Podcasts about peacock throne

On Earth as in Heaven Acts 1 by William Klock It's been over ten years since I finished preaching through Luke's Gospel. I had planned to preach on the Acts of the Apostles after a short break, but it didn't happen and didn't happen and didn't happen, but as I was preaching through Ephesians these last few months and pondering the things St. Paul tells us about the what the church is and what that means for us, I got to thinking that I really shouldn't put off Acts any longer.  So I'd planned to jump into it last Sunday. Acts begins with the Ascension of Jesus, and then the very next chapter is Pentecost.  What providential timing!  And then scheduling and a trip to a clericus threw me off by a week.  So last Sunday, Ascension Sunday, you got Ephesians 6—which was a bit of an Ascension sermon—and now on Pentecost, you're getting the Ascension and next week, on Trinity Sunday, you'll get Pentecost! Now, in case you're wondering what Acts has to do with Luke, it's quite a lot. Luke probably wrote his Gospel around a.d. 59 or 60.  He addresses it to someone named Theophilus.  Theophilus means “lover of God”, so some think that Luke may have used this name symbolically and that the Gospel is for everyone who loves God.  It certainly is that, but an attribution like that seems to have been unknown in Luke's world, so Theophilus probably was a real person and was probably a patron who funded Luke's writing project.  Luke was not an eyewitness to Jesus or the events of the Gospels.  As he says in the introduction, he sought out the eyewitnesses so that he could scrupulously record the events surrounding Jesus' life and ministry.  And now Acts.  Luke wrote Acts not long later, sometime between 60 and 62.  The book ends with Paul, imprisoned in Rome, awaiting his hearing before Caesar.  There's a debate about exactly what happened to Paul after that time.  He was martyred at Rome, probably during Nero's persecution of Christians, sometime between 64 and 67.  The traditional view is that Paul's case was heard in 62, he was released, and may have travelled to Spain to preach the good news about Jesus, before returning to Rome to work with Peter to oversee the church there.  The more “modern” view is that Paul was imprisoned once and was executed between 62 and 64.  Whatever the case, since Luke doesn't mention such an important event, we can pretty safely assume he wrote during that time that Paul was awaiting his hearing.  And in the case of Acts, Luke was an eyewitness, at least to part of it.  He researched the early part of Acts just as he did his Gospel, but then he took up with Paul at the city of Troas, on Paul's second missionary journey around 50-51.  Luke spent the following ten or more years travelling with Paul as a missionary and records those events as a participant. And who was Luke other than a companion of Paul?  He was a gentile.  At the end of Colossians, Paul names him separately, apart from his fellow Jewish workers.  In that same passage, Paul describes Luke as a physician.  Beyond that we really don't know a lot about him.  He writes as we would expect a Gentile would write when writing to other Gentiles.  He writes in polished, educated Greek and he often describes Jewish customs for the benefit of his non-Jewish readers.  And when it comes to Acts, he jumps in right where he left off in his Gospel.  He ended with a condensed telling of the Ascension and he begins Acts with a more detailed account, so we'll start there.  It's page 1080 in your pew Bibles if you want to follow along. Luke writes, “Dear Theophilus, The previous book which I wrote had to do with everything Jesus began to do and to teach. I took the story as far as the day when he was taken up, once he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to his chosen apostles.” Let me pause there.  Notice how Luke writes that in his Gospel he wrote about everything that Jesus began to do and to teach.  Brothers and Sisters, Jesus isn't done.  If Luke's Gospel were called “The Acts of Jesus”, Acts could very easily be “The Acts of Jesus: Part II”.  Jesus isn't done.  Remember what we learned from Paul in Ephesians: in the church, Jesus has established a people—purified by his blood from the stain of sin and filled with God's own Spirit—to be his new creation in the midst of the old, to carry his victory into the world to challenge the Caesars and the gods and the principalities and powers, to proclaim the good news until God's glory fills the whole earth.  Jesus continues his “acts” through us.  At the start of his ministry he told the people to pray: on earth as in heaven.  Now he's empowered us to be the people who will actually live out heaven on earth until he's finally ready to finish what he started that first Easter, and bring heaven and earth and God and human beings back together as they should be. Now, Luke goes on in verse 3: “He showed himself to them alive, after his suffering, by many proofs.  He was seen by them for forty days, during which he spoke about God's kingdom. As they were having a meal together, he told them not to go away from Jerusalem, btu to wait, as he put it, “for the Father's promise, which I was telling you about earlier.  John baptised with water; but in a few days from now you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.  So when the apostles came together, they put this question to Jesus: “Master,” they said, ‘is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel.'” Jesus must have been pretty exasperated by their question.  John Calvin wrote that there are as many errors in their question as there are words.  Jesus has spent forty days teaching them what his resurrection meant for them, for the world, for everything.  Think of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus on Easter Day.  Jesus walked with them for hours and explained what happened to them using the Old Testament scriptures.  We get the impression that as it all sank in they started to understand.  But clearly not fully.  Not even after forty days.  They're still thinking of the kingdom in terms of events like the Maccabean revolt.  The Messiah will raise an army and smite the pagan gentiles and put Israel back on the top of the heap—but this time it will take, it will be forever.  They're still thinking of Jesus as the king in waiting or the king in exile—like some of the Iranians wanting Reza Pahlavi to return to Iran and retake the Peacock Throne.  But that's not how God's kingdom works.  Think of all the parables Jesus told about the kingdom: It's like a tiny mustard seed.  Yes, it will grow into a huge tree, but it takes a long time.  It's like yeast.  Yes, it grows, but it takes time and the right conditions.  After two thousand years, I think we have a better grasp of this.  But not always.  There are still many, many Christians who still kind of ask the same question, as if Jesus is the heir apparent, in exile, still waiting to become king.  But Brothers and Sisters, he already is king.  The church's job is to announce his kingship—as it's carved out on our lychgate: “Jesus is Lord”— and to implement the fact that he really is king.  Now. Not someday.  Now. So Jesus responds to them in verse 7: “It's not your business to know about times and dates,” he replied. “The Father has placed all that under his own direct authority.  What will happen, though, is that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  Then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth.” The timing?  How the kingdom is going play out?  When everything will finally be consummated?  Don't worry about that.  The Father has that worked out in his goodness and wisdom.  That' not your job.  That's not our job.  That' not even Jesus' job to know.  Their job, our job is to witness Jesus—his death, his resurrection, his ascension, the fact that he is Lord—to be God's new creation, to put off the old, lie-based way of being human to to put on the new—our job is witness that good news and God's new creation to the world.  And Jesus reiterates it again: I will make sure you're equipped for this.  He's told them already: As John baptised you with water, I will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.  The significance of that didn't seem to sink in.  It should have.  This is what the Lord had promised through the prophets over and over.  Filling his people with the Spirit was to be the great sign of the Messianic age.  It would be the thing that would finally set the hearts of his people right.  And so Jesus says it again: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And then you'll be my witnesses from Jerusalem and eventually out to the whole world.  The mustard seed.  The yeast.  The king returning from the far-off land.  And then, to make his point, to drive home the fact that, yes, he really is king, Jesus acts out another prophecy.  He loved to do this and so it makes perfect sense that his last act before leaving them would be another acted out prophecy.  Verse 9: “As Jesus said this, he was lifted up while they were watching and a cloud took him out of their sight.  They were gazing into heaven as he disappeared.  Then, lo and behold, two men appeared, dressed in white, standing beside them.  ‘Men of Galilee,' they said, ‘why are you standing here staring into heaven?  This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.'” Jesus acts out Daniel 7—maybe not something we're intimately familiar with (although we should be), but a passage—a dramatic image—any Jew knew intimately.  That's the dream Daniel had of the ferocious beasts representing the pagan kings and empires that threatened God's people.  And in his vision, Daniel sees the Ancient of Days take his throne to sit in judgement over these beasts.  Their kingdoms are taken from them and then one like a son of man comes on the clouds to heaven to take his throne.  And to him is given dominion and glory and kingship so that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.  His dominion, Daniel says, is everlasting, his kingship one that shall never be destroyed.  This the vision of the Messiah becoming king and restoring the kingdom to Israel. So in his ascension, Jesus is showing the fulfilment of God's promise to Daniel.  Coming on the clouds to take his throne.  It was an unmistakable image for the disciples.  The kingdom has been restored to Israel—of course, that's Israel reconstituted around and in Jesus the Messiah—but restored it has been.  The Messiah is on his throne.  At the end of Matthew's Gospel, when Jesus gives the disciples what we often call his “great commission” he deliberately echoes Daniel 7: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  So you must go and make all the nations into disciples.”  The Ascension means that the world is under new management.  Maybe it helps to understand how they thought of heaven.  Unfortunately, we tend to think of heaven through a Platonic lens.  It's a far away and otherworldly place.  The opposite of earth.  The real world of which this is only a shadow.  But that's Plato—pagan Greek philosophy—not the Bible.  In the Bible heaven is earth's compliment; its other half.  God created them to fit together, to mesh.  Heaven is his realm, but the two were meant to overlap, for us to share his presence.  But his part, the heavenly half, was—in the Jewish view—it was like the control room or the CEO's office.  And that's where Jesus has gone.  To take the controls, to sit at the big desk, to accede to his throne—to rule and to reign: as Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:25: “He has to rule until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” But back to Daniel 7.  If the son of man has taken his throne, then that means that the kingdom has, indeed, been restored to Israel.  There are implications there for the disciples.  One of the twelve is missing.  Judas hanged himself after betraying Jesus.  The twelve are only eleven.  If the apostles represent the fullness of Israel reconstituted in the Messiah, they need a replacement for Judas.  Twelve tribes; twelve apostles. Maybe they didn't grasp this immediately.  Luke says that after Jesus' ascension, after the two angels asked if they were just going to stand around staring into heaven all day—because: he's one day coming back in the same way—like, didn't he give you work to do?—so they went back to Jerusalem as Jesus had told them.  Verse 13: “They then entered the city (‘they' meaning Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the zealot, and Judas the son of James) and went to the upstairs room where they were staying.  They all gave themselves single-heartedly to prayer, with the women, including Mary, Jesus' mother, and his brothers.” Luke makes a point of naming them all.  And there are eleven, not twelve.  He anticipates what needs to happen.  The apostles themselves apparently weren't sure what to do, so they did the right thing: they devoted themselves to prayer.  Brothers and Sisters, don't ever let prayer be an excuse for not doing what needs to be done, but when you don't know what to do: pray.  And pray some more.  Luke doesn't say that God suddenly spoke and gave them direction, but after days of prayer they began to understand what they had to do.  They knew the scriptures.  They'd listened to Jesus for forty days.  And as they prayed, understanding came.  Prayer has a way of doing that.  As we see here, the scriptures began to percolate in Peter's head.  That's often how God leads us.  It's not often that he speaks directly and we shouldn't expect him to.  But when we're already steeped in the scriptures and when we pray, the Spirit works and things “seem” to just come together.  I'm often amazed to see how this works when I'm preparing a sermon.  So Peter stands up in the middle of the disciples.  Luke says they'd grown to a hundred and twenty by this point.  And he says—verse 16: “Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago by the mouth of David about Judas, who became a guide to the people who arrested Jesus.  He was counted among us and had his own share in this ministry.”  Luke then adds that Judas went to the field bought with the money used to betray Jesus, he hanged himself there, where he burst open and his guts came out.  Luke notes this bit as historical evidence.  The field was still called “Blood-Place” in his day. And Peter goes on in verse 20, quoting Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8, “For this is what it says in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his home become desolate and let no one live in it' and again, ‘Let another receive his office.' “So,” Peter said, “this is what has to be done. There are plenty of people who have gone about with us all the time that our master Jesus was coming and going among us, starting from John's baptism until the day he was taken from us.  Let one of them be chosen to be alongside us as a special witness of his resurrection.” Through prayer and the scriptures and the prompting of the Spirit, Peter realised that if Jesus, the son of man, sits on his throne, the kingdom has been restored to Israel, and that meant that the leaders…the apostles…of this renewed Israel had better number twelve, to represent the full number Israel's tribes.  The symbolism was vital if people—particularly fellow Jews—were going to see how the scriptures and the covenant and God's promises to Israel were being fulfilled in the church.  “So,” writes Luke, “they chose two: Joseph who was called Barsabbas, with the surname Justus, and Matthias.  ‘Lord,' they prayed, ‘you know the hearts of all people. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to receive this particular place of service and apostleship, from which Judas went away to go to his own place.' So they cast lots for them.  The lot fell on Matthias, and he was enrolled along with the eleven apostles.” This may seem like a mundane detail to us, especially after the glory of Jesus' ascension.  But it was a big deal to the apostles and no less to Luke.  Their knowing the need for twelve, not eleven apostles, highlights just how much they saw the work of Jesus as being about the fulfilment and the restoration of God's people as the promises to Abraham were fulfilled and their mission was about be launched into the nations.  It was proof that this new movement wasn't really new at all.  It was rooted in God's promises and showed their fulfilment of God.  Jesus, the cross, the resurrection, Pentecost weren't just stand-alone events.  They were part of the great story that God had been telling his people for thousands of years.  In these events, God was doing what he'd promised, showing his faithfulness and revealing his glory.  That's why Peter takes us back to the Psalms here.  It's why Stephen, before his martyrdom in Chapter 7 recounts the history of Israel.  They wanted to make it clear that what's happening here in Acts was what God intended all along. I've always found it funny that for all the big deal they make choosing Matthias, he's never mentioned again. I say that, because it's a good reminder that what Luke records in Acts is selective.  As St. John writes at the end of his Gospel, if someone were to write down literally everything that Jesus did, the world could not contain all the books.  And just so with Acts.  Just so with the whole history of the church.  The world could not contain the books needed to record all the things, big and small and all amazing, that Jesus and the Spirit have done through Christians down through the ages, the famous ones and the ordinary saints like you and I.  But the little bit that Luke records for us in Acts, Brothers and Sisters, is a partial (and strategic) record—inspired by the Spirit—that ought to encourage us as it reminds us how God is fulfilling his promises here and now in us and as it exhorts us to carry on with our mission, knowing that the Spirit is with us and will equip us for everything he has for us to do. On that note, I want to conclude with two images.  Jesus was acting out Daniel's prophecy of the son of man coming on the clouds to his throne when he ascended, but there are at least two other unmistakable images in that act as well.  The first is Moses, ascending Mount Sinai, up into the clouds and thunder.  Moses went up and came down with the law.  In the same way, Jesus has gone up, but what has come down is not another law written on stone, but God's own Spirit, poured into our hearts.  Contemporary Christians often think of the Spirit mainly as the agent of amazing and miraculous gifts, but the most important work of the Spirit, Brothers and Sisters, the most amazing miracle of the Spirit, is to transform our hearts and to turn our affections toward God, to fill us with his law of love.  The other image here is that of the Prophet Elijah as he was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire.  As he went, he threw down his mantle onto Elisha, his protégé.  In that act, he not only passed on his God-given mission to Elisha, but he empowered him to do it.  That is what the book of Acts is about.  Luke's Gospel is about Jesus and his ministry—like the Prophet Elijah—and at the Ascension he's taken up in heaven and his mantle falls to the apostles, to the church, to you and to me, and the book of Acts is then like the continuing story of Elisha, carrying on the work and ministry God had given to Elijah.  Elijah's last act was to strike the waters of the Jordan with his cloak so that they parted, and Elisha's first act is to do exactly the same.  Brother and Sisters, that's Acts.  That's the ministry of the church.  To steward the good news about Jesus, to steward God's presence, to be his temple, ever expanding until it fills the earth.  Yes, it's a difficult job—some even lose their lives for it—but Jesus has equipped us and he's given us hope in the faithfulness of God to do what he has said.  His mantle has fallen on us in the gift of the Spirit and we know that he sits on his throne as Lord.  That central gospel truth is carved on our lychgate, a reminder as we come here and as a remind when we go back out to the world.  May Jesus' ascension never be for us a mere doctrine.  May it be for us the great truth that gives us hope, the great truth that is transforming creation. Let's pray: Almighty God and Father, as you have taken your son, Jesus the Messiah to reign in heaven, and as you have let his mantle fall on us in your indwelling Spirit, fill us with bold faith and certain hope that we might be faithful stewards of your gospel and for the sake of the world until the knowledge of your glory reaches the ends of the earth your son returns again on the clouds.  Through him we pray. Amen.

