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Kingdom of Judah
[Bible]The Kingdom of Judah, usually called simply "Judah" in the Bible, was the southern kingdom, with Jerusalem as its capital, that remained when the kingdom of Israel divided after Solomon's death. Descendants of David held its throne until its fall to Babylon.
Destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70)
[History]The destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70) was the capture of Jerusalem and the burning of the Second Temple by the Roman army under Titus during the First Jewish–Roman War. The event profoundly changed both Judaism and early Christianity.
New Moon
[Bible]The new moon was an ancient Israelite observance held on the first day of each month, when sacrifices were offered and trumpets were blown.
Company of Prophets
[Bible]The company of prophets was a group of prophets who gathered and prophesied together in the time of Samuel and Saul. They appear in 1 Samuel 10 and 19 and are discussed alongside the "sons of the prophets" of the era of Elijah and Elisha.
Joel (Prophet)
[People]Joel was the prophet whose message is preserved in the Old Testament Book of Joel. Scripture identifies him only as "the son of Pethuel." He is known for his account of a locust plague, his call to repentance, and the promise that God would pour out His Spirit.
Nahum (Prophet)
[People]Nahum is a prophet from Elkosh, identified as the author of the Old Testament Book of Nahum. He appears in Scripture only in Nahum 1:1 and prophesied the fall of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.
Chief Baker
[People]The chief baker was an official of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appears in Genesis 40. While in prison he had a dream, and three days later he was executed, just as Joseph had interpreted it. His name is not given in the Bible.
Imperial Cult
[History]The imperial cult was the practice in the ancient Roman Empire of honoring the emperor, living or deceased, as a god and offering sacrifices to him. Early Christians who refused to take part were persecuted.
Crusades
[History]The Crusades were a series of military expeditions undertaken by Catholic Western Europe from the late eleventh to the late thirteenth century at the call of the popes, with the stated aim of recovering Jerusalem and the other holy places from Muslim powers.
Ark of Bulrushes
[Bible]The ark of bulrushes is the basket in which, according to Exodus 2, the mother of Moses placed her infant son and set him among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter discovered the basket, and Moses' life was spared.
Twelve Articles of Faith
[Doctrine & Theology]The Twelve Articles of Faith is a twelve-article creed adopted by the Independent Presbytery of the Korean Presbyterian Church, which was organized in 1907. It still appears in the doctrinal sections of the constitutions of several Korean Presbyterian denominations.
Protevangelium of James
[Bible]The Protevangelium of James is a Greek apocryphal work from around the second century that recounts the birth and upbringing of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the birth of Jesus. It is not included in the canonical Bible.
Euphrates River
[Bible]The Euphrates is a great river of Western Asia that flows across Mesopotamia and still bears that name today. In the Bible it appears as one of the four rivers of Eden, as a boundary of the land promised to Abraham, and in scenes of judgment in the Book of Revelation.
Two Kingdoms Doctrine
[Doctrine & Theology]The two kingdoms doctrine is a Protestant teaching that God governs the world in two ways: through a spiritual government, in which he rules faith by his Word, and through a temporal government, in which the state and the law preserve social order.
Waters of Merom
[Bible]The waters of Merom are the site where, according to Joshua 11, a northern Canaanite coalition led by Jabin king of Hazor encamped and was defeated in a surprise attack by Joshua. This battle opened the way for the conquest of northern Canaan.
Census of Quirinius
[Bible]The census in Luke 2 was a registration of inhabitants carried out by order of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus. Because of this census, Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.
Orphans and Widows
[Bible]"Orphans and widows" is a biblical word pair for people whose livelihood and legal protection were weakened by the loss of a husband or father. Often grouped with the sojourner, they represent the socially vulnerable for whom God shows special care.
Field of Zophim
[Bible]The field of Zophim is a field at the top of Pisgah mentioned in Numbers 23. It was the second place to which Balak, king of Moab, brought Balaam to curse Israel, and there, too, Balaam pronounced a blessing instead of a curse.
Seminal Logos
[Doctrine & Theology]The seminal logos is a concept used by the second-century apologist Justin Martyr. It holds that the Word of God (the Logos) has been sown like a seed in every person, so that even those who lived before Christ could know the truth in part.
Fair Havens
[Bible]Fair Havens was a harbor on the southern coast of the island of Crete, near the city of Lasea, where the ship carrying Paul stopped on its way to Rome, according to Acts 27.