SAMSON

Samson was one of the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites.

He was given supernatural strength by God in order to combat his enemies and perform heroic feats such as killing a lion, slaying an entire army with just the jawbone of an ass and destroying a pagan temple.

 Samson had two vulnerabilities however, his attraction to the wrong women and his hair which he was powerless without.  These vulnerabilities eventually led to his death.

Samson is believed by some to be buried in Tel Tzora Israel where there are two large gravestones, one for him and one for his father Manoah.

Samson was:
Dedicated to God from birth as a Nazirite
Known for his feats of strength
Listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11
Began to free Israel from Philistine oppression
Violated his vow and God's laws on many occasions
Was controlled by sensuality
Used his gifts and abilities unwisely
Father; Manoah

His story is told in Judges 13-16.  And he is also mentioned in Hebrews 11:32

ARCHANGEL GABRIEL

Gabriel is one of only two angels specifically named in the Bible.  (The other being Michael).

He is an angel who typically serves as a messenger sent from God to certain people.

He is mentioned both in the Old and the New Testament.

In the Old Testament it is in the book of Daniel where he explains Daniels visions to him.
In the New Testament it is in the book of Luke where he appears to Zacharia and Mary fortelling the births of both John the Baptist and Jesus.
He is also the angel that causes Zacharia to be unable to speak for a period of time due to his unbelief of the angel's message.

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

The Archangel Michael is only mentioned three times in the Bible.  In Daniel 10:13-21 and 12:1.

The prophet Daniel experiences a vision after going through a period of fasting.  In the vision an angel identifies Michael as the protector of Israel.  Later in the vision Daniel is informed about the role of Michael during the "Time of the End" when there will be "distress such as not happened from the beginning of nations" and that:

At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. 

In the book of Revelation during the war in heaven Michael leads God's armies against Satan's forces and defeats Satan.

Because of this Michael is seen as playing an important role as the protector of Israel and later of the Christian Church.

DANIEL

Daniel's early life demonstrates that there is more to being young than making mistakes.  No characteristic wins the hearts of adults more quickly than wisdom in the words and actions of a young person.  Daniel and his friends had been taken from their homes in Judah and exiled.  Their futures were in doubt, but they all had personal traits that qualified them for jobs as servants inn the king's palace.  They took advantage of the opportunity without letting the opportunity take advantage of them.

Our first hint of Daniel's greatness comes in his quiet refusal to give up his convictions.  He had applied God's will to his own life, and he resisted changing the good habits he had formed.  Both his physical and spiritual diets were an important part of his relationship with God.  He ate carefully and lived prayerfully.  One of the benefits of being in training for royal service was eating food from the king's table.  Daniel tactfully chose a simpler menu and proved it was a healthy choice.  As with Daniel, mealtimes are obvious and regular test s of our efforts to control our appetites.

While Daniel limited his food intake, he indulged in prayer.  He was able to communicate with God because he made it a habit.  He put into practice his convictions even when that meant being thrown into a den of hungry lions.  His life proved he made the right choice.

Daniel was:

• Although young when deported, remained true to his faith
• Served as an adviser to two Bablyonian kings and two Medo-Persian kings
• Was a man of prayer and a statesman with the gift of prophecy
• Survived the lions den
• Where: Judah and the courts of both Babylon and Persi
• Occupation:  A captive fro Israel who became an adviseer of kings
• Contemporaries:  Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, Mebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, Cyrus

Daniel's story is told in the book of Daniel.  He is also mentioned in Matthew 24:15

MARY (Mother of Jesus)

Young Mary of Nazareth had the unique privilege of being mother to the very Son of God.

Mary was the only human present at Jesus' birth who also witnessed his death.  She saw him arrive as her baby son, and she watched him die as her Savior.

Until Gabriel's unexpected visit, Mary's life was quite satisfactory.  She had recently become engaged to a carpenter, Joseph, and was anticipating married life.  But her life was about to change forever.

Gabriel told her that even though she had never been with a m an she would have a baby and that baby would be God's Son.  Her answer was the one God waits in vain to hear fro so many other people.  "I am the Lord's servant...May it be to me as you have said"  (Luke 1:38).  Later, her song of joy shows us how well she knew God, for her thoughts were filled with his words from the Old Testament.

Within a few weeks of his birth, Jesus was taken to the temple to be dedicated to God.  There, Joseph and Mary were met by two devout people, Simeon and Anna, who recognized the child as the Messiah and praised God.  Simeon directed some words to Mary that must have come to her mind many times in the years that followed.  "A sword will pierce your own soul" (Luke 2:35).  A big part of her painful privilege of motherhood would be to see her son rejected and crucified by the people he came to save.