To understand the rise of Hyder Ali in Bengaluru and Mysore, one must first look a thousand miles north to Delhi in the year 1739. Ramjee Chandran explores the seismic shock of Nadir Shah's invasion—a Persian whirlwind that hollowed out the Mughal Empire and sent its accumulated wealth, including the Peacock Throne, back to Isfahan on seven hundred elephants. This episode tracks how this northern collapse turned the South into a volatile frontier, where European trading companies began to act like kings and the Carnatic became a theatre of war. In this world of fracture and opportunity, a young soldier of merit was about to find his moment. Key Details from the Script: The 1739 Shockwave: The Persian ruler Nadir Shah sacked Delhi, dealing a death blow to Mughal authority. He carried away the wealth of generations, leaving a "hollowed-out" empire. The Power Vacuum: With the Mughals weakened, the Marathas and local Nawabs scrambled for territory. The South—specifically the Carnatic—became the new center of gravity for conflict. European Evolution: The French and British trading companies shifted from commerce to conquest, demonstrating that small, disciplined European-trained forces could shatter much larger Indian armies. The "Coherent" Mysore: Amidst the chaos of Hyderabad and Arcot, Mysore remained the most institutionally stable power on the plateau, thanks to the administrative grid left by Chikka Devaraja. The Birth of an Ambition: Hyder Ali, born near Kolar around 1720, was raised in this atmosphere of shifting loyalties. He watched, learned, and prepared to build a new kind of military state. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234 iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to hob@explocity.com. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.

