Sirach Honours Joseph



Apocrypha: Sirach Chapter 48

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14 But upon the earth was no man created like Enoch; for he was taken from the earth.


15 Neither was there a young man born like Joseph, a governor of his brethren, a stay of the people, whose bones were regarded of the Lord.

16 Sem and Seth were in great honour among men, and so was Adam above every living thing in creation.

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And Paul Hebrews 11

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22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

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Sirach in Praise of Faith of Abraham and the Patriarchs



Apocrypha: Sirach Chapter 44



1 Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.

2 The Lord hath wrought great glory by them through his great power from the beginning.

3 Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms, men renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding, and declaring prophecies:

4 Leaders of the people by their counsels, and by their knowledge of learning meet for the people, wise and eloquent are their instructions:

5 Such as found out musical tunes, and recited verses in writing:

6 Rich men furnished with ability, living peaceably in their habitations:

7 All these were honoured in their generations, and were the glory of their times.

8 There be of them, that have left a name behind them, that their praises might be reported.

9 And some there be, which have no memorial; who are perished, as though they had never been; and are become as though they had never been born; and their children after them.

10 But these were merciful men, whose righteousness hath not been forgotten.

11 With their seed shall continually remain a good inheritance, and their children are within the covenant.

12 Their seed standeth fast, and their children for their sakes.

13 Their seed shall remain for ever, and their glory shall not be blotted out.

14 Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore.

15 The people will tell of their wisdom, and the congregation will shew forth their praise.

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19 Abraham was a great father of many people: in glory was there none like unto him;

20 Who kept the law of the most High, and was in covenant with him: he established the covenant in his flesh; and when he was proved, he was found faithful.

21 Therefore he assured him by an oath, that he would bless the nations in his seed, and that he would multiply him as the dust of the earth, and exalt his seed as the stars, and cause them to inherit from sea to sea, and from the river unto the utmost part of the land.

22 With Isaac did he establish likewise [for Abraham his father's sake] the blessing of all men, and the covenant, And made it rest upon the head of Jacob. He acknowledged him in his blessing, and gave him an heritage, and divided his portions; among the twelve tribes did he part them.

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And Paul, Hebrews 11
 
 
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[b] considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.


13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[c] 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

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Rebecca and Jacob according to Saint Louis de Montfort's Interpretation

The Biblical Figure
of this Perfect Devotion: Rebecca and Jacob

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183. The Holy Spirit gives us in Sacred Scripture, a striking allegorical figure of all the truths I have been explaining concerning the Blessed Virgin and her children and servants. It is the story of Jacob who received the blessing of his father Isaac through the care and ingenuity of his mother Rebecca.



Here is the story as the Holy Spirit tells it. I shall expound it further later on.



The Story of Jacob



184. Several years after Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob, Rebecca, their mother, who loved Jacob tenderly, secured this blessing for him by a holy stratagem full of mystery for us.



Isaac, realising that he was getting old, wished to bless his children before he died. He summoned Esau, who was his favourite son, and told him to go hunting and bring him something to eat, in order that he might then give him his blessing. Rebecca immediately told Jacob what was happening and sent him to fetch two small goats from the flock. When Jacob gave them to his mother, she cooked them in the way Isaac liked them. Then she dressed Jacob in Esau's clothes which she had in her keeping, and covered his hands and neck with the goat-skin. The father, who was blind, although hearing the voice of Jacob, would think that it was Esau when he touched the skin on his hands.



Isaac was of course surprised at the voice which he thought was Jacob's and told him to come closer. Isaac felt the hair on the skin covering Jacob's hands and said that the voice was really like Jacob's but the hands were Esau's. After he had eaten, Isaac kissed Jacob and smelt the fragrance of his scented clothes. He blessed him and called down on him the dew of heaven and the fruitfulness of earth. He made him master of all his brothers and concluded his blessing with these words, "Cursed be those who curse you and blessed be those who bless you."



Isaac had scarcely finished speaking when Esau came in, bringing what he had caught while out hunting. He wanted his father to bless him after he had eaten. The holy patriarch was shocked when he realised what had happened. But far from retracting what he had done, he confirmed it because he clearly saw the finger of God in it all. Then, as Holy Scripture relates, Esau began to protest loudly against the treachery of his brother. He then asked his father if he had only one blessing to give. In so doing, as the early Fathers point out, Esau was the symbol of those who are too ready to imagine that there is an alliance between God and the world, because they themselves are eager to enjoy, at one and the same time, the blessings of heaven and the blessings of the earth. Isaac was touched by Esau's cries and finally blessed him only with a blessing of the earth, and he subjected him to his brother. Because of this, Esau conceived such a venomous hatred for Jacob that he could hardly wait for his father's death to kill him. And Jacob would not have escaped death if his dear mother Rebecca had not saved him by her ingenuity and her good advice.





Interpretation of the story



185. Before explaining this beautiful story, let me remind you that, according to the early Fathers and the interpreters of Holy Scripture, Jacob is the type of our Lord and of souls who are saved, and Esau is the type of souls who are condemned. We have only to examine the actions and conduct of both in order to judge each one.



(1) Esau, the elder brother, was strong and robust, clever, and skilful with the bow and very successful at hunting.



(2) He seldom stayed at home and, relying only on his own strength and skill, worked out of doors.



(3) He never went out of his way to please his mother Rebecca, and did little or nothing for her.



(4) He was such a glutton and so fond of eating that he sold his birthright for a dish of lentils.



(5) Like Cain, he was extremely jealous of his brother and persecuted him relentlessly.

186. This is the usual conduct of sinners:



(1) They rely upon their own strength and skill in temporal affairs. They are very energetic, clever and well- informed about things of this world but very dull and ignorant about things of heaven.



187. (2) And they are never or very seldom at home, in their own house, that is, in their own interior, the inner, essential abode that God has given to every man to dwell in, after his own example, for God always abides within himself. Sinners have no liking for solitude or the spiritual life or interior devotion. They consider those who live an interior life, secluded from the world, and who work more interiorly than exteriorly, as narrow-minded, bigoted and uncivilised.



