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Topic: 2 Jewish States? & A Visit to Petra
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BORN AGAIN
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JimmyDeYoung says by way of Robby: quote:
Petra's strategic location on the "King's Highway", which was a trade route from Egypt all the way to Mecca in Arabia. (bold by Born Again)
Actually, from Egypt the trade route went east right through the center of the et Tih plateau of the Sinai peninsula to the tip of the Gulf of Elath-Aqabah, from where that trade route continued south along the east coast of the Red Sea to Mecca. The King's Highway did not come into play in that trade route.
The King's Highway started at the south end of the mountain of Edom and ran north along the spine of the Edomite mountain to the Zered river, where the King's Highway continued north through Moabite country past Heshbon, and from there north through Ammonite country toward the Bashan and on to Damascus. That was the King's Highway, which had nothing to do with the trade route from Egypt to Mecca in Arabia.
JimmyDeYoung further says by way of Robby: quote:
The Edomites controlled this trade route, the King's Highway, from their headquarters in Petra and developed a stronghold that ruled that region of the world for many years. (bold by Born Again)
While it is true that Petra was always a stronghold which was safe for traders to store their goods without fear of theft (and hence Petra prospered), the Edomite kings did not necessarily rule the mountain of Edom from there.
The Bible reveals that there were 12 dukes of Edom, and that, depending on from which city they originated, they tended to have their royal headquarters and palace near their "homeland" area. So for instance, two main royal areas for Edom were Teman and Bozrah and these were in the northern part of the mountain of Edom (whereas Petra is in the middle-south):
Genesis 36
15 These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,
1 Chronicles 1
45 And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
Amos 1
12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
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God bless, BORN AGAIN
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KJV MAN
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Enjoyed reading this!!! I believe the Kingdom split after the death of Solomon and were never really ever joined again!!! Another Sign of the Times!!! AMEN!!!
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BIBLE-Basic Instuctions Before Leaving Earth!!!!
Posts: 81 | From: Tennessee | Registered: Aug 2003
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Robby
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prophecytoday
JEWISH HOMELANDS - ISRAEL AND JUDEA?
By Jimmy DeYoung
August 15, 2003 - An Israeli attorney who has defended those Jews who have demonstrated against the State of Israel's decisions to dismantle outposts and even some settlements says there is a movement among the Jewish settlers living in the disputed territories that could actually become a second Jewish State. Baruch bin Joseph said that when he made his statement in 1994 of the possibility of a second Jewish State, the political situation was not as it is today. Mr. Bin Joseph foresees this truly Jewish entity, (perhaps called Judea), coming into existence in the next several years. Bin Joseph, who lives in the disputed territories, said the settlers were not at war with the present Israeli government, but that the Sharon government was making decisions and implementing a "road-map peace process" that could bring about what the Bible calls for, a true Jewish State in the Middle East.
Ezekiel 37:16-17, "Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, 'Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.' Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, 'Ephraim's stick of wood, and write on it, all the house of Israel associeated with him.' Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand." [Study Ezekiel 37:15-23 for this prophecy of Israel and Judah joined together.]
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A VISIT TO PETRA
By Jimmy DeYoung
The United States Secretary of State Colin Powell is notoriously dedicated to the tasks at hand, as evidenced on his many overseas trips. But he did take a few hours off recently while in Jordan to visit the ancient city of Petra. He was there for a guided tour of the archeological remains of Petra, a city dating back at least 1,800 years before Christ.
Powell perused one of the several Byzantine churches in the city and made a brief trip inside. Keeping with his get-down-to-business style, within 120 minutes, the tour was over. Powell's assessment of the site was that it was" very impressive".
Petra is a beautiful site that is craved directly into the sandstone rock face that makes up the valley where it is located. One of the most famous sites in Petra was featured in the film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." This masterfully carved entryway into what amounts to a mausoleum has inspired awe from onlookers for many hundreds of years.
In the Bible, the word Sela (Hebrew for rock) is the city mentioned in the prophet Isaiah's book in the first verse of chapter 16, Sela is often identified with Petra. Petra, which is Greek for rock, is nestled within the great rift valley east of Wadi Arabia in Jordan and about 50 miles southeast of the Dead Sea.