Within days of his beloved wife's death, Shah Jahan starts designing his grandest architectural project yet to express his love for her. Her mausoleum is to be a domed, symmetrical, bright white building surrounded by aromatic gardens. But the infamous Taj Mahal is not the only beautiful structure the Mughal Emperor commissions. One of the most extravagant examples of his work is the Peacock Throne, a dazzling display of precious gems, including the Koh-i-Noor diamond and the Timur Ruby. And Shah Jahan's architectural vision soon extends beyond Agra. He later leaves the capital, perhaps to escape the grief associated with his wife's death, and embarks on building the city of Shahjahanabad, otherwise known as Old Delhi.  Listen as William and Anita discuss Shah Jahan's magnificent architecture… Twitter: @Empirepoduk Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com Goalhangerpodcasts.com Assistant Producers: Anouska Lewis & Becki Hills Producer: Callum Hill Exec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nader Shah was not born to rule. He was poor, the son of a shepherd in a semi-nomadic tribe, and had no connection to the throne. But he was physically impressive; he stood over six feet tall, had dark piercing eyes, and a voice so loud that it is said to have caused his enemies to flee. He also innately understood warfare and it was in the military where he started to make a name for himself. Step-by-step, this poor shepherd from Khorasan accumulated power and influence. Before long he overthrew the last of the Safavids and ruled over all of Persia, but he did not stop there. He went on to push back the Ottomans, win many victories in Central Asia, and, most notoriously, sack Delhi, carting off the Peacock Throne, the Koh-i-Noor and eight thousand wagons of bejeweled loot. Listen as William and Anita discuss the life of Nader Shah, dubbed by some as the Napoleon of Persia. For bonus episodes, ad-free listening, reading lists, book discounts, a weekly newsletter, and a chat community. Sign up at https://empirepod.supportingcast.fm/ Twitter: @Empirepoduk Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com Goalhangerpodcasts.com Producer: Callum Hill Exec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 453, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Phonies 1: This reclusive "2001" director has been successfully impersonated by a man who looks nothing like him. Stanley Kubrick. 2: "Girl You Know It's True" was the ironic title of a hit by this fraudulent duo. Milli Vanilli. 3: "The Education of" this Cherokee, billed as autobiography, was written by a white segregationist. Little Tree. 4: A medical syndrome is named for this baron famous for tall tales about his exploits. Baron von Munchausen. 5: Forger Hans Van Meegeren tried to increase the small number of works by this Dutch master, who died in 1675. Jan Vermeer. Round 2. Category: Let's Not Spread 'Em Around 1: A fatal form of blood poisoning in cattle, or the group that recorded the 1985 album "Spreading the Disease". anthrax. 2: Isolated in 1983, the virus that causes AIDS is known today by this acronym. HIV. 3: Seeing Koplik's spots on the inside of your cheeks is a sign you've "spotted" this viral infection. measles. 4: It's the B form of this inflammation of the liver that's spread by some kinds of personal contact. hepatitis. 5: This lung disease, isolated in 1882, has been found in an ancient mummy, so there should be hieroglyphic Christmas Seals. tuberculosis. Round 3. Category: Heir Conditioning 1: Since 1301, it's been the geographic title for the male heir to the British throne. Prince of Wales. 2: 37-year-old Reza Pahlevi is the exiled heir to this country's "Peacock Throne". Iran. 3: The assassination of this Austro-Hungarian heir triggered WWI. Archduke Franz Ferdinand. 4: He was Hirohito's heir; now he's the emperor. Akihito. 5: In 1536, with only a female heir, she was first of Henry VIII's wives to go on the chopping block. Anne Boleyn. Round 4. Category: "C" Is For Cookie 1: Created by Ruth Wakefield in the 1930s, the original toll house cookie is this favorite. a chocolate chip. 2: This veggie can be used to make cookies, similar to the spicy, moist cake. carrot. 3: Macaroons are often made from almond paste or this, shredded or flaked. coconut. 4: You can frost cookies with this, sugar that's been cooked until it melts and turns golden brown. caramel. 5: Classic oatmeal cookies are made with nutmeg and this age-old spice that comes in Cassia and Ceylon varieties. cinnamon. Round 5. Category: Political Scientists 1: Charles Beard claimed the framers of this 1787 document were motivated by economic self-interests. The Constitution. 2: Zbigniew Brzezinski was born in this capital city in 1928. Warsaw. 3: Before becoming U.N. Ambassador, she was a foreign policy advisor to the 1980 Reagan campaign. Jeanne Kirkpatrick. 4: Raymond Aron was a contributor to this Paris daily from 1947-1977. Le Figaro. 5: Rexford G. Tugwell was part of this president's "Brain Trust". Franklin D. Roosevelt. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!

In this Chaitime, we talk to Sujit Saraf about Naatak's Annual Musical Buddha, which is currently being performed at Kelly Park Open theater and tickets can be purchased here: https://www.naatak.org/buddha/ Written and directed by Sujit Saraf, produced by Soumya Agastya, music by Nachiketa Yakkundi. The musical is set in the sixth century BCE and portrays the life of the Shakya prince Siddharth which eventually alters the course of human history. With a giant mural for a set, colorful costumes, and imaginative props, the play is a visual treat and a unique outdoor experience in the shade of lush maple and oak trees. In this interview, we talk to Sujit about his vision of creating the play, Sujit's background, and the brief history of Naatak, the premier Indian theater company in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sujit Saraf received his Ph.D. from Berkeley. He works in Palo Alto, Calif., where he researches space missions and satellite control. Sujit runs Naatak, the premier Indian theater company in the San Francisco Bay Area, when not being a geek. He is the founder and artistic director of Naatak. Sujit is a recognized author, and he wrote his first novel "Limbo" in 1994. His 2007 book, "The Peacock Throne," was shortlisted for the Encore Prize in London. His third novel, "The Confession of Sultana Daku," is will be made into a motion picture starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Saraf was nominated for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2018 for his fourth book, "Harilal and Sons." He has also tried his hand at independent filmmaking with two feature films in his bag.

  Today I'm sharing an interview with historical mystery author Lisa Karon Richardson. We talk about the Nosy Parker Mystery Series, inspired by Nancy Drew, as well as other books Lisa has written, her work as a missionary, and what it's like to write collaboratively with another author. As a special treat, Lisa is giving away a paperback copy of the first installment of the Nosy Parker Mystery Series, The Counterfeit Clue! Enter via the rafflecopter below! Purchase The Vicious Victim on Amazon (affiliate). Check out The Peacock Throne (affiliate). Visit Lisa's website, Facebook, and Pinterest. Here's the giveaway! I will not use your email address except to contact you if you win! a Rafflecopter giveaway Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Eric Flint and Griffin Barber discuss 1637: The Peacock Throne, a Ring of Fire alternate history novel set in India during the time of the Mughal dynasties; And David Weber's Uncompromising Honor Part 64. View the podcast in video form at https://www.baen.com/podcastfiles/mp3/Baen-Free-Radio-Hour-2021-04-30-Flint-Barber-Uncompromising-Honor-64.mp4 and the Baen YouTube Channel.