Mary was:

• The mother of Jesus, the Messiah
• The one human who was with Jesus from birth to death
• Willing to be available to God
• Knew and applied Old Testament scriptures
• Where: Nazareth, Bethlehem
• Occupation:  Homemaker
• Relatives:  Husband-Joseph.  Relatives:  Zechariah and Elizabeth, Children-Jesus, James, Joseph, Judas, Simon and daughters

Mary's story is told throughout the Gospels.  She is also mentioned in Acts 1:14  

JOHN THE BAPTIST

There's no getting around it-John the Baptist was unique.  He wore odd clothes and ate strange food and preached an unusual message to the Judeans who went out to the wastelands to see him.

But John did not aim at uniqueness for his own sake.  Instead, he aimed at obedience.  He knew he had a specific role to play in the world-announcing the coming of the Savior-and he put all his energies into this task.  Luke tells us that John was in the desert when God's word of direction came to him.  John was ready and waiting.  The angel who had announced John's birth to Zechariah had made it clear this child was to be a Nazirite-one set apart for God's service.  John remained faithful to that calling.

This wild-looking man had no power or position in the Jewish political system, but he spoke with amost irresistible authority.  People were moved by his words because he spoke the truth, challenging them to turn from their sins and baptizing them as a symbol of their repentance.  They responded by the hundreds.  But even as people crowded to him, he pointed beyond himself, never forgetting that his main role was to announce the coming of the Savior.

The words of truth that moved many to repentance goaded others to resistance and resentment.  John even challenged Herod to admit his sin.  Herodias, the woman Herod had married illegally, decided to get rid of this desert preacher.  Although she was able to have him killed, she was not able to stop his message.  The One John had announced was already on the move.  John had accomplished his mission.

John was:

• The God-appointed messenger to announce the arrival of Jesus
• A preacher whose theme was repentance
• A fearless confront-er
• Known for his remarkable life-style
• Where: Judea
• Occupation:  Prophet
• Relatives:  Father-Zechariah, Mother-Elizabeth.  Distant relative-Jesus
• Contemporaries:  Herod, Herodias

John's story is told in all four Gospels.  His coming was predicted in Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 4:5, and he is mentioned in Acts 1:5, 22; 10:37, 11:16, 13:24, 25, 18:25, 19:3,4

DAVID

When we think of David, we think:  shepherd, poet, giat-killer, king, ancestor of Jesus-in short, one of the greatest men in the Old Testament.  But alongside that list stand another:  betrayer, liar, adulterer, murderer.  The first list gives qualities we all might like to have, the second, qualities that might be true of any one of us.  The Bible makes no effort to hide David's failures.  Yet he is remembered and respected for his heart for God.  Knowing how much more we share in David's failures than in his greatness, we should be curious to find out what made God refer to David as "a man after my own heart"(Acts 13:22)

David, more than anything else, had an unchangeable belief in the faithful and forgiving nature of God.  He was a man who lived with great zest.  He sinned many times but he was quick to confess his sins.  His confessions were from the heart, and his repentance was genuine.  David never took God's forgiveness lightly or his blessing for granted.  In return, God never held back from David either his forgiveness or the consequences of his actions.  David experienced the joy of forgiveness even when he had to suffer the consequences of his sins.

David was:

• Greatest king of Israel
• Ancestor of Jesus Christ
• Listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11
• A man described by God himself as a man after his own heart
• Committed adultery with Bathsheba
• Arranged the murder of Uriah, Bathsheba's husband
• Directly disobeyed God in taking a census of the people
• Did not deal decisively with the sins of his children
• Lived in Bethlehem, Jerusalem
• Occupations:  Shepherd, musician, poet, solider, king
• Relatives:  Father-Jesse, Wives-Michal, Ahinoam, Bathsheba, Abigail.  Sons-Absalom, Amnon, Solomon, Adonijah.  Daughters-Tamar. Seven brothers
• Contemporaries:  Saul, Jonathan, Samuel, Nathan

His story is told in 1 Samuel 16-1 Kings 2, He is also mentioned in Amos 6:5, Matthew 1:1, l; 22:42-45,  Luke 1:32,  Acts 13:22, Romans 1:3,  Hebrews 11:32

AARON

Effective teamwork happens when each team member uses his or her special skills.  Ideally, each member's strengths will contribute something important to the team effort.  In this way, members make up for one another's weaknesses.  Aaron made a good team with Moses.  He provided Moses with one skill Moses lacked-effective public speaking.  But while Aaron was necessary to Moses, he needed Moses as well.  Without a guide, Aaron had little direction of his own.  There was never any doubt as to who God's chosen and trained leader was.  The pliability that made Aaron a good follower made him a weak leader.  His major failures were caused by his inability to stand aloe.  His yielding to public pressure and making an idol was a good example of this weakness.

