When an iconographer began his work on a unique icon, he looked to the bones of the saint’s husband for help.

FOCCUS Marriage Ministries, a Catholic marriage ministry, invited the priest-iconographer Father Richard Reiser to make an icon of St. Bridget of Sweden, a mystic and the mother of eight. The ministry is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and chose St. Bridget to be the patron saint of its work.

But there was one challenge. According to Reiser, historically there is no established iconographic prototype of an icon of St. Bridget of Sweden.

So using his imagination and every historical source available — including the bones of St. Bridget’s husband — the priest developed an entirely new icon of a saint who has gone without an icon for hundreds of years.

The domestic church​

“For me, iconography is first and foremost a form of prayer,” Reiser said. “The entire creative process is an act of listening to God and allowing the sacred story of a saint or mystery to take shape through layers of contemplation, color, and symbolism.”

The end result was an icon ripe with symbolic meaning — at its heart, marriage and family.

Continued below.

Two U.S. soldiers and one civilian U.S. interpreter were killed in Syria Saturday after they were ambushed by a likely ISIS gunman, U.S. officials said.

The gunman was killed by "partner forces" during a skirmish, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Three other service members were injured during the incident in Palmyra, Syria, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. Two U.S. officials told ABC News the wounded were American.

A Pentagon official told ABC News that Saturday's attack "took place in an area where the Syrian President does not have control."

Her name is Caroline, and is about 11-12 years old She was taken to the emergency room yesterday, because her hand is turning blue, indicating some kind of circulatory problem. She was released, but I am requesting prayer for God's intervention in her life and in the life of her fraternal twin sister, Adeline. They were miracle babies and are peas in a pod in every way. Thankfully, they are getting a Christian education in a Catholic school, but I pray God will establish Himself in their lives as their source for every need, including health, healing, and substance. In Jesus name. Thankyou!

Now after Jesus ascension, has He been fully glorified to His former state before coming to the stable? Before Mary? Fully omnipresent, fully omnipotent and fully omniscient? Isaiah 9:6, Does Jesus know all there is, beyond a million years, the time of His return?

Each of us has our own preference for a form of reasoning we tend to apply in most cases, even in the thinking and living that is a part of our faith.

In the short video below, three comparative modes of reasoning are presented (in very simple terms which may not fully represent the entirety of each mode of reasoning).

Think about which form of reasoning you tend to use or favor the most and then, if you please, answer the poll. Feel free to chat about how you analyze life from that form of reasoning.

Deductive vs Inductive vs Abductive Reasoning​

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Activist is also an associate minister of UCC-affiliated Church of the Open Arms, has Universal Life Church minister credentials

The executive director of a Black Lives Matter chapter in Oklahoma has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering involving millions of dollars in donor funds. Federal prosecutors say she used the money for personal travel, shopping and real estate.

Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, faces 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering for allegedly diverting more than $3.15 million in charitable donations from accounts linked to Black Lives Matter Oklahoma City, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma.

The indictment alleges that from June 2020 to at least October 2025, she transferred bail refund checks into personal bank accounts and used the money for expenses unrelated to the group’s stated mission.

Dickerson began leading BLM OKC in 2016.

Continued below.

New Republican health plan suggestion: Drink bleach!

Senator Endorses Discredited Doctor’s Book on a Chemical He Claims Treats Everything From Autism to Cancer​

Wisconsin's Ron Johnson has a history of spreading vaccine misinformation. Now he's giving credence to assertions about the therapeutic powers of chlorine dioxide, a disinfectant and deodorizer. “It is all lunacy," one expert said.​

He’s promoted disproven treatments for COVID-19 and claimed, without evidence, that athletes are “dropping dead on the field” after getting the COVID-19 vaccination. Now the Wisconsin politician is endorsing a book by a discredited doctor promoting an unproven and dangerous treatment for autism and a host of ailments: chlorine dioxide, a chemical used for disinfecting and bleaching.

The book is “The War on Chlorine Dioxide: The Medicine that Could End Medicine”by Dr. Pierre Kory, a critical care specialist who practiced in Wisconsin hospitals before losing his medical certification for statements advocating using an antiparasite medication to treat COVID-19. The action, he’s said, makes him unemployable, even though he still has a license.

Kory’s book, set to be released to the public in January, argues that word of chlorine dioxide’s effectiveness has been suppressed by government and medical forces that need people to remain perpetually ill to generate large profits.

Johnson confirmed to ProPublica in an email that he authorized the statement on the cover. “After reading the entire book, yes I provided and approved that blurb,” he said.

When I was a young monk in my twenties, Br. Ken’s parents would visit our monastery once a year. I still remember the first time I met his mother in our family's guest house. She was sitting in a rocking chair, gently holding a Rosary. We spoke for about thirty minutes, and I found her to be a lovely, gracious woman. At one point, I asked about her Rosary. She told me that as she grew older, prayer became more important to her, and the Rosary was her constant companion. Most days, she would sit quietly in her living room, slowly reciting its prayers.

