Podcasts about Persians

The power of opposition is intense. History has proved again and again how empires have fallen when facing internal weakness and external pressure. From the Persians seeing Alexander the Great sweep across the known world, to the Inca and Aztec’s falling to Spanish conquistadors, and the Western Roman Empire collapsing under the attacks of small Germanic tribes, it is amazing how opposition exploits weaknesses. Nehemiah and the people were making great progress on the walls, but Sanballat, Tobiah the Ammonite, the Arabs, and men of Ashdod were not ok with Jerusalem coming back to power. They began use weapons of mass disruption by taunting the workers and ridiculing their efforts. Sadly, this would likely be enough to deter many today from the Lord’s work. The people held strong through prayer, but then faced the threat of physical attack. This was no longer a group of bullies, but a real life threatening situation with enemies on all sides growing impatient, and putting their destruction. This brought on the natural discouragement of doing hard work under pressure, and the constant fear of attack and failure. For each of us today these same things plague our lives. From ridicule and threat, to discouragement and fear we all constantly see opposition from outside and within. There is a reality of an enemy who hates us. There is the sinful flesh that distracts us. Both of these desire to destroy us. How do we battle them and keep walking in obedience to God’s call? By doing what Ephesians 6 tells us, and armoring up! Join us for one of our worship services this weekend and MBC as we continue in the book of Nehemiah! - Pastor Ben Key Verse - Nehemiah 4:9 - "But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat." For Scripture, notes, upcoming events, & more: http://bible.com/events/49450999

Introduction: The Book of Haggai is a book about God, about worship, about holiness. These themes take us back to the days of altars of Noah; of Abram (Abraham); of Isaac; of Jacob; and the Tabernacle of Moses (Play Video of Tabernacle). Haggai is the 37th book in the Old Testament .  Haggai is a Post-Exilic book meaning the timeframe happens after the Babylonian Captivity. God directed the Assyrians, Babylonians, & the Persians to accomplish His will!I. Let's set a timeline:1. Solomon's Temple built around 957 BC (United Monarchy)2. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) is defeated by Assyria in 722 BC3. The Southern Kingdom (Judah) is defeated by Babylon and the Temple was destroyed around 587-586 BC. The Book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah based on what God did and what he saw (Lamentations 3:22-23)4. Zerubbabel's Temple (Book of Haggai) started in 536 BC and stopped with the foundation. 5. Restart on Zerubbabel's Temple started back in 520 BC. Finished in four months. Some were alive to see Solomon's Temple.READ HAGGAI 1 & 2 II. Some critical statement made in these 2 chapters:1. “Consider your ways” – 1:5 & 72. “That I may take pleasure” – 1:83. “Obeyed the voice of the Lord” – 1:124. “I am with you” – 1:13 & 2:45. “Be strong” – 2:4 (3 times)6. “The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former” – 2:97. “Make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you” – 2:23 III. The Book of Haggai is connected to the Book of Ezra1. Read II Chronicles 36:22-23 2. Read Ezra 3:8-133. Read Ezra 4:1-5 (“adversaries” lied; “discouraged”; “made them afraid”; “bribed”). Fear of man paralyzes us. Fear of God frees us.4. Cyrus & Darius blessed the returning remnant (and paid for the rebuilding project!)5. Read Ezra 5:1-2 (Back on track)  IV. Haggai 1 – WHAT TIME IS IT?1. Haggai 1:3 - 2. Haggai 1:8 – 3. Haggai 1:12 4. Haggai 1:13 – 5. Haggai 1:14 –CHAPTER 2 NEXT WEEK 

