Sunday, July 24, 2016

Egyptian History And The Biblical Record: A Perfect Match?

Culled from http://creation.mobi/egyptian-history-and-the-biblical-record-a-perfect-match

 [Editor: the suggested synchronisations of Egyptian and biblical history in this article are controversial; see Resolving alleged conflicts between the Bible and other accounts of Egyptian history.] 



Egyptian history and the biblical record: a perfect match?

By Daniel Anderson
Published: January 23, 2007
Published: 23 January 2007 (GMT+10)

For years, the popular media has mocked the biblical accounts of Joseph, Moses, the Passover, and the Exodus as being completely incompatible with standard Egyptian chronology. Year after year, we have been told by numerous scholars that events recorded in the books of Genesis and Exodus are nice legends devoid of any historical or archaeological merit.

However, a new wind is blowing. An emerging pool of scholars, representing diverse backgrounds, has been openly calling for a drastic reduction in Egyptian chronology. Such a reduction would serve to line up the historical and archaeological records of Egypt and the Old Testament. Surprisingly, there is a substantial amount of evidence to warrant a significant reduction of Egyptian history. And by doing so, the reliability of Genesis, Exodus, and the entire Old Testament will have to be reconsidered as a viable source of historical truth.
Advocates of chronological revision

Those who advocate a revision of orthodox Egyptian chronology are admittedly in the minority, but their credentials and scholarship are highly esteemed. David Rohl, author of Test of Time, suggests ‘Ramses II should be dated to the tenth century BC—some three hundred and fifty years later than the date which had been assigned him in the orthodox chronology.’1 Peter James and four other scholars published the book Centuries of Darkness.2 They claim that the dates of Egyptian dynasties need to be reduced by hundreds of years, specifically Dynasties 21–24. Dr Colin Renfrew, professor of archaeology at Cambridge University, wrote a foreword to this book:
This disquieting book draws attention … to a crucial period in world history, and to the very shaky nature of the dating, the whole chronological framework, upon which our current interpretations rest…the existing chronologies for that crucial phase in human history are in error by several centuries, and that, in consequence, history will have to be rewritten.3

Sir Alan Gardiner, an authority on Egyptian history, admits to the inherent problems surrounding Egyptian chronology:
Even when full use has been made of the king lists and of such subsidiary sources as have survived, the indispensable dynastic framework of Egyptian history shows lamentable gaps and many a doubtful attribution …What is proudly advertised as Egyptian history is merely a collection of rags and tatters.4

Last year, David Down (who also wrote the very relevant item ‘False History—out with David and Solomon’) and Dr John Ashton wrote Unwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical Timeline. Down has performed archaeological research in Egypt, Israel, and the Middle East for nearly half a century. In their book, they propose a revised chronology that harmonizes Egyptian and Old Testament history.
Reasons for questioning the traditional Egyptian timeline
Astronomical assumptions

Supposedly, lunar and solar eclipses have been discovered to perfectly match the established dates of Egyptian chronology. This is simply untrue. The concept of astronomical fixation is not based on celestial eclipses but on the ‘Sothic Cycle’. However, the Sothic Cycle is mentioned nowhere in Egyptian texts.5 There are references to ‘the rising of Sothis’ which has been assumed to have been the sighting of the bright star Sirius. The real issue is that many modern scholars theorize that the ancient Egyptians were slightly off in their calendar keeping, and when corrected in light of modern science, the dates line up accordingly. Yet the Egyptians were able to orient their pyramids to within a fraction of a degree to the north, south, east, and west. It is more likely that the Egyptians were meticulous timekeepers. Thus, in Centuries of Darkness, James and his four fellow scholars write, ‘…There are good reasons for rejecting the whole concept of Sothic dating as it was applied by the earlier Egyptologists.’ (See also our Journal of Creation article, Fall of the Sothic theory: Egyptian chronology revisited.)
Manetho’s maze

Another reason for questioning the traditional timeline is Manetho, an Egyptian priest who wrote a history of Egypt in the third century BC. Many consider Manetho’s writings to be indisputable fact. He was skilled at deciphering the hieroglyphs and had access to inscriptions, documents, and other valuable artifacts. However, two problems emerge. First, Manetho was writing hundreds, even thousands of years after many of the actual events. Second, none of Manetho’s writings exist.6 The only source we have for Manetho’s writings are some of his statements that have been quoted by much later historians such as Josephus, Africanus, Eusebius, and Syncellus.
Historical sources for Egyptian chronology

The Egyptian evidence consists of numerous inscriptions, texts, papyrus documents, and artifacts. Although it is very helpful, this evidence provides an incomplete picture of Egyptian history.

The ancient writings of Herodotus, Manetho, Josephus, Africanus and Eusebius provide added historical insight. Herodotus, the famous Greek historian, traveled to Egypt in the 5th century BC and interviewed priests and other knowledgeable individuals. Manetho, as stated above, composed a history of Egypt for the library at Alexandria in the 3rd century BC. Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, quoted from Manetho when writing his historical anthologies in the first-century AD. Africanus and Bishop Eusebius, renowned historians writing in the third and fourth centuries AD respectively, also quoted Manetho and wrote about Egyptian history. However, all of these highly esteemed historians often disagree with one another in the calculation of Egyptian chronology.