Over the years, I’ve noticed this pattern in many older people—men and women alike—who made prayer a priority when they were younger. I once knew a Jewish woman who spent her days repeating the Psalms. Now that I am older, I understand what they were experiencing.

As my energy for engaging with the “outer” world diminishes, my desire to pray and open my heart to God continues to grow. Like Br. Ken’s mother, I find myself craving prayer. The soul breathes when it prays, and as I age, this need to embrace God’s love deepens. My connections with others have also become richer. Years ago, I made Br. Ken’s mother a Rosary with large wooden beads strung on Paracord. She loved it, prayed with it daily, and was buried with it when she passed away.

My recent heart procedure was difficult, yet it brought profound changes and unexpected inner healing. I’m not sure I would want to go through it again, but I know the experience was worth it. It taught me endurance, vulnerability, and the hard truth of mortality. No book could have prepared me for that journey.

Through it all, prayer sustained me. I’ve learned that what feels like God’s absence often hides a deeper experience of His presence. Prayer is not always easy, but the Rosary gives me a starting point—a rhythm and beauty that carries me forward. I pray slowly, because if I rush, the words become mechanical and lose meaning. Others prefer a faster pace, and that works for them. For me, slowness opens the heart.

Prayer also connects me to the world—to every man, woman, and child. It roots me in the present moment, keeping my mind from drifting to the past or future. When I am truly present, even fatigue feels lighter. In the end, prayer helps us adapt to the changes of aging and reminds us how precious each day is. We only have now. Staying rooted in that truth is both a gift and a challenge—and without God’s grace, it reveals our inner poverty.—Br. MD

There are seasons in our walk with God when freedom doesn’t come all at once but unfolds step by step. Sometimes there are several seasons we go through in our lives that are very difficult… one after the other, after the other, where it seems like it will never end. Yet when we look back, we realize He was working in places we didn’t even recognize at the time. This testimony is part of that journey - the story of how the Lord broke my chains and taught me how to live as someone truly free.

Psalm 34:19 (NKJV) “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

For many years it felt like one bondage after the other would bombard my life. I would just be set free from one, and another would come, and another after that. I got to the point in life that I wondered what would come next, and if I would ever be fully set free of the bondage in my life.

Psalm 18:6 (NKJV) “In my distress I called upon the Lord… and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.”

Isaiah 43:2 (NKJV) “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…”

Sometimes that freedom comes suddenly, like a prison door swinging open. Other times it arrives quietly, like dawn slowly pushing back the night. However it comes, the Lord leads us forward teaching us that freedom is not only a moment, but a lifelong walk with Him.

2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV) “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Psalm 30:5 (NKJV) “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

During the years of bondage I was going through in my life, I felt like I was trapped in a cage. The bars on the cage were likened to prison bars. It felt like there was no way out of the bondage I was in. As I moved on in my walk with God, in my heart I saw the “prison walls” fall down from all four corners of my life. God had set me free from every bondage I was ever in.

Psalm 107:14 (NKJV) “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke their chains in pieces.”

Isaiah 61:1 (NKJV) “…He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

After the Lord delivers us, He invites us to learn how to walk as free people.

Freedom is not a feeling - it is a fact established by Christ. But learning to live in that freedom takes trust. It takes daily surrender. It takes choosing to believe what God says about us, even when our emotions tell a different story.

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV) “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free…”

Romans 6:18 (NKJV) “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

For years, shame whispered that I was still the same person I used to be. Old habits tried to convince me that nothing had really changed. But the Holy Spirit kept reminding me of a simple truth:

“If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” - John 8:36 (NKJV)

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2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…”

Romans 8:1 (NKJV) “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”

Freedom became not just something I received - but something I practiced.

Every time an old pattern tried to rise up, the Holy Spirit whispered in my heart, “That’s not who you are anymore.” Every time shame tried to return, He reminded me, “You are forgiven, washed, and made new.” Every time fear tried to creep in, He said, “You are Mine.”

And slowly, the truth settled deep into my spirit: I am no longer defined by what once held me. I am defined by the One who set me free.

If you are walking out your own journey of freedom, take heart. You are not alone. The same God who broke your chains and broke down those “prison walls” will teach you how to walk without them.

One step at a time. One day at a time. One victory at a time.

You are free - and you are learning to live like it.

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) “…He who has begun a good work in you will complete it…”

Psalm 37:23–24 (NKJV) “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord… Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

To the Holy Spirit: Thank You for guiding every word, guarding every step, and glorifying Jesus. All glory, honor, praise, and worship belong to God Almighty, who alone is worthy.

Scripture Acknowledgement: All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version® (NKJV). Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Special thanks to Bible Gateway for providing accessible, searchable Scripture resources that support devotional writing and spiritual study.

May these words echo grace, healing, and truth wherever they are read.

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law an assisted suicide bill that Catholic leaders have ardently opposed.

Pritzker, who met with Pope Leo XIV on Nov. 19, cited “freedom,” “choice,” and “autonomy” as his reasons for signing the bill, which allows doctors to give terminally ill patients life-ending drugs if they request them. According to the law, patients must be mentally capable and have a prognosis of six months or less to live.

Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and other Illinois bishops had urged Pritzker to veto the bill. The Catholic Conference of Illinois, which speaks for the Catholic bishops in the state, condemned the law, calling it a “dangerous and heartbreaking path.”

Other jurisdictions with assisted suicide laws include: California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. The Illinois law, Pritzker said in a Dec. 12 statement, “enables patients faced with debilitating terminal illnesses to make a decision, in consultation with a doctor, that helps them avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of their lives.”

Continued below.

Caritas Lithuania has launched a new support initiative for individuals struggling with pornography addiction, responding to what staff describe as a marked surge in people seeking help as explicit content becomes increasingly unavoidable online.

The program, offered in Lithuanian, English, and German — both in person and remotely — provides counseling not only for those battling compulsive sexual behaviors but also for spouses and family members affected by them.

Caritas workers report a noticeable rise in referrals, with many parish priests now directing individuals in their care to the program, touching upon the growing need for coordinated pastoral and professional support.

Growing demand for help​

Continued below.

A Republican U.S. representative is sponsoring a bill that would require fathers to cover half of pregnancy-related costs for mothers carrying their children.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is sponsoring the Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act, Fox News Digital reported.

The bill would require the father of a child to pay for at least half of out-of-pocket medical expenses involved with pregnancy and delivery. This would become a legal requirement only after the mother puts in a request.

Hinson said she is working to “expand access to maternal care” and to “ensure women have resources throughout pregnancy and beyond.”

Continued below.

Secular dating shows like “The Bachelor,” “Farmer Wants a Wife,” and “Love Is Blind” are among a plethora of programs that aim to bring singles together. But what would it look like to add faith to matchmaking in a dating show? CatholicMatch, one of the first Catholic dating sites, seeks to do just that with the launch of “The Catholic Dating Show.”

Earlier this year, CatholicMatch released a new platform called “Relate.” This platform is meant to bring users together for weekly live, virtual events such as trivia nights, discussions with prominent Catholic speakers, and “The Catholic Dating Show.”

The show has quickly become a fan favorite, bringing in over 600 live viewers through the dating site and even more when it is uploaded to CatholicMatch’s YouTube channel the next day for nonmembers to watch.

Taking place two Saturdays a month, “The Catholic Dating Show” is an hourlong event that features one single woman and three single men. During the first half of the show, the woman asks her suitors questions to get to know them better. The three men also have their cameras off for this part so the woman cannot see them.

Continued below.

D book by Jim Wallice but still seems relevant.



“The beating drum of the book: poverty is a moral issue. This is why the [religious right are "getting it wrong"]Asserting that America has strayed away from God's ideas of equality and rewards, Wallis points out that no matter the quality of their actions, the rich are getting richer and the laborer more destitute. Wallis effectively strips religion away from many positions held by the religious right.

“But at least the Right made the attempt and has reaped the benefits, regardless of whether they should have. The Left, on the other had, "doesn't get it" at all as shying away from "God talk" so as to differentiate themselves from the right divorces them from a past of social movement sparked by faith and morality. Wallis concludes, and I believe rightfully so, that how aggressively secular the Left is leaves those who are religious progressives without a home.”

A more contemporary religious progressive voice is Rev. William Barber II

13 December 2025 – Algeria​

Pray that Christian children and youth in Algeria will have opportunities to remain in their country and to grow and develop in their faith without persecution or discrimination.

12 December 2025 – Algeria​

Pray for freedom of conscience and religious belief for all Algerians, not only in law but also in their minds, hearts, homes and communities. May God’s people have courage to stand up for the truth in this challenging period.

11 December 2025 – Algeria​

Please pray for God’s protection and care for Algerian Christians such as our partner, pastor ‘Yuba’, and his wife and children, who take great risks to stay in Algeria and continue ministering.

10 December 2025 – Algeria​

Pray for wisdom, courage and grace for church leaders as they continue to struggle for legal recognition, freedom and rights for Christians and churches within Algeria. Pray for an end to the relentless hounding of the church by the authorities.

09 December 2025 – Algeria​

Pray for the ongoing court cases involving pastors and other church leaders who have been prosecuted simply for their Christian ministry. May those who have been convicted see their sentences overturned on appeal at the Supreme Court.

08 December 2025 – Algeria​

Please pray for the re-opening of the more than 45 Algerian Protestant churches that have been closed by the Government.

07 December 2025 – Iran​

Pray for work translating the Bible into the many ethnic-minority languages of Iran. In a closed country with no physical churches and where even home groups can be at risk, a believer’s Bible – especially in their indigenous language – is vital.

Was this oil painting the first image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the U.S.? The question may never be answered for certain. Amid the speculation, there is one other piece of the puzzle that should not be missed, however: The arrival of this unique painting in Mother Seton’s chapel, far from Mexico or any knowledge of the events in Guadalupe, was itself something of a miraculous occurrence, a loving response to a woman who had once begged Mary to “adopt me as your child.”

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When it says Jewish it means Judean living in Judah/Judea or of the religion of the Judeans. Also the word Judaism (Judeanism) appears zero times in his complete works. Josephus likely was not Christian so was synagogue of satan religion.