188. (3) Sinners care little or nothing about devotion to Mary, the Mother of the elect. It is true that they do not really hate her. Indeed they even speak well of her sometimes. They say they love her and they practise some devotion in her honour. Nevertheless, they cannot bear to see anyone love her tenderly, for they do not have for her any of the affection of Jacob; they find fault with the honour which her good children and servants faithfully pay her to win her affection. They think this kind of devotion is not necessary for salvation, and as long as they do not go as far as hating her or openly ridiculing devotion to her they believe they have done all they need to win her good graces. Because they recite or mumble a few prayers to her without any affection and without even thinking of amending their lives, they consider they are our Lady's servants.



189. (4) Sinners sell their birthright, that is, the joys of paradise, for a dish of lentils, that is, the pleasures of this world. They laugh, they drink, they eat, they have a good time, they gamble, they dance and so forth, without taking any more trouble than Esau to make themselves worthy of their heavenly Father's blessing. Briefly, they think only of this world, love only the world, speak and act only for the world and its pleasures. For a passing moment of pleasure, for a fleeting wisp of honour, for a piece of hard earth, yellow or white, they barter away their baptismal grace, their robe of innocence and their heavenly inheritance.



190. (5) Finally, sinners continually hate and persecute the elect, openly and secretly. The elect are a burden to them. They despise them, criticise them, ridicule them, insult them, rob them, deceive them, impoverish them, hunt them down and trample them into the dust; while they themselves are making fortunes, enjoying themselves, getting good positions for themselves, enriching themselves, rising to power and living in comfort.



191. Jacob, the younger son, was of a frail constitution, gentle and peaceable and usually stayed at home to please his mother, whom he loved so much. If he did go out it was not through any personal desire of his, nor from any confidence in his own ability, but simply out of obedience to his mother.



192. He loved and honoured his mother. That is why he remained at home close to her. He was never happier than when he was in her presence. He avoided everything that might displease her, and did everything he thought would please her. This made Rebecca love him all the more.



193. He was submissive to his mother in all things. He obeyed her entirely in everything, promptly without delay and lovingly without complaint. At the least indication of her will, young Jacob hastened to comply with it. He accepted whatever she told him without questioning. For instance, when she told him to get two small goats and bring them to her so that she might prepare something for his father Isaac to eat, Jacob did not reply that one would be enough for one man, but without arguing he did exactly what she told him to do.



194. He had the utmost confidence in his mother. He did not rely on his own ability; he relied solely on his mother's care and protection. He went to her in all his needs and consulted her in all his doubts. For instance, when he asked her if his father, instead of blessing him, would curse him, he believed her and trusted her when she said she would take the curse upon herself.



195. Finally, he adopted, as much as he could, the virtues he saw in his mother. It seems that one of the reasons why he spent so much time at home was to imitate his dear mother, who was so virtuous, and to keep away from evil companions - who might lead him into sin. In this way, he made himself worthy to receive the double blessing of his beloved father.



196. It is in a similar manner that God's chosen ones usually act. They stay at home with their mother - that is, they have an esteem for quietness, love the interior life, and are assiduous in prayer. They always remain in the company of the Blessed Virgin, their Mother and Model, whose glory is wholly interior and who during her whole life dearly loved seclusion and prayer. It is true, at times they do venture out into the world, but only to fulfil the duties of their state of life, in obedience to the will of God and the will of their Mother.



No matter how great their accomplishments may appear to others, they attach far more importance to what they do within themselves in their interior life, in the company of the Blessed Virgin. For there they work at the great task of perfection, compared to which all other work is mere child's play. At times their brothers and sisters are working outside with great energy, skill and success, and win the praise and approbation of the world. But they know by the light of the Holy Spirit that there is far more good, more glory and more joy in remaining hidden and recollected with our Lord, in complete and perfect submission to Mary than there is in performing by themselves marvellous works of nature and grace in the world, like so many Esaus and sinners. Glory for God and riches for men are in her house.



Lord Jesus, how lovely is your dwelling-place! The sparrow has found a house to dwell in, and the turtle-dove a nest for her little ones! How happy is the man who dwells in the house of Mary, where you were the first to dwell! Here in this home of the elect, he draws from you alone the help he needs to climb the stairway of virtue he has built in his heart to the highest possible points of perfection while in this vale of tears. "How lovely is your dwelling-place, Lord, God of hosts!"



197. The elect have a great love for our Lady and honour her truly as their Mother and Queen. They love her mot merely in word but in deed. They honour her not just outwardly, but from the depths of their heart. Like Jacob, they avoid the least thing that might displease her, and eagerly do whatever they think might win her favour. Jacob brought Rebecca two young goats. They bring Mary their body and their soul, with all their faculties, symbolised by Jacob's two young goats, 1) so that she may accept them as her own; 2) that she may make them die to sin and self by divesting them of self-love, in order to please Jesus her Son, who wishes to have as friends and disciples only those who are dead to sin and self; 3) that she may clothe them according to their heavenly Father's taste and for his greater glory, which she knows better than any other creature; 4) that through her care and intercession, this body and soul of theirs, thoroughly cleansed from every stain, thoroughly dead to self, thoroughly stripped and well- prepared, may be pleasing to the heavenly Father and deserving of his blessing.



Is this not what those chosen souls do who, to prove to Jesus and Mary how effective and courageous is their love, live and esteem the perfect consecration to Jesus through Mary which we are now teaching them?



Sinners may say that they love Jesus, that they love and honour Mary, but they do not do so with their whole heart and soul. Unlike the elect, they do not love Jesus and Mary enough to consecrate them their body with its senses and their soul with its passions.



198. They are subject and obedient to our Lady, their good Mother, and here they are simply following the example set by our Lord himself, who spent thirty of the thirty-three years he lived on earth glorifying God his Father in perfect and entire submission to his holy Mother. They obey her, following her advice to the letter, just as Jacob followed that of Rebecca, when she said to him, "My son, follow my advice"; or like the stewards at the wedding in Cana, to whom our Lady said, "Do whatever he tells you."



Through obedience to his mother, Jacob received the blessing almost by a miracle, because in the natural course of events he should not have received it. As a reward for following the advice of our Lady, the stewards at the wedding in Cana were honoured with the first of our Lord's miracles when, at her request he changed water into wine. In the same way, until the end of time, all who are to receive the blessing of our heavenly Father and who are to be honoured with his wondrous graces will receive them only as a result of their perfect obedience to Mary. On the other hand, the "Esaus" will lose their blessing because of their lack of submission to the Blessed Virgin.



