Richard III's ‘funeral crown’ goes on display in York (From York Press)

Richard III's ‘funeral crown’ goes on display in York (From York Press):



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Richard III's ‘funeral crown’ goes on display in York

11:31am Wednesday 28th May 2014 in News

Jane Stockdale of York Archaeological Trust with the crown which is on display

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HE was buried 600 years ago in a hurriedly dug grave with none of the traditional royal pomp and ceremony, but now the regalia Richard IIInever had is to go on display.

A "funeral crown" created especially for Richard III by a leading Ricardian historian is on show at the Richard III Experience in York.

Dr John Ashdown-Hill, who was involved in the archaeological dig that discovered Richard's remains, commissioned a valuable 15th century-style coronet in tribute to Richard, and it is now on display to visitors at the museum in Monk Bar, before it starts a tour of the country and plays a part in the king's reburial.

The crown was created by medieval jewellery expert George Easton, who took his inspiration for its design from historical sources relating to the infamous monarch, including illustrations and surviving relics from the period.

Dr Ashdown-Hill said: “The crown is plated with gold, with the circle set enamelled with white roses and pearls. On the roses are set rubies and sapphires, representing the livery colours of the house of York. The crosses of the crown have more enamelled white roses, set with emeralds and turquoises.”

Dr Ashdown-Hill was inspired to commission the crown when he was carrying Richard's newly-discovered remains, covered with a Royal standard, away from the dig in Leicester.

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He had been involved in the search from the start, tracing Richard's living relatives descended from his sister Anne of York through an all female line, and researching on the modern location of his grave.

Housed in Monk Bar, one of the medieval gateways to York, the Richard III Experience has been open since April 2014 and explores the monarch’s influence on the city of York.

It is run by the JORVIK Group and director Sarah Maltby said: "Richard III’s reign may have been short but his influence on York cannot be underestimated. The Richard III Experience is the perfect place for people to explore Richard’s life and reign and we are excited to have access to the replica crown to help to give our visitors insight into the majesty of medieval kings.”

The crown will be on display there until early July.

How does a Redeemer from sins provide the answer?

We have seen in the past couple of articles about the history between the testaments that lead the people to cry out for a Deliverer - a Messiah to deliver from oppression. Corrupt politics, corrupt religious officials and everyday life that was a mainstream of struggle and hardship. Society around was succombing to the Hellenism of the day that though increasing knowledge, also degraded the morality of society. The fact that the Emperor was now referring to himself as a "god" didn't help matters, especially for those who sought to truly follow God. 

"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Lk.2:10,11Lk.2:10,11

It goes without saying that the timing of Jesus' birth itself was miraculous, God sending His own Son into the world and society to Deliver in a way that man had not seen before. Deliverance of sins! But, how did this answer - does this answer the need for a deliverer from the pit of life?  How does a Redeemer from sins provide the answer for corruption, financial hardship, disaster, debauchery and the myriad of other problems that even the world today faces?  The answer? It doesn't...not then and not now. Those who seek such a Messiah, had and continue to misread the Bible and do not know God. 

God had done this in the past. When in bondage in Egypt, the people called out for a Deliverer. God sent them Moses, who led them out of physical bondage to bring them to a promised land where they could be God's people and He would be their God. Yet, how was God thanked for such Deliverance? Murmurs, complaints, demands!  God fed them - they were not content with the food He provided. God clothed them, protected them - they were not satisfied and thought life in bondage was better than life with God.  What makes us think it is any different for us? God is not the problem - we are!

The sending of one to deliver us from our sins, may not redeem us from our circumstances, but it gives us what we need to overcome them.  When you change man's heart, man changes.  It provides us with the one thing that mere removal of circumstances cannot - it provides hope, that cannot be taken away.  James wrote "My brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (Jas.5:19,20)." Not only do we help to save a soul, but when the turn of the heart is genuine, then indeed the deliverance gets one above the circumstances now and in the future. It provides the building block on which the future can be changed, regardless whether the world changes or not.  Jesus said, "For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.(Mt.7:8)." And again, "For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and few are those who find it. (Mt.7:14)."

God is not going to take you away from or out of drug abuse. He is not going to keep your house from being foreclosed, or your health marriage from failing.  But He will give you freely everything that He has in His Son (Jn.3:16). For those who seek God - that is more than enough - and it will change you.  It is everything. He who wants to hear - let him understand what God's Spirit speaks to you in this matter.

Jim

Antiochus Epiphanes and Rise of the Herods

As in the last article, Daniel's prophesies were astoundingly accurate. Dan.8:23 revealed the

rise of Antiochus IV. A man shaped by the ruthlessness and politics of his day, Antiochus IV referred to himself as Epiphanes or as stated in the Greek Ἀντίοχος Δ΄ ὁ Ἐπιφανής, Antíochos D' ho Epiphanḗs, "God Manifest." This title was taken in the following of a "ruler cult" that began to develop in the time, in which rules would use such titles to announce to the world their stature and conquests. Antiochus also tried to interact with common people, by appearing in the public bath houses and applying for municipal offices, and his often eccentric behavior and capricious actions led some of his contemporaries to call him Epimanes ("Mad One"). This was long before the Roman Empire's excesses.

