Ethiopia is significant

Copying from here: https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Ethiopia

An impromptu conversation with Brother Philip today resulted in us talking about the significance of Ethiopia. We were talking about Solomon and his idolatrous wives which lead to his downfall. I shared the “Jamal and Katrina” story from May with him, as well.

Lord, I believe the Bible is your inerrant Word. I am so grateful for all you have done, are doing and will surely do. I aim to cling to Your Word in every circumstance. That is never a question. Learning about the types of angels listed in Ethiopia’s Book of Jubilees made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I had literally just listened to Don Dickerman’s sermon on Angels, after discussing Ethiopia with Brother Philip this morning. Whenever things like this occur organically, it is natural to first think it is from you. Lord, I am asking today for discernment when reading any testimonies from the past. Leaving this here as a bookmark for where you have my spirit today.

No doubt, in YOUR TIME, you will direct me back here for one reason or the other. Until then, I will wait. Learning about how Ethiopia in the Bible is different territory than Ethiopia of today, being reminded of man-made time changes and now this introduction to four types of angels (which my spirit accepted, and my flesh halted) in Jubilees are all things which must be laid down before you. Please teach me and help my heart to understand whatever it might be you are teaching me. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

What a blessing! I don’t even have to know WHY you want this noted. Obedience just does it. Thank you, God.

ETHIOPIA ē’ thĭ ō’ pĭ ə. Nubia, a country in the N Sudan, S of Egypt.

1. Terminology. In the OT, the KJV sometimes transliterates כּ֥וּשׁ as “Cush” (Gen 10:6781 Chron 1:8910Isa 11:11). However, the KJV usually trs. by “Ethiopia.” The KJV transliterates כּוּשִׁ֔י as “Cushi” (2 Sam 18:2122233132).

The RSV transliterates the Heb. as “Cush” (Gen 2:1310:6-81 Chron 1:8-10Ezek 38:5) and trs. “Ethiopia” elsewhere. Also the RSV trs. כּוּשִׁ֔י (2 Sam 18:21-233132) and כֻּשִׁ֖ית (Num 12:1) as “Cushite,” but elsewhere renders “Ethiopian.”

In the NT, “Ethiopian” trs. Αἰθίοψ, G134, whose etymological meaning is prob. “dark-faced” (Acts 8:27).

2. Location. The Biblical Ethiopia is Nubia, in southernmost Egypt and the N Sudan, not the modern Ethiopia (also called Abyssinia). Ethiopia is often associated with Egypt in the Bible (e.g. Ps 68:31Isa 20:3-5Ezek 30:45). More specifically Ethiopia is located S of Egypt (Judg 1:10) and S of Syene (Ezek 29:10), modern Aswan, the southernmost important city of Egypt. This location of Ethiopia agrees with the Egyp. references to K’š (which corresponds to Heb. כּ֥ושׁ) and with Herodotus II. 29.

3. History. The first historical reference to an Ethiopian in the Bible is the incident of the Cushite (i.e. Ethiopian) slave who carried to David the news of Absalom’s death (2 Sam 18:21-233132).

There were Ethiopian mercenaries in the army of Shishak, a Libyan king of Egypt, when he invaded Pal. about 918 b.c. (2 Chron 12:3).

An attack on Judah by Ethiopians and Libyans (2 Chron 14:9-15), led by Zerah the Ethiopian, was repulsed by King Asa (913-873 b.c.). These attackers may have been mercenaries in the Egyp. army settled in southern Pal. by Pharaoh Shishak. Possibly these mercenaries are also the Ethiopians near the Arabs (2 Chron 21:16), though some scholars think the reference is to the close contact of the S Arabians with Africans across the Red Sea.

2 Kings 19:9 and Isaiah 37:9 mention Tirhakah’s (the king of Ethiopia) attempt to check Sennacherib’s invasion of Pal. in the time of King Hezekiah. The Assyrians mockingly called Tirhakah “a bruised reed” (2 Kings 18:21 KJV) and defeated him at Eltekeh. In Egypt, Tirhakah was again defeated by the Assyrian king Esar-haddon and retired to Ethiopia. These defeats of Tirhakah may be referred to by Isaiah (Isa 20:3-5). Tirhakah ruled about 689-664 b.c. as the third and last Pharaoh of the Twenty-fifth, or Ethiopian Dynasty of Egypt. The Ethiopian control of Egypt under this dynasty explains why Ethiopia was called the “strength” of Thebes, Egypt’s southern capital (Nah 3:9). This brief Ethiopian empire included Egypt for about fifty years. Tirhakah’s nephew and successor as king of Ethiopia, Tanut-Amon, was defeated by the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal, who destroyed Thebes in 663 b.c. (Nah 3:8).