Overall the Barbados Bullfinch and Hummingbird are Birds. They are warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves /ˈeɪviːz/, characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight skeleton. This intellectual conversation was very compelling and interesting because research has shown why birds are unique was composed and framed in two chapters, 249 pages and verbalized in ISBN978-1-63848-212-3WORKS CITED  Lasky, E.D. (March 1992). "A Modern Day Albatross: The Valdez and Some of Life's Other Spills". The English Journal. 81(3): 44–46. doi:10.2307/820195. JSTOR 820195.  Smith, S. (2011). "Generative landscapes: the step mountain motif in Tiwanaku iconography" (Automatic PDF download). Ancient America. 12: 1–69. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_(visual_arts) Manzi, M; Coomes, O.T. (2002). "Cormorant fishing in Southwestern China: a Traditional Fishery under Siege. (Geographical Field Note)". Geographical Review. 92 (4): 597–603. doi:10.2307/4140937. JSTOR 4140937Boime, Albert (1999). "John James Audubon: a birdwatcher's fanciful flights". Art History. 22 (5): 728–755. doi:10.1111/1467-8365.00184.Bond, William J.; Lee, William G.; Craine, Joseph M. (2004). "Plant structural defences against browsing birds: a legacy of New Zealand's extinct moas". Oikos. 104 (3): 500–508. doi:10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.12720.xBosman, A; Hockey, A (1986). "Seabird guano as a determinant of rocky intertidal community structure". Marine Ecology Progress Series. 32: 247–257. Bibcode:1986MEPS...32..247B. doi:10.3354/meps032247.Botterweck, G. Johannes; Ringgren, Helmer (1990). Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. VI. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-8028-2330-0.Carson, A. (1998). "Vulture Investors, Predators of the 90s: An Ethical Examination". Journal of Business Ethics. 17 (5): 543–555. doi:10.1023/A:1017974505642. S2CID 156972909.Chandler, A. (1934). "The Nightingale in Greek and Latin Poetry". The Classical Journal. 30 (2): 78–84. JSTOR 3289944.Clark, Suzannah (2001). Music Theory and Natural Order from the Renaissance to the Early Twentieth Century. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-77191-9.Clarke, CP (1908). "A Pedestal of the Platform of the Peacock Throne". The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin. 3 (10): 182–183. doi:10.2307/3252550. JSTOR 3252550.Clout, M; Hay, J (1989). "The importance of birds as browsers, pollinators and seed dispersers in New Zealand forests" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 12: 27–33.cockfighting-two-roosters-fight-picture-id536949893Cooney, R.; Jepson, P (2006). "The international wild bird trade: what's wrong with blanket bans?". Oryx. 40 (1): 18–23. doi:10.1017/S0030605306000056.Cyrino, Monica S. (2010). Aphrodite. Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World. New York City, New York and London, England: Routledge. pp. 120–123. ISBN 978-0-415-77523-6.Deacy, Susan (2008). Athena. London and New York City: Routledge. pp. 34–37, 74–75. ISBN 978-0-415-30066-7.Deacy, Susan; Villing, Alexandra (2001). Athena in the Classical World. Leiden, The Netherlands: Koninklijke Brill NV. ISBN 978-9004121423.Dorothy D. Resig, The Enduring Symbolism of Doves, From Ancient Icon to Biblical Mainstay" Archived 31 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine, BAR Magazine . Bib-arch.org (9 February 2013). Retrieved on 5 March 2013.Duncan, D.H. Johnson, T.H. Nicholls, (Eds). Biology and conservation of owls of the Northern Hemisphere. General Technical Report NC-190, USDA Forest SerSupport the show (http://www.buzzsprout.com/429292)

My cognitive skills were activated when I read with interest According to Wingspan Optics Birds have been shown in previous studies to possess a range of skills such as complex social reasoning, an ability to problem solve and some have even demonstrated the capability to craft and use tools. As I continued to delve I have unearthed that according to Hemsworth communications there are approximately 10,000 to 13,000 bird species and 200 to 400 billion individual birds are the rough estimates to the question of how many birds in the world.It is because of the aforesaid line of reasoning that inspired me to frame the conversation Birds Will Be Birds Further given the detail specifics captured via the annals of history lens Birds occupy a wide range of ecological positions. While some birds are generalists, others are highly specialised in their habitat or food requirements. Even within a single habitat, such as a forest, the niches occupied by different species of birds vary, with some species feeding in the forest canopy, others beneath the canopy, and still others on the forest floor. Forest birds may be insectivores, frugivores, and nectarivores. Aquatic birds generally feed by fishing, plant eating, and piracy or kleptoparasitism. Birds of prey specialise in hunting mammals or other birds, while vultures are specialised scavengers.WORKS CITEDBoime, Albert (1999). "John James Audubon: a birdwatcher's fanciful flights". Art History. 22 (5): 728–755. doi:10.1111/1467-8365.00184.Bond, William J.; Lee, William G.; Craine, Joseph M. (2004). "Plant structural defences against browsing birds: a legacy of New Zealand's extinct moas". Oikos. 104 (3): 500–508. doi:10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.12720.xClout, M; Hay, J (1989). "The importance of birds as browsers, pollinators and seed dispersers in New Zealand forests" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 12: 27–33.Bosman, A; Hockey, A (1986). "Seabird guano as a determinant of rocky intertidal community structure". Marine Ecology Progress Series. 32: 247–257. Bibcode:1986MEPS...32..247B. doi:10.3354/meps032247.Botterweck, G. Johannes; Ringgren, Helmer (1990). Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. VI. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-8028-2330-0.Carson, A. (1998). "Vulture Investors, Predators of the 90s: An Ethical Examination". Journal of Business Ethics. 17 (5): 543–555. doi:10.1023/A:1017974505642. S2CID 156972909.Chandler, A. (1934). "The Nightingale in Greek and Latin Poetry". The Classical Journal. 30 (2): 78–84. JSTOR 3289944.Clark, Suzannah (2001). Music Theory and Natural Order from the Renaissance to the Early Twentieth Century. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-77191-9.Clarke, CP (1908). "A Pedestal of the Platform of the Peacock Throne". The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin. 3 (10): 182–183. doi:10.2307/3252550. JSTOR 3252550.Cooney, R.; Jepson, P (2006). "The international wild bird trade: what's wrong with blanket bans?". Oryx. 40 (1): 18–23. doi:10.1017/S0030605306000056.Deacy, Susan; Villing, Alexandra (2001). Athena in the Classical World. Leiden, The Netherlands: Koninklijke Brill NV. ISBN 978-9004121423.Dupree, N. (1974). "An Interpretation of the Role of the Hoopoe in Afghan Folklore and Magic". Folklore. 85 (3): 173–193. doi:10.1080/0015587X.1974.9716553. JSTOR 1260073.Enriquez, P.L.; Mikkola, H. (1997). "Comparative study of general public owl knowledge in Costa Rica, Central America and Malawi, Africa". pp. 160–166 In: J.R. Duncan, D.H. Johnson, T.H. Nicholls, (Eds). Biology and conservation of owls of the Northern Hemisphere. General Technical Support the show (http://www.buzzsprout.com/429292)

The second episode this week to celebrate the International Tea day. "Chai Anthem" from Naatak's Mr. India. ABOUT THE PLAYA half-blind, bumbling tea-seller in Delhi rises to become Prime Minister of India in this hilarious and hard-hitting satire on Indian democracy. Based on the 2007 novel The Peacock Throne, acclaimed by Time and The Guardian, the play is a grand farce, starting with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that followed the assassination of Indira Gandhi, and ending with the election that threw up a hung parliament in 1989. Tucked amidst these momentous events is the tale of a humble and foolish tea-seller, whose rise to power is the bittersweet story of India itself. The play features spectacular sets, costumes and lights, along with live music by Nachiketa Yakkundi and his team, and dance by Niharika Mohanty, Deepa Mahadevan, Madhuri Kishore and their team. The whole play rhymes.

Some estimate that the throne would be worth more than a trillion dollars today!

Whatever Happened To The Peacock Throne? by Aditya Seshan, Ngoni Dondo

We wrap up the story of the East India Company in India as the next installment of the Opium Wars series.  A global war between Britain and France pulls the merchant companies into a battle over the supremacy and conquest of India.  The Mughal Empire is struggling to maintain their dominance.  Ambition and greed will lead to the ultimate betrayal. Carnatic Wars Joseph Dupleix Robert Clive Seige of Arcot Black Hole of Calcutta Battle of Plassey Siraj Ud-Daulah Map of India Map of India Fort St George on the Coromandel Coast. East India Company Ships in Fort William, Calcutta Joseph Dupleix defense of the Siege of Pondicherry against English forces Artist depiction of Peacock Throne when Dehli was sacked by Nadir Shah from Persia in 1739 Battle of Plassey Map of Battle of Plassey Representation of Armor War Elephant Muhammad Ali Khan - Nawab of Arcot The East Offering its Riches to Britannia by Roma Spiridone