Because of the discordant nature of Egyptian chronology, it is impossible to present a comprehensive list of dates, pharaohs, and dynasties. Sir Alan Gardiner wrote, ‘Our materials for the reconstruction of a coherent picture are hopelessly inadequate.’ As a result, we must cross reference the Egyptian accounts with other accurate historical sources. Biblical and Assyrian chronology offer highly consistent dates that can be utilized to rectify many of the ambiguities of Egyptian history. In other words, if Old Testament and Assyrian historical records significantly overlap, then a revision of Egyptian chronology would be perfectly logical in order to harmonize with two independent reliable sources.
Noah’s link to Egypt
Egyptian statue

The Hebrew name for one of Noah’s grandsons is Mizraim (Genesis 10:6). It is no coincidence that modern Egyptians call themselves Misr, which is a derivative of Mizraim. According to the Book of Genesis, Noah’s grandson, Mizraim,7 is the father of the Egyptians. In a revised chronology, Egypt comes into existence soon after the dispersion from Babel, around 2100 BC. Eusebius, the famous 4th century AD historian, writes:
Egypt is called Mestraim by the Hebrews; and Mestraim lived not long after the flood. For after the flood, Cham (or Ham), son of Noah, begat Aeguptos or Mestraim, who was the first to set out to establish himself in Egypt, at the time when the tribes began to disperse this way and that…Mestraim was indeed the founder of the Egyptian race; and from him the first Egyptian Dynasty must be held to spring.8

In the traditional chronology, a pre-dynastic period of approximately 2,000 years precedes the first Egyptian dynasty. Genesis establishes a much shorter period of time. In addition, the 1988–1989 annual report of the Oriental Institute of Chicago published a summary of extensive archaeological research by Bruce Williams. Williams re-examined discoveries related to the pre-dynastic period and concluded:
Both articles are part of an expanding body of evidence that links the period once known as ‘predynastic’ so firmly to the ages of the pyramids and later, that the term should be abandoned.9

Williams has published several articles in archaeology journals, and his modern research appears to confirm the Genesis account.

Abraham visits Egypt

The biblical date for the Exodus is approximately 1445 BC. Exodus 6:4 and Galatians 3:16–17 tell us that the Lord made a covenant with Abraham 430 years earlier, around 1875 BC. Not long after this date, Abraham traveled to Egypt to escape a severe famine in the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:10). Abraham’s visit did not go unnoticed, as Pharaoh’s officials reported to their king that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was extremely beautiful. Out of fear, Abraham told Pharaoh that Sarah was his sister. As a result, Pharaoh temporarily inducted Sarah into his harem and paid Abraham many expensive gifts. However, the Lord struck Pharaoh’s house with plagues causing him to release her upon discovering that she was actually Abraham’s wife.

Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldees (Genesis 11:31). From 1922 to 1934, Sir Leonard Woolley discovered it to be the first civilization10 with a superior knowledge of astronomy and arithmetic. In addition, the Sumerian civilization invented writing, composed dictionaries, and calculated square and cube roots.11 Woolley’s discoveries appear to corroborate the writings of Josephus concerning Abraham’s visit to Egypt Josephus writes about Abraham:
He communicated to them arithmetic, and delivered to them the science of astronomy; for before Abram came into Egypt they were unacquainted with those parts of learning; for that science came from the Chaldeans into Egypt.12

In a revised chronology, Abraham would have visited Egypt when Khufu (aka Cheops) was Pharaoh. Before Khufu, the early Egyptian pyramids were fantastic architectural structures, but they were not perfectly square or exactly oriented to all four points on a compass. However, when Khufu built his masterful pyramid, there appears to have been an explosion of astronomical and mathematical expertise. Khufu’s pyramid was perfectly square, level, and orientated to the four points of the compass.

When placed in the proper dynasty, Abraham’s visit to Egypt may have been the catalyst that sparked an architectural revolution in Egyptian history.

Joseph rises to power in Egypt

Dynasty 12 was one of the high points in Egyptian history. By a revised chronology, Joseph would have risen to power under Sesostris I during this dynasty. [Editor: the suggested synchronisations of Egyptian and biblical history in this article are controversial; see Resolving alleged conflicts between the Bible and other accounts of Egyptian history.] According to Genesis, Joseph was one of Jacob’s twelve sons. Out of jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sold him to Midianite traders and these traders sold Joseph to an Egyptian officer named Potiphar. Eventually, through a period of trials and tribulations, the Lord enabled Joseph to rule over Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.
Egyptian pyramids

Sesostris I is known to have had a vizier, or prime minister, named Mentuhotep who possessed extraordinary power. Egyptologist, Emille Brugsch, writes in his book Egypt Under the Pharaohs, ‘In a word, our Mentuhotep…appears as the alter ego of the king. When he arrived, the great personages bowed down before him at the outer door of the royal palace.’13 Brugsch’s description appears to corroborate Joseph’s status in Genesis 41:43, ‘He (Pharaoh) had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, ‘Bow the knee’: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.’

