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Aerial View of 2,200-Year-Old Idumean Structure, Photo, IAA
Drone Flight Reveals 2,200 Year Old Idumean Structure in Central Israel
CBN News 12-01-2017
JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli archaeology's newest tool, the drone, revealed an intriguing find during a pass over the Lachish region during the recent Sukkot holiday.
The compact aircraft discovered what excavation directors – Dr. Oren Gutfeld of the Hebrew University, and Pablo Betzer and Michal Haber of the Israel Antiquities Authority – called "a rare and exciting find."
The structure, in what was the town of Horvat Amuda, is one of only a handful of its kind in Israel. Archaeologists said that it is most likely a 2,200-year-old Idumean palace or temple, the IAA said in a press release.
Two stone incense altars were discovered at the site. One of them bore the engraved image of a bull standing in what appears to be a columned temple. According to the archaeologists, the bull was one of the deities worshipped by the Idumeans.
In addition to the altar, archaeologists also uncovered fragile pottery vessels, including painted bowls, juglets and oil lamps.
In the Hellenistic period, Horvat Amuda was one of the agricultural resource villages for the neighboring Idumean capital of Maresha. The Idumeans, originally a Semitic people hailing from what is now southern Jordan, settled in the Judean hills and created Maresha as a center for their religion and commerce.
Archaeologists believe the structure was intentionally dismantled around 112 BCE when Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus I sacked Maresha. The residents later converted to Judaism and assimilated into the Judean population. (The most famous Idumean is probably King Herod from the Bible.)
Also discovered at the site were numerous underground passages cut by residents of nearby Beit Guvrin for escaping from the Romans during the time of the second Jewish Revolts in 132–135 CE.
The dig is sponsored by the IAA and Beit Lehi, a U.S.-based Mormon non-profit organization, which sponsors excavations in the Land of Israel. Archaeology students from the Hebrew University, Bar-Ilan University and a group of U.S. volunteers helped in the excavations the Times of Israel reported.
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As dark falls, Adeeb Joudeh, a Muslim, makes his way through the stone alleyways of Jerusalem's walled Old City cradling the ancient key to one of Christianity's holiest sites.
Centuries ago, the imposing iron key to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried, was entrusted to his family, one of Jerusalem's most prominent clans, says Joudeh.
He dates the arrangement back to the time of Saladin, the Muslim conqueror who seized the holy city from the Crusaders in 1187.
"Honestly, it's a great honor for a Muslim to hold the key to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is the most important church in Christendom," Joudeh, 53, said.
Another of the city's oldest Muslim families, the Nusseibehs, were entrusted with the duty of opening and closing the church doors, a task they perform to this day. It requires firm fingers: The key is 30 cm (12 inches) long and weighs 250 grams (0.5 pounds).
Historians differ on the roots of the arrangement. Some researchers say Saladin most likely bestowed the guardianship upon the two families in order to assert Muslim dominance over Christianity in the city. It also had financial implications, with a tax from visitors collected at the door.
Documentation, however, only goes back to the 16th century, Joudeh said, displaying dozens of "Fermans," or royal decrees by rulers of the Ottoman empire, bestowing the key custodianship upon his family.
Jerusalem's Old City today houses sites that are sacred to all three major monotheisms. It and other east Jerusalem areas were captured by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East war.
Israel has since declared the entire city its undivided capital. This status is not recognized internationally and is rejected by the Palestinians who want East Jerusalem as capital of a state they hope to found.
Joudeh says his key is about 800 years old. Another copy he holds broke after centuries of use.
"I started learning this when I was eight years old. It's handed down from father to son," said Joudeh. "I have been doing this for 30 years, and I feel that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is my second home."
The Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic denominations share custody of the church, where tensions often run high over control of its various sectors.
Christianity scholar Yisca Harani said having Muslim families in charge of the key and the doors helps somewhat in keeping the peace between the denominations.
"The church is definitely a model of co-existence," Harani said.
A customer registers his handprint before proceeding on the world's first-ever permanent bitcoin ATM. (REUTERS/Andy Clark )
Note: This is a guest column by my friend David Hoffman.
If you had bought $100 in bitcoin in 2010 and didn't sell, it would now be worth almost $73 million. That is an incredible return.
Last year on November 29, 2016, the price of one Bitcoin closed out at $732.62. That means in the past year, it really grew.
