By: Obed Pineda It is undeniable that one of Israel’s darkest periods in history ran from 606 B.C. to 536 B.C. This obsidian mark on Israel’s timeline is remembered as the years of captivity, or the period of exile. During this time frame of uncertainty and sorrow, the questions haunting…
By: Obed Pineda Upon returning home from a successful campaign against a rival nation, it was customary in the ancient east for the victors to place the treasures looted from the sacked temple into theirs. For the conquerors, this was a display of the dominance exuded by their patron god…
By: Obed Pineda After answering the Macedonian’s plea for help, the apostle Paul arrived in Athens due to the relentless efforts of his adversaries that were persecuting him (cf. Acts 16:6-10, 17:1-16). The inspired Luke recounts that “while Paul waited for them [Silas and Timothy] at Athens, his spirit was…
By: Obed Pineda Four hundred years… from the day that king Solomon dedicated the Temple of the Lord at Jerusalem (cf. 2nd Kings 8), to the arrival of Babylon’s captain of the guard Nebuzaradan who burned it all down (cf. 2nd Kings 25:8-10), four hundred years had transpired. The journals…
By: Obed Pineda When a piece of information is trying to be identified as fact or fiction, consistency is elemental in this endeavor. Take for example the prosecution’s responsibility in a criminal case as it pertains to the burden of proof. Remember that the burden of proof is referring to…
By: Obed Pineda If you are a history enthusiast and are planning to travel to another city, state, or country, it is very likely that visiting a museum is already a part of your itinerary. Indeed, for you, visiting the local museum is like making a trip within your trip.…
By: Obed Pineda Sacred Scripture advocates “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3). This verse from the Psalm demonstrates how greatly having a family was valued by the ancient world. They understood well that children are essential to constructing…
By: Obed Pineda During the second century BC, the ancient kingdom of Lydia was ruled by Eumenes II. On the Cogamus River, 105 miles east from Smyrna, a city was founded upon a terrace 650 feet above the sea, with volcanic cliffs behind it feeding the soil with rich minerals…
By: Obed Pineda Since Eden, man has often struggled with taking responsibility for his actions. This reality is evinced by how prolific mankind has become in the art of self-justification. At Eden, Adam and Eve placed blame on another as an explanation for their “unintentional” disobedience (cf. Genesis 3:11-13). Curiously,…
By: Obed Pineda If you enjoy camping in the woods on a summer evening, then you have undoubtedly been mesmerized before by the intermittent flashes of fireflies filling the night. These nocturnal beetles are able to produce their famed glow through a process called bioluminescence. Lightning bugs have special cells…