Faithful Writers

“But there was a famine in the land, so Avram went down into Egypt to stay there, because the famine in the land was severe.” Genesis 12:10 In the closing paragraph of Chapter 12, we are shown that even Abraham, the father of our faith, is capable of succumbing to worry and temptation when external circumstances appear severe and troublesome. The narration states that there was a famine in the land, and given its severity, we are told that Abram fled from the promised land to Egypt. This was an unworthy action because he should have trusted in God’s protection. In the Scriptures, Egypt symbolizes the world that the true follower of God is to stay away from. Egypt ALWAYS indicates slavery to the devil in the Bible. One of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of our time, Maimonides ( otherwise known as Ramban ) offered the following concerning Abraham’s decision to journey to Egypt. “The patriarch “committed a great sin inadvertently” by not trusting in God’s protection, leaving the promised land, and subjecting his righteous wife to the possibility of sexual victimization.” One mishap leads to another as Abram ends up fibbing to the Pharaoh about the true identity of his wife, Sarai, fearing that a jealous Pharaoh might have him killed on account of his wife’s beauty ( by the way, Sarai would have been about 75 years old at this time ). However, Abram’s plan backfires as the very fib he offers up becomes the very reason Pharaoh attempts to court Sarai. Nevertheless, despite Abram’s less-than-commendable actions, the Lord intervenes on his behalf and smites Pharaoh and his household with as the Scriptures say “ mighty plagues ." In the end, Abraham prospers greatly and ends up leaving with an enormous number of animals and servants. This would have been a customary bride’s price paid by the Pharaoh at the time. One point we shouldn’t miss is that right here, a pattern is established between how Israel will interact with Egypt in the future. Abraham has a scuffle with Pharaoh. God smites Egypt with mighty plagues. Abraham leaves Egypt with great wealth. There is no doubt that this event foreshadows Moses and the Exodus. © Richoka

Abraham held a great feast in celebration of Isaac’s birth. However, all wasn’t well in the neighborhood. Undoubtedly, the birth of Isaac resulted in an instant diminishing of Ishmael’s status and his mother, Hagar. We are told that Ishmael was taunting the toddler, Isaac. Sarah responded instantly. She went to her husband and insisted that the two be banished from the clan. This request no doubt caused Abraham much grief because, as was mentioned before, Abraham loved his firstborn son, Ishmael, greatly. Nevertheless, God commands Abraham to listen to Sarah and consoles him by assuring Abraham that Ishmael would not be without blessing. There is a very important legal reason why God assured Abraham that Ishmael would be blessed. According to the law codes of that era, known as the Law of Lipit-Ishtar, it was Abraham’s prerogative to deny or accept Ishmael as the sole inheritor of his estate. Even though Ishmael’s mother Hagar, was owned by Sarah, Sarah only had the right to banish Hagar out of the clan. She couldn’t order Ishmael out without first getting Abraham’s permission. Here is excerpt 25 from this ancient legal code. If a man married his wife and she bore him children, and those children are living, and a slave also bore children for her master, but the father granted freedom to the slave and her children, the children of the slave shall not divide the estate with the children of their former master. It seems like Ishmael was already on track to become the heir-apparent of the clan. As such, he would have received the firstborn portion of Abraham’s wealth… And if this happened regardless of whether Ishmael’s mother Hagar, was banished or not, she would have benefited tremendously from the financial windfall her son Ishmael would have received from his father’s inheritance. Nevertheless, due to God’s decision, it was not to be. God told Abraham to comply with Sarah’s request that the two be kicked out of the clan… And at the blink of an eye, Ishmael’s inheritance went from great wealth to zero. However, God in His grace promised to supply the earthly inheritance that had just been taken from Ishmael. And that is exactly what happened. Ishmael became a great nation and, in the final analysis, received just as much wealth, if not more than Isaac. However, the inheritor of the covenant promises would stay with Isaac. That is the one thing Ishmael could not have. © Richoka

