Titus sieges Jerusalem on Feast of Passover/Destroyer in Revelation

[LittleLambofJesus]

I was looking over the event of Passover in Exodus 12, I noticed the word "destroyer<h7843> used.
I would like to compare that to the word "destroyer<623> used in Revelation 9:11.
First the OT and NT verses along with the Hebrew Greek words used:

Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

7843 shachath a primitive root;
to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively):--batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, X utterly, waste(-r).
שָׁחַת (shachath), occurs 147 times in 136 verses

Exo 12:11
11 ‘And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover<6453>.
23 And Yahweh passes<5674> to strike the Egyptians and He sees the blood on the lintel and on two of the jambs and Yahweh passes-over<6452> the portal and not He shall allow the ruiner/destroyer<H07843>/<G1842 oleqreuonta> to come to houses of ye to strike.[Revelation 9:11]
========================================
623. Apolluon active participle of 622; a destroyer (i.e. Satan):--Apollyon.
622. apollumi ap-ol'-loo-mee from 575 and the base of 3639; to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:--destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.
3639. olethros from a primary ollumi (to destroy; a prolonged form); ruin, i.e. death, punishment:--destruction.

The destroyer mentioned in Exodus 12:23 is also mentioned in Revelation 9:11 concerning 1st century Jerusalem:

Revelation 9:11
and they are having of them a king the Messenger of the Abyss, name to him to Hebrew abaddwn <3>, and in the Greecian name is having destroyer/apolluwn<623/622> [Exodus 12:23]
=============================
Was it just coincidence that Titus and the Roman army came upon Jerusalem during the feast of the Passover?

https://www.preteristarchive.com/JewishWars/timeline_military.html
The Historical Fall of Jerusalem in AD70
"..probably the greatest single slaughter in ancient history."
ROMAN SIEGE AND SACK OF JERUSALEM

The Destruction of Jerusalem - George Peter Holford, 1805AD

The day on which Titus encompassed Jerusalem, was the feast of the Passover; and it is deserving of the very particular attention of the reader, that this was the anniversary of that memorable period in which the Jews crucified their Messiah! At this season multitudes came up from all the surrounding country, and from distant parts, to keep the festival. How suitable and how kind, then, was the prophetic admonition of our LORD, and how clearly he into futurity when he said "Let not them that are in the countries enter into Jerusalem." Luke xxi. 21.
===========================
Revelation 6:6
And I hear a voice in midst of the four living-ones saying: "a measure of grain/wheat a denari and three measures of barleys a denari,
and the oil and the wine no you should be injuring"."

............................

 

[mkgal1]

There is another passage that also uses "destroyer" [H-7843] - Isaiah 54:16:

“I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy."​

For someone that believes in an all-loving God, this was a difficult passage for me. It seems to infer that God actually *created* evil. I came across this article:

Quoting from linked article------->In Isaiah 54:16, God explains why the flood came upon the earth. Using the imagery of “the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire” God says, “I have created the spoiler to destroy” (Isaiah 54:16).

The Hebrew word translated as “spoiler” is the Hiphil participle from shachat. It could also be translated as “the destroyer” (cf. NAS, NIV, NET). More interestingly still, the Hiphil participle of shachat is also used in Genesis 6:13 and 17 in reference to the destruction that came upon the earth. By using such imagery, God explains why the flood came upon the earth: it came because the destroyer destroys. This is the fourth principle of the Chaos Theory.

But what does it mean when the text say that God created the destroyer to destroy? Is not the destroyer opposed to all that is good and Godly? Yes! God is not a destroyer, but a Creator. Nor does God “send” the destroyer to destroy. The destroyer destroys because he is a destroyer. And since everything that exists has it origin in God, it can be said that God created the destroyer. This idea is troubling to some, but note carefully how God explains this.

How the Destroyer Came to Be
Before God mentions that He created the destroyer, God says that He created the blacksmith (Isaiah 54:16a). The blacksmith blows on the coals and brings forth the instruments for his work. Though God created the blacksmith, it is the blacksmith who does his work and brings forth the tools and instruments from his forge.

While many tools that come off a blacksmith forge are used for good purposes, some blacksmiths create tools and instruments that can be used for evil. Sometimes, an instrument or tool which the blacksmith created for good could be used to cause great harm to others. Take a knife, for instance. If a blacksmith makes a knife to cut vegetables, but someone else uses it to kill humans, it is not the knife’s fault, the blacksmith’s fault for making the knife, or even God’s fault for making the blacksmith.

