Tuesday, January 31, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #26 (Green Card) - Rome Burns, Nero Persecutes Christians

Rome Burns, Nero Persecutes Christians - - 64 A.D.

      The time period was thirty some years after Jesus' ascension and return back to heaven. The church had begun and was growing. Due to persecution in Israel, many Christians moved out from where they lived and God used that to help spread the message of the Gospel and to establish new churches in different lands.
   The emperor in 64 A.D. was Nero. He was sixteen years old when he started to rule Rome. In Rome, Christianity was tolerated up until this time. The people who were actual believers in Jesus Christ could not divide their allegiance between Jesus and Caesar and the time came for them to have to make it known who they were going to be faithful to.
  Rome believed in pagan gods. Christianity was beginning to look like a threat to the Roman Empire now, and Nero instituted a full scale persecution against the Christians. (A persecution is an act of harming or killing someone because of what they believe in).
  It started when Rome burned down. The Christians were blamed for it. Nero wanted to believe that, even though it wouldn't make sense for the Christians to do that. Then the persecution continued to grow and become strong against the Christians. This was actually one of the worst times of persecution of the church in all of History.
  Nero provided entertainment to his people by soaking the Christians in tar, then tying them to poles and lighting them on fire, in his garden. Sometimes, he would throw them to wild beasts. Peter and Paul may have been executed during this time as well (Peter was known to have been martyred in Rome by dying upside down on a cross).
   After this, Nero began to rebuild Rome. His troops rebelled against him and he ended his own life.

Today in History - January 31, 1950 - Truman Announces the Development of the Hydrogen Bomb

January 31, 1950 - Truman Announces the Development of the Hydrogen Bomb

   The Hydrogen Bomb is hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bomb. Kind of scary.

U.S. President Harry S. Truman publicly announces his decision to support the development of the hydrogen bomb, a weapon theorized to be hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan during World War II.
Read the rest of the article at www.history.com

True History - Veritas Card #26 (Green Card) - Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ

Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ - c. 30 A.D.

   It was now toward the end of Jesus' ministry on earth, and He was getting ready to go back to the Father, after He accomplished the exact purpose of His coming, which was to die for the sins of His people.
  When He arrived at Jerusalem, He was riding on a donkey. People had taken palm branches and spread them on the ground before Him. They were singing praises to Him. What they didn't realize was that within a week, He would be put to death by crucifixion on a Cross. He spent this last week (Passion Week) in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration.
   Jesus did many wonderful things for people, and also many miracles took place. He also taught the people, yet the Scribes and Pharisees were angry with what He was saying and they got together and planned to put Him to death. They also used the help of a man named Judas Iscariot, who ended up betraying Jesus to them. He was one of the original 12 disciples, but now he had turned away from the faith.
   The death of Jesus, which took place shortly after He was captured, was already foretold in the Old Testament, in the book of Isaiah, chapter 53. It said that 'He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and with His wounds we are healed." Yes, Jesus did die for the people, in order to take away their sins. But there is more to this. He was put in a cave and buried. But after three days, He arose from the dead! This has never happened to anyone before or since then! He then appeared to some of the disciples and gave them more instructions.
   He triumphed over death, so people could be free from the bondage of sin and death. Forty days later, Jesus went back up to heaven and was seated with His Father. The disciples saw Him as He departed into the clouds. But He promised that He will come back again to gather all His people to be with Him forever.
   Jesus is still in Heaven and He is reigning now. He has been given rule over everything by His Father. You can find this in the Bible in the books of Matthew (chapter 26-28), Mark (Chapters 14-16), Luke (chapters 22-24) and John (chapters 13-21).

Monday, January 30, 2012

Today in History - January 30, 1781 - Maryland Adopts the Articles of Confederation

January 30, 1781 - Maryland Adopts the Articles of Confederation

    Maryland, the last state, adopted the Articles of Confederation this day in History.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #24 (Green Card) - Ministry of Christ

Ministry of Christ - c. 27 A.D. - c. 30 A.D.

     When Jesus began His ministry on earth, He was around 30 years of age. His ministry was different from any other person who had ever had a ministry before. His ministry was marked by miracles, teaching with authority and confrontations with those who opposed the Gospel.
     Jesus had a group of people that He was training called 'disciples'. They were learning from Him and they received power also to heal the sick, raise the dead, and do miracles. They also preached the Gospel in various places in Israel.
   There were many people who followed Jesus, and were interested in hearing Him teach or receive healing. There were also people who did not like what Jesus was teaching. They were not happy to hear about the cost of being a disciple of Christ. Many of them openly opposed Jesus.
   Many of the Jewish people did not accept Jesus as their Messiah. They were expecting someone to come on the scene who was rich and powerful, and who would deliver their country from the Roman rule, not someone who came from a lowly social standing. They also did not like the message concerning their sin, and their need for a Savior.

Friday, January 27, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #23 (Green card) - Ministry of John the Baptist

Ministry of John the Baptist- c. 27 A.D. 

