#Zechariah the Prophet

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (September 6)

Saint Zechariah, also known as Zechariah the Prophet, was a prophet in the Hebrew Bible and the author of the Book of Zechariah in the Old Testament.

He lived during the 5th century BC. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

Zechariah was the son of a priest named Jehoiada and his wife, Elizabeth.

He was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah.

According to the Bible, Zechariah was a priest of the Temple in Jerusalem during the reign of King Darius of Persia.

He was chosen by God to deliver a message of hope and encouragement to the Israelites, who had recently returned from exile in Babylon.

In his prophecy, Zechariah foretold the coming of the Messiah and the redemption of Israel.

One of the most famous stories about Zechariah is the account of the angel Gabriel visiting him in the Temple to announce that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a son, who would be named John.

This son would later become known as John the Baptist and is considered to be one of the greatest of the prophets.

There is not much historical information about Zechariah's life events — birth and death dates, canonization date, and feast days — as they are not recorded in the Bible.

However, the book of Zechariah is considered one of the most profound and complex books of the Old Testament.

It is still studied and revered by scholars and theologians today.

Zechariah is the last of the Old Testament prophets whose name appears in the New Testament. He is also one of the four prophets mentioned in the Gospel of Luke.

He is an important figure in both Jewish and Christian tradition. As a prophet, he delivered a message of hope and redemption to the Israelites.

Though not much is known about his historical life events, his prophecy in the book of Zechariah is still respected and revered today.

Zechariah is the patron saint of fathers, barristers, notaries, and tailors. He is also invoked against diseases of the eye.

[justana0kguy]

2023 OCTOBER 03 Tuesday

"I too will go to seek the LORD."

~ Zechariah 8:21c

[dwellinginscripture]

ZECHARIAH 9-10: Triumphal Entry

ZECHARIAH 9:1-17  ZECHARIAH 10:1-12  Focus: A little bit of context  The places mentioned by Zechariah are the neighbors and surrounding people groups of Israel.  This list is much like Amos (before the exile).  God addresses the evil in the entire land and points out those who would suffer because of their sinfulness.  Those who do not prioritize God will be punished… Jew and Gentile alike. …

[agreenroad]

HISTORY, LIST OF JERUSALEM/JEWISH TEMPLE DESTRUCTIONS, SIEGES, AND ATTACKS - LIST OF JEWISH PROPHET'S KILLED

OLD TESTAMENT IS FULL OF WARS AND BATTLES AGAINST ISRAELITES, AND THEIR CONTINUAL DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD, RESULTING IN THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION BY THEIR ENEMIES The Old Testament is full of war, battles against the Israelites that worshipped other gods, the God of ISRAEL'S children. Many times the God of Israel sent Prophets to the cities of Israel to warn them of their corruption, but chose not to…

[ultrachoppedpenguinbouquet]

Zechariah

[biblebloodhound]

The Day of the Lord (Zechariah 14:1-9)

Even though people are polarized politically, not on the same page spiritually, and with as many diverse opinions as the grains of sand on a beach, we all seem to agree on one thing: The world is a messed up place.

Art by Larissa Lando A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out…

[thewordfortheday]

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your King is coming to you!” Zechariah 9:9 

Jesus is the King of kings! Prophets heralded the coming king.” The angels in heaven worship Him as the King of kings!  (Revelation 17:14) This great King calls Himself- your King. He's not somewhere in obscurity. He's near you. He cares for all His children. None is neglected. His Spirit is within you, giving you life and strength.

He came humble on a donkey, the first time. But now, He will come again in glory. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that, "Jesus Christ is Lord." Your King is coming. 

You may say I am in a terrible mess. How can I rejoice? James 5:7 says, "Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming." And the next verse goes on to say, that His coming is very near. And, He's with you always. He will never fail you. 

Yes, cheer up! Weep no more. 