Joseph’s ultimate claim to fame was his ability to interpret dreams. The Egyptians attached significant importance to dreams. Joseph was able to interpret Pharaoh’s perplexing dreams to mean that seven years of plenty would be followed by seven years of the most severe famine. Convinced by Joseph’s interpretation, Pharaoh appointed Joseph to supervise the gathering of grain during the seven years of plenty.

Two clues from Egyptian inscriptions appear to confirm the Genesis account. First, a large relief on ‘Hungry Rock’ states, ‘…Because Hapy [the river god] had failed to come in time in a period of seven years. Grain was scant, kernels were dried up, scarce was every kind of food…’14

Second, a tomb belonging to Ameni, a provincial governor under Sesostris I, says:
No one was unhappy in my days, not even in the years of famine, for I had tilled all the fields of the Nome of Mah…thus I prolonged the life of its inhabitants and preserved the food which it produced.12

Hebrew slaves in Egypt

In the traditional chronology, the Egyptian oppression of Hebrew slaves would have occurred in the 18th dynasty. The problem is there is little to no historical evidence of Hebrew slaves in Egypt at this time. However, when placed in the 12th dynasty under a revised chronology, there is substantial evidence for Israelite slave laborers in Egypt.

Dr Rosalie David, in charge of the Egyptian department of the Manchester Museum, writes about Semitic slavery in Kahun during the second half of the 12th dynasty:
It is apparent that the Asiatics were present in the town in some numbers, and this may have reflected the situation elsewhere in Egypt. It can be stated that these people were loosely classed by Egyptians as ‘Asiatics’, although their exact homeland in Syria or Palestine cannot be determined … The reason for their presence in Egypt remains unclear.15

The Bible makes it quite clear why the Israelite slaves resided in Egypt:
Now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph, and he said to his people, ‘Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we’…Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens…And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage… (Exodus 1:8-14).

Dr Rosalie David also writes about the slave presence at Gurob, Egypt:
The scattered documentation gives no clear answer as to how or why the Asiatics came to Egypt in the Middle Kingdom…There is nevertheless firm literary evidence that Asiatic slaves, women and children were at Gurob.16

Another piece of circumstantial evidence that supports the biblical account is the existence of pyramids built with mud bricks and straw during this dynasty. Amenemhet III, a pharaoh whose statues are sour-faced and cruel-looking in appearance, was likely the Pharaoh who answered the complaining Hebrew supervisors, ‘You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before Let them go and gather straw for themselves (Exodus 5:7).’

Another tantalizing piece of circumstantial evidence was the discovery of boxes beneath the floors of houses excavated in Kahun. Sir Flinders Petrie excavated a number of these boxes which contained the skeletons of babies up to three months old, sometimes up to three in a box.17 It is plausible that these baby skeletons are the bones of Hebrew babies killed by Pharaoh’s direct orders in an attempt to limit their population (Exodus 1:16). However, one particular baby boy would escape Pharaoh’s death sentence and change the course of Hebrew history.
Moses is born

According to the Book of Exodus, the baby Moses was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter while she was bathing at the river. His parents defied Pharaoh’s order and left his destiny in the Lord’s hands, placing him in a basket to be discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter. Many consider this to be a nice story, but completely unrealistic. After all, what Egyptian princess would adopt a Hebrew slave child and offer to make him the next Pharaoh?

However, if you place Moses in the 12th dynasty, the family history of the Pharaonic court appears to line up.18 Amenemhet III had two daughters, but no sons have been positively identified. Amenemhet IV has been proposed as the son of Amenemhet III, but he could just as easily have been the son of Sobekneferu, one of the daughters of Amenemhet III. Amenemhet IV is a very mysterious figure in Egyptian history and may have been a co-regent of Amenemhet or Sobekneferu.

Josephus wrote concerning Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Having no child of her own…she thought to make him her father’s successor.’ In addition, Dr Donovan Courville has proposed Sobekneferu as the foster mother of Moses. It is plausible since there is no historical record of Sobekneferu having a biological son. If Sobekneferu was the foster mother of Moses, then the biblical account of her bathing by the riverside would make sense. The river god Hapy was the fertility god of Egypt, and Sobekneferu would have likely been observing a religious ritual in the river. Perhaps the appearance of a baby floating in the river would have been interpreted as a direct answer to her prayer for a child.

Exodus from Egypt

Snake statues

In a revised chronology, Neferhotep I was likely the Pharaoh of the Exodus in the 13th dynasty. Exodus 7:10 tells us that Moses and Aaron confronted Pharaoh ‘… and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.’ Pharaoh was not impressed ‘… so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents (Exodus 7:11–12).’ In the Liverpool Museum there is a magician’s rod that hails from this same period in Egyptian history.19 The rod is in the form of a long cobra Perhaps the magicians practiced some form of hypnotic power that transformed the cobra rods into the appearance of real snakes, or applied sleight of hand to substitute a real cobra for the rod.