     Did you know that John the Baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament? John the Baptist was actually a cousin to Jesus. He lived in the dry area that was west of the Dead Sea. He lived a unique life in that he lived on eating locusts and honey, and wore camel's hair. He urged the people to repent, to turn from their sins. He also pointed out the Jesus was the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
   John was instructed to baptize Jesus, and he did so with reluctancy. Jesus convinced John to baptize Him and he obeyed. John felt unworthy to have that honor.
   After Jesus was finished being baptized, the Holy Spirit came down upon Him in the form of a dove. God the Father said that He was well pleased with His Son.
   John the Baptist was telling Herod that he was not supposed to have a relationship with his sister-in-law, Herodias. Herodias held a grudge and at an opportune time, had his head cut off. John stood for the truth, even though it cost him his life.
   You can read about John the Baptist in Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, and John 1 in the Bible.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Today in History - January 26, 1950 - India Becomes a Republic

January 26, 1950 - India Becomes a Republic


    After 100 years of being under British rule, India breaks away and becomes a republic.

Read more at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/26/newsid_3475000/3475569.stm

True History - Veritas Card #22 - Birth of Christ.

Birth of Christ - c. 3 B.C.

     We learned yesterday about the reign of Caesar Augustus. He was reigning at the time of the birth of Christ. The Bible records what happened when Jesus came to earth and was born as a baby.
     There was a young lady named Mary. She was probably somewhere between the ages of 13-16 when she was visited by an angel named Gabriel. Gabriel gave her the message that she would be the mother of Jesus. Mary did not understand how she could have a baby because she was not married, but the angel explained to her that God would give her this baby. This baby was special and did not need an earthly father.
   Mary was engaged to a young man named Joseph. They were planning on being married, but Joseph was now troubled when he found out that Mary was going to have a baby. He didn't understand what was going on until the angel Gabriel spoke to him as well.
   Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus decreed that a census be taken. A census helps keep records of people and where they lived. When Mary and Joseph reached Bethlehem, it was time for Mary to give birth. The only place they could find for Mary to deliver her baby was in a stable. All the other places were already filled with people! So Jesus was born in Bethlehem, just as was prophesied in Micah 5:2.
    After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, shepherds were taking care of the sheep when all of the sudden they looked in the sky and saw a multitude of angels announcing the birth of Jesus, the Savior. They were terrified, but as they got over their fears, they were excited and went to see the baby Jesus as He was lying in the manger. Then they told the people what they saw and all that happened to them that night.
  You can read about this in the Bible, in the books of Matthew, chapter 1, and Luke, chapter 2.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Today in History - January 25, 1905 - World's Largest Diamond Found in South Africa

World's Largest Diamond Found in South Africa Mine - January 25, 1905


   The largest diamond that has ever been discovered was found in a mine in Pretoria, South Africa, during a routine mine check. The superintendent, Frederick Wells. spotted the diamond while he was 18 feet under the ground. The diamond weighed about 1.33 pounds and was a 3,106 carat diamond. The diamond was named the 'Cullinan' and is on display today in the Tower of London, along with a couple of other large stones.

Read full article at: www.history.com/this-day-in-history

True History - Veritas Card #21 - Reign of Caesar Augustus

Reign of Caesar Augustus - 27 B.C. - 14 A.D.

    Now we are on the timeline that is kind of in the center. Caesar Augustus reigned during the time of Christ. He called for a census of all people in the known world. It was during this time that Rome changed from a republic to an empire. Caesar Augustus became the first emperor of Rome in 30 B.C.
   Basically, Caesar Augustus, formerly called Octavian, wanted to run the whole kingdom by himself, so he rose up and defeated Mark Antony. The name Caesar Augustus means 'honored'.
   It was during this time that Rome saw a time of peace known as the 'Pax Romana'. Caesar was able to veto laws and head up an army. From a group of trusted people, he selected about 30-40 officials to be under him. Some of the categories these men served in were; heads of royal treasury, military staff, secretaries, messengers, couriers, lawyers, clerks, and the royal granaries.
    The little town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, was under the Roman rule. Caesar Augustus brought about many positive changes for the people, that he was accepted as the sole ruler. Augustus ruled for 45 years. According to History, Caesar Augustus reigned. According to the Bible, Caesar Augustus reigned. Here both the bible and secular records agree.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Today in History - January 24, 1848 - Gold is Found at Sutter's Creek

January 14- 1848 - Gold is Found at Sutter's Creek

    This was the beginning of the well remembered Gold Rush of 1849.

True History - Veritas Card #30 (Blue Card) - Egypt Falls to Rome

Egypt Falls to Rome - c. 30 B.C.

   Yesterday we learned about Julius Caesar and how he overtook lands in different places. Egypt was one of those places. Julius Caesar had a relationship with Cleopatra who was the Pharaoh of Egypt in 48 B.C. and they had a son. Caesar intervened in a civil war in favor of Cleopatra. Not too long after that, Julius Caesar was murdered by Brutus, on March 15, 44 B.C. Brutus was his best friend, but did not believe that Julius Caesar had the right to rule the Roman Empire that he claimed. The Roman Empire was then divided among three men. One of them, Mark Antony, ruled the eastern part of the Roman Empire. The capital city was Alexandria (named after Alexander the Great). Mark Antony married Cleopatra at that time.
   But Octavius wanted to be the ruler of the Roman Empire and he went to war against Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Octavius defeated both of them and both Mark Antony and Cleopatra killed themselves.
  The name Octavius was changed to Caesar Augustus. He now ruled over Egypt and Rome. The Egyptians became weak as a people, and as a result, their culture eventually disappeared. The Roman law and taxes brought widespread poverty. Caesar Augustus was the emperor at the time of Jesus' birth, and his name is actually in the Bible! He died in AD 14, and his ashes were placed in the Mausoleum of Augustus in Rome.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #20 - Reign of Julius Caesar

Reign of Julius Caesar - 59 - 44 B.C.