Aaron was:

• First high priest of God in Israel
• Effective communicator, Moses' mouthpiece
• Pliable personality that gave in to people's demands for a golden calf.
• Joined with Moses in disobeying God's orders about the water-giving rock
• Joined sister Miriam in complaining against Moses
• From Egypt, Desert of Sinae
• Occupations:  Priest, Moses second in command
• Relatives:  Brother-Moses, Sister-Miriam, Sons-Nadab, Abihu, Eleasar, and Ithamar

Aaron's story is told in Exodus-Deuteronomy 10:6  Also mentioned in Hebrews 7:11

ELIZABETH

In societies like Israel, in which a woman's value was largely measured by her ability to bear children, to be aging and without children often led to personal hardship and public shame.  For Elizabeth, a childless old age was a painful and lonely time during which she remained faithful to God.

Both Elizabeth and Zechariah came from priestly families.  For two weeks each year, Zechariah had to go to the temple in Jerusalem to attend to his priestly duties.  After one of those trips, Zechariah returned home excited, but speechless.  He had to write down his good news, because he couldn't give it any other way.  And what a wonderful surprise he had for his wife-their faded dream would become an exciting reality!  Soon Elizabeth became pregnant and she knew her child was a long-hoped for gift from God.

News traveled fast among the family.  Seventy miles to the north, in Nazareth, Elizabeth's relative, Mary, also unexpectedly became pregnant.  Within days after the angel's message that she would bear the Messiah, Mary went to visit Elizabeth.  They were instantly bound together by the unique gifts God had given them.  Elizabeth knew that Mary's son would be even greater than her own, for John would be the messenger for Mary's son.

When the baby was born, Elizabeth insisted on his God-given name:  John.  Zechariah's written agreement freed his tongue, and everyone in town wondered what would become of this obviously special child.

Elizabeth whispered her praise as she cared for God's gift.  Knowing about Mary must have made her marvel at God's timing.  Things had worked out even better than she could have planned.

Elizabeth was:

• Known as a deeply spiritual woman
• Showed no doubts about God's ability to fulfill his promise
• Mother of John the Baptist
• The first woman besides Mary to hear of the coming Savior
• Occupation:  Homemaker
• Relatives:  Husband-Zechariah, Son-John the Baptist, Relative-Mary
• Contemporaries:  Joseph, Herod the Great

Elizabeth's story is told in Luke 1:5-80

ZECHARIAH

Zechariah was told before anyone else that God was setting in motion his own visit to earth. Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were known for their personal holiness.  They were well suited to doing a special work for God.  But they shared the pain of not having children, and in Jewish culture this was considered not having God's blessing.  Zechariah and Elizabeth were old, and they had stopped even asking for children.

Their trip to the temple in Jerusalem for Zechariah's turn at duty had included an unexpected blessing.  Zechariah was chosen to be the priest who would enter the Holy Place to offer incense to God for the people.  Suddenly, much to his surprise and terror, he found himself face to face with an angel.  The angel's message was too good to be true!  But Zechariah did not respond to the news of the coming Savior as much as he expressed doubts about his own ability to father the child the angel promised him.  His age spoke more loudly than God's promise.  As a result, God prevented Zechariah from speaking until the promise became reality.

The record of the prayer in Luke 1 is our last glimpse of Zechariah.  Like so many of God's most faithful servants, he passed quietly from the scene once his part was done.  He becomes our hero for those times when we doubt God and yet are willing to obey.  We gain hope from Zechariah's story that God can do great things through anyone who is available to him.

Zechariah was:

• Known as a righteous man
• Occupation:  A priest before God
• One of the few people to be directly addressed by an angel
• Fathered John the Baptist
• Momentarily doubted God's promise of a son
• Relatives:  Wife; Elizabeth, Son; John the Baptis

Zechariah's story is told in Luke 1

KING HEROD

King of Judea from 37 to 4 BC, more than 30 years.

Also known as "Herod The Great"

An  effective, though ruthless, ruler

He is remembered as a builder of cities and the lavish re-builder of the temple in Jerusalem.