A heartfelt response from someone whose been around that mountain (more than once) Ever feel tired of trying to “be spiritual”? I sure have. I mean, we’re middle-aged now (or past), right? We’ve been at this faith thing a good bit, and sometimes it just feels like we’re faking it. Like you’re sitting in church thinking, Am I the only one here feeling absolutely nothing? I’ve been there. Done that. I’ll pick up my Bible out of habit, glance at it, and put it right back down. Not because I don’t believe anymore. I’m just dry, like someone drained my spiritual tank while I wasn’t looking. Have you ever felt that way? Are you feeling that way right now? I have some things I’ve learned that lifts me up when I’m down. I hope they’ll help you, too. Now, you might be saying, “If you know the tips, how do you fall to the bottom of the well?” Because it’s not magic. We’re all living real life here and — for whatever reasons — I’m sometimes tripped up along the way. Even Paul — the Apostle Paul — said he was “often in perplexities” (2 Corinthians 4:8). Translation? Paul had moments when he didn’t have a clue what to do next. He got stuck, he got confused, he felt empty. It always makes me feel better knowing that Paul, Mr. Spiritual Giant himself, admitted he had times when faith wasn’t easy. So let’s drop the whole idea that mature Christians never get dry. It’s nonsense. Life’s complicated. You’ve lived long enough to know there aren’t easy answers anymore, and that’s okay. What Actually Helps When You’re Empty? First, it’s okay to admit it. Actually, it’s good. Tell God straight up how you’re feeling. No fancy prayers, no polished words. Talk like you would to your best friend after a long day. Something real, like, “God, I feel empty. Honestly, I’m not even sure I care right now. Can you help me out here?” God isn’t shocked. He’s not expecting a rehearsed theological speech. Slowing Down Helps China has a form of transportation called, “Bullet Trains.” They travel at 300 miles an hour. In our modern cultures, that’s exactly how real life feels, doesn’t it. Modern life is like being strapped to the front of the bullet train — you’re not driving it, you’re just hanging on, hoping you don’t lose your hat. Or maybe you’ve felt like this: “I tried to slow down once, but life rear-ended me with a to-do list.” I overheard someone say once, “I been goin’ so fast, I’m fixin’ to meet myself comin’ back.” Here’s the thing, though: our souls are not built for this kind of speed. We need to take intentional times of rest each day. Even if it’s five minutes. It may not feel like it at the time, but the important things in your life will wait for as little as five minutes a day. I saw this at my local coffee shop: “Sip slow. Life’s better when it’s not in a to-go cup.” But Here’s More… Besides just being honest and taking a minute to breathe, here are some practical things I’ve found helpful when my soul feels like it’s running dry: 1. Listen instead of talking. Grab your coffee, tea, or whatever you drink, and just sit somewhere quiet. Don’t try to pray or read or be spiritual. Just listen. Maybe you’ll hear the fridge humming or birds outside or your dog snoring. Let it remind you life’s still moving, and God’s still there — even if you’re not feeling it right now. 2. Connect with someone who’s honest about their struggles. Call that one friend who never pretends life is perfect. Go grab lunch or chat over the phone. Talking with someone who’s real about their own struggles reminds you you’re not alone and your dryness isn’t a failure. 3. Change your routine a little. Try something new — even if it’s tiny. Go for a walk instead of scrolling through Facebook. Maybe drive a different way to work or listen to different music. Shake things up slightly. It’s amazing how small changes can break through spiritual dullness. 4. Do something small and helpful for someone else. If you’re a woman (or a man that likes to bake), bake some cookies for your neighbor or co workers. Or, just text encouragement to someone you know is struggling. Sometimes stepping outside of our dryness and doing something simple for someone else opens a door to refreshment we didn’t see coming. 5. Keep your expectations realistic. You don’t need a big emotional experience to prove God’s grace is there. Most of the time, grace is subtle. It’s strength to face the day, not necessarily the solution to all your problems . Let yourself off the hook from expecting miracles every morning. What If Nothing Changes Right Away? Honestly? It might not. And that’s okay too. Paul reminded us clearly, “We’re perplexed, but never abandoned.” (2 Corinthians 4:9) The point is, feeling lost doesn’t mean you are lost. Feeling empty doesn’t mean you’ve run dry forever. Grace shows up in simple, quiet ways more often than in loud, dramatic moments. And remember, there’s no need to stockpile grace like toilet paper in a pandemic. It doesn’t work that way. Grace is daily, fresh, and exactly enough for each day. Tomorrow’s grace? It’ll be waiting for you tomorrow. Let’s Wrap This Up… Even when you’re empty and spiritually dry, grace is always right there — simple, ready, and waiting. God sees your emptiness, understands it fully, and isn’t disappointed in you. Because here’s the truth: Being spiritually dry isn’t failure. It doesn’t mean you’ve drifted away. It means you’re human. And for every bit of dryness, confusion, or emptiness you’re facing today, remember clearly and simply: There’s grace for that. © Gary L Ellis

