Modern Names of Places Mentioned in the Bible

 

First or representative biblical mention.

Assyria                         Iraq                                                 Numerous mentions

Chaldea                       Iraq, Kuwait                                    Jeremiah 50:10; Ezekiel 11:24

Cush/Kush                  Ethiopia and Sudan                         Genesis 2:13

Edom                           Jordan                                             Genesis 25:30

Midian                         Jordan                                             Genesis 25:12-18

Mitzraim/Mizraim     Egypt                                              Genesis 12:10. Mitzraim  מִצְרַיִם is the Hebrew                                      word for Egypt. The English language word Egypt is derived from its Greek                                                 name aiγuptos. The modern Arabic name for the country is Misr مصر. 

Philistia                       Palestine                                         Joshua 13:3; Judges 16:5

Put                              Libya, North Africa, Egypt             Nahum 3:9

Rosh                           southern Russia                               Ezekiel 38:2,8

Scythia                       southern Russia, Ukraine                Ezekiel 38:1 

Jump Through the Fire

 

While preparing a post for this blog on the Metallica song, Jump in the Fire (see 4 December 2024), I came across information about the annual Ivana Kupala (Ivan the Battler/John the Baptist) Festival held in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and the Baltic States on the 6th and 7^th days of each July. While now considered to have Christian meanings, the Ivana Kupala Festival is a continuation of ancient pagan festivals such as the Celtic Beltane. Jumping over the fire seems to represent purity and cleansing. Cattle were often driven between two fires to protect them from disease.

The Ivana Kupala Festival was originally held during the Summer Solstice, but was moved to John the Baptist’s birthday and Christianized/assimilated by church authorities.

During the festival, people dance around, and jump over, roaring campfires. They then bathe in rivers and lakes to purge themselves of their sins, bring themselves good luck, and ensure their good health. Additionally, couples jump through the flames hand-in-hand to ensure that they will have a happy and prosperous marriage.

Many of the female celebrants wear wreaths made from vines, leaves, and flowers and dress in traditional national clothing.

themoscowtimes.com/archive/jumping-through-fire-at-a-slavic-pagan-festival

Jump in the Fire

 

Lyrics: https://genius.com/Metallica-jump-in-the-fire-lyrics

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ll1-yV8YSw

Mustaine, Dave, James Hetfield, and Lars Ulrich, “Jump in the Fire,” 4:40, Kill ‘em All, 20 January, 1984, Megaforce, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ll1-yV8YSw

Metallica is probably the most well-known heavy metal band in history.  One of their concerts held in Moscow, Russia was attended by over one million people. Yes, one million. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W7wqQwa-TU

 

Metallica is sometimes called Satanic due to songs like Jump in the Fire and The God That Failed. The truth is probably that they are agnostic or secular deists; not explicitly anti-Christian or pro-Christian. Their music focuses on dark themes like fear, alienation, despair, drug addiction, death, the end of the world, how unfair life can be, war, continuing the cycle of childhood abuse, personal struggles, corruption, injustice, suicide, disappointment, and anger.

 

James Hetfield, the lead singer, seems to probably be a deistic agnostic. He was raised in a strictly devout Christian Science family. The God That Failed is about the cancer death of Hetrick’s mother, who, as a Christian Scientist, refused all medical treatment. Her faith that proper thinking would correctly align reality around her failed her.

 

The song, Jump in the Fire, is from the band’s first album, Kill ‘Em All (1983). It is told from Satan’s point of view but is not explicitly pro-Satan. It actually aligns with the traditional orthodox view of Satan. He invites the listener to willingly jump into the fire without any hesitation.  

 

The song was written by 16-year-old Dave Mustaine, the original guitarist for the band, and was about sex. After Mustaine was fired by the other members of the band, the song’s lyrics were changed to their current form. Mustaine went on to become the driving force behind the band named Megadeth. He has since become a born-again Christian.

 

Jump in the Fire presents Satan inviting people to jump into the fire. He tells them that they are his prey and that they should “jump by your will or be taken by force. I’ll get you either way.” Like the seductive villain of the Candyman films, he invites people to “Be my victim.” Many people are quite ready to do it.

Another Update on the Karen Shahan Murder Case

The Karen Shahan Murder investigation just continues to become more and more bizarre.  The case has not yet gone to trial so more information will probably follow.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2541359/Pastor-53-arrested-airport-stabbing-wife-death-heading-Europe-marry-boyfriend.html

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/01/richard_shahan_allegations_abo.html

A Christian Composition on the Theremin

“Hosanna” on the Theremin, arranged from the Romanian Othodox liturgy by Benedict Popescu. 

The Theremin was invented by the Russian physicist Lev Sergeyevich Termen (aka: Leon Theremin, b. 1896, Russia – d. 1993).  The instrument is unusual in that it is not touched by the person creating the music.   An electrical field is created between two antennas and the field is distorted by the moving hands of the performer.  One hand controls the amplitude and the other controls the frequency of the created signal.  The signal is amplified and sent to a speaker to produce sound.

The link below is to a secular composition which highlights the abilities of the Theremin.  The other instrument is a Vulcan Harp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRfbWrI03gc

The Vulcan Lute (aka: Vulcan Harp) was created for the original television series, Star Trek.

http://ontd-startrek.livejournal.com/1378268.html?thread=172342492

This link also shows the capabilities of the Theremin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAQChI7Yq-I

The Inuktitut Bible

The Bible has been translated into almost 500 languages.  Last year (2012) saw the completion of the first translation of the entire Bible into Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit people.  Inuit translates into the people. Inukitut is also called Inuktut. The translation was performed by native Inuktitut speakers rather than European or American missionaries.