The Letter of Aristeas 13 states that Pharaoh Psammetichus II (593-588 b.c.) used Jewish mercenaries in his campaign against Ethiopia, which is also mentioned by Herodotus II. 161. He or a Pharaoh soon after, settled a Jewish garrison on Elephantine Island to guard the border between Egypt and Ethiopia.

Ebed-melech, who secured Jeremiah’s release from the cistern (Jer 38:7-13), was an Ethiopian eunuch who held a high position in the household of King Zedekiah of Judah (597-587 b.c.). He believed in God, and Jeremiah promised that he would be safe in the coming capture of Jerusalem (39:15-17).

King Ahasuerus of Persia (usually identified with Xerxes, 486-465 b.c.) included Ethiopia at one extreme of his empire (Esth 1:18:9 and in the Additions of the Apocrypha, 13:1; 16:1). Darius I of Persia also mentions Ethiopia in his list of provinces.

The Ethiopians who were to follow Antiochus Epiphanes, king of the N, or Syria (175-163 b.c.), after his conquest of Egypt (Dan 11:43) may refer to mercenaries in his army. The exact meaning, however, is uncertain in this context.

Sibylline Oracles V. 194 mentions the capture of Syene by the Ethiopians. This may refer to an expedition into Egypt sent by an Ethiopian queen with the title Candace, in 24 b.c. (Strabo, XVII. i. 54).

Acts 8:27 mentions “Candace the queen of the Ethiopians.” Candace was a Nubian royal title, prob. corresponding to “queen mother.” The queen who ruled at Meroe (then the Ethiopian capital) with this title at that time was Amantitere (a.d. 25-41). See Candace. That her treasurer should visit Jerusalem and should be reading Isaiah is not surprising in the light of Jewish contacts with Nubia. Some have suggested that he was a proselyte or even a Jew. See Ethiopian Eunuch.

4. Features. The Bible several times refers to “the rivers of Ethiopia” (Isa 18:1Zeph 3:10), presumably the Nile, the Blue and White Niles, and the Atbara. The papyrus boats used on these rivers (Isa 18:2) are pictured in Egyp. reliefs and paintings, and they are still used in modern Ethiopia. The merchandise of Ethiopia (Job 28:19Isa 45:14) included the topaz as a precious product of that land. Egyptian records list among the imports from Ethiopia: gold, precious stones, incense, ebony, ivory, ostrich feathers and eggs, leopard skins, greyhounds, cattle, gazelles, bows, shields, and slaves. Isaiah (18:2) calls the Ethiopians “tall and smooth.” Not only are some of the Sudanese tribes tall, but they also have little body hair, and very smooth skin. Jeremiah (13:23) implies that the Ethiopian’s skin is black. The prophet also (46:9) lists Ethiopians with shields among the soldiers of the Egyp. army; small wooden models of shield-bearing Nubian soldiers have been found in Egyp. tombs.

5. Prophecies about Ethiopia. Some prophecies predicted that Jewish exiles in Ethiopia would return to Pal. (Isa 11:11Ps 87:4). Isaiah (43:3) expected that Persia would take Ethiopia as reward, poetically called a ransom, for freeing the Jewish captives. Several passages speak of coming judgment on Ethiopia (Isa 20:34Ezek 30:459Zeph 2:12). Ezekiel (38:5) includes Ethiopians among the forces of Gog that will attack Israel in the end times. Sibylline Oracles III. 320 evidently misunderstood the geography of the Ezekiel passage and misplaced Gog in Ethiopia. According to Amos 9:7, God is concerned with the Ethiopians as with Israel. Psalm 68:31Isaiah 45:14, and Zephaniah 3:10 mention the conversion of the Ethiopians and their inclusion in the kingdom of God.

Bibliography E. A. W. Budge, The Egyptian Sudan (1907); J. W. Crowfoot, The Island of Meroe (1911); F. L. Griffith, Meroitic Inscriptions, I (1911) and Meroitic Inscriptions, II (1912); G. Reisner, “The Meroitic Kingdom of Ethiopia,” JEA, IX, (1923), 34-77; E. A. W. Budge, A History of Ethiopia, Nubia, and Abyssinia (1928); T. Säve-Söderbergh, Ägypten und Nubien (1941); D. Dunham, The Royal Tombs of Kush, I (1950), II (1955), III (1952), IV (1957); A. J. Arkell, A History of the Sudan (1955); E. Ullendorff, Ethiopia and the Bible (1968).

Futina, Katrina and Jamal

Yesterday was Friday, May 24,2024. In a twist, Mark and I agreed to split the weekend where I would be off all day for him to be off all day today. I spent the day in Deuteronomy, Chapters 4-17. I am recognizing the recent posts are a bit jumbled. However, there is so much being pushed through floodgates, I consider it a blessing to get anything cemented in my brain/heart. Still on my heart is the conversation with Katrina about Solomon. Solomon is not in Deuteronomy. However, I promised Katrina I was going to invest extra time studying Solomon and the African connection.