In March 1739, the Persian warlord Nader Shah laid siege to Delhi. He destroyed and plundered the city. Among his ‘Delhi loot’ was the famous Jeweled or Peacock Throne of the Mughal Empire. It took seven years to make, and seven elephants to cart it away forever - and it's been lost ever since. This episode stretches back to stories of empire well before British rule, and looks at how narratives of conquest and loss still have a powerful hold over South Asians. Presented by Kanishk Tharoor Produced by Maryam Maruf Contributors: Yuthika Sharma, University of Edinburgh; and Manan Ahmed, Columbia University With thanks to Sussan Babaie, Courtauld Institute of Art Image: Persian ruler Nadir Shah on the Peacock Throne after his victory over the Mughals Credit: Alamy

Seventy years ago, India and Pakistan became independent nations - but at a cost. People and lands were partitioned, and a once shared heritage was broken apart. In part one, Kanishk Tharoor stretches back to stories of empire well before British rule, and looks at how narratives of conquest and loss still have a powerful hold over South Asians. There's the spectacular creation - and destruction - of the famed Peacock Throne of the Mughal emperors. It took seven years to make, and seven elephants to cart it away forever. And the forgotten world of the Kushan empire in Pakistan, ruled over by the magnificent King Kanishka. We explore the mystery of what happened to his little bronze box that was said to hold the remains of the Buddha himself.Part two delves into the histories of artefacts and landmarks linked to two of the greatest figures in modern South Asian history – Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and Rabindranath Tagore, the celebrated Bengali writer. Ziarat Residency, the beautiful sanatorium where Jinnah spent the last three months of his life. Four years ago, it was fire-bombed and burnt to the ground by Balochi insurgents. And Tagore's missing Nobel Prize Medal. In 1913, Tagore made history by becoming the first non-westerner to win a Nobel award. But just over 10 years ago, the medal was stolen – and still hasn't been found. We explore how Tagore inspired revolutionaries and reformers in South Asia, and how his suspicion of all nationalisms makes his work relevant today.Produced by Maryam MarufContributors: Yuthika Sharma, University of Edinburgh; Vazira Fazila-Yacoubali Zamindar, Brown University; Nayyar Ali Dada; Saher Baloch; Ayesha Jalal, Tufts University; Pasha Haroon; Arunava Sinha; Rahul Tandon; and Saroj MukherjiWith thanks to Sussan Babaie, The Courtauld Institute of Art; Fifi Haroon; Minu Tharoor; CS Mukherji; and Sudeshna GuhaImage: Persian ruler Nadir Shah on the Peacock Throne after his victory over the Mughals Credit: Alamy

Hidden by the feathers of the Peacock Throne, Jahanara watched the Frenchmen’s heads appear at the top of the steps. Diwan-i-Khas, the hall of so-called private audience, would loom before them now. Morning light caught on its outer pillars and scalloped arches, setting the whole aglow: marble embers sparking with pearl and silver inlay in creeper patterns wound around gearwork. Light slanted through the hall, danced on silk and dust and metal, and threw the delegates’ shadows in before them unannounced.

