King John - England - Magna Carta - 1166-1216

With so many new versions of History today, I want to go back to the basics, so I will post accounts of things that really happened, along with the dates when they occurred.

So, with that in mind, the date is 1166, and the person is King John. The country was England. The issue was,

This man's reign was marked by difficulties between himself and his barons and bishops. So, as a result, the Magna Carta was written. It was intended to help keep the King in check as he himself would be subject to the same rules as everyone else.

This is from Wikipedia*:

"King John. (24 December 1166 – 19 October 1216) was the son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was King of England from 6 April 1199, until his death. He became King of England after the death of his brother Richard I ('Richard the Lionheart').

His reign was marked by disputes between John and his barons and bishops. Because of this the nobles forced him to observe the agreement called Magna Carta, to limit his power. The Magna Carta was a significant legal document in English history, as well as the first English “bill of rights”. It introduced the idea that monarchs had limited rights and had to follow certain laws, and it gave the nobles more say in the government. It not only affected English government, but inspired governments of other countries.[1]

John's reign as king was important, but not considered successful from England's historical point of view. He tried several times to get back land in France which had been lost, but did not succeed."

So, now you know about King John of England!

See also:
https://thetruepast.blogspot.com/2012/06/today-in-history-june-15-1215-magna.html
https://thetruepast.blogspot.com/2012/03/true-history-veritas-card-17-orange.html

*https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_England

Ulysses S. Grant 1822-1885 - 18th president of the United States, Commander of Union Forces during the Civil War

"Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts, and practice them in your lives." Ulysses S. Grant 1822-1885 - 18th president of the United States, Commander of Union Forces during the Civil War.

Andrew Jackson, America's Seventh President

   I'm not going to say a whole lot about this former president, but, I am writing this article to help us see that things were not always rosy in the United States of America, especially concerning the presidency.

   We have issues now. We had issues back then. We didn't necessarily always have men leading this country who were Godly, upright, and full of integrity. Some times, we had the opposite. Many times, we just had a mixture of both bad and good.

   The focus today is on a man named Andrew Jackson, a.k.a. 'Old Hickory'.

    Andrew Jackson was born of immigrant parents in 1765. At the time he was born, the place was located between North Carolina and South Carolina in an area known as Waxhaws Wilderness. Both parents were from Ireland.

     Jackson had a feisty personality, and he ended up in many duels, killing a person in one of them. He was also shot at a couple of times, and the bullets remained inside of his body, even though he was never killed or even wounded after being shot.

    Jackson was responsible for the Indian Removal Act, which led to the infamous 'Trail of Tears'. He led campaigns against the Seminoles and the Creeks as well. But on an opposite note, he adopted two little Native American boys.

    An interesting fact is that Jackson tried to do away with the electoral college. He won the popular vote each time he ran for presidency, but in one election, none of the candidates won the majority vote, so it had to go to the House of Representatives, which ended up selecting John Quincy Adams instead of Jackson. Jackson supporters called that action a 'corrupt bargain' and ever since that time, Jackson lobbied for the abolition of the Electoral College in his annual messages to Congress.

     As a two term winner of the presidential election, he was the seventh president of the United States of America, and served from 1829-1837. He was Democrat.

Andrew Jackson - Old Hickory

http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-andrew-jackson

http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/andrew-jackson

Today In History - 1775 - Congress Adopts The Great Seal Of The United States

  In the year, 1775, this day, Congress adopted the Great Seal Of United States. I like this article on it because there is no drama or speculation concerning the symbolism of the designs on this Great Seal.

   The design of the Great Seal contains a bald eagle clutching an olive branch in its right claw and on the left side are arrows. Some of the symbolism is fascinating because it reveals some of the thinking of the Founding Fathers of our nation.

  Some think that our Forefathers were Masons, which is probably true. But the Masons today do not represent who the Masons were, years ago. Masons originally started out being just what their name implies; Masons. They were the basic brick layers of old. They also were a very religious group who clearly believed that God was creator. In early American days, anyone who was to become a Mason, and belong to this group, was required to believe in God Almighty. No Atheists were allowed to join. But the rules, like with so many other groups, had changed, and now the organization allows anyone to join as long as they have some kind of religious belief. Before, the belief had to be based upon the true and living God, as described in the Bible, but today it can be any deity or faith.

   Some of the other designs on the Great Seal depict 13 vertical red and white stripes with a blue bar on the top, placed on the eagle's breast. On the head of the eagle, there are 13 rays corresponding with 13 stars. The words, e pluribus unum, which are written on a banner held by the eagle's mouth, mean, "Out of many, one".

   The olive branch held by the eagle's talon represents peace, and the arrows on the left side represent war. It is thought that the 13 steps of the pyramid represent the 13 original states in early America.

   The article here gives more detail on it. I also have a book recommendation that helps us to understand some of the thinking of our Forefathers. Were they Masons? Were they conspirators? Was there a secret plan, or, was their plans made manifest to us as found in their writings? Is there a tie-in with the Illuminati and Masons, and if so, when did it come about? Or, are the Mafia and the Illuminati hiding under the guise of Masonry?

   Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-adopts-the-great-seal-of-the-united-states

Book recommendation:



This book is very informative. I had a lot of questions concerning conspiracy theories and the supposed tie-in with the founders of our country. I would highly recommend this book as well as others written by David Barton (http://www.wallbuilders.com/).

Sad Experiments That Were Done To Children In The U.S. In The Mid Twentieth Century

Many of the articles I write in History have good memories or connotations with them. The one I am writing about today does not.