Today we begin Genesis Chapter 13. For the Complete Jewish Bible, click here . For the King James Bible, click here . “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold .” -Genesis 13:1–2 So after the altercation that Abram had with the pharaoh of Egypt due to his lying about his wife’s identity, we are told that Abram left the country with much wealth. Keep in mind that in those days coins and paper money were not yet in use. A wandering nomad’s wealth would have been his livestock. We are told that Avram received so much livestock that fights were breaking out between his and Lot’s herdsmen. It was at this point that Abram suggested to his relative Lot that they separate . Abram graciously offered Lot first choice of the land that lay before them and Lot chose an area called Sodom and Gomorrah. The reason we are told is because it was “ well-watered like the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt ." There are two principles and patterns we can glean from this incident. First, here again, we encounter the God principle of division and separation. Whether deliberate or through circumstance, God will begin to separate us from the ungodly. Second, in examining the characters of Lot and Abram, we are shown the difference between a worldly man and a Godly man. Lot chose to head out to the rich lands in the Jordan Valley. Abram moved to the fields of Canaan. Lot drooled over the world’s wealth. Abram displayed a Godly indifference to such attractions. Lot’s foolishness is further underscored in verse 13 where we are told that “ the men of Sodom were evil, committing great sins against Adonai. ” © Richoka

“God heard the boy’s voice, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What’s wrong with you, Hagar?” -Genesis 21:17 So per God’s command, Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. They were abandoned and on the verge of dying from thirst when a voice from the heavens called out to them. This situation smacks of the mysterious encounter Abraham had with the three men who had visited him a couple of chapters ago. So, who is the “ angel of God ” that spoke out to Hagar? As usual, let’s take a look at the original Hebrew. The original Hebrew is “ Mal’ach Elohim." Literally, “Mal’ach Elohim” means “ The Messenger of God ." Was this an angel sent by God to do His bidding? Or was this a manifestation of God Himself? Honestly, based on just the Hebrew itself, it’s difficult to tell. I believe this was a manifestation of God the Father. Why? Because the “ angel of the Lord ” speaks by His own authority, saying, “ I will make Ishmael a great nation ." On the other hand, Angels always make sure to tell people… “Hey, I’m just sharing God’s message — these aren’t my own words.” However, this is just my opinion… I’m not gonna be dogmatic about this. Moving on, a water well miraculously appears, and God makes a promise to Ishmael that he will be the father of a great nation. Lemme say that again. God asserts that Ishmael will give birth to a GREAT NATION. Such a positive pronouncement is a far cry from the ignorant demonizing of the Arab nations that goes on in some circles. Remember, we are to pray that the sons of Ishmael come to faith in Yeshua as fervently as we would pray for any other people group. One final point. While God promised Ishmael that he would father a nation, there was NO PROMISE OF LAND! Understand that in the Bible, nations are NOT about land; they refer to people groups. Hagar and Ishmael would end up becoming desert dwellers ( Bedouins ) in an area known as the Paran Desert. Later, it would be called Midian. Today, we know this area as the Arabian Peninsula, the area from which all the Arab nations sprang. © Richoka

The person in the parable on prayer nobody talks about. If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you have probably come across Jesus’ parable on prayer. I believe His motivation for telling this story is to encourage and persuade us to persevere in our prayer life. Here is how Luke recalls it: “Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this — though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.” 