I. What is a Throne? All over the world, countries that have kings and emperors are certain to surround those august personages, kings, queens, emperors with trappings of their position in the nation, with regalia, with crowns, and thrones, and scepters, and all of these kinds of things that let the nation know how significant that individual is. In Kenya, the President had what was called the Maasai stick, an elder man's stick that he would carry around as a symbol of his authority over the nation, and he would carry it with him whenever he went out in public. When we were in Beijing, we saw the Forbidden City, which is a series of walls, and doors, in concentric courtyards, and all of that which you had to go through to get to the Emperor of China. And there was a sense of the greatness of this august person that you are eventually, hopefully, going to get to see. The same thing with the Queen of England as she wears her crown and her ermine robe, holds her scepter as symbol of her rule over the United Kingdom, over the British Empire. But I think that no physical throne can ever come close to the glory of Christ's throne. As I did research on this, the most dramatic throne I could find was that of Shah Jahan from the 17th century in the Mughal Empire of India, the same one who built the Taj Mahal. He had to have the best throne too. And so 2,500 pounds of gold, multiple, huge diamonds like the Cullinan Diamond, which was just the largest cut diamond in the world. The Timur Ruby, 283 carats. It was called the Peacock Throne because it had two large peacocks, symbolically, artistically presented with the throne in between, 12 steps leading up to it. It doesn't exist anymore. It was plundered for all of its gold, and its gems, and all that. But I heard it was magnificent and beautiful. But is there any throne like that of our Lord Jesus Christ? Is there any throne as glorious as that described in Hebrews chapter 1, the glory of Christ's throne? Solomon's throne isn't greater than it. Solomon had a magnificent throne, a majestic throne made, described in 1 Kings 10. The throne was inlaid with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. It had six steps and its back had a rounded top, it says. On both sides of the seat were armrests with a lion standing beside each of them. And there were 12 lions, two on each of the six steps going up. So you're surrounded by lions as you went up to see Solomon. Nothing like it had ever been made for any kingdom, it said. But we have in our text today described the most glorious throne in the universe, and that is the King of kings, the throne of the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. And even better, we have God the Father speaking and addressing the reign of His Son. We get to kind of stand in the council of the Trinity and hear the Father speaking about the Son. And about the Son he says, "Your throne, oh God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness, and therefore, God your God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." This throne will radiate with the glory of God for all eternity, and all of the new heavens and the new Earth will shine with that glory. In Revelation 22:3 and 4, it says, "The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him and they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads." And so today, we're looking for a second week at the greatness of Jesus Christ, and specifically His greatness and contrast with that of the angels. Last week, we saw how Jesus is greater than the angels in a number of ways. I'll review it briefly but we're going to extend it right to the end of the chapter today. And we have to ask again, why does this passage exist? Why did the Lord inspire the author of Hebrews to write Hebrews chapter one? II. Review From Part 1 Jesus, A Superior Mediator, Bringing a Superior Covenant, for a Superior Life I believe that the Book of Hebrews is written to some Jewish people who had made an outward profession of faith in Christ, who had confessed Christ to be their Savior, had begun to assemble together with other Christian people. But under pressure from Jewish family and friends, and neighbors, and rabbis in Jewish culture, some of them were being tempted to turn their backs on Jesus, to turn their backs on new covenant worship, and go back to the old covenant without Jesus, to turn their backs on Christ. And so the author is going to give us the greatness of Christ right away. And I don't think we could ever do better than that in our lives. Amen. Just focus on the greatness, the majesty of Jesus, every single day. And the overall purpose of the whole book of Hebrews, it was a letter of exhortation, of warning, perhaps, concerning the greatness of our mediator, Jesus Christ, a superior mediator to any mediator that came before, who brings to us a superior covenant, the new covenant, which is a better covenant than the old covenant, fulfills it, and supersedes it, and makes it obsolete, resulting in a superior life, a life of intimate relationship with the Almighty God in which we have access to the throne room of God, intimate access with Him. A life of complete forgiveness, of cleansed consciences, of a purified life, and a fruitful life, a life of faith. That's what this book is about. And so we saw two weeks ago, Hebrews 1:1-3, those magnificent verses with which this whole epistle starts. "In the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways. But in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son whom He appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being. He sustains all things by His powerful word. And when He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." So that was two weeks ago, the majesty of Christ. Last week, we saw how the author then continued and connected that through verse four to the rest of this chapter one, verse four. Look at it. "So He became as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs." So immediately, the author is bringing in the angels. And I want to cross the rest of the chapter, and on into chapter two we can see how the author is continually bringing Jesus back to the angels, and showing that Jesus is greater than the angels. And this might not make a lot of sense to you. Why would you do that? Why would you compare Jesus to angels? We talked about that because I think, primarily, just going to the heart of the matter, I think the author is going to tell us at the beginning of chapter two that the Old Covenant was mediated to us by the angels. The angels brought the Old Covenant. They are glorious spiritual supernatural beings who bring an incredibly important message, a binding Covenant that if you disobeyed its strictures, you are worthy of death. But he makes a how much greater argument then if the Son of God comes and brings us a New Covenant that supersedes the old one, how worthy of death would we be? How worthy of eternal punishment if we neglect such a great salvation, that's the argument he's making here and we'll get to that, God willing, next week on Hebrews two. Review: Christ Greater Because of His Name But so we see that Christ is greater than the angels and we saw that He is greater than the angels because of His name, He has inherited a name that's superior to theirs, and that name is Son of God. "For to which of the angels did God ever say, 'You are my son, today I have begotten you'?" Okay, so He is the Son of God, or again, "I will be His Father and He will be my son." So we talked about that. The name, Son of God, is greater than servant of God, which the angels are servants. In verse 14, we talked about last week, "Are not all angels ministering servants, sent to serve those who inherit salvation?" Review: Christ Greater Because He Is Worshiped We saw also that Christ is greater than angels because He is worshipped, the angels worship Him, all of them do. And again, verse 6, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says, "Let all God's angels worship Him." So He wants all of the angels covering their faces, down on their faces before the Son, then how great must the Son be if all the angels worship Him? Review: Christ Greater Because of His Nature And Christ, we saw, also is greater because of His nature. Look again at verse seven, and speaking of the angels, He says, "He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire." So we saw that, first and foremost, the angels are created beings, and there's just an infinite gap between the Creator and the creature. Creator's infinitely greater than the creature, and angels are creatures, they're created things, just like us, we are created things, but Jesus is not a created being. So He's eternally begotten Son of God. Angels are servants for Christ as the ruler, a theme that we're going to see more in chapter three. Moses was faithful as a servant in God's house but Jesus is faithful as a Son over God's house, so there's a sense of servant and then the one in authority. Angels are winds and flames of fire but Jesus is God. And so Jesus is greater because of His nature. III. Christ Greater Because of His Throne And now today we're going to see how Jesus is greater because of His throne, look at verse 8. "But about the Son, He says, 'Your throne, oh God, will last forever and ever and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom'" So the central issue of the universe, and I've said this a number of times before, the central issue of the universe and the central issue of your life is the throne of God, the throne of God, the throne of Almighty God. Psalm 103 verse 19, "The Lord has established His throne in heaven, His kingdom rules over all." The prophets had visions of the throne of God. Isaiah 6:1, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the lord seated on His throne, high and exalted and the train of His robe filled the temple." Or again, Ezekiel 1:26 says that above the expanse over their heads, over the cherubim's heads, high over the cherubim, wheels within wheels, eyes on the rims of the wheels, fire moving back and forth amongst these heavenly beings, and high above them was an expanse and high above the expanse, ever higher and higher, is a throne and above on the throne is someone seated there. It's the vision that God gave to begin Ezekiel's ministry. And so also the apostle John, how the apostle John was invited with a voice saying, "Come up here." There was "a door standing open in heaven." and he was in the spirit and went through the door, and the first thing he saw was a throne, an emerald throne, surrounded by a rainbow that looked like an emerald. Just an incredible vision of the throne of God, and as the vision continues in the book of Revelation, concentric circles, concentric circles around that throne. The throne's the center of everything, everything. When it says that God's throne rules over all, it means that nothing in the universe happens apart from the will of God. Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from the will of your Father." Is it about sparrows that God is concerned? Yes, but so much more. So it's an argument from the more surprising to the less surprising, if God cares about sparrows falling to the ground, then He cares about the planets and stars and everything in your life and all of the flow of human histories, over everything, from the smallest to the greatest, that's the throne of God. Interestingly, in all the visions you have of the throne, there's always a man seated on it, a vision or an image of a man. And so this, I believe, is the projection of the Son of God as He reveals God the Father to us. God the Father has no body. He's a spirit, but He projects or presents to us through Jesus His son, and so He can say, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." And so the image of a man seated on a throne should make us think of the Son of God as He reveals the greatness of God on His throne. But here, in verse 8, God the Father speaks of Christ and of His throne, and in an amazing way. First of all, we just get a sense of the doctrine of Scripture from the book of Hebrews. What Scripture says, God says. This is just a Psalm, but there's no such thing as just a Psalm, now is there? This is God speaking through the Psalm. Later the author is going to talk about this, saying "the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword." We're hearing the voice of God when we hear the scriptures, that's how you should think. And so, God the Father is speaking here through the Psalm, and about the Son He says, who's the 'He' in the sentence? It's Almighty God, it's the God the Father, God the Creator, God the Ruler, God the Judge is speaking. He's speaking about His own son, and what does He say about His son? "Your throne, oh God, will last forever and ever…" God the Father is not jealous at all, about God the Son. Not in the least, He celebrates His greatness, He celebrates His glory. Jesus, the implication is, would have nothing except what the Father gave Him. There's always that sense of Jesus communicating, "Everything I have has come to me through the Father." Can you even imagine Jesus saying, "Well, I have something that I didn't get from the Father"? I can't even imagine that! And so He says, "All authority in heaven and Earth has been given to me." "Well, who gave it to you?" "God the Father, my Father gave it to me. Everything has been entrusted to me by the Father." And so that's how He sees it. The vision in Daniel seven of the Son of Man, there's the Ancient of Days, seated on His throne, a river of fire flowing from the throne out, judging the world and 100 million angels around, ready to serve Almighty God, the Ancient of Days, seated on His throne. And then, into His presence, coming on the clouds of heaven comes one like a Son of Man. He comes into the presence of the Ancient of Days and receives from Him, authority, glory, and sovereign power. It's given to Him by the one on the throne, it's given to Him by Almighty God. Jesus doesn't get anything, except that the Father gives it to Him. So we have an amazing glimpse at an inter-trinitarian conversation. From eternity past, God has existed in three persons, whom we identify as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All human relationships, whether marriage, or brother to brother, sister to sister, church relationships, neighbors, all human relationships are based on the inter-trinitarian, interpersonal relationship. We're patterned after it, because we're created in the image of God, and when we're fully redeemed, we're done with our salvation process, we will be as one in heaven with each other, as the Father and the Son are one. Aren't you looking forward to that? Oh, I'm looking forward to that. No more strife, no more conflict, no more disagreements... Not that I ever have any strife or conflict or disagreements in my life. Not that that ever... Oh, come on, it happens! Happens to all of us. But friends, it's temporary in Christ. Amen! Hallelujah! It's temporary. In heaven, we'll be as one as the Father and the Son are one. And no jealousy at all between the Father and the Son. And God the Father thinks thoughts about His Son, and He speaks to the Son, and other times He speaks about the Son. Like in the mount of transfiguration, "This is my Son, my beloved Son, whom I love, with Him I am well pleased." He's not talking to Jesus, He's talking about Jesus, to His bewildered disciples, Peter, John and James, up there. "Listen to Him." Peter, stop talking, stop talking, listen to Him. That's what He's saying, that's another sermon for another day. But the thing is God the Father's speaking about the Son, talking about Him, communicating about Him. He loves the Son. God the Father Calls His Son, 'God' And here, God the Father calls His Son, God. That's powerful, isn't it? "Your throne, oh God, will last forever and ever," because He is God. And the Father is not ashamed to proclaim him God, because He is God. Now, this is a vital issue in the controversy of Christianity with Judaism. The Jews, who had made a profession of faith in Christ are now being tempted to go over to Judaism, the very issue is going to be a rejection of the deity of Christ. That's what they're going to have to do to do it. They're going to have to turn their backs on Jesus as God. And that is the essence of our disagreement with our Jewish neighbors and friends, and co-workers. We disagree on this very issue, we believe that Jesus is God and we worship Him. But what this verse says is that God the Father believes it too. And we are not heretics in proclaiming the deity of Christ, because Almighty God says it. How could we deny the deity of Christ when God Himself says to Jesus, "Your throne, oh God, will last forever and ever. Righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom." So, if Almighty God delights in calling Him God, then how could we shrink back? Remember how Jesus' enemies were about to stone Him? Jesus said, "I have shown you many good works from the Father, for which of these are you stoning me?" "We're not stoning you for any of these, but for blasphemy! Because you, a mere man, claim to be God." It's a charge that went right to the end of His time with the Jews. When the high priest charged Him under oath, "Are you claiming to be God the Son?" Something they could not accept. But the author to Hebrews makes it fundamental here in Hebrews chapter 1. And notice also the attributes of Christ's character and of Christ's throne. Jesus' reign is based on His attributes, not in some outward show of luxury or some cut diamonds or rubies or some gold, 2500 pounds of gold, or peacocks on either side, or lions going up the stairs. None of those trappings. What do we have here? We have two attributes in particular. The eternity of the throne of God and the righteousness of it. These are two attributes. Christ’s Throne is Eternal Christ's throne is eternal, and Christ's throne is righteous. First, an eternal throne, "Your throne, oh God, will last forever and ever." I tell you, this is not merely a prediction from the omniscient God. He's not merely making a prediction that His throne will last forever and ever. He is making a sovereign decree that it will. Look at Psalm 2, all you have to... Don't turn there, but just as you listen. Psalm 2, and there the psalmist says, "'I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.' I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter.' That's the decree of God. It's not merely a prediction now. It's a decree. God is going to make it happen with His sovereign power. And Isaiah said it would be an eternal throne. Isaiah 9:7, "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, He will reign on David's throne, and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." So God is zealous, He's burning like a fire. Imagine the sun, burning burning burning burning. The zeal of God is burning for His son, for His throne to last forever and ever. He's going to achieve eternity with it. The prophet Daniel foresaw the eternal nature of Christ's throne, in interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel chapter two. A stone cut out, but not by human hands, struck the statue, the kingdoms of the world and of men, and caused them to crumble down until they became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer and the wind blew them all away without leaving a trace. But the rock that was cut out, but not by human hands, became a huge mountain that filled the whole world. Then when Daniel interpreted the dream, he said, "The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end but will itself endure forever." It is an eternal throne, dear friends, eternal, it will last forever and ever. Mary was told the same thing about her son. Imagine this being told to you… Imagine you women being told by Gabriel, "Your son will sit on a throne that will last forever and ever." So Gabriel told Mary, "He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His Father, David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, His kingdom will never end." This is stated so many times in the New Testament that we don't need to repeat it again. Human thrones, by contrast, are characterized by their brevity. The most you can be President of the United States is eight years, two four-year terms. The average length of a reign for a Jewish king after Solomon in the northern kingdom, there were 19 kings in Israel, their average length of reign was 12 and a half years. There were 19 kings in Judah, the average length of their reign was 20 and a half years. Altogether the average length of a reign of a king after Solomon was 16 and a half years. Not a single monarch in all of human history has ever reigned for 100 years, not one. The longest undisputed reign in history was a king of Swaziland who died in 1982 after a reign of 82 years and nine months. That's the longest undisputed reign in human history, 82 years. Can you imagine reigning for 82 years? I'm sure he was glad to lay it down when the time came. It's not for no reason that Shakespeare said, "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown." The average length of reign in the English, over the English throne, over a thousand years, has been 20 years. But Jesus will reign forever and ever. His kingdom will never end. So it's an eternal throne. Christ’s Throne is Righteous It's also a righteous throne. And no different again from the descriptions of God's throne in Psalm 97:2, "Clouds and thick darkness surround Him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne." Everything Jesus does in reigning on the throne displays His righteous character, perfectly corresponding to His own righteous character. So many earthly thrones are characterized by injustice, oppression, corruption. It's not for no reason that Lord Acton said, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely," except in one case, and that's Jesus. His reign doesn't corrupt His character, it displays His character, it displays His righteousness, the perfection of His nature. Jesus cannot be corrupted by His power, He is righteous in everything He does. In Isaiah 11 it says of Him, "He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes or decide by what He hears with His ears, but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the Earth. He will strike the Earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash around His waist." And so we see righteousness and eternity as the foundation of Christ's throne. Look what else, we see a display of Christ's heart. Verse 9, The Father speaking to the Son says, "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness." This is the essence of human character. Go right to the heart of the matter. Who are you? Who are you? What kind of man are you? What kind of woman are you? What kind of boy or girl are you? We go to the heart of the matter, and it all comes down to this, what do you love and what do you hate? That's who you are, it's the essence of your being. Henry Scougal, in his book "The Life of God in the Soul of Man" said this, "The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." The worth and excellency of Jesus' soul is found in this one verse, He loves righteousness and hates wickedness. And by the way, you can't just love righteousness. You have to both love righteousness and hate wickedness, you can't just be positive. What's that radio station? Positive, uplifting K-Love. Okay, listen, there's a time for being positive and uplifting. But you have to both love righteousness and hate wickedness. You have to be a warrior against wickedness, and start with your own. Put sin to death by the power of the Spirit. That's what we must do. But Christ does love righteousness and hate wickedness. And for this reason, He is greater than the angels because He rules them with the perfect righteousness and justice. And He's greater because of His anointing. "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness, and therefore God your God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." The anointing ceremony in Israel identified the king for the nation. Identified the king, was a symbolic act. Saul for example, a very tall man, a head taller than any of his fellows. But other than that, very ordinary, it seems. He was a son of Kish, a Benjamite. He was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel. Samuel the prophet, was commanded by God to anoint him with oil as a form of identification for the nation. 1 Samuel 10:1, "Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, 'Has not the Lord anointed you leader over His inheritance?'" And so in 1 Samuel, from then on, again and again, Saul is called the Lord's anointed. He's called the Lord's anointed. And from then on, kings of the Jews were anointed with oil as well, for example, Saul's successor, David, was also anointed with oil by Samuel. In 1 Samuel 16, "Samuel sent and had David brought in, and he was ruddy with a fine appearance and handsome features. And the Lord said, 'Rise and anoint him, he is the one.' So Samuel took the oil, the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power." I think there's a link then between the anointing with oil and the coming of the Holy Spirit. It's being saturated in the Spirit that's really being symbolized there. The idea is, "Not by power nor by might but by My Spirit, should you rule," says the Lord. And so when the Spirit comes upon a man, then he's equipped and able to reign. But Christ is the fulfillment of all of this anointing. He is the anointed one. The word, the Hebrew word for anointed one is mashiach, from which we get messiah. And then the Greek form Christ, is just the same word, the idea of the anointed one. So Jesus Christ means Jesus the anointed one. Hebrews 1 gives us the basis of the anointing. The word 'therefore' tells why God anointed Him. Why did God anoint Jesus? Because He loves righteousness and hates wickedness. Therefore, God anoints Him. And with what does He anoint Him? With the oil of joy. What is that? Whatever it is, I want some. What do you think? I'd like to go get some oil of joy and be anointed with it. Well, dear friends in Christ, someday you'll be saturated in the oil of joy. I mean you will be swimming in a river of delights. You'll be at the right hand of Almighty God. And in His presence, there are eternal pleasures forevermore. Jesus enjoys being the Son of God. He enjoys ruling on His throne. It's not a burden to Him. He delights in saving you, He delights in interceding for you, He is filled with joy because He's in the presence of His Father. And it was for this joy that Jesus died. We should fix our thoughts on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning the shame and sat down at the right hand of God. What joy? The joy of sitting on a perfect throne, reigning over perfect people in a perfect world. What could be better than that? And it's for that joy that Jesus shed His blood. The cross itself, wrath, and misery, and shame, and suffering. But it was for joy that He did it. And so He's anointed with the oil of joy in the presence of God. And therefore He's superior to all of His companions. I think that just means angels and men. Superior to all angels, superior to all men. He is above all of His companions, anointed with the oil of joy. IV. Christ Greater Because of His Rule over Creation And Christ is also greater because of His active rule over creation. Look at verses 10-12, he also says, "In the beginning, oh Lord, you laid the foundations of the Earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but You remain. They will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe, like a garment, they will be changed. But You remain the same and your years will never end." 29:55 S1: Now, we've already seen at the beginning of this chapter that Christ is the Creator. It is through Christ that God the Father made the universe, verse 2, "through whom He made the universe." And it says that God also, through Jesus, upholds the universe, that Christ upholds the universe, verse 3, by His powerful word. But here however, it directly ascribes to Jesus, the creation of the Earth and the heavens. Notice that the verse begins with the same formula. "He also says," do you see that? In verse 10, "He also says," who is the He? Again, it's God the Father. God the Father is speaking again. He's talking about His Son. What does God the Father say about the Son here? Well, He also says, "In the beginning, oh Lord, you laid the foundations of the Earth." So that's God the Father giving to Jesus credit for laying the foundations of the Earth. And again, note it, He calls him Lord. A marvelous thing. And what does it mean that it says "in the beginning"? That brings us immediately back to Genesis 1:1, doesn't it? "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth." But here God the Father's ascribing it to Jesus. "In the beginning, oh Lord, you laid the foundations of the Earth." And what does that mean, laid the foundation of the Earth? It pictures stability, doesn't it? Rock solid. He laid the foundations of the Earth. As though Jesus were somehow a master craftsman, building a structure, and it's solid. It says in Psalm 104 verse 5, "He set the Earth on its foundations, it can never be moved." And it's a solid stage on which redemptive history unfolds. It's the Earth and it's not going to be moved till the Lord removes it. And He's also credited with the crafting of the heavens, as the work of Jesus' hands, as in Psalm 8:3-4. "When I consider the Heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you're mindful of him, the Son of Man that you care for him?" But in Hebrews it ascribes that to Jesus. "In the beginning, oh Lord, you laid the foundations of the Earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands." It's Jesus who made them. The cosmos is immense, the stars are innumerable. Have you ever gone out, maybe in the mountains, you have to get away from the city, get away from the humidity. Get into the cooler, dryer climes and look out and you can see the milky way, that milky cloud of stars just going across like a band? And you see just vivid stars up there, you could almost read by them maybe. And there's just this sense of the beauty, like diamonds they are up in the sky and so many. So many of them and magnificent. But Hebrews 1 ascribes the creation of all of them to Jesus. Christ is superior to the creation because they're only temporary. Now that'll boggle your mind. They're all temporary. They look really kind of like they're going to last forever. But they won't. They are temporary but Jesus is eternal. Christ is superior to the creations for this very reason. The verse clearly predicts the end of the universe. Modern cosmologists, they go back and forth on where we're heading. I mean, what an inane discussion. None of them are going to be there, they just want to be right, having been dead for millennia. But they want to be right about it. Will the universe keep expanding? Will it stop at some point and kind of fold back in on itself? Will it oscillate like a big slinky, you know, back and forth, back and forth, oscillating, back and forth? Or will it collapse in on itself, the reversal of the Big Bang? Let them ruminate, we already know what's going to happen. Bible-believing Christians already know. Just go to Hebrews 1. He's going to roll them up like a robe, like a garment they're going to be changed. They are going to perish. That's what it says. If you want more details, read in 2 Peter 3, verse 10, "The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar. The elements will be destroyed by fire, and the Earth and everything in it will be laid bare." Verse 12 of that same chapter, "That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat." Revelation 6:13-14, "The stars in the sky fell to the Earth as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place." All of that's going to happen but Jesus remains the same, and His years will never end. Oh, the greatness of Christ, the greatness of Christ! Greater than the stars, greater than the galaxies, greater than the Earth and the mountains and the ocean! Jesus remains the same, He never changes! But this world, the universe, is going to be changed. And, may I say, greatly improved, the new heavens and the new Earth. I heard somebody say earlier today, "I am hungry to go, I can't wait to go there." I am hungry for that, aren't you? I want to be there. Christ never changes, ever. V. Christ Greater Because of His Destiny Finally, Christ is greater because of His destiny. Look at verse 13, "To which of the angels did God ever say, 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" God rewards Christ with a position to sit at His right hand. Christ alone has this right. He alone has this privilege because of His perfect character, because He is God the Son, because He is sinless and pure and because He finished God's mission. He sits down with God on the throne, ruling with God, at His right hand. The image of sitting is that Christ finished His work, He had provided purification for sins. It's done. Once for all. We'll get into that later in this book. But once for all, it's done. And now, God the Father is going to work on behalf of God the Son. "Sit at my right hand," He says, "until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." Oh, what a fearsome verse that is. Oh, can I warn you, tenderly? Don't be God's enemy on this point. How could you fight Almighty God concerning whether you have become a Christian or not, whether you have worshipped Jesus or not, whether you have trusted in Christ or not? Oh, don't be Christ's enemy. What does it mean that He'll make His enemies a footstool for your feet? Joshua had the Israelites put their feet on the necks of all their prostrate enemies. It's a picture of complete submission, domination. Well, I think all of us are going to submit to Jesus, one way or another, Amen? "Before me," it says in Isaiah, "Every knee will bow, by me every tongue will swear." And so, in Philippians that's ascribed to Jesus, oh, we'll be down there. But we are those that do it now by faith, Amen? We're not His enemies anymore. Isn't it good when Jesus has the power to turn His enemies into His own children? Like with Saul of Tarsus, and the thief on the cross? Just like that, He can change them. And so, we go out, we do evangelism, we witness because we want the enemies of God (at one time, we were enemies) to be rescued and brought over into the kingdom of God and not be His enemies anymore, not have the wrath of God abiding on us anymore. But, other than that, Jesus' Jewish enemies said to Him, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?" What an insulting thing to say. "You're a bastard and you're demon-possessed." And Jesus' answer is very insightful, and into His character, "'I am not possessed by a demon,' said Jesus, 'but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I'm not seeking glory for myself but there is someone who seeks it and He is the judge.'" Who is it that seeks Jesus' honor? It's God the Father. And you can't measure the zeal that He has concerning that, it's a fire, our God is a consuming fire, and we cannot be His enemies on this issue. We must worship Jesus as the Son, and fall down, and as Psalm 2 says, "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry with... for His wrath can flare up in a moment." God the Father will make all of Jesus' enemies submit to Him. There's a good way for that to happen. Just repent and believe the Gospel, Amen! This universe is temporary, friends, your life is temporary here in this world. Eternity is eternal, come to Christ therefore, trust in Him. VI. Applications Now, we have an opportunity to meditate on these things as we prepare for the Lord's Supper. This is a sweet time for me, a very significant time when we celebrate the Lord's Supper together. I believe that through the Holy Spirit, we can have an encounter with the living God, but I say this to you, if you're already believers in Christ and you've testified to that by water baptism, you're welcome to the table, but if you're not, don't come, don't come. The Bible says you'll eat and drink judgment on yourself. Instead, do something better: Repent of your sins and trust in Jesus. And all of us, while we're getting ready for the table, let's just worship Jesus based on the things we've learned today, let's worship Jesus for the greatness of His character and His justice, and His holiness, the eternity of His kingdom, His scepter and His heart that loves righteousness and hates wickedness. And what do you say? We resolve in our hearts to grow more and more toward Christ-like character, so we love righteousness the way He does and hate wickedness the way He does as well. Let's put sin to death by the power of the Spirit. And if you're aware, as you're preparing for the Lord's Supper, of any sin in your life, you're aware of patterns that are dishonoring to God, your consciences is violated, just know there is a cleansing for conscience through the blood of Jesus. So, I'm going to close in prayer, then we'll go to the Lord's Supper. Father, thank you for this time we've had around the Word. And now, as we go to the table, I pray that You would send forth Your Holy Spirit, help us to partake in a manner worthy of the Lord. We praise You for the opportunity to be here today and to hear You speak to us, help us to love Jesus by the power of the Spirit. And now, just send forth Your Holy Spirit to make the bread and the juice become for us a spiritual encounter with Jesus, dead on the cross, raised from the dead, ascended to the right hand of God, coming again in glory. I ask this through Jesus and for His glory, Amen.