   Around 100 years prior to the birth of Christ, Julius Caesar was born. He came from a noble family which were known as patricians. He studied several subjects such as math, literature, astronomy, music, and Rhetoric, plus, he learned Latin and Greek.
   Caesar was a military leader and led his troops into Gaul and conquered it. (Gaul was the old name for France). He faithfully sent reports back to his people in Rome. Favor was upon him because of his success. Pompey was the consul of Rome at that time (58 B.C.) and the Senate ordered Caesar to come home, and disband his army. Of course, Caesar was afraid to return home. He suspected that Pompey didn't like him, so instead of just coming home in a peaceful way, he came with his army and seized control of Rome.
    He became the ruler of Rome and did many things to improve the way the city was run. Now laws were being passed that prohibited people who were in debt to be sold into slavery. He built many public buildings and made fair taxes. He also changed the calendar to make it more like the one we have today.
   Many people thought highly of Caesar, but the Senate did not think favorably of him. They didn't like what he was doing and had different views than Caesar. Some of the people wanted to go back to a republican government. Some of them were irritated at his cleaning up the corruption. He was finally stabbed to death on March 15, 44 B.C. (known as the Ides of March) by his friend Brutus and some other people.
   Caesar Augustus, also known as Octavius, was the heir of Julius Caesar. He joined Mark Antony, who was a friend of Julius Caesar, and they defeated the men who killed Caesar. Then these two men ruled the Empire for the following ten years.
  Just as a side note: Mark Antony was married, for a time, to Cleopatra, of Egypt. He left her and then married Octavius' sister. Also, there is the thought that the concept of Caesarian section, which is removing a baby surgically from the mother instead of being born through natural means, came from Julius Caesar being one of the first people born by being surgically removed. This is just a possibility, and you can do your own research on it as well.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Today in History - Presidential Inaugurations

Today in History was a day of presidential inaugurations. In 1945, FDR was inaugurated to fourth term. In 1961, JFK was inaugurated. Ronald Reagan becomes president in 1981, and Franklin D. Roosevelt is sworn in as president in 1937. Richard Nixon took the office in 1969, and Arafat was elected leader of Palestine in 1996.

WWW.history.com/this-day-in-history

Thursday, January 19, 2012

True History - Hannibal Barca and the Second Punic War - 218 B.C.

Hannibal Barca and the Second Punic War - 218 B.C.

       I'm going to skip the Veritas Card for today because I want to include more world Historical events as they happened in accordance with the Veritas cards. There is a large gap in the time period between cards number 19 and 20, so today we will cover Hannibal Barca, who rode his troops on elephants through the Alps in order to attack Rome. He was very successful as far as a military leader. But eventually he did lose to Rome. He ended his life by drinking poison, around 183 B.C.
  Hannibal lived sometime between Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar.

Today in History - January 19, 1966 - Indira Gandhi Becomes First Female Prime Minister of India

January 19, 1966 - Indira Gandhi Becomes First Female Prime Minister of India

     After the death of  Lal Bahadur Shastri, India's prime minister at that time , Indira Gandhi became head of the Congress Party, and as a result became Prime Minister of India. She was the first woman prime minister of this country. Not too long after this, she was challenged by the right wing of the Congress Party. She was beginning to lose favor with the people. In October of 1984, she was gunned down by a Sikh member who was one of her bodyguards. You can read more of this at:

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #19 - Rome Rises to World Power

Rome Rises to World Power - c. 146 B.C.

     Rome had some assets that the other nations did not have. They were paving roads, and putting sewers systems in. They were channeling water through pipes and aqueducts. They were more advanced than the peoples around them, and that was to their advantage. They also had a strong army with good leadership. All of this placed them in a class by themselves.
     The Romans destroyed Corinth, because Corinth made war with Sparta. Then there were the 'Punic Wars' in which Carthage was destroyed. Rome had control over North Africa (Egypt), Macedonia, Greece and Asia Minor. With all this power, Rome was recognized as the capital of the world!

Today in History - January 18, 1778 - Cook Discovers the Hawaiian Islands

Cook Discovers the Hawaiian Islands today in 1778

    Captain James Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands today in History. He came across these islands and named them the 'Sandwich Islands' after John Montague, the earl of Sandwich. The Hawaiian people believed that this event was sacred, and they also believed that the people that came on the ship were gods. The crew realized this after they came back a second time. The Hawaiians were worshiping their fertility god named 'Lono' and the crew was looked upon with awe, until one of the crew members died. The Hawaiians now believed the crew was taking advantage of them and they started throwing rocks at them. A big fight ensued, and Captain Cook was killed during this event. But he did discover the Hawaiian Islands and is remembered for his discovery this day.

Read the full article here: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cook-discovers-hawaii

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #18 - Architectural Advances in Rome

Architectural Advances in Rome - c. 250 B.C.