According to internet returns, Bathsheba was 8 years and 8 months of age when she gave birth to Solomon in the Bible. Immediately, that did not settle well in my spirit. Clearly, that would mean her first child with King David that died was born when she was 6 or 7 years of age. King David said she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, not child. It isn’t resting on me easy and needs to be further explored. Another source states she was born in 1010 BC and had Solomon around 985 BC. That would have made her 25 at the time of his birth. While I am certain this will involve more studying in the future, this entire thread gives excellent points to ponder.

Moving forward, Solomon’s son with Makeda, Queen of Sheba, was Menelik I. He was born around 1000 BC and reigned as the Ethiopian Emperor for roughly 25 years. The dates are varied, but various sources specify birth at 954-982 BC, thus the origin of the Royal Solomonic Dynasty of Ethiopia. Fascinating to me, the man had no legitimate children but recognized three children by women who were not his wives.

It’s strange to me the history books and internet state Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia in the 4th Century. Why? Because the internet also states the Royal Solomonic Dynasty was founded in 1270 and lasted until 1974. Over 700 years in current time because the original ruler in the dynasty claimed to be born of the Solomonic line. Regardless, this is not the place to discuss the differences in Ethiopian time versus Gregorian or Julian Time. Ethiopia is significant.

Admittedly, I am distracted a pinch because I just looked up countless variations for how time is marked. My birth year of 1968 has the exact same calendar as 1996 and 2024. I am thinking of why 1996 is so relevant on my spiritual path, as well. Given Katrina’s extensive knowledge of the stars and planets, I am curious to get her feedback. Interesting sidenote to me, Menelik II (1844-1913) was born Sahle Mariam but took the name Menelik II because Menelik I was a legendary son of Solomon. Menelik II actually ate pages from the Bible when he did not feel well. Of course, this reminds me of “Brother Zeke” in Ezekial 3.

Statista tells me there is no calendar past the Assyrians.

Closing for today, I will share Mr. Jamal was just in the shop. Our Godversation was enlightening and at one point he mentioned Ethiopia. I immediately pointed to my laptop and asked if he wanted to see the last words I had touched. I turned my computer to face toward him and the cursor was still after the sentence about Ethiopia being significant. If that was not enough of a God Move, Futina walked in and brought me flowers! Jamal got to learn about my favorite woman “at the well”.

Time is truly a man-made construct. Only God times things the way He did today!

Thank you, God. For all of it. For everything under the sun and your son. I love you.

Katrina and The Waves

Miss Katrina has been back in twice since the last time I wrote about her returning for a second visit in one day. Today is Thursday, May 23, 2024, and she shared personal details about her family. The girls are 14 and 21; the oldest attends SCAD to draw story boards and things of that nature. The long game is to create sequential art or do something in anime. Her husband is both French and Jewish by birth. Katrina is 51. We have long since sorted out our deeper spiritual journeys were started 6-7 years ago.

Today was a deeper dive into abandonment issues caused by absent fathers. I shared about my dinner with Joyce and my DEUTERONOMY DEEP DIVE in progress. Thank you, Lord, for putting it on my heart to suggest Miss Katrina can honor her own boundaries, while allowing the possibility of letting her girls meet their maternal grandfather. Such boldness and conviction only come from you. For all you do, have done and will do in my life, you know I am forever grateful. Thank you for showing me how to truly love others in word and action.

Katrina sees His Light on me. She told me she also sees it on Lane, her banker at Pinnacle. I shared that after our last extended Godversation, it was clear I was to study Deuteronomy in entirety. Today, she mentioned that Lane had studied and deduced Solomon was in West Africa. While I have touched the basics of Alkebulan (Africa), there is so much more to learn and understand. His time, not mine.

To that end, Wednesday nights are the best time to enjoy $9.99 sirloin specials at Legends Steakhouse. Joyce and I agreed saving $16 was a blessing, as the sirloins are normally $17.99! Truly, it was a wonderful Godversation, breaking of bread and sharing REAL BREAD. Our Bible Study group was canceled because Terri’s dad isn’t well. Then, I scheduled time for Brandie that night. She had to cancel for work. So, it was really divine timing for us to be available in the same window of time.

I asked Joyce to look at the website she had sent me to deduce how she felt seeing the images. I don’t need to share them here or say anything negative. I am just acknowledging we were in agreement about the images and tuned into the same shared spirit. Rather than divert any more energy to the “dynasty” or “Harfouche” tangents, I am thanking God for feeding me the best things this week. When I think of all I have learned since Wednesday night, I am overwhelmed in the best of ways.

God is good all the time.