Nader Shah was the founder of the Afsharid Dynasty of Persia, lasting from 1736 to 1747.  During this time, this "second Alexander" returned Persia to its Sassanid-era borders.  After pushing the anti-Safavid Afghan invaders out of Persia, Nader invaded Afghanistan and took the cities of Kabul, Kandahar, and Lahore.  In the western theater, Nader Shah gained many cities from Ottoman Mesopotamia, including Najaf, Karbala, and Basra.  However, he was stopped at the walls of Baghdad.  In the Eastern Theater, Nader Shah defeated the Mughals decisively at the Battle of Karnal.  From here, he continued on into Delhi, where he indirectly killed 30,000 civilians and took many crown jewels, including the Peacock Throne (valued at $1 billion dollars now) and two 180+ carat diamonds.  Nader Shah also conquered Oman and Bahrain.  He founded the modern Persian Navy.  He even tried to reconcile Shiite Islam and Sunni Islam but failed.  Upon his assassination in 1747, the Persian Empire descended, once again, into chaos.  For more information, read: http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-225443 http://www.iranchamber.com/history/afsharids/afsharids.php http://irane-man.tripod.com/NaderShah.html Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Mughal Empire which, at its height, stretched from Bengal in the East to Gujarat in the West, and from Lahore in the North to Madras in the South.  It covered the whole of present day northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and became famous for the Taj Mahal, the Koh-i-Noor and the Peacock Throne.  In 1631 a Dutch naturalist Johannes de Laet published his account of the vast Empire, “the nobles live in indescribable luxury and extravagance, caring only to indulge themselves whilst they can, in every kind of pleasure.  Their greatest magnificence is in their women's quarters, for they marry three or four wives or sometimes more”.But were they really the opulent despots of European imagination?  If so, how did they maintain such a vast territory?  And to what extent was the success of the British Raj a legacy of their rule? With Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Professor of Indian History and Culture at the University of Oxford; Susan Stronge, Curator in the Asian Department of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Chandrika Kaul, Lecturer in Imperial History at the University of St Andrews.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Mughal Empire which, at its height, stretched from Bengal in the East to Gujarat in the West, and from Lahore in the North to Madras in the South.  It covered the whole of present day northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and became famous for the Taj Mahal, the Koh-i-Noor and the Peacock Throne.  In 1631 a Dutch naturalist Johannes de Laet published his account of the vast Empire, “the nobles live in indescribable luxury and extravagance, caring only to indulge themselves whilst they can, in every kind of pleasure.  Their greatest magnificence is in their women’s quarters, for they marry three or four wives or sometimes more”.But were they really the opulent despots of European imagination?  If so, how did they maintain such a vast territory?  And to what extent was the success of the British Raj a legacy of their rule? With Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Professor of Indian History and Culture at the University of Oxford; Susan Stronge, Curator in the Asian Department of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Chandrika Kaul, Lecturer in Imperial History at the University of St Andrews.