In the 5th century BC, the Greek world found itself in the middle of one of its greatest wars. This wasn't one of their existential conflicts against the Persians; this was a war of Greeks against Greeks.  An alliance of city-states led by Athens fought a coalition led by Sparta for control of the Greek world.  Over nearly 30 years, the two city-states fought for supremacy, leaving a lasting impact on the Greek world. Learn more about the Peloponnesian War, its causes, and its resolution on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. ***5th Anniversary Celebration RSVP*** Sponsors Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Mint Mobile Get your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/eed Jerry Compare quotes and coverages side-by-side from up to 50 top insurers at jerry.ai/daily American Scandal Follow American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to the podcast!  https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Austin Oetken & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Update your podcast app at newpodcastapps.com Discord Server: https://discord.gg/UkRUJFh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/  Disce aliquid novi cotidie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is said that Pheidippides, an Athenian herald, was sent to Sparta to request help when the Persians landed at Marathon, running 150 miles in just two days. After this, he then ran another 25 miles from the battlefield near the town of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon with the word “Νενικήκαμεν”, meaning ‘We have won'. He then collapsed and died on the spot due to exhaustion. Many years later; in the town of Sheffield, we find ourselves focused on the adventures of a very unfit man trying to complete his first ever Marathon. He's only just started and already he's thinking about catching a bus… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah, Belle, and Jenny gather today to bring you the second of a two-part episode discussion the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist. Today, they discuss their thoughts on Fundamentally by Nassaibah Younis, The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji, and The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden. Are you reading the Women's Prize shortlist this year?Get in touchInstagram | TikTok | Voice message | Substack | Patreon | Ko-fi | EmailSupport The Bookcast ClubYou can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, 'close friends' feed on Instagram, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post. You can now try our Patreon FREE for 7 days. If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on Ko-fi. A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on Apple Podcasts.NewsletterSign up to our monthly newsletter on Substack for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news. Come and chat to us in the comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is said that Pheidippides, an Athenian herald, was sent to Sparta to request help when the Persians landed at Marathon, running 150 miles in just two days. After this, he then ran another 25 miles from the battlefield near the town of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon with the word “Νενικήκαμεν”, meaning ‘We have won'. He then collapsed and died on the spot due to exhaustion. Many years later; in the town of Sheffield, we find ourselves focused on the adventures of a very unfit man trying to complete his first ever Marathon. He's only just started and already he's thinking about catching a bus… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marinus and Martha were wealthy Persians; but they sold all their goods and traveled to Rome with their sons Audifax, Habakkuk, Valentine, and Cyrinus, in order to venerate the holy relics of the apostles and martyrs. When the Emperor Claudius asked them why they had come so far, at such cost, to seek the dead in Rome, they answered 'We are servants of Christ, and are come to venerate the holy apostles whose immortal souls are alive with God, that they may be our intercessors with Christ our God.' All of them were sentenced to interrogation and to death if they would not deny Christ. Valentine, who was a priest, was handed over to a General named Asterius. When Valentine healed Asterius' daughter, who had been blind for two years, Asterius and his entire household accepted Christ and were baptised by Valentine. All of them, along with Marinus and Martha and their family, underwent torture and death for the sake of Christ.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. My name is Mike and I was going to walk out the back door, but Isaac had to mention my name in the prayer, so I decided to go ahead and come on up here today. I am not one of the pastors here, but I am an elder in training. Over the last several years in my life, I've been exercising the calling of God that I feel on my life and in my heart toward pastoral ministry. It's something that I have felt growing for a long time. A few months ago, I was asked to participate in the elder training process. I am working this calling out. I'm not just a pastor when I want to be. I am working this calling out with my friends, with my community group, and under the guidance of our elders here. They've given me this opportunity this morning.I have a day job. I am a physician kind of by training, and that's what I do Monday through Friday throughout the week. Over the last several years, I have had the opportunity to teach in different settings here in our church. I've been able to teach some of your children in the kids city setting. We actually do an assembly similar to this, and we do 60 to 70 minutes of teaching and they don't complain. So no, we do just a couple short minutes of teaching with them and then we break out into classrooms and teach, and I've gotten to share the Scriptures with them there.I had the opportunity to share the Scriptures with some of your teenagers in the student night setting. Just this last semester, I was able to teach alongside Isaac Hill, who heads that up, and we were working through the Gospel of John. We were blessed by that, and we were thankful to be able to share that with the teenagers in that setting.I've also been able to teach some of you next door in the Sunday school setting just last week. I was able to do that. Our brother Scott Hill faithfully teaches that class week after week after week. That meets in our other building at 9:30. It's an excellent opportunity to study the word together, and he's let me teach alongside him and he's given me the opportunity to fill in for him when he steps away.I was asked or I was given the option to pick the text that I wanted to, and I decided to pick something from the New Testament. We've been going through Samuel, right? We've been going through Old Testament narrative, and I was thinking, well, maybe let's step away from that and let's go into the New Testament for a little bit and spend a week here. I thought, what specifically would our congregation want to hear? And I thought, well, maybe something with a lot of imagery, a lot of pictures, a lot of symbolism, something that's got parts of it that are hotly contested and debated. And so, of course, I landed on Revelation. But I decided maybe something a little bit different would be more appropriate for our setting.Today, we are going to be in the Gospel of Luke. We're going to be in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 6, verses 27-36. Before we start, I'm going to pray and ask for the Lord's help.Father, we thank you for the opportunity to study the Scripture this morning. We've really got nothing apart from it. It tells us of you, and it's our privilege to be able to know it, to study it, and to have our lives changed from it. You know that I am a man desperately in need of grace, and I pray that you would meet me with your grace this morning in Jesus' name. Amen.So let's open up our Bibles to Luke chapter 6, verses 27-36. This is on page 53 in the blue Bible. The blue Bibles are under the seats in the rows in front of you and you can grab those, and if you don't have a Bible you can actually keep that. We want you to have a copy of God's word.Like I said, we are stepping out today from the Old Testament narrative in Samuel, narrative of David, of Saul, of the Israelite people, of Samuel himself at that time, and now we're kind of jumping into the New Testament narrative in the Gospel of Luke. This is the story of Jesus Christ.Just briefly for some context, Luke wrote this gospel around 58 to 60 AD. It is a defense of the Christian faith. It tells the story of the Christ on earth and it shows us Jesus's mission which was to bring salvation to people as well as fulfill some of the Old Testament prophecies that were written about him. Luke himself was a physician, so we can infer he was smart. He was probably pretty cool. I'll leave it there. He was a companion to the Apostle Paul, and Luke spent years interviewing eyewitnesses, people who walked alongside Jesus. And he compiled all of that into this gospel account.What we're going to look at today, this section does mirror another section in a different gospel. And that's common for that to happen. But it mirrors some similar teaching more familiar you might have heard called the Sermon on the Mount which is Matthew 5 through 7. This passage in Luke has some similarities to it.So what we're going to study or what we're going to look at is what Jesus has to teach his followers about kindness and compassion. We're going to begin in verse 27.“But I say to you who hear,Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also,and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.Give to everyone who begs from you,and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”Now, we probably hear all that and think, "Yeah, oh yeah, absolutely. That sounds good. That sounds fine." Especially when we hear that last verse, right? Because we can latch on to that because we've heard it before. That's one of those phrases that sort of has permeated and passed through our culture through generations. And it's something known as the golden rule.Parents teach an aspect of this to their kids, right? When you hit your brother or when you're deciding, should I hit my brother? I want you to think, do you want your brother to hit you? And even at a young age, you can conceptualize that pretty well. I don't want to get hit. I'm not going to hit my brother.Teachers in a classroom setting, right? As kids are going from, especially in younger ages, as they're going from being just at home to now interacting with people from other families, teaching them how to interact with those people, how they would want to be interacted with. And there's even probably some level in our workplaces that we apply this teaching, right? If you are wondering, should I put that in the email to everyone? Should I put that thing about my coworker in there? Maybe think, would you like to read that about you? Right? If you do that, that's probably a fairly safe way to navigate those different interactions.So, we've heard this many times and we usually just agree. When was the last time you saw on CNN, golden rule is being revoked? We're anti-Golden rule, and the golden rule is canceled. Right? You don't see that happening. I actually did this week and Googled, is the golden rule outdated or something to see? I did find an article, but it was on a website I hadn't heard of, so I didn't click on it. I decided that that was probably not something that was being spread through the masses at large, so this would actually still make sense.But if we are really going to understand what Jesus is calling us to do and really understand the weight of these statements, we have to go back and think about who he's commanding us to act this way towards. He says,“Those who hate you, those who curse you, those who abuse you,those who strike you, and those who take from you.”Guys, this is not a call to be nice to your friends. This is not a call to be kind to the person that you sit next to on Sundays at church. This is a call to be kind to the people who absolutely cannot stand you.Now, we have a tendency probably in our minds to think or to wonder, is Jesus overselling this, right? Is he going really far in how he's talking to us? But if you do half of that, it's probably fine. We have a tendency to think maybe this is just for effect. But to help us understand that, let's think about who he was talking to, who was standing in the crowd. That was a mix of Jewish people probably from Jerusalem and from Judea.These are the people whose ancestors we read about when we studied the book of Exodus. These are the people who were enslaved by the Egyptian Pharaoh who never had a day off to rest from work, who made bricks to build up that kingdom, never seeing an ounce of the glory, an ounce of the honor for their own. Even when they were about to escape from Egypt, the Pharaoh in his final act sent his army out to die, trying to retrieve them and bring them back under oppression.After that, they wandered through the wilderness for many years and they went through this cycle of oppression with other nations and judges, and God raised up judges for them. They turned from what God had said to them to do and they went back to their sin, and they're in this constant cycle of oppression.And then right up to where we're studying on Sundays, these kingdoms said, "We want a king. We want a king." And they were given one. God relented, they were given a king. Ultimately that kingdom is fractured, and nothing comes of it, and they end up being dissipated and occupied by other nations, right? The Babylonians, the Persians—throughout history, these really prominent, massive empires occupied and oppressed this people group.And now when Jesus is talking to them, they're under occupation still. They're under occupation from the Roman Empire. So he said all these things to a people that were hated, that were cursed, that were abused, that were struck, and that had every single thing taken from them. Jesus is not overstating or overselling this at all. This would have actually directly applied to the people that he was talking to that day. It would have probably been felt very deeply and viscerally by them. And this thing He was calling them to do would have seemed truly impossible.Now, this teaching calls them into kindness, right? But what does it have to do with us? Two days ago, we celebrated a holiday that exists to show that we are not under another empire, that we are not subject to another regime. One of our pastors spent time giving missiles to people to shoot into the air just so they could show that a British soldier could not come into their house without a warrant and take their stuff and make them cook for them.So we are not exactly under, in our current day and age, the oppression of another outside regime. Why this teaching still brings to bear on our lives is because things like hate, abuse, and stealing have been permeating cultures throughout all of time and they absolutely exist in our culture today. Even if you personally haven't experienced something like that or something that extreme, the point Jesus is getting at is not to minimize what you've walked through in your life actually, but to emphasize just how great the thing that he's calling us into is.So I want us to go back through that text again and think about each one of these directives. Love your enemies. Love is sometimes a wishy-washy word or a phrase that our culture doesn't always know what it exactly means. But we do have some biblical data that tells us patience, kindness, not envying, not boasting, not making yourself out better than someone else. We have some terms for love that we can use.Most commonly in our culture and in the Bible, we think about love in the sense of husbands and wives, spouses. That's a fairly easy example for us to grasp what love probably looks like. So here Jesus says,"Love your enemies."And tags it right up next to doing this. Or he says to love and tags this right up next to doing this to your enemies.This is not like I'm driving down the road and somebody cuts me off in traffic and I say, "You know, I see him later," and I just wave them along. I'm going to be the bigger person. This is saying somebody's flying down the road and sideswipes me and I drive off the road and I hit a tree and I'm severely injured and my car is totally destroyed and I'm in the hospital for months and when I finally recover, I've got nothing left in my name. I barely have a car to drive. I'm going down the road and I see that same guy and his lane's ending and he's in trouble if he doesn't get over and I let him in. That's loving your enemies.Doing good to those who hate you means improving the well-being of the person that actively hates you. When people hate us, we probably do one of two things. We either hate them back. "You're going to get into me. I'm going to get after you," like we're buttheads and have fights over things like that, or we just say, "No, you're not going to bother me. You're going to take the high ground and not say anything." And even we see this play out in kids in middle school and high school. There are either fistfights or people pretend like they don't hear what you say because that way it looks like it didn't bother me, and then at home they deal with the fallout of that.But what doing good to those who hate you is, is when your neighbor comes to you and says, "I'm building a fence on my property and it's going to go five feet into your property line and I don't really care." No matter what you say to him, he's going to do that. One day you come home and it's not five feet on your lawn, it's 10 feet on your lawn. And if you live in a subdivision, that's a lot. So you are seriously out some space. And then when he comes home from work the following day, you're in his front yard. You've cut it perfectly. You're edging right along the driveway. You've got the leaf blower, and you're cleaning it off and you're making it look perfect.That's actually improving the well-being of a person who hates you.Bless those who curse you. Now, we don't have a great frame of reference for this currently. Blessing and cursing. I would wager that most of you who said bless this week meant it in the context of a sneeze. But that is not really what blessing is here. Blessing is I am praying for God's favor to be put on another person.One of the famous examples we have comes from the Old Testament book of Numbers. God says to Moses,"Go pronounce this blessing on your brother."And it's"The Lord bless you and keep you;the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."That's an actual blessing—wanting blessing for another person.Cursing is also not the way we use it today or cussing. It's a little bit different than what we use today. Cursing is not foul language, rude gestures, inappropriate conversation, as we have it in our context. Cursing is more like the opposite of blessing in that I want your total ruin and total destruction to be brought down on somebody. We do have some Bible examples of cursing. Even just when sin entered in the world, God cursed the earth. And so you can look at different times in the Bible where we see cursing. But blessing and cursing are paired together.So this is saying that while you are actively praying and asking God, "Will you give him 10 children who each have 10 children? Will you give him everyone in his family who is healthy? Would you make him live to be a hundred and fifteen, and pass away sweetly with his family surrounded by him? All his businesses, tens upon tens upon tens would have success and he would be rich and all the world's goods."While you're asking that for a person, that same person is hoping that you're totally and completely destroyed off of the earth. While you're hoping for his peaceful end with him surrounded by his family, he's hoping your bloodline comes to an end, that you never find a partner, that you never have a child, and that your last name is totally and utterly destroyed.That is blessing the people that curse you.Pray for those who abuse you. This one is probably a little challenging for us to hear. The word abuse sits pretty heavy on our shoulders and even when we hear it, we recoil. Some of you have actually experienced real abuse in awful, awful ways.Jesus here says,"On your knees, intercede before the Father on behalf of the person who inflicted you this pain. Pray for those who abuse you."To the one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. Just sort of by way of explanation, this is not a little essay on pacifism. Should we fight in wars? Should I defend myself in my house? Striking someone on the cheek is really meant to symbolize or show disrespect. That's what it meant in this cultural context.And I think we probably have that translate to our cultural moment today. I don't know if I was at an award show—the Tonys, the Grammys, maybe the Oscars—and somebody got up and said something disrespectful about my wife's hair, I might get up and slap that person, and that would be a sign of disrespect given back to them. And I think everybody would be able to do that. And of course, I would go on to win best actor.This is when the guy at work puts you down, mocks you in front of everyone, and then later the boss comes to you and says, "Hey, you know, so and so, he's actually up for a promotion. What do you think?" And this is you saying, "You know, I think he's pretty good at his time management skills. I think he's got good computer skills," and you start highlighting different things about him that he doesn't deserve to have highlighted about him, but you start highlighting these positive things. Instead of returning disrespect with disrespect, you give respect to him and speak honorably about him.And from the one who takes your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you. And from one who takes away your goods, do not demand them back.So a cloak is like an outer covering like a jacket. A tunic is more underneath. It covers you from the shoulders down to the hips or ankles depending on how homeschooled you were. So this is saying be radically generous to the people who steal from you.So, you're at the beach, you're on vacation, and you're walking down the street, and somebody picks your pocket and takes off, and you take off after them and you call the police and you got this guy. You caught him and the police look at you and say, "Well, he stole from you. Do you want to press charges?" And you say, "No." In fact, I had $100 in my wallet, but I'm going to write you a check. I'm going to write you a check for $200. Because this is what it means that when somebody takes your cloak not to withhold your tunic from them.Also,"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."This really does summarize all of these directives well, guys. Sometimes we have such a strong desire for justice and it really, really irks us to see these perpetrators get away with things. But I do want to remind you that in the book of Hebrews, we're told,"There is no creature hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."God will make these things right. People who commit injustices will be held accountable.What he has not done is asked us in this text to mediate out and give out that justice. He teaches us to love. He teaches us to do good and he teaches us to give not just to the people that like us. Not even just to the people that are kind of indifferent to us or tolerate us, but to the people who absolutely cannot stand us and actively choose to oppose us.Next here in the passage, he's going to talk to us about how the world accomplishes this. We're going to pick up in verse 32."If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners and get back the same amount."I think Jesus chooses to give us this explanation here because we sort of gravitate towards this, right? We want to be nice to the people that like us really. Well, if your friend calls you on the phone and they've had a rough day and they're going on and on and you're listening and being empathetic and encouraging them, at the end of the call, they say, "Wow, thank you. You were so kind. Thank you for listening." You might think, "Yeah, you know, I guess in just in the friend group, I'm the kind friend. Yeah, that makes sense."Or if your co-worker, who you actually do get along with, who helps you out, gets a busy project thrown at them and they're going to be there late and you say, "You know what? I'm going to pitch in and help them take some of that workload off them." And then a few weeks later, you hear them talking and they're saying, "Yeah, you know, he pitched in and helped me right when I needed to. He sacrifices himself. He's so kind." You might think, "Yeah, I am the dependable co-worker. I am kind. I do that. Yeah."Or if your friend forgets their wallet when you go out to lunch and you spot him and then you think, "Well, now I've got insurance if I ever forget my wallet and I'm out with him." Or if he asks, "Can I—he's going to buy pizza." I don't have to chip in because I already kicked in and gave it to them. We encounter these kind of circumstances all the time.And this is probably how we think without realizing. We trick ourselves into thinking that we are more kind than we really are. And the reason is because the people we like to be kind to are the people that like us. And so Jesus here very directly is saying that if you're kind to people so that you can just be praised and rewarded, then you are no different than the people who don't follow Christ or don't know Christ because even they are capable of that.Jesus calls us into sacrificial kindness and sacrificial giving. He calls us to do this to our enemies. And he rebukes the kindness that results in our own advancement in our own gain.In World War II, on December 20th of 1943, a German pilot by the name of Franz Stigler was flying in German airspace and he encountered a very badly damaged bomber flown by an American pilot with an American crew. He could see holes from multiple bullets in this plane and he could see the crew looked weak and near the point of death. And he had a moment where he could have gone different ways. He could have shot that plane as an enemy out of the sky, reported it back, and been awarded for what he had done. But that's not what he did.He flew up alongside the wing of this badly damaged American plane and escorted it out of German airspace because he knew that a German anti-aircraft gun would not shoot up at a German plane. He escorted them out to safety and they landed in Switzerland. After that moment finished, the two pilots got out and saluted each other and then the German pilot flew back into Germany. This was never publicized because at the time telling people that an enemy showed kindness isn't good for the war effort.We don't want to think that our enemy is capable of that, right? But interestingly, in the early 2000s, years after, they were actually able to meet and they became friends and they remained friends until they both passed away just a few months apart from each other in the same year. I think this is just in a small way an example of what it means to look like to be kind or to be compassionate to your enemies.Now go back with me if you will to the crowd. The crowd that stands there before Jesus. Imagine being one of those people who has been taught since birth from grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, all the cycles of oppression that have kept that people down. And even as they walk out of town to hear Jesus talk, they pass by Roman soldiers who are an ever-present reminder to them of the inescapable enemy that always lurks where they are.And Jesus says,"Love those people."Some of the people that followed Jesus were even part of zealous religious groups who wanted to commit political violence and wanted to commit assassinations. And they're standing there listening to Jesus."Love your enemies."Even you guys put yourself in that position, right? Imagine standing there and think to yourself, Jesus just said,"Love the guy who put me down so he could get a promotion.Love the girl that used to bully me in school.Love the person that inflicted the most emotional pain and suffering or even physical suffering that I've ever experienced."What would you be thinking? You would be thinking what they were thinking.Why? Why on earth would we ever do it? They're awful. They are horrible. Why would I ever love them? And if I wanted to, how could it be possible that I could be capable of that?And as the tension rises in their minds and as the tension rises in our own minds and these questions develop, Jesus tells us the answer:"But love your enemies and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."Jesus says that in order to be kind to our enemies, we must understand that God himself was kind to us. See, the answer we come up with is, "Oh, when they apologize to me, then I'll be kind." When they start changing their actions and I actually see it, then I'll be kind. But Jesus says,"No, kindness to your enemies can only be achieved one way, and it's by understanding God's kindness to you."Follow this with me. Jesus here teaches,"Be kind to your enemies."He roots that kindness in God's kindness to us. Why does that actually make sense? Romans 8:7-8:"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."It makes sense because before we knew Jesus Christ, we were God's enemies. And you might not think that's possible or you might think, "No, that's too much." Well, God, the infinite, existing before anything else for all time, spoke a world into existence, put people on that world to worship him. And I'm not even talking about going through the Ten Commandments and you lied. I'm sure you did. No, no, no, no. I'm talking this God is worthy of our worship at all times. And every time we sit and enjoy our house and we enjoy our family and we enjoy our truck and whatever, and we don't roll it up into worship of the almighty God, we have sinned and we are God's enemy.Is it that serious? Absolutely. It's that serious. The only way that we can be kind is to understand that God forgave his enemies. And the people that were standing there that day, they've got no idea what's about to come. That he would go through a total sham of a trial and be convicted of a crime that he did not commit.That he would be physically tortured, beaten, assaulted, that he would be given a purple robe and a crown of thorns, total mockery, so that he might feel shame. And they would make him pick up the cross and walk up the hill, put it up, and they nail him to it and hang him up there in front of everyone to see to execute him.And while he's up there, we have his words recorded for us:"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."The beauty of the gospel is that Jesus Christ died for his enemies.Romans 5:9-11, we read it this morning:"Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.But more than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."The story of the Bible is the story of God's kindness to us. So if you today don't know Christ in that way, that's the type of kindness I'm inviting you into. If you do know Jesus, he really does want you to be kind like this. Let's take time to ask the Spirit to reveal the areas where we overlook this teaching.So, who hates you? Who have you hated? Who curses you? Who have you wanted to see destroyed? Who has abused you? Who has disrespected you? Who has taken from you your time, your money, whatever it is? Is it really important that we be kind to these people? Yes.Romans 2:4-5:"Do you despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"Kindness is crucial, but we need the help of the Spirit in order to do this. We cannot do it on our own. In our sin, we try to be kind and sometimes it doesn't work. And sometimes we try to be kind and we actually end up being rude and it goes the total opposite direction.This is not how we naturally think about being kind. We think, well, it's genetic. Have you met that family? They're all smiling. That's not my family. We're sarcastic. We don't do that. We think someone is kind because they don't have the stress we do. If you had my job, you'd understand. I'm way too stressed out to just be kind to everybody I meet. I use it all up at work.We think we don't have to be kind. Look at my kids. I spend all my time raising those kids, teaching those kids, and trying to be kind to those kids. I don't have leftover to give to the people outside of that. We think when things get better, then I'll be kind. My retirement account's in good shape. My bank account's in good shape. When my house is the house I want, everything's fixed up. When I'm good, then I'll be kind to other people.This text would suggest otherwise.We're going to have the band go ahead and come back up here as we close. I think that when Jesus says in verse 36,"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful,"that actually sums all of this up really well.What is mercy? Mercy is having compassion and kindness on someone whom it is within your power to punish. Our prayer today should be that God would help us to know in our minds and feel in our hearts the depths of the mercy he poured out on us in Christ so that we may reflect that mercy to the world around us.Some of you need to consider that you are an enemy of Christ but that he died for you and he is welcoming you into his kindness. Some of you have basked in his kindness for years and not for a second thought about how you might reflect that kindness to other people.If God would go so far as to die on the cross, then you can pray a blessing on a person that's cursed you. You can be kind to the people that make your heart race when we say words like enemy and abuser. The world can't do this. They can be kind to who's kind to them. Only the people of Christ can be kind to their enemies.By God's grace, may we be a people who understand the mercy of God in our lives. And may this translate into us being merciful and kind to the world around us.