This is how to understand the statement by God in Isaiah 54:16b that He created the destroyer. It is not that God was out for bloody revenge, or because God wanted someone else to do His dirty work for Him. The destroyer is not God’s super-secret hit man who does what needs to be done so God can keep His hands clean.

No, Scripture is clear. When God creates, He only creates good things for good purposes. There is no evil intent in the heart of God. The destroyer was not created to be evil, or to do bad things. In fact, it might be best to realize that the destroyer was never created at all as “the destroyer.” Just as God did not create humanity sinful, but we became sinful through our rebellion, so also the destroyer became destructive, also as a result of rebellion.

Death, decay, and destruction are the natural consequence of disobeying God and going against His will. The only way that God can be said to have created the destroyer is by saying that He created a being with genuine free will, and in so doing, restricted Himself from intervening when that free being chose to depart from God’s perfect will.

God did not make or create death and destruction, but did allow for their possibility when He created life and gave freedom to His creation.

It is the same with human beings.~The Flood According to Isaiah 54:7-9​

 

[mkgal1]

Something I find that's interesting - is that, earlier in this passage, there are restrictions given in the destruction:

Revelation 9:1-4 ~ Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and it was given the key to the pit of the Abyss. The star opened the pit of the Abyss, and smoke rose out of it like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit.

And out of the smoke, locusts descended on the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.​

 

[mkgal1]

Was it just coincidence that Titus and the Roman army came upon Jerusalem during the feast of the Passover?

No, I don't believe so. There are amazing things about the timing of His death and resurrection as well:

Quoting Ray Vander Laan:

The following are just a few examples of God's planning:​

Prophecies


Prophecies given hundreds of years before Jesus was even born were precisely fulfilled when Jesus died.

Passover Lamb


The high priest's practice of killing the Passover Lamb had been in force for hundreds, perhaps a thousand years.On Friday of the year Jesus died, the Jews celebrated Passover and killed a lamb for the temple sacrifice. Jesus, the Lamb of God, died at that same time in order to take our sins upon himself.



The Feast of Unleavened Bread


The year that Jesus died, Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, was also the day on which the Jews celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This feast reminded the Jews of the bread that God provided for the Israelites when they left Egypt. Consider the significant parallels between this feast and Jesus' death:

First, wheat seeds must die in order to bring forth crop. Similarly, Jesus had to die and be buried in order to accomplish his ministry and be raised to a new life. Second, unleavened bread was made without yeast, because yeast represented sin (1 Cor. 5:7-8). In the same way, Jesus, the Lamb of God, was sinless.

Feast of the Firstfruits


On the Sunday following Jesus death, the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Firstfruits, which in this case celebrated the beginning of the barley harvest.

The Israelites returned to God the "first part" of everything they had been given to indicate their thankfulness for the harvest, their acknowledgement that God had given them the gifts, and their faith that God would continue to provide (Num. 15:17-21; Deut. 26:1-11). They gave the best part of what they received to God (Ex. 23:19).

Also, on that day, Jesus came to life as God's firstfruits, the guarantee that the rest would follow, including the resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23). ~ Timing of Jesus' Death​

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

There is another passage that also uses "destroyer" [H-7843] - Isaiah 54:16:

“I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy."​

For someone that believes in an all-loving God, this was a difficult passage for me. It seems to infer that God actually *created* evil. I came across this article:

Quoting from linked article------->In Isaiah 54:16, God explains why the flood came upon the earth. Using the imagery of “the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire” God says, “I have created the spoiler to destroy” (Isaiah 54:16).

The destroyer was not created to be evil, or to do bad things. In fact, it might be best to realize that the destroyer was never created at all as “the destroyer.” Just as God did not create humanity sinful, but we became sinful through our rebellion, so also the destroyer became destructive, also as a result of rebellion.
Death, decay, and destruction are the natural consequence of disobeying God and going against His will.
​

That you for that very informative post. This passage in Matt better explains God using armies to enforce His will and obedience.
This is not much different than when the US and Allies overthrew Nazi Germany and Japan whom tried to conquer them.

Mat 22:7
“But when the king heard about it, he was furious.
And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Isaiah 1 is also a very revealing passage concerning Judah/Judeah/Jerusalem and Revelation.