Flavius Josephus (c. AD 37 – c. 100) was a Jewish priest, general, historian, and later a Roman citizen whose writings are among the most important sources for Second Temple Judaism and the world of the New Testament.

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Early life (c. AD 37–66)​

• Born Yosef ben Mattityahu in Jerusalem to a priestly (Hasmonean-linked) family.
• Educated in Jewish law and traditions; claims familiarity with Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.
• By his mid-20s he was recognized for learning and sent on an embassy to Rome (c. AD 64), gaining exposure to imperial power.

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The Jewish War & turning point (AD 66–70)​

• At the outbreak of the First Jewish–Roman War, Josephus was appointed commander in Galilee.
• After the fall of Jotapata, he surrendered to Roman general Vespasian.
• Josephus famously predicted Vespasian’s rise to emperor. When this came true (AD 69), Josephus was spared, freed, and adopted the Roman family name Flavius.

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Life in Rome (after AD 70)​

• Lived under Flavian patronage (Vespasian, Titus, Domitian).
• Received a pension, Roman citizenship, and access to archives.
• Devoted himself to writing history to explain Jewish affairs to Greco-Roman readers and to defend Judaism against slander.

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Major works​

1. The Jewish War(c. AD 75)
   • An eyewitness-style account of the revolt and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (AD 70).
2. Antiquities of the Jews(c. AD 93/94)
   • A sweeping history from Creation to AD 66.
   • Contains the famous passages about John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, and the debated Testimonium Flavianum concerning Jesus.
3. Against Apion
   • A defense of Judaism against Greek critics; argues for the antiquity and reasonableness of Jewish law and Scripture.
4. Life (Vita)
   • An autobiographical defense of his conduct, especially in Galilee.

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Beliefs & reputation​

• Identified with Pharisaic interpretations, yet wrote in a way accessible to Greeks and Romans.
• Controversial figure: viewed by some Jews as a traitor, by others as a survivor-historian whose works preserved invaluable information.
• For Christians, Josephus is crucial as a non-Christian witness to first-century Judaism and figures mentioned in the New Testament.

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Death & legacy​

• Died in Rome around AD 100.
• His writings shape modern understanding of:
  • Second Temple Judaism
  • The background of Jesus and early Christianity
  • The Jewish–Roman War and the fall of Jerusalem

If you’d like, I can walk through Josephus’s references to Jesus and James line by line, or compare his chronology with the Gospels and Acts, or assess how later Christian scribes handled his text.

All this books are free audiobook on youtube or e books online or physical books are sold online.
Here is a clear chronological timeline of the Judean–Roman Wars, consistently using “Judean” rather than “Jewish,” and keeping close to ancient historical framing (Josephus, Roman historians, later sources).

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Background (before AD 66)​

• 63 BC – Pompey the Great captures Jerusalem; Judea becomes a Roman client state.
• 37–4 BC – Reign of Herod the Great (Roman-backed king).
• AD 6 – Judea becomes a Roman province under direct rule; census of Quirinius sparks unrest.
• AD 40s–60s – Growing tension: taxation, Roman governors, priestly disputes, sectarian conflict, and messianic expectations.

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First Judean–Roman War (AD 66–73)​

(Also called the Great Revolt)

Outbreak​

• AD 66
  • Revolt begins in Jerusalem after abuses by the Roman procurator Gessius Florus.
  • Judeans defeat Roman forces at Beth Horon.
  • Roman legate Cestius Gallus retreats in defeat.

Roman counteroffensive​

• AD 67
  • Vespasian and his son Titus invade Judea.
  • Galilee falls (including Jotapata).
  • Josephus is captured.
• AD 68
  • Romans consolidate control of Judea outside Jerusalem.
  • Roman civil war begins after Nero’s death.

Fall of Jerusalem​

• AD 69
  • Vespasian becomes emperor.
  • Titus takes command of the Judean campaign.
• AD 70
  • Siege and destruction of Jerusalem.
  • Second Temple destroyed (month of Av).
  • Massive loss of life; captives taken to Rome.

Final resistance​

• AD 73
  • Masada falls to Roman forces.
  • End of the First Judean–Roman War.
    

Below is a chronological timeline of the Zealot movement, beginning in AD 6, using ancient categories and sources (Josephus foremost). I’ll distinguish Zealots proper from the closely related Sicarii, since Josephus sometimes separates them.

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Origins (AD 6–30)​

AD 6​

• Census of Quirinius when Judea becomes a Roman province.
• Judas the Galilean and Zadok the Pharisee lead resistance.
• Josephus calls this the “Fourth Philosophy” (besides Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes).
• Core ideology formed:
  • God alone is ruler
  • No tribute to Rome
  • Death preferable to slavery
• This is the birth of the Zealot ideology, though not yet a mass movement.

AD 6–30​

• Movement survives underground.
• Periodic unrest and sporadic violence.
• Leaders and followers are executed or dispersed.
• Ideology continues to spread quietly, especially in Galilee and Judea.