     Did you know that there was a period of silence in Israel, which lasted 400 years, from the time of Malachi to John the Baptist? God was active and speaking to the Israelites for many years, then there was 400 years where nothing appeared to happen. But then the most amazing thing happened. What was prophesied in the Old Testament was now coming to pass right before the eyes of the people!
   It was somewhere during this silent time when Rome began to advance in the area of architecture. First, Rome was built on seven hills. The villages were combined to make one city, during the time of the Etruscans. Then they built a forum. There was an open square where businesses were open daily. There were then buildings called 'basilicas' built around the forum. Then they built public buildings that were used as offices and courts of law. They built temples that were dedicated to the Roman gods and goddesses. A wall was built around the city in 378 B.C.
      There were more and more people in Rome now and there was a need for organization in the city. There were paved streets that were built throughout Italy. They were used as highways. The Romans desperately needed clean water, and with their creativity, they built aqueducts and sewer systems. The aqueducts were used to bring fresh water to the people. They were used to having dirty water in the streets, but that caused people to become ill. The underground sewers that were built helped to take the dirty water away and make it more sanitary. Many beneficial things were developed by the Romans during this time period.

Today in History - January 17, 1950 -Thieves rob Brink-Armored Car in Boston

    On this day in 1950, 11 thieves broke into a Brink-Armored car depot in Boston, and stole over $2 million. They were caught six years later.
   Anthony 'Fats' Pino was the culprit behind the crime. He gathered ten other men and they staked out the depot for eighteen months, hoping to find the time when the most money was available. They were able to remove the alarm system that was set in place.
   When the robbery was taking place, several workers were tied up. No one was hurt. The thieves were very clever and didn't leave any clues behind, except for the ropes that they used to tie the workers up with. The thieves made their way out and said they would not touch the money for six years, enough time for the statute of limitations to run out. Their plan would have worked, except that Joseph O'Keefe went to prison for another burglary and left his money with someone else. He wanted his money, and wasn't able to receive it, so he was willing to talk with the authorities about what happened. The group sent a hit man to kill O'Keefe, but the hit man was unsuccessful. So O'Keefe told his story to the FBI and testified against his fellow robbers.
    Eight of the men were located. Two of them had died before they were able to be tried. Most of the money was not recovered. There is a movie made from this event called, The Brinks Job starring Peter Falk.

Read the full article here: www.history.com/this-day-in-history

True History - Veritas Card #31 (Blue) - Alexander the Great Conquers Egypt

Alexander the Great Conquers Egypt - around 332 B.C.

    We studied about Alexander the Great yesterday. He founded one of the greatest empires that ever existed. Yet he died when he was only 33. No one was able to rightly take his place, because no plans had been made before his death. So his army generals ended up fighting for control.
   Before his death, he was able to conquer many lands. One of them was Egypt. Prior to this, in 525 B.C., a brutal Persian ruler conquered Egypt. His name was Cambyses. He did not approve of the Egyptian deities. After that, several Egyptian dynasties came and went. None lasted very long.
    Have you ever heard of the town called Alexandria in Egypt? Here is how it got its name; Alexander, who was the king of Macedon, conquered the entire Persian Empire, and along with it, he conquered Egypt. The Egyptians were happy about this because they hated the Persians. Alexander founded a town that was in the area of the mouth of the Nile, and that town was the town he named after himself: Alexandria.
   Before Alexander died, he wanted one of his generals to take his place. He wanted the strongest one, and he was to reign after him. Then four of the strongest generals divided up his kingdom. A man named Ptolemy I took Egypt as his share. He and his descendants ruled Egypt for 250 years. The last of the Ptolemys was Cleopatra. That also was the end of all the pharaohs in Egypt.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #17 - Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great - 356 B.C. to 323 B.C.

      Alexander the Great was the son of King Philip of Macedon who was the ruler of Greece. He was born in or around 356 B.C. and died 323 B.C. so his life was not very long.
    When Alexander was young, his father sent him to Athens in order to receive an education. Aristotle was his teacher. He became king at the age of 20, when his father died. Alexander became a military genius as well. In 334 B.C., he invaded Persia and eventually gained control of Asia Minor. He also defeated King Darius. He ended up ruling all of Persia. His goal was to gain control of the whole world and have everyone under his domain.
   This man had put together the greatest empire the world had ever known, and because of his great success, he was called, 'The Great'. He only lived 33 years and became sick and died. The only heir to his kingdom would be an infant son. Alexander did not prepare for his death and therefore there was no one set to take his place. Men tried to gain control of the empire for seven years, and four of his army generals divided the empire among themselves.
    Alexander had great goals. He had a dream of ruling the whole world at the time of his life. One day, Jesus will come back and set up His kingdom here on earth. Everyone then will be under His rule. Every person is either part of God's kingdom, or part of Satan's kingdom. "No man can serve two masters. He will either hate the one and love the other...." The key is, which kingdom are you part of? For more information on this, go to www.thegospelconversation.blogspot.com, or, www.thecolorfulstory.blogspot.com

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Today in History - January 14, 1741 - American Traitor Benedict Arnold was Born

Today in History - January 14, 1741 - American Traitor Benedict Arnold was Born

   Today in 1741, Benedict Arnold, known for being a traitor, was born in Norwich, Connecticut. He came from a respectable family and was apprenticed to be an apothecary. He became a trader later on in life and joined the Continental Army. Here is the story from www.history.com on his betrayal:

In 1780, Arnold was given command of West Point, the American fort on the Hudson River in New York (and future home of the United States Military Academy, established in 1802). Arnold contacted Sir Henry Clinton, head of the British forces, and proposed handing over West Point and its men. On September 21 of that year, Arnold met with British Major John Andre and made his traitorous pact, in which the American was to receive a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. However, the conspiracy was uncovered and Andre was captured and killed. Arnold fled to the enemy side and went on to lead British troops in Virginia and Connecticut. He later moved to England, though he never received all of what he’d been promised by the British. The former American hero and patriot died in London, in relative obscurity, on June 14, 1801.


