Apocrypha and Canon
The Protevangelion Of James
http://www.pseudepigrapha.com/LostBooks/protevangelion.htm
This book is usually in tandem with the book called "The Gospel of the Birth of Mary". It goes on with the story of Joachim and Anna, a married Jewish couple who miraculously bore Mary, the mother of Jesus. This book covers the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, their trip to Bethlehem, the birth of Christ, the three wise men, and Herod's murderous decree. It is sixteen chapters long. There are many inconsistencies and contradictions between the Protevengelion of James and the Bible Canon. Some examples are: 
1-- Chapter 4:2, Anna doesn't know her child's gender. This is inconsistent, for in canonical scripture God always revealed the gender of "miracle" children (Genesis 16:11, 18:10, Judges 13:3, 1 Samuel 1:20, 2 Kings 4:15-17, Matthew 1:21, Luke 1:13).
2-- Chapter 5:3, a priest whom Joachim consulted was found to have no sin. However, canon states all men have sinned, except for Jesus (Romans 3:23, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22)
3-- Chapter 9:4 states Mary was of the tribe of David. According to the canon, there is no such tribe (Genesis 49:1-28). The Canon reveals David was of the tribe of Judah (1 Samuel 17:12, along with Matthew 1:3-6, Revelation 5:5)
4-- Chapter 11, Joseph was charged with sin for privately marrying Mary, because the priests saw her pregnancy and were angry that he did not preserve her virginity. (In Chapter  8:12 he agreed to preserve her virginity). Joseph and Mary were put on trial for this, and found not guilty through a miraculous test. However, according to the Canon, Joseph was considered married to her directly after he accepted her pregnancy (Matthew 1:20-24). He was not compelled to preserve her virginity, for he refrained from intimacy with her only until after Christ was born (Matthew 1:25). After that, Mary bore more sons (Matthew 13:55).
5-- As Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, Mary went into labor. Chapter 12 states Joseph found a cave for her to give birth in. He went to seek a midwife, and in Chapter 14:4-6 he finds a midwife, and to her denies he is married to Mary yet. However, the Canon tells us that she gave birth in the stable (Luke 2:6-7) and that he and Mary were married immediately after he accepted her pregnancy (Matthew 1:20-24).
6-- Chapter 14:20-28 A woman with a withered hand touched the newborn Christ child and was immediately healed. However, the Canon reveals that Christ's first miracle was turning water into wine -- during his adult life (John 2:11).
7 -- Later that night, according to Chapter 15:9, the wise men came to see the child after following the star that stopped over their cave. However, the Canon tells us that the star took them to a human-built structure (Matthew 2:9-11).
8 -- Chapter 16 Tells of Herod being duped by the wise men after they visited Mary, so he orders the killing of all boys under the age of two years old. Mary hears about this and hides with Jesus in a barn because there was no room at the inn, and lays Jesus in a manger (vs. 1-2). However, according to the Canon, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable where she laid him in a manger (Luke 2:6-7) before the wise men came along, before Herod issued his murderous decree. Also, Mary wasn't the one who heard about the wicked decree; It was Joseph, who was warned by an angel about the event. To escape the murder, they weren't to hide in a barn, they were to flee to Egypt in fulfillment of bible prophecy (Matthew 2:13-15).

Although this is not a complete list of the problems with this apocryphal work, there is sufficient enough evidence to see that it simply does not concur with canonical scripture. Since the Canon has a solid track record for proven accuracy and historical fact, we are compelled to believe it over the apocryphal writing.