Israel PM Netanyahu Praise Mossad Over Assad's Regime Fall In Syriahttps://osazuwaakonedo.news/israel-pm-netanyahu-praise-mossad-over-assads-regime-fall-in-syria/04/07/2025/#Issues #Assad #Iran #Israel #Khamenei #US ©July 4th, 2025 ®July 5, 2025 1:20 pm Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has commended and praised the efforts of personnel at the Israel Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations known in Hebrew word as Mossad over the fall of Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria early December 2024, apparently corroborating the statement issued by the Iran Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei in late December 2024 that the fall of President al-Assad regime was a plan orchestrated by Israel and the United States, US under the leadership of then President Joe Biden, this, Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly on October 1, 2013, said that Iran directly participated in Assad's murder and massacre of tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Syria, used chemical weapons against its own people and in 2010, the ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had accused Israel of avoiding peace, and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem warned that in the event of a future war, Israeli cities would be targeted by Syrian missiles, an action Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu believed to be the underground work of Iran Supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei he had accused severally of being the root cause of war in the Middle East, specifically stating at the 68th session of the UN Assembly that “some 2,500 years ago, the great Persian king Cyrus ended the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people. He issued a famous edict in which he proclaimed the right of the Jews to return to the land of Israel and rebuild the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. That's a Persian decree. And thus began an historic friendship between the Jews and the Persians that lasted until modern times. But in 1979 a radical regime in Tehran tried to stamp out that friendship. As it was busy crushing the Iranian people's hope for democracy, it always led wild chants of “death of the Jews.” Now, since that time, presidents of Iran have come and gone. Some presidents were considered moderates, other hard-liners. But they've all served that same unforgiving creed, that same unforgiving regime, that creed that is espoused and enforced by the real power in Iran, the dictator known as the supreme leader, first Ayatollah Khomeini and now Ayatollah Khamenei”. #OsazuwaAkonedo