11: 5–8. The lesson is simple: make your prayer life effective and fervent. Don’t just ask once and quit. Persist. Have faith and patience. Jesus goes on to say: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” 9–13. I’ve heard this story expounded upon for many years from the perspective of the person with a need who gets what they want. And then they usually tie in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, where he encourages them to “pray without ceasing." (1 Thes 5:17) The character in the story that nobody preaches about. Have you thought about the jerk in bed? Remember, the story refers to him as a friend. And for you, Biblical scholars, the Greek word literally means “friend.” Not a neighbor or acquaintance. It is the same word James used when he called Abraham a “friend of God." (James 2:23) Can you imagine this conversation between Abraham and God? God: “Abraham, leave the home of your father and move to a land I will show you.” Abraham: “Go away, God. I have a great family and thriving business. Come back next week when I am out from under the covers.” God: “But I need you to go. I’ll keep knocking until you leave Ur of the Chaldeans.” Abraham: “OK, geez, I’ll go. You are a pain in the rear. But to shut you up, God, I’ll go.” Abraham was a friend of God — a real friend, not a social media contact, not a neighbor, not an acquaintance. The man in the parable should have bounced out of bed, run to the door, and said, “Is everything all right? It’s midnight. Are you OK?” And then rejoiced. “Make sure to introduce us before he leaves. What else do you need? A friend of yours is a friend of mine.” But he didn’t. His friendship was active if it was convenient. This article isn’t about prayer. Although the parable is. This article is about being a friend. Solomon nailed it: “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Prov 18:24 This verse highlights the importance of having authentic friends. And suggests that some friendships can be incredibly deep and supportive, even surpassing those of family. We all have friends who operate between the hours of 8 and 5. But will they be there on moving weekend? Or drive to pick you up if your car breaks down? Are they available 24/7? This is why so many people feel lonely at church. Like-minded people surround them. But none of them are friends. When I left Facebook, I had almost 1,000 “friends." And I didn’t know who most of them were. They knew someone I knew. I couldn’t tell you a thing about them. Do you have friends? Are you friendly? Would you open the door at midnight? Or do they have to badger you incessantly for what they need? Are you available to them? Are you trustworthy and faithful? Or what is called a “ fair weather friend ”? These are questions we should all ask ourselves. I want to be a friend to God. What should I do? First, study the lives of the people God called His friends. You know about Abraham. He had faith and a close relationship with God. Moses was also called God’s friend: “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” Exodus 33:11 Moses had an intimate relationship with God, characterized by direct communication and trust. Jesus called his disciples friends. “I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.” John 15:15 Bottom Line: God often arrives at inconvenient time s. He knocks . A nd how we respond determines if we are authentic friends or not. He wants to get us out of our warm, comfortable resting place because He might want to provide for the needs of another person through us. We are blessed to be a blessing to others. Is it bothersome? It depends on the level of spiritual friendship you have. I hope I am the one who, when there is a knock at my door, bounds out of bed, provides generously what God has entrusted me with, and says, “It was nothing. No big deal. It’s how I roll. My pleasure, Lord.” God always repays. I know I’ll get much more than three loaves in return. © I.M. Koen Thanks for reading this. You might also like: God Misses You; Why not give Him a quick call to check in? Jesus Wants to Make You Breakfast.; An invitation to dine for all atheists, ex-Christians, and God-haters. Is Jesus your Boss or your Friend? May the Lord make His face to shine upon you! -Issachar

How you answer says everything. Brett Jordan It doesn’t matter if you are an oldie in the faith or a newbie. This question will always remain the same. This is about the most profound question a Christian will face, and how you answer says everything. There is no… Yes, I do, but!   or any other verb or adjective that could possibly follow that yes. In my journey, I have asked myself a lot of questions, battled with myself internally many times, learned and then relearned many concepts, had little faith, had a lot of faith, and I’ve even been angry with God. One day, I was faced with one of my biggest storms, and I had no choice but to face this question head-on.  I couldn’t skirt around it, I couldn’t “back burner” it any longer. Once faced with it, it wasn’t going anywhere. The Holy Spirit made sure of that, I was being convicted to make a choice. I thought, I prayed, I fought with myself, and I prayed some more. Then one day I chose.  My answer was yes. Such a simple answer said in an emotional whisper, but also the most complex answer I have ever had to give. My life and journey have never been the same since. The growth, guidance, love, and peace since then have been profound. You either trust God or you don’t. There is never an in-between. © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