ARCHAEOLOGY/ HISTORY
Cave of Adullam
Easton's Bible Dictionary, "Adullam" was one of the royal cities of the Canaanites, now 'Aid-el-ma (Joshua 12:15; 15:35). It stood on the old Roman road in the valley of Elah (q.v.), which was the scene of David's memorable victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17:2), and not far from Gath. It was one of the towns which Rehoboam fortified against Egypt (2 Chronicles 11:7). It was called "the glory of Israel" (Micah 1:15).
     Hitchcock's Bible Name dictionary, the name "Adullam" means "their testimony, their prey, their ornament".
     The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ( http://www.studylight.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T232 ) delves deeper into this geographical area, giving us much information. According to them,  Adullam was:
(1) A city, with dependencies, and in ancient times having a king, mentioned five times in the Old Testament, each time in a list with other cities (Joshua 12:15; Joshua 15:35; 2 Chronicles 11:7; Micah 1:15; Nehemiah 11:30)...In the time of the patriarchs it was a place to which men "went down" from the central mountain ridge (Genesis 38:1)... Common opinion identifies Adullam with the ruin 'Aid-el-Ma, 13 miles West-Southwest from Bethlehem. This is in spite of the testimony of the Onomasticon, which, it is alleged, confuses Adullam with Eglon. Presumably the city gave its name to the cave of Adullam, the cave being near the city.
(2) The cave of Adullam, David's headquarters during a part of the time when he was a fugitive from Saul (1 Samuel 22:1; 2 Samuel 23:13; 1 Chronicles 11:15). Sufficient care has not been exercised in reading the Bible statements on this subject. To begin with, Hebrew syntax permits of the use of the word "cave" collectively; it may denote a group or a region of caves; it is not shut up to the meaning that there was one immense cave in which David and his 400 men all found accommodations at once. All reasonings based on this notion are futile.
     Further, by the most natural syntax of 2 Samuel 23:13-17 (duplicated in 1 Chronicles 11:15-19), that passage describes two different events, and does not connect the cave of Adullam with the second of these. "And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. And David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water," etc. Concerning these three seniors among David's "mighty men" it is narrated, first, that they were David's comrades in a certain battle, a battle which the Chronicler identifies with Pas-dammim, where David slew Goliath; second, that they joined David at the cave of Adullam, presumably during the time when he was hiding from Saul; third, that at a later time, when the Philistines were in the valley of Rephaim (compare 2 Samuel 5:18), and David was "in the stronghold" (Josephus says "at Jerusalem," Ant, VII, xii, 4), these men broke through the Philistine lines and brought him water from the home well of Bethlehem.
     The cave of Adullam, like the city, was "down" from the central ridge (1 Samuel 22:1; 2 Samuel 23:13). The city was in Judah; and David and his men were in Judah (1 Samuel 23:3) at a time when, apparently, the cave was their headquarters. Gad's advice to David to return to Judah (1 Samuel 22:3, 1 Samuel 22:5) was given at a time when he had left the cave of Adullam. If the current identification of 'Aid-el-Ma as Adullam is correct, the cave of Adullam is probably the cave region which has been found in that vicinity.
     It has been objected that this location is too far from Bethlehem for David's men to have brought the water from there. To this it is replied that thirteen or fourteen miles is not an excessive distance for three exceptionally vigorous men to go and return; and a yet stronger reply is found in the consideration just mentioned, that the place from which the men went for the water was not the cave of Adullam. The one argument for the tradition to the effect that Chariton's cave, a few miles Southeast of Bethlehem, is Adullam, is the larger size of this cave, as compared with those near 'Aid-el-Ma We have already seen that this has no force... -- Willis J. Beecher

To view photos of the Caves of Adullam:
http://www.ancientsandals.com/pictures/adullam.htm
To view a map that shows the location of Adullam:
http://www.biblestudysite.com/map-kingdom.htm

BIBLE TOPIC
Jephthah's Vow
This item is available on the Apologetics Press website at: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2320
AP Content :: Scripturally Speaking
[CT Editor's comment: all italic emphases are ours, not in the original article]
Jephthah's Daughter
by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