[hyperpotamianarch]

Next, I'm going to try and pour out information about Jewish religious literature. To be fair, there are probably way more extensive posts, websites and YouTube videos on this topic, but I chose to talk about it because I've seen some slight misinformation going around. Hope I won't come off as patronizing. Note, I'm writing it to be comprehensible for none-Jews as well as Jews, so I might say a lot of things you already know if you're Jewish.

So, Jewish religious literature can be divided to three main branches: Mikra, Mishnah and Talmud. This is not a completely precise division, nor can it be applied to every Jewish religious book, but it's helpful for the basic books, those considered obligating by Rabbinic Judaism.

Mikra (which, roughly translated from Hebrew, means "something that is read") is the one of those three that is pretty much closed: you can't really write a new Jewish book that'll be considered a part of it. It's also called the Written Torah, and includes the entirety of the Hebrew Bible, AKA Tanakh. In case you're wondering, that includes all books in what Christians call "the Old Testament", only sorted differently and into three categories: Torah - the Pentateuch, Nevi'im (Prophets) - which includes every book named after a person outside of Job, Esther, Daniel, Ezra and Neḥemiah, and in addition to those books includes the books of Judges and Kings, and the Ketuvim (Written texts) - which includes all the rest of the books. The order of the books in the Tanakh is as follows (using their English names for convenience, I don't necessarily stand behind those translations): Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Nevi'im: Joshua, Judges, Samuel (1&2), Kings (1&2), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Twelve Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Naḥum, Ḥabakuk, Zephaniah, Ḥaggai, Zechariah, Malachi). Ketuvim: Psalms, Proverbs, Job (transliteration did a number on this one), the Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra&Neḥemiah, Chronicles (1&2). Overall, there are 24 books in the Hebrew Bible. It is only later divisions, some of which are outright nonsensical, that made the number into 39.

Those books are ones that are considered to be written using some degree of Divine Inspiration or outright prophecy (which doesn't have to do with knowing the future). Common tradition considers the division of the Tanakh to be between three levels of prophecy, of which the Ketuvim were written in the lowest. As the Written Torah, the entirety of these scriptures is meant to be read (and not repeated by heart). There are occasions where there's a difference between the reading tradition and the writing one - but that's another story. The last books in the Tanakh were written around the 5th Century BCE according to tradition, and it was closed to new additions a couple of decades, perhaps a century or two, later.

The other two branches are both considered parts of the Oral Torah, to varying degrees. You see, according to Jewish tradition, Moshe (Moses) got the Torah in Mt. Sinai in two parts: the Written one (which at the time only included the Pentateuch) and the Oral one, which included explanations on how to actually act upon the commandments in the Written Torah, in addition to deduction laws to be used on the Written Torah (at least according to Rambam, AKA Maimonides). Both the Mishnah and the Talmud, at their core, are based on that. But much of the things said there are things clearly said by Sages and Rabbis from the 1st Century CE onward. How does that work, then?

The answer kind of depends who you ask. But the Orthodox way to look at that is usually that people either have old traditions that were passed down to them, or are using the deduction laws given to Moshe at Mt. Sinai. But I guess all that was a digression, so let's get back on topic.

The Mishnah is called that way after the Hebrew word for repetition. It's supposed to be sturdied this way to be memorized, though it mostly exists as written text nowadays. Back in the time it was codified - the Tana'ic era (10-220 CE, approx.), called that way after the Aramaic word for people who memorize through repetition - there were many versions of traditional laws memorized this way. This stemmed from many different people teaching the same laws, and it ended up being a game of Telephone. Also, it probably needs to be said that while I call those "laws" they weren't usually the bottomline Halachic rules, since it included disagreements and multiple opinions.