We are living in a time where there is great opportunity to invest in a lot of different things. With great opportunity, there is great risk involved as well.
Bitcoin was arguably one of the best financial investments of the past 5 years, just as Apple was a great financial investment over the past decade.
Though these were good financial investments for many, there is a much better investment that a person can make. That is investment in the kingdom of God. God wants us to invest our time and energy in serving Him and promoting His kingdom. It has infinitely more benefit and returns than the best investments on this earth.
One of the biggest blessings when investing into the kingdom of God is that there is no risk of loss. Even if you invest the slightest amount of your life in God, it is never for a loss. If you invest in a person by sharing the Gospel with them and taking the time to disciple them, you will never be at a loss.
In the world we live in, there are many things vying for our resources, time and energy. The believer faces a unique financial temptation. There are many things promising that if we invest in them. we will have what we need to be free to better serve the Lord. It doesn't work that way. It is a big temptation.
The Bible is clear. It says in Matt. 6:33 "but seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you." The devil and the world system want it to be the other way around for the believer. "Seek first your financial stability and future security and the kingdom of God and His righteousness will be added to you."
In light of all of the buzz around bitcoin, and even the recent soaring stock prices, many Christians have become very interested and pulled towards a mentality that posits "I have to have financial security to serve the Lord." Increasingly, I have seen Christians putting greater emphasis on investing in some of these new investment opportunities as a good way to make money, and with money, financial freedom to better serve the Lord. The idea is "You need money if you are going to do anything great for God."
I recently saw a video with one of the wealthiest ministers in the world sharing about this. He said:
"In Satan's eyes, there is nothing more dangerous than a preacher who has got enough money in his bank account to do what God has called him to do."
That is not true. It is just plain false. Elijah did not have money in the bank, and yet he called down fire on the Baal prophets and led Israel to repent. Jeremiah, had no money in the bank, and yet he served the Lord faithfully as the only true prophetic voice in Judah during a season of great wickedness and deception. John the Baptist really had no money, and yet he prepared the way for the Lord and is considered the greatest prophet of all time before Christ. The disciples were not rich, and yet they were able to heal the sick, cast out demons, and advance the Kingdom of God. The Bible is full of countless examples.
We must not forget what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 1:26-29
For observe your calling, brothers. Among you, not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty men, and not many noble men were called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And God has chosen the base things of the world and things which are despised. Yes, and He chose things which did not exist to bring to nothing things that do, so that no flesh should boast in His presence.
The greatest threat to the devil is not a Christian with money, it's a Christian with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. That is what will change the world. That is what will open the door for greater ministry. The reason the apostles could be "the men who have turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6) was because they had an encounter with the living God on the Day of Pentecost that so transformed them, and so filled them, that regardless of their lack of finances, they were able to operate in the power of God. God doesn't rely on physical resources to accomplish His purposes.
This observation is not coming from someone who is detached from dealing with finances and ministry. I do full-time ministry, and I often feel like I wish a had a lot more money to do what I feel God is calling me to do. So, I understand the temptation of feeling like more finances are necessary to better serve the Lord; nevertheless, it is a temptation. I understand the feeling that comes from seeing a lot of money used inappropriately on ministry initiatives, agendas and items that don't help to transform communities and the culture with the gospel.
There have been times where I wished my ministry had the amount of money that I saw being used inappropriately elsewhere. I have thoughts things like "If only I had that much then...." However, I am growing to see that what Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13 about contentment in all things is a necessary attitude that God wants me to embrace in my life. It is wrong to think "If only I had that much money then....." Jesus' ministry was nothing like that. I am learning that the key to success is to be "full of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit changes things. Many ministries have millions of dollars, and yet they are not changing the world for Christ.
Phil 4:13 says "I can do all things because of Christ who strengthens me." Christ, not finances, is the believer's strength. It is the power of God that brings the change, not money. We need the power of God. We don't need physical riches. We need spiritual riches. We need to be rich in faith, rich in truth, and rich in love.
Invest in God, invest in His kingdom.
Empires have risen, and empires have fallen. Stocks have soared and stocks have dived. People have gained wealth only to go on to lose it.
Bitcoin will one day bottom out and leave everyone who invested lacking and regretful. The dollar will one day bottom out. Everything in this world that seems to offer security, offers no true security. Invest in Jesus. Invest in His kingdom. Invest in love and truth. When this world fades away, when everything else fails, Jesus Christ and His Kingdom will not fail. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom that cannot be shaken. Investing in the kingdom of God is the only investment with a sure return, and it is the only investment with eternal benefits.
