Reliable history in the Bible

I have read somewhere, and am sure it would not be very difficult for an interested party to affirm, that Assyria once held Egypt as far south as the first (or was it the second?) cataract of the Nile.

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Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -

Thank you dear,I feel like myself again.Wondering what the heck went wrong before.Don't worry. I'll be changing the password momentarily.

It is finished.Thank you, Jar and AdminAsgara, for all your help.Now, ...Where were we?

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Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -

Thank you so much sir(?).Not sure I understood the thread as it was but have recently renewed my interest in Assyia's role versus ancient Israel. That was the connection which interested me in this thread in the first place.Seems to me the prophet Elijah was in the employ of a major empire; one which was content to interfere in both the Israeli and Syrian governments.

quote:

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"And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel:" 1 Kings 19:15,16

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Elijah is instructed to interfere with warring nations at the highest level of government. Not the sort of thing I think my "God" would be inclined to do, given that he is supposed to be a peace loving soul.Then there is the matter of who could get away with such action. We are aware that both Necho of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took down and set up kings of Israel (and/or Judah). This we accept as inevitable. An emperor (a king of kings) does that sort of thing. Itinerate preachers wandering through the desert do not do that sort of thing.Earlier in his career (as spokesman for the emperor) Elijah had orchestrated the murder of 450 dignitaries purportedly in the employ of Jezebel, queen of Israel, and daughter of a Phoenician king. Subsequently, Elijah ran for his life when the queen threatened him with the same fate. He ran and hid in a cave. The LORD (or his agent {Gk. angel-}) caught up with him there, and persuaded him to go back to work. Later we find him setting up (and by inference: taking down) kings in two separate countries which are at war with each other (and continued at war with each other for a hundred years).What sort of monarch puts up with that shi* from a meddling itinerate preacher working both sides of the fence?NONE. That's what sort.But from an Imperial Ambassador? The most interesting thing in all this, from my perspective, is the inference that "the LORD," in this case at least, appears to refer to an emperor: perhaps of the Assyrian empire; possibly of the Egyptian; clearly someone at odds with Phoenicia. Consider this in light of the fact that KURIE was a term applied to Alexander (during the era when Jews translated their holy scripture to Greek) and you have a very suggestive thought which tends to a revision of the nature and character of Jehovah himself. (He is called "a man" on more than one occasion you know)How this plays to the historicity of the scripture I can only speculate, with great anticipation of major philisophic coup.

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Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -

The Jesus character could be a literary device by which the Jewish struggle for autonomy may be told in sympathetic terms.It is possible that the story combines the collective character and experience of many young men; many would-be Saviours acted out in the name of one character; thus enriching the story and broadening its appeal. It is that much more glamorous that his name is Joshua (Greek - 'iesus) the glorious General who once kicked butt all over the promised land; killing off the enemies of Israel and their women, and their old men, and their little boys, and their ... errrr ... (psst: save the little girls for Jehovah). Yes, the "Prince of Peace" is named for a zenophobic, womanizing, genocidal maniac. But that's OK. He won't actually start killing non-Jews till next time.One may think the old man is off his rocker here but consider the bonafide mission of Christ: to renew the kingdom (i.e. the soverignty).

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Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -

I'd have to agree with you, of course, regarding the other possibilites you mention; especially any which include exaggeration and/or fictionalization: something American president's find useful when they need to play God.

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Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -