New Bible Cartoon: Paul shipwrecked

I’ve just finished my latest Bible Cartoon, which shows the apostle Paul shipwrecked on a beach of the island of Malta in the Mediterranean. I loved drawing & colouring the stormy sea & sky!
This cartoon was actually designed to go on a new “Bad Day” mug.

Joshua & the river Jordan miracle

 Promised land. The scenes show the Hebrew’s approaching the swollen & dangerous river Jordan, but then God’s amazing intervention on their behalf, as He divides the waters so that they can cross into the promised land on dry ground.

I have also included three of these scenes without the figures, so that you can see the background scenery more clearly.













Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - Scene 01 - Officers orders

Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - Scene 02 - 12 men

Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - Scene 03 - Jordan in flood

Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - Scene 03 - Jordan in flood - Landscape

Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - Scene 04 - River waters divided

Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - Scene 04 - River waters divided - Landscape

Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - Scene 05 - River crossing

Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - Scene 05 - River crossing - Landscape

Bible Cartoons for American Christian sports organisation

I’ve finished the Bible Cartoons for the American Christian sports organisation, see below:

Exodus 01 - Hebrews oppressed - Scene 03 - Hard labour

Exodus 02 - Birth of Moses - Scene 01 - Nile Basket

Exodus 02 - Birth of Moses - Scene 02 - Pharaoh’s daughter

Exodus 02 - Birth of Moses - Scene 04 - Moses playing

Exodus 02 - Moses murders - Scene 01 - Egyptian slave master

Exodus 03 - Burning Bush - Scene 01 - Wonder (fiery version)

Exodus 03 - Burning Bush - Scene 01 - Wonder (shadow version)

Exodus 03 - Burning Bush - Scene 02 - God calls to Moses

Exodus 04 - Burning Bush - Scene 04 - Staff

Exodus 04 - Burning Bush - Scene 05 - Snake staff (Large version)

Exodus 04 - Burning Bush - Scene 05 - Snake staff (Small version)

Exodus 14 - Parting of the Red Sea - Scene 10 - Walking through (version 03)















Deuteronomy 34 - Death of Moses - Scene 01 - Promised land

Joshua 03 - Jordan crossing - scene 05 - River crossing

Bee hives in Israel: new archeological evidence

Here’s an interesting article about bee-keeping in Biblical times! Apparently there was no actual archeological evidence of this practice, until three years ago. Some of the main points in the article are quoted below:

“Ancient bees found in Israel hailed from Turkey
The origin of insects found in clay beehives in the Jordan Valley, the oldest known commercial beekeeping facility in the world, suggests extensive trading and complicated agriculture 3,000 years ago...

..three years ago, researchers found a 3,000-year-old apiary [bee hive] in the Iron Age city of Tel Rehov in the Jordan Valley, the oldest known commercial beekeeping facility in the world...

..The lack of archaeological evidence about beekeeping is not surprising, Mazar [1] said, because the hives were constructed of straw-based unbaked clay similar in appearance to hives used in the region today. Even in the arid desert of Israel, such unbaked clays do not survive for long...

...The Israelites prized honeybees for the honey they produced and for the wax of their combs, which was used in metallurgical casting. Mazar and his colleagues suspect that there may have been bronze-casting workshops near the apiary, but have yet to discover any...”

[1]
archaeologist Amihai Mazar of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The full article, from the Los Angeles Times, can be read here:
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/08/science/la-sci-ancient-bees-20100608

Here’s a quote from the ISBE about bees, for those interested:

“Bee
Honey is mentioned many times in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, but the word "bee" occurs only four times, and only one of the four times in connection with honey in the story of Samson (Judges 14:8). Both wild and domesticated bees are found today in Palestine, but it is not clear that bees were kept in Bible times, although it would seem very probable. The frequently recurring phrase, "a land flowing with milk and honey," certainly suggests that the honey as well as the milk is a domestic product. The hives now in use are very primitive and wasteful as compared with hives that are made in Europe and America. Sometimes a large water jar is used. More frequently a cylinder about 3 or 4 ft. long and 6 inches in diameter is constructed of mulberry withes plaited together and plastered with mud or cow dung. A number of these cylinders are placed horizontally, being piled up together under some rude structure which serves as a protection from the direct rays of the sun. In the passage already cited it is related that Samson found a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion which he had killed on his previous visit. We are not told how much time had intervened, but it does not take long in the dry climate of Palestine for scavenging beasts and insects to strip the flesh from the bones and make the skeleton a possible home for a swarm of bees. The other three passages refer to the offensive power of bees. In Deuteronomy 1:44, in the speech of Moses he says, "The Amorites chased you, as bees do"; in Psalms 118:12, the psalmist says, "They compassed me about like bees"; in Isaiah 7:18, the bee is the type of the chastisement that the Lord will bring from the land of Assyria.
- Alfred Ely Day”
(Source: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

Praising God in adversity

Just listening to Australian preacher Katherine Ruonala’s podcast “Praising God in adversity - Part 1" [Transcript of part of the podcast [3]]

Referencing the narrative of Paul & Silas in prison, who didn’t complain about having been beaten for their faith, but, instead chose to sing hymns to God at midnight in the prison. See Acts 16:16-40]...

