Why Josephus?

Christian scholars are well acquainted with the works of Josephus, but he has always posed problems for people like me, the average reader.  The strong point of Josephus' works lies in the fact that he was there and was personally involved in the Jewish rebellion during the Romans' powerful hold on their Empire during Bible-recording times.  He was more a pagan than a Jew.  At the age of nineteen he became a Pharisee then served as a priest until the age of twenty-six at which point he became involved in the Jewish rebellion against the Romans. At twenty-nine, he was the governor of Galilee, a general and an administrator committed to the Jewish cause. He pulled a convenient and traitorous flip-flop when he saw that the Romans would overpower the Jewish rebellion and served the Romans for the rest of his life.

Why am I reading the works of such a fickle recorder?  I want to understand what was going on in biblical times and he seems to be the man with the most accurate history of that period of time. Simultaneously I have returned to the beginning of our Bible to study through Genesis, Job, and now Exodus (the chronological order of the Books).  I am not yet sure which Pharoahs reigned during the 400 years of the Hebrews' enslavement, but this week I will go on that search. As archaeologists are discovering thousands more mummies, some still encased in gold, buried beneath the sand, and are uncovering more tombs that have mostly been stripped of the immense wealth that was buried with the hotshot leaders of that day, the message of Solomon's "Ecclesiastes" settles deeper into my soul: "All is vanity".

Shall we move ahead to the night when the Baby Jesus was born in a filthy manger in an obscure town near Jerusalem?  The blood of countless thousands was spilled regularly, right down the road from his birthplace. There was scarcely any notice given to the murduring of the leaders' own wives, mothers, sons and daughters, or anyone else that stood in the way of their wicked schemes to remain in power. ...and then came the birth of ...a baby Messiah?  ...when millions of terrified people were crying for a strong warrior to come and staunch the blood-letting?  Is it any wonder that Jesus'  message of God's love manifested through His death and resurrection seemed so pitifully inadequate to many?

What will be the next hammer blow that could shake our nation out of its denial?  Think, if you will, of the plagues He permitted with the mighty Egyptians:  one for every god they had worshipped. ...and still Pharoah hardened his heart. Finally we read that "God hardened his heart". Note that God did not "harden his heart" until after Pharoah repeatedly hardened his. We dare not miss the message.
 
Will turning to God only occur in our wealth-hungry country as our blood and the blood of our families, neighbors and friends runs in the streets? Perhaps. Perhaps. Meanwhile, as the Christian philosopher of the last century, Frances Schaefer asked before he went Home:  "How Shall We Then Live?" He predicted that following the acceptance of homosexuality as a celebrated lifestyle, the government-approved killing of unborn babies, then the gradual acceptability of euthanasia (That would mean that I will be murdered, along with millions of American people considered to be old and useless.), America could join the many civilizations that have been judged by our righteous Father and relegated to Godless darkness.

From these pages of history, I rush to Ephesians and wrap around my being the Power and Might of the New Covenant. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God gives LIFE ...and I want to immerse myself in the Life-giving words of  Christ . I want to spill out those words to anyone He sends to me. ...until Jesus lifts me into His tender arms and transports me to my Beautiful Father's Throne. Knowing that He has already "accepted me in the Beloved" and has "seated me in the Heavenlies"  while the soles of my feet are solidly planted on the Promises here on Earth, gives me the will to keep on keeping on.

                        HYMN OF THE WEEK: HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my gracious omnipotent hand".

Love, Jo