Today we’re going to answer the age old question of “From where does evil originate?” “God said to Noah, ‘the end of all living beings has come before me, for because of them , the earth is filled with violence. I will destroy them along with all the earth.’”-Genesis 6:13 In the above verse, God announces He is going to destroy the human race because on account of them, the Earth has become filled with violence. Notice something interesting in this scathing indictment the Lord has just pronounced. He never blames Satan for this sorry state of affairs. He holds the human race fully responsible for the evil that has come upon the earth. In an earlier post, I mentioned that contrary to popular Christian teaching on the subject, the ancient rabbis believed that from the very beginning God created human beings with both a good inclination and an evil inclination. God did not create us as robots. We have been given a will that allows us to freely exercise both inclinations as we see fit. In this post, I am going to demonstrate from the science of physics that the ancient rabbis were indeed correct!!! So get your thinking caps on. Do you recall in the creation story from Genesis Chapter One it says… When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the natural state of the universe was CHOSHEK or “complete darkness." Then, in an instant of time, upon God’s verbal pronouncement, “light” broke forth into the universe. Again, recall from an earlier teaching that the “light” I am referring to here is not a light-emanating object like the sun, but God’s holy and spiritual light. In Hebrew, this light is called OWR. At that very instant, the universe was comprised of two polar opposite forces; darkness and light. Based on the creation story, the first scientific point I want to make is that our universe is based on the “Principle of Opposites." At the very atomic level of our universe, for instance, each individual atom has a positive electric charge and a negative electric charge. If there is an up, there has to be down. If there is a male, there has to be a female. If there is black, there has to be white. If there is a Holy Spirit in our universe, there has to be an unholy Spirit, etcetera. This principle is woven into the very fabric of our universe. In fact, if you were to sit back and take a look at your own thought patterns, you would notice that the way we distinguish one thing from another is based on the “Principle of Opposites." “Was it expensive or not? ” “Was she hot or not? ” “Do I want it or not? ” The Chinese also touched on this principle with their yin-yang concept. So accordingly, when God created Adam and Eve, He created them with both a “good inclination” and an “evil inclination." NOT more of one than the other. I believe Christian theology errs when it teaches that unsaved man ONLY has a nature hellbent on sinning. The truth is we have both. We are equally capable of doing both good and bad. Actually, even after we are saved, we still carry both inclinations inside of us. This is evidenced by the fact that we still struggle with sin even after accepting Christ. So God created man with the capacity and freedom to commit good or evil when confronted with moral choices. And this is the reason why God does not blame Satan for the evil that has broken out into the world. He holds man responsible. “Freewill” is simply another word used to describe the good and evil inclinations that reside in all human beings. Think about it, having the power to do good or evil when confronted with a moral choice is none other than the characteristic of “freewill." So based on the way God has constructed our universe, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have one thing without its opposite. This gives us the answer to the origin of evil in the universe. Since we can’t have one without the other, evil is a byproduct of good. Below are some Scriptures testifying to this reality. “I form light, I create darkness; I make well-being, I create woe; I, Adonai, do all these things .”-Isaiah 45:7 “When the shofar is blown in the city, don’t the people tremble? Can disaster befall a city without Adonai having done it ?”-Amos 3:6 “Don’t both bad things and good proceed from the mouth of the Most High ??”-Lamentations 3:38 Again, keep in mind that evil is a natural byproduct of good. God didn’t create a lump of good in one place and then in another place create a lump of evil. Evil was not manufactured per say. Let me give you an admittedly imperfect example. Let’s say you’re sitting inside a well lit room. You decide to leave the room for a while, so you switch the lights off. As a result, the room becomes dark. Now let me ask you a question. Did you create the darkness? No you didn’t. It is simply the absence of light that caused the darkness. In the same way, where there isn’t God’s presence, evil is. Here’s what the great scientist Albert Einstein had to say on the matter: “Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.” Albert Einstein I believe Einstein was right. What good is having a freewill if there is no opportunity to exercise