Al-Mugheera Ibn Shu'ba رضي الله عنه Session 43 The Siege of Nihaawand 21 AH The Battle of Nihaawand, fought over a period of 2 weeks. This splended opening was called The Openings Of All Openings or The Victory Of Victories - for after it the Persians had no more authority and the Muslims took control over their lands (Tabaree). After Nihaawand, with regards to Hadrat al-Mugheerah (ra) himself Haafiz Dhahabi (rah) had related, "He (ra) led the Conquests of Azerbaijan and Hamadhaan (Haafiz Dhahabi). Amr ibn MA'A'Dikarib (rah) is maryted at Nihaawand. Hadrat Maalik ibn Abdullah Khath'ami had related re Amr (raa)... I have not seen anyone step forward (ie to challenge an opponent) in The Battle of Yarmook who was better than a certain Muslim. When a powerfully built unbeliever came to meet his challenge, he effectively killed him (in no time). When another came forward, he killed him (in no time) as well (Hayatus Sahaba).

In this episode, Murray tackles a thoughtful listener question: were heavy, armoured troops consistently more effective than missile-armed light troops? Our listener reflects that European armies rarely seem to have been decimated by light forces—Carrhae being a rare exception—and wonders whether this is an accurate memory. Why did Persians, for instance, favour missile troops, and why didn't this overwhelm Macedonian forces despite showers of arrows, slings, and javelins?   Join us on Patron patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast  

 Gospel Daily with Josh Weidmann Forgetting God's Faithfulness Invites God's Judgement, Part 2 Series: Daniel: Devoted Scripture: Daniel 5:1-31 Episode: 1295 In Daniel 5:1–31, King Belshazzar hosts a lavish feast, using the sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple to drink wine and praise false gods. In the midst of the celebration, a mysterious hand writes a message on the wall, terrifying the king. None of his wise men can interpret it, so Daniel is summoned. Daniel rebukes Belshazzar for his arrogance and failure to honor God, reminding him of Nebuchadnezzar's humbling. He then interprets the writing—"Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin"—as God's judgment: Belshazzar's reign has been weighed, found wanting, and is about to end. That very night, Belshazzar is killed, and the kingdom falls to the Medes and Persians. Key themes include God's judgment, the consequences of pride and sacrilege, and the fulfillment of divine prophecy.

 Gospel Daily with Josh Weidmann Forgetting God's Faithfulness Invites God's Judgement, Part 1 Series: Daniel: Devoted Scripture: Daniel 5:1-31 Episode: 1294 In Daniel 5:1–31, King Belshazzar hosts a lavish feast, using the sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple to drink wine and praise false gods. In the midst of the celebration, a mysterious hand writes a message on the wall, terrifying the king. None of his wise men can interpret it, so Daniel is summoned. Daniel rebukes Belshazzar for his arrogance and failure to honor God, reminding him of Nebuchadnezzar's humbling. He then interprets the writing—"Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin"—as God's judgment: Belshazzar's reign has been weighed, found wanting, and is about to end. That very night, Belshazzar is killed, and the kingdom falls to the Medes and Persians. Key themes include God's judgment, the consequences of pride and sacrilege, and the fulfillment of divine prophecy.

Michael Germi is a former Muslim who was born in Iran into a Shia Muslim family. In this setting he learned to practice Islam praying 5 times a day toward Mecca. He fasted during Ramadan. He practiced self-mutilation for the cause of Allah. He migrated to Australia in 2006 and in 2009 placed his trust in Jesus Christ. He later moved to the States where he now proclaims the Gospel to Islamic nations. He has written several Farsi Christian books and desires to plant churches around the world where Persians are scattered. Iran has a population that is ten times larger than Israel. It's land mass is also many times larger than Israel. According to worldData.info, Iran is 96.5% Muslim. Its primary language is Persian. It's citizens are low-income and deal with high inflation. Most importantly, it's a nation and people greatly in need of the Gospel. Michael's biggest fear while living as a Muslim in Iran was the thought of going to hell. So what circumstances caused him to move from Islam to Christ? What is Michael's burden for Iran and the Persian people? What does it mean to be a Christian in Iran? Michael explains all this and more when the political, economic and spiritual aspects of Iran take center stage on this fascinating edition of Crosstalk.

Michael Germi is a former Muslim who was born in Iran into a Shia Muslim family. In this setting he learned to practice Islam praying 5 times a day toward Mecca. He fasted during Ramadan. He practiced self-mutilation for the cause of Allah. He migrated to Australia in 2006 and in 2009 placed his trust in Jesus Christ. He later moved to the States where he now proclaims the Gospel to Islamic nations. He has written several Farsi Christian books and desires to plant churches around the world where Persians are scattered. Iran has a population that is ten times larger than Israel. It's land mass is also many times larger than Israel. According to worldData.info, Iran is 96.5% Muslim. Its primary language is Persian. It's citizens are low-income and deal with high inflation. Most importantly, it's a nation and people greatly in need of the Gospel. Michael's biggest fear while living as a Muslim in Iran was the thought of going to hell. So what circumstances caused him to move from Islam to Christ? What is Michael's burden for Iran and the Persian people? What does it mean to be a Christian in Iran? Michael explains all this and more when the political, economic and spiritual aspects of Iran take center stage on this fascinating edition of Crosstalk.

Cyrus receives a message from the Lord. All In Gospel Podcast is a chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in depth bible study where we seek to understand God's Word.All In Gospel is recorded live at Calvary Chapel with Pastor Seann Dikkers. You can support this study at anchor.fm/allingospel or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ccwhitebear.com.