The ten plagues are probably one of the most famous aspects of the Exodus story. If the plagues were historical events as recorded by Moses, then there should be some fragment of evidence describing their catastrophic consequences. In fact, there is a papyrus in the Leiden Museum in Holland which provides a graphic portrayal eerily reminiscent of the biblical account. There is no consensus among archaeologists as to when it was originally penned An excerpt reads:
… Plague stalks through the land and blood is everywhere … Nay, but the river is blood. Does a man drink from it? As a human he rejects it. He thirsts for water … Nay, but gates, columns and walls are consumed with fire…Nay but the son of the high-born man is no longer to be recognized … The stranger people from outside are come into Egypt … Nay, but corn has perished everywhere…Everyone says ‘there is no more.’20

(See also The ten plagues of Egypt: miracles or ‘Mother Nature’?, which also thoroughly refutes the popular ‘algal bloom’ theory).

The final plague cut Pharaoh to the heart. The Lord struck down all the firstborn in each Egyptian family at midnight. The Hebrews were warned of this horrific disaster and Moses ordered them to kill a lamb and splash its blood on their doorposts. The Destroyer would pass over every home with the blood of the lamb. It is quite significant that Neferhotep’s son, Wahneferhotep, did not succeed his father on the throne. Instead, Neferhotep I was succeeded by his brother Sobkhotpe IV ‘who occupied the throne which his brother had recently vacated.’21 To this day, historians are unable to pinpoint the reason why the son of Neferhotep I did not succeed him. Perhaps a closer look at the biblical account is necessary.

Another piece of very interesting circumstantial evidence is the sudden departure of Kahun’s inhabitants. Dr Rosalie David writes:
It is evident that the completion of the king’s pyramid was not the reason why Kahun’s inhabitants eventually deserted the town, abandoning their tools and other possessions in the shops and houses …The quantity, range, and type of articles of everyday use which were left behind in the houses may suggest that the departure was sudden and unpremeditated.22

The evidence appears to confirm Exodus 12:33 which states, ‘And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste…’

But what happened to the mighty Egyptian army? According to the Bible, Pharaoh pursued the fleeing Israelites with his army as they miraculously crossed the Red Sea. However, the Egyptian army ended up at the bottom of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:28). It is no coincidence that the mummy of Neferhotep I has never been found.
The Hyksos mystery solved

Also, archaeologists and other scholars have long puzzled over the rapid occupation of Egypt by the mysterious Hyksos without a military confrontation. Those scholars advocating a revised chronology have identified the Hyksos with the Amalekites, who attacked the Israelites fleeing from Egypt. It is plausible that the Amalekites flowed into Egypt without resistance because of God’s decimation of the Egyptian army under the Red Sea.

The identification of the Hyksos with the Amelekites would explain the otherwise strange passage ‘Amalek was the first of the nations’ (Numbers 24:20), and why an Egyptian would be ‘servant to an Amalekite’ (1 Samuel 30:13). This makes sense in the revised chronology where the Amalikites ruled the mighty Egyptian empire.

Their current obscurity fulfils God’s prophecy to Moses, ‘I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven’ (Exodus 17:14). Thus hardly anyone today has even heard of them, let alone their former pre-eminence The physical extermination (see also Was this a war crime?) was first fulfilled in the time of Saul, but he disobeyed God (1 Samuel 15), so the Amalekites still caused mayhem in David’s time so he practically finished the job (1 Samuel 30).
Conclusion

There is a story of an older, well-respected archaeologist digging next to a young archaeologist at Gezer, Israel.23 The young archaeologist was mocking the historical reliability of the Bible when the older archaeologist quietly responded, ‘Well, if I were you, I wouldn’t rubbish the Bible.’ When the young archaeologist asked ‘Why?’ he replied, ‘Well, it just has a habit of proving to be right after all.’

At this time of year, Christians will be bombarded with shows and magazine articles that portray the biblical accounts of Joseph, Hebrew slavery, Moses, and the Exodus as legend and myth As we have seen, however, when placed at the proper time, there is an abundance of historical and archaeological evidence to confirm the books of Genesis and Exodus.

Synchronizing the biblical timeline with a revised Egyptian chronology will require more testing, research, hard work, and careful scholarship Presupposing biblical accuracy and applying professional research standards, a number of scholars are off to a promising start Dr Clifford Wilson, former Director of the Australian Institute of Archaeology, said it best:
I know of no finding in archaeology that’s properly confirmed which is in opposition to the scriptures. The Bible is the most accurate history textbook the world has ever seen.24
Related articles

    Logistics of the Exodus
    How did they build the Great Pyramid?—an architect’s proposal