The end of the Tana'ic era came when one person, Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, composed an authoritative collection of those after studying all the different traditions he knew of. This is what we nowadays call the Mishnah. It's made of 60 tractates- (whisper, whisper Wait, really? Whisper, whisper Huh. All right, then.) I have been informed that the number is actually 63. Who knew? Anyway, those 63 tractates are sorted by topic into 6 orders. Those orders are: Zera'im (seeds, concerns itself with matters related to plants with the odd tractate about liturgy at the start), Mo'ed (occeasion/time, concerns itself with Jewish holidays), Nashim (women, concerns itself with marriage laws in addition to two tractates about oaths and vows), Nezikin (damages, concerns itself with court procedures. Has two miscellaneous tractates that don't make sense there but belong nowhere else), Kodashim (holy things, concerns itself with matters relating to the Temple procedures as well as one tractate about Kashrut and one about heavenly punishments), and Taharot (ritually clean things, I guess? Though this translation is less than accurate. Has to do with - you guessed it - ritual cleanliness). The tractates aren't divided evenly between the orders, and inside of them are sorted by length. The longest tractate is 30 chapters, the shortest is 3. And yes, all of that was supposed to be remembered by heart - possibly only by a number of specific people.

Now, I didn't mention it previously, but there were certain books written that didn't get into the Tanakh - Apocryphal books. Those are not only considered outside the religious canon, but are not to be studied as well - though this might be a little flexible, the bottom line is they can't really be used for anything religious. I'm saying this right now because the same isn't true for Oral traditions that weren't codified in the Mishnah. Some of those were codified in other ways, and can be used to help understand the Mishnah better - which leads us to the Talmud.

Talmud, translated literally from Hebrew, means "study", as in the study of the traditions from the Mishnah. It is a separate book from the Mishanh, but is structured around it. Due to that, there are occasions people will tell you a given quote is from the Talmud when it's actually from the Mishanh - since the Talmud quotes the Mishnah when talking about it. The Talmud usually tries to reason the origin of the opinions in the Mishnah and to delve into the intricacies of those laws: what happens in fringe cases? What about other situations that the Mishnah didn't mention? How does what this specific Tana (rabbi from the Mishnah) says here fits with what he himself said in another place? And such things. The Talmud is, in essence, a recording of centuries of debates and discussions about the Mishnah. Oh, and there are two Talmudim (the plural form of Talmud).

One could say that the Jerusalem Talmud (Yerushalmi) is the equivalent of the oral traditions that didn't get into the Mishnah: it's less studied and considered less obligating than the Babilonian Talmud (Gemara, or Bavli). It still is occasionally quoted and used to study things the Gemara doesn't talk about or doesn't elaborate on. The main difference between the two is where thy were codified - the Yerushalmi is a codification of the study as it was conducted in the land of Israel (mostly in the galillee; the name Yerushalmi is a little misleading), while the Bavli codifies and records the study of Babylon. There's also a different in the language - both are written in Aramaic interladed with Hebrew, but in different dialects. The Yerushalmi was also codified a couple of centuries earlier than the Bavli - the Yerushalmi was codified around 350CE, due to persecutions under the Bizantine empire, while the Bavli was compiled by the 5th century CE.

While those two Talmudim are separate from each other, there is some intersection. Travel between the land of Israel and Babylon wasn't too rare at the time (called Tekufat Ha'Amora'im in Hebrew, the era of the Amora'im. Amora means interpretor or translator in Aramaic), and so you can see rabbis from Babylon mentioned in the Yerushalmi and Rabbis from the land of Israel mentioned in the Bavli. The easiest way to tell the difference is by their title - in Babylon, a rabbi is called "Rav [name]", while in the land of Israel they are called Rabbi. There is a reason to that, but I'm not getting into it yet. In addition, the Bavli regularly talks about how things are done "in the west" - which is the land of Israel, since it's to Babylon's west. As mentioned, the Bavli is the more authoritative of the two, and is the one usually referred to when people say "the Talmud". The Bavli directly discusses 37 of the Mishnah tractates - it nearly doesn't talk at all about the first and last orders of Mishnah. The Yerushalmi, meanwhile, talks extensively about the first one - but has nothing about the next to last one. There are also other tractates missing in the middle for both.

