critics have noticed that the image on the negative looks absolutely natural and anatomically correct, because, like every living person, left and right sides of a person were in this image are not the same. It is known that the painters of the middle ages did not pay attention to these subtle differences. The artists have tried to prove that no Wizard, even if the model is not able to accurately re-create the mind of negative human face and play it in the portrait.

Thus, Found the shroud can no longer be considered forgery: it really was an imprint of a human face. Even art historians, initially told her authenticity, have now agreed that the portrait on it not to deliberately portray as negative. It's just nobody.

After this exciting discovery scientists too often shroud. Many eminent experts in different fields have begun to research. Decades of experiments and explorations have yielded impressive results.

Print on canvas shows traces of tumors on the face. It is possible that it is. In addition, there are clearly places where hammered nails-they discovered and studied by Dr. V Barbe in Paris. Traces of blood on it as discharged, while the victim was still alive and after his death from wounds on the chest and feet.

What period is this famous shroud? The manner in which it carries, determines the time of its occurrence period of several decades after the start of a new era; more precise dating is difficult. However, the date can be specified by using the sensitive Geiger counters. Then error will be narrowed to a few years at least, you can determine when grown flax, from which is woven the robe.

THE BIBLE AND OUR DAYS

No one would object to the fact that the Old Testament is full of incredible moral and spiritual force, weakening over time. But a sensation for all was the opportunity on the basis of this great book to organize the formation of prose.

In 1948, the book of books age more than 3000 years, plays the role of a trusted advisor in the development of the modern State. Department of agriculture and industry in this country largely relies on accurate historical information that appeared in the text of the Bible.

 

The territory of the new State encompasses about 20 thousand. kV. km. In 1948, the Biblical descriptions of the promised land, where rivers flow with milk and honey, like the Lake of Galilee and the plain of Jezreel. Large areas in the Galilee and almost all entirely Jewish Highlands differed sharply from what is written about them in the Bible. In these places, even the grass was destroyed, not to mention the olive and fig groves. Because of this accelerated soil erosion.

Inexperienced settlers, completely unfamiliar with the nature of the new lands discovered that the old testament can provide invaluable assistance. It prompted questions in the field of agriculture, the planting of forests and industrial development. "Fortunately," says Dr. Walter Clay Loudermilk, an expert on the agricultural economy, the Bible told us what plants can grow in different places. Based on the book of judges we know that Philistines grew wheat and grapes. All these plants are grown there today.

Any attempt to settle in the Negev had seemed doomed to defeat. To the South of the mountains of Judea between Hebron and Egypt was a desert, cross the dry riverbeds, which does not grow any edible plants. Meteorological measurements have shown that the average annual rainfall in these areas is less than 150 mm. It is very little, and with this level of precipitation all the plants dry up. Therefore, the draft settlement of this area was not enthusiastic. Search the geological party spent many weeks to investigate the arid dunes and rocky hills "of the South", that is, in the Negev. And in the end they found what they were looking for. And Isaac departed thence, and settled mainly in the line Gerarskoj, and settled there. And once again dug up the Well ofIsaac of water that were dug in the days of Abraham his father, "according to chapter 26 of Genesis. These ancient wells were still there, and below them a clean source-"the well of living water", as they called the slaves of Isaac. With these words they called drinking water because other underground sources in the Negev, as shown by modern tests, contained water unsuitable for drinking. In addition, Beer-Sheva tamarisk trees were planted, the ones who once planted a Abraham, and which take root in a hot and dry climate.

Landscaping is a task for the terrain which is suffering from lack of water. Settling in Palestine, settlers immediately started to plant forests. In the selection of tree species and suitable areas for landscaping they could safely rely on observations of their distant ancestors, namely: the forest is best promoted in place of the old forests. "But Jesus (Nun) said home Iosifovu, Ephraim and Manasseh: you are crowded and the power you have is great; not one lot will have you; and thy will, mountain and forest views this; thou will clean′ it, and it will be yours until the very end of it. " It was known that the tribe of Israel occupied the land to the North of Jerusalem. Their territory stretched from the mountain ridge at Bethel through biblical Shechem (Nablus) to the foot of the mountain Garizim East of the Jezreel valley. The settlers have trusted Book books
as for this reason, in the words of Professor Zohari from Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

In the Pentateuch of Moses also said: «he fed it (Israel) works the fields and fed him honey from stone and oil from the solid rock. In the Negev were found thousands of small circular stone walls. In the area there was no water-no sources, no underground lakes. When researchers removed the layer of sand. They found the remains of stone circles in the center of the roots of ancient olive trees and vineyards. The stone walls of ancient times served to collect dew. The design of these "traps" testifies to the amazing knowledge concerning the process of condensation. The stones were fit to each other not to wind penetrated through the cracks. This "traps" was about the moisture from the air. Inside each fences grew one tree. Sweet grape juice in ancient times was often called "honey". From the fruit of the olive trees produce oil. This is the "butter" and "honey", "made of stone" and "hard rock". Traps for Israeli residents, modern well dew great service.

 

In the second half of the year 1953 in Israel for the first time produced 3000 tons of copper. Where 3000 years ago stood the home of artisans and slaves of King Solomon, now there are homes for miners. Copper mining in these areas continues to pay off. Geologist, Dr. Ben-Tor in 1949, explored the ancient copper mines in order to ascertain their economic value for our time. Experts have concluded that the ore from here, you can get 100, 000 tons of copper, and the expansion of the mine will have at least 200 thousand. And since the "Etzion-Geber, Elafe (Eilat), on the shore of the Red Sea", said Samuel 3, has begun to work. In the Head Office of the company on the wall hangs a poster, which reads: "for the Lord your God, guides you into the land of the good, in which stones, iron, and out of the mountains which will be carving copper".

The discovered iron ore output, also found Ben fan, have been researched and shown that it contains it is estimated that 15 million tonnes of ore. Most of the low quality, but in the more careful study found excellent content of pure iron ore from 60 to 65%.

 

In the field of ancient biblical Bathsheba was Dana and settlements over 50 agricultural communities. Almost every one of them is modern again, connected with the ancient source or structure. Gradually increasing and large areas are starting to resemble the picturesque panorama of the times of the old testament.

 

"The empty Earth will be flowering, the former desolate in the eyes of all the walking about then will say, ' This desert became-like garden of Eden".

 

AMEN