199. They have great confidence in the goodness and power of the Blessed Virgin, their dear Mother, and incessantly implore her help. They take her for their pole-star to lead them safely into harbour. They open their hearts to her and tell her their troubles and their needs. They rely on her mercy and kindness to obtain forgiveness for their sins through her intercession and to experience her motherly comfort in their troubles and anxieties. They even cast themselves into her virginal bosom, hide and lose themselves there in a wonderful manner. There they are filled with pure love, they are purified from the least stain of sin, and they find Jesus in all his fullness. For he reigns in Mary as if on the most glorious of thrones. What incomparable happiness! Abbot Guerric says, "Do not imagine there is more joy in dwelling in Abraham's bosom than in Mary's, for it is in her that our Lord placed his throne."



Sinners, on the other hand, put all their confidence in themselves. Like the prodigal son, they eat with the swine. Like toads they feed on earth. Like all worldlings, they love only visible and external things. They do not know the sweetness of Mary's bosom. They do not have that reliance and confidence which the elect have for the Blessed Virgin, their Mother. Deplorably they choose to satisfy their hunger elsewhere, as St. Gregory says, because they do not want to taste the sweetness already prepared within themselves and within Jesus and Mary.



200. Finally, chosen souls keep to the ways of the Blessed Virgin, their loving Mother - that is, they imitate her and so are sincerely happy and devout and bear the infallible sign of God's chosen ones. This loving Mother says to them "Happy are those who keep my ways", which means, happy are those who practise my virtues and who, with the help of God's grace, follow the path of my life. They are happy in this world because of the abundance of grace and sweetness I impart to them out of my fullness, and which they receive more abundantly than others who do not imitate me so closely. They are happy at the hour of death, which is sweet and peaceful for I am usually there myself to lead them home to everlasting joy. Finally, they will be happy for all eternity, because no servant of mine who imitated my virtues during life has ever been lost.



On the other hand, sinners are unhappy during their life, at their death, and throughout eternity, because they do not imitate the virtues of our Lady. They are satisfied with going no further than joining her confraternities, reciting a few prayers in her honour, or performing other exterior devotional exercises.



O Blessed Virgin, my dear Mother, how happy are those who faithfully keep your ways, your counsels and your commands; who never allow themselves to be led astray by a false devotion to you! But how unhappy and accursed are those who abuse devotion to you by not keeping the commandments of your Son! "They are accursed who stray from your commandments."





Services of our Lady to her faithful servants



201. Here now are the services which the Virgin Mary, as the best of all mothers, lovingly renders to those loyal servants who have given themselves entirely to her in the manner I have described and following the figurative meaning of the story of Jacob and Rebecca.



1. She loves them.



"I love those who love me." She loves them:



a) Because she is truly their Mother. What mother does not love her child, the fruit of her womb?



b) She loves them in gratitude for the active love they show to her, their beloved Mother.



c) She loves them because they are loved by God and destined for heaven. "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."



d) She loves them because they have consecrated themselves entirely to her and belong to her portion, her inheritance. "In Israel receive your inheritance."

202. She loves them tenderly, more tenderly than all the mothers in the world together. Take the maternal love of all the mothers of the world for their children. Pour all that love into the heart of one mother for an only child. That mother's love would certainly be immense. Yet Mary's love for each of her children has more tenderness than the love of that mother for her child.



She loves them not only affectively but effectively, that is, her love is active and productive of good like Rebecca's love for Jacob -and even more so, for Rebecca was, after all, only a symbolic figure of Mary. Here is what this loving Mother does for her children to obtain for them the blessings of their heavenly Father:



203. 1) Like Rebecca she looks out for favourable opportunities to promote their interests, to ennoble and enrich them. She sees clearly in God all that is good and all that is evil; fortunate and unfortunate events; the blessings and condemnations of God. She arranges things in advance so as to divert evils from her servants and put them in the way of abundant blessings. If there is any special benefit to be gained in God's sight by the faithful discharge of an important work, Mary will certainly obtain this opportunity for a beloved child and servant and at the same time, give him the grace to persevere in it to the end. "She personally manages our affairs," says a saintly man.



204. 2) She gives them excellent advice, as Rebecca did to Jacob. "My son, follow my counsels." Among other things, she persuades them to bring her the two young goats, that is, their body and soul, and to confide them to her so that she can prepare them as a dish pleasing to God. She inspires them to observe whatever Jesus Christ, her Son, has taught by word and example. When she does not give these counsels herself in person, she gives them through the ministry of angels who are always pleased and honoured to go at her request to assist one of her faithful servants on earth.



205. 3) What does this good Mother do when we have presented and consecrated to her our soul and body and all that pertains to them without excepting anything? Just what Rebecca of old did to the little goats Jacob brought her. (a) She kills them, that is, makes them die to the life of the old Adam. (b) She strips them of their skin, that is, of their natural inclinations, their self-love and self-will and their every attachment to creatures. (c) She cleanses them from all stain, impurity and sin. (d) She prepares them to God's taste and to his greater glory. As she alone knows perfectly what the divine taste is and where the greatest glory of God is to be found, she alone without any fear of mistake can prepare and garnish our body and soul to satisfy that infinitely refined taste and promote that infinitely hidden glory.



206. 4) Once this good Mother has received our complete offering with our merits and satisfactions through the devotion I have been speaking about, and has stripped us of our own garments, she cleanses us and makes us worthy to appear without shame before our heavenly Father.



She clothes us in the clean, new, precious and fragrant garments of Esau, the first born, namely, her Son Jesus Christ. She keeps these garments in her house, that is to say, she has them at her disposal. For she is the treasurer and universal dispenser of the merits and virtues of Jesus her Son. She gives and distributes them to whom she pleases, when she pleases, as she pleases, and as much as she pleases, as we have said above.



She covers the neck and hands of her servants with the skins of the goats that have been killed and flayed, that is, she adorns them with the merits and worth of their own good actions. In truth, she destroys and nullifies all that is impure and imperfect in them. She preserves and enhances this good so that it adorns and strengthens their neck and hands, that is, she gives them the strength to carry the yoke of the Lord and the skill to do great things for the glory of God and the salvation of their poor brothers.