There was a time, not really all that long ago, in American History, where a terrible war had just ended. Both the Soviets and the Americans knew that there were those left in Germany who could be of value if they were taken to their country and provided for. If the Soviets took these geniuses, then they would have the advantage over the Americans. If the Americans took them in, then we would have the advantage, for these people were super intelligent and could be an asset for us.

Who were these people though? They were the scientists and doctors who lived in Germany. They were also very skilled in using mind control programming in their subjects.

America did get many of these brainy people. They were relocated to America, but really were never checked on. No one considered what they were going to do, or what were their plans. They basically were trusted by the government. Did the government know what was going on after they came over and were brought into the governmental programs?

I will post the url for a story on this that happened in the 1950s, to a woman who was a little girl at the time this all started. Her name is Carol Rutz, and she gives a detailed story of what happened during this interview.

Carol Rutz' father and grandfather were into the pornography business. Perhaps that was how they made their living. The father brought Carol to places where she would be used in experimentation by scientists and doctors. Carol's life was a terrifying one, but she did survive and tells her story.

How many more children were affected by this, who are alive today? How do we help them as they work through the many horrible, terrifying memories they might have?

Here is the url for the interview between John Whitehead, of the Rutherford Institute, and Carol Rutz:
https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/oldspeak/a_nation_betrayed_secret_cold_war_experiments

Here is an excerpt written by John W. Whitehead concerning this subject:
"In 1953, terrified by rumors of Communist “brainwashing” of prisoners of war during the Korean War, then CIA Director Allen Dulles authorized MKULTRA—a program that quickly became notorious for unusual and inhumane testing that the CIA and U.S. military poured millions of dollars into. In fact, while reviewing the “tests” five years later in 1958, one CIA auditor wrote: “Precautions must be taken not only to protect operations from exposure to enemy forces, but also to conceal these activities from the American public. The knowledge the Agency is engaging in unethical and illicit activities would have serious repercussions in political and diplomatic circles.” Most of the documents detailing day-to-day operations within MKULTRA were destroyed by the CIA in 1972. These included limitless LSD experiments on unknowing victims, as well as experiments with sensory deprivation, electro-shock, brain implants, hypnosis and various forms of torture." (Read more on the web site).

This project has many names which it was given to keep the work hidden. Some of the names are MKULTRA, Project Bluebird, Artichoke, Project Paperclip. Many of the records had been destroyed but there are still many that were not allowed to be destroyed. They are known as 'declassified documents' and can be found and read. 

Read Doctor Colin A. Ross' book on The CIA Doctors. The CIA doctors not only did experiments on children, but extended their experimentation on those who served in the military as well.

 

"The C.I.A. Doctors, (Manitou Communications, 2006), uncovers the truth about violations of human rights by American Psychiatrists in the twentieth century. Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and cross-referenced research published in leading medical journals expose the existence of mind altering experiments on unwitting human subjects, paid for by the U.S. government, the U.S. Military and the C.I.A. These experiments which inlcude LSD experiments, sensory deprivation, electroconvulsive treatment, brain electrode implants, radiation experiments and prostitution rings were perpetrated not by a few renegage doctors but by leading psychiatrists, psychologists, neurosurgeons, universities, medical schools and maximum security prisons on American soil. Dr. Ross takes you on a mind-blowing fact finding adventure into the secret world of espionage and Manchurian Candidates. Given our situations in Guantanamo and Abu Graib the only question left unanswered is what are the U.S. Government, psychiatrists and medical schools doing today? The C.I.A. Doctors was originally published as BLUEBIRD: Deliberate Creation of Multiple Personality by Psychiatrists in 2000."

The recommended book is an affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

The Story of St. Valentine

   We think of Valentine's Day as a happy day where we exchange cards and candy with friends and loved ones. But does anyone really know the tragic story behind this tradition?

   The History of this celebration is really unclear, but what seems to be clear is that St. Valentine was martyred on this day in 278 A.D.

   What did St. Valentine do to deserve a martyr's death? According to the History Channel, he arranged for couples to marry. That was a good thing to do. But Rome was under the rule of Claudius the Cruel ( how would you like your country's ruler to be named 'the Cruel'?). He was truly a cruel man. Claudius believed that the Roman army needed to be strengthened and that men were unwilling to be part of the army simply because they had wives and families, which they were attached to.

  Claudius passed a law forbidding people to marry, but St. Valentine secretly married couples. Of course, Valentine was eventually caught and he was ordered to be executed. He was beheaded on this day in the year of 278 A.D.

Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/st-valentine-beheaded

Early American Settlers Were Friends With Indians

I love the diversity of people God has made. Everyone is created in God's image and should be treated with dignity and respect. When America was first founded, the Pilgrims and Indians became friends.

Many of the Early American settlers bought property from the Indians. The Early Americans who first settled in America were a peace-loving freedom desiring people. Yes, they were peaceful and believed in the cause of freedom so much that if necessary, they would fight to keep it. With the Early Americans, much like today, there were other people who came into our country. Many of them were not seeking freedom or trying to build a community. Quite a few came over to find gold. These people were really like Adventurers. Their goal was different than those who came over here to start a country where we could have the freedoms we have today.

 One such incident was that of the California Gold Rush. Many knew that there was gold to be found here. Many came in from different countries. I have read, but don't know for sure, that these miners were cruel to the Native Americans. Supposedly, these miners had many Native Americans killed. They wanted them exterminated. This is awful, if it really happened. But.... the people who were doing this horrible crime were not the Early American settlers who founded our country. They were people who came over here to find gold. They were greedy. They wanted to get rid of anything that got in their way of finding gold (I want to be careful to note that probably not all the California Gold Rush miners were like this).

 In every group of people there will be some bad. That's why we need the standard of God in our communities. We can say whatever we want to or do whatever we want, but, we are accountable to God after death. We will be judged according to His standard.

