Amphipolis

 

    You will not find the name Amphipolis in the Hebrew or Aramaic language.  The name is Greek, so that is why you don't read about it in the Bible until the New Testament.  The name is the same in Latin.  English adopted it as it's own language since it is a name

    Amphipolis was founded by Athenian settlers in 437 BC.  It was a battle site between Spartans and Athenians in 422 BC.  In about 300 years it became the capital of the first administrative district of Macedonia.  In 1956 Greek archaeologist excavated the city finding coins, inscriptions, remains of a Roman aqueduct, tombs, walls, bridge, and gymnasium.  Five churches were discovered.

    Amphipolis is a city in Macedonia found in the Bible.  It is mentioned in Paul and Silas' missionary journey.  It was a major town about 33 Roman miles from Philippi and three from the sea.  It was placed on a plateau overlooking the valley of the River Strymon.  

    Amphipolis and Apollonia were connector cities in Paul and Silas' mission journey.  Basically the scripture implies it is where they may have slept and ate before continuing on to Thessalonica.  In Thessalonica they went to the Jewish Synagogue to preach.  

    Maybe there was no opportunity in Amphipolis or maybe because it was so saturated in the Greek culture they didn't have an opportunity to stop and talk about the Gospel.  Maybe God did not have them stop because their purpose laid in Thessalonica.

Acts 17:1-4

Ammonite

 

    The Ammonites were Semitic people that lived east of the Jordan River.  It is now known as Jordan.  They were named after Ben-Ammi, which is a Hebrew name that means "son of my people".  This means they were close relatives to the the Israelites.  They were normally united with the Moabites which made them enemies of the Israel nation.  Under Saul's reign they were defeated, but later became vassals.

    Ammonite in their own language is ʻAmān𐤍 𐤏𐤌.  The Aramaic script has more on them than other scripts.  Ammonite in Greek and Latin is Cornu Ammonis.  It means "horns of Ammon".  It comes from the god system in Greece and Egypt.  English evolved  Cornu Ammonis to Ammonite.  It was first used in 1726.

    God had a list of expectations made to be allowed to enter into worship with Him.  If a man has his masculine parts mutilated or severed intentionally, then he will not be admitted to the assembly of God.  A person of illegitimate birth cannot enter the assembly of God, nor can their descendants up to 10 generations.  No Ammonite or Moabite for 10 generations may be allowed into the assembly of God.  

    The reason for the rules are that cursed God and God's people.  These are the people that reject God and all the order and peace that He tries to give to His people.  If you obey God, then what was intended as a curse will become a blessing because God loves you.  Do not promote the welfare or prosperity of those that oppose God and His people like the Ammonites and Moabite.  

Deuteronomy 23:1-8

Amiss

 

    Amiss is something that is improper, harmful, or evil.  There are many words in Hebrew that apply to amiss, but shalu (שָׁלוּ),  It is pronounced as shaw-looth.  Shalu is one that is also used in Aramaic that means to neglect or remissness.  Amiss in Greek and Latin is atopos (εσφαλμένος).  In English it comes from the middle English word amis.  It was first used in the 13th century.

    Everyone has been sinned against.  You can become angry about it.  You can watch them fall.  Or you could pray that they find repentance.  When someone is amiss with you, pray over your own heart and repent your own sins.  We have all been sinned against, but we have all been amiss with sin too.  The point is that we all need to get to the point that we honor God.  We all need Him to hear our prayers and petitions and that requires forgiveness.

    King Nebuchadnezzar turned to God because of how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood their ground to honor God.  They were willing to die rather than bow to any other god.  The King respected them so much that he would not allow anyone speak against them.  He realized that he was amiss to worship false god.  

    While Jesus was on the cross he had two other prisoners, one on each side of him.  One realized that his life was amiss and that he deserved to be there.  The other would not own up to his sins.  They became Jesus' witnesses dying with him.  The one realized that Jesus was not amiss, but what was happening to him was amiss.  He give his life to Jesus before he lost his chance.  The other chose hell.  

    Why do people quarrel and fight.  Evil comes from selfish desires that war within all of us.  We al want what we do not have and if we allow, it will drive us to do horrible things.  Jealousy wars within our hearts.  If your ask God for what you want with a pure heart, then He will give it to you.  There is nothing amiss to have desires.  It is what you do with them that matters.  Wrong motives lead to wrong actions. Give your heart and motives to God and you will have a life full of pleasure, just not the kind that the world deems as what matters.

2 Chronicles 6:36-39, Daniel 3:28-29, Luke 23:40-43, & James 4:1-3

Amiable

 

    Amiable means "dear" or Beloved" in the Bible.  It is an adjective that describes friendly, likeable, and pleasant moments or people.  Amiable in Hebrew is yediduti (יְדִידוּתִי).  In Greek it is evgenikós (ευγενικός).  It stands for polite, kind, courteous, gracious, considerate, and amiable.  In Latin it is amabilis.  

    We get the English word from amabilis.  It was adopted into the English language in the 14th century.  The original meaning was "pleasing" or "admirable".  It has evolved to "agreeable" and "friendly and sociable".  It is used to describe relationships or being polite.

    Heaven is considered to be amiable.  It is a place where people and the location are lovely.  It is where most people long to be.  People look forward to an uncorrupt political system.  It is where we can live out eternity with our mind, body, and soul working together with no division or turmoil. It is where we find complete joy living with God.  

Psalm 84:1-4

Amend

    To amend is to take action to correct a wrongdoing.  In the Bible it is repairing damage from sin by engaging those that you have hurt.  It is an important part of soul recovery and being a peacemaker.  In Hebrew the word is letaken (לְתַקֵן).  It applies to repair, correct, mend, refit, or rectify.  In Greek it is tropopoió (τροποποιώ).  In Latin it is emendare.  The English word amend comes from emendare (to correct, free from fault).  It was first used in the 13th century.