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Radicalization (AD 30–50)​

AD 30s​

• Roman crucifixions increase.
• Banditry (lēstai in Josephus) becomes more frequent — often ideological rather than criminal.
• Zealot ideas blend with messianic expectations.

AD 40s​

• Sons and followers of Judas the Galilean continue agitation.
• Roman procurators respond harshly.
• Seeds of organized revolt are forming, but no unified command yet.

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Rise of the Sicarii (AD 50–66)​

Early AD 50s​

• Emergence of the Sicarii (“dagger-men”).
• Assassinate collaborators in public places, especially Jerusalem festivals.
• Josephus treats them as an extreme wing of the Zealot cause.

AD 52–60​

• Sicarii active under procurators Felix and Festus.
• High priests, elites, and Roman sympathizers targeted.
• Popular fear spreads in Jerusalem.

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Open Revolt & Zealot Rule (AD 66–70)​

AD 66​

• Outbreak of the First Judean–Roman War.
• Zealots seize Jerusalem.
• Roman garrison massacred.
• Temple authorities overthrown.

AD 67​

• Zealot factions dominate Jerusalem.
• Moderate Judean leaders executed.
• Internal violence increases.
• John of Gischala emerges as a major Zealot leader.

AD 68​

• Zealots and Sicarii intensify terror.
• High priesthood corrupted and politicized.
• Civil war inside Jerusalem between rival Zealot factions.

AD 69​

• Simon bar Giora enters Jerusalem with his own armed followers.
• Three-way civil war inside the city:
  • John of Gischala
  • Simon bar Giora
  • Eleazar ben Simon
• Temple precinct becomes a battlefield.

AD 70​

• Roman siege under Titus.
• Zealot infighting continues during the siege.
• Second Temple destroyed.
• Zealot leadership annihilated or captured.
• Simon bar Giora paraded and executed in Rome.

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Final Resistance (AD 70–73)​

AD 70–73​

• Remaining Sicarii retreat to Masada.
• Conduct raids on nearby Judean settlements.
• Roman siege under Flavius Silva.

AD 73​

• Fall of Masada.
• Mass death of defenders (as reported by Josephus).
• End of organized Zealot resistance.

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Aftermath & Legacy​

Post-AD 73​

• Zealot movement ceases as an organized force.
• Roman repression eliminates ideological militancy in Judea.
• Memory of the Zealots preserved largely through Josephus, often negatively.
• Later rabbinic tradition views Zealot extremism as contributing to the Temple’s destruction.

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Summary Timeline (Compressed)​

• AD 6 – Judas the Galilean; Zealot ideology founded
• AD 6–50 – Underground resistance
• AD 50s – Sicarii assassinations
• AD 66 – Revolt begins; Zealots seize Jerusalem
• AD 67–69 – Zealot rule and civil war
• AD 70 – Jerusalem and Temple destroyed
• AD 73 – Masada falls; movement ends

Judean Zealot Sects around AD 70​

By the time of the siege of Jerusalem, the “Zealots” were not a single unified group, but multiple militant sects and warbands, often violently opposed to one another.

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1. The Zealots Proper (Temple Zealots)​

Identity​

• Core ideological heirs of Judas the Galilean (AD 6).
• Saw themselves as guardians of God’s kingship.
• Centered on Jerusalem and the Temple.
• Claimed legitimacy through zeal for the Law (qanah).

Beliefs​

• God alone is ruler; no foreign lord may reign.
• Armed resistance is a religious duty.
• Death preferable to submission.
• Temple purity more important than political compromise.

Base​

• Temple precincts (inner courts).
• Jerusalem aristocracy purged.

Leader​

Eleazar ben Simon​

• Son of Simon (possibly Simon the Zealot mentioned earlier by Josephus).
• Controlled the inner Temple.
• Zealously guarded sacrifices and access.
• Eventually fought other Zealot factions inside the Temple itself.

Fate​

• Crushed during Roman siege.
• Temple burned while they still occupied it.

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2. John of Gischala’s Zealot Faction​

Identity​

• Militarized Galilean Zealot group.
• Less priestly, more political and opportunistic.
• Used Zealot ideology but sought personal dominance.

Beliefs​

• Zeal for freedom, but flexible with violence.
• Willing to manipulate Temple institutions.
• Less concerned with ritual purity than power.

Base​

• Originally Galilee.
• Later controlled much of Jerusalem, including outer Temple courts.

Leader​

John of Gischala​

• Charismatic, ruthless, highly intelligent.
• Former Galilean commander.
• Rival of Josephus.
• Entered Jerusalem under pretense of defending the city.
• Controlled large armed forces and supplies.

Actions​

• Fought Eleazar ben Simon.
• Burned rival food stores, worsening famine.
• Eventually fought Simon bar Giora.

Fate​

• Captured alive by Romans.
• Imprisoned for life.

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3. Simon bar Giora’s Movement​

Identity​

• A mass-based revolutionary warlord, not a Temple priest.
• Represented rural and lower-class Judeans.
• Closest to a popular messianic kingship model.