 On a good note remember David Brainerd. He was one of my favorite Early American History figures. He made friends with the Native Americans and even translated the Bible into their language for them! David Brainerd was a friend to the Native Americans around him. He truly loved them. When he was 28, he was found dead from tuberculosis. He was praying while he was dying. (On another interesting note, I believe that David Brainerd was engaged to one of Jonathan Edward's daughters.)

 There was also a couple named the Whitmans who preached and served the Native Americans, I believe in the Northwest part of the U.S. A terrible plague broke out and was killing the Native Americans, but Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were resistant to the disease. They nursed many Native Americans back to health because they were in a place where they could help and not get sick. Some of the Native Americans became suspicious though, because of the fact that they weren't getting sick. They thought the Whitmans were the ones making the Native Americans get the disease, so they had the Whitmans killed.

  https://www.whitman.edu/alumni/be-connected/whitman-traditions/marcus-and-narcissa-whitman

Today In History - November 10, 1975 - The Sinking Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

 Forty years ago today, a large 729 foot, ore-freighter ship sank. No one really knows why the ship sank. All 29 crew members died that day.

   The ship was on Lake Superior weathering a severe storm. The ship was named after the president of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee.

   A song was written by Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate this event. Here are the words that he wrote along with the song on a video
  

The ship was on a destination to Detroit.

Sources:

This website has some good pictures of the Edmund Fitzgerald:
http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/11/10/fitzgerald-anniversary

http://www.shipwreckmuseum.com/edmund-fitzgerald-36/

History Of Four Thieves Oil

I thought this was kind of interesting, seeing that essential oils are a hot topic right now. There are many positive qualities in these essential oils and they can do a lot with just a drop or two of oils.

One of the most popular oils is called, Four Thieves Oil. I am going to give a brief overview of the History of how we came up with Four Thieves Oil.

The story comes originally from Wikipedia, and bear in mind that there is a lot of speculation in this story. We actually do not have concrete proof that this event really happened, but it is nice to think it did.

During the time period of the Black Plague, there were these grave robbers who would dig up the graves of the people who died, and those who also died of the Black Plague. But these thieves never got sick. They did get caught though, and were going to go to prison. But something interesting happened which changed the course of events for the Thieves, and which also ended up giving us a recipe using essential oils that can serve as an antiseptic.

   So what was the secret of these Thieves that kept them from catching disease and from not getting sick while they dug up the graves of the dead?

   In order to make their sentence more lenient, they gave their secret away. They put together a combination of oils and used it to protect themselves from getting sick and dying from disease. So, they got their punishment a little lighter after telling what their secret recipe was.

   The oils used were clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon, and rosemary. When combined in the right amounts, you get 'Four Thieves Oil'.

   This url actually has the recipe. You can find it on there and make your own. http://www.easy-home-made.com/thieves_essential_oils.html

   Of course, if you are looking for a place to buy essential orders from, you can go to my essential oil website and 'shop' for them. http://www.mydoterra.com/susanseifert1

The Native Americans And Early Americans Were Friends

   There has been some erroneous teachings that seem to indicate the our country, the United States of America, was founded upon conquest. But that just isn't true.

   When my children were in school, I took their subjects very seriously. We learned together about math and science. We learned literature, and we even learned about History. We learned how the Pilgrims got along with the Indians. They were friends with the Indians. Think about the story of Squanto, and also of Samoset. They were Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims, and the Pilgrims in turn, became their friends. I believe it was Samoset who secretly learned how to speak English by watching how the Pilgrims interacted with each other. He surprised them one day by greeting them in their own language! The Pilgrims also invited the Indians to the first Thanksgiving feast in America, which lasted for a couple of days.

  One of my favorite people in History was David Brainerd. He was an early American who lived among the Native American people. He truly loved them and he ministered the Gospel to them, in their own language. I believe David Brainerd was going to marry one of Jonathan Edwards' daughters, but he died of tuberculosis when in his late 20s. He died while he was praying for the Indians who were his friends.

Roger Williams* strongly disapproved of those who were trying to confiscate land from the Indians. He believed in fairness in how the Indians were being treated.

  Our country was founded upon those who feared the Lord and respected life, even the lives of the Indians. Yet, we have to keep in mind that although the Pilgrims came over here peacefully, the Puritans came over here peacefully, and many others did as well, along with them came the Adventurers, who were looking for gold and wealth. Many of these people were ruthless people who lived crude lives, and didn't regard the lives of others. But they were not the ones who established our country. The ones who established our country had good work ethics. They were fair. They worked hard and built communities. The Adventurers did not do so. Yet, the Adventurers were the ones who brought crime with them and carried out evil deeds against people.

    I remember reading in a Johnny Appleseed book about such a man. A slave had run away from his home, and wanted safety. If the slave got caught, his owner was going to rip his tongue out. The slave did get caught and I guess he had to bear the punishment. That does not represent the hearts of those who founded our country. Slave owners like that one should not be allowed to live.

   So, the point of what I am writing is this; America was not founded upon conquest. America was founded by people who worked hard to build healthy, strong communities. Other people lived among them as well, who did harm to other people, but they were not the ones who established America. Early Americans did not conquer the Native Americans and steal their land. Many of the Native Americans sold the land to the early Americans at a cheap price. Not all Native Americans trusted the early Americans either. Some of them were ready to fight at a moment's notice.

   When learning about the Pilgrims, a story I remember was one of where they found the Indians food in a tent. They stole it and ate it. Then they felt bad because of what they did, and they tried to make restoration for it.