References

    Rohl, David A Test of Time: The Bible: from Myth to History, p. 128, Century Limited, London, UK, 1995; see also review by John Osgood, Journal of Creation 11(1):33–35, 1997. Return to text.
    James, Peter Centuries of Darkness, pp. XV–XVI, Pimlico, London, UK, 1992. Return to text.
    James, ref. 2, p. 39. Return to text.
    Gardiner, Allan Egypt of the Pharaohs, p. 53, Oxford University Press, London, UK, 1964. Return to text.
    Ashton, J. and Down, D., Unwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms The Biblical Timeline, p. 74, Master Books, Green Forest, AR, 2006. Return to text.
    Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 73. Return to text.
    Hebrew מצרים (mitsrayim) John Gill’s commentary, available in the Online Bible, states, ‘The word is of the dual number, and serves to express Egypt by, which was divided into two parts, lower and upper Egypt.’ Return to text.
    Waddell, History of Egypt and Other Works by Manetho: The Aegyptiaca of Manetho, pp. 8–9. Return to text.
    Sumner, William ‘Scholarship Individual Research,’ The Oriental Institute Annual Report 1988–1989, p. 62, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1990. Return to text.
    Obviously, it was not the first civilization, but the first ‘re-civilization’—after the Flood. Return to text.
    Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 201. Return to text.
    Whiston, W., Josephus’ Complete Works, Antiquities of the Jews, Book I, chapter VIII, para. 2. Return to text.
    Breasted, James A History of Egypt, p. 162, Scribner and Sons, New York, NY, 1954. Return to text.
    Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 84. Return to text.
    David, R The Pyramid Builders of Ancient Egypt: A Modern Investigation of Pharaoh’s Workforce, p. 191, Guild Publishing, London, UK, 1986. Return to text.
    David, ref. 15, p. 192. Return to text.
    Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 100. Return to text.
    Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 93. Return to text.
    Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 98. Return to text.
    Velikovsky, Immanuel, Ages in Chaos, Vol.1, ‘From the Exodus to King Akhnaton’, pp. 25–28, Abacus, London, UK, 1973. Return to text.
    Edward, C.J. et al., The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. II, Part I, ‘History of the Middle East and the Aegean Region c. 1800–1380 B.C.’, p. 50, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1980. Return to text.
    David, ref. 15, p. 195 and 199. Return to text.
    Wieland, C., Archaeologist confirms creation and the Bible: Interview with archaeologist Clifford Wilson, Creation 14(4):46–50, 1992 Return to text.
    Wilson, C, Archaeologist Speaks Out, Creation 21(1):15, 1998. Return to text.

(Available in Finnish and German)
Related Articles

    Logistics of the Exodus
    How did they build the Great Pyramid?—an architect’s proposal
    Egyptian chronology and the Bible—framing the issues
    Ancient Egypt confirms: Genesis is history

Rohl, David A Test of Time: The Bible: from Myth to History, p. 128, Century Limited, London, UK, 1995; see also review by John Osgood, Journal of Creation 11(1):33–35, 1997.
James, Peter Centuries of Darkness, pp. XV–XVI, Pimlico, London, UK, 1992.
James, ref. 2, p. 39.
Gardiner, Allan Egypt of the Pharaohs, p. 53, Oxford University Press, London, UK, 1964.
Ashton, J. and Down, D., Unwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms The Biblical Timeline, p. 74, Master Books, Green Forest, AR, 2006.
Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 73.
Hebrew מצרים (mitsrayim) John Gill’s commentary, available in the
Waddell, History of Egypt and Other Works by Manetho: The Aegyptiaca of Manetho, pp. 8–9.
Sumner, William ‘Scholarship Individual Research,’ The Oriental Institute Annual Report 1988–1989, p. 62, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 1990.
Obviously, it was not the first civilization, but the first ‘re-civilization’—after the Flood.
Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 201.
Whiston, W., Josephus’ Complete Works, Antiquities of the Jews, Book I, chapter VIII, para. 2.
Breasted, James A History of Egypt, p. 162, Scribner and Sons, New York, NY, 1954.
Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 84.
David, R The Pyramid Builders of Ancient Egypt: A Modern Investigation of Pharaoh’s Workforce, p. 191, Guild Publishing, London, UK, 1986.
David, ref. 15, p. 192.
Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 100.
Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 93.
Ashton and Down, ref. 5, p. 98.
Velikovsky, Immanuel, Ages in Chaos, Vol.1, ‘From the Exodus to King Akhnaton’, pp. 25–28, Abacus, London, UK, 1973.
Edward, C.J. et al., The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. II, Part I, ‘History of the Middle East and the Aegean Region c. 1800–1380 B.C.’, p. 50, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1980.
David, ref. 15, p. 195 and 199.
Wieland, C.,
Wilson, C,
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Saturday, July 23, 2016

THE WHYS OF WHY MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

THE WHYS OF WHY MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

Yes, the world over is what it is today as it relies solely on one commodity (money), which is exchanged from person to person, nation to nation etc. that drives the world’s economy both in politics and in governance. Without any form of monetary service in circulation in the world system, I and you wouldn’t be as civilized as we are now; we would have still be aliens to development and advancement in science and technology. Money has unarguably become the essence of our lives’ sustenance as we depend on its availability to make ends meet, either in clothing, housing, feeding, auto mobiles, education and all that. So, money is good, go for it. Therefore, make legitimate use of your time to get money legitimately. Don’t become a lover of money in the process because it is the most brutal of a master that ensnares the souls of those he captures, and ONLY JESUS can deliver you from its stranglehold if you are already a captive of money. Be guided against becoming a slave to money.

