The Unclean Donkey

A strange and Interesting Bible Fact:

 Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his enter army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria. There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver and a quarter of a cab of seed pods for five shekels.

II Kings 7:24-25 NIV

Note: A donkey was considered an unclean animal; forbidden to Israelites as food. Because of the lengthy and severe famine the people of Samaria disregarded the law of uncleanness and even placed value on the least edible part of a donkey. (NIV study Bible note)

Green Living

A strange and Interesting Bible Fact:

And sometimes the pot breaks--what do you do with it?

Think about the pottery. The potter formed a vessel and if misshapen or flawed, he dropped it to the floor. The broken pieces, known a potsherds, were ‘recycled’ to carry burning coals (Isa 30:14), to scoop water from a cistern, and for note taking or receipts (Jer 32:14). The pieces too small to use elsewhere were ground into grog and used as a tempering agent in a new pot.

If you feel like a broken vessel or the ‘grog,’ look around you. God can use the worst of your life to temper and strengthen another of His vessels.

The Bible’s first Color?

A strange and Interesting Bible Fact:

Most Bible readers know the rainbow is mentioned in Genesis and the rainbow holds the primary colors. But what is the first color mentioned in the Bible? Does your mind go to the brown snake? The red apple (the fruit mentioned isn’t truly an apple, but we’ve heard Eve picked the apple for so long, our mind can play tricks on us and see the Delicious red apple in her hand).

Maybe you thought the blue of the sky or the yellow of the sun or the . . . The first color mentioned in the Bible is green. Check it out: Genesis 1:30

Fly Like An Eagle

A strange and Interesting Bible Fact:

Ask a child, “What is likely to sprout wings and fly away like an eagle?” and you’ll receive a number of answers, especially if they just finished a fantasy story. A pre-schooler might say, “a bunny rabbit.” The child will then dissolve in a fit of giggles. A middle school child with an electronic game might quickly answer, “a whale.” They know with electronics, anything is possible. The real answer is found in Proverbs 23:4-5. Wealth is sure to sprout wings and fly like an eagle. Guard your child’s future—teach them the Biblical wisdom—money does fly away. 

A LISTENING FRIEND

 A strange and Interesting Bible Fact:

One of my listening friends. 

What do you say when your friend is diagnosed with cancer or an incurable disease? Often because we have no idea what to do or how to fix the situation, we offer platitudes which leave us feeling foolish—our words don’t help. God’s Word gives simple instructions for such situations. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17: 22 (niv). Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24 (niv). One thing you can do is be there and when the words don’t come, listen.

AT THE WATER’S EDGE

A strange and Interesting Bible Fact:

When the waters—circumstances of life—overwhelm us we have a tendency to complain like the Israelites. God said to them, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” EX 14:13 (niv). Number 11:23, “The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” 

Elijah struck the water in II Kings 2:9. Each of the Biblical challenges happened at the water’s edge. In verses 13 and 14 we find Elisha “stood on the bank of the Jordan.” Moses, Joshua, Elijah and Elisha faced the chilly watery circumstances—each learned to listen to God, walk to the water’s edge in faith, and then make the choice to move forward. 

HELP IN SLAYING GIANTS

A strange and Interesting Bible Fact

When we talk about David and Goliath, most people have some kind of mental picture. It may be from growing up with the Bible stories or seeing a movie. Young David killed the giant with a sling and five stones, but what about the War Against the Philistines found in II Samuel 22:15-17 (tnab). 

“…David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted.” Someone killed the giant for David. The Bible notes say, “By calling these men descendants of Rapha the writer was saying that they were giants.” Sometimes we can kill the giants in our lives, sometimes we need the help of others to slay our giants—especially during the Christmas season.