Beliefs​

• Judea must be freed entirely.
• Strong anti-elite and anti-aristocracy stance.
• More openly royalist/messianic in tone.

Base​

• Countryside of Judea.
• Later controlled Upper City of Jerusalem.

Leader​

Simon bar Giora​

• Towering physical presence (per Josephus).
• Styled himself as king.
• Issued orders like a sovereign ruler.
• Wore royal garments during final defense.

Actions​

• Brought tens of thousands into Jerusalem.
• Fought both John of Gischala and Eleazar ben Simon.
• Controlled executions and food distribution.

Fate​

• Captured after Jerusalem fell.
• Paraded in Titus’ triumph in Rome.
• Executed publicly.

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4. The Sicarii (Extreme Zealots)​

Identity​

• Most radical Zealot sect.
• Named after the sica (dagger).
• Specialized in assassination and terror.

Beliefs​

• Total rejection of compromise.
• Willing to kill Judeans viewed as collaborators.
• Hostile even to other Zealots.

Base​

• Initially Jerusalem crowds.
• Later Masada.

Leader​

Eleazar ben Jair​

• Descendant of Judas the Galilean.
• Ideological purist.
• Rejected alliances with other Judean factions.

Actions​

• Public assassinations during festivals.
• Kidnappings and forced allegiance.
• After AD 70, raided Judean villages.

Fate​

• Last stand at Masada (AD 73).
• Mass death of defenders ends Sicarii resistance.

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5. Zealot-aligned Prophets & Messianic Figures​

Identity​

• Not formal commanders.
• Charismatic religious leaders.
• Promised divine intervention.

Beliefs​

• God would intervene visibly.
• Signs and wonders imminent.
• Jerusalem would not fall.

Role​

• Encouraged resistance during siege.
• Led crowds into fatal confrontations.
• Undermined rational defense.

Josephus’ View​

• Sees them as false prophets, but admits their influence was enormous.

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Internal Conflict (Critical Factor)​

By AD 69–70, Jerusalem was divided:

• Civil war during siege
• Food stores destroyed
• Thousands killed by fellow Judeans
• Romans exploited divisions

Josephus explicitly states more Judeans died by Judean hands than Roman ones during this phase.

2 Esdras/4 Ezra genealogies compared to protestant Ezra

4. Key Observations (important)​

1. Same priestly line​

Both genealogies trace Ezra/Esdras directly to Aaron through Eleazar, not Ithamar — the high-priestly line.

2. 2 Esdras is longer​

2 Esdras includes additional names (e.g., Achias, Heli) that are absent from Ezra 7.

This fits your earlier assumption:

• Biblical genealogies are selective, not exhaustive
• Later writers may compress, earlier or alternative traditions may expand

3. No contradiction​

There is no direct conflict:

• Same core names
• Same order
• Same endpoint (Aaron)
• Differences are additive, not contradictory

4. Matches Second Temple expectations​

Expanded priestly genealogies are common in:

• Chronicles
• Jubilees
• 2 Esdras
• Qumran priestly lists

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5. Bottom Line​

• 2 Esdras preserves a fuller priestly genealogy
• Ezra 7 gives a compressed, official version
• Both trace Ezra/Esdras legitimately to Aaron through Eleazar
• The differences strengthen, not weaken, the historical claim under an ancient worldview
  
  
  Protestant Ezra internally is written in the 7th year of Artaxerxes which is 457 BC. 2 Esdras internally is written 30 years after the destruction of Jerusalem 587 BC therefore 557 BC, and another section says during the reign of Artaxerxes but he does not say what year. Assuming the same time as protestant Ezra then that is 457 BC. If Ezra was 20 when he wrote the first section it means he lived to around 120 years, and wrote the last section as a very old man. The talmud which is jewish fables 1 titus 14 says Ezra lived to 120. It seems like that is one of the rare instances where the talmud preserves a historical truth.

The 430 vs 215 years in Egypt question comes down to how Exodus 12:40–41 is read and which textual tradition you follow, and it also ties directly into Paul’s statement in Galatians 3:17.


I’ll lay it out cleanly and chronologically.

---

1. The Two Positions​

Option A: 430 years in Egypt​

View: Israel lived in Egypt for the full 430 years.


Text used:
Masoretic Text (MT) – Exodus 12:40

“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.”

Click to expand...

Implication:

• Jacob enters Egypt → 430 years later → Exodus
• This requires very compressed genealogies (e.g., Levi → Kohath → Amram → Moses covering 430 years)

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Option B: 215 years in Egypt​

View: The 430 years covers the entire period from Abraham to the Exodus, not Egypt alone.
Actual time in Egypt = 215 years.


Texts used:

• Septuagint (LXX) – Exodus 12:40
• Samaritan Pentateuch
• Paul (Galatians 3:17)

LXX reads:

“The sojourning of the children of Israel, which they sojourned in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, was four hundred and thirty years.”

Click to expand...

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2. Paul Settles the Timeline (Galatians 3:17)​

Paul says:

“The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul the covenant previously confirmed by God.”

Click to expand...