    Yes, America became a great nation and was founded upon good principles. Many would lie and teach that America was founded by those who stole from the Indians. That is not true, and I would challenge anyone who thinks so, to go back to some old History books and read them. Some of the newer ones have been revised with the intention of rewriting History.


*http://www.history.com/topics/roger-williams
Note: In early America, 'separation of church and state' had primarily to do with what happened while the Pilgrims and other groups who migrated to America lived in England. They were under the rule of a king who legally had the right to run the church. The king was not a true believer in Jesus Christ, yet, he was the one to make the rules and call the shots when it came to the church. That was the main reason why many came over to America. They did not want to have a church run by a king. That is how 'separation of church and state' came into existence. Separation of church and state does not mean that religion cannot be in the government. It simply means that the government cannot rule the church. That is why separation of church and state is important.

He Is Risen!

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,  but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.  And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”  And they remembered his words,  and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

Recorded in the Holy Scriptures in the book of Luke, chapter 24, verses 1-12 English Standard Verseion.

Marcus and Narcissa Whitman - Missionaries in Early America

Today, I want to share the story of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. Both Marcus and Narcissa were born in New York State in the early 1800s. Marcus studied to be a doctor, and Narcissa helped out at home with her many siblings.

   At age 11, Narcissa has a conversion experience and at some point later in her life, she wanted to be a missionary. Marcus also wanted to be a missionary, as well. Narcissa wanted to be a missionary, but the missions board did not allow single women to be sent off as Missionaries. It was at this time that Marcus and Narcissa met, and both had the same vision to be missionaries, so, two weeks later, they were married.

   They ended up at Waiilatpu in Oregon, starting their new life together as missionaries. Those who were living there were the Cayuse Indians, and they were the ones whom the Whitmans served, at least during that time.

  Narcissa had a baby girl, but the life of this little girl was short, for she drowned in the Walla Walla River at the age of 2. After this, Narcissa stayed more to herself and continued to write letters to her family back home.

   The Whitmans took in the children of a family who lost their parents. At this time, many white people were coming also to live in this area. Unfortunately, the white people brought diseases with them, such as the measles. The Whitmans seemed to be resistant to the measles, so they helped the Indians who were suffering and dying. But the Cayuse Indians were suspicious of them because they were not getting sick. They may have assumed that the Whitmans were really trying to kill them, and as a result, the Whitmans were killed by the Cayuse. Both Marcus and Narcissa's lives ended in 1847 at the hands of the Indians they were trying to help.

Sources:
http://www.nps.gov/whmi/historyculture/narcissa-biography.htm
http://www.whitman.edu/alumni/be-connected/whitman-traditions/marcus-and-narcissa-whitman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Whitman

Moravians Settle In America!

   On September 10th, it will be the anniversary of some Moravians who came to America in 1752 to settle the land in North Carolina. The came over to America to build a land they could thrive in. They also came over as missionaries to serve people already here.

   With all the hype of current thinking that America was founded upon others coming over to this land and taking away the land from the Natives, we need to look at what really took place, and what were the reasons for people coming over here in the first place.

   What is interesting, is that there were many who did come to America to conquer and take over the land, but somehow, in God's providence, they never were successful. Some came over to find gold and become rich. Many of these people did not know how to live in a civilization and they either went back to their homeland, or onto another place to explore. If they stayed in America (or what was to become America) many died off. They didn't understand the value of working hard. They were like children looking for candy at an Easter egg hunt and when they found what they wanted, they didn't have what it took to continue to strive as a people group. They were here just for the good time and what they could find.

    There were different Christian groups which had come over to America from Europe, mainly. We have the Pilgrims who originally came over in 1620, and lived peacefully with the Indians around them. The Puritans came a little while later, and today I read about the Moravians coming over.

   The people who were successful in building Early America, were hard workers. They were not those who gambled or just took a chance of coming to the new land with the hopes of striking it rich. Many who came to America for gold did not find what they were looking for. Many of those people were not even trained to take care of themselves. For example, when John Smith was settling the area of America that he was in (Jamestown), there was a group of men who came over from England who were known as 'Gentlemen'. These Gentlemen did not understand about cause and effect. They did not know how to garden, for example. While they lived in England, they were rich and had other people doing things for them. But in the new land, there were no people to hire to serve them. No one was there to grow their food, or to prepare it for them. They learned the hard way that they were going to have to work hard if they were going to stay here and be part of the society. John Smith established a rule that came right out of the Bible! He said to the 'Gentlemen' (and everyone else) "He who does no work shall not eat.". Now the Gentlemen had no choice but to either go to work in order to survive and become part of society, or they could go back home.

   I am not going to print this story of the Moravians, but I will take an excerpt from it here:
"Having staked out their land, the Moravians settled it the next year, sending a team of fifteen unmarried men to the region. Among these men were represented all of the essential professions and skills of the day: minister, surgeon, shoemaker, cooper (barrel maker), seive-maker, business manager, carpenter and so forth. One secret of Moravian success was their practicality."

   This is how the Early Americans built this country. If you look at old census records, you will find an interesting assortment of occupations people held during those years when America was being formed. For example, I have a great grandfather who had two occupations. One of them was a hat maker. He also worked with the railroad. My grandmother and her family worked for Thomas Edison. They lived within walking distance from the factory. Another great grandfather was a musician and played a brass instrument in a musical group for a living. Another great grandfather, who came over to America from Austria, ran a concession stand on the beach. One of the things that helped his success was to fry up onions so that the area around the concession stand would have a scent that would make people hungry and stir up their appetites! This idea worked well and helped them be successful in their business. My great grandmother was a seamstress and had a thriving business as well, both while she was in Europe and when she came here and became an American citizen. 

