A key connection between Dagan and his other identities is the god’s link to the netherworld. One of Dagan’s epithets was bēl pagrê, which has been translated “lord of the dead,” “lord of corpse offerings, lord of corpses (a netherworld god), lord of funerary offerings, and lord of human sacrifices.”Continue Reading
Dagan was very important in the ancient Near East, even if we don’t know much about his character. His cult may have been spread across the region in the twenty-fourth century BC by the great conqueror Sargon of Akkad, who led his troops from near modern Baghdad all the way to the Mediterranean.Continue Reading
THE PEOPLE in Canaan engaged in what God called “abominable practices”: First, burning a child as an offering to Molech, followed by divination, reading omens, augury, sorcery, enchantment, consulting mediums, necromancy, and inquiring of the dead.Continue Reading
YOU’D THINK that prophets of Yahweh during the reign of good king Josiah would have been a little more upbeat. Not so much.Continue Reading
Just when David thought it was safe to go back to JerusalemContinue Reading
It is amazing how much depth the scriptures contain when we actually look.Continue Reading
THE ONLY place in the Bible where we see the appearance of a human ghost is part of our Old Testament study this week.Continue Reading
THE TRANSITION from the rule of Saul to the kingdom of David is the focus of this week’s study. We also discuss the famous confrontation between David and Goliath of Gath.Continue Reading
Israel’s first king turned out to be something less than ideal. Anointed by Samuel at God’s direction, Saul showed his true colors right from the start. Click here for the notes and the audio of the study.Continue Reading
WE BEGIN our study of the second of the Historical Books, Judges. It chronicles Israel’s slide into apostasy and chaos, showing the need for a godly king to lead them. Click here for the notes and the audio from the study.Continue Reading