Rather than being a literal translation, the Inuktitut Bible is based on "functional equivalence."  The Bible uses the nineteenth century syllabic script introduced by the Anglican missionary Edmund Peck.  The script gave a written form to the ancient language.

Religious Place Names

Mecca, Saudi Arabia: The name of this city is believed to have derived from the Arabic word “makorab” (“shrine”).

Benghazi, Libya: This modern name of this city is probably from a local Muslim saint,  Marsa ibn Ghazi.

Baku, Azebiajan: There are several possible origins for this name.  One explains the name as being from Iranian “abad” = “town” plus “ku” = “fire,”  a reference to the existence of a fire worship religion.

Asuncion, Paraguay: Asuncion is Spanish for “Assumption.” The city was founded in 1536 on the day of the Feast of the Assumption.

Arkhangelsk, Russia:  The name means “Archangel.”

Вижу Бога каждый день (I See God Every Day)

This is a Russian Christian song, Вижу Бога каждый день (I See God Every Day), performed at the Slavic Grace Baptist Church in Vancouver, Washington (USA).

248 Lives Discarded as Trash

Vladimir Legoida , Chairman of the Synodal Information  Department of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church has re-affirmed the church’s firm opposition to abortion after 248 fetuses were found in a forest in the Sverdlovsk region..  The fetuses were found, preserved in formaldehyde, in four metal drums dumped beside a highway between Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Tagil.

   

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/248-human-fetuses-found-russian-forest-16842305

This occurred in Russia, but it is not just a Russian problem.  Worldwide, millions of human lives are discarded each year.

Are You Willing to Be Viewed As Strange?

The other day as I was going to work, I saw a clown walking into the Children’s Hospital.  She had on a garishly frilly red, white, blue, and green patchwork quilt dress and a straw hat topped with a large plastic flower.   In her right hand was a small children’s metal Strawberry Shortcake lunchbox.  It was obvious that everyone was noticing her.  How could they not?

The clown was one of the many volunteers who visit the ailing children at Children’s Hospital.  She, like the other clowns, had to overcome her discomfort at drawing attention to herself by appearing in public in ludicrous clothing.  She, at least, would have the comfort of knowing that the people who were looking at her understood why she was doing this.

Christians who strictly adhere to the biblical understanding (worldview) will often be thought to be odd, backward, or unsophisticated when they do not conform to the prevailing customs of their surrounding culture. Sometimes they will be accused of being fools, or worse, “haters.”  As I have stated before, we really are different and they really do not understand.  

Some believers, such as Isaiah, Hosea, John the Baptist, Francis of Assisi, Procopius, Basil Fool for Christ, John the Hairy, Grisha, and many others have carried out seemingly ridiculous actions to draw attention to the faith.  Some, like the Yurodivy (Holy Fools) of Eastern Orthodoxy, have intentionally carried the idea to what many would consider to be extreme.  All of these people have been aware that they are perceived as “strange.”  They value the opinion of the Lord more than they value the opinions of man.

Are you willing to be viewed as strange?  Are you willing to be a Fool for Christ?

“We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.” 1 Corinthians 4:10

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” 1 Corinthians 3:19

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”  1 Corinthians 1:21

What They Think of Us: Mikhail Bakunin

“If God really existed, it would be necessary to abolish him. … the idea of God implies the abdication of human reason and justice.”  Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin (b. 1847, Russia – d. 1876), Russian revolutionary and theorist of collectivist anarchism.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (b. 1870, Russia – d. 1924, aka: Vladimir Lenin) Attorney, Soviet dictator.  Lenin was baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church.  As an adult, he promoted the atheism of his Communist political philosophy.  The name “Lenin” was a pseudonym from the Lena River in Siberia.

Lars von Trier: (b. 1956, Denmark) Controversial filmmaker, film director.  Raised as an atheist, he is now a Roman Catholic.

Johanna Maria Lind Goldschmidt: (b. 1820, Sweden – d. 1887, aka: Jenny Lind, “The Swedish Nightingale.”) Operatic soprano.  She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.  Lutheran.

Margrethe I of Denmark, Ruler of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark: (b. 1353, Denmark – d.1412; aka: Margaret I) Lutheran. 

Honore de Balzac (b. 1799, France – d. 1850) Novelist, playwright.  Roman Catholic.  

A Russian Christian Song

He is Risen

The embalmed, unchanged, undecaying body of Vladimir Lenin (Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, b. 1870, Russia -d. 1924) has lain on display in the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow since his death in 1924. He has achieved a sort of immortality, but he's been dead since 1924 and he's still dead.

Anti-Anglican Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) wrote, in Auto-Icon: or, Farther uses of the dead to the living, a set of detailed instructions for the care and upkeep of his corpse and how it should be presented (seated in a chair). His presentation is a protest against the use of icons in religious ceremonies; an irreligious use of an icon ( a dead body) usually treated with respect and deference. His head did not respond well to the preservation process and was replaced with a wax one. His real, decaying head was placed on the floor between his feet. Jeremy's irreverence was rewarded when his head was frequently stolen, sometimes held for ransom, and once, was used at a soccer practice. His body is on display at University College London, the first college in England not affiliated with the Anglican Church.

Doubters to the contrary, it's a very old lie, Jesus does not lie in a grave. He rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion. The Resurrection is the pivotal event in history. Old Vlad is just a footnote and old headless Jeremy sits in his chair..

St. Vladimir's day

15 July 2009:  St. Vladimir's Day.  Vladimir (956? - 1015) was the first Christian ruler of Russia.