   The Moravian group came over here in 1752, and settled the land, which is now known as North Carolina. They were industrious people and knew how to make a living, not by exploiting other people groups, but by settling the land and working hard and using the talents they had to make their little community work for them. When people work together and use their 'jobs' to serve other people with, society comes together and grows together. People are relational and become responsible for one another. There is a bigger picture here than just going to college in order to get a good job so that one can make a lot of money during his or her lifetime. No man is supposed to be an island. We all work together, but not because we are forced to do so, but because we see the cause and effect of how we were intended to live. If we are totally selfish, we will not fit into society very well. Community requires give and take. The problem with communities today, is that we live very selfishly, and we have to work together to serve others as well as ourselves and our own families. 

   Here is another excerpt from the article on the Moravians:
"The little band created their first settlement at a place they named Bethabara. They cut two and a half miles of road, cleared land, planted crops, made furniture, imported livestock, constructed an oven for baking, built homes, and even opened a mill. Within six years, there were seventy Moravians living at Bethabara."

   This is the way society is built. This is the only successful way that societies are built. Throughout History, lands were always being conquered by others who were stronger than they. This started in the early Bible days and continues through today, as we see wars around the world going on, and stronger people groups controlling those who are weaker. That didn't happen though in Early America. This country was founded upon different people groups who wanted to work hard to build a land where we could have freedom and peace. Unfortunately, with the allowance of freedom, came others into the land who have violated the freedom that we have and have used it to destroy other people's freedoms. With so many people coming in, and now even people who are not citizens of this country, and who are not required to work, we can see the nation beginning to crumble. Many are not here because of the freedom promised to them. They are here to abuse the land and by their misuse of good work ethics, we will lose this land, and by default, we will need a bigger government to take over and rule the people. That leads to tyranny though, and is that what we really want? 

  One more little thing I want to say. Those who wrote the Constitution wanted as little government as possible. We were intended to govern ourselves, but today we have a society that is seriously affected by the breakdown of the family unit. In some cases, moms have to work a couple of jobs to feed her children and shelter them. Where's the dad? The dad is gone in search of pleasure instead of responsibility. Do you realize how many dead beat dads live in America today? The answer is not to have an abortion. The answer is found in the Bible, but no one fears God anymore and many scorn the Bible and have doubts about it's authenticity thanks to Skeptics who are in our colleges teaching students false things about the Bible. Many today do not even own a Bible, and many are unaware of what the Bible says about life. 

   People are surprised to find out that committing adultery is a sin. Many are unaware of the fact that one day, they will face a holy God, not to be welcomed into heaven, but to be sent to hell. Many laugh at the idea today, but they won't be laughing on That Day. We think we can use people as sex objects and get rid of any evidence by going to an abortion clinic. God sees what is going on. The cry of the babies that are being murdered goes up. He hears their cries. He sees men who beat up their wives. He sees people who live from one drink to the next. Friends, God never intended for anyone to be a slave to alcohol or sex. God never intended for people to bully other people around. This is most serious. When we do these things and tell others that God is ok with them, we are fooling ourselves. 

   Today in America, as well as in other countries, we have parents that actually sacrifice their children to the devil. In the Bible days, God forbade people from doing this. Any normal parent would ask themselves, how can anyone in their right mind do such a thing? Today, we have a society that has such people in it, those who are not 'normal' but would consider themselves normal, and society would also consider them normal. Normal people do not offer their children to be sacrificed to the devil. No one in their right mind would do that. But the Bible says that when we sin, and we continue to defy God when He tells us not to sin, God eventually leaves us and turns our minds over to depravity. Friends, this is what our society is made up of today, and it is very sad. It is not only sad, but it is scary. What will life be like for our children or grandchildren? If Heather has two moms and no dad to raise her, how will she look at the world when she grows up? How will the child grow up who sees those being abused by Satanic Ritual Abuse? How will the little girl who is being raped by her dad or big brother going to grow up? It is not a safe world for her. Of course, the dad will say that it's fine. That was how he was treated when he was a boy, and he thinks he turned out fine. What about the little boy who never sees his mom because she has to work all day and into the night because mom got pregnant by a man she wasn't married to, and now he is hidden somewhere looking for the next one night stand. Or how about the little girl whose mommy is not happy with her daddy and is seeing another man. All these things are contributing to the fall of a society. And we think that no one will be affected by it (based on some quotes by 'authorities'). We have billboards up which advertise 'men's divorce' (whatever that is). Is making money really so much more important than building and repairing the family unit?

   Friends, this is not how Early Americans lived. Sure, there were those who were here for gold and pleasure, but they didn't last. The laws of the land were made to protect people, but sadly today, many disregard these rules and do what they want, not what is best for everyone. We need to get back to the Bible, and fear God once again. Only when we are a nation that knows the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, light and darkness, and truth and error, will we be able to grow together as a healthy society once again.

    The Bible talks about loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (which, by the way, all of us already do love ourselves). Early Americans knew the value of this principle and lived it out. We should do the same. If we want our country to be successful again, this is what we will need to do. 

   For the whole article on the Moravians coming over to America, go to this link: http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/moravians-settled-north-carolina-11630260.html
 I highly recommend this article!

Conquest Or Being Industrious - Which is America's True Foundation?

  If you have any idea of American History, you will have learned the stories of Columbus, the Pilgrims, the Thirteen Colonies, DeSoto, Ponce De Leon, Native Americans, Pocahontas, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Paul Revere, and a bunch of other people, some good and some bad.

   Centuries before America was actually founded, it had been explored by those who were searching for gold. These people were explorers, but maybe a better word for them would be 'Adventurers'.

   There are two ways that people take over a land and build their own communities. One way, the most common way, is by conquest. The other way is by being industrious and working hard at the tasks God has given us to do, and by using the skills and talents He has provided.