Now, however important money may be in our day to day lives here on earth, you should understand that money is always striving to become a master in your life thereby paving the way for you to become his worshipper, which ultimately will replace GOD in you because two masters cannot be served at the same time by an individual. GOD has warned us never to have any other god before Him, we should not worship nor bow down to them as a god Exodus 20:3-5. You cannot serve GOD and mammon (money) the Bible emphasized in Matthew 6:24 “You cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money”GNT. Let the wise therefore learn!

From our text above, the reason why many are totally ensnared and drowning themselves in destruction today are the results of their love for money. They have actually pierced themselves with many sorrows as they became lovers of money, doing just anything that came their way to make money. They are insatiable and their appetite for more money will never allow them to be contented with what they have right now, and can therefore go the extra mile to make more money even though some people may be killed in the process. What a pity! So, ask yourself, are you a slave to money? May the blood of JESUS CHRIST deliver you today from the love of money in JESUS name. Amen.

Even though money answered all things according to Ecclesiastes 10:19, you should also bear it in your mind that it is GOD that gives one POWER to get wealth (money) Deuteronomy 8:18. Therefore you have NOTHING to boasts about regarding your wealth and affluence because GOD destined you to have it, not by your power, knowledge or understanding. Okay. You should therefore follow legal means to make money, so that you won’t lose your soul in hell fire at the end after making stupendous money here on earth. Mark 8:34 “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Absolutely nothing! You can’t replace your soul in hell fire with money should you go there. May this not be your portion in JESUS name. Amen.

SOME FEW WHYS OF LOVE OF MONEY AS ROOT OF ALL EVIL
-          Why are girls and ladies into prostitution? To make money!
-          Why are people into armed robbery? To make money!
-          Why are people into ritual killings? To make money!
-          Why are people into occultism? To make money!
-          Why are people into dubious business in faking products? To make money!
-          Why are people into forgery and falsification of their documents and records? To make money!
-          Why are people into impersonation? To make money!
-          Why are lawyers and judges into buying and selling of justice? To make money!
-          Why are people into bribery? To make money!
-          Why are people into contract inflation and kickbacks? To make money!
-          Why are people into kidnapping? To make money!
-          Why are people into yahoo yahoo (online fraudster) business? To make money!
-          Why are people into 419 and scams? To make money!
-          Why are people into betting and gambling? To make money!
-          Why are teachers and invigilators into aiding students in exam malpractices? To make money!
-          Why are people into illicit drug pushing and trafficking? To make money!
-          Why are people into trafficking girls and women for prostitution? To make money!
-          Why are people into raising young girls and women into baby factory? To make money!
-          Why are people into embezzling public and private funds? To make money!
-          Why are people standing as false witness? To make money!
-          Why are people concealing truth? To make money!

Dear friend, if you find yourself in one of the few reasons why people loved money as stated above, you have to urgently cry unto GOD for mercy and forgiveness, repent and amend your ways now. Should you die in the process of making money illegally, your soul would be consumed in hell fire, and you certainly have no EXCUSE Romans 2:1.

Do not because of what you will eat or drink sell your soul to the devil. Bring it to GOD in the place of prayer and He will open a legal door to make money for you. Psalm 55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Do not envy the rich people around you today because you certainly don’t know their miserable end. Ask King David, and he will explain more to you. Psalm 73:1 “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. 2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. 8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. 11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.”

Remember, wealth gotten through illegal means and fraudulent methods has wings. They will surely fly away. Proverbs 23:5 “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” Jeremiah 17:11 “As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.” Psalm 55:23 “But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.”

Friend, you often heard people saying that ‘the end justify the means’. This statement is attributed to those that make their wealth illegally and through dubious methods, as they always try in convincing people that in as much as you are able to make the money you set out to make, you are fulfilled once you have made the money, forgetting that this same money will be left here on earth and they will face their evil consequences when they die. Don’t join that bandwagon please, and even if you will die a poor man in Christ, better for you. The Bible says in Proverbs 28:6 “Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” And in Ecclesiastes 7:8, the Bible says “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Strive to live right at all times so that your end will be of PEACE. Psalm 72:7 “In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.”

Be rapture ready as you go about making your money to meet your needs.


Shalom!

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Pst Kumuyi Visits Yola 25th July 2016

Come Monday, 25th July, 2016, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, GS of Deeper Life Bible Church, will be in Yola for a wonderful Bible Study.
Prepare to meet this wonderful at Ribadu Squre, Jimeta, by 5:30 PM.
Come and experience the WORD in action.
Be there!

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Are You Ready To Take Risks?

Life is a risk, and those who failed in taking risks risk being a pauper all the days of their lives ~ Lugard Ekhator

Dear friend, just like Joseph who knew that his brethren hated him, but yet damned all the consequences and obeyed his father in checking on their welfare. Anyway, you know the story. Genesis 37:3-36.

He ended becoming a Prime Minister in Egypt, a slave and a sojourner for that matter. All because he took risks. Be afraid of moving ahead and remained where you are perpetually.