But he also destroyed people.  He showed little greatness in either his personal actions or his character.  He was ruthless in ruling his territory.  His suspicions and jealousy led to the murder of several of his children and the death of his wife Mariamne.

Herod's title, king of the Jews, was granted by Rome but never accepted by the Jewish people.  He was not part of the Davidic family line, and he was only partly Jewish.  Although Israel benefited from Herod's lavish efforts to repair the temple in Jerusalem, he won little admiration because he also rebuilt various pagan temples.  Herod's costly attempt to gain the loyalty of the people failed because it was superficial.  His only loyalty was to himself.

Because his royal title was not genuine, Herod was constantly worried about losing his position.  His actions when hearing from the Magi about their search of the new king are consistent with all that we know about Herod.  He planned to locate and kill the child before he could become a threat.  The murder of innocent children that followed is a tragic lesson in what can happen when actions are motivated by selfishness. Herod's suspicions did not spare even his own family.  His life was self-destructive.

JAPHETH

• Noah's third son
• One of the three sons who were on the Ark and so one of the three that all future generations came from.
• One of the two brothers that covered their father when he was naked
• Descendants were called the Japhethites
• Descendants settled for the most part in Europe and Asia Minor
• Descendants are the Greeks, Thracians, Scythians

HAM

• Noah's Second son.
• One of the three sons who were on the Ark and so one of the three that all future generations came from.
• Father of Canaan
• Descendants were called the Canaanites
• The son who disrespected his father, Noah when he found him passed out naked in his tent
• Cursed to become a 'slave' to his two other brothers because of this and this curse was fulfilled when the Israelites entered the promised land and drove the Canaanites out.
• His descendants settled in Canaan, Egypt, and the rest of Africa.
• Descendants are:  Canaanites, Egyptians, Philistines, Hittites, Amorites (All the bad guys)

SHEM

• Noah's oldest son.
• One of the three sons who were on the Ark and so one of the three that all future generations came from.
• One of the two brothers that covered their father when he was naked
• Descendants were called the Semites.
• Abraham, David, and Jesus descended from Shem
• Lived from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country.
• His descendants were the Hebrews, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Persians and Syrians

BENJAMIN

• 12th and youngest son of Jacob.
• 2nd and last son of Rachel
• Rachel died during his childbirth.
• Name means "son of my right hand".
• Described by his father as a wolf that prowls, devouring his enemies in the morning and dividing up the spoils in the evening. (Gen. 49:27)
• King Saul, Judge Ehud, Paul and Jeremiah were descendants of Benjamin.
• Had 10 sons.

JOSEPH

• 11th son born to Jacob.
• Mother is Rachel (Jacob's favored wife).
• Name means "may he add"..."May the Lord add to me another son."
• One full and 10 half brothers.
• Received preferential treatment thus angering his brothers.
• Brothers faked his death and sold him into slavery in Egypt.
• Had power to interpret dreams.
• Became leader in Egypt.
• Married an Egyptian wife, "Asenath"
• Had two sons, Manesseh and Ephraim.
• Died when he was 110, bones were embalmed in Egypt and moved to Canaan during the Exodus.

ZEBULUN

• 10th son of Jacob.
• Probably means "honor".
• Mother was Leah.
• 5 full brothers and 6 half brothers.
• Tribe renowned as seafarers.
• Had 3 sons.

ISSACHAR

• 9th son of Jacob.
• Born to Leah.
• Name means "reward".  Leah said; "God has rewarded me for giving y maidservant to my husband.
• Born to Leah after a period of not having children.
• Leah 'hired' her husband to sleep with her and thus became pregnant with Issachar & Zebulun.
• Twin to Zebulun.
• Brother to Dinah.
• 5 full brothers, 6 half brothers.
• Described as a beast of burden who would submit to forced labor.
• In the Song of Deborah (Judges) mentioned in favorable light concerning tribes' battles with Canaanites.
• Gained reputation for it's wise men.
• Married Aridah.
• Had 4 sons.

ASHER

• 8th son of Jacob.
• 2nd born to Zilpah, Leah's handmaid.
• Name means "happy" because Leah said: "How happy I am!..."
• One older full brother and 10 half brothers.
• Helped in the plot to sell Joseph into slavery.
• Failed to drive out the inhabitants of their allotted land, the Phoenician's.
• In the Song of Deborah (Judges 5) they are reprimanded for not helping out during the struggle against a Canaanite king.
• Had four sons and a daughter.

GAD

• 7th son of Jacob.
• Mother was Zilpah, Leah's handmaid.
• Means "good fortune" or "a troop".
• One full brother, 10 half brothers.