Now, technically the Babylonian Talmud was codified at the end of the Amora'ic era. However, somewhat unlike the Mishnah (well, I'm not being accurate, the Mishnah also has a thing or two that was shoved later), there were still later additions from a time known as the Savora'ic era. Savora is a word that means "a reasoner" in Aramaic, and I probably could've explained how appropriate this name is for them if I'd have studied enough. From what I know, the characteristics of a Talmudic piece from the Savora'ic era is having no names mentioned/having names of known Savora'im mentioned (the latter is a little rare, to my understanding), and reasoning about the language and meaning of words from the Mishnah. the Savora'ic era probably ended at around the 6th-7th century CE.

From that point on, we'll need to more or less abandon the comfortable division I offered earlier, because it's kind of hard to say which book belongs where, besides many books that might technically fall under the same category but be different enough to require their own categories. In addition, from here on out, no book is considered as all-obligating: you can't go against the Talmud in a halachic ruling, but you can go against anything later.

But, since this thing is long enough as it is right now, I think I'll just write a couple of additions about important books I chose not to mention, and then finish it here for now - with the next couple of periods of history of Jewish religious literature left for a future date.

So, the most significant genre of books I've been ignoring are the Midrashim. I mean, sure, I could talk about Apocrypha, or about the Tosefta/Baraitot (oral traditions that didn't get into the Mishnah), but I mentioned those already. The Midrashim, however, are a genre of writing I completely ignored so far.

I think the best way to explain Midrash is that it's a loose interpretation of the Mikra, based on traditions. There are generally two sub-genres for Midrash - Midrash Halachah and Midrash Agadah. The former concerns itself with the law, the latter with the stories and ideas. The books of Midrashei Halachah we have that I can remember are Mechilta (lit. "Including", more or less. On Exodus), Sifra (lit. "Book", from Aramaic. On Leviticus) and Sifrei (lit. "Books", from Aramaic. On Numbers and Deuteronomy). Those are mostly from the Tana'ic era, I think. There are two major books of Midrashei Agadah, both encompassing all of the pentateuch, named Midrash Rabbah and Midrash Tanḥuma. Those are named after specific people, likely the ones who compiled them, and those names indicate they are from the Amora'ic era.

So, to sum it up: 24 books written during the vague time of the Biblical era, codified into the Tanakh at around 300 BCE, with lots of disagreement on the exact date. Oral traditions passed down between generations, including ones clashing with each other and rulings added through the generations, passed around throughout the Tana'ic era (10-220 CE), and codified into 60 tractates of Mishnah by the end of it. In addition, at the same time, some loose interpretations of the Tanakh that have led to the rulings of those oral traditions are written down in the Midrashim. Discussions and elaborations on those oral traditions of the Mishnah as recorded from places of learning in Babylon and the Land of Israel through the Amora'ic era - around 220-500 CE - are recorded in the Talmud, with some additions from around the 6th century CE.

Any inconsistency in spelling and terminology is to be blamed on my unwillingness to go back and edit this. Sorry.

Thank you for reading, have a good day, and I hope to see you for part 2! Once I get an idea about what I'm going to say in it...

[walkswithmyfather]

“Jesus in the Old Testament” By Bible Love Notes:

“Don't miss the wonderful list that shows how God was "whispering" about Jesus in every Old Testament book!”

“After His resurrection, Jesus met two disciples walking to a village called Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). They didn't recognize Jesus, but "beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself" (Luke 24:27).

Christ's redemption was part of God's plan from the beginning (Genesis 3:15). When we recognize this important truth, it enhances our understanding and appreciation of both Old and New Testaments.

Enjoy this list of "whispers" (clues, foreshadowings) that God placed in each Old Testament book, preparing us for the coming of Jesus.