God bless you.
Good morning.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

…And Were Not Ashamed: An Advice To Married And Unmarried People Regarding Sexual Affairs

…And Were Not Ashamed: An Advice To Married And Unmarried People Regarding Sexual Affairs

Genesis 2:25 “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

The Holy Bible in Hebrews 13:4 says “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” And in Proverbs 18:22, the Bible equally said “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” From the two scriptures above, we can draw a conclusion on the fact that marriage is a thing of honour when played according to its rules and principles. Marriage is between a man and his wife (singular) without any connotations to plurality in the marriage institution. Therefore, if you are in a marriage that speaks of the man and his wives, you have broken the very essence of marriage because this was NEVER the purpose of God in creation for the man and the woman. So, you have to make urgent
restitution so as to be delivered from the eternal damnation of the souls of all disobedient children. However, this message is NOT addressing this aspect here. 1 Peter 2:8 “And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”

Now, in considering our text above in Genesis 2:25, it is discovered that when a married man and his legal one wife are both naked, which usually played out during sexual intercourse, there is nothing like SHAME in-between them. In other word, it is only your husband and your wife that are allowed to see your total nakedness in sexual relationship and not any other person however close the person might be to you in family relationship. This is the position of God as far as nakedness towards ones’ legal partner is concerned in marriage. Husbands and wives out there, you should therefore handle your nakedness in the presence of your wife and husband with dignity. What is meant for the eyes of your husband and wife only in the secret should never be displayed carelessly outside, because you that made someone to fall into lusts by reason of your seductive appearance in clothing you presented yourself, you shall be one hundred percent guilty just like the person you defiled with your nakedness. Take note. Leviticus 5:17 “And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.”

Having said that, sexual intercourse is the preserved of the legally married couples only, hence the Bible says ‘God will judge whoremongers and adulterers’ Hebrews 13:4. Any act of sexual intercourse outside the marriage union is defilement and you shall surely pay for it. From the foregoing therefore, if you are into boyfriend/girlfriend relationship with sexual intercourse, the judgment of God is awaiting you in the end of your life here on earth, except you repent and stop your wickedness right now. Genesis 34:2 “And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay (have sexual intercourse) with her, and defiled her.”
Again, if you know you married more than one wife as a man, you are an adulterer, and the eternal judgment of God awaits you as well after your departure here on earth. Repent now and send those concubines you called your wives back to their parents’ home so that they can marry their true husbands in order to secure their eternal destination in peace. Ephesians 5:31 “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.”
And as for you legally married couples with one wife, one husband, but yet involves in ‘extra marital’ affairs, what a pity! If as a relation to your work that you have to relocate to another community, town, state, region or country, which has now opened door for your being promiscuous, why not work out your redeployment back to where your partner resides or better still, resign your appointment so as to secure your marital estate with fidelity? You shall NEVER be justified in anyway before God in regards to your unfaithfulness in your marriage union. Amend your ways and repent, else the consequences of your actions in the end would better be imagined than to be experienced. 1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
And as for you prostitutes (women) that are selling your bodies for money and for you men (married and unmarried) sleeping with prostitutes for money to satisfy your sexual lusts, do you people at all know what you are doing? You think you own your body and can decide to use it anyhow you want? You think you can bribe God from sending your soul to hell fire with your filthy wealth made through acts of prostitution? It is better you weren’t given birth to than to die with these wickedness hanging on your neck. You better repent from all your prostitution right now, and beg God to have mercy on your soul. Failure to repent and amend your ways is eternal damnation in hell fire. 1 Corinthians 6:15 “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

The LORD says in Revelation 3:19 that “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Friend, this is both a rebuke and chastisement from the LORD to you. Repent now from all your sexual lusts so that you will escape the eternal damnation of hell fire. Mark 4:23 “If any man/(woman) have ears to hear, let him/(her) hear.”


Shalom!

Friday, July 15, 2016

Islamic Extremism: A Slap On The Religion Of PEACE

Islamic Extremism: A Slap On The Religion Of PEACE

Islam is a religion that pride itself as 'a religion of peace', thereby coating the fact that radicalism and extremism abounds amongst its practitioners, in order to effectively buy the conscience of the opposing faith to accept them because they are termed 'peace loving'.

Please, don't see me here that I am castigating the Islamic faith, no. But to point out the complicity of the leaders in this religion to some extent of aiding and abetting radicalism, extremism and terrorism being practiced by its adherence.

All over the world, every brutal, terrorists and religious attacks is 95 percent tied to the Islamic faith practitioners. From Osama Bin Laden Al-Qadae network, ISIS, Al-Shabaab, to Boko Haram and other pockets of terrorists groups around the world, they ALL subscribed to the Islamic faith. Although there are different segments of belief in Islam as I was made to know, but the near silence and none condemnation being voiced by their leaders to any attack perpetrated by the wicked and devilish force among them calls for concern.

