The Philistine People Of Gaza

About the same time (1180-1150 B. C.) Moses led the Jews to the eastern border of “the promised land” from where Joshua led them into it another group was entering from the coast on the west. Their journey began from their homeland in Crete and the Aegean islands. These lands in the Bible are called Caphtor. Known as People of the Sea they repeatedly attacked Egypt and were eventually repulsed by Ramesses III. His actions led to these roving pirates settling on the fertile plane south of Joppa on the Mediterranean coast in what is now known as the Gaza Strip. They developed the cities of Gaza, Gath, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Ekron.
Primary Bible characters associated with the region are Saul, Samuel, Samson, and David. For years the principle god of these people who came to be known as Philistines was the Semitic god Dagon. Currently most who live there are Muslims.
Persians, Hasmoneans, Selucids, Egyptians, Romans, and Israelis have tried to rule them unsuccessfully. In recent years after conquering the territory the Israelis gave up on trying to govern them and gladly relinquished the territory. Egypt didn’t want them back. The ultimate group that has tried on several occasions to rule them unsuccessfully is their self-governance. No one has ever successfully ruled them.
Philistinism is a derogatory coined word that describes people who disregard art, beauty, intellectualism, spiritual values and are materialistic. Historically there are brief periods of their existence that dispute this depiction.
Goeth (1749-1832) wrote of them, “The Philistine not only ignores all conditions of life which are not his own but also demands that the rest of mankind should fashion its mode of existence after his own.” The term is in general one of social scorn.
That gives an idea of the long held mentality of the people and their ancestors who live in the Gaza Strip. Perhaps it explains why it is difficult to negotiate with them. Many are insisting the Israelis negotiate with them. No one has ever been able to do so. No one.
The people who govern there now were elected by the people. America pushed for them to have open elections several years ago against the warning that Hamas would be put in control. Unfortunately instead of dedicating themselves to providing a better way of life for their people Hamas dedicated themselves to the destruction of Israel.
Were it not for belligerence and obstinacy the conflict could easily be resolved. All that would be required would be for Hamas to stop firing rockets into Israel. Israel does not want the Gaza Strip and the responsibility of trying to govern a people no one has ever been able to govern.
A few months ago we visited the Costal Plain and the valley in which the Hebrew David fought the Philistine Goliath. It is a lovely fertile area. Vineyards and other forms of agriculture proliferate. This is now part of the area being hit by rockets. Seeing such a placid area you wonder why such destruction is desired.

The High Price Of Greed

The economy is of great interest. The uncertainty of the times makes it all the more of a concern.
Our dismal national financial posture has been the topic of Internet communication recently. The Stock Market has been described this way.
“It’s been a rocky week for the Stock Market. Helium was up, feathers were down. Paper was stationary. Ticonderoga Pencils lost a few points. Though elevators rose escalators continued their slow decline. Weights were up in heavy trading. Light switches were off. Mining equipment hit rock bottom. The market in raisins dried up. Pampers remained unchanged. Caterpillar stock inched up a bit. Sun peaked at midday. Birds Eye Peas split. Stanley Tools filed for Chapter 11 and Scott Tissues touched new bottoms.”
The following solution has been proposed.
“The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of
officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.”
That is not Rome, Georgia referenced. It was written of ancient Rome by Cicero in 55 B.C. Some things are constant.
There are a few words that describe how we got in our current quandary. Some are: greed ratcheted up to rapacity and avarice, a lack of integrity and eroded honesty, covetousness,  gluttony, voracity, and a colloquialism, “the gimmies.”
Greed, the desire for more, is the birth mother of most of these appetites. We were told this a long time ago when it was said “the love of money is the root of all evil.” There we have the source defined. Individually and as a nation we have to deal with it.
Reputedly a Baptist moved in next door to a Quaker. Like a good neighbor the Quaker went over to visit his new neighbor and said, “If thou needest anything let me know and I will tell thee how to live without it.” At issue is whether we can learn to curb our appetites for more and live without some things.
We are victims of a “More is better but more is never good enough” philosophy.
Complicating the issue is that we have reared a large segment of the population that has become dependent on government to fulfill not just basic needs but their greed. We have confused  needs with wants. Government “pork” is a popular menu item.
There are some very good financial advisors in the market place today. Locally Clark Howard heads the list of several very good down-to-earth authorities. David Ramsey is a national figure of good repute. He has syndicated radio and TV programs and excellent video and book materials. His “Financial Peace University” video seminars are hosted by many local churches. Even if a person isn’t a church goer it would be helpful to check local places hosting a seminar.
We should not expect our nation to control its greed until we do so individually. Discerning abstinence is a self-discipline that really pays off. Pays off!