In Genesis Jesus is the Seed of the Woman

Exodus…………………...Our Passover Lamb

Leviticus……………………..Our High Priest

Numbers........Guiding Pillar of Fire and Cloud

Deuteronomy……….The Prophet Like Moses

Joshua………………..The Mighty Conqueror

Judges…...…....………....…...Our Rescuer

Ruth………………...Our Kinsman Redeemer

1 & 2 Samuel……......…..The Seed of David

Kings & Chronicles…….....….Our Mighty King

Ezra & Nehemiah…..Re-builder of Our Broken Walls

Esther………………….....Our Way of Escape

Job……………...Our Hope in Times of Trouble

Psalms…………..…..Our Shepherd and Sacrifice

Proverbs & Ecclesiastes…….…..Our Wisdom

Song of Solomon…Our Lover and Bridegroom

Isaiah…………………...Our Suffering Savior

Jeremiah……………....The Righteous Branch

Lamentations…..…Prophet Who Weeps for Us

Ezekiel………..The Watchman Who Warns Us

Daniel……..The 4th Man in the Fiery Furnace

Hosea………………….Our Faithful Husband

Joel…............Our Baptizer in the Holy Spirit

Amos……………………..Our Burden Bearer

Obadiah……………..The One Mighty to Save

Jonah…………....The Sender of Missionaries

Micah……..The Messenger of the Good News

Nahum………..The Avenger of the Righteous

Habakkuk……....The One Crying for Revival

Zephaniah & Haggai….Giver of Another Chance

Zechariah…….…………...The Pierced Son

Malachi.........Sun of Righteousness w/ Healing in His Wings

As you read through the Bible, remember that you are reading the greatest story ever written—the story of mankind's inexcusable fall and God's Unreasonable Love.

💙💙💙

I did not create this list. I compiled and edited it from various non-copyrighted lists.”

There are a lot of links to devotions on this webpage. Check them out!

[lauralot89]

Named Angels

Fallen angels are not included. Neither are gnostic angels because I'm tired.

Aker: Named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Al-Khidr: Also known as al-Khadir, Khader, Khidr, Hidr, Khizr, Kathir, Khazer, Khadr, Khedher, Khizir, Khizar, or Khilr. The Servant of God whom Moses accompanies in the Quran is identified as Al-Khidr by Islamic scholars.

Ambriel: Ambriel is an angel associated with the month of May.

Arariel: Described in the Talmud as the angel in charge of the waters of the Earth.

Ariel: An angel in Jewish and Christian mysticism. Ariel has dominion over beasts, creative forces, the North, and elemental spirits.

Arphugitonos: Named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Artiya'il: An angel appearing in the hadith. Artiya'il removes grief and anxiety from humans.

Atid: One of two angels in Islamic tradition who records a person's actions. This record is used to confront each person on the Day of Judgment.

Azrael: The angel of death. Azrael is one of the four archangels in Islam.

Beburos: Named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Camael: Also known as Chamuel, Khamuel, Camiel, Cameel and Camniel. One of the twelve Kabbalah angels, Camael is assigned to the fifth sephirah in the tree of life.

Cassiel: Also known as Qafsiel or Qaspiel. In Jewish and Christian mysticism, Cassiel is described by various roles, such as the angel of Saturn the angel of the moon, the angel of tears, and the angel of temperance. Cassiel is sometimes said to preside over the death of young men.

Dobiel: Also known as Dubbiel. Dobiel is the guardian angel of Ancient Persia.

Gabriel: An angel who announces God's will to men. Gabriel is considered in archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Gabriel appears to Daniel to explain his prophetic visions. Gabriel foretold the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and the Annunciation of Jesus to Mary. Gabriel appeared twice to Muhammad. In the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Gabriel lived a mortal life as the prophet Noah. Gabriel was named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Gabuthelon: Named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Haniel: Also known as Hananel, Anael, Hanael or Aniel. Haniel is sometimes listed as one of the seven archangels. In Kabbalah, Haniel is associated with the seventh sephirah.

Jegudiel: Also known as Iehudiel. Jegudiel is one of the seven archangels of the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition. Jegudiel is the patron saint of hard work and leadership and is often depicted holding a whip (as a punishment for sinners) and a crown (as a gift for the righteous).

Jerahmeel: Also known as Jeremiel, Eremiel, or Ieremihel. Jerahmeel is recognized as an archangel in Lutheran, Angelican, and Orthodox traditions. Jerahmeel is said to comfort the righteous dead in the Bosom of Abraham, or to guard heaven with St. Peter.