Petra was founded by and home to the Edomites, Esau and his descendants, from about 1300 BC to 600 BC when they were replaced by the Nabataeans. These Nabataeans spoke Aramaic and are considered to have been an Arabian tribe. This tribe made it their capital in 312 BC.
Petra was famous in the first century BC for its spice trade. This principal city of the Nabataean culture was also famous for its far-advanced hydraulic engineering systems. This city was locally governed for centuries, but flourished even after it was overtaken by the Romans where it experienced rapid urbanization.
Under the rule of the Nabataeans, Petra continued the successful trace industry that the Edomites have started years before, and became the spice trade center of the Middle Eastern world. Trade routes stretched from Arabia to the west side of Israel and as far north as the Syrian Desert. The hydraulic engineering systems, which included water conservation systems and dams, were used to divert flash floods that were common to the area, since it is very close to a river.
In 363 AD, Petra suffered a devastating earthquake, which leveled over half the city, but was still inhabited as late as 551 AD. It was then that another earthquake all but destroyed the city of Petra. However the relics that have survived the multiple quakes are simply astounding. Churches from the Byzantine religion were built there, and some still stand today, like the one Secretary Powell visited recently.
After Islam over took the region, the city of Petra fell to little more than a backwater hole in the ground. It was during the Crusades that Petra was revealed to the western world. Its popularity grew when it was "discovered" by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.
Petra's Prophetic Prospective
Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to Petra draws attention to a city that has a key role in Bible prophecy. Petra's past prominence began over 3800 years ago. The Edomites - descendants of Esau - founded a nation with its headquarters in Petra. Petra's strategic location on the "King's Highway", which was a trade route from Egypt all the way to Mecca in Arabia.
The Edomites controlled this trade route, the King's Highway, from their headquarters in Petra and developed a stronghold that ruled that region of the world for many years.
We see from the record of the travels of Moses and the children of Israel that it was from Petra, the Edomites went out and delayed Moses and the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land 3,500 years ago. In Numbers, chapters 20 and 21, we find the report of the way the descendants of Esau, the Edomites, treated the descendants of Esau's brother, Jacob, the children of Israel.
Petra's present popularity has increased since the signing of the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan in 1994. Visitors from around the world have traveled by the hundreds of thousands to see this beautiful city of Petra. This ancient Biblical city is one of the most unique cities and archeological sites in all of the world.
Even before the Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty, it was a custom for young Israeli men to sneak into Jordan and visit the city of Petra. There was a tradition among the Jews that Petra was a city of the future for the Jewish people, a city that would play a role in their ultimate survival. The tradition of this secretive trip into Petra was a rite of manhood for the Jewish young man.
Petra's prophetic prospective is found in the last book of the Bible, the Revelation, where the Apostle John records for us that God has prepared a place where He will protect the Jewish people during the time of Jacob's Trouble. Remember, the time of Jacob's Trouble is the last three and one half years of the seven-year Tribulation Period. It is the time of intense Satanic persecution on the Jewish people.
Jesus refers to the "abomination of desolation" in Matthew 24:15, the prophecy that Daniel gave about the Antichrist going into the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem at the midway point of the Tribulation and setting down as "God" in the holy-of-holies. Paul wrote of that event also in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 where he records that Antichrist will claim to be "God."
Jesus taught His disciples in the Olivet Discourse that when they saw the desecration of the Temple to flee, to the mountains (Matthew 24:16) which would fit the description for Petra which is in the mountains of Edom.
This promise of a protective stronghold during the future Tribulation Period is also found in Revelation 12:6 where the scriptures say that God has "prepared a place" to protect the Jews and it is in the wilderness. This also fits the scenario for Petra in the last days.
The ancient Jewish Prophet Isaiah reveals in Isaiah 63:1-6, that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, will go to Basra to gather the Jews and to take them to Jerusalem so He can set up His Kingdom and end the seven-years of terrible judgment. This gives us the last bit of evidence that Petra is the "prepared place" since Basra is at the entrance of Petra.
A two-hour visit by Secretary of State Colin Powell to Petra did draw attention to an ancient, unique city that plays a significant role during the end times scenario of Bible prophecy.
Posts: 364 | Registered: Sep 2002
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