     In Judges 11, Jephthah vowed to God that if he were victorious in battle, he would give to God whoever came through the doors of his house upon his return from battle. The term used in 11:31 is ‘olah, the normal Hebrew word for a burnt offering or sacrifice (used 286 times in the Old Testament). Did Jephthah intend to offer his daughter as a human sacrifice? Are the ethics of God and the Bible shown to be substandard by this incident?
      In the first place, if, in fact, Jephthah offered a human sacrifice, he did something that was strictly forbidden by Mosaic law and that is repugnant to God (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5; Deuteronomy 12:31; 18:10). It would be a bit bizarre for Jephthah to think that he could elicit God’s favor in battle by promising to offer Him a human sacrifice, that is, to do something that was in direct violation of the will of God. Such a proposal would be equivalent to a person requesting God’s blessing and assistance by offering to rape women or rob banks. God certainly would not approve of such an offer—though He may go ahead and assist the individual (11:32). God allows people to make wrong choices, even while He works out His own higher will in the midst of their illicit actions. He can even use such people to achieve a higher good (consider, as one example, Judas). When Israel clamored for a king—in direct opposition to God’s will—He nevertheless allowed them to proceed with their intentions, and even lent His assistance in the selection (1 Samuel 8:7,18-19; 10:19; 12:19; Psalm 106:14-15; Hosea 13:11; Acts 13:21).
     Second, if Jephthah offered his daughter as a human sacrifice, no indication is given in the text that God actually approved of the action. The Bible records many illicit actions carried out by numerous individuals throughout history, without an accompanying word of condemnation by the inspired writer. We must not assume that silence is evidence of divine approval. Even the commendation of Jephthah’s faith in the New Testament does not offer a blanket endorsement to everything Jephthah did during his lifetime. It merely commended the faith that he demonstrated when he risked going to war. Similarly, the Bible commends the faith of Samson, and Rahab the prostitute, without implying that their behavior was always in harmony with God’s will. Abraham manifested an incredible level of faith on several occasions, and is commended for such (Romans 4:20-21). Yet he clearly sinned on more than one occasion (Genesis 12:13; 16:4; 20:2ff.).
     Third, Jephthah’s action may best be understood by recognizing that he was using ‘olah in a figurative sense. We use the term “sacrifice” in a similar fashion when we say, “I’ll sacrifice a few dollars for that charity.” Jephthah was offering to sacrifice a member of his extended household to permanent, religious service associated with the Tabernacle. The Bible indicates that such non-priestly service was available, particularly to women who chose to so dedicate themselves (e.g., Exodus 38:8). [Sadly, Eli’s sons were guilty of taking sexual liberties with them (1 Samuel 2:22).] Even in the first century, Anna must have been one woman who had dedicated herself to the Lord’s service, since she “did not depart from the temple” (Luke 2:37).
     Several contextual indicators support this conclusion. First, the two-month period of mourning that Jephthah granted to his daughter was not for the purpose of grieving over her impending loss of life, but over the fact that she would never be able to marry. She bewailed her virginity (bethulim)—not her death (11:37). Second, the text goes out of its way to state that Jephthah had no other children: “[S]he was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter” (11:34). For his daughter to be consigned to perpetual celibacy meant the extinction of Jephthah’s family line—an extremely serious and tragic matter to an Israelite (cf. Numbers 27:1-11; 36:1ff.). Third, the sacrifice is treated as unfortunate—again, not because of any concern over her death, but because she would not become a mother. After stating that Jephthah “did with her according to his vow which he had vowed,” the inspired writer immediately adds, “and knew no man” (11:39). This statement would be a completely superfluous and callous remark if she had been put to death. Fourth, the declaration of Jephthah’s own sorrow (11:35) follows immediately after we are informed that he had no other children (11:34). Jephthah was not upset because his daughter would die a virgin. He was upset because she would live and remain a virgin.
     Hannah made a similar sacrifice when she turned her son over to the priestly direction of Eli for the rest of his life (1 Samuel 1:11). How many are willing to make such sacrifices? Actually, however, these tremendous acts of devotion were no greater than that which God requires of all Christians: to offer ourselves as spiritual burnt-offerings in service to God (Romans 12:1).

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BIBLE Version Critique
The Amplified Bible
Virtues: Seems to be very thorough in conveying meaning in the individual verses. Contains many footnotes, text clarifications, and cross references to help enhance bible research. Can be beneficial to those who are seeking deeper meaning into the passages.
Flaws: The thoroughness of the references may be a bit too much for some people. For non-trinitarians, this bible has a decidedly trinitarian interpretation to its translation.

     This version is the first one produced by the Lockman Foundation. According to the Lockman Foundation: http://www.lockman.org/amplified/readonline.php :
The Amplified Bible uses synonyms and definitions to explain and expand upon the bible text. This is meant to give the reader a more thorough understanding of the meanings and nuances of the Hebrew and Greek in the scriptures. It is based on the American Standard Version of 1901, Rudolph Kittel's Biblia Hebraica, the Greek text of Westcott and Hort, and the 23rd edition of the Nestle Greek New Testament.

