Who were the people of Tyre and Sidon we read about in the Old Testament? There are a few notable characters who hailed from this region of Palestine. When Solomon began building the Temple, Hiram king of Tyre provided the cedar (2 Chron. 2:1-11). Jezebel was a princess of Sidon, who violently opposed God’s people and persecuted His prophets (1 Kgs. 16:31). Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, and Byblos were the major city-states that made up the Phoenician nation. These city-states were autonomous, meaning they ruled themselves. Though they jointly made up the Phoenician civilization, they were not under a centralized kingdom. In this bulletin article I want to examine where the Phoenicians came from and how the Bible, history, and archaeology work together to give the full account of these people.

Little is recorded about the Phoenicians until Israel is established because the Phoenicians were the remnant of the Canaanites expelled by Joshua. The most likely outcome was the Canaanites who survived the conquest banded together at strongholds just outside Israelite control. The tribe of Asher was given much of the coastal land as inheritance, but the city of Tyre was a boundary for their territory (Josh. 19:29). Simply put, the Phoenicians are the nation that arose after the Canaanite tribes were removed. When Israel conquered Canaan, they notoriously forsook God and went after the false gods of the land. They served the Baals and Ashtoreths, which were the deities of the Canaanites (Judg. 2:10-23). Fast-forward to the Phoenician Jezebel who hailed from the city-state of Sidon. Which deities did her people worship? Jezebel financed and fed the prophets of Baal and Ashtoreths (1 Kgs. 18:19). Her own father’s name is Ethbaal (1 Kgs. 16:31). Do not think of the Phoenicians as a new nation in Canaan, but as a continuance of the local people in the promised land. God commanded the Israelites to utterly destroy the Canaanites, Israel did not, and the Phoenicians were a result (Deut. 20:16-18).

The city-states that made up Phoenicia were by no means strong militarily. In fact, Tyre’s tactic when war came to their land was to retreat from the coastal city to an island off the coast that was easier to defend. This tactic was successful in resisting the Babylonians (Ezek. 29:17-20), not so successful against Alexander the Great (Ezek. 26:12). War was not the tool utilized by the Phoenicians in expanding their borders. What set the Phoenicians apart from every other nation in antiquity was their unparalleled sea trade and travel. The Bible describes the Phoenicians as the seafaring traders of the ancient world (Is. 23:1-12; Ezek. 27). Their location in Palestine not only placed them on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, but provided them with the best lumber for ship building. While studying, you may have run across the cedars of Lebanon. These cedars were highly valued by all nations around the Mediterranean. The nations who had an abundance of these cedars were wealthy (1 Kgs. 10:27). The Phoenicians put this highly sought-after lumber to use by creating ships that could sail the open sea. Other seafaring civilizations, such as the ancient Greeks were not able to sail in open water. They would instead sail the coastline or hop from island to island. The Phoenicians were not restrained to the coastline, but could sail wherever they desired. This gave them the ability to trade with and colonize places as far as Sicily, Sardinia, Spain, and southern France.

Next month, my bulletin article will continue to examine the Phoenicians and their importance to the ancient world.

-Brandon Foresha

In the New Testament, Jesus uses many descriptions of Himself which point to who He is. Of the many that Jesus used, what follows is merely a small sample of those He used of Himself.

SON OF GOD. Of all the terms Jesus used to refer to Himself, no other more clearly expresses His deity than the Son of God. In Revelation 2:18 we read, “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God”. The phrase “son of” in the Bible sometimes carries the idea of the “nature” of someone. Jesus using the description Son of God regarding Himself is making a claim of deity. Jesus is not a Son, but the Son of God, that is, the Son of God in a sense that no one else is. The Jewish leaders in John 5:17-18 understood Jesus’ claim that He is the Son of God and therefore equal with God. Before Jesus was born, the angel told Mary “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest’ and “that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” Luke 1:32, 35.