   Conquering other people groups is very selfish. People use their strength and terror to conquer others and take over their lands in order to build their own kingdoms. But this is not God's way of building a land. Although many tried to conquer America through the years, no one actually was successful in doing this.

   Out of all the people groups who came to America, for whatever reason, it was the Pilgrims who began the roll of establishing a society, not based upon conquest, but build upon hard work. The work was done to provide for families, but also as a service for others. Other groups came in, some to conquer and others to escape the oppressive government which restricted their religious freedoms and beliefs.

   When the Pilgrims came over, they made up half of the group of people who were aboard the Mayflower. The other group was known as the 'Adventurers'. The Adventurers and the Pilgrims did not get along well while together on the ship, but they all made it to the New World. Both groups had a different standard for life. After all the hardships of the rough voyage, and landing in the New World, no one wanted to go back to England.

   The Pilgrims (or Strangers, as they were called) had great faith in God. They lived their lives in such a way that represented God well. But the Adventurers were here to explore and find gold. Over time, the Pilgrims settled in, and during the first winter, because of the cold, at least half of the Pilgrims died. But they continued to work together to build a community made from a good work ethic. They were not here to find gold or to conquer other people. But, even among the good, there is always some bad.

   Other groups came to America, some to find gold and to conquer, others to live peaceably in the community they would build by doing hard work. Hard work is a good thing for people to do. Today, we are afraid of hard work because we have been trained to make life as easy and as comfortable as we can. We don't have a vision for the future. We don't even have a vision for tomorrow. Having a vision for the future is like having an eternal perspective. Whatever we do today, will affect many things down the road. The Pilgrims knew this and that is how they lived.

   Another  group that came in was the Puritans. They also had a deep faith in God and the Bible. They had a high standard of living, meaning that they strove to stay on the narrow path. Their work ethic, like the Pilgrims, was also very good. They built their communities, and they even built each other's houses! They worked the land and developed whatever careers were available back then. One of them, David Brainerd, took it upon himself to translate the Bible in the language of the Indians (native Americans) that were around him. He loved the Native Americans and they knew it. David Brainerd died from tuberculosis while praying. He was only 28, I think.

   We have a group which came over in 1607 and settled Jamestown. Although these people, to my knowledge, were not Christians, they had a good work ethic. There were also some 'Gentlemen' from England who came over for exploration of gold, and were not trained on how to do farming or any of the necessary things that were needed for survival. John Smith got angry with them and made them work! John Smith quoted the Bible where it says, 'Whoever does not work, shall not eat'.

   Our Founding Fathers actually did not approve of slavery or conquest. The Constitution guarantees equality among all people. Slavery began in Europe and came to America as people started coming over to the New World. On the one hand, we had revivals in America, when people like George Whitefield came over to America to preach. Jonathan Edwards had a big impact as well in the Northeast. America was a free country to anyone who wanted to come in, but that was not without risk.
People who worked hard and had a vision to build a society based upon good work ethics lived throughout this land. But, those who owned slaves and who were mean to Indians also were coming into this land. On top of that, England was trying to make America become one of its colonies. Up to this point, really no one controlled America, for it was not a country yet. It was an area of land which was becoming inhabited by a variety of people, some good, some bad.

   With all the pressures from England, some of the key people in America decided to unite together to form a strong community that would protect itself from being claimed by England. It all came to a head when the American Revolution took place. Young men, farmers, dads, businessmen all made themselves ready to fight if necessary, in a minute's notice. So, if the call for battle came at 4am, they would be ready to fight in an instant. That is what happened in the American Revolution, and that is why our country is not under England's rule today. After the War, men rose up to create a Constitution by which the people in this country would live by. The rules are very fair, and there are many references to God.

   No one came in and conquered America. That is not why we are a nation today. People came to build a safe community for their families and loved ones. The Early Americans bargained with the Indians rather than stealing from them. Yes, there were those who treated the Indians unfairly. There were those who brought slaves over. There were those who sold liquor illegally and those who were violent. But those people were not the ones who founded our country.

  Our Forefathers fought for us so that we could live in a land of freedom. Not a land where our freedoms hurt other people though. We are not free to kill people if we don't like them, nor do we have a right to steal. The laws of the land are made to protect us from being harmed by others.

   Although we do not really know if our Forefathers were truly Christians, we do know that they feared and respected God and His word. They were fully aware that if we remove God from our lives, we are doomed. They were not perfect examples of people who loved God, but they did respect Him, and they did base this country on the principles out of God's word.

   America was not founded on conquest. Conquerors came and went. Our Forefathers were not conquerors, despite the fact that certain authority figures, such as our current president, would like you to believe. Unfortunately, there are several college professors who would teach that America was founded by conquest and America deserves to be punished for it. While it is true that bad people were living in America, before America became America, they did not found our nation. They deserve to be punished, and if they escaped punishment while they were alive, they certainly will be facing a harsh judgment on That Day.

   America really is one of the few nations that has been built, not out of conquest, but on good work ethics. But our nation is slowly eroding due to the fact that the Bible is being removed from the government and all governmental places, and people are proudly defying God in our governmental platforms. This is scary because it will bring about God's anger on our nation. No longer will we be prosperous due to hard work and God's blessing on work, but we will be a nation that will no longer have all the nice things we have today. Life will become difficult, and we are in danger of being added to the number of Third World countries pretty soon.

   Will God protect us if a plague breaks out? How about if the stock market crashes? We laugh at God today, but He can turn all that around in a moment and laugh at us by taking away everything we have, and all that our Forefathers have worked so hard for us to have. Yes, we are laughing now and thinking we are defying God, but the tables will soon be turned and God will pull the rug out from underneath us if we don't repent and turn away from our arrogance.