Antiochus’ policies advocating Hellenism brought him into conflict with many religious organizations, particularly with the Jews. Up to this point, the Jews had enjoyed autonomy under their own high priest. However, conflict with the Samaritans and transplanted peoples by the Babylonians and Persians had been an antagonism since the return and rebuilding of the Temple. As a result, even though the Temple rebuilt and Jerusalem refortified, the Jews were politically divided into two parties, the orthodox Hasidim (Pious Ones - forerunners of the Pharisees) and a reform party that favored Hellenism (forerunner of the Sadducees). Politics and worldly wrangling had also infiltrated the Priesthood of the Jews. For financial reasons Antiochus supported the reform party and, in return for a considerable bribe, permitted the High Priest, Jason (Greek name of Joshua, brother to Onias III), to build a gymnasium in Jerusalem and to introduce the Greek mode of educating young people. Such a move was appalling to the Hasidim, because the gymnasium was being used to supplant ancient Jewish law in Jerusalem. Nude art and sculpture, along with naked participation in the "games" were heralded and advertised. "Upper classes" of the Jews (Sadducees) were interested in obtaining this training for their young people, because policy identified the graduates of the gymnasium as legitimate Greek "citizens," and only these might serve as the basis for local administration. In 172 B.C. for an even bigger tribute, Antiochus IV appointed Menelaus in place of Jason as High Priest. In 169 B.C. however, while Antiochus was campaigning in Egypt, Jason conquered Jerusalem—with the exception of the citadel—and murdered many adherents of his rival Menelaus. When Antiochus returned from Egypt in 167 he took Jerusalem by force and enforced its Hellenization. Jewish religious rites and traditions kept by observant Jews were outlawed he ordered the worship of Zeus as the supreme god. This was anathema to the Jews Jimand when they refused, Antiochus sent an army to enforce his decree. Because of the resistance, the city was destroyed, many were slaughtered. A man could not keep the sabbath or celebrate the traditional feasts, nor even admit that he was a Jew. According to one account, one of Antiochus' officers ordered a pig be sacrificed to Zeus upon the altar of God.

This policy of Jason and his supporters was the chief cause of the Hasmonean revolt which broke out afterward, and which finally freed Judea from the rule of the Seleucids and gave birth to the Hasmonean dynasty and rise of the Herods. Now, we can understand why the people of the time cried out for a Messiah, a Deliverer from oppression. Which raises the question we will deal with in a study next week - How would the sending of Jesus to deliver from sins, be the answer to this prayer?  

Jim

Real History and Politics of the Gospels

One of the catalysts of turmoil in Jesus' day, was the political strife and hardship caused by the Herods. From before Jesus was born, until well into the first century, the Herodian Dynasty was one of renown. Their rise to power came during the time of the then Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus (134-104 BC), when Judea conquered Edom and forced the Edomites to convert to Judaism. Gradually integrated into the Jewish nation some were able to reach high ranking positions. In the days of Alexander Jannaeus, an Edomite by the name of Antipas was appointed governor of Edom. His son Antipater I, father of Herod the Great, was the chief adviser to Hasmonean leader Hyrcanus II and managed in this position to establish a good relationship with the rising Roman Republic, who following conquest of Syria had intervened in a civil war in Judea. As a result of this friendship, Julius Caesar appointed Antipater I to be procurator of Judea in 47 BC and he appointed his sons Phasael and Herod to be governors of Jerusalem and Galilee. 

Mark Antony

As history notes, Julius Caesar was assassinated, in 44 BC, Caesar was due to appear at a session of the Senate. Mark Antony had vaguely learned of the plot the night before and fearing the worst, went to warn Caesar. The plotters, however, had anticipated this and, fearing that Antony would come to Caesar's aid, had arranged for Trebonius to intercept him just as he approached the portico of Theatre of Pompey, where the session was to be held, and detain him outside. When he heard the commotion from the senate chamber, Antony fled.  To combat Brutus and Cassius, who were massing an enormous army in Greece, Antony needed soldiers, the cash from Caesar's war chests, and the legitimacy that Caesar's name would provide for any action he took against them. On 27 November 43 BC, the Second Triumvirate was officially formed, composed of Antony, Octavian, and Caesar's loyal cavalry commander Lepidus. The Second Triumvirate reinstated the practice of proscription and engaged in the legally sanctioned murder of a large number of its opponents to secure funding for its forty-five legions in the second civil war against Brutus and Cassius. Antony and Octavius defeated them at Philippi.  During all of this Antipater was forced to side with Cassius against Mark Antony. When Cassius came to Syria to collect troops, he began to demand harsh tributes, so much so that some entire cities and city curators were sold into slavery. Antipater was poisoned in 43 BC however; his sons managed to hold the reins of power and were elevated to the rank of tetrarchs in 41 BC by Mark Antony. Not long after this, Mark Antony formed an alliance with Caesar's lover, Cleopatra, intending to use the fabulously wealth of Egypt as a base to dominate Rome. A third civil war then broke out between Octavian on one hand and Antony and Cleopatra on the other. This final civil war, culminating in the latter's defeat at Actium, resulted in the permanent ascendancy of Octavian, who became the first Roman emperor, under the name Caesar Augustus.

