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The Gibeonites are introduced to us in Joshua 9. They were part of the Hivite nation (v7), descended from Noah’s grandson Canaan like the other nations occupying the promised land (Gen 10:15-19). They lived in four cities (v17) in the mountains near Jerusalem, of which Gibeon was the highest – it was even higher than Jerusalem. In common with their fellow Hivites and the other Canaanites, they were condemned to utter destruction for their abominable practices (Deu 20:16-18, Lev 18:24-28). But while the kings of the Canaanite nations set out to fight against Joshua and Israel (vv1-2), the Gibeonites behaved quite differently.

Readings: Deuteronomy 22; Song of Solomon 2; Acts 14-15

Many people have played the children’s game hide and seek; the ‘seeker’ counts very loudly whilst the others hide. They then shout out, ‘coming ready or not.’ This exhortation is all about Jesus’ coming; ready or not! We as his servants have to be ready and watch. This is what Jesus says in Matthew 24:

We continue our consideration of Paul’s character by referring to a time when Paul seemed to be over-concerned about principles. This was when he had been told by the keeper of the prison that the magistrates had given permission for Paul and Silas to go.

Readings: Deuteronomy 15; Ecclesiastes 7; Acts 5-6

Having read through the story of Genesis recently I tried to imagine what living in the Garden of Eden would be like. What would Adam and Eve do? How would they fill their time? But Genesis is not a story, it is what happened, and we are part of that reality, being descendants of Adam.

When God created the heavens and the earth and all things, He left it until the sixth day to create man. It was the same day that He created the beasts of the earth. Genesis 1:24 tells us that the beasts were living creatures. Creatures that are alive and that have breath.

We have added four more hymns with the words in both English and Farsi (the singing on the video is in English) to the CIL Website. The full list of 140 hymns that have been translated is available here: https://www.isolationleague.org/hymns/list/farsi

Here are the recent updates:
Hymn 261 - Now let our humble faith behold
Hymn 264 - Come, thou long-expected Jesus
Hymn 294 - Hail to the brightness of Zion’s glad morning
Hymn 438 - Praise to Him by whose high favour

The character of the apostle Paul was very different when he was a young man from his character later on in life. We know very little about his very early life. We know that he was born in Tarsus, he was a Jew, a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. He was, to use his own words, “brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers”. (Acts 22:3)

Let’s start by looking at the factual evidence regarding the family at Bethany, and then we will see what we can glean by looking at the circumstantial evidence which, whilst not conclusive, will provide an interesting bigger picture.

Readings: Numbers 33; Proverbs 24; John 6

Our New Testament reading in John 6 includes the ‘feeding of the five thousand’. This is the only miracle that Jesus performed that is recorded in all four gospels.