David Hoffmanis an evangelist and the director of Kingdom Enterprises, an outreach and evangelism ministry in Tucson, Arizona. His passions are to reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ, ignite a passion for evangelism within the lives of believers and to help equip them to live Spirit-filled and Spirit-empowered lives. For more information or to contact him, please go to HisKingdomEnterprises.com or IgniteAmerica.org.
Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries, has authored several books with an emphasis on helping to restore the true spirit of Christianity in the Church today, including the newly released, Passing on The Move of God to The Next Generation and the highly sacred book, The Journal Of A Journey To His Holiness. An anointing of fire marks his ministry with frequent demonstrations of the Spirit and power of God. He ministers interdenominationally and cross-culturally in nations, churches, conferences, on the streets and in homes. He and his wife Carolyn also host The Holy Ghost Forum – a school of the Spirit. Follow him at Bert Farias and Holy Fire Ministries on Facebook and @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.
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The man who the Palestinian Authority deemed appropriate to represent it officials in London, Manuel Hassassian, recently boast on Lebanese television that he once beat up an Israeli student at an American university in Ohio.
Hassassian was speaking on Al-Quds TV when he was asked about his student days at the University of Toledo.
The ambassador recalled his fury during a cultural event on campus:
"We displayed (an exhibition on) Palestinian folklore. Nearby was the Israeli stand, and one student declared that hummus and falafel were Jewish national foods."
"I said to him: 'how dare you? You steal my land, exile my people and now you are robbing us of our folklore and national foods? You claim that it is Jewish food? It is our food, of the Palestinian people, and I will not allow this.' I then grabbed him and gave him a beating."
If Hassassian's revision of history is too much to swallow, just wait for the next part.
Obviously, such violence attracted the attention of campus police, who detained Hassassian for physically assaulting another student.
However, according to Hassassian, after he explained the situation to the officers, they told him "Palestine should be proud of you," and set him free.
It is unclear how deploying such people as official representatives of the Palestinian Authority aids the purpose of peace.
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Tough year? Some are asking... “Is God angry with me?”
Nov. 30, 2017
Dear Friend of Elijah List Ministries,
Can I be really HONEST with you?
I mean it! It just makes me mad at the devil--and sometimes other well meaning Christians--who put it "on you" to make you feel and believe that God is fed up with you, impatient with you or just downright angry with you.
Come on my dear friends, I want to quickly get past that! OK? Deal?
Now first let me tell you straight...God is up to big things and He has accomplished more things for you in your life (if you could only see it) than most of you would dare to believe right now. And NO: God is not mad at You! (Nor impatient or frustrated with you!)
Beyond that, what has happened behind the scenes in our government (things both horrible and wonderful) have paved a way for that Great Awakening in America and yes, throughout the earth. God is up to BIG THINGS for America and for you!
God is not only NOT ANGRY WITH YOU but the Father, His Son Jesus and Holy Spirit are about to have a party concerning your life and the life of Believers on the earth...
"But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet." Mark 13:7
We must not forget that wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilences (including fires, floods and earthquakes) were all predicted by Jesus Himself to His disciples as He walked the earth. What we are experiencing here in America is an intense season (like many other seasons that have come and gone) where these very things have been prophesied by the Messiah Himself.
Jesus kindly warned us that these things MUST HAPPEN. He never told us to ponder if they were from Him or the devil...He simply explained that they will happen and they must happen.
A significant number of prophets are prophesying a great reformation, a renaissance on the earth, and a Great Awakening to Jesus...the likes of which the world has NEVER SEEN. Jewish people are coming to Christ in unprecedented numbers--Muslims too. The Chinese underground Church is flourishing like never before. The Spirit of God is on the move.
Take heart! Have hope. The Church's most exciting days are straight ahead and YOU ARE PART OF GOD'S CHURCH!
Scripture makes it clear: Jesus would leave the 99 sheep if you were the one lost sheep--or even "temporarily walking away from the other sheep." Yes, He'd leave them all to come find you and me!
You would have to work much harder than you could possibly imagine for God to be "done" or "angry" with you. He's just NOT the way many picture Him to be.
During this holy season of Thanksgiving and Christmas on earth, commit yourself to ENJOY OUR SAVIOR who loves you so much that He would leave everyone and everything to come find YOU and YOU ALONE and rescue you from whatever is discouraging you or hurting you.
