Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

1 Bridgeway Bible Dictionary An A to Z of biblical information for the people of today's world Don Fleming Bridgeway . Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Don Fleming 1990, 1999, 2004. First published 1990 as Bridge Bible Directory Reprinted 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997. First published as Bridge Bible Dictionary 1999. First published as Bridgeway Bible Dictionary 2004. ISBN 0 947342 66 4. All Rights Reserved Bridgeway Publications GPO Box 2547. Brisbane 4001. Australia To my wife Gae Preface This book, like most of my books, began life in the Thai language when I lived with my wife and family in Bangkok. The aim was to produce material that would be a credible aid to biblical knowledge, but in an easy-read non-technical style that any Christian could understand.

2 First came a series of mini-commentaries that later appeared in English as the eight-volume Bridge Bible Handbooks (now combined into the one-volume Bridgeway Bible Commentary). Only after a commentary was available on the whole Bible did I think about writing a Bible Dictionary . I am convinced this is the best sequence to follow, not just in publishing but in Bible study in general. We need first to understand the biblical books if we are to have confidence in using material from those books to study biblical topics. The original English title of this book used the word Directory rather than Dictionary , partly to appeal to readers who may not want a book that sounds academic, and partly because the book does not, like a proper' Dictionary , deal with all the words and names in the Bible .

3 But over the years I have found that people refer to the book as a Dictionary anyway, so this edition has changed the title to Bridgeway Bible Dictionary . The bridge' element in the title reflects the aim of all Bridgeway books, which is to bridge two gaps at once the gap between the word of the Bible and the world of today, and the gap between the technical reference works and the ordinary reader. God's Word gives meaning to life, but only if people read and obey it. The trouble is many do not read it as they should, the reason often being that they do not understand it. My desire is that this book will help give the kind of help that will encourage people to read and enjoy the Bible .

4 And when that happens, they will soon find that the Bible has its own way of making itself relevant to them. Don Fleming AARON. From the time Moses set out to free Israel from Egypt, Aaron his brother played an important part in the young nation's development. He remained in a position of influence and responsibility until the day of his death, forty years later (Exod 7:7; Num 33:39). Early developments Although Aaron was three years older than Moses (Exod 7:7), he willingly accepted Moses' supreme leadership of the nation. He became Moses' chief spokesman and personal assistant (Exod 4:10-16; 4:29- 30; 7:1-2,10,19; 8:5,17,25). As Moses grew in confidence, he became less dependent upon Aaron in his public activities (Exod 9:13,22,33).

5 Aaron, however, continued to support Moses, especially in prayer (Exod 17:12). Aaron was one of the privileged few who went with Moses up on to the mountain of God. He was also one of those to whom Moses entrusted the leadership of Israel during his absence (Exod 24:1-2,9,14). Aaron proved to be a weak leader, and was easily persuaded to build an idol as a visible symbol of the invisible God (Exod 32:1-6,21-25). When Moses challenged the faithful to fight against this idolatry, the men of the tribe of Levi responded. God rewarded them by promising that in the new religious order, the Levites would be his chosen religious servants (Exod 32:26-29). Levi was the tribe to which Moses and Aaron belonged (Exod 6:16-20).

6 God had already told Moses that in the new religious order, Aaron and his sons were to be the priests, with Aaron the high priest (Exod 28:1-4). In the generations to follow, although all Levites were to be religious officials, only those of the family of Aaron could be priests (Num 3:3-10; see LEVITE; PRIEST). Troubles along the way In spite of his devoted service to God, Aaron had his disappointments and failures. His two older sons made an offering contrary to the way God had instructed them, and were punished with instant death (Lev 10:1-3). On another occasion, he and his sister Miriam showed some jealousy against Moses because of Moses' supreme position in Israel. When Miriam, who had led the criticism, was punished with leprosy, Aaron confessed his wrong and asked God to heal her (Num 12:1-2,9-12).

7 Just as Aaron had been jealous of Moses' position as supreme leader, so other Levites grew jealous of Aaron's position as high priest (Num 16:1-11). God destroyed the rebels (Num 16:31-35) and sent a plague on the people who had supported them; but Aaron prayed for them and the plague stopped (Num 16:47-48). By the miraculous budding of Aaron's rod, God emphasized afresh that only those of the family of Aaron were to be priests (Num 17:1-11). Moses and Aaron were guilty of disobedience to God when, in anger at the people's constant complaining, they struck the rock at Meribah. God punished them by assuring them that they would never enter the promised land (Num 20:2,10-13). Soon after, when the journeying Israelites reached Mt Hor, Aaron died.

8 Before he died, however, there was a public ceremony to appoint Eleazar, Aaron's eldest surviving son, as the replacement high priest (Num 20:22-29). ABARIM. Bordering the Jordan River on its eastern side was a region that in the south was commonly known as the Plains of Moab. Within this region was a mountainous area known as Abarim, which contained the prominent peak, Mt Nebo. Israel camped on the Plains of Moab while making final preparations to cross Jordan and conquer Canaan. From Mt Nebo Moses viewed the land on the other side of the river before he died (Num 33:47- 48; Deut 32:49; 34:1,7). ABBA. Abba was a common word in the Aramaic and Hebrew languages, and meant father'.

9 It was a warm and informal term used in the everyday language of family life. Jews of Old Testament times never used abba when addressing God, but Jesus used it when praying to his Father (Mark 14:36). The early Christians also addressed God as Abba; for, through Christ, God has adopted believers as his sons and made them joint heirs with Christ of his heavenly inheritance (Rom 8:15-17; Gal 4:5-6; cf. 3:26; see ADOPTION). ABEL. The second son of Adam and Eve, Abel was a keeper of sheep. Like his elder brother Cain, he made an offering to God of things God had given him (Gen 4:1-4). Abel was a righteous man (Matt 23:35), and he offered his sacrifice in a thankful attitude of sincere faith (Gen 4:4; Heb 11:4).

10 Cain was an unrighteous man (1 John 3:12) and offered his sacrifice in the wrong attitude. God therefore rejected his sacrifice (Gen 4:5; for further details see SACRIFICE). In envy and anger, Cain killed Abel (Gen 4:8). But God gave to Adam and Eve another son, Seth, who helped maintain the sort of faith in God that Abel had shown (Gen 4:25-26). ABIATHAR. When Saul ordered the slaughter of Ahimelech and the other priests at Nob, only one person escaped, and that was Ahimelech's son, Abiathar (1 Sam 22:18-20). He joined David and the others who were fleeing from Saul, and acted as priest for them (1 Sam 23:6,9; 30:7). Later, when David became king, Abiathar and another priest, Zadok, became part of David's royal court (2 Sam 8:17).