Wind Harvest, a Davis, California-based company, has a technology (which actually dates back to the ancient Persians) that can capture the turbulent wind that flows nearer to the ground between ridges. The company's CEO, Kevin Wolf, talks with Host Llewellyn King and Co-host Adam Clayton Powell III about the company's vertical axis wind turbines.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 12, cock fighting is the featured crime. This is Detective Connolly Gets Down ‘n' Dirty by Jack WolffDELIBERATIONDetective Connolly is up to his eyebrows in another bird-brained investigation. As always, he needs our help if he's going to catch Picante and earn his supper. Here are the places rattling through Connolly's brain where Picante could be hiding:His house, because a home is a castleThe airstrip, because it's bigThe chicken coop, because Conquistador needs his PapaAbout CockfightingCockfighting is an ancient bloodsport. It was believed to have originated in southeast Asia and migrated east. The Persians were believed to have introduced it to the Greeks, where it later spread into Rome. Depicts of cockfighting decorated pottery and other artworks, showing it to be a normal part of life. Numerous sketches and painting depict cockfighting events in England in the 1700s and 1800s. The sport migrated to the US. Over the 20th century, cockfighting was outlawed in many countries but now all. In Colombia, Cuba, Haiti and others, cockfighting is considered part of the cultural heritage and identity. Although legal, many of these regulate the sport. Check out the Wikipedia link for a country-by-country status.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockfightinghttps://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=CO012#:~:text=The%20history%20of%20cockfighting%20goes,it%20originated%20in%20Southeast%20Asia.ABOUT Jack WolffJack Wolff is a Ball State University student, studying Media Production and Music Recording. He has been podcasting for five years now, and has written a number of short stories for the Mysteries To Die For show. When he's not podcasting, he is teaching marching percussion to high schoolers, writing and shooting films for his own enjoyment, or playing with his psychopathic border collie puppy. You can follow him on instagram at @wackjolff, that's jack wolff with the first letters of his first and last name flipped around, or if you are bored and want to email with him, don't worry, he's bored too, and can be found at j-w-i-l-d-e-317@gmail.com.

This icon was once kept in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople. In 1383, it suddenly appeared in the sky over Lake Ladoga, then travelled through the air to the city of Tikhvin, where it alit by the River Tikhvina. A monastery was built there to house it. In the twentieth century it was brought to America. Innumerable miracles have been worked through this wonderworking icon, especially healings of children.   On this day is also commemorated the Hodigritia Icon of the Mother of God. According to many accounts, this icon and the Tikhvin Icon are one and the same, so we list them together. Hodigritia is translated "Directress" or more literally "She who shows the way." It was painted by Luke the Evangelist himself, who knew the Mother of God in the flesh. Over the years the icon was taken from Antioch to Jerusalem, then to Constantinople where it was enshrined in the Church of Blachernae. When Constantinople was attacked at the same time by the Persians and the Scythians, Patriarch Sergius carried the holy icon around the ramparts, and the city was miraculously delivered from its pagan enemies. During the iconoclast period, the icon was hidden in a wall in the monastery of the Pantocrator.

This episode is the essential starting point for understanding the Neo-Assyrian Empire. In 745 BCE, a relatively obscure man named Tukulti-Apil-Esharra—better known by his biblical name Tiglath-Pileser III—seized the Assyrian throne in what would become one of the most transformative moments in ancient Near Eastern history. This episode explores how Tiglath-Pileser's revolutionary reforms reshaped the military, administration, and ideology of the Assyrian state, laying the foundation for the largest and most durable empire the world had yet seen.We delve into the political collapse that preceded his rise, the obscure origins and contested legitimacy of Tiglath-Pileser himself, and the sudden consolidation of power that enabled him to bring Assyria back from the brink of fragmentation. We then examine his first campaigns in Babylonia, where Assyrian intervention brought order to the chaos left by years of Chaldean misrule, and consider the complex relationship between Assyria and Babylon—one rooted in reverence, rivalry, and shared civilization.This episode also introduces the deep structural changes Tiglath-Pileser initiated: the expansion of a professional standing army, the shift from vassalage to direct imperial administration, and the rising use of Aramaic alongside Akkadian. We explore the rise of eunuch officials, the growing importance of taxation within the core territory of Mat Assur, and how these policies would strengthen the empire in the short term while sowing the seeds of long-term resentment.From palace coups to temple politics, from highland conquests in the Zagros Mountains to the quiet rise of Nabonassar in Babylon, this episode places 745 BCE at the center of a vast historical transformation. It is a turning point not only in Assyrian history, but in the history of the entire ancient Near East, with consequences that would echo into the rise of the Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks. For students of ancient history, biblical history, Assyriology, and the origins of empire, this episode provides a detailed and foundational account of the birth of the Neo-Assyrian world order.I am also doing daily history facts again, at least until I run out of time again. You can find Oldest Stories Daily on Tiktok and Youtube Shorts.If you like the show, consider sharing with your friends, leaving a like, subscribing, or even supporting financially:Buy the Oldest Stories books: https://a.co/d/7Wn4jhSDonate here: https://oldeststories.net/or on patreon: https://patreon.com/JamesBleckleyor on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCG2tPxnHNNvMd0VrInekaA/joinYoutube and Patreon members get access to bonus content about Egyptian culture and myths.

Hundreds of protesters, many waving pre-Islamic regime Iranian lion and sun flags and carrying images of exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, gathered in Toronto to celebrate the recent Israel and U.S. strikes on the dictatorship.Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed displeasure after CBC News referred to Taiwan as a "self-ruled island" rather than an independent nation.The new bridge replacing the historic B.C. Pattullo Bridge will be renamed with a First Nations name in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language.Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Geoff Knight! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LONDINIUM 90AD: Gaius and Germanicus observe that the Americans do not appear informed that the Iranians are the uncowed, unconquered Parthians of Crassus and Caesar aka Persians of Sparta and Athens -- except for Alexander 4th century BCE. More. Michael Vlahos. Friends of History Debating Society. @michalis_vlahos

Jewish Diaspora Report - Episode 159  On this episode of the Jewish Diaspora Report, Host Mike Jordan discusses the recent attacks against Iran by the Americans and whether this is going to lead the world into WW3. We look into if WW3 will begin or maybe if WW3 had already started long ago between the Iranian Regime and The West. Explore these challenging issues and join the Jewish Diaspora Report for future episodes on issues of Politics, Culture, Current Events and more!   Check us out on Instagram @jdr.podcastSend us a textSupport the show

Al-Mugheera Ibn Shu'ba رضي الله عنه Session 32 Mugeerah (ra) loses an eye at Yarmook. Qadisseyah Against the 20,000 Muslims, the Persians had mobilised a force of around 200,000 men under the leadership of Rustum, one of their most brilliant commanders. Rustam himself had seen in a dream that an Angel (as) descended from the heavens placed a seal on the weapons of the Persians and then handed them over to The Messenger ﷺ.

Al-Mugheera Ibn Shu'ba رضي الله عنه Session 34 Qaadiseeyah Rustum offers Mugeerah (ra) clothing and gold coins so as to leave Persia. The Muslims & Persians engage at Qaadiseeyah. Mugeerah (ra) says... '(Remember) I would not have come to your had your not sent for me but today I can see that your sovereignty is soon to vanish and that vou will be vanquished because no power can survive with such away of life and with such a mentality. (Hearing this) The common people shouted, "The Arab is right!

Al-Mugheera Ibn Shu'ba رضي الله عنه Session 36 We observe that the tactics employed by the Muslims were highly flexible, changing as the situation demanded. On the 1st day of battle they fought the elephants first by pelting them with arrows and then cutting off their saddles which made the animals flee. (Secondly) Whilst waiting for reinforcements from Ash-Shaam, the leaders of those reinforcements let their brigades arrive in batches to make the enemy believe the size of the new army to be much larger than it really was. Another (ie third) innovative technique employed was that the Muslims dressed their camels in cloaks and attached bells to them this made them appear as elephants to the enemy's horses which duly fled in fright. (Fourthly) On the 3rd day however they changed their tactics, by attacking the largest of their elephants. They attacked it in a platoon consisting of infantry and cavalry both. Finally they pierced its eyes and cut its trunk making it flee back along with the other elephants. This then levelled the field for both armies , as the Persians lost their flagship elephants. (Fifthly) When the Muslims sensed that the battle would drag on, they then decided to launch an all-out attack, charging forward and targeting their leader specifically. The Persians continued to put up a fight until the Muslims were able to kill Rustum. His demise led to a sudden collapse of their will to fight and resulted in a conclusive defeat for them. Hence we see that the Muslim's syle of conducting warfare was not limited to textbook methods, instead it was highly adaptive and innovative. The above was a glimpse of the strategy and tactics employed by Muslims in Qaadiseeyah.