Encouraging Word
1 John 1:9
If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action] (Amplified Bible).

We love this scripture, because it reminds us that sinful behavior does not automatically condemn us for eternity. If we confess (repent of) our sins, we are forgiven of those sins. Remember, we are saved through our faith in the blood of Christ (Romans 3:23-26), therefore, our sincere repentance enables us to retain our salvation in spite of our sinful nature. Praise Yah for such a provision!

GUEST COLUMNIST
Does the Bible Ever Refer To Jesus Christ as God?
Courtesy of the "Truth or Tradition" Website.
This article can be found at:
http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=601
Considering the fact that the majority of Christians have been taught that Jesus is God, that is a very good question. “And the answer is…”—Yes, and No. Huh?
     The answer is Yes only because most versions of the Bible wrongly capitalize the word “God” in Hebrews 1:8 and elsewhere. In a sense, the answer is also Yes because Jesus is called “god” in the Bible. The answer is No because Jesus is never called “God” in the same way as is the Father, who Jesus himself referred to as “the only true God” (John 17:3). There is only one “capital-G” God, and that is the Father (1 Cor. 8:6). And, as we will see, Jesus is far and away the best of all the “small-g” gods.
     Jesus is called “god” in the Bible? Yes, and so are Satan, Moses, the spiritual leaders of Israel, and pagan deities. [CT Editor's note: See scriptures at John 10:34, 1 Corinthians 8:5-6, 2 Corinthians 4:4] A study of the word “god” in Scripture will show that there are quite a number of different ways that word is used, and that whether or not it is capitalized makes a big difference in its meaning.
     So let’s look into the answer to this frequently asked question, starting in John 10:25-39. For the sake of brevity, and because the scriptures I will cite are covered in our book, One God & One Lord: Reconsidering the Cornerstone of the Christian Faith, I will paraphrase (and perhaps colloquialize) some of them. On our Biblical Unitarian website, ( http://www.biblicalunitarian.com/html/index.php ) you can go to “An Explanation of Verses Sometimes Used to Support the Trinity” and see what we say about the verses I mention or click on the hyper links for further study.
     In John 10, the Jews were bugging Jesus to tell them once and for all if he was the Messiah, and he replied by saying (v. 25ff) that it should have been obvious to them by the miracles he did. He then drew a parallel between him and his Father (vv. 28,29), saying that no one could snatch a chosen one from either of their hands. His next statement has been too often wrenched from its context and grossly misinterpreted: “I and my Father are one.” How so? Clearly, in the sense that he just stated.
     The Jews, very dissatisfied with Jesus’ answer, picked up stones to kill him, whereupon Jesus asked them which miracle they didn’t like. “It’s not the miracles—we loved the free fish sandwiches at the picnic,” they said, “it’s that you, a man, claim to be a god.” That is the proper translation of the verse, but nearly all Bible versions mistranslate it as “…claim to be God,” and, without a shred of textual justification, the very Trinitarian NIV goes so far as to toss in the adjective “mere” before the word “man.” Both of those translational foibles serve only to confuse people about this classic and critical section of Scripture. No Jew in his right mind would have said that Jesus was claiming to be God (Yahweh). Had they thought that, they would have dismissed him as demented. They all knew that the Messiah was to be a man, but they had it in for Jesus and refused to believe that he was that man.
     Had Jesus been “God” in the sense that most Christians today think he is, this was his golden opportunity to make that clear: "You’re right—I am God." Instead, quoting from Psalm 82, he said, “Hold it, doesn’t the Old Testament call the judges of Israel ‘gods’? Well then, what’s so bad about me saying I’m the Son of God?” By the way, if words have definitive meanings, one cannot be both the Son of God and God. [For further study read Does the teaching that Jesus is the Son of God, not God himself, demean him?]