Jophiel: Also known as Dina, Iophiel, Iofiel, Jofiel, Yofiel, Youfiel, Zophiel, or Zuriel. In Anglican tradition, Jophiel is an archangel and in Kabbalah, Jophiel is associated with the sephirah chokmah. Some sources list Jophiel as the angel who guards the garden of Eden with a flaming sword.

Kalqa'il: Kalqa'il is an Islamic angel who guards the entrance of the fifth heaven.

Lailah: An angel appearing in the Talmud. Lailah is associated with conception, pregnancy, and the night.

Maalik: An Islamic angel of hell. Maalik carries out God's punishment on wrongdoers.

Metatron: Described in the Talmud as the heavenly scribe, Metatron is allowed to sit in the presence of God to record the deeds of Israel. Metatron was mistaken by Elisha ben Abuyah for a deity, and was subsequently lashed 60 times with a fiery rod to demonstrate that the Metatron was an angel and could be punished, unlike a god. In mystic writings, Metatron is the form Enoch took after his ascension. In Islam, Metatron is the angel of the veil and alone knows what lies beyond it.

Michael: Also known as Mika'il or Mikal. The prince of Israel and prince of the Heavenly Host. Michael is regarded as an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition, and is the only angel explicitly identified as an archangel in the Christian Bible. In the book of Daniel, Michael fought the prince of Persia. In Revelation, Michael fought Satan and cast him out of heaven. Michael and Gabriel are the angels said to have shown Muhammad paradise and hell. In Jewish tradition, Michael prevented the sacrifice of Isaac by providing a ram. Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses believe Michael is another name for Jesus in heaven. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints, Michael is the same person as Adam. Michael is named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Moroni: In angel in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Moroni was the guardian of the golden plates from which Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon, and appeared to Smith numerous times.

Muriel: Muriel is a Domination, a class of angel in the second angelic sphere. Muriel is associated with the month of June.

Nuriel: Regarded in some traditions as the same being as the angel Uriel. Nuriel is the angel of hailstorms and commands an army of 500,000 angels made of water and fire.

Pahaliah: Pahaliah is the angel of Redemption. Pahaliah is a throne, an class of angel in the first angelic sphere.

Puriel: Puriel accompanied Abraham on a journey to heaven. Puriel is tasked with examining the souls of those brought to heaven.

Raphael: Known in Islam as Israfel or Israfil. Raphael is regarded as an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. It is believed that Raphael is the angel in the Gospel of John who stirs the pool of Bethesda. In Islam, Raphael will blow the trumpet which signals the Day of Judgment, and the hadith lists him as the angel closest to God. Named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Raqib: One of two angels in Islamic tradition who records a person's actions. This record is used to confront each person on the Day of Judgment.

Raziel: Also known as Gallitsur. Raziel is the angel of secrets and mysteries, and the keeper of all magic. In Kabbalah, Raziel is associated with the sepirah chokmak.

Riḍwan: Also known as Riswan. Riḍwan is an Islamic angel who guards the gates of heaven.

Sabrael: Sabrael is an angel appearing in the apocryphal works the Testament of Solomon and 3 Enoch.

Sachiel: Also known as Sariel, Suriel, Suriyel, Sikhael, Sixael, Satquel, Satquiel, Saquiel, Seriel, Sauriel, Saraqael, Sarakiel, Suruel, Surufel, Souriel, or Sachquiel. Sachiel is a cherub who is associated with charity and wealth.

Sahaquiel: Listed as one of the archangels in the Third Book of Enoch. Sahaquiel is attended by "496,000 myriads of ministering angels."

Samkhiel: An angel of Gehenna, Samkhiel is the angel of destruction. Samkhiel torments the wicked to cleanse their souls and eventually reuinte them with God.

Sandalphon: An archangel in mystical traditions of Judaism and early Christianity. Sandalphon is said to gather prayers and bring them to God. Some sources regard Sandalphon as an angelic ascension of Elijah.

Sarathiel: Also known as Serathiel. Sarathiel is an archangel in the Oriental Orthodox tradition.