7843 shachath a primitive root;
to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively):--batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, X utterly, waste(-r).
שָׁחַת (shachath), occurs 147 times in 136 verses

Isa 1:2
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!For the LORD has spoken:
“I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;
4 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity,
A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters<7843>!
They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away backward
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD,
“Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; [Revelation 1:14 Revelation 18:4-5]
Though they are red like crimson,They shall be as wool.
=========================================
The Judean rulers and priesthood were supposed to teach the Jews God's way of love and obedience and as we now know, they failed and the "destroyer" aka the Roman army overthrew them and the City.

Mat 3:7
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the being about wrath?
Mat 23:33
“Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of the gehenna?

The Great City/Harlot/Queen Revelation chapts 17-19

Mat 28:3
His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
Rev 1:14
His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;

Rev 18:4
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
5 “For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
==================================
What I see as saddest of all concerning Jerusalem in 70ad was the slaughter of thousands of innocent common Jews that came from all parts to simply celebrate Passover.
The Roman army and their cohorts were cruel and merciless, but also were the Jewish rebels/zealots, whom also murdered 1000's of Jews before the Roman army even arrived.

This may be what Daniel 8:23 is referring to?

Dan 8:23
“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise.

Hos 5:2
The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter. I will discipline all of them.
======================================
https://www.preteristarchive.com/JewishWars/timeline_military.html
"..probably the greatest single slaughter in ancient history."
ROMAN SIEGE AND SACK OF JERUSALEM

The Destruction of Jerusalem - George Peter Holford, 1805AD

While Jerusalem was a prey to these ferocious and devouring factions, every part of Judea was scourged and laid waste by bands of robbers and murderers, who plundered the towns; and, in case of resistance, slew the inhabitants, not sparing either women or children. Simon, son of Gioras, the commander of one of these bands, at the head of forty thousand banditti, having with some difficulty entered Jerusalem, gave birth to a third faction, and the flame of civil discord blazed out again, with still more destructive fury. The three factions, rendered frantic by drunkenness, rage, and desperation, trampling on heaps of slain, fought against each other with brutal savageness and madness. Even such as brou't sacrifices to the temple were murdered.
The dead bodies of priests and worshippers, both natives and foreigners were heaped together, and a lake of blood stagnated in the sacred courts. John of Gischala, who headed one of the factions, burnt storehouses full of provisions ; and Simon, his great antagonist, who headed another of them, soon afterwards followed his example.

Thus they cut the very sinews of their own strength. At this critical and alarming c onjuncture, intelligence arrived that the Roman army was approaching the city.
The Jews were petrified with astonishment and fear ; there was no time for counsel, no hope of pacification, no means of flight:-- all was wild disorder and perplexity :- nothing was to be heard but "the confused noise of the warrior, " -- nothing to be seen but garments rolled in blood," -- nothing to be expected from the Romans but signal and exemplary vengeance.................

The day on which Titus encompassed Jerusalem, was the feast of the Passover; and it is deserving of the very particular attention of the reader, that this was the anniversary of that memorable period in which the Jews crucified their Messiah!
At this season multitudes came up from all the surrounding country, and from distant parts, to keep the festival. How suitable and how kind, then, was the prophetic admonition of our LORD, and how clearly he into futurity when he said "Let not them that are in the countries enter into Jerusalem." Luke xxi. 21.

Nevertheless, the city was at this time crowded with Jewish strangers, and foreigners from all parts, so that the whole nation may be considered as having been shut up in one prison, preparatory to the execution of the Divine vengeance ; and, according to Josephus this event took place suddenly ;

thus, not only fulfilling the predictions of our LORD, that these calamities should come, like the swift-darting lightning" that cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the West," and " as a snare on all of them (the Jews) who dwelt upon the face of the whole earth " (Matt. xxiv. 27, and Luke xxi 35,) but justifying, also, his friendly direction, that those who fled from the place should use the utmost possible expedition.
====================

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Here we have Titus and the 10th Legion on the Mount of Olives during Passover.
Coincidence?