The Jews did not consider Herod a true Jew because he was Idumean or Edomite. Even

Herod the Great

though incorporated into Jewish society, Herod’s background and atrocities cast him in disfavor and the Jewish political and religious community became viewed by the common people as corrupt.  With Octavian declaring himself Caesar Augustus or “son of the divine” the Jews who had fought so hard to overcome the chains of bondage, once again found themselves under what they considered tyranny.  Many rebelled and were killed. The cry for a deliverer became even more feverish, and the prophesies of Daniel began to resound once more. And it would indeed be “in the days of these kings” that God would choose to send His Son and set up His kingdom.  You can read about them today in the Gospels and New Testament.

Jim

What Happened After?

Many know the New Testament and lives of the apostles. Yet, not many of us are aware of the history surrounding them, their deaths, and what happened after their passing. What about the effects of their teaching? Those whom they taught? Churches that they started?

Jesus arose in 30 A.D. and it was 40 days later that the disciples were gathered together on Pentecost in Acts 2, the beginning of the body of Christ. This is where many skim over historical highlights in favor of focusing on doctrinal struggles that took place. In doing so, we lose the time stream of things which can be equally important to realize, because events and rulers of these times often tell us why things happen as they did.

A.D.30-33 was a charged period in history both politically and religiously. Tiberius was emperor during this time and came to power after the death of Octavian in 14 AD. A military hero and he was loved by the Roman people in the beginning of his rule. However, over time it is speculated that he went mad, living the last part of his life in isolation, and is even reported by Roman historians to have been unbearably cruel and sadistic. As a result, military tensions in Israel and Palestine are high, skirmishes between civilian and military personnel frequent. One group extremely affected by this are the followers of Jesus, who have just seen his crucifixion at the hands of the Jewish Leaders and Pontius Pilate.  Another group that will begin so see some stress and change at the same time are the very people who have delivered Jesus to be put to death. The Jewish leadership is already seeing a strained relationship with Roman authorities, but now they are facing turmoil from within their own midst.  The man they had just put to the cross is now being reported alive in the streets of Jerusalem and they have damage control to launch. On top of this, this event has put them in jeopardy with Roman authorities. Added to this is also the tearing of the Temple Veil in Lk.23:45.  The Jewish Talmud Yoma 39b records, “Forty years before the Temple was destroyed [i.e., 40 years before 70 A.D. or in 30 A.D.] . . .the gates of the Hekel [Holy Place] opened by themselves, until Rabbi Yohanan B. Zakkai rebuked them [the gates] saying, Hekel, Hekel, why alarmist thou us? We know that thou art destined to be destroyed...”  This is a significant thing because the veil signified separation that existed between God and his people (sin). The tearing of the veil is a supernatural phenomenon  saying that the separation no longer exists, and if it no longer exists then the system of rule and sacrifice that took place within the walls of the temple were about to change. Forty years later, it would, when the very temple itself would be destroyed to such an extent so as to be unusable.

The Jewish leadership is struggling for damage control and tensions with the romans are going to continue to mount and escalate. Yet, out of what seems a chaotic 3rd world, comes the hand of God bringing about His will, His body.  Persecution by man is turned by God into something that will take the teachings of Jesus throughout the world.

Chaos in your world? Turmoil? Politics? Tragedy? Maybe God is using these events to bring about something fantastic in your life. Are you looking for it?

Jim

Fig Medication via Ferrell Jenkins

King Hezekiah was at the point of death, but the LORD heard his prayer and extended his life by 15 years. There are several visual illustrations in this chapter. I have selected the one in verse 21.

Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?” (Isaiah 38:21-22 ESV)

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament offers this comment on the use of fig cakes at 2 Kings 20:7:

Fig cakes may have been used as condiments and for medicinal purposes at Ugarit. Both later rabbinical Jewish and classical sources (e.g., Pliny the Elder) shared the belief that dried figs had medicinal value. Poultices were sometimes used for diagnosis rather than for medication. A day or two after the poultice was applied, it would be checked for either the skin’s reaction to the poultice or the poultice’s reaction to the skin. One medical text from Emar prescribes the use of figs and raisins for such a process. They helped determine how the patient should be treated and whether or not he would recover.


Dried figs from Jericho. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.