     Look at Psalm 82—it’s only eight verses, and is talking about God’s evaluation of those He had called to lead Israel. In verse one we see the cultural Hebrew usage of the word “god” as referring to one whom God chose as His representative. In verses 2-7 God laments how badly those “gods” were doing in caring for His people, and the psalm closes in verse 8 with a plea for the Messiah to come and rule the earth righteously. Unfortunately, the word “god” is wrongly capitalized in verse 8.
     Let’s look at a couple of other places in the Old Testament where the Messiah is referred to as “god.” The first is Isaiah 9:6—Merry Christmas! Sure, you’ve no doubt seen a card with that verse on it. Too bad the word “god” is once again wrongly capitalized. The Messiah would not be the mighty “God,” he would be the mighty “god.” The Moffatt Bible and Martin Luther’s translation read “mighty hero” rather than “mighty God.” That is a very accurate rendering, because, as the ultimate representative of God, the Messiah would be the hero of all heroes. And Jesus was exactly that! He perfectly represented God’s heart to mankind. He is the “god” called for in Psalm 82:8.
     How about Psalm 45, another prophecy about the Messiah—this one about him riding forth victoriously to conquer and then rule the earth as God’s perfect representative. Verses 6 and 7 are quoted in Hebrews 1:8 and 9, which is where we will go next. Sad to say that in verse 6 the word “god” is once again mis-capitalized as “God.” No, like Psalm 82 and Isaiah 9:6, this psalm is also speaking of the Man among men, the one whom God would empower to restore His lost Paradise.
     OK, let’s look at Hebrews 1, and the context of the quote from Psalm 45. For the record, Hebrews 1 and 2 are a trenchant account of Jesus Christ’s journey from suffering to glory, emphasizing why he had to be a man (the Last Adam) in order to be the Redeemer of mankind. They are covered in detail in Chapters 2 and 3 of our One God & One Lord book. Hebrews 1:1-3 shows how God did His best in Old Testament times to communicate to mankind via the spoken and written words of the prophets, but what He really had in mind was Jesus, His ultimate image. Verse 4 then begins a most significant analogy between Jesus and the angels that goes all the way through Chapter 2.
      Verses 5, 6, and 7, each quoting an Old Testament reference, are speaking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ (v. 5—it’s not about his birth—look at Ps. 2:7 & Acts 13:33) and his return to the earth to rule (v. 6). Verse 8 clarifies that Psalm 45:6 and 7 are a Messianic prophecy, but the translators once again mis-capitalize “god” as “God.” But look at verse 9! It says, “…therefore God, even your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” Say, if one is God, how can anyone else be his “God”? That should be a more frequently asked question! In agreement with many other verses of Scripture, Hebrews 1:9 is clearly saying that because Jesus Christ suffered and died, God raised him from the dead and highly exalted (anointed) him as Lord.
     Another pertinent verse is John 20:28, where Thomas cried out upon first seeing the resurrected Christ: “My Lord and my God.” Many people use that verse to prove that Jesus is God, but it does not, for two reasons. The first is that the Bible is not stating that Jesus is God, the Bible is stating that Thomas called Jesus “God.” And the second reason is that “God” should be “god.” As a Jew, Thomas was familiar with that usage of the word “god.”
So, the Bible does refer to Jesus as “god,” but only in the sense of his being the perfect representative of the only true God, his Father and his God. Neither God nor Jesus ever said that he is God. Both call him the Son of God. Amen.