So, if Islam is truly a religion of peace as they always say, let the good practitioners of Islam who believes in peaceful coexistence and the different people around the world be at the forefront not only in condemning the barbaric acts of the extremes among them, but to also be in the front line in leading the security operatives to arrest and exposing the bad eggs among them. Unless and until this is seen from the leadership circle in Islam, their supposed peaceful perception would continue to be at stake.

Therefore, whether it is the killing of the Christian woman preacher in Abuja, the killing of a pastor's wife and a mechanic in Kano, the fulani herdsmen attacks on Benue and Enugu, the Boko Haram massacre of people in the North-east, the just recorded massacre in France, or any other genocide being perpetrated by the Islamic extremists, let the leadership of Islam arise and condemn these evils and wickedness by their followership.

In view of the atrocities daily committed by the Islamic extremists around the world, this recitation therefore aptly fits into the Islamic enclave: All Muslims are NOT terrorists, but ALL TERRORISTS are Muslims.

May the Almighty GOD remove peace from those that abhors peace by their actions and activities in JESUS name. Amen.

God be with us.

Monday, July 4, 2016

The Systematic Islamization Of Nigeria Shall Collapse In Jesus Name Amen

THE SYSTEMATIC ISLAMIZATION OF NIGERIA SHALL COLLAPSE IN JESUS NAME AMEN

Men and brethren,
You may NOT be privy to the underground scheming of the enemies of Nigeria in their ultimate and desperate desire to fulfill the Islamic agenda of islamizing Nigeria, but Our GOD, the Man of WAR Exodus 15:3 is AWARE, and He shall overturn their evil agenda upon their heads in JESUS name. Amen.

Brethren,
You may NOT be aware of the secret military recruitment in the Nigerian armed forces to raise foot soldiers and terrorists by the Islamic movement, so as to unleash terror, pain and death on the opposers of this devilish agenda so that they can oppress and intimidate those on the LORD'S side when they will release their jihadists against the state, but JEHOVAH EL-SHADDAI is very much aware and he will turn the battle against their heads in JESUS name. Amen. 2 Chronicles 20:15 "And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's."

Brothers and sisters,
You may NOT know that your very best friends among the Muslim community has been assigned to kill you when they will release their mad dogs against the state, but OUR GOD THE CONSUMING FIRE Deuteronomy 4:24 know it all, and He will cause your enemies to be consumed before your very eyes in JESUS name. Amen.

Therefore pray and ask GOD to as a matter of urgency to expose, disgrace and destroy by fire all the enemies of Nigeria, secretly promoting the islamization of this country in JESUS name. Amen.
The Bible says "they shall surely gather together" Isaiah 54:15. Therefore every gathering of the wicked conspiring with the outside world to bring Islamic war in Nigeria, scatter by fire in JESUS name. Amen.

Your sworn enemies shall NOT escape in JESUS name. Amen. Job 11:20 "But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost." "Psalms 56:7 "Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God."
But the LORD shall cause you to escape all their traps in JESUS name. Amen. Psalms 124:7" Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped."

Now my dear Muslim friends, staff, colleagues and users of Lugard Data Services,
You have nothing to fear or worry about as long as you don't support the evil and wicked Islamic agenda of the enemies of the LORD and Nigeria, to unleash terror in this land. Therefore, be at peace and it shall be well with you.
BUT, if you in any way support, approve, contribute and pray for the islamization of Nigeria, I urge you to quickly repent, renounce and withdraw your support for this evil agenda now because, the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY will NOT spare any one that rises up against Him and against Nigeria when He will arise to fight for Himself and for His NAME in Nigeria.

Church,
This is a call to prayer. Pray alright, pray in GOD'S will with purity and holiness in your hearts and body, and the LORD shall hear us. 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

GOD bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Despicable Wedding Gowns

Despicable Wedding Gowns

Today, our pastors are the number one promoter and encourager of indecency in the body of Christ, as they approve satanic and ungodly gowns every Saturday in their church's wedding ceremonies.

These pastors that are immensely contributing to the growth of satanic activities in our society today needs to be flogged thoroughly with chains because the damages they are causing the weak and innocent souls in the LORD is unquantifiable.

Pastor, if as a result of becoming popular, or that your church should be termed civilized that caused you to accept these seductive gowns in your church's wedding, you need to flogged.

Pastor, will JESUS CHRIST whom you claimed to serve and represent ever approve this nakedness? Remove Jezebel and her daughters out of the way of the sons and daughters of the Most High GOD.

JESUS warned in Matthew 5:28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Sorry! No Apology To You Gay People

Sorry! No Apology To You Gay People

The Pope of the Catholic church, Francis, the US government, Joel Osteen and other individuals, organizations and governments around the world may have given you gay people hope and courage to continue in your wickedness and foolishness, that there's nothing wrong in your despicable practices.

Well, I point it to you gay person out there that, you are sinning against GOD, and the consequences of your actions is to be visited with the unmixed raw anger of GOD in hell fire when you die as a gay man or woman.

Therefore, if you want to avoid the damnation of your soul in hell fire, repent of your gay practices and give your life to JESUS CHRIST right now, or refuse and land in hell fire when you die.

Gay people all over the world, you have been warned.

Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/26/world/pope-apologize-gays/