Selaphiel: Also known as Sealtiel, Selatiel, or Selathiel. Selaphiel is regarded as an archangel in the Byzantine Catholic and Greek Orthodox traditions. Selaphiel is sometimes viewed as the angel in Revelation who offers people's prayers to God.

Uriel: Also known as Phanuel. Uriel is often depicted as a cherub and is the angel of repentance. Uriel is regarded as an archangel in Russian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Anglican traditions, as well as in Kabbalhah. Named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Uziel: Also known as Usiel. Uziel is an archangel in 3 Enoch.

Yahoel: Also known as Jahoel, Jehoel, or Yaoel. Yahoel is charged with destroying idolators and restraining the Leviathian. Some sources list Yahoel as the chief angel of the Seraphim. Another lists Yahoel as one of the names of Metatron.

Zadkiel: Also known as Hasdiel. In Kabbalah, Zadkiel is an archangel associated with the fourth sephirah.

Zaphkiel: Also known as Tzaphqiel, Tzaphkiel, Zaphchial, Zaphiel, or Zelel. Zaphkiel is the chief angel of the thrones and is regarded in some traditions as the same angel as Raphael.

Zebuleon: Named in the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra as one of the nine angels who will govern at the end of the world.

Zephaniel: Zephaniel is the chief angel of the Ishim in Kabbalah.

Zerachiel: Also known as Zachariel, Zakhariel or Saraqael. An angel who leads souls to judgment and is set over those who "sin in the spirit."

Zotiel: Zotiel is an angel mentioned in the Book of Enoch.

[justana0kguy]

2023 SEPTEMBER 30 Saturday

"Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you."

~ Zechariah 2:14-15a

[dwellinginscripture]

ZECHARIAH 7-8: God's New Thing

ZECHARIAH CHAPTERS 7-8  Read Zechariah 7 | Read Zechariah 8  Focus: A little bit of context  The Jews were observing feasts that they instituted to remember the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.  God desires that the people not commemorate their time of sin, but move forward with proper worship and not man-made contrived fasts.  God desires spiritual worship and worship based on truth; not based on…

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Living His Word

"What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!'" — Zechariah 4:7

Zerubbabel, the leader of the people of Judah, had a great task to perform. After he led the first exiles back from the Babylonian captivity, he was called by God to begin the re-building of the temple in Jerusalem. In the first two years the foundation of the temple was laid, but then work came to a standstill for 17 years because of the disruptive activity of the Samaritan people. Our verse for today is part of a prophetic message Zechariah received from an angel concerning the completion of Zerubbabel's temple project. The angel's message still speaks to us today.

Like Zerubbabel, you may have been called by God to do something in the Kingdom of God and you may have gotten the project off the ground and up and running. Also like Zerubbabel, however, your own personal version of the Samaritan people may have placed a seemingly insurmountable mountain before you and things may have come to a screeching halt. The angel's message to you today is that the mighty mountain is really nothing at all.

Before you, as before Zerubbabel, the mighty mountain will become nothing more than level ground. Although it looks insurmountable, impassible, and immoveable, God himself is with you, and He will help you to overcome. Go forth, continue the project, and complete the task, for the Lord will remove the obstacles, eliminate the difficulties, and overcome the opposition. What seemed impossible will become possible. The project won't succeed because of anyone's might or power, but because of the very Spirit of God (Zechariah 4:6).

Further, the angel's message is that a day is coming when your task will be completed. Then, just as Zerubbabel placed the capstone on the temple, so you will place the finishing touches on the project. Your friends and fellow workers will celebrate with shouts of praise and worship. Because you looked to the Lord in your time of trouble, everything will be fulfilled and you will be blessed.

If you have begun the task God has called you to do, then the message of His angel to you today is to look to Him and go forth and finish the task---for it can only be accomplished by you.