Boudicca, Cleopatra, Artemisia and Olympias are just a few if the many women of the ancient world that we know about, but it's significant that we know about them from male writers. That gives a certain perspective, not necessarily inaccurate, but it can be. Today I'm speaking with a classicist who writes about antiquity having gone direct to the sources and translating them herself, and has written a quite wonderful history of ancient Greece and Rome that is unusual in the discipline for saying something new. My guest is Daisy Dunn, author of The Missing Thread and we talk about some of the key female figures from Greece: Artemisia, a naval commander from the west coast of Asia Minor fighting for the Persians, and Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great. We delve into a number of other areas for a most stimulating chat. Looking for something to do at the end of June? You could do worse than head to the Chalke History Festival. Daisy Dunn Links The Missing Thread Chalke Chalke History Festival Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We continue in our special mini series with messages based on the situation that's going on in Eretz Yisrael, now with the threat from Iran. In the Haftara of Parashat Baha'alotcha , which was read on the first Shabbat of this war, Zechariah sees a vision of a Menorah and the angel asks him, Do you know what this is? He says, I don't know, what is it? The angel tells him, This is a message to Zerubavel telling him, לא בחיל, not with not with armies, לא בכח, not with strength, כי אם ברוח י, it's My spirit אמר ה' צבאות. We're going to win this with spirit. מי אתה הר הגדול? Who do you think you are, big mountain, לפני זרובבל, in front of Zerubavel. ל מישור, I'm going to smooth you out . What exactly is this message of כי אם ברוחי/ It's going to happen with My spirit? The commentaries on the Navi point us to a pasuk at the beginning of Ezra (1:1), where it talks about building the Bet Hamikdash: ובשנת אחת לכורש מלך פרס/ In the first year of Koresh , the Persian king. There were many Persian kings, but Koresh was the one that built our Bet Hamikdash העיר ה' את רוח כורש מלך פרס/ God aroused the spirit of King Koresh of Paras. ויעבר קול בכל מלכותו /And he made an announcement to all of his kingdom, and he wrote a letter and said, everybody please help build the Bet Hamikdash What are the words that are used ? העיר ה' את רוח כורש/God aroused his spiri t. The commentaries tell us, this is what Hashem meant with when he said to Zerubavel, We're going to win this war with My spirit- You're not going to have to fight anything. I'm just going to flick a switch and Koresh is going to decide to send out workers to accommodate the building of the Bet Hamikdash… And that's what happened. And that large mountain referred to above, that was blocking Zerubavel? That mountain also refers to the Persians. As it says in Ezra chapter 4, At the beginning of the kingdom of Achashverosh, , כתבו שטנה. They wrote words of prosecution. What were those words of prosecution? Stop building the Bet Hamikdash.. and the building of the Bet Hamikdash was impeded by Achashverosh. That's how we know he wasn't the best of people. Rav Saada HaGaon says there that if we continue reading onto the next pasuk, we see that the one writing these words of prosecution w as Shimsheh, the scribe. Who was this scribe Shimsheh? He was the son of Haman. The Gemara in Masechet Megila 16A, discusses the night Achashverosh woke up in the middle of the night, disturbed. Hashem aroused him, and he woke up disturbed. Why hadn't he paid back Mordechai? So he took out the Divreh HaYamim . Who was in charge of the book? None other than this same scribe, Shimsheh! Shimsheh was busy erasing the words We have to pay back Mordechai,but while he was doing so, Gavriel the Malach was filling it in. The Maharsha says this, again, was Haman's son! So Hashem is showing us that There can be all kinds of the negative forces and anti-semitism, but I will wake up the king in the middle of the night. I will send Gavriel in. I fight wars with spirit, not with regular tactics . And that is all we need. This Bet Hamikdash will be built very simply. It's not that complicated. Just a flick of the switch. And the very same Persians that stopped it then decided to build it. It's a flip of a switch. And Paras is Iran…. Similarly we now have the chancellor of Germany praising Israel for doing the world's dirty work! What's going on? It's just a flick of a switch. We have to believe that it's that simple for Hashem to turn things around. He doesn't need anything . כי אם ברוחי. Of course we do our physical Hishtadlut (and we'll soon get to spiritual Hishtadlut ). But at the end of the day, it's all כי אם ברוחי/ Hashem is in charge of spirits. That's a term used on God. So let's believe that with the flick of a switch, everything can change.

Allison Kaplan Sommer and Noah Efron talk about (1) whether and how this week's war on Iran reshapes our understanding of the more than 20 months of war in Gaza that preceded it, and (2) what we can learn from a moving essay by American journalist Isaac Saul called, “I think I'm Leaving Zionism, or Zionism is Leaving Me.” All this and what we learn about Iran from the Persians living among us, and music by these self-same Persians. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What it is like, living from siren-to-siren, shelter-to-shelter (Spoiler alert: Scary and weird, with surprising moments of grace.)

GUEST: Third Rail Omar on Israel, Iran, the U.S., and Trump. Fiery second hour: Callers call Hake "boomer" and "Ben Shapiro"!The Hake Report, Wednesday, June 18, 2025 ADThird Rail with Omar / American Me Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@third_rail - https://x.com/thecomforter_1 - https://www.tiktok.com/@thirdrailomarTIMESTAMPS* (0:00:00) Start* (0:01:23) Omar, fellow boomer — Iran-Israel… TikTok…* (0:08:44) Hey, guys!* (0:10:51) Trump first Jewish prez? War with Iran? Conspiracies…?* (0:19:40) Not a fan of Iran, but Israel's worse? In America* (0:27:55) Bibi … Israelis vs Persians…* (0:29:47) Little history lesson US and Iran* (0:34:16) Iran funding Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah* (0:42:11) Tucker, the Persians, Iranians, Apartheid* (0:48:08) Supers: Crishaun, Israel-US history, war, Trump…?* (0:55:05) Supers: No s— before marriage!* (1:02:26) KT, DC: Boomer! Israel's doing evil!* (1:31:36) ELIJAH, CA: Acting like Israel's the only problem? No solutions?!* (1:46:22) Supers: ISIS, Hamas … Rumors of wars … 2v1 …* (1:48:29) JEFF, LA: Iran, Israel, America* (1:53:08) Omar point on Biden … Closing!BLOG https://www.thehakereport.com/blog/2025/6/18/third-rail-with-omar-israel-iran-war-wed-6-18-25PODCAST / Substack HAKE NEWS from JLP https://www.thehakereport.com/jlp-news/2025/6/18/jlp-wed-6-18-25–Hake is live M-F 9-11a PT (11-1CT/12-2ET) Call-in 1-888-775-3773 https://www.thehakereport.com/showVIDEO: YT - Rumble* - Pilled - FB - X - BitChute (Live) - Odysee*PODCAST: Substack - Apple - Spotify - Castbox - Podcast Addict*SUPER CHAT https://buymeacoffee.com/thehakereportSHOP - Printify (new!) - Cameo | All My LinksJLP Network: JLP - Church - TFS - Nick - PunchieThe views expressed on this show do not represent BOND, Jesse Lee Peterson, the Network, this Host, or this platform. No endorsement or opposition implied!The show is for general information and entertainment, and everything should be taken with a grain of salt! Get full access to HAKE at thehakereport.substack.com/subscribe

"The holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel, and Ishmael, Persians by race and brethren according to the flesh, were sent by the Persian King as ambassadors to Julian the Apostate to negotiate a peace treaty. While with him at a place near Chalcedon, they refused to join him in offering sacrifice to his idols. Scorning the immunity universally accorded ambassadors, he had them slain in the year 362. This was a cause of the war with Persia in which Julian perished miserably the following year." (Great Horologion)

What happens when a Muslim from Iran meets Jesus in America - then watches his homeland go to war with Israel?  Shah Afshar was born and raised in Iran, shaped by a shame-based culture, a devout Muslim family, and the pressure to uphold family honor. But everything changed when he encountered a group of joyful American college students and heard the name of Jesus - not as a prophet, but as Savior. In this episode, Shah shares his powerful journey from Islam to Christianity, the cultural weight of honor and shame, and what he sees unfolding in the Middle East today.  With a foot in both worlds, he gives insight few can offer: why 80% of Iranians quietly cheer when Israel strikes military targets…and why Persians and Jews have a deeper shared history than most realize. Key Takeaways Why Shah sees honor and shame as central to understanding Iranian culture What it's like to leave Islam and follow Jesus as a Persian The truth about Iran's Jewish population - and how Persians and Jews once lived side by side Why many Iranians support Israel in secret How Jesus - not politics - is the only path to true peace in the Middle East Chapter Markers 00:00 – Meet Shah Afshar: From Iran to the U.S. 03:00 – Growing up Muslim in a shame-based culture 05:45 – Depression, academic pressure, and thoughts of suicide 08:00 – The hippies who introduced him to Jesus 10:30 – Calling on Jesus without theology - and finding peace 13:15 – Starting the first Iranian Christian church in America 15:00 – What changed after the revolution in Iran 18:30 – Why many Iranians secretly support Israel 21:00 – The cost - and hope - of a Persian uprising 24:00 – Jesus as the only answer to generational hate 26:00 – Persians are not Arabs: cultural and ethnic clarity 29:00 – Are the Jews still God's chosen people? 32:00 – One new man: Jew and Gentile united in Messiah   To learn more about Shah's work and story, visit shahzamfactor.com. For more episodes, teaching, and insights into the Jewish roots of your faith, head to thejewishroad.com. Be a light. Be a voice. Be a blessing.

Jewish Diaspora Report - Episode 158  On this episode of the Jewish Diaspora Report, Host Mike Jordan discusses the recent attacks against Iran by Israel. We look into the history of the connection between Iran and the Jewish people and how this attack against Iran is game-changing for the middle east, Israel and the people of Iran.Explore these challenging issues and join the Jewish Diaspora Report for future episodes on issues of Politics, Culture, Current Events and more!   Check us out on Instagram @jdr.podcastSend us a textSupport the show

Who were the descendants of Japheth—and what role do they play in the formation of modern nations and biblical prophecy?Video Version Available at https://www.lastchristian.net/In this powerful and detailed exploration, The Last Christian Radio Show dives deep into the historical and prophetic legacy of Japheth, one of Noah's three sons. Based on Genesis 10 and supported by historical, biblical, and cultural sources, this study identifies the lineage of Japheth and traces the origins of many Indo-European civilizations—from the Greeks and Scythians to the Armenians, Slavs, Thracians, and beyond.