Read the full article at: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/benedict-arnold-american-traitor-born

Friday, January 13, 2012

Today in History - January 13, 2012 - Knights Templar is Recognized by the Pope

Today in History - January 13, 1128 - Knights Templar is Recognized by the Pope

Here is an interesting story. The Knights of Templar began in 1118, with the mission to protect Christian pilgrims who were on their way to the Holy Land during the Crusades. The organization took its name from a location of its headquarters at Jerusalem's Temple mount. The organization started out with nine people, and only people of nobility could be part of it. The organization was dissolved by Pope Clement in 1312, and all the property belonging to the Knights of Templar was distributed to others. Here is part of the article on the Knights Templar from www.history.com :

  On this day in 1128, Pope Honorius II grants a papal sanction to the military order known as the Knights Templar, declaring it to be an army of God. 
Led by the Frenchman Hughes de Payens, the Knights Templar organization was founded in 1118. Its self-imposed mission was to protect Christian pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land during the Crusades, the series of military expeditions aimed at defeating Muslims in Palestine. The Templars took their name from the location of their headquarters, at Jerusalem's Temple Mount. For a while, the Templars had only nine members, mostly due to their rigid rules. In addition to having noble birth, the knights were required to take strict vows of poverty, obedience and chastity. In 1127, new promotional efforts convinced many more noblemen to join the order, gradually increasing its size and influence.
While the individual knights were not allowed to own property, there was no such restriction on the organization as a whole, and over the years many rich Christians gave gifts of land and other valuables to support the Knights Templar. By the time the Crusades ended unsuccessfully in the early 14th century, the order had grown extremely wealthy, provoking the jealousy of both religious and secular powers. In 1307, King Philip IV of France and Pope Clement V combined to take down the Knights Templar, arresting the grand master, Jacques de Molay, on charges of heresy, sacrilege and Satanism. Under torture, Molay and other leading Templars confessed and were eventually burned at the stake. Clement dissolved the Templars in 1312, assigning their property and monetary assets to a rival order, the Knights Hospitalers. In fact, though, Philip and his English counterpart, King Edward II, claimed most of the wealth after banning the organization from their respective countries.     
You can read more at: www.history.com/this-day-in-history     

Thursday, January 12, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #16 - Nehemiah and the Jewish Return

Veritas Card #16 (Green) - Nehemiah and the Jewish Return - Nehemiah

    Nehemiah was one of the highest ranking officials in the Medo-Persian court. He was also cupbearer to the king. He led another expedition of the Israelites back to Israel. This took place ten years after the initial return of the exiles that were under Ezra. Also, it is possible that the queen of Nehemiah 1 is Esther, to whom Nehemiah was advisor.
   Nehemiah had a strong desire to go back to Israel, his homeland. He had been away for a while during the exile. He had heard about the plight of the Jews that had already gone back to Jerusalem, and this caused him to want to return as well. But Nehemiah was very concerned about how King Artaxerxes would respond to his request, should he ask him. Would the king be favorable or would he become angry or indifferent? Would Artaxerxes support his intentions or would it be a waste of time for Nehemiah to ask him? So, Nehemiah went to the Lord in prayer about this and asked God to give him favor with the king. God did grant his request and not only did the king agree to allow him to return to Jerusalem, but he also funded the whole event! When Nehemiah did return, he and his fellow Jews worked very hard to build a wall around the city, and they got it done in 52 days!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #15 - Greek Philosophers

Greek Philosophers - circa 450 - 322 B.C.

    According to dictionary.com, the definition of philosophy is the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge or conduct. The Greeks were known for their love for wisdom.
   Similar to the way we would find our understanding of the world through the Bible, the Greeks believed that the way the world works was connected to the gods of mythology. There is a vast different between the conclusions of the Bible and the conclusions of mythology though. Greek philosophers were also called, 'Greek scholars' and they began to study the world around them in order to find answers to their questions. They were known as the 'ones who loved knowledge'.
  The most famous philosopher was Socrates. Plato, also a philosopher, was one of Socrates' students. Aristotle attended Plato's Academy.
  The Socratic method was developed by Socrates. It stimulated people's thinking by asking questions. Socrates condemned Sophistry, which was the idea that winning an argument made something right. It is never a matter of winning an argument, but knowing what is true. People can be mistaken and believe that they are right, when they are totally wrong. It is hard for us to understand that though, because of our pride. Socrates was asking questions that challenged the government, and as a result, he was given poison and died.
  Plato started a school where his ideas would be taught. It was called, "Plato's Academy' and he recorded some of Socrates' discussions with students.
  Aristotle studied astronomy, which is the scientific study of the matter in outer space. He also studied math, biology, ethics, poetry, physics, and politics (great subjects to study!). His writings made him well known, and he also showed great ability in rhetorics.
  The Stoics and Epicureans were two philosophical groups that formed. Stoics were people who believed in a simple life without any luxuries, while the Epicureans believed that life was to be enjoyed, but not overly done.
 It was during this time that the Greek city-states were being formed. Alexander the Great came in on the tail end of this time period (336-323 B.C.)
   We are still influenced by the writings of these philosophers today.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

True History - The Persian Empire - 559-331 B.C.