She imparts new perfume and fresh grace to those garments and adornments by adding to them the garments of her own wardrobe of merits and virtues. She bequeathed these to them before her departure for heaven, as was revealed by a holy nun of the last century, who died a holy death. Thus all her domestics, that is, all her servants and slaves, are clothed with double garments, her own and those of her Son. Now they have nothing to fear from that cold which sinners, naked and stripped as they are of the merits of Jesus and Mary, will be unable to endure.



207. 5) Finally, Mary obtains for them the heavenly Father's blessing. As they are the youngest born and adopted, they are not really entitled to it. Clad in new, precious, and sweet- smelling garments, with body and soul well-prepared and dressed, they confidently approach their heavenly Father. He hears their voice and recognises it as the voice of a sinner. He feels their hands covered with skins, inhales the aroma of their garments. He partakes with joy of what Mary, their Mother, has prepared for him, recognising in it the merits and good odour of his Son and his Blessed Mother.



a) He gives them a twofold blessing, the blessing of the dew of heaven, namely, divine grace, which is the seed of glory. "God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing," and also the blessing of the fertility of the earth, for as a provident Father, he gives them their daily bread and an ample supply of the goods of the earth.



b) He makes them masters of their other brothers, the reprobate sinners. This domination does not always show in this fleeting world, where sinners often have the upper hand. "How long shall the wicked glory, mouthing insolent reproaches?" "I have seen the wicked triumphant and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon." But the supremacy of the just is real and will be seen clearly for all eternity in the next world, where the just, as the Holy Spirit tells us, will dominate and command all peoples.



c) The God of all majesty is not satisfied with blessing them in their persons and their possessions, he blesses all who bless them and curses all who curse and persecute them.



2. She provides for all their needs



208. Our Lady's charity towards her faithful servants goes further. She provides them with everything they need for body and soul. We have just seen that she gives them double garments. She also nourishes them with the most delicious food from the banquet table of God. She gives them the Son she has borne, the Bread of Life, to be their food. "Dear children," she says in the words of divine Wisdom, "take your fill of my fruits," that is to say, of the Fruit of Life, Jesus, "whom I brought into the world for you." "Come," she repeats in another passage, "eat the bread which is Jesus. Drink the wine of his love which I have mixed" for you with the milk of my breasts.



As Mary is the treasurer and dispenser of the gifts and graces of the Most High God, she reserves a choice portion, indeed the choicest portion, to nourish and sustain her children and servants. They grow strong on the Bread of Life; they are made joyful with the wine that brings forth virgins. They are carried at her breast. They bear with ease the yoke of Christ scarcely feeling its weight because of the oil of devotion with which she has softened its wood.



3. She leads and guides them



209. A third service which our Lady renders her faithful servants is to lead and direct them according to the will of her Son. Rebecca guided her little son Jacob and gave him good advice from time to time, which helped him obtain the blessing of his father and saved him from the hatred and persecution of his brother Esau. Mary, Star of the sea, guides all her faithful servants into safe harbour. She shows them the path to eternal life and helps them avoid dangerous pitfalls. She leads them by the hand along the path of holiness, steadies them when they are liable to fall and helps them rise when they have fallen. She chides them like a loving mother when they are remiss and sometimes she even lovingly chastises them. How could a child that follows such a mother and such an enlightened guide as Mary take the wrong path to heaven? Follow her and you cannot go wrong, says St. Bernard. There is no danger of a true child of Mary being led astray by the devil and falling into heresy. Where Mary leads, Satan with his deceptions and heretics with their subtleties are not encountered. "When she upholds you, you will not fall."



4. She defends and protects them



210. The fourth good office our Lady performs for her children and faithful servants is to defend and protect them against their enemies. By her care and ingenuity Rebecca delivered Jacob from all dangers that beset him and particularly from dying at the hands of his brother, as he apparently would have done, since Esau hated and envied him just as Cain hated his brother Abel.



Mary, the beloved Mother of chosen souls, shelters them under her protecting wings as a hen does her chicks. She speaks to them, coming down to their level and accommodating herself to all their weaknesses. To ensure their safety from the hawk and vulture, she becomes their escort, surrounding them as an army in battle array. Could anyone surrounded by a well-ordered army of say a hundred thousand men fear his enemies? No, and still less would a faithful servant of Mary, protected on all sides by her imperial forces, fear his enemy. This powerful Queen of heaven would sooner despatch millions of angels to help one of her servants than have it said that a single faithful and trusting servant of hers had fallen victim to the malice, number and power of his enemies.



5. She intercedes for them



211. Finally, the fifth and greatest service which this loving Mother renders her faithful followers is to intercede for them with her Son. She appeases him with her prayers, brings her servants into closer union with him and maintains that union.



Rebecca made Jacob approach the bed of his father. His father touched him, embraced him and even joyfully kissed him after having satisfied his hunger with the well-prepared dishes which Jacob had brought him. Then inhaling most joyfully the exquisite perfume of his garments, he cried: "Behold the fragrance of my son is as the fragrance of a field of plenty which the Lord has blessed." The fragrance of this rich field which so captivated the heart of the father, is none other than the fragrance of the merits and virtues of Mary who is the plentiful field of grace in which God the Father has sown the grain of wheat of the elect, his only Son.



How welcome to Jesus Christ, the Father of the world to come, is a child perfumed with the fragrance of Mary! How readily and how intimately does he unite himself to that child! But this we have already shown at length.



212. Furthermore, once Mary has heaped her favours upon her children and her faithful servants and has secured for them the blessing of the heavenly Father and union with Jesus Christ, she keeps them in Jesus and keeps Jesus in them. She guards them, watching over them unceasingly, lest they lose the grace of God and fall into the snares of their enemies. "She keeps the saints in their fullness" (St. Bonaventure), and inspires them to persevere to the end, as we have already said.



Such is the explanation given to this ancient allegory which typifies the mystery of predestination and reprobation.

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Taken from: http://www.fisheaters.com/totalconsecrationbook6.html

Abraham Revealing the Historical Roots of our Faith



Stephen Ray emphasizes that unless we understand the innate “Jewishness” of Christianity and our Old Testament heritage, we will never fully understand our Faith, the Church, or even salvation itself. These are rooted not only in the early Church but 2000 years before that, in Abraham. With his infectious enthusiasm, Stephen helps us to learn the deep truths of scripture that God taught through Abraham.