With reports of Israel preparing to attack Iran's nuclear research and development facilities, Carmen helps us look at the deep history of tensions among Jews and Persians that goes back to ancient times.  Greta Eskridge, author of "It's Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn," points out that thanks to the internet how easy it is for children to access all kinds of pornography, including very violent and degrading kinds.  Now is the time to address the topic with your kids to guide them to sexual integrity.  Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here  

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church Lectionary: 572AThe Saint of the day is Saint EphremSaint Ephrem's Story Poet, teacher, orator, and defender of the faith, Ephrem is the only Syriac Christian recognized as a doctor of the Church. He took upon himself the special task of opposing the many false doctrines rampant at his time, always remaining a true and forceful defender of the Catholic Church. Born in Nisibis, Mesopotamia, he was baptized as a young man and became famous as a teacher in his native city. When the Christian emperor had to cede Nisibis to the Persians, Ephrem fled as a refugee to Edessa, along with many other Christians. He is credited with attracting great glory to the biblical school there. He was ordained a deacon but declined becoming a priest. Ephrem was said to have avoided presbyteral consecration by feigning madness! He had a prolific pen, and his writings best illumine his holiness. Although he was not a man of great scholarship, his works reflect deep insight and knowledge of the Scriptures. In writing about the mysteries of humanity's redemption, Ephrem reveals a realistic and humanly sympathetic spirit and a great devotion to the humanity of Jesus. It is said that his poetic account of the Last Judgment inspired Dante. It is surprising to read that he wrote hymns against the heretics of his day. He would take the popular songs of the heretical groups and using their melodies, compose beautiful hymns embodying orthodox doctrine. Ephrem became one of the first to introduce song into the Church's public worship as a means of instruction for the faithful. His many hymns have earned him the title “Harp of the Holy Spirit.” Ephrem preferred a simple, austere life, living in a small cave overlooking the city of Edessa. It was here that he died around 373. Reflection Many Catholics still find singing in church a problem, probably because of the rather individualistic piety that they inherited. Yet singing has been a tradition of both the Old and the New Testaments. It is an excellent way of expressing and creating a community spirit of unity as well as of joy. An ancient historian testifies that Ephrem's hymns “lent luster to the Christian assemblies.” We need some modern Ephrems—and cooperating singers—to do the same for our Christian assemblies today. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Daniel Chapter 5 recounts the fall of King Belshazzar and Babylon, highlighted by a mysterious hand writing "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" on the wall during a feast. Daniel interprets this as a divine judgment, signaling the end of Belshazzar's reign, which occurs that very night when the Medes and Persians take over. The chapter is rich with themes of pride, judgment, and God's sovereignty, making it a popular subject for sermons, studies, and discussions.Watch all of our videos and subscribe to our channel for the latest content >HereHere

Conflict in Israel has been a reality whenever Israel has existed as a nation. Whether it was the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, or Romans, the nation of Israel has always been persecuted by its neighbors. Why is this? According to the Bible, it is because God has a special plan for the nation of Israel, and Satan wants to defeat that plan. Today, Pastor Ken will explain that satanically influenced hatred of Israel is the reason Israel's neighbors have always wanted to see Israel destroyed.

Cyrus II was the founder of the Persian Empire, arguably the greatest empire of the Ancient Near East. Cyrus wasn't only a hero to the Persians. In the Hebrew Bible, Cyrus is the only non-Jew that God calls His "anointed one" or "messiah." But does Cyrus really deserve his reputation as the "liberator" of the Jews from Babylon or is it all a piece of ancient propaganda? The incomparable Lloyd Llewelyn-Jones joins Helen and Dave to discuss the glory of the Persian Empire and how Cyrus was interpreted by biblical authors. For more great stuff from Lloyd, check out his latest books:Persians: The Age of the Great KingsThe Cleopatras: The Forgotten Queens of EgyptAncient Persia and The Book of Esther: Achaemenid Court Culture in the Hebrew BibleSUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINEIf you enjoy the podcast, please (pretty please!) consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We are an independent, listener-supported show (no ads!), so please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a monthly subscription.DOWNLOAD OUR STUDY GUIDE: MARK AS ANCIENT BIOGRAPHYCheck out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." While you're there, get yourself a Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle.Support the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roos

Text me your thoughts! Listen as Raphael and Lexi discuss my essay "Resisting America's Hate Problem." The Source they refer to is the essay which is reprinted below. Their lively conversation brings out the main point: each of us should resist the temptation to fear people who are different as well as refusing the follow leaders who use hate to gain followers. We can break the hate by connecting to people who are different.“They're eating dogs… eating cats… the people that came in are eating pets!” The bizarre declaration by Vance and Trump about legal Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio went viral from the presidential debate last year. Local officials denied the stories, immigrants shared their life stories of overcoming hardship, and no animal bodies were found—yet the rumors about what “they” were doing persisted across the airwaves to influence voters. “They” are always a threat. The hate multiplies faster than the truth could ever move.The strategy of finding scapegoats who are different and threatening has worked for millennia. Ancient tribes on every continent fought incessant wars. Mayan versus Aztec, Persians versus Egyptians, American settlers versus Native tribes, Jews versus Arabs, Nazis versus Jews—the list covers all of humanity. Leaders denounce the others as the source of all the problems and a threat to livelihood.Nationalist leaders in America have followed this same pattern of hate and fear. The Native Indian tribes were driven out in the 17th century. Irish were denounced in the 18th century and Chinese in the 19th. The mid-twentieth century heard claims Communists were infiltrating society to overthrow the government. Ten years ago candidate Trump highlighted Mexican immigrants as criminals, drug lords, and murderous gangs that were flooding our cities. The past four years the target has included transgender predators who are taking over kids sports and destroying families.The claims are outrageous, unscientific, and destructive. But they grab headlines and mislead voters by the millions. The promise is that a strong-arm leader will save us from what “they” are doing.Let's be honest. The accusations against the others aren't true. The only truth is that the leaders who fan the hate gain support from the fearful and misinformed.Psychologists tell us that our minds are wired for survival and safety. Recognizing a threatening situation could make the difference of life or death. Other people are different and that raises the possibility of danger. They don't talk English so who knows what they are saying, or our daughters will be assaulted by men with a different skin color. In addition, there may also be the battle for scarce resources. The common refrain is that they are taking our jobs at home and abroad. That opposing group could be larger than we are, so we are in danger of being overrun by people flooding across the borders or having a great army that can defeat us.Today we must resist the flood of misinformation promoted by those seeking power. Press conferences, influencer interviews, and social media posts seek to create fear and distrust. The voices shout about the danger some group poses. “They are eating dogs! Follow me and I will save us!”We must name the anti-immigrant fears that have led to deportations as hateful bigotry.We must name the anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim speeches as destructive of our shared society.We must name the racial and ethnic stereotNewsletter subscription Support the showSubscribe to this podcast for a monthly bonus episode plus the TRACKS EXPRESS weekly newsletter with more resources for well-being!Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77

The famous Battle of Thermopylae forms the centerpiece of the Spartan Mirage. Legend has it that a tiny force of 300 Spartans took on over two million Persians and managed to hold them off for a remarkable four days. The Spartan sacrifice has been credited with saving Greece and paving the way to the ultimate Greek victory over the invaders. While it's true that the Spartans made a stand at Thermopylae, so too did thousands of other Greeks whose contributions have been edited out of the story. Almost everything about this famous showdown has been exaggerated and distorted. Who were the real heroes of Thermopylae? Tune-in and find out how playing possum, 700 Thespians, and something called the Battle of Champions all play a role in the story.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The "Enemies of Yehuda and Binyamin" - the Samaritans, request to join the building of the Temple. When they are rebuffed by Yehoshua and Zeubavel, they turn against the Jews, appealing to central government - Persia - accusing the Jews of disloyalty. This leads to the Persians calling a halt to the Temple construction.The Temple is put on hold until further notice.

“If they are free men, they are the basest cravens in the world; but if they are slaves, none would love their masters more.” — Herodotus, on the IoniansA Persian army on the run. A desperate warning from the Scythians. And a group of Greek tyrants who choose despotism over defiance. In this episode, we follow the moment Darius I almost lost it all—plus Megabazus' ruthless conquest of Thrace and the Persians' first awkward dinner with Macedon and a guy named Alexander.Great episode... don't miss it!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryCustom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Babylon was conquered, but not destroyed by the Medes & Persians. Who are the Medes? The modern day Kurds. This battle will occur during the Day of the Lord.