Although the editors at CommonTruth don't necessarily agree with everything on the Truth Or Tradition website, we do fully endorse this article. CommonTruth also has an article regarding Christ and the trinity, which can be accessed at:
http://www.commontruth.com/Trinity.html

NEWS BYTES
(AgapePress) - The University of Minnesota's theater arts department has scheduled a controversial play for next spring -- a work that's being labeled blasphemous and anti-Catholic by students on that campus. Titled The Pope and the Witch, it features a heroin-addicted pontiff who suffers a "crucifixion stroke" and is treated by, among others, a witch dressed in a nun's habit, who acts as an assisting nurse. Read more....
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/302006d.asp

(Montreal Gazette)
Evangelical schools fight Quebec curriculum rules
Dave Rogers, CanWest News Service; Ottawa Citizen, Published: Saturday, October 28, 2006
OTTAWA -- The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is fighting back against the Quebec Ministry of Education, which requires that unlicensed evangelical schools follow the provincial curriculum, including sex education and Darwin's theory of evolution. Read more...
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=41306533-a07c-45e8-b52b-f1467ed0f0e5&k=79636

(The Christian Post)
All 35 Christians in China arrested on Thursday have been released following a relatively “gentle” interrogation session, according to China Aid Association. Read more...
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061030/25662.htm

(Assist News Service)
NAIROBI, KENYA  (ANS) -- The first Bible commentary written exclusively by African theologians has been launched in Kenya.
“Written by 70 contributors from 25 countries, the Africa Bible Commentary aims to explain the Bible from an African perspective,” says a story released by the BBC. “It contains local proverbs and folk lore to help interpret the scriptures. Read more....
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s06100189.htm

PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE
The Biblical Queens
Although the royalty mentioned in scripture usually refers to various kings, the bible also speaks of several queens as well. Just as there were good kings and evil kings, so also were there good queens and evil queens. Here we will take a look at who some of these women were:
      The Queen of Sheba: (1 Kings 10:1-10) The Queen of Sheba heard about King Solomon's vast wisdom, and decided to pay him a visit to test his wisdom. She prepared some very difficult questions with which to test him. She didn't arrive empty handed either, as she brought with her a caravan of camels loaded with precious gifts. During her visit she was deeply impressed with his wisdom and rulership. Before departing, she blessed him in the name of Yahweh and gave him the gifts she brought. Interestingly, the story of the Queen of Sheba is repeated twice in the bible: Once at 1 Kings 10:1-10, and another time at 2 Chronicles 9:1-12.
      Queen Jezebel (1 Kings ) Queen Jezebel was the wife of the wicked Jewish king Ahab and the daughter of the king of Sidon. She was a worshiper of Baal (1 Kings 16:29-31). Jezebel was a particularly evil queen, killing God's prophets so that they had to go into hiding (1 Kings 18:3-4, 13). She was vengeful, as she also sought to kill the prophet Elijah because he caused the death of many of the false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:40, 19:1-2) -- this in spite of the fact that she was trying to kill Yah's prophets to begin with. She planned wicked schemes, as evidenced by the fact that she murdered a man so that King Ahab could have the man's vineyard (1 Kings 21:2-16). Apparently her evil ways influenced King Ahab so much that Yahweh decided to do away with her (1 Kings 21:20-26). Her demise happened, just as Yah decreed (2 Kings 9:30-37).
      Queen Athaliah (2 Chronicles 22 & 23)  Athaliah was a granddaughter of Omri (2 Chronicles 22:2), who was the father of King Ahab (1 Kings 16:28). Athaliah's son was Ahaziah (2 Kings 8:26-27), which was also Ahab's son (1 Kings 22:40). Therefore, Ahaziah was the offspring of Omri's son and granddaughter. Although this sounds quite incestuous, scripture shows that Ahaziah was a relative by marriage (2 Kings 8:27). Therefore, it seems that perhaps Athaliah was a "granddaughter-in-law" to Omri at some point, or perhaps even a "step-granddaughter", before she bore Ahaziah with Ahab. At any rate, Ahaziah was a wicked king like his father Ahab. (2 Kings 8:25-27) As a result, God ordained his death (2 Kings 9:6-7, 27). Once Athaliah saw her son was dead, she attempted to assassinate the remainder of the royal household and place herself as queen over the people.  However, Ahaziah's son, Joash, was hidden in an apparent storage room with his nurse, spared from murder, and went to live elsewhere. Athaliah reigned as queen for six years, when Joash, the rightful king, came out from hiding with a plan in place. Queen Athaliah was infuriated by this perceived act of treason, however the citizens weren't supportive of her, and she was killed along with all who followed her.  (2 Kings 11: 1-16).
      Queen Vashti  Vashti was the beautiful wife of the Persian King, Ahasuerus. (Persia is now modern day Iran). On one particular occasion, queen Vashti was giving a banquet for the women of the royal household. On the seventh day of the banquet, the king summoned Vashti to him for he wanted to show off her loveliness to his guests. However, queen Vashti refused to come. As a result, the King dissolved his marriage to her and replaced her with a new queen. (Esther 1:9-21)
      Queen Esther  Esther was the Jewess who replaced Queen Vashti. Esther was also known as "Hadassah", and was being taken care of by her older cousin, Mordecai, as she was an orphan (Esther 2:7). She was taken, along with several other women, into the king's palace for a year while the king was decided which woman to choose for his queen. Mordecai happened to be a member of the king's court, so he was able to make frequent checks on Esther's wellbeing during this time. Eventually, Esther was chosen as queen to replace Vashti. (Esther 2: 1-17)
      Belshazzar's Queen (Daniel 5:1-31) Although her name is not revealed in the scriptures, she played an important role. It was during a banquet king Belshazzar held, when God caused a message to appear on the wall right in front of the king and his guests. This greatly frightened the king, though he couldn't understand the message. When none of the king's wise men could interpret the writing, this queen advised Belshazzar that the prophet Daniel would be able to understand it, as he had the power of God behind him. The king listened to the queen's advice and summoned Daniel, who interpreted the ominous message to the king: That God found the king to be lacking, and the king's rulership was coming to an end. That night, the king was slain.
      Queen Candace of Ethiopia (Acts 8:26-28) Although this queen didn't have a direct connection to the events in this passage, she is still mentioned as the ruler that the eunuch was living under. This eunuch was in the area visiting Jerusalem for worship. On his return trip home, he was on the roadside trying to understand a passage from the scroll of Isaiah. Yahweh sent Phillip to explain the meaning of the passage to the Queen's eunuch. After gaining the correct understanding, the eunuch asked Phillip to baptize him, which was immediately performed.
     These aren't the only times that queens are mentioned in scripture. There are various other passages regarding queens. Some are used symbolically and some are spoken of  literally: Song of Solomon 6:8-9, Judges 9:8-13, The Book of Esther, Jeremiah 7:18, 44:17-25, Matthew 12:42, and Revelation 18:7. For your own enrichment, we encourage you to read these passages and gain a better understanding of these important women in the bible.

VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT
Spikenard (a.k.a. "Nard")
Spikenard - (Heb. nerd), a much-valued perfume (Cant. Deut_1:12; Deut_4:13,14). It was "very precious", i.e., very costly (Mark_14:3; John_12:3,5). It is the root of an Indian plant, the Nardostachys jatamansi, of the family of Valeriance, growing on the Himalaya mountains. It is distinguished by its having many hairy spikes shooting out from one root. It is called by the Arabs sunbul Hindi, "the Indian spike." In the New Testament this word is the rendering of the Greek nardos pistike. The margin of the Revised Version in these passages has "pistic nard," pistic being perhaps a local name. Some take it to mean genuine, and others liquid. The most probable opinion is that the word pistike designates the nard as genuine or faithfully prepared.
Source: Easton's Bible Dictionary
    "Nardos" is derived, through the Semitic languages (Heb. nerd, Syriac nardin), from the Sanskrit nalada, "a fragrant oil," procured from the stem of an Indian plant. The Arabs call it the "Indian spike." The adjective pistikos is attached to it in the NT, Mark_14:3; John_12:3; pistikos, if taken as an ordinary Greek word, would signify "genuine." There is evidence, however, that it was regarded as a technical term. It has been suggested that the original reading was pistakes, i.e., the Pistacia Terebinthus, which grows in Cyprus, Syria, Palestine, etc., and yields a resin of very fragrant odor, and in such inconsiderable quantities as to be very costly. "Nard was frequently mixed with aromatic ingredients ... so when scented with the fragrant resin of the pistake it would quite well be called nardos pistakes" (E. N. Bennett, in the Classical Review for 1890, Vol. iv, p. 319). The oil used for the anointing of the Lord's head was worth about f12, and must have been of the most valuable kind. In the Sept., Solomon_1:12; Solomon_4:13,14.

Source: Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, 1940

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH
Encouragement From The Bible
http://www.4hurtingchristians.com/great_encouragement_from_the_bible.html

Although we don't agree doctrinally with some of the things published on the "4hurtingchristians.com" website, this particular page of encouragement is well worth visiting. This page lists various discouraging situations and gives scriptures for each situation to help you regain your spiritual balance. The list totals forty different situations; everything from fear of death, to divorce, to anger management, to temptation, and everything in between. It is a definite gem for everyone, as we all suffer from discouragement at one time or another.