We Are Endowed By God

Our nation looks to new leadership in Washington with outstretched open hands. Give me is the mandate of the hour.
“Endow” is an interesting word. It is defined as to “provide or supply or equip.” Basically it means to be give something. To be given something there must be a someone by whom it is given.
Our Declaration of Independence notes “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Unalienable means they can’t be repudiated or taken away. The rights noted as being given to us and not to be taken away are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Those are our birthright given us. For there to be a gift there must be a giver.
The Declaration defines the giver as “the Creator” by Whom “all men are created.” That is rather definitive. This document declared this Creator is the one who gives these rights.
Efforts to exclude Him from the world He created has resulted in the assumption our rights come from government. The consequence of this is a large segment of our population now looks to government for an endowment of their rights.
Jefferson and his ilk believed there were certain immutable rights inherent in life. He believed these rights transcend government and were endowed, given, by the Creator not the government. The responsibility of the government is to secure, protect and defend these rights.
In Jefferson’s first message as President he remarked, “I shall need the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our fathers, as Israel of old….” He continued, “I ask you to join with me in supplications that He will so enlighten the minds of your servants, guide their counsels, and prosper their measures, that whatever they do shall result in our good and shall secure to you the friendship and approbation of all nations.”
Jefferson also piquantly asked, “Can the liberties of a nation, be thought secure, when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gifts of God? — that they cannot be violated except with his wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that his justice cannot sleep forever.”
Jefferson’s religious beliefs will be debated forever but from these historical statements it can be deduced that he believed in God, that God hears and answers prayer, that He is a benevolent God who gives unalienable rights, that government officials are His “servants,” and that His justice is inevitably enacted.
With our nation concerned with a new governing body in Washington there is expectation mixed with uncertainty. Jefferson’s appeal needs to be responded to by this generation. It is incumbent on the governed to pray for those governing. Pray for the very things Jefferson noted. In doing so we are ultimately looking to the Creator who endows us.
Like all leaders this cadre needs “the favor of that Being in whose hands we are….”

God Is Missing

Billy and Tommy were two little mischievous brothers who lived in a small town who were blamed for virtually every misdeed in town. For much of it they were rightly accused.
Their concerned mom made an appointment for the pastor to talk with them. She took them to the church office for the visit. The pastor using a psychological ploy decided to talk with them one at a time.
Tommy was first. Tommy was seated in front of the pastor’s desk and the pastor behind it. The pastor asked Tommy an easy question with a given answer to start the conversation.
“Tommy, where is God?” No answer.
Tactfully the pastor made a few comments and posed the question again. “Tommy, tell me where is God?” Still no answer.
After a few other moments of unresponsiveness the pastor pounded his desk and in a loud voice said, “Tommy, I know you know, tell me where is God?”
Tommy bolted from his chair, ran out of the office with Billy in hot pursuit. Tommy ran in the house upstairs to his room and into the closet holding the door tight.
Billy stood outside pounding on the door saying, “Tommy, Tommy what is the matter?”
Tommy answered, “Billy, run hide, God is missing and they are trying to blame it on us.”
Take even a casual look at our society and obviously God is missing. A legitimate question is who is to blame?
With my regard for and my shared guilt with the individual and institutions I believe the faith community is to blame. A broad spectrum of diverse leaders of the spiritual community of America banded together some years ago to influence elections and laws in our land. I was a part of that effort and believe it did a lot of good. However we focused our efforts on externals to try to change our culture. To a significant degree it worked for a time. One might well ask then why blame the faith community.
Though those efforts were admirable and to a degree effective they were relied on to the neglect of the one thing that can change our society. It is an inside job.
It may be a great act of faith to think it has to be changed one person at a time it is a greater act of lunacy to think it can  be changed any other way. The hearts of the people must be changed. Belief patterns must be shaped. Persons must become convinced there are absolute morals and stand for them.
For the last decade many of the spiritual voices have resorted to a message of health, wealth, and prosperity doctrine. A feel good faith has replaced a belief system given to moral absolutes regarding sex, abortion, greed, bigotry, integrity, and a sense of personal responsibility.
Dr. Karl Menninger, founder of the renown Menninger Clinic wrote a book on psychological problems with a title that poses a significant question: “Whatever Became of Sin?” Immoral acts still abound but they are called every thing but sin.
The faith community need not worry about being popular just right. Some things are right and some wrong. Our moral compass has been lost and voices too often muted that should be declaring the values that made us a more moral and righteous people.
God is missing. Perhaps a place to reintroduce Him and advocate His virtues for His people would be in our houses of worship. Some do a good job of it and are attracting people.