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Taken from: http://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/abraham-revealing-the-historical-roots-of-our-faith




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Unlocking the Book of Revelation Dr. Michael Barber, host for Reasons for Faith Live on EWTN, is Professor of Theology and Scripture at John Paul the Great Catholic University. In this exciting presentation, he reveals the deep treasures hidden in the Apocalypse, demonstrating the practical implications for living in today's modern world. When is Jesus coming? Listen and discover the surprising truth!

It literally blew me away! This CD on the Book of Revelation is so rich in detail and Old Testament understanding! David - Deerfield, IL

Dr. Michael Barber

The Truth

The Truth What is the meaning of life? Fr. Larry Richards tackles life's biggest question with straightforward, timeless, and often jolting answers. In this one-of-a-kind, life-affirming reality check, he unlocks the mysteries of our existence and opens our hearts and souls to the meaning of life. The Truth will give you concrete answers on how to live.

This was probably the most beneficial CD our family has ever heard! It had a profound effect on several family members and I will be forever grateful!! Toni - Peachtree City, GA

Fr. Larry Richards

Searching the Scriptures: The Gospel of John

Searching the Scriptures: The Gospel of John Join biblical expert and Catholic apologist Stephen Ray on a personal pilgrimage through the pages of St. John?s Gospel. Stephen draws from his extensive scholarship and his time spent in the Holy Land filming documentaries to bring forth many of the profound theological truths that lie beneath the surface of this gospel, and bring to light the many levels of revelation contained within. This exciting presentation will ignite your heart and soul with a burning passion for Christ and a deep conviction to zealously defend the Faith which has been handed down to us.

After listening to this talk, you will not only be more in love with John's Gospel, but your ability to share that love and the fullness of the Faith will have increased mightily! Brad - Faribault, MN

Stephen Ray

Why I am Catholic When I Could be Anything Else

Why I am Catholic When I Could be Anything Else Patrick Madrid gives compelling biblical and historical reasons for why he embraces the faith as a lifelong Catholic. He shares valuable insights into the beauty of the Catholic Church and its claim to contain the fullness of the deposit of faith given by Christ.



This CD was awesome - I'll be listening again and again! It gave logical, biblical reasons to be and stay Catholic. Peggy - Finksburg, MD

Patrick Madrid

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist Dr. Brant Pitre uses the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish tradition to frame the actions of Jesus at the Last Supper, and to provide a fresh look at the heart of Catholic practice — the Eucharist. By taking us back to the Jewish roots of our faith, Dr. Pitre gives us a powerful lens through which to see anew the bread of the presence, the manna, the Last Supper, and ultimately the meaning of the Eucharist.



Click Here For Free Study Guide



Amazing teaching on the Eucharist!! Such fullness; so rich in history... The more I learn, the more I love our Faith! Lydia - Windham, NH

Dr. Brant Pitre

The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls Dr. John Bergsma is an Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, and was a Protestant pastor for four years before converting to the Catholic Church. In this enlightening talk, Dr. Bergsma shows how our respect for the traditional canon of Scripture, as well as our understanding of the Catholic Faith, can be greatly enhanced by the Dead Sea Scrolls- the greatest archaeological discovery of all time.



CLICK HERE FOR A FREE OUTLINE





Absolutely fascinating! Nancy - Warroad, MN

Dr. John Bergsma

Who Do You Say That I am

Who Do You Say That I am Fr. Barron illuminates with conviction that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah and revelation of God become man. He shows how Jesus fulfills the four tasks of the Messiah according to the Old and New Testaments and how the living legacy of Christ is proclaimed by the Church.



Fr. Barron gives such a deep, rich presentation on Christ, and brings it home to us in our modern day thinking! Rennie - Spokane, WA

Fr. Robert Barron

Abraham didn't exist? Moses a myth?



Taken from: http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/archeology.htm

....


Abraham didn't exist? Moses a myth?
Archeological and historical evidence of Biblical accuracy



By Andy and Berit Kjos



"...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you..." 1 Peter 3:15

Dr. N. Glueck







Emphasis added below





"There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of Old Testament tradition."[1] William F. Albright (1891–1971), one of the world's most respected archaeologists.



"It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference." [2] Nelson Glueck, Jewish archaeologist honored even by liberal Time Magazine. (See picture above)





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"The Bible's Buried Secrets," a new PBS documentary to be aired November 18, seems designed to undermine the Bible. Not only does it demote Abraham and his descendants to the realm of mythology, it also dismisses the Exodus and denies any written Old Testament record prior to the sixth century B.C.[3]

But we shouldn't be surprised at this unscientific assault on the Bible. As Professor William F. Albright, archeologist and head of Palestine's American School of Oriental Research, observed,



"The excessive skepticism shown toward the Bible by important historical schools... has been progressively discredited. Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition to the value of the Bible as a source of history."[4]



Archeological evidence that confirms the Bible



1. Written records from over 4,000 years ago. Dr. Paolo Matthiae, Director of the Italian Archeological Mission in Syria, "hit an archeological jackpot" in 1975. He discovered "the greatest third-millennium [B.C.] archive ever unearthed." It included "more than 15,000 cuneiform tablets and fragments" and unveiled a Semitic empire that dominated the Middle East more than four thousand years ago. Its hub was Ebla, where educated scribes filled ancient libraries with written records of history, people, places and commerce.[5]



"These early tablets display an ease of expression, an elegance that indicates complete mastery of the cuneiform system by the scribes," said Dr. Giovanni Pettinato, former epigraphist of the Italian Mission, who worked closely with Dr. Matthiae. "One can only conclude that writing had been in use at Ebla for a long time before 2500 B.C."



The Ebla tablets verified the worship of pagan gods such as Baal, Dagan and Asherah "known previously only from the Bible."[5] They mention the name "Abraham" and "Ur of Chaldees" (the Biblical Abraham's birthplace) as well as other familiar cities and places:



"The names of cities thought to have been founded much later, such as Beirut and Byblos, leap from the tablets. Damascus and Gaza are mentioned, as well as two of the Biblical cities of the plain, Sodom and Gomorrah. ... Most intriguing of all are the personal names found on the Ebla tablets. They include Ab-ra-mu (Abraham), E-sa-um (Esau)...."[5]



Destroyed and rebuilt several times, Ebla began its final decline around 1800 B.C. Since new generations settled on top of the old ruins, it left behind a many-layered "TEL" (Looks like a flat-topped hill. Capitalized for emphasis) which archeologists will continue to explore for years to come.