© 2016 by Bible League International

[mental-health-and-jesus]

9-17-2024 | Bible App Their Verse of the Day | Philippians 4:6

‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ Philippians 4:6

#Bible - Verse of the Day | Psalm 56:3

‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.’ Psalm 56:3

Bible App | Luke 1:68-79

Zechariah’s Song 🎵

‘“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past, salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high, to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”’ ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭68‬-‭79‬

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[anaseshaafi]

Can Dua Change Fate? Lessons from Hadith and Quran

In the intricate tapestry of Islamic faith, dua (supplication) holds a significant place. It is a personal plea to Allah, reflecting a believer’s reliance and trust in divine intervention. A question that often arises among Muslims is whether dua can change fate. To explore this, we delve into the lessons from the Hadith and the Quran.

Understanding Fate in Islam

Fate, or Qadr, in Islam, refers to the divine decree. It is the belief that Allah has preordained every event and outcome. However, Islam also teaches that humans have free will, and their actions, prayers, and supplications can influence their destiny within the framework of divine wisdom.

Dua and Its Significance

Dua is a powerful form of worship in Islam. It is not merely a request but an expression of a believer’s dependence on Allah. The Quran and Hadith emphasize the importance and effectiveness of dua. Allah encourages believers to call upon Him, promising that He will respond.

Quranic Perspective on Dua and Fate

The Quran highlights several instances where dua has played a crucial role in changing circumstances. For instance:

1. Prophet Yunus (Jonah): After being swallowed by a whale, Prophet Yunus made a heartfelt dua, acknowledging his mistakes and seeking Allah’s mercy. Allah accepted his supplication and saved him from the depths of the ocean (Quran 21:87-88).

2. Prophet Zakariya (Zechariah): Despite his old age and his wife’s barrenness, Prophet Zakariya prayed for a child. Allah answered his prayer, granting him a son, Yahya (John) (Quran 19:2-10).

These examples illustrate that dua can indeed alter circumstances, demonstrating Allah’s responsiveness to sincere supplications.

Hadith on Dua and Fate

Several Hadith further elucidate the relationship between dua and fate:

1. The Power of Dua: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Nothing can change the Divine decree except dua” (Sunan Ibn Majah). This Hadith indicates that while fate is preordained, dua has the potential to alter its course.

2. Dua as a Shield: Another Hadith states, “Dua benefits in things that have happened and things that have not happened yet. So make dua, O servants of Allah” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi). This suggests that dua serves as a protective measure, influencing both present and future events.

Balancing Fate and Free Will

The interplay between fate and free will is a profound aspect of Islamic theology. While Allah’s knowledge encompasses all events, human beings are granted the agency to make choices and seek divine intervention through dua. This balance is beautifully encapsulated in the Quranic verse: “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves” (Quran 13:11). This verse underscores the importance of human effort and supplication in shaping one’s destiny.

Conclusion

Dua is a testament to a believer’s faith and trust in Allah’s mercy and power. While fate is a divine decree, the teachings from the Quran and Hadith affirm that sincere supplications can influence and change one’s destiny. Through dua, believers are invited to actively engage with their Creator, seeking His help and intervention in every aspect of their lives. Thus, dua is not only a means of communication with Allah but also a profound tool for navigating the complexities of fate and free will.

[blac-samusaran]

Angel Gabriel and Mercury

The word angel derives from the Greek word ‘angelos’ which translates in Hebrew to the word ‘Maľākh’ which means messenger . These messengers often serve as a medium of God to communicate with humans.

A specific Angel that symbolizes Mercury is the Angel Gabriel.

In astrology Angel Gabriel can be depicted as Mercury, the messenger of the Gods. Hermes a messenger God of the Greeks. Thoth for the Egyptians, he wrote the emerald tablet, and emerald is the gem of Mercury.

The Angel Gabriel portrayed in the Bible and the Torah is often as a messenger. He is a celestial messenger of God and is sent to Mary to tell of the news of her conception. He was sent to both Zechariah and Daniel. In Islam Gabriel was sent to numerous pre-Islamic Biblical prophets with revelation and divine injunctions, including Adam, whom Muslims believe was consoled by Gabriel some time after the Fall. He also was the one that told Mohammed about the revelation of God.