SON OF MAN. This description Jesus used more than any other of Himself. If when Jesus used the term Son of God it indicated Jesus’ deity, then when Jesus used the term Son of man he would be indicating His humanity. This would be referring to His incarnation in which He added to His divine nature, human nature. See Philippians 2:6-8. As the Son of Man, Jesus became hungry (Matthew 4:2), weary (John 4:6), thirsty (John 19:28), He sorrowed (Matthew 26:38), He wept (John 11:35), He had a troubled soul (John 12:27), He was moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36), He loved (John 11:3),and He could die (Matthew 27:50).

THE CHRIST. During the conversation with the Woman of Samaria in John chapter 4, the woman said “I know that Messiah cometh (he that is called Christ): when he is come, he will declare unto us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.” Messiah is the Hebrew work for the Greek word Christ. Messiah/Christ means “Anointed One”. Jesus of Nazareth was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies pertaining to the coming “Messiah”. In the Old Testament, anointing with oil was used ceremonially to set apart special roles, especially that of prophets (1 Kings 19:16), priests, (Exodus 28:41), and Kings, (1 Samuel 9:16). Only Jesus was all three in one person as Prophet (Acts 3:22), Priest (Hebrews 3:1) and King (Acts 2:30-36). As Prophet, Christ is the spokesman for God, John 1:18, as priest, he offered his blood for mankind, Hebrews 9:12, as King, he reigns at the right hand of God, 1 Peter 3:22.

THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. Jesus makes this statement in John 14:6. Jesus is the way to the Father. This is a truly encouraging statement; for man’s greatest goal is to one day be in heaven with the Father and all the redeemed forever and ever. He is “the” way meaning there is not a multiplicity of ways that a person can choose and go to the Father. No one comes to the Father except through Christ. That is an absolute statement. There is no other way. He is the Truth. Truth is a large word, embracing the mind, nature, and promises of God. Christ, the Truth, expresses fully and completely the divine knowledge of God directing us to “the way”. Christ, the truth, is the revelation of divine light leaving us in the fellowship of God in “the way” 1 John 1:6-7. Jesus called himself the Life. The ultimate of life is eternal life in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, 1 John 5:11-12. Jesus is the source of eternal life, Jesus has said ““I am the resurrection and the life” John 11:25. As brother Wendell Winkler said in the January 1987 issue of The Spiritual Sword, “Since Jesus is “the way,” without him we are lost; since Jesus is “the truth,” without him we are in error; and since Jesus is “the life,” without him we are (spiritually) dead.”

-Jerry D. Sturgill

One of the prophetic titles given to the coming Christ was “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). In considering how the barriers and bitter animosity that existed between Jews and Gentiles were removed in Christ’s church, Paul wrote of Jesus in Ephesians 2:14-16:

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

The Jews had written revelation of God which contained a law code of holiness. The Gentiles did not have the written law of Moses; thus, the keeping of the ordinances of that written law was the basis for the Jews being different from the Gentiles. When Jesus died on the cross, He abolished the enmity between the Jews and Gentiles by replacing the law of Moses with His offer of salvation, the New Testament, which includes all nations (cf. Col. 2:14; Mt. 28:19).

            To reconcile the Jews and Gentiles together would have seemed like an impossibility in the first century, yet it is exactly what Jesus did in His church. The “one body” of Ephesians 2:16 where all are reconciled together to God is the “same body” of Ephesians 3:6 of which both Jews and Gentiles are part according to God’s eternal plan. This body is the church of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). Jesus did not establish a separate Jewish church and a separate Gentile church; He established one church. When Paul emphasizes the oneness in Christianity that includes one Lord and one God, he begins with the affirmation “there is one body” (Ephesians 4:4-6). One may just as well argue for multiple gods as to argue for multiple churches or bodies. In a world deeply divided by bitter hatred, Christ’s church must exhibit the peace, wholeness, and unity that is in the one, universal church Christ established; the one body into which all saved people have been baptized (1 Cor. 12:13).