Centuries later, Moses was trained "in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (Acts 7:22). Raised at Pharaoh's court, he would have learned to write on fragile papyrus as well as clay tablets. The 1988 discovery of the TEL el Amarna letters shows us that written messages were an important part of Moses' culture:



"...there were about 400 cuneiform tablets discovered at this site which were part of the royal archives of Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) who reigned about 1400 BC. Among them were letters written in Babylonian cuneiform script to these Pharaohs of Egypt by various kings dwelling in the land of Canaan and Syria... written during the time of Moses [and Joshua]. They provide the first evidence of the Hebrew tribes entering into the land of Canaan in ancient times."[6]



That last sentence points to the completion of the Biblical Exodus -- the Israelite journey, led by Moses, out of bondage in Egypt toward the land God had promised them. Perhaps the "scholars" behind the PBS "documentary" simply chose to ignore the evidence. After all, politically correct deceptions are far more acceptable than facts to a world that no longer tolerates Truth. But that's all the more reason to be ready with answers to those who question our faith. The following archeological finds should help prepare us for the challenges ahead.



2. The Hittite Empire: The Hittites are mentioned dozens of times in the Old Testament. Yet, a century ago,



"critics of Biblical historicity argued that the Bible's descriptions of the Hittite Empire were later insertions, since they were certain the Hittite Empire didn't exist.... But in 1906 archaeologists unearthed the Hittite capital and in the years following excavated what is now known to have been a massive and very prominent Hittite civilization."[7]



3. The royal line of King David: Archeologists have found "the first known reference outside the Bible to the House of David, a ruling dynasty presumably founded by King David in the 10th century B.C." The stone fragment with these revealing inscriptions was found in the ruins of TEL Dan (in northern Israel). One "initial interpretation" is that a victorious king (probably Baasha) was documenting his battle against the king of the "House of David," probably Asa. According to the New York Times, this discovery "is strong independent evidence for the existence and influence of the House of David."[8]



4. Cursive writing "an international means of communication": By the 10th century B.C. writing -- including Aramaic -- had become increasingly common. In spite of social divisions, many were learning to write:



"Though the clerk, the cultured person and the craftsman all used basically the same cursive script, there were decided stylistic differences. These may be classified as sub-styles of cursive and can be termed: (a) extreme cursive—that of the cultured person; (b) formal cursive—that of the professional scribe; and (c) vulgar cursive—that of persons of limited schooling....



"During the ninth and the first half of the eighth centuries, there is no evident distinction between Phoenician and Aramaic script; apparently, the Phoenician-Aramaic lapidary script was used for writing in ink as well.... The beginnings of Aramaic cursive and its rapid development are undoubtedly connected with the rise of the Aramaic language and script as an international means of communication."[9]



5. King Sargon: The prophet Isaiah tells us that "Sargon, the king of Assyria, sent" his commander to fight "against Ashdod," a coastal city in ancient Israel. (Isaiah 20:1). Though Sargon is no household name, this verse fueled a controversy back in the early days of archeology. Some researchers had uncovered a stone obelisk with an engraved list of Assyrian kings. But it didn't include Sargon! So the University of Chicago announced that they saw a "glaring contradiction in the Bible." They were wrong! When Sargon's royal palace was excavated, researchers found his name engraved on numerous bricks in the palace walls -- along with boastful references to his conquest of Ashdod.[10]



6. The Philistine city, Ekron (now called TEL Miqne): This confirmation of Biblical accuracy was published by the Archaeological Institute of America:



"An inscription carved into a limestone slab found at TEL Miqne, 23 miles southwest of Jerusalem, confirms the identification of the site as Ekron, one of the five Philistine capital cities mentioned in the Bible. The inscription is unique because it contains the name of a biblical city and five of its rulers, two of whom are mentioned as kings in texts other than the Bible.... It also strengthens the identification of Ekron with a... city-state recorded in Assyrian texts of the seventh century B.C....



"In 712 B.C. this city was conquered by the Assyrian king Sargon II. For a short time, beginning in 705 B.C., it came under the control of Hezekiah, king of Judah.... In 603 B.C. the city was sacked by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar."[11]



When faced with the overwhelming Assyrian forces, Hezekiah prayed to God for His sovereign intervention. Before the great victory, he encouraged the people:



"Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.' And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” 2 Chronicles 32:7-8



7. The Pool of Bethesda: "...liberal scholars, intent on maintaining their criticism of the Bible, claimed that the Gospel of John could not have been written" by the actual disciple. They argued that verses such as John 6:1 had to be wrong, since it refers to "five porches" at the Jerusalem's pool of Bethesda. But more recent excavations verified John's account:



"...approximately eight years ago archaeologists discovered underneath what they had previously thought was the earliest level at the site of Bethesda an older mikveh (pool) which had a fifth portico transecting it! One would hope that at some point the critics would concede the historical reliability of the biblical narrative."[7]



That's unlikely! Millar Burrows, the renowned Professor of Archaeology at Yale University, explained why:



"The excessive skepticism of many liberal theologians stems not from a careful evaluation of the available data, but from an enormous predisposition against the supernatural."[7]



The accuracy of the Biblical record has been proven again and again. As Dr. Joseph Free wrote, "Archaeology has confirmed countless passages which had been rejected by critics as unhistorical or contrary to known facts."12]



Scientific evidence that supports the Bible



1. Ocean currents (these rivers in the seas -- such as the Gulf Stream that flows across the Atlantic Ocean, bringing the Gulf of Mexico's warm waters to the coast of Norway -- are driven by earth's rotation, gravitation, winds, temperature, saltiness, density variations, etc. See video)







These mighty currents were first discovered by Matthew Maury, a naval officer who was confident that the Bible didn't lie. Disabled by an accident in 1839, Maury left active sea duty and became the superintendent of the US Naval Observatory. As head of the US Depot of Charts and Instruments, he could finally seek answers to a persistent question on his mind: What were "the paths of the seas" mentioned in Psalm 8:8? After studying old ships’ logs,



"he compiled charts of ocean-wind and sea currents. To study the speed and direction of the ocean currents Maury set adrift weighted bottles known as ‘drift bottles’. These floated slightly below the surface of the water, and thus were not affected by wind.... From the location and date on which the bottles were found, Maury was able to develop his charts of the ocean currents — the ‘paths’ of the seas — which greatly aided the science of marine navigation....