    God gave Jeremiah a message for His people.  If you amend your evil ways, then I will allow you to stay.  Do not be fooled by the promise of safety that the world gives you.  God is here.  He is the only security.  However, He will only be merciful to the people who stop their evil thought patterns and deeds.  He will replace it with teaching justice.  Do not exploit foreigners, orphans, or widows (the helpless and lonely).  As God's people you are charged with stopping murder or false worship.  If you obey God, then you will be allowed to stay in His land.

    Jeremiah spoke to the officials in his own defense.  God sent him to prophecy, so he had to speak.  God gave him every word.  God amended the disasters that were predicted, but Jeremiah was at their mercy.  He accepted his fate, but if they killed an innocent man then they would face the consequences and all the people in the city would face it with the officials.  They had heard the truth and now had to decide if they would listen.

    God gave Jeremiah a message for Judah and Jerusalem.  God's Heavenly army was going with him.  The message was learn your lesson and obey.  They had been warned repeatedly and refused to obey.  Many prophets had been sent to warn them to amend their wicked ways to have peace in the land.  Every time they ignored the message.  

    A man from Galilee heard that Jesus was in the region.  The Galilean traveled to Capernaum to find Jesus and ask him to heal his son.  Jesus said that the man's faith amended his son.  When he started back home believing that his son was healed, a servant met him.  The servant informed him that the son was healed and will live.  

Jeremiah 7:1-7, 26:12-15, 35:12-16, & John 4:51-54

Amos

 

    Amos is a Hebrew name (ʿamōs) that means "to carry" or "borne by God".  It was not a common name.  In Greek it is ὁ Amōs (Ἀμώς).  It did not really change over time, maybe just the pronunciation in English.  

    The book of Amos is a small prophetic book in the Bible.  It only holds nine chapters.  The prophet lived in the eighth century BC.  His profession was a shepherd, so he was an everyday business man.  He warned about social injustice and prophecies of doom.  

    The doom that Amos foresaw was not Jesus' death or the end of time.  It was doom for his region.  He has the vision two years before the great earthquake.  The message was that sin will not go unpunished.  In the vision God mentioned what he was going to do to the different godless nations.  After God listed the godless nations, he told what he was doing to do to Judah and Israel for their sins.  

    God punishes his own people to not listening or repenting.  If you allow yourself to be led astray, then you will deal with unpleasant consequences.  The difference is that Christians understand and know that it is coming opposed to those who never acknowledged God.

    You can see all that God had done for his people.  It is important to remember what God has done for you so you can clearly see what you could loose.  Do not forget what is right.  Remember who the real judge is in life.  

    When life is full of injustice, then do not forget that God will take care of His people.  He will not allow injustice to endure forever.  Remember how God has delivered His people from evil, persecution, injustice, and wondering throughout time.  

    There will always be sorrow in life.  No one escapes that.  It is how you endure sorrow that is up to you.  You can be alone or allow God to help you through.  You can be hopeless or you can see Jesus' light guiding you through.

    Sometimes things have to be destroyed to be rebuilt.  Once things are rebuilt, they can be stronger and better.  If you choose to disobey God, then plan on being treated like everyone else when it all comes to pass.  You may have to endure the tearing down process, but if you follow God, you will survive to help in the rebuilding process.

    As a believer it is your job to profess what God places on your heart.  You put your personal life aside to be obedient.  You face rejection, but you are obedient.  It is your job to declare God's Word and live it.  If people want to listen or not is on them.  Once you are obedient in His manner, then you can go back to your life.  Just know that once God touches your life, it does change forever.  Nothing will ever be the same again.  

Book of Amos 

Amnon

 

    Amnon is amnôn in Hebrew.  It means "faithful".  In Greek it is Ámmōn or Hámmōn.  In Latin it is Amon.  The English language adopted Amnon from the Hebrew word just changing it a little.

    Amnon is the first son of king David.  His mother was Ahinoam of Jezreel.   He was born in Hebron.  He had a half sister named Tamar that he was desperately obsessed with, so much that he thought he was in love.  She was a virgin and out of his reach.  

    However, his crafty friend came up with a plan that would put her alone in his immediate proximity.  The plan worked to perfection, but to Tamar's demise.  She was innocent and naive.  She never thought she would have to worry about a brother (even a half brother).  She should have been safe, but instead Amnon raped her.

    Tamar tried to get him to let her go.  She plead that David would allow them to marry which would be better than this.  He ignored her and raped her.  After he violated her, he hated her.  He forcibly had her removed disgraced.  She mourned harshly for what was rakishly taken from her. 

    Tamar's full brother, Absalom took her in and protected her for the rest of her life.  However, the one moment of time destroyed David's family in many layers that revealed itself years later.  Mostly because of how David handled the situation.  He was a great king, but only an average father.  David pretended like nothing happened, so there were no consequences.  Absalom loved his sister the way a brother should love a sister, so he hated Amnon.  

    Two years after Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom had him killed.  David never saw it coming.  He thought that Absalom had moved on, but he had not.  David gave Absalom the ability to be so close to his brother to kill him because they never worked out what happened to Tamar or dealt judgment for a horrendous crime like rape.  This got David's attention.  

    David allowed his daughter to be treated less than nothing.  He mourned his eldest son who would have become king and led the nation is his selfish way.  He lost the respect and love of Absalom for not protecting Tamar.  It tore their family apart.  After three years, David wanted Absalom back.  He may have come back, but the damage had already been done.

2 Samuel 3:2-5 & 2 Samuel 13