            Prophecies uttered centuries before Jesus Christ came into the world depict God’s image of peace in the church Jesus established upon His death, not some yet future political rule. Isaiah, who mentioned that Jesus would be called Prince of Peace in 9:6, prophesied of peace in the church in 2:1-4. The Lord’s house/church would be established in the top of the mountains and all nations would be part of it (Isa. 2:2). Isaiah went on to describe the absence of strife in the church, the Lord’s house; thus, the figurative image of instruments of war be refashioned into tools for agricultural cultivation is employed to depict the peace and spiritual prosperity among those who are in the family of God (Isa. 2:4). Jews and Gentiles were bitter rivals; left to their own devices they would get along like wolves and lambs or lions and calves. Isaiah prophesied that in Christ’s church, God’s holy mountain, these enemies would dwell together in peace (Isaiah 11:6-9). In the Lord’s church, I can have peace with people who don’t look like me and have completely different backgrounds than me. I can worship next to them as their brother in Christ because of what Jesus did on the cross. May we see the peace the Lord provides and offer it to those who, according to fleshly standards, are radically different than us, knowing that all of us are really the same; all people from all backgrounds are in need of reconciliation to God in the one body.

-Mark Day

            As we continue looking at the Proverbs for wisdom, it is my hope that the knowledge given so far may spark an interest in studying this profound book of the Bible. If everyone would read, understand, and follow the wisdom found in Proverbs our world would be a better place! Though the world will not listen to God’s wisdom, will you? Let us examine three more Proverbs this morning.

            Have you ever noticed that the wicked have trouble controlling what they say? While walking in stores, it surprises me what comes out of the mouths of others! You can learn a lot about a person by what they say in public; you can learn even more by what they say behind closed doors. It is no wonder that God’s book on wisdom would have plenty to say about this subject (Prov. 4:24; 6:12; 10:14; 12:13; 13:3; 16:27-28; 18:7)! In fact, three of the seven things God hates involves the use of one’s tongue (Prov. 6:16-19). How is your speech, in public and private? Certainly, we cannot perfectly tame our tongues, for we are human (Jam. 3:8). Yet, are your verbal mistakes characterized as a seldom slip or a common occurrence? The Christian ought to be striving to subdue their mind, body, soul, and tongue to give glory to Christ our Lord. If we cannot watch what we say, how will anyone ever see Jesus in us?

            Have you ever sat at a dinner table and everyone surrounding you was upset? Was that dinner a memorable and pleasant ordeal? I will not get into details, but I have had a meal or two as just described. Maybe something was said, a grudge was held, or possibly everyone just had a bad day. This brings me to the next proverb, “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox with hatred” (Prov. 15:17). Another passage with a similar message is, “Better is a dry morsel with quietness than a house full of feasting with strife” (Prov. 17:1). The clear message is a simple meal with people you love is more enjoyable than a great meal with people who despise you. Is this not true? I want to take the lesson a step further, many people worry so much about what they put on the table that they lose focus on who is around it. Have you ever seen this dynamic (especially on TV shows)? The family is eating quail, crab legs, and caviar; but cannot stand one another. I will happily eat potatoes, beans, and cornbread with a loving family around me. What matters more to you, what you eat or with whom you eat?

            Sometimes we do not appreciate our friendships like we should. When things get difficult, real friends show up. The person who hangs around you but leaves at the first sign of trouble is no friend. “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity” (Prov. 17:17). Though Job’s friends did not give him the best advice and believed he was being punished for sin, were they not there when Job needed them most? (Job 2:11-13)? He was one of the wealthiest people of the East; do you think Job only had a handful of friends (Job 1:2-4)? The truth is his “friends” abandoned him at the first sign of trouble, but true friends love at all times. Are you a friend that will stick with others through the worst of times or are you only there while things go well? Christians ought to be reliable friends; dependable for others who look to us for assistance.

            Watch your tongue, worry about the people around the table instead of the food you put on it, and be a friend that is available when others are in need. Who would not benefit from following wise lessons such as these?

-Brandon Foresha