BIBLE ESOTERICS - FIRSTS, REPEATS, AND UNUSUAL ODDITIES
The Youngest King In Jerusalem - Jehoash - "And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house. Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign." (2 Kings 11:20 - 21) What a start this young man had! Imagine your Grandmother killing all your siblings, but you survive, thanks to your Aunt, and you are hidden until you are seven years old, then your ruling Grandmother is killed by order of the priest on the same day he makes you king. Can you imagine telling THAT story to your kids on your knee?
Though a minor prophet, Jonah's story is rather popular. He's the only man in the bible swallowed by a fish and spit back out! It's practically 1/3rd of the book of Jonah.
Resurrections - The first to resurrect anyone by God's power was Elijah; "And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, 'What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?' And he said unto her, 'Give me thy son.' And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the LORD, and said, 'O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?' And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, 'O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.' And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived." (1 Kings 17:17 - 22) In 2 Kings 4:18 - 37 it has Elisha raising a Shunammite boy from the dead. and so we have a second resurrection, but there's more! Elisha wasn't done, even though dead! "And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet." (2 Kings 13:20 - 21). These three are of the Old Testament; now let's look at more in the New; the first was Jairus' daughter. "While He yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, 'Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?' As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, 'Be not afraid, only believe.' And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And He cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when He was come in, He saith unto them, 'Why make ye this ado, and weep? The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth." And they laughed Him to scorn. But when He had put them all out, He taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with Him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And He took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, 'Talitha cumi'; which is, being interpreted, 'Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.' And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years." (Mark 5:35 - 42). The next is Lazarus, many Christians are familiar with this story in John 11:1 - 44. Four days dead, yet he rose at Jesus' call. Few people may recall this multiple resurrection, though; "Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Matt. 27:50 - 53) Then, of course, we all believe in Jesus' resurrection who clai to be Christian, but there was another after His. In Acts 9:36 - 41, Peter used the power of the Lord to raise Dorcas, or Tabitha, from the dead. This is the last resurrection of the historical recordings of the bible.
Raptures Before The Big Rapture To Come - Two people went to heaven without dying in the Old Testament; the first was Enoch. "And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." (Gen. 5:23 - 24) The second was Elijah. "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.' And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces." (2 Kings 2:11 - 12)
Terminal Attack Of Worms - After reading this passage of Scripture, one would be counted wise to give God His glory EVERY time! "And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost." (Acts 12:21 - 23) Imagine having an attack of worms so suddenly that you die? Gruesome way to go, yes?
Heavenly Transport - Long before Star Trek showed us a transporter that could "beam" people from one place to another, it appears The Lord already had that feat accomplished. How incredible it must've been for Philip! "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea." (Acts 8:38 - 40).
Jeremiah's Version Of The Christmas Tree - See if this describes the Christmas tree of days before the fake ones bought in stores today; "Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good." (Jer. 10:2 - 5) This version of the Christmas tree seems to be about foolish idolatry.
The Flash Of The Old Testament - Can you imagine being able to run faster than a horse drawn chariot? Think of any athlete you can remember who ran great speeds for any given distance, and they were already outrun by an Old Testament prophet. "And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, 'Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand.' And he said, 'Go up, say unto Ahab, 'Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.'' And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." (1 Kings 18:44 - 46)
Fed By Birds - We often hear or read of feeding birds, but not of being fed by them; but there was a prophet who actually was fed by ravens! "'Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.' So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook." (1 Kings 17:3 - 6) Imagine being Elijah, waited on by birds to bring him his meals!
What Do Cherubim Look Like? - For the best description, look in the entire first chapter of Ezekiel, and be amazed at the physical description of them! "Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went." (Ezek. 1:5 - 12) So if anyone tells you they look like little children with wings, you can give them another think coming!
Tattooing/Pimping Is A No-No - Tattoos are so popular nowadays, there's actually a tattoo TV show called "L.A. Ink", but did you know it is a violation of God's law? "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD." (Lev. 19:28) Printing any marks on you is tattooing, and in the eyes of the Lord, it is as the heathens were in the time of Moses! Pimping was a no-no too, as apparently parents sold their daughters for sex in the days of Moses, too; "Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness." (Lev. 19:29)
The First Census - In the book of Numbers was the first census recorded in the bible, and it was only of the men who were 20 years old and up, and able to go to war (no handicaps); "Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers." (Num. 1:2 - 4). Apparently, this was the first draft for military service, too!
Almonds In A Day - What if I told you a seemingly dead stick could bud, flower, and bear fruit in a day? Would that seem a little impressive to you? It's been done! "And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." (Num. 17:6 - 8) Would that anyone had faith enough to cause that to every stick they laid hold of in a day, world hunger could be solved!
Floating Iron - How does anyone make iron swim? I don't mean a piece that's been hollowed out so that you can fill it full of air or helium, I mean a solid piece of iron. Elisha knew how to do it! "So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, 'Alas, master! For it was borrowed.' And the man of God said, 'Where fell it?' And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, 'Take it up to thee.' And he put out his hand, and took it." (2 Kings 6:4 - 7)
Man Walks On Water - I don't mean Jesus, I mean PETER! "And Peter answered Him and said, 'Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. And He said, 'Come.' And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, 'Lord, save me.' And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, 'O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?'" (Matt. 14:28 - 31) People remember that Jesus walked on water, but few remember that Peter did, too!
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