This refers to:

• Covenant with Abraham → 430 years → Law at Sinai

That cannot fit 430 years only in Egypt, because:

• Abraham lived long before Jacob entered Egypt
• Isaac and Jacob are clearly inside the 430-year span Paul is counting

Therefore, Paul assumes 430 years total, not Egypt-only.

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3. Chronological Breakdown (215-year Egypt model)​

Using Genesis data:



This matches:

• Paul
• LXX
• Samaritan Pentateuch
• Normal human lifespans
• Uncompressed genealogies

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4. Genealogical Evidence​

Levi → Moses line:​

• Levi
• Kohath
• Amram
• Moses

Even with maximum lifespans, these cannot span 430 years naturally.
They fit perfectly into ~215 years.

---

5. Why the Masoretic Text Reads Differently​

The MT:

• Omits “and in the land of Canaan”
• Likely reflects later rabbinic tradition
• Creates tension with:
  • Paul
  • Genesis chronology
  • Genealogies

Notably:

• All pre-Christian witnesses (LXX, Samaritan) preserve the longer reading.

---

6. Conclusion​

Biblically and chronologically:

• 430 years = from Abraham’s covenant to the Exodus
• 215 years = actual time Israel lived in Egypt

This is:

• The view assumed by Paul
• The view preserved in the LXX
• The only view that harmonizes Genesis, Exodus, and Galatians

1. Anchor Date: The Exodus​

Using the biblical internal chronology (1 Kings 6:1):

Exodus → 480 years → 4th year of Solomon

Click to expand...

Solomon’s 4th year is widely dated to 966 BC.


So:

• Exodus = 1446 BC

(This is the standard early-Exodus date used in conservative biblical chronology.)

---

2. Abraham to the Exodus (430 years total)​

Paul (Gal 3:17) places 430 years from the Abrahamic covenant to the Law at Sinai.


So:

• Abraham enters Canaan (Gen 12) = 1876 BC
• Exodus = 1446 BC

1876 − 1446 = 430 years

Anchor​

• Exodus: 1446 BC

Abraham​

• Abraham enters Canaan (age 75): 1446 + 430 = 1876 BC
• Abraham born (75 years earlier): 1876 + 75 = 1951 BC

Isaac​

• Isaac born (Abraham age 100): 1876 + 25 = 1851 BC

Jacob​

• Jacob born (Isaac age 60): 1851 + 60 = 1791 BC

Jacob enters Egypt​

• Jacob enters Egypt (age 130): 1791 + 130 = 1661 BC

Time in Egypt​

• Israel enters Egypt: 1661 BC
• Exodus: 1446 BC
• Time in Egypt: 1661 − 1446 = 215 years ✅

So the corrected statement is:


215 years in Egypt = 1661 BC to 1446 BC,

I had a dream or vision where I saw a demon or fallen angel that was attacking me get bound and then chained in this bottomless pit place. In this bottomless pit place there was a hole without end and fire and the monster was bound with great chains. It went from looking like a familiar person when it was attacking and oppressing me to a hidious reptilian creature when it was bound. I had been praying to the Lord to deliver me from oppression in my waking life and then had this dream the following night. The monster was so afraid looking and it was terrified when it was being bound. I never saw who was defeating the monster I only saw snapshots and the after affects but it was as real as my waking life. I don't know why I always have had these vivid dreams but this is the first time I have ever prayed the day before I went to sleep and this happened that I can remember. Usually they are completely random. I don't like talking about this kind of thing but this was very unusual and I wonder if the Lord was revealing how he answers our prayers and defeats the enemy regarding spiritual warfare?

We live in a day and age today when many profess faith in Jesus Christ with their lips, but their hearts are far from him, and when many who profess Jesus as Lord of their lives are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” out to destroy the sheep of our Lord’s pasture. Many who stand before the congregations of the people are charlatans (impostors, pretenders, con artists, and swindlers) whose goal is not to lead people to genuine faith in Jesus Christ, but to lead them away from Christ while pretending to lead them to salvation from sin.

They, like Herod, are not really interested in getting to know Jesus Christ so that they can worship him, but so that they can trick and deceive the people into believing that they can have salvation from sin and eternal life with God in heaven without them having to die to sin and to walk in obedience to our Lord’s New Covenant commands. And they are very good at smooth talking and charming the people and saying what sounds good to itching ears. And so many people are, thus, following their lies all the way straight to hell.

For they lead them on an empty path to nowhere which is not connected to the vine, Jesus Christ. It is not connected to the power source, and so those who travel this path end up returning to the same habitual sinful patterns as they had before they professed faith in Jesus Christ. So they just keep recycling the same behaviors over again because the path they are on is the broad road which leads to destruction, and not the narrow path which leads to eternal life. For the narrow way requires death to sin and obeying God.

The magi, nonetheless, were sincere in their search for Jesus Christ, and in their desire to worship him, in truth. So they sought after him in full sincerity of heart and mind, eager to find him that they might worship him. And they did find him in a house with his mother Mary, and it is presumed that he was about two years old by this time. And they brought him gifts. But, having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way which led them home (vv 9-12).