   If our Forefathers were alive today, they would be turning over in their graves. (They are alive today, but whether they can see what is happening in America or not, is unknown to us). They fought for freedom, not for conquering. The fought because life is beautiful and a gift from God. They weren't out to take anyone else's life away from them.

Why would God protect us from the tyranny of Islam? Are you ready to be forced to say, "There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet" or to have your head chopped off? If you reject God today, there will be no help for you tomorrow when the time of severe difficulties come. 

Picture of Old Burial Grounds in Boston

I am cleaning pictures off my phone so before I delete too many of them, I want to upload some of them here. This is a picture of a cemetery where Samuel Adams was buried. Also Ben Franklin's parents are buried here and John Hancock are buried here as well.

The History of Slavery

   Today, there are quite a few people complaining about America being a former slave country. As I listen to what these people say, their argument sounds plausible, at least in the beginning. But their argument does not take into consideration the whole part of History. When did slavery begin? Is it specific to America? Why was there slavery in America, when America was known as the 'Land of the Free'?

   In a Nutshell, slavery began not too long after the fall of the human race. Wherever there was conquest, slavery came as a result.

  Although the sins that brought about the wrath of God, which caused Him to send a world-wide flood to destroy the world, are not named, there is little doubt that people who lived at that time were owning slaves in some kind of format.

 Throughout Bible History, you can see nations at war with one another, and slavery was installed in many societies. In the Bible, God actually talks about slavery, but it is a different kind of slavery than the ones we are familiar with. It would be similar to what could happen if we took homeless people into our homes and gave them jobs to work for. Basically, slavery in the Old Testament, was used to prevent a person from having to live on the streets. In a sense, it was a type of protection, although it would definitely never be one's first choice of remedy for being out of work. Also, there was what was called, a 'Day of Jubilee' where the slaves that chose to leave, could leave the families they served. God has specific rules for how slaves were to be treated in the early days of Israel.

   American History was very cruel, at least for many. I will say here though, that there were people who did own slaves and who treated their slaves like family. People by nature are cruel, and given a situation where they can oppress another, they will take advantage of that. I have seen people torture animals. Why would they do that? It is a form of bullying and also a form of control. People feel strong when they can overpower something or someone else. But what does the Bible say about this?

 There is a verse that says  A righteous care for the needs of his animals but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel (Proverbs 12:10 NIV).

     I remember reading a book on Johnny Appleseed, the guy who planted appleseeds everywhere hoping to grow a bunch of apple trees, and in this book, it gave a story of a cruel slave owner, whose slave ran away and was in danger of being caught and penalized. I think the slave owner found the slave and cut his tongue out. What a cruel person that was. That shows us how evil people can be, left without God's mercy on them. We could be in the same boat if we are left to ourselves as well.

   There are different forms of slavery. Slavery can be as basic as a parent overpowering their child. It could be a man holding his wife hostage. We are aware of the sex slave trade where women are brought in and cannot escape. They will be abused by men, primarily, as sex objects. There are cults who hold their members hostage by not allowing them to leave the group. Islamic women have very little rights. Even kidnapping is a form of slavery, if the victim is not killed, but held in hostage.

   Whatever the format for slavery was, slavery has been in operation for thousands of years. It is not an early American invention as some would like for you to believe. It takes places because sinful people take power and use it over other people who will be subject to them.

  During the Middle Ages, slavery was going strong throughout Europe. That is part of the reason why early Americans had slaves. They were brought over here with their owners. There were also indentured slaves, which were a little different. They were a step above the average slave because they were more or less hired to work for the family who owned them.

  Today in America, we don't have black people sweeping our floors and cleaning cotton bales, but, we still have people who bully others around. Bullying is big in public and private schools, and probably always will be as long as we have children who are troubled and are using control to try to make their world work for them. Bullying also takes place in the work place, many times. The heart of bullying is arrogance. Everyone wants control. Some people want it so much, that they will hurt other people in order to get it.

   Bullies come in many shapes and sizes. They have various methods too. Some use bribery to get what they want. Most use threats. What does God say about this?

   Throughout God's word, we are told to love one another. We are told to support those who are weak. We are told to stand in the gap for those who can't speak. We are told to be kind and to honor others above ourselves. God never instructs anyone to bully people around. We will give account of our lives before God, and bullying, even in a small degree is not acceptable to Him.

   But did you know that we are all slaves? The Bible says that whoever sins is a slave to sin. The Bible also offers deliverance and salvation through God's Son, Jesus Christ. By default, because we are all sinners, we are all slaves to sin. But Jesus said, "Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:34, 35 ESV

      So there it is. We are either slaves to sin, or slaves to God. When the devil hijacked the human race, we became subject to him instead of God. See also The Day The Devil Hijacked Planet Earth .

