Expert: Thurman C. Petty, Jr. - 3/16/2010

Question
QUESTION: Who are the Edomites & Samaritans?
What is the Mercy Seat?

ANSWER: Dear Larry,

Thanks for your questions.

The Edomites are descendants of Esau, the firstborn twin of Isaac and Rebekah. He got the name “Edom” from the fact that his skin was reddish in color as contrasted with the tan of most of the residents of the Middle East. Edom survived as a nation until they were destroyed/relocated by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in the early 6th century B.C. One of the most famous relics of Edom is the stone-carved city of Petra. Check it out in an encyclopedia. The city was carved out of solid rock, and the pictures of the area are unique.

The Samaritans were crossbreeds, descendants of the northern tribes of Israel who were left in Palestine by the Assyrian king Sargon when he destroyed Samaria in the latter half of the 8th century B.C. The Israelites intermarried with pagan people who settled in the area. They worshiped pagan idols for  centuries, but for a time sought to worship the Creator God of Judah. The Jews never accepted them and by the time of Christ they were bitter enemies. They lived in an area that fell roughly between Judah and Galilee. Descendants of these people still live in the area today, and claim to have a hand-written copy of the books of Moses.

The term “mercy seat” was applied to the golden cover of the Ark of the Covenant built by Moses at Mt. Sinai by direction of God. It was called the “mercy seat” because it was here that the Lord made atonement for Israel. Once a year on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle and sprinkled blood on the cover. It was a day of judgment for the Jews, and all were to confess their sins on that day. The anti-typical day of atonement, according to Daniel, would take place during a period just before the end of time.

Thanks for your questions.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
PettyPress@gmail.com
www.PettyPress.com (20 e-books; 42 Bible Study Guides; more)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: What do the names Isaac and Israel mean?
How did Mary’s life on earth end?
How did Ezekiel life on earth end?
Why did Jacob adopt Joseph’s sons?

Answer
Dear Larry,

Thanks for your questions.

Isaac means “He laughs,” because Abraham laughed when the LORD told him that he and Sarah would have a son (Gen 17:15-19).

Israel means “One who has struggled with God.” It refers to the night when Jacob wrestled with a “man” who turned out to be an angel. He was fearful of meeting his brother on the next day and was spending the night in prayer. (Gen. 32:24-28).

There is no record of how Mary’s life ended. She most likely lived with the Apostle John in Ephesus until the end of her life. (see John 19:26, 27)

Again, there is no record of how Ezekiel's life ended. His last dated message was in the year 571 B.C.

With both Mary and Ezekiel, you say “on earth.” They have never been anywhere else. They died and remain where they were buried until the resurrection at the Second coming of Christ (1 Thess. 4:16, 17. See also Eccl. 9:5, 6).

Jacob’s firstborn, Reuben, committed adultery with one of Jacob’s concubines, and so Jacob took away his rights as the firstborn. In those days the firstborn became both the family head and the family priest, and in addition received two shares of the inheritance.

As it turned out, Joseph received two shares of the inheritance through his two sons. Through Judah came the Messiah, Christ Jesus, the Son of God. Levi became the priestly tribe, who were scattered throughout Israel—because of their service to all the people. (cf. Gen. 49 et. al.)

Thanks again for your questions.

Stay close to Jesus.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
PettyPress@gmail.com
www.PettyPress.com (20 e-books; 42 Bible study guides; more)