Matthew 24 Mount of Olives and Titus's 10th Legion on Mt Olives 70ad

========================================
First, the verses from the MoO narrative:

Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke's Temple/Jerusalem Discourses harmonized

Matthew 24
1 And Jesus coming out, departed from the Temple.
3 Yet of Him sitting on the Mount of the Olives, the Disciples came toward to Him according to own saying.............
6 “Yet ye shall be being about to be hearing battles and hearings of battles...but not as yet the End<5056>

Mark 13
1 And He going forth out of the Temple,
3 And of sitting of Him into the Mount of the Olives overlooking the Temple,
7 “Yet whenever ye should be hearing battles and hearings of battles, .....but not as yet the End<5056>

Luke 21
5 and of some saying concerning the Temple,
9 “Yet whenever ye should be hearing battles and tumults<181>, no may be being frightened<4422>, for is binding these to be becoming,
but not immediately the End<5056>
==============================

The Temple now presented little more than a heap of ruins ;
===============================
APRIL, A.D. 70 - PHASE ONE
THE ROMAN ARMY ARRIVES AT JERUSALEM TO PREPARE THE SIEGE

The first night of Titus' encampment with the 15th, 3rd and 18th Legions, the 5th Legion arrived from Emmaus and set camp north of the city on Mount Scopus.
Later the next day, the famed 10th Legion (founded by Julius Caesar) marched in from Jericho and camped on the Mount of Olives, east of the city.
Instead of waiting to starve the Jews into submission, Titus decides to assault many different parts of the city and overwhelm the defenders. Titus was early on in the middle of the fighting with his soldiers. At least two times, Titus and his detachment are surrounded by defenders, only to escape unharmed.

‘Admirable as were the engines constructed by all the legions, those of the tenth were of peculiar excellence. Their scorpions were of greater power and their stone-projectors larger, and with these they not only kept in check the sallying parties, but those also on the ramparts. The stones that were thrown were of the weight of a talent, and had a range of two furlongs and more. The shock, not only to such as first met it, but even to those beyond them for a considerable distance, was irresistible. The Jews, however, at the first, could guard against the stone; for its approach was intimated, not only to the ear by its whiz, but also, being white, to the eye by its brightness. Accordingly they had watchmen posted on the towers, who gave warning when the engine was discharged and the stone projected, calling out in their native language, "The son is coming," on which those towards whom it was directed would separate, and lie down before it reached them. Thus it happened that, owing to these precautions, the stone fell harmless. It then occurred to the Romans to blacken it; when, taking a more successful aim, as it was no longer equally discernible in its approach, they swept down many at a single discharge.’ Josephus, Jewish Wars, bk. v. chap. vi. 3.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

LittleLambofJesus said: ↑
Was it just coincidence that Titus and the Roman army came upon Jerusalem during the feast of the Passover?

No, I don't believe so. There are amazing things about the timing of His death and resurrection as well:

Quoting Ray Vander Laan:

The following are just a few examples of God's planning:​

Prophecies
Prophecies given hundreds of years before Jesus was even born were precisely fulfilled when Jesus died.

Passover Lamb

The high priest's practice of killing the Passover Lamb had been in force for hundreds, perhaps a thousand years.On Friday of the year Jesus died, the Jews celebrated Passover and killed a lamb for the temple sacrifice. Jesus, the Lamb of God, died at that same time in order to take our sins upon himself.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

The year that Jesus died, Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, was also the day on which the Jews celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This feast reminded the Jews of the bread that God provided for the Israelites when they left Egypt. Consider the significant parallels between this feast and Jesus' death:

First, wheat seeds must die in order to bring forth crop. Similarly, Jesus had to die and be buried in order to accomplish his ministry and be raised to a new life. Second, unleavened bread was made without yeast, because yeast represented sin (1 Cor. 5:7-8). In the same way, Jesus, the Lamb of God, was sinless.

Feast of the Firstfruits

On the Sunday following Jesus death, the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Firstfruits, which in this case celebrated the beginning of the barley harvest.

The Israelites returned to God the "first part" of everything they had been given to indicate their thankfulness for the harvest, their acknowledgement that God had given them the gifts, and their faith that God would continue to provide (Num. 15:17-21; Deut. 26:1-11). They gave the best part of what they received to God (Ex. 23:19).

Also, on that day, Jesus came to life as God's firstfruits, the guarantee that the rest would follow, including the resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23). ~ Timing of Jesus' Death​

[quote

Feast of the Firstfruits

On the Sunday following Jesus death, the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Firstfruits, which in this case celebrated the beginning of the barley harvest.

The Israelites returned to God the "first part" of everything they had been given to indicate their thankfulness for the harvest, their acknowledgement that God had given them the gifts, and their faith that God would continue to provide (Num. 15:17-21; Deut. 26:1-11). They gave the best part of what they received to God (Ex. 23:19).