it? Can you see now why God gave to give Adam and Eve a one law Torah (instruction) that they were NOT to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil? Without that choice, Adam and Eve would have been relegated to a robotic existence. It would be like being given the right to vote in an election where there is only one candidate to choose from. You can vote for Trump or you can vote for Trump. In order to do good, the option to do evil has to also exist, or else the good we do is meaningless, simply because we have no other choice in the matter. So Moses’ Torah had the same purpose for the Israelites that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil had for Adam and Eve. Its purpose is not only to tell us the difference between right and wrong but provide us opportunities to exercise our capacity to do either good or evil. Without the Torah, there is no knowledge of sin or the opportunity to do good. CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law , there is also no violation. -Romans 4:15 Sin was indeed present in the world before the Torah was given, but sin is not counted as such when there is no Torah . -Romans 5:13 © Richoka

“Look all around you from where you are, to the north, the south, the east and the west. All the land you see I will give to your descendants forever. ” Once God promised Abram that he and his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan forever, a new law of the universe had been set into motion. Notice that there are no ifs or buts in this proclamation that God has just given Abram. This is a PERMANENT covenant. It is NOT a conditional covenant. Here is a quick biblical rule about covenants. If man has to continue upholding some part of the covenant in order for it to remain valid, then it is a conditional covenant, which means it can be broken, and therefore a consequence will come about. However, this covenant is unconditional. Also, notice the word “ forever ." In Hebrew, this word is AD OLAM. And it indeed means forever. God has unconditionally given the land to Abram and his descendants forever. This is a point that needs to be forcefully communicated to any church that still holds to the idea that the Christian church has somehow replaced Israel. While it is true that God warned Israel that they would be removed from the land for a time, it was only temporary. Despite this, the 17th-century church adopted a “replacement theology” that taught that this promise given to Abraham had been turned over to Gentile Christians, as the New Israel. NONSENSE!!! “Forever” means “forever” and I tell you with every fiber in my being that until every inch of land that God promised to Abram is returned to Israel, there will never be peace in the Middle East. No matter how hard our President tries, I can guarantee that God will ensure that any proposed “two-state solution” will fail. This is one area where supporting Israel and the Jews is our duty! © Richoka

Although the Bible is God’s Word… Originally given to Moses by YAHWEH on Mount Sinai … It has been revised over time to reflect changes in place names throughout the centuries. For example, if I were to tell you that… “This summer I want to visit ‘T he Land of 10,000 Smokes’ for vacation." Your response would probably be something like… “What place?” “Come again?!” Because you would have no idea which place I’m talking about. Well, the answer would be Los Angeles . Hundreds of years before the Europeans or Mexicans ever settled in that area… L.A. was inhabited by the Chumash Indians, and that is what they called it. However, if I were writing a history book and talking about where the Chumash Indians lived before the white man and the Mexicans… I would say “ They resided in Los Angeles ” simply because that is the name that everybody in our day and age is familiar with. Bible redactors have done the same thing. Look at Genesis 21:34. “And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.” This is obviously a redaction because the Philistines did not immigrate into Canaan until about four centuries later. So we can see that the Bible editor wanted to use a place name that would be familiar to the people in his time. These changes occur quite frequently in Scripture. For example, in the Bible, we will encounter a place called Jebus . This place is Jerusalem . It’s the same place, but just being spoken about in two different languages in two different periods. A similar transformation also occurred with the name “Jesus." First, it was YEHOSHUA . Then it was shortened to YESHUA . Afterwards, due to Greek influence, it became “ IESOUS ." Eventually, due to Latin influence, it morphed into “IESUS." Next, when the letter “ J ” was introduced into England during the Norman Invasion… All male names that began with “ I ” or “ Y ” were replaced with “ J ” because it sounded more masculine. For example, “ IAMES ” became “ JAMES ” or “ YACOB ” became “ JACOB ." And then finally “ IESUS ” became “ JESUS ." © Richoka