"He was elected to the Hall of Fame for Great Americans. A monument erected in his honour... reads: ‘Matthew Fontaine Maury, Pathfinder of the Seas, the genius who first snatched from the oceans and atmosphere the secret of their laws.'"[13]







2. The hydrological cycle: Thousands of years before scientists understood or acknowledged this cycle, it was documented in the Bible. The verses below describe the repeated cycle of precipitation, the flow of water into oceans, its evaporation, and its condensation, which is transported inland in clouds, and driven by currents of winds -- including the now familiar "jet stream," which was unheard of in former times.



"God... draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man. Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, the thunder from His canopy?" Job 36:26-29







"The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north;

The wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit.

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full;

To the place from which the rivers come, there they return again." Ecclesiastes 1:6-7



Historical evidence for Biblical accuracy



Ponder these amazing links between the Biblical account and historical discoveries:



1. Ancient Israel: Before God led His people into their promised land, He warned them through Moses not to follow the corrupt ways of neighboring nations. This brief summary of one such warning could be a wake-up call to Americans as well:



"...when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them... your heart is lifted up and you forget the Lord your God. ... [Y]ou say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ ... [I]f you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods... you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 8:10-20)



Since they didn't listen, they were eventually destroyed -- as the prophets had warned. Most of the people were exiled to Babylon, where many repented, revived the old Scriptures, and were taught God's laws through the teachings of exiled leaders such as Ezekiel.



But others blended their understanding of God with Babylonian myths and conceived a new form of occultism: the Kabbalah. Its history and influence can be traced through mystical branches of rabbinical teachings, secret societies, medieval alchemy, and occult orders such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Most of its branches proclaim an impersonal "God" or "force" -- an enticing counterfeit of the Biblical God.



2. The rise and fall of empires: When Nebuchadnezzar conquered Israel, he brought Daniel to his court. There the faithful prophet interpreted the king's strange dreams and won his respect. One dream in particular was obviously fulfilled:



"...it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.... And he said, '...The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power...." (Daniel 8:15-22).



Decades later, Media and Persia conquered and ruled the vast Babylonian empire. They were replaced when the Greek armies of Alexander the Great swept through the Middle East. When Alexander died, his empire was divided among four generals, and its glory soon faded.[14]



3. Dumping Tyre into the sea: The prophet Ezekiel foretold the unique destruction of Tyre -- a coastal center of Mediterranean commerce -- centuries before it was fulfilled:



"...because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples; now she is turned over to me.... Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you.... And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea.... I will make you a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited, when I bring the deep upon you, and great waters cover you..." (Ezekiel 26:2-5,19-20)



A city covered by the sea? Impossible!



Not according to history and archeology. The first assaults on this rich maritime city came from Nebuchadnezzar's armies. The city was totally destroyed, but most of its residents escaped to a large island near the coast. Five centuries later (in 332 B.C.), Alexander the Great decided to add this well fortified island city to his Greek empire. When it resisted, the Greek army built a 200 feet wide causeway out to the island -- using the sand and stones from the ruins of the original city to build the passage. They "scraped" Tyre's remnants and cast them into "the midst of the sea."[15]



4. Petra: Years ago, we visited Petra, the "pink city" dramatized in the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The trip to ancient Edom’s capital began in Amman, Jordan, with a four-hour drive south through the desert. Finally, at the mountainous entrance to Petra, the passage once blocked to Moses and his followers, we walked through a narrow gorge. The vertical rock walls on both sides framed a sliver of the "pink palace,” permitting a teasing glimpse of the rose-colored columns and sculptured ornaments of a palatial wall.



But when we reached the once-flourishing city, the stark sunlight exposed the faded facades of a lifeless ghost town. Behind the broken ruins of a lost civilization were empty caves - the stripped tombs of a people who long ago rejected God. The path led no further. The well-traveled old roads were gone -- just as the Bible prophesied:



"... it shall lie waste; No one shall pass through it.... thorns shall come up in its palaces, nettles and brambles in its fortresses.... The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the jackals... There the arrow snake shall make her nest..." (Isaiah 34:9-15)



Edom literally dried, wilted, and died. Its streams and vineyards turned to dust -- but not because of chlorofluorocarbons! God did it, because the smug Edomites rejected His ways. But --



"This is what the Sovereign LORD says about Edom... 'The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?' Though you ... make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down'” (Obadiah 1, 34)



Unlike the myths and legends of other spiritual traditions, the Bible's meticulous recording of historical events matches both secular history and archeological discoveries. Even the Old Testament droughts (that led to famines and wars) match the migrations, climatic changes, tree rings[16] and other discoveries charted by scholars. God's Word is true. We can count on it!



"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17



Old Testament prophesies fulfilled by Jesus



1. He would be born of a virgin: “...the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son...." (Isaiah 7:14)

Fulfilled! "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. ... [T]he angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus... and of His kingdom there will be no end.'

"Then Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I 'do not know a man?'

"And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:26-35)

2. He would be born in Bethlehem: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)

Fulfilled! "Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.... And she brought forth her firstborn Son..." (Luke 2:4-7)



3. His death would redeem us from sin and judgment: "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities... and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth...." (Isaiah 53:5-7)



Fulfilled! "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

'Who committed no sin... who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree..." (1 Peter 2:20-25)



4. He was rejected by those He came to save: He is despised and rejected by men.... and we did not esteem Him." (Isaiah 53:3).



Fulfilled! "That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (John 1:9)



5. Identified with our sins, Jesus was separated from our Holy God: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Psalm 22:1).



Fulfilled! "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" (Matthew 27:46)



6. He would face mockery from ruling authorities: "All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 'He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him...” (Psalm 22:7-8).