Also, on that day, Jesus came to life as God's firstfruits, the guarantee that the rest would follow, including the resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23). ~ Timing of Jesus' Death​

[/QUOTE]I have never really studied on that much.
The word is used only 8 times, 6 in Paul's letters, 1 in James and 1 in Revelation.

G536 ἀπαρχή (aparchē), occurs 8 times in 8 verses

Romans 8:23
not only so yet, but also ourselves the first-fruit/aparchn <536> of the Spirit having, also we same in ourselves are a groaning sonship awaiting the redemption/apolutrwsin <629> of our body

g629 used in only 1 verse of the Gospels, Luk 21:28 of the 70ad Olivet Discourse:

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption<629> draws near.”

Rom 11:16
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Rom 16:5
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia[fn] to Christ.

1Co 15:20
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1Co 15:23
But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

1Co 16:15
I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—

Jas 1:18
Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Rev 14:4
These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

Bikkurim (First-fruits)

The Firstfruits (Hebrew: בכורים), Bikkurim (/bɪˌkuːˈriːm, bɪˈkʊərɪm/)[1], in Ancient Israel, were a type of offering that was akin to, but distinct from, terumah gedolah. While terumah gedolah was an agricultural tithe, the Firstfruits, discussed in the Bikkurim tractate of the Talmud, were a sacrificial gift brought up to the altar (Bikkurim 3:12). The major obligation to bring First Fruits (henceforth Bikkurim) to the Temple began at the festival of Shavuot and continued until the festival of Sukkot (Bikkurim 1:6). This tithe was limited to the traditional seven agricultural products (wheat, barley, grapes in the form of wine, figs, pomegranates, olives in the form of oil, and dates) grown in Israel.[2] This tithe, and the associated festival of Shavuot, is legislated by the Torah.[3] Textual critics speculate that these regulations were imposed long after the offerings and festival had developed.[4]

By the time of classical antiquity, extensive regulations regarding Bikkurim were recorded in the classical rabbinical literature.[5] According to Jewish law, the corners of fields, wild areas, left-overs after harvesting (gleanings), and unowned crops were not subjected to (and could not be used as) the tithe of First Fruits (they were intended to be left as charity for the poor, and other mendicants);[2] plants from outside Israel were also prohibited from inclusion in the tithe,[2] as was anything belonging to non-Jews.[6] The rules also specify that each type of product had to be individually tithed, even if the numbers were balanced so that there was no difference in amount between this situation and using just some types of First Fruit as the tithe, and retaining others in their entirety.[2] Fruit which was allocated to the tithe could not be swapped for fruit which wasn't, to the extent that wine couldn't be swapped for vinegar, and olive oil couldn't be replaced by olives; furthermore, fruits were not allowed to be individually divided if only part went to the tithe (small whole pomegranates had to be used rather than sections from a large pomegranate, for example).[2]

Ceremonial ritual

Offering of the first fruits, illustration from a Bible card
The following was the method of selecting fruits for the offering: Upon visiting his field and seeing a fig, or a grape, or a pomegranate that was ripe, the owner would tie a cord of reed-grass or similar fiber around the fruit, saying, "This shall be among the bikkurim." According to Simeon, he had to repeat the express designation after the fruit had been plucked from the tree in the orchard (Mishnah, Bikkurim 3:1). The fruits were carried in great state to Jerusalem. Stations (Heb. ma'amadot), with deputations representing the people of all the cities in the district, assembled in the chief town of the district, and stayed there overnight in the open squares, without going into the houses. At dawn the officer in charge (Heb. memunneh) called out: "Arise, let us ascend to Zion, the house of the Lord our God." Those from the neighborhood brought fresh figs and grapes, those from a distance dried figs and raisins.

The bull destined for the sacrifice, his horns gilded and his head wreathed with olive-leaves, led the procession, which was accompanied with flute-playing. When they arrived near the Holy City, the pilgrims sent messengers ahead while they decorated the Firstfruits. The Temple officers came out to meet them, and all artisans along the streets rose before them, giving them the salutation of peace, and hailing them as brothers from this or that town. The flute kept sounding until they reached the Temple mount. Here even King Agrippa, following the custom, took his basket on his shoulder, and marched in the ranks, until they came to the outer court and hall. There they were welcomed by the Levites, singing Psalm 30:2. The doves which had been carried along in the baskets were offered for burnt offerings, and what the men had in their hands they gave to the priests. But before this, while still carrying his basket, each man recited Deuteronomy 26:3 et seq.; at the words "an oppressed Aramæan was my father,"[9] the basket was deposed from the shoulder, but while the owner was still holding its handles or rims, a priest put his hand under it and "swung it" (lifted it up), and repeated the words "an oppressed Aramæan was my father," etc., to the close of the Deuteronomic section. Then placing the basket by the side of the altar, the pilgrim bowed down and left the hall.[/quote]

 

[mkgal1]

I have never really studied on that much.
The word is used only 8 times, 6 in Paul's letters, 1 in James and 1 in Revelation.

Ray Vander Laan has focused on learning about and teaching Jewish culture (and how it formed the early church). I really love his studies: That the World May Know Understanding the ancient Jewish culture (IMO) really helps to put Scripture into better context (and draws out so much more).

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

LittleLambofJesus said: ↑
I have never really studied on that much.
The word is used only 8 times, 6 in Paul's letters, 1 in James and 1 in Revelation.

Ray Vander Laan has focused on learning about and teaching Jewish culture (and how it formed the early church). I really love his studies: That the World May Know Understanding the ancient Jewish culture (IMO) really helps to put Scripture into better context (and draws out so much more).

Great resource and thanks for posting that.
One can only imagine how today's Jews would interpret the book of Revelation in conjunction with the 70ad Olivet Discourse and Revelation. I read Revelation as an ancient Hebrew would read it.

I found these sites informative on the ancient Hebrew and the present Jewish cultures.

The Ancient Hebrew Research Center

In the world, past and present, there are two major types of cultures; the Hebrew (or eastern) culture and the Greek (or western) culture. Both of these cultures view their surroundings, lives, and purpose in ways which would seem foreign to the other. With the exception of a few Bedouin nomadic tribes living in the Near East today, the ancient Hebrew culture has disappeared.

The Greek culture describes objects in relation to the object itself. The Hebrew culture describes objects in relation to the Hebrew himself.

http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/23_parallel.html

As Hebrew poetry is written much differently than our own Western style of poetry, many do not recognize the poetry which can cause problems when translating or interpreting these passages.
Approximately 75% of the Tenach (Old Testament) is poetry. All of Psalms and Proverbs are Hebrew poetry. Even the book of Genesis is full of Poetry.
There are several reasons the Hebrews used poetry, much of the Torah was sung and was easier to sing too, poetry and songs are easier to memorize than straight texts, Parallel poetry (as in Genesis 1) emphasizes something of great importance, as the creation story is. The rabbis believed that if something is worth saying, it is worth saying beautifully."
==================================================
What Jews Can Learn from the New Testament | My Jewish Learning

*snip*
It is daunting to think of the number of books a Jew “must” read in order to achieve Jewish literacy. With trepidation I suggest yet another volume to add to that list: the New Testament (NT)............................

Anyone who lives in a country with a Christian majority (such as the United States or Canada) should acquire basic knowledge of the foundational literature of the dominant faith. Students of the arts need to know stories like the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44), and the “passion” of Jesus (i.e. his trial, suffering, and death) or they will be at a disadvantage when studying many works of literature, art, and music. But there are also reasons why Jews, specifically, would gain from study of the New Testament. It is a rich source for a better understanding of Jewish history, Jewish thought, Jewish law, and the history of anti-Semitism...............

For example, the book of Acts (23:1-10) tells a surprising story about Paul, who realized he was in danger from a Jewish crowd because of his belief that Jesus had been resurrected and that faith in Jesus was the only way of achieving salvation. Paul figured out an ingenious way to escape their wrath:

Martin I. Lockshin
Martin I. Lockshin, Ph.D., is a professor at the Centre for Jewish Studies at York University in Toronto. He received rabbinic ordination after studying at the yeshiva founded by Rav Kook in Jerusalem.

 

[Contenders Edge]

General Titus was never bound in the abyss as Abaddon is. He was a man, not an angel, as the destroyer is called. Furthermore, it must be noted that the hordes of creatures over which Abaddon is made king do not have the power to kill anyone or destroy anything but only to inflict pain for five month that is so intense that the afflicted attempt to kill themselves but will not be able to die. The men under Titus killed, destroyed, pillaged.