   Instead of using the Veritas cards, I want to take a little break and gather a time line of the events that were going on in different parts of the world during this time. We have studied a little about the Persian Empire and today we will go into a little more detail.

  Iran is the country today in the place where the Persian Empire used to be. There were two groups who migrated from Central Asia to Persia around 2,800 years ago. The groups were the Persians and the Medes.
The ruler of the Persians, Cyrus, rebelled against the Medes and made Persia the center of a mighty new empire. The capital city, Ecbatana, (which is buried under the modern city of Hamadan, was on the Silk Road.
  The empire extended from the Mediterranean to Afghanistan. The Persians were fair rulers. Darius I extended the empire into India and Greece. He appointed satraps, or governors, to be over each province. Some of the items they paid taxes on were cereal, silver and agricultural products.

Info taken from The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia

Today in History - January 10, 1946 - The First Meeting of the U.N. Takes Place

Today in History - January 10, 1946 - The First Meeting of the U.N. Takes Place

   The United Nations was made up of 51 nations. They met for the first time in Westminster Central Hall in London, England. The first resolution they came up with called for peaceful uses of atomic energy. Read the article at: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-meeting-of-the-united-nations

   Other events that took place on this day in History were; an avalanche kills many people in Peru (1962) and and the League of Nations was instituted in 1920.
 

Monday, January 9, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #14 (Green) - Pericles and the Peloponnesian War

Veritas Card #14 (Green) - Pericles and the Peloponnesian War - 461- 404 B.C.

   The most famous politician of this time period was Pericles, who dominated Athenian politics from 443 B.C. to 429 B.C. Athens became a wealthy city during this time period and was a center for the arts. This time period was known as the 'Golden Age'. During this Golden Age, the democratic system was developing well. There was a philosophy which taught that man is the measure of all things. Western civilization found its roots in Greek culture.
   As time went on, Sparta became threatened because the influence of Athens was increasing, so there was tension. In order to prevent future attacks and protection for the city-states, the Delian League was formed. The league became a trade group in which Athens became very influential. Now the two groups fighting each other were Corinth and Corcyra. Corinth was supported by Sparta and Corcyra was supported by Athens. This is how the Peloponnesian War got started. Most of the battles took place in Peloponnesus, which was an area in the south part of Greece. The war lasted 30 years. Sparta defeated Athens in the end.
   Also, during this time there was a plague, possibly the bubonic plague, which wiped out a quarter of the people. Pericles was one of the people who died from the plague. Here is a web site that describes this war: www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0838100.html

Today in History - January 9, 2012 - Columbus Finds Mermaids (But They Are Really Manatees)

Today in History - January 9, 2012 - Columbus Finds Mermaids Around the Dominican Republic?

    Columbus had heard and seen pictures (possibly carved on walls?) of mermaids and as he was sailing near the Dominican Republic, he saw three of them. He reported that they were not half as beautiful as the pictures he had seen of the mermaids.But were they really mermaids? What he really saw was three manatees in the water! Here is the story from www.history.com telling of this event.


On this day in 1493, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, sailing near the Dominican Republic, sees three "mermaids"--in reality manatees--and describes them as "not half as beautiful as they are painted." Six months earlier, Columbus (1451-1506) set off from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean with the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, hoping to find a western trade route to Asia. Instead, his voyage, the first of four he would make, led him to the Americas, or "New World."
Mermaids, mythical half-female, half-fish creatures, have existed in seafaring cultures at least since the time of the ancient Greeks. Typically depicted as having a woman's head and torso, a fishtail instead of legs and holding a mirror and comb, mermaids live in the ocean and, according to some legends, can take on a human shape and marry mortal men. Mermaids are closely linked to sirens, another folkloric figure, part-woman, part-bird, who live on islands and sing seductive songs to lure sailors to their deaths.
Mermaid sightings by sailors, when they weren't made up, were most likely manatees, dugongs or Steller's sea cows (which became extinct by the 1760s due to over-hunting). 
Read the rest of the story at: www.history.com/this-day-in-history

Sunday, January 8, 2012

True History - Veritas Card #13 (Green) - Persian Wars

Persian Wars - c. 500-480 B.C.

    This is where the original marathon race began. The Greeks were a powerful, military people. But the Persians were rising up and they were becoming more powerful than the Greeks. The Greeks were threatened by them now and were conquered by them as the Persians were successful in taking over the land of the Greek Ionian states on the west coast of Asia Minor. As the Greeks responded in anger toward the Persians, the Persians ended up crushing them. That was the beginning of the Persian Wars.
    There were two Greek warrior groups, the Spartans and the Athenians. They came together in unison so they could fight against the Persians. King Darius had a very large army, which outnumbered the Greek armies, but, the Greeks did win a battle, which was called, The Battle of Marathon. Here is how the marathon race got started. A messenger was sent to deliver the news of this victory to Athens. The distance from where the messenger started to the place in Athens where he was to give the message was a little bit longer than 26 miles. The messenger ran the whole way to tell the good news! So now you know how the marathon race got started.
   There were more battles though that were being fought between Greece and Persia. The Persian Empire began to decline, and it was eventually conquered by Alexander the Great.
    Modern day Iran is where the Persian Empire lived at one time.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Today in History - January 6, 1838 - Morse Demonstrates Telegraph in Morristown, NJ