The defeat of the Persian fleet at Salamis didn't end the Greek struggle for survival - it revealed deep fractures within their alliance that nearly surrendered their hard-won victory. Though only 31 Greek city-states had united against Persian invasion, their coalition teetered on collapse shortly after their naval triumph.When King Xerxes withdrew with most of his forces, leaving General Mardonius in Thessaly to continue the campaign the following spring, the immediate threat seemed to recede. This apparent reprieve accelerated the Peloponnesian desire to retreat behind their defensive wall at the Corinthian isthmus while Athens struggled to rebuild their utterly destroyed city.The strategic gulf between Athens and Sparta widened as Mardonius cleverly exploited these divisions. Sending Alexander I of Macedon as an envoy, the Persians offered Athens remarkably generous terms: autonomy, additional territory, and assistance rebuilding their temples - if they would abandon the Greek alliance. These diplomatic overtures revealed Persian sophistication in understanding and manipulating Greek interstate politics. The stakes became brutally clear when an Athenian councilman who supported accepting Persian terms was stoned to death alongside his family.As Mardonius advanced into Attica a second time, Athens evacuated to Salamis again, sending increasingly desperate envoys to Sparta. The Peloponnesians, however, completed their defensive fortifications at the isthmus while celebrating religious festivals - a thinly-veiled excuse for inaction. Athens found themselves abandoned precisely when they needed their allies most.This moment of crisis illuminates the trajectory of Greek interstate relations that would eventually culminate in the devastating Peloponnesian War decades later. The continental, defensive mindset of Sparta clashed fundamentally with Athens' commitment to a united Greek response. These divergent strategic priorities would develop into competing visions for Greece's future after the Persian threat receded.Support the show

Babylon was conquered, but not destroyed by the Medes & Persians. Who are the Medes? The modern day Kurds. This battle will occur during the Day of the Lord.

Part 1 Afghanistan by Stephen Tanner Summary"Afghanistan" by Stephen Tanner provides a comprehensive overview of the history and complexities of Afghanistan, focusing on its geopolitical significance and the impact of various foreign invasions and internal conflicts. Tanner delves into the nation's historical context, beginning with its role as a crossroads for trade and culture, influenced by various empires throughout history, including the Persians, Greeks, and Mongols.The book explores the 19th-century Anglo-Afghan Wars, highlighting the British attempts to exert control over the region and the resulting resistance from Afghan tribes. Tanner explains how these conflicts foreshadowed future struggles and set the stage for ongoing instability.Moving into the 20th century, Tanner examines the rise of nationalism, the impact of World War II, and the Soviet invasion in 1979, which plunged Afghanistan into a brutal conflict. He discusses the emergence of the Mujahideen and the eventual rise of the Taliban, as well as the catastrophic consequences of foreign interventions and civil war.In the post-9/11 era, Tanner addresses the U.S. invasion and the subsequent efforts to rebuild the nation amidst ongoing violence and corruption. He stresses the complexities involved in nation-building in a country with deep-rooted tribal affiliations and historical grievances.Throughout the book, Tanner provides insights into the cultural, social, and political dynamics of Afghanistan, emphasizing its resilience and the persistent challenges it faces. The narrative is both a historical account and a commentary on the interaction between Afghanistan and larger global powers, making it a valuable resource for understanding the nation's tumultuous past and uncertain future.Part 2 Afghanistan AuthorStephen Tanner is an American author and military historian known for his work on the history of military conflicts, particularly in Afghanistan. His book "Afghanistan" was published in 2002. In addition to "Afghanistan," Tanner has written several other notable works, including:"The Siege of Washington: The Untold Story of the Decision to Evacuate the Capital" (2005)"A Clash of Cultures: Afghanistan in the 21st Century" (2006)"The Riddle of the Sands" (2007)"The War Against the Taliban: A Historical Perspective" (2008)Evaluating the quality of various editions, the best edition of Tanner's "Afghanistan" often cited by readers is the 2002 initial edition, as it provides the foundational analysis of the complex history and sociopolitical dynamics within Afghanistan, set against the backdrop of the early 21st-century military engagement. Later editions and adaptations may include updated content reflecting newer events, but the original offers a critical look at the historical context that shaped the region at that time.Part 3 Afghanistan Chapters"Afghanistan" by Stephen Tanner provides a comprehensive history of Afghanistan, tracing its evolution from ancient times to the modern era, particularly focusing on the sociopolitical dynamics and military conflicts that have shaped the region.Overall Theme: The overarching theme of the book revolves around the complexities of Afghanistan's identity and its pivotal role in regional and global politics. Tanner effectively examines how the interplay of local dynamics, foreign interventions, and historical legacies has created a unique yet tumultuous environment within the country. Central to the theme is the idea that Afghanistan is more than merely a battleground for external powers; it is a nation with a rich cultural heritage that has been forged through centuries of conflict and resilience.Main Chapter Content: Historical Context: The book opens with an overview of Afghanistan's early history, including its geographical significance as a crossroads of...

This holy martyr was a married man, living in Cappadocia. During the reign of Julian the Apostate he, along with some other Christians, destroyed the pagan temple to the goddess Fortuna. (The Prologue says that it was his wedding day). For this he and his companions were cruelly tortured, then beheaded.   At that time St Basil the Great governed the Church in that part of Cappadocia. When the apostate Emperor, going to fight the Persians, came to the town in which Eupsychius was martyred, St Basil went to meet him, bringing three barley loaves as a sign of honor and welcome. The Emperor, ever hostile to Christians, ordered that the bishop be given a fistful of hay in return. Saint Basil said to the Emperor 'You ridicule us now, O King; we bring you bread, by which we are fed, and you give us miserable food that you, with all your power, are unable to turn into nourishment for men.' The Emperor perished in the Persian campaign.

In the documentary Growing up Gypsy, Stacey Dooley gets to know three young English Romany Gypsy women. Invited into the traditionally private community, Stacey discovers the complex balancing act the young women face growing up in one of Britain's most maligned ethnic minorities. She meets 23 year old Chantelle who prides herself in keeping with the ‘old' Gypsy values her granny Rita taught her and shares her ‘Gypsy Cleaning' videos on social media where she has nearly 400,000 followers on TikTok and 15 million likes on her page. Chantelle joined Kylie Pentelow to talk about her life, alongside Stacey Dooley.In this week's Women's Prize discussion, Clare McDonnell heard from two authors about the debut books they've had long-listed for this year's prestigious literary prize. Sanam Mahloudji's novel, The Persians, tells the story of the Valiat family from the perspective of five women from 1940s Iran into a splintered 2000s. And Labour MP Yuan Yang's non-fiction book, Private Revolutions, explores the lives of four women born in China in the 1980s and 90s during a time of rapid change in society.Since its release, the Netflix TV series Adolescence has caused widespread discussion about what's shaping our teenagers' lives. The four-part series follows the fallout from 13-year-old Jamie's arrest on suspicion of murdering his female classmate, Katie. The show is a critique of social media-boosted toxic masculinity and its role in the teenage experience. Clare discussed the issues with clinical psychologist, Dr Amani Milligan and Consultant Forensic Psychologist, Dr Ruth Tully.Do you enjoy a bit of gossip? The thrill of being the first to hear something and sharing it, or the irresistible urge to be let into the lives of others? What's the difference between idle gossip and hurtful criticism behind someone's back, do women gossip as much as men and can gossip be used to keep women safe? American journalist Kelsey McKinney joined Clare to discuss her new book, You Didn't Hear This From Me: Notes on the Art of Gossip.Technology journalist and author Lara Lewington asks how artificial intelligence can improve women's health, and what we are ready for it to do for us? From prevention and diagnostics to testing and tracking, we speak to female experts, scientists and practitioners. Her experts include Madhumita Murgia, AI Editor of the Financial Times, Nell Thornton, Improvement Fellow, The Health Foundation and Dr Ellie Cannon, a GP and author.This week we heard how victims and survivors of domestic abuse want the police to better protect them from perpetrators, but there's also a very practical and positive way some women have been trying to process their trauma to build a future for themselves. British boxer Lesley Sackey - who previously won gold at the EU Championships - is a survivor of an abusive relationship and now helps other women to gain confidence and move forward by getting into the boxing ring. She joined Claire, along with Olivia Culverhouse, who took part in Lesley's 10-week Fight Forward course.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Annette Wells Editor: Sarah Crawley

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to make further cuts to welfare benefits and government departments when she speaks in Parliament later. The government already announced big welfare spending reductions last week - but the Chancellor's been told by the Office For Budget Responsibility her reforms to the system won't save as much as planned. Now dozens of women's organisations have written to Rachel Reeves urging her rethink plans for disability benefit cuts over fears it will remove a 'vital lifeline' for victims of abuse. Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson Director of the Women's Budget Group and Angie Airlie, Chief Executive of Stay Safe East speak to Clare McDonnell.In this week's Women's Prize discussion, Clare hears from two authors about the debut books they've had long-listed for this year's prestigious literary prize. Sanam Mahloudji's novel, The Persians, tells the story of the Valiat family from the perspective of five women from 1940s Iran into a splintered 2000s. And Labour MP Yuan Yang's non-fiction book, Private Revolutions, explores the lives of four women born in China in the 1980s and 90s during a time of rapid change in society. It's emerged that an NHS trust criticised over the avoidable death of a baby was paid £2m for providing good maternity care. It's the latest in a series of developments and failings which have led to calls for a national inquiry into maternity care. It's alleged that hospital trusts are failing to learn from past mistakes and failing to implement improvement recommendations. The BBC's Social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan tells Clare what grieving parents want to happen.Do you enjoy a bit of gossip? The thrill of being the first to hear something and sharing it, or the irresistible urge to be let into the lives of others? What's the difference between idle gossip and hurtful criticism behind someone's back, do women gossip as much as men and can gossip be used to keep women safe? American journalist Kelsey McKinney joins Clare from the US to discuss her new book, You Didn't Hear This From Me: Notes on the Art of Gossip.Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Claire Fox