Fulfilled! "...the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 'He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him....’” (Matthew 27:41-43)



7. Nails would pierce his hands and feet: "They pierced My hands and My feet." (Psalm 22:16)



Fulfilled! When the resurrected Jesus appeared to His disciples, he said, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet.... Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.'" (Luke 24:38-39)



"[Eight days later, Jesus appeared to all the disciples] He said to Thomas, 'Reach your finger here, and look at My hands... Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'

Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:25, 27-29



8. They "cast lots" for his clothes: "They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." (Psalm 22:18)



Fulfilled! "And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take." Mark



9. God's decree and promise after the fall: (speaking to the serpent) "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:14)



Fulfilled! "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath....

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.... For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast... (Ephesians 2:1-9)





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Proof of the resurrection



"Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb.... And they said among themselves, 'Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?' 'But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here." (Mark 16:2-6)



"After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. Later He appeared to the eleven...." (Mark 16:12-14)



It's not surprising that many doubt or deny His resurrection. On that glorious event rests the ultimate victory of the gospel! Through the cross, Jesus redeemed us (bore the legal punishment for our sin and freed us from the judgment of the law). Having cleansed us from our sin, He could -- by His resurrection -- raise "us up together" with Himself, so that we could share in His heavenly victory even as we serve Him here on earth." (Ephesians 2:1-10)?



1. The massive stone had been rolled away! This is no small miracle. Weighing over a ton, it could hardly be moved without a lever. Meanwhile, the tomb was both sealed and guarded by a team of Roman soldiers who would face torture and death if they fell asleep or failed to carry out their mission. These guard would eventually be bribed to spread false explanations.



"Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men." (Matthew 28:1-4)



"...some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, 'Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.' So they took the money and did as they were instructed...." (Matthew 28:11-15)



2. The tomb was empty -- except for the burial wrappings: If the disciples stole the body, why they bother to uncover it before hiding it. No, the tomb was empty because Jesus had, indeed, risen!



3. More than 500 witnesses could confirm His post-resurrection appearances: As the apostle Paul wrote:



"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)



6. The disciples and others who followed Christ would face persecution and death for proclaiming the resurrection: Before the crucifixion, the disciples were too frightened to even defend their Lord. Their fear didn't diminish after the crucifixion. But after the resurrection, everything changed!



His faithful disciples boldly proclaimed the gospel, the resurrection and the victorious name of Jesus in spite of the threats against them. They faced imprisonment, torture, stoning and death. What changed them? Only an absolute certainty that Jesus, their Lord and King had indeed risen!



"...just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)





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Only One Way



Jesus is the Way - the only way - to life with God today and forever. Yet, millions of seekers are choosing spiritual paths that lead to bondage, disillusionment and despair. Most seek blindly, for they can neither read nor follow God's signposts. They don't see the chasm that separates His Way from all other ways; nor will they seek help from the only One who can bridge that gap.



Our sovereign Lord wrote the blueprint for life, salvation and victory! His Word will stand no matter how many people reject it. They make it abundantly clear that there are no alternative pathways -- no other trails up the mountain -- that can bring us near to God and open the Door into His wonderful eternal Kingdom. Only Jesus Christ, our Lord, can show us the Way:



"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:9-10)



'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" (John 14:6)



If you are truly part of His family, then you know the peace and hope we have in Christ. And nothing is more reassuring than promises such as this:



"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39)





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If you seek to know our God and be part of His family, please see this page: What it means to be a Christian



The following testimonies illustrate how God changes lives and provides all the wisdom and strength we need to joyfully serve Him. We hope they will encourage you: Guilty as Charged
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Endnotes:



1. William F. Albright, The Archeology and the Religions of Israel, John Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1956, p. 176. Cited by Rabbi Glenn Harris, www.gospeloutreach.net/bible.html



2. Nelson Glueck, Rivers in the Desert: History of Negev. Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia, 1969, P. 176. Cited by Rabbi Glenn Harris, www.gospeloutreach.net/bible.html





3. "Holy Moses! PBS documentary suggests Exodus not real" at http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2008/07/bibles-buried-s.html



4. Albright, William Foxwell. The Archaeology of Palestine. Pelican Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England, 1960, p. 127, 128. Cited by Rabbi Glenn Harris, www.gospeloutreach.net/bible.html



5. Howard LaFay, "Ebla: Splendor of an unknown Empire," National Geographic, December 1978, pp. 735. "The people of the ancient Near East erected their cities on strategic sites with plentiful water. As a result, after destruction at the hands of pillaging armies--and to weaker cities this came as often a once a generation-- the population tended to rebuild on the ruins. Excavating a TEL is like slicing a stack of pancakes; each stratum, with its embedded trove of artifacts, encapsulates history from one catastrophe to the next." (735-736, 740, 754)



6. http://www.bible-history.com/archaeology/israel/el-amarna-letters.html



7. www.gospeloutreach.net/bible.html



8. John N. Wilford, "House of David' Inscription: Clues to a Dark Age," New York Times, November 16, 1993. First reported by Dr. Avraham Biran, an archeologist at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem.



9. The Development of the Aramaic Script (Joseph Naveh’s classic work), http://canterbridge.org/2007/11/18/reviewing-joseph-naveh-the-development-of-the-aramaic-script



10. Sargon king of Assyria at http://www.biblehistory.net/newsletter/sargon.htm



11. Seymour Gitin, Trude Dothan, and Joseph Naveh, "Ekron Identity Confirmed," Archaeology, January/February 1998.



12. Free, Joseph. Archaeology and Bible History. Scripture Press, Wheaton, IL, 1969, pg. 1.



13. Matthew Maury’s search for the secret of the seas at www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v11/i3/maury.asp



14. http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/persianempir1/a/persiaintro_4.htm



15. http://www.middleeast.com/tyre.htm



16. S. Fred Singer and Dennis T. Avery, Unstoppable Global Warming (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007), p. 4, 129, 244. Find more specific information at www.reasons.org/resources/fff/new_articles/index.shtml: "...climatologist Kevin Birdwell seeks answers to mysteries of human history via climatological records.... Paleoclimatology—the science dealing with the weather of past ages—often supports or sheds new light on biblical narrative. Birdwell says: 'Analysis of pollen, ice cores, tree rings, coral bands, carbon-14, uranium series dating, and ocean sediment gives us a window to the past. Recent advances in tree ring studies, for example, allow a more precise calibration of carbon-14 records, thus fine tuning dates of some documented events.”





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