Today in History - January 6, 1838 - Morse Demonstrates Telegraph in Morristown, NJ
Today in History - January 6, 1777 - George Washington Sets up Quarters in Morristown, NJ

  OK, I know these two events have something in common and they are both close to my heart because they happened in Morristown, NJ, which was a town close to where I lived as a child. Lots of activity happened in Morristown and that was the place to go to get things (We got a swing set and a car there).
  I'm sure there were many other events that happened in Morristown, but both of these happened on this day in History. So here are excerpts from www.history.com:

On this day in 1838, Samuel Morse's telegraph system is demonstrated for the first time at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey. The telegraph, a device which used electric impulses to transmit encoded messages over a wire, would eventually revolutionize long-distance communication, reaching the height of its popularity in the1920s and 1930s.
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After two significant victories over the British in Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey, General George Washington marches north to Morristown, New Jersey, where he set up winter headquarters for himself and the men of the Continental Army on this day in 1777. The hills surrounding the camp offered Washington a perfect vantage point from which to keep an eye on the British army, which was headquartered across the Hudson River inNew York City. Morristown's position also allowed Washington to protect the roads leading from the British strongholds in New Jersey to New England and the roads leading to Philadelphia, where the leaders of the American Revolution were headquartered.
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Here is a little map of Morristown, NJ. I would like to see how much different it looks now than in the 1960's. (Map from www.googlemaps.com)



Thursday, January 5, 2012

True History - Church History - Martin Luther

Church History - Martin Luther

Here is a video with a woman singing a song written by Martin Luther. When you listen to this song, I think you will recognize it, even though the words are in another language. When the words were translated into English, the song became 'A Mighty Fortress is Our God'.

True History - Church History - Martin Luther

Church History - Martin Luther

   I would be very surprised if any of my readers had never heard of Martin Luther. He is the person who first started the Lutheran denomination. Martin Luther discovered that salvation was not accomplished by the good things that we do, but rather, salvation is a gift from God. It is free, at least to us. In one sense it is free, but in another sense it isn't. It is the free gift that will cost us everything! It is never earned or worked for, nor is it deserved. Martin Luther specialized in this truth.
   In Martin Luther's day, people did not have ready access to the Bible. Bibles were not printed and distributed yet, but because of what Luther did, that became a possibility later on.
   Martin Luther was able to read the Bible and saw what it said. When he realized that the Bible teaches that man is not saved by good works, he was stirred, for the church in his day did not teach that. The church taught people to buy slips of paper called 'indulgences' which would help assure them a place in heaven. Luther was irate about this and wrote a paper, which he nailed onto the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. This of course cause no small stir! The pope did not like this and had Luther put on trial in a city called 'Worms' (how would you like to live in that city?). Luther took a stand for the truth and did not back down. Soon after this, a movement called the 'Reformation' began and spread throughout Germany and then through other parts of Europe. The name of the paper that Luther wrote and nailed onto the door of the church in Wittenberg was called the 95 Theses.

Fact: Did you know that October 31st is Reformation Day? The first one happened in 1517.

Taken from the Church History ABCs.

Today in History - January 5, 1943 - Kamikaze Pilots get Their First Orders

 January 5, 1943 - Kamikaze Pilots get Their First Orders

   The word 'kamikaze' means 'divine wind'. It is interesting to note people's reactions to war. It is considered more valuable to be destructive than it is to be considerate. Here is the article from www.history.com:

On this day in 1945, Japanese pilots received the first order to become kamikaze, meaning "divine wind" in Japanese. The suicidal blitz of the kamikazes revealed Japan's desperation in the final months of World War II. Most of Japan's top pilots were dead, but youngsters needed little training to take planes full of explosives and crash them into ships. At Okinawa, they sank 30 ships and killed almost 5,000 Americans.

True History - Church History - John Knox

Church History - John Knox

    John Knox lived in Scotland and attended a church that wasn't teaching the Bible. He spoke up about it and got arrested. He was then put on a galley ship. He was kicked out of the country and then visited John Calvin, who was his friend. He continued to write and preach, and came back to his homeland. He also was the founder of the Presbyterian Church. He also knew Mary, Queen of Scots. Here is what she said about John Knox; “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe.” 

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Today in History - January 4, 1950 - 'The God That Failed' was Published

Today in History - January 4, 1950 - 'The God That Failed' was Published

    During the Cold War, many horrible things took place. Bad world views were being embraced by many. Communism was trying to creep in and take over the world. You see, Communism believes that a peaceful, idealistic world can be brought about by human beings who want to cohere to this doctrine. Yet, this doctrine is enslaving for it takes away the freedom of the people to think for themselves and make their own decisions. But at the root of this thinking is that man is the most powerful being around and that we get to call the shots. In Communism, God is not acknowledged. In fact, if you acknowledge God, you will be punished. Ironically, many of the former Communistic leaders believed in the supernatural, and dealt with the powers of the occult. Yet they deny God's existence. Could it be simply that they do not want anyone to rule over them? If God is true, they would have to acknowledge His being and submit to His authority. That is where the rubber meets the road for them, I believe. That is the crux of why they are doing what they believe in. God is the government, and people submit to that, period. When they are at the top, guess what? You will find yourself having to worship them. And that is the goal of Communism, my friend.
   With that said, here is part of an article from www.history.com of a book that was published in 1950 called, The God That Failed. It is compiled by different authors, whose thinking was shaped by communistic ideologies.


The God That Failed, a collection of essays by six writers and intellectuals who either joined or sympathized with the communist cause before renouncing the ideology, is published by Harpers.
The book provided interesting insight into why communism originally appealed to, and then disappointed, so many adherents in the United States and Europe, particularly during the 1920s and 1930s. The essays also showed that many individuals of good conscience and intentions desperately hoped that communism would bring order, justice, and peace to a world they worried was on the brink of disaster.
The six men who contributed to the book were all writers or journalists. Two were American (Louis Fischer and the African-American novelist Richard Wright); the rest were from Europe (Andre Gide from France, Arthur Koestler and Stephen Spender from England, and Ignazio Silone from Italy). Of these, Spender, Wright, Koestler, and Silone had been members of the Communist Party for varying lengths of time. Gide and Fischer, though they sympathized with the communist ideology, never formally joined the party. Each man, in his turn, eventually turned against communist ideology.
According to the volume's editor, British politician and essayist Richard Crossman, the very fact that these intelligent and compassionate individuals were drawn to communism was "an indictment of the American way of life," and evidence of "a dreadful deficiency in European democracy." All of the writers--particularly during the 1920s and 1930s, when fascism and totalitarianism were on the march and the Western democracies seemed unable or unwilling to intercede--turned to communism as the hope for a better, more democratic, and more peaceful world. Each man eventually broke with the communist ideology, however. You can read more at: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-god-that-failed-published

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

True History - Church History - Absalom Jones

Church History - Absalom Jones

   Absalom Jones, born in 1746 in Delaware, was born in slavery. He learned to read at an early age and learned the New Testament. He was taken to Philadelphia when he was 16 by his owners and worked in a store as a clerk and handyman.
   But he wanted to be free. He was able to go to school and get married. He saved up enough money to use to obtain his wife's freedom. He was part of a church that told him to sit in a certain place because of the color of his skin. He left that church and formed another one. He became the pastor as well. The church he started was called, "The African Church". The people there helped the people in Philadelphia who were affected by the Yellow Fever Epidemic.
   Absalom Jones found schools for his people and supported their efforts as they fought against slavery. He died in the year 1818 and his name was added to the Episcopal church calendar as an optional feast to be celebrated.

Sources: The Church History ABCs.
http://www.aecst.org/ajones.htm

Monday, January 2, 2012

True History - Church History - Ignatius

Church History - Ignatius

    Everyone who has studied church history has heard of Ignatius, I'm sure. Ignatius was a pastor in Antioch, the same place where the believers were first called Christians. Ignatius knew at least one of the apostles, in person. He would write letters to the churches as well.
  Like the other years that followed the beginning of the church, there were false teachers in his day. Ignatius taught on the incarnation- which means the Christ, became a human being, God in the flesh. Ignatius continued to teach about the incarnation until he was put to death (by being eaten by lions) in Rome. Ignatius took a stand for what is right and true.

Today in History - January 2, 1776 - Congress Publishes the Tory Act


Today in History - January 2, 1776 - Tory Act Gets Published
Here is a little bit of info on the Tory Act:On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress passed the infamous (but often forgotten) Tory Act. The act was designed to reveal with citizens, particularly those of prominence, still remained loyal to Great Britain and King George III. The bill also called for the disarming of any and all citizens loyal to the British crown, and even suggested that individuals of "particular prominence" be imprisoned (which is what happened to Benjamin Franklin's son William).
http://americanrevolutionblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/congress-passes-tory-act.html


Here is the story from www.history.com:
The Continental Congress publishes the "Tory Act" resolution on this day in 1776, which describes how colonies should handle those Americans who remain loyal to the British and King George.
The act called on colonial committees to indoctrinate those "honest and well-meaning, but uninformed people" by enlightening them as to the "origin, nature and extent of the present controversy." The Congress remained "fully persuaded that the more our right to the enjoyment of our ancient liberties and privileges is examined, the more just and necessary our present opposition to ministerial tyranny will appear."
However, those "unworthy Americans," who had "taken part with our oppressors" with the aim of gathering "ignominious rewards," were left to the relevant bodies, some ominously named "councils of safety," to decide their fate. Congress merely offered its "opinion" that dedicated Tories "ought to be disarmed, and the more dangerous among them either kept in safe custody, or bound with sufficient sureties to their good behavior."
Read more at: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-publishes-the-tory-act

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Church History - Hippolytus

As we continue on our journey with church history using the book, The Church History ABCs, we are looking today at Hippolytus. I have never heard of this man unless he has another name. We will find out more on him as I look at the article.
  First of all, he lived in Rome around the year 200 A.D. and wrote many books. One of his books was called, 'The Refutation of All Heresies'. A heresy is defined as a false teaching. Throughout all the years since the beginning of the church, the church has always had to deal with heretics or false teachers. Athanatius dealt with Arius on the issue of the deity of Christ. But Hippolytus dealt with the issue of the humanity of Christ. People have always struggled with the incarnation, which is God taking on human form. People have either gone one way or the other. They can understand Jesus being a human being, but they can't comprehend His being God at the same time. But some people had no problem with understanding that Jesus was God, but they struggled with the concept of his being human. People don't understand that Jesus was both God and man at the same time. It is a hard concept to grasp, but God can help us understand and accept it.
   In the 1840's, a statue was found of Hippolytus, and on it was a list of all the books he wrote.