Sometimes I just sit and REVEL IN THAT TRUTH!
Grab hold of it, my friend. His love and patient endurance toward us is far past grasping!
God is Moving Massively & Miraculously with Explosive & Growing Mass Communication - to Prepare for & Usher in a Great Awakening!
Honestly, it's as if God waved His hand over ELIJAH LIST MINISTRIES and "all of God's intentions broke loose" on us. Suddenly, what we have tried for and even STRIVEN for in the two decades of our existence (yes, it's been 20 years this year) ...is suddenly happening now!
Doors flung open in March and by July, I was speaking at Harvard University, sponsored by the Harvard Faculty Club. God told me 5-6 years ago that I would be speaking at Harvard and suddenly this year, it manifested. I was speaking to a real, worldly crowd and I LOVED it and GOD LOVED IT. Jesus said, "Go into ALL the world." That includes the Harvard world!
The purchase of two studio cameras was made possible by your generous donations and we've been creating programs right and left. Many of you have seen them these last few weeks.
We're doing an upgraded version of FACEBOOK Live each Thursday and people are simply loving it. We're only 3 or 4 weeks in, and our audience has well more than doubled and by the time you see this, it may have tripled. Every day, people around the globe read articles or videos that we've sent to almost 300,000 email addresses who have asked to hear from us. (That probably includes you!)
We have 3 foreign language translations now of our prophetic words: Spanish, French and German, and as of this writing we are closing the negotiations on a KOREAN-LANGUAGE addition that will be ready, not only for South Korea but also for North Korea, the moment that door opens... and it's going to be very soon now!
We've just introduced SUNIL ISAAC who has agreed to come aboard. After our dear friend Kim Clement went home to Jesus, there was a place here for Sunil. You may recall he did a session each week called, "CODE BREAKERS!" with Kim.
Now with us, Sunil will be doing the same thing but it will be concerning MANY PROPHETS' revelations. He will be researching and showing how these words are coming true.
This new part of our broadcast is called, "PROPHETIC DECODERS!" Our readers and viewers are going to simply love it and I can't wait to watch these special one-of-a kind reports myself!!
Here's a Personal Word for You This Thanksgiving and Christmas!
As I sat preparing to write this personal letter to you, I stopped and asked the LORD for a specific and encouraging word just for you, one of our loyal supporters. He started with one word: "Candelabra!"
As I looked I saw, as if a camera was showing all kinds of Candelabras—not only the Menorah type but also many other types, with 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 or whatever CANDLES Believers will be using this Christmas/ Hanukkah season...
The Lord said this...
Whether you display a menorah or any other type of simple candelabra (no matter how many Candles are on it—electric or real fire-candles) you are pointing to Jesus as the LIGHT OF THE WORLD and "I LOVE THAT!"
Remember ELIJAH LIST MINISTRY friends, What Jesus loves, He blesses, honors AND REWARDS! Prepare to be blessed this Thanksgiving and Christmas Season!!
Derene and I have a personal and special request for you, our readers and viewers: Would you consider partnering with us at Elijah List Ministries with your year-end giving? It's what we need to launch the next phase of the ministry.
God's light from Heaven and from HIMSELF is shining all over you today! His mercies are rich and new, not only every morning but continually on your behalf.
During this Holiday Season and as part of your year-end giving, would you help us "launch out into the deep" in 2018? That's what I hear God saying: this is our year to totally launch into the deep things of the Spirit this year with Elijah List Ministries.
Many don't realize that year-end giving for a ministry like ours is beyond important, beyond crucial. People often give the biggest gift of the year at this time and this happens to be the EXACT TIME we need your financial support LIKE NEVER BEFORE IN OUR 20-year history!
If you are built up and blessed by this ministry would you stop right now and make your best year-end gift to ELIJAH LIST MINISTRIES? It's completely tax deductible and with your gift, you are LITERALLY GOING INTO ALL THE WORLD WITH US TO SHARE THE GOSPEL! That means you share in the reward. That is a fact and a promise; God said so! Derene and I love you DEARLY and we pray for you often!!
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Dear Friend of Elijah List Ministries, 
Derene and I have a personal and special request for you, our readers and viewers: Would you consider partnering with us at Elijah List Ministries with your year-end giving? It's what we need to launch the next phase of the ministry.