For more information on the Gospel, please go to http://thegospelconversation.blogspot.com

For those interested, here is a link to an article on the History of slavery: Historyworld.net - History of Slavery

The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

America According to D'Souza

Occasionally, I find a product I highly recommend and will post about it. Here is a book, video, audiobook that I highly recommend for my readers. I always find it interesting that when something that is true, yet something that exposes the works of darkness, becomes available, there is opposition. This movie/book has had much opposition, and not without reason. Read for yourself and see what you think. America: Imagine a World without Her

Today in History - May 20, 325 - The Council of Nicea

   Today in History, the Council of Nicea took place. As I write this, I realize that today is the 21st, so I am a day late in my writing, but bear with me. I don't want to miss writing about an important article such as this one.
   Throughout church History, there were heretics who rose up here and there, teaching  dangerous doctrines to the people. God always provided someone who would stand up for the truth. In this event, the Council of Nicea, Arius, a presbyter and a heretic who believed that Jesus was not God in the flesh, began teaching his poisonous doctrine to the people. I believe he even had songs to sing which depicted his doctrine.
   The defender who God raised up was none other than Athanasius. Athanasius was a contender for the faith during this time period. Alexander was the bishop of Alexandria, and Athanasius was his secretary. They walked into the court room together, while Athanasius was responsible for handling the notes. Athanasius and Alexander conferred together during the session.
  Not much is known about Athanasius. He may have come from a well to do family. He was the main one who defended the faith against Arianism during this time. It is important to note that Constantine won a battle a year prior to this event, and was the emperor now. He had been made aware of the conflict between Arius and Alexander. Constantine tried to reconcile Arius and Alexander, and had hoped to bring about a world-wide council that would bring peace in the church*1.
   There were 312 gathered together this day, to decide if Arius was correct, or, if Alexander of Alexandria was the one who had the truth concerning the deity of Christ. Arius believed that Jesus Christ was a created being, and was not always in existence. Alexander was horrified at this belief, along with many others who held his view. Alexander believed that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. Alexander contended that if Jesus Christ were not God in the flesh, mankind could not be saved from their sins. During the process of this heated debate which had been going on for some time now, Alexander deposed Arius, and Arius did not leave on a friendly note *2. He collected followers who would support him in his heretical beliefs.
   After Arius was deposed and he build his own group of supporters, they began to riot. The unity of the empire was now being threatened and Constantine decided to call together a council as a result of the rioting and fighting.
  One of the attendees in the conference was a man named Nicholas, who was a bishop of Myra. He sided with Alexander and Athanasius concerning the deity of Christ, and it has been said that Nicholas of Myra became angry with Arius during this heated session and slapped him on the face! It is interesting to note that Nicholas of Myra is the man who was the original 'Santa Claus'. At least we know that Santa Claus believed in the deity of Christ, even if he reacted out of his anger toward Arius!
  As the Council continued, the debate went on concerning the deity of Christ and as a result, a creed was drawn up, which is known to us today as 'The Nicene Creed'.
  This event was not the last controversial event for the church, for throughout the following years, opponents to the Gospel rose up, and those who defended the faith also rose up to oppose them. Other councils came about throughout History, which defended other serious doctrines of the faith. As long as we are on this planet, there will always be someone who will oppose the Gospel message, and, at the same time, there will be someone who will stand up for and contend for the faith.

Some common myths that are popular today:

1. Constantine wrote the Bible

2. The Gospels were not written until the 4th Century

3. There are other 'gospels' that were not included in the Bible that should have been, such as the Gospel of Thomas.

4 There have been discrepancies found in the New Testament when new fragments have been found in comparing these with the old.

   Constantine did not write the Bible. During the years following the ascension of Christ (when Jesus went back up into the heavens in bodily form), the church was begun. The original Apostles and many disciples wrote letters to others and to local churches. There was enough information in these letters to put together the whole New Testament. These letters were written not too long after the church was begun and some of them were actually used to make up part of the New Testament. Some of the church fathers, such as Ignatius and Polycarp either knew Jesus or His family personally, or knew one or more of the original disciples, and they also wrote personal letters and journals that have been preserved (but are not included in the Bible). Polycarp was a disciple of John the Apostle, and Polycarp, in turn, discipled Iranaeus. Ignatius was a friend of Jesus' family and wrote letters to people which inferred his relationship to them. Despite the myths that came about from movies like, 'The DaVinci Code', the truth still stands. 

   Fragments of the New Testament letters/Gospels have been found and preserved. Some are very old and as they are found, they are brought together and compared to other matching documents which have been found. Some of the Bible had been preserved by the monks down through the centuries. It is amazing to note that the fragments which have been found are very similar to what we have today as the New Testament. Minor differences involved are things like how words are arranged differently, and some spelling differences. But the meanings of the passages are basically the same. (Note: I am aware of John 8 and Mark 16 as not being found in the originals, or at least in the places in the Bible where we find them today. It is beyond the scope of this blog to write about this at this moment, but, suffice it to say that there are a lot of possibilities for this occurrence. Do not let this kind of thing cause doubt about the authenticity of the Scriptures. Skeptics will jump at this without researching the subject and will throw it out to destroy the faith of the faithful. Perhaps in another blog I can cover this more adequately at another time.)

1. http://www.churchhistory101.com/century4-p7.php
2. http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/301-600/god-or-man-asks-nicea-council-11629650.html

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, of things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the begotten of God the Father, the Only-begotten, that is of the essence of the Father.

God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten and not made; of the very same nature of the Father, by Whom all things came into being, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.

Who for us humanity and for our salvation came down from heaven, was incarnate, was made human, was born perfectly of the holy virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit.

By whom He took body, soul, and mind, and everything that is in man, truly and not in semblance.

He suffered, was crucified, was buried, rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven with the same body, [and] sat at the right hand of the Father.

He is to come with the same body and with the glory of the Father, to judge the living and the dead; of His kingdom there is no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, in the uncreated and the perfect; Who spoke through the Law, prophets, and Gospels; Who came down upon the Jordan, preached through the apostles, and lived in the saints.

We believe also in only One, Universal, Apostolic, and [Holy] Church; in one baptism in repentance, for the remission, and forgiveness of sins; and in the resurrection of the dead, in the everlasting judgement of souls and bodies, and the Kingdom of Heaven and in the everlasting life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Nicene_Creeds_of_325_and_381#Comparison_between_Creed_of_325_and_Creed_of_381

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