King Solomon’s Mines Discovered?

There is an interesting article in ‘The Australian’ newspaper today, explaining that King Solomon’s copper mines may well have been discovered, according to new archaeological evidence.

Read the story here.

There’s a wierd irony that this news is emerging in the midst of one of the biggest modern financial crises. I wonder what Solomon would think of all this?

Apparently, the discovery will cast light on studies verifying the nature of kingdoms existing at the time of King Solomon and David. I’m looking forward to hearing more about it.

Protection from a high-level of criminality

The Age reports  :

“Cancer faked in bid for sick day

Commonwealth public servant’s habit of forging doctors’ certificates to take days off work was only discovered by his bosses after he went too far and faked having lung cancer.

The ACT Magistrates Court heard yesterday that the Department of Education and Workplace Relations became suspicious of its employee Ben Lyons in September 2006 when a concerned colleague tried to visit the 26-year-old’s bedside, only to find that no hospital in Canberra had heard of the man.

…..

Magistrate Maria Doogan told Lyons that his workplace scam showed a “high level of criminality”. She ordered him to serve a two-year good-behaviour bond and fined him $900 on top of the wages he must repay.

…..

Ms Doogan said there was a need to protect employers from similar fraud taking place.”

From : http://www.theage.com.au/national/cancer-faked-in-bid-for-sick-day-20081009-4×0q.html

Its good that someone is sticking up for the employers and protecting them from such fraud.  When similar frauds take place in Churches are there protections for parishioners?  Should there be?

The Complete Revelation Allegory Theory

During the recent post on Lazarus and the rich man, it became apparent that there are some commenters who believe that the entire Book of Revelation is, in fact, to be understood allegorically.

This means every part of the Book has to be interpreted, and that, if none of it is literal, we have no way of determining the thrust of the Book without the input of people who can interpret figurative writing and prophecy. Is there a Daniel in the house?

My take is that it contains all elements of scripture, including allegory, but also literal information, past, present and future, as well as prophetic, poetic writing and types. I fact, I believe that without a solid foundation of literal fact, it is hard to decipher allegory.

If it is a complete work of allegory, how should we proceed with an interpretation of Revelation? Is there a danger, that if we over-allegorise the Book, or any Book of the Bible, we can be led off track, as many of the cults are, by approaching seemingly literal scripture as figurative?

Could some cults claim literal pieces as allegory as a matter of convenience to suit their aims? Could we erroneously claim any doctrinal stance by claiming allegory as proof?

What is Moderation anyway?

In view of the present financial crisis, in which Mammon is finally staggering to its knees, for a while anyway, what are your views on the following from Paul:

Philippians 4:4-5
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Is this ‘moderation’ to do with means, or presentation?

How do we define ‘moderation’. What would moderation mean to someone, say, like Bill Gates, who does have a social conscience as large as his earning capacity, compared to the widow with the mite, who had little, but gave it all, and again, compared to the bankers who made millions and charged ahead to make more millions, despite the fact they already had millions, and at the expense of many small people who are now losing everything?

How should church leaders teach moderation?