True History - Saint Patrick's Day March 17, 460

    Every year I like to write an article on well known people in the past, if I get the chance to do so. St. Patrick will be celebrated in a couple of days, so I will focus on him at this moment.
  The article I am looking at comes from History.com, and is a basic story about St. Patrick. Some details are vague because of the distance of the time of the event, but a few things are clear still.
  The article comes from a secular perspective, so some of the terminology is different that we would use. For example, when the word 'religion' is used, it really implies a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, but, the word is used because that is best word known for a relationship with God, by the world, so when we read the article, keep that in mind.
  Patrick's family may have truly been believers in Jesus Christ, we don't know, but Patrick, like many people, wanted to explore the world for himself and did not respond to the Gospel message while he was living with his family. Obviously, he learned enough about the Gospel that when he was in trouble, and far away from home, he remembered what he had been taught, and God used knowledge to work in Patrick's heart to reconcile Patrick to Himself. Also, he could have learned the Gospel while in Ireland, after being kidnapped. Whatever truly happened, God was at work in Patrick's heart, and Patrick did indeed respond to the Gospel.
  After being held captive for six years, God made a way for Patrick to go back to Britain and soon after that God impressed on his heart to go back to Ireland to serve the Christians there and to bring the Gospel message to the Irish people. It is not known how much the Gospel was already extended to in Ireland, or if it were even there at all in any degree, but St. Patrick took the Gospel message to Ireland where he spent the rest of his life. '
   Like all moves of God in groups of people, the Gospel message that St. Patrick brought to Ireland became faded as the years went on. Eventually, superstition set in and the stories of St. Patrick had evolved into messages of shamrocks, good luck, and the wearing of green clothing. But his message lives on forever in the hearts of those who belong to God. St. Patrick's life should be an incentive and challenge to us to bring the Gospel message to those around us, wherever we live. God's word remains forever and people will be eternally changed by the Gospel message being activated in their own hearts.
http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick
  Think about this: St. Patrick was probably alive at the same time St. Augustine was, although St. Augustine was older.

www.bellaterreno.com/art/irish/irish_map.aspx

Today in History - Back from Captivity, Jews Completed New Temple - March 12, 515 B.C.

Back from Captivity, Jews Completed New Temple

   I am not going to write on this article, but will post it because of the event happening in History many, many years ago. The article is written by Dan Graves, and I will just post excerpts from it here.

The story can be found at this link: http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/6000-1-bc/back-from-captivity-jews-completed-new-temple-11629548.html

   It would be good to have some background information on this article, and at the end of the article, some references are listed. If you know your Old Testament, you will understand what happened. From the time of the fall of Adam and Eve, mankind has been experiencing numerous problems because of living in a fallen world (a world under God's curse) and the door was opened for the Enemy of our souls to gain access. When Adam and Eve fell, they were distant from God and were now under His curse. In spite of that, God promised to send someone who would deliver us from sin. He would crush the head of the Serpent, although the Serpent would bruise His heal. This promise from God would overcome darkness and oppression ultimately. 

   Since it was the devil that entered the Serpent, and God promised that the Serpent would be defeated, the devil has been attacking mankind viciously ever since. As time went on, God gave more and more clues on what this promise would look like. It would be a person, and He would come from the the Jewish nation, formed under Abraham. He would be a descendent of Judah. Some of the Old Testament prophets prophesied about Him. During the whole time leading up to God's promise being fulfilled (which it was when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth), Satan had been tripping up mankind and doing everything possible to keep people from turning to, and trusting in God. 

  The group of people God chose to bring about His promise, were the Israelites. They were Abraham's descendants and God was continually giving them instruction and provision throughout the Old Testament. However, because they were people who were fallen, they continually strayed and turned away from God, and became autonomous. God would punish them, and they would repent, and come back to Him. This cycle continued throughout the Old Testament. 

   The time came for God to punish them by allowing the Israelites to be taken away to other countries. One group, the Israelites, were taken to Assyria, while the other group (Judah) was taken to Babylon. They were away from their land. Conditions were very harsh for them. Eventually, God made the way for them to come back to their home land. 

   God put it on the heart of the people of Judah to rebuild the Temple. So, as they were being re-established in their land, they began working on the Temple. On March 12, 515 B.C., the Temple was finished. Years later, Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple, and in A.D. 70, the Temple was destroyed by the Romans. Today, a mosque stands in the place where the Temple once stood.

 "In 539 BC, Babylon fell to a coalition of Medes and Persians. The new rulers of the Mid East made it their policy to restore captive nations to their respective homelands. Among those captives were the Jews. They returned to Judah with authority to rebuild their temple. Seventeen years later, construction still languished, and God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to rebuke the neglect of his house....." Read more at: http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/6000-1-bc/back-from-captivity-jews-completed-new-temple-11629548.html

Clipart courtesy FCIT