Wine In The Bible And The Consumption Of Alcohol Today

Did Jesus and His disciples consume intoxicating wine in observing the Passover?
Does the Bible admonition to “take a little wine for the stomach’s sake” legitimize consumption of intoxicants?
Was it possible to preserve wine in a non-fermented state in the time of Christ?
These and related questions deserve an answer based on historical facts.
Consider the last of these questions first.
Ancients had several ways of preserving unfermented wine. One way was to reduce the grape juice to the constituency of a thick syrup or even jelly known in Hebrew as debhash and in Arabic dbs. This preserved form could be used over a long period of time. By adding water the concentrate turned the water to unfermented wine.
Sometimes a cake was made of dried grapes which later had  water added to produce unfermented wine.
In 1869 physician and dentist Thomas Bramwell Welch and his son Charles were responsible for preparing the table at their church for the Lord’s Supper. They became concerned about using fermented wine. Utilizing only techniques from the time of the Bible they produced unfermented grape juice for use at the Lord Supper. Their product today is known as Welch’s Grape Juice.
Welch’s concern grew out of the fact bread with leavening was forbidden to be used at the Passover. Leavening involved using yeast. As the yeast cells die the decay produces gases. This fermentation results in the rising of bread. Purity was desired so unleavened bread was required.
Welch reasoned why would fermentation not be allowed in bread while being allowed in wine?
The Bible instructs people “Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper.” (Proverbs 23: 31,32). Movement in wine is caused by bubbles resulting from fermentation.
The Greeks seeing movement in the wine thought it indicated there was life in the wine. When wine was consumed it influenced speech, hearing, and one’s walk. Because of this outside control of the body they thought it to be a god and gave the god the name Baccah.
When the Bible appeals for persons not to be filled with wine, but be “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) it is teaching persons to chose the true God, the Holy Spirit, not Baccah. It means let the Holy Spirit control your body.
Wine was in common use in the Bible time. It is helpful to understand how it was used in deciding how to apply Bible verses related to it.

Wine was normally stored in large pointed jugs called amphorae. When it was to be used the desired portion was poured from the amphorae into a large bowl known as a kraters. From the kraters the cups, known as kylix, were filled.
In the large bowl, the kraters, water was added before the mixture was used to fill the cups, kylix.
The ratio of water to wine varied. Different ancient writers note different formulas ranging from one part wine to twenty parts of water. Others indicate a ration of 1-5, 1-4, 2-5.
At the wedding of Cana Jesus had the water pots filled with water and when the guests drank they referred to it as “wine,” the normal word for the mixture of water and wine.
Writers normally referred to wine mixed with water as “wine.” To indicate wine not mixed with water it was called “unmixed (akratesteron)wine.”
Drinking wine without it being mixed with water was looked upon as “Scythian” or barbarian. Mnesitheus wrote: “Mix it half and half, and you get madness; unmixed, bodily collapse.”
Plutarch wrote, “We call a mixture ‘wine,’ although the larger of the component parts is water.”
The Jewish Encyclopedia states that during the rabbinic period “‘yayin’(wine) was to be distinguished from ‘shekar’ (strong drink): the former is diluted with water (mazug’); the latter is undiluted (‘yayin hai’).”
The Jewish Talmud, which contains the oral traditions from 200 B.C. to 200 A.D. has several tractates in which the mixture of water and wine is discussed. The normal mixture is said to be 1 part wine to 3 parts water.
In the portion of that work known as Pesahim 108b it is stated that the four cups every Jew was to drink from during the Passover ritual the mix was a ratio of three parts water to one part wine.
From this can be concluded that what Jesus and the disciples used at the Last Supper was not an intoxicant.
From around 60 B.C. the Book of Maccabees 15:39 states, “It is harmful to drink wine alone, or again, to drink water alone, while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious…”
Justin Martyr around 150 A.D. described the Lord’s supper in this way: “Bread was brought, and wine and water, and the president sends up prayers and thanksgiving” (Apology I, 67, 5).
Clement of Alexandria stated: “It is best for the wine to be mixed with as much water as possible… For both are works of God, and the mixing of the two, both the water and wine produces health….”
The mixture of water and wine was also used for medicinal purposes. Because of amoeba in water wine was added as a purifying agent. Hence, the Scripture says, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for the stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.” (I Timothy 5:23). Wine was a disinfectant.
A constructive warning is expressed in Proverbs 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”