And God is presently warning many people not to return to the “Herods” of this world who, in truth, are out to destroy Jesus Christ and his plan of salvation (the gospel) but while pretending to want to worship Christ. So he is sending out warnings through the teachings of the Scriptures to let the people know that many of them are being lied to and deceived into believing that their sins no longer matter to God and so they can keep on in their habitual sins while still claiming heaven as their eternal destiny.

But Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

So, know the truth of the gospel, and don’t return to the “Herods,” i.e. to the charlatans of this world who are out to destroy Jesus Christ and his gospel message. They may appear sincere in their desire to worship Christ, but looks can be deceiving. Seek Jesus out for yourselves, and let his Word teach you the truth of the Scriptures. But read the Scriptures in their correct biblical context. And don’t rely on other humans to tell you the truth, for liars are all over the place. And seek the Lord in truth, and he’ll be found.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Mary, Did You Know?

Songwriters: Greene Lee Rufus / Lowry Mark Alan

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
That sleeping child you're
Holding is the great, I Am

Mary, did you know?

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We’ve Come to Worship Him
An Original Work / December 13, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Put some fire in that life of yours for some amazing outcomes!

*A man can be short, dumpy, and getting bald, but if he has fire, women will like him. -Mae West

E = mc2... Or divided... Mass (m) = Fire (E/c2)...

Natural E/c2 - All mass is basically cooled plasma
Mental E/c2 - Mentally, A mathematical formula, but this has chemical and spiritual properties as well.
Spiritual E/c2 - E (motivation, warmth, love) / c2 (faith, hope, charity, joy)

I have my favorites. My mother liked secular ones. Her favorite was The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. Santa isn't Christmas to me. I have two favorites, based on lyrics not tunes: Hark the Herald Angels Sing and O Come, All Ye Faithful.

I just finished watching "Wake Up Dead Man", the third movie in the Knives Out series. It's a complicated murder mystery, which I won't spoil by discussing any plot details here. But what caught my attention most about the movie is that, in the character of Father Jud (a Catholic priest), we see one of the most accurate portrayals of the Christian faith at its best that I've ever seen on screen.

Most often, movies don't even address religion. If they do, it's often generically bland; or, worse, the religious dialogue is clumsy, and the religious characters are flat caricatures. Only rarely have I seen Christian characters portrayed with a faith that resembles my own and dialogue that sounds like Christians I know in real life. This is one of those rare movies. I recommend it, for that reason.

Also, it's a good murder mystery.

I dreamed I was in a large church building. I didn't know the people there well, and was new. It felt as if I was accepted as part of this group of believers, and they expected me to to participate through service.

I was going around different parts of the building, helping out in various ways and hoping they would feel I was useful and productive. No one really talked with me directly, and it felt like even though I was there taking part, I wasn't really one of them and they didn't view me as someone who belonged, just someone to receive service from.

It was announced that Jesus was there and would be staying for a while. He wouldn't be preaching or performing miracles. He was only going to be counseling and teaching people privately, one on one. He had space He was using in an office or classroom that looked like it had been turned into a small, cozy library. The lighting was dim with a warm glow, sufficient for seeing but not overstimulating (which is something I really need in my real life because light causes overstimulation for me which eventually leads to stress headaches). There wasn't much furniture in there, and it was low to the ground, but it was comfortable.

Everyone had to sign up for a time for teaching or counseling and could only have small sessions with Him. As I was working around the building, I noticed a man came out of the room, and left the door open. I could see Jesus in there, and He was just calmly and peacefully waiting for someone else to come in. He seemed to be meditating.

I went in the room because I needed to put something away in there. I spoke to him briefly to be polite and hoped he wouldn't be bothered by me entering. He didn't seem disturbed at all and it seemed like He had a welcoming attitude. I didn't want to leave the room. I wanted to stay in there and wanted Him to talk to me. I asked if we could talk a little even though I didn't have a session scheduled. He said yes. I felt moved that He was willing to lay aside his mediation and give me time. He picked up a book, and He meant to teach from it but I wasn't sure if the teaching was for me or others.

I sat and waited for him to speak. He didn't. I realized He wanted me to ask Him questions or talk with Him about things I struggle with. I didn't want to. I began to feel numb and my mind was going blank about details of my life.

I didn't want to explain the difficult things or get deep into the emotional topics. It felt like too much, and I'm tired of talking about it and explaining things (both in my dream and in real life). I just kept hoping He would say something. I worried I was wasting His time and that others would think that. I was also worried they would disapprove of me spending time with Jesus and working through issues instead of serving. He only stayed quiet and waited. He had a patient and kind demeanor. He never opened the book He was holding or mentioned it.

After a while, I felt like it was pointless to continue sitting there with no conversation. I got up and walked out. I walked away thinking and hoping that He would be willing to listen when I felt ready, maybe a little at a time. I felt lonely when I left and didn't want to be out of His presence. I worried that I wouldn't be able to go in and talk with Him again. He was still sitting and He was watching me though the door. I walked away because I was supposed to be busy doing things.