“God wants to release you into hope. So that you can begin to celebrate...”

Katherine Ruonala goes on to remind us that we NEED TO TAKE THOUGHTS THAT OCCUR TO US CAPTIVE, especially those thoughts that aren’t any good for us [distracting thoughts, worries, etc]...

“[We should say] God, I take those thoughts captive, that are exalting themselves above the knowledge of who you are. You are good, you are lovely, you are wonderful. And I’m not even going to think about these other things [distracting thoughts, worries, etc] My heart’s desire is simply to enjoy you; is to love you & enjoy you.” [1]

Katherine Ruonala goes on to make a VERY important observation about any negative thoughts we continue to allow into our own minds:

“Can you enjoy Him [The Lord] when things AREN’T the way that you want them to be in your circumstances around you? If you can’t, then the circumstances are probably going to get worse, because it’s going to prove to be an EFFECTIVE TOOL OF THE ENEMY [Satan]. It’s like, “oh, that’s working!” But if you are unmoved by the things that the enemy brings to you, & instead, turn it around for good, saying [to yourself], I’m not even going to entertain it, I’m not going there. I’m not going there devil, I’m going to sing. I’m going to sing praises to God. I’m going to be looking out for opportunities to minister, to release the love of God...”

That point seems vital to me: Unless we choose to take captive any thought(s) that are negative & self-destructive, then we are in danger of becoming more & more subject to such thoughts. And we definitely don’t want to go down that road!
It is therefore VITAL that we so order our own thinking that we DO decide to take negative thoughts captive, just as many times as they occur to us. They probably won’t just occur to us once per day! They may occur to us ten times, or a hundred times, or a thousand times per day. What matters is our firm determination to take negative thoughts captive NO MATTER HOW OFTEN THEY OCCUR TO US.

I’m sure Jesus wasn’t tempted by the devil just the one time recorded in the Bible (see Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13) but was tempted pretty much every day of his life, just like we are. In fact Luke 4:13 tells us “When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him UNTIL THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY CAME.” So clearly Jesus was tempted again, at a later date.

Back to the negative thoughts that occur to our minds...
Negative thoughts grow more powerful in our minds IF we allow them to “roost” there. So we need to ruthlessly root them out & deliberately decide to think about positive things INSTEAD. They may try to come back, countless times again, but if we are unmoving in our RESOLVE to reject any & all negative thoughts, regardless of how many times they occur to our minds, then we will take back control of our own thinking. This is self-help at its best! It is also what the Lord God wants us to do. [2]

<br />
[1]
Katherine Ruonala is referring to the first point of the Westminster Larger Catechism, which begins with:
Q. 1. What is the chief and highest end of man?
A. Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

[2]
2 Corinthians 10:5 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, AND WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT TO MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST.”

Romans 12:2 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

[3]
Katherine Ruonala - Praising God in adversity - Part 1 [Podcast]

[21 mins 21sec’s into podcast]
“God wants to release you into hope. So that you can begin to celebrate, “Thank you Father, thank you Lord, that you are faithful & true. You are my divine distraction, God, you are my divine obsession. God, I take those thoughts that are exalting themselves above the knowledge of who you are. You are good, you are lovely, you are wonderful. And I’m not even going to think about these other things [distracting thoughts, worries, etc] My heart’s desire is simply to enjoy you; is to love you & enjoy you.
Can you enjoy Him [The Lord] when things aren’t the way that you want them to be in your circumstances around you? If you can’t, then the circumstances are probably going to get worse, because it’s going to prove to be an effective tool of the enemy [Satan]. It’s like, “oh, that’s working!” But if you are going to be unmoved by the things that the enemy brings to you, & instead, turn it around for good [like Paul & Silas - see Acts 16:16-40]... say, I’m not even going to entertain it, I’m not going there. I’m not going there devil, I’m going to sing. I’m going to sing praises to God. I’m going to be looking out for opportunities to minister, to release the love of God. To know, this is my divine purpose; is to love God & enjoy Him forever. To bless Him. I’ve been created for fellowship with Jesus. I’ve been created for fellowship with God Himself.”

Jethro’s advice: we can all help each other

On 21/Nov/2013 I wrote a blog entitled “Pastor visiting, a thing of the past?” This is an additional entry in light of new data!

I just re-read about Moses & the Hebrew people in the Exodus from Egypt, specifically where Jethro (Moses- father-in-law) visits him & observes Moses sitting all day long, judging in cases of dispute between all present (remember that’s perhaps upwards of 2 million people!) [1]

What stands out to me is Jethro’s advice to Moses:
1) “Select capable men from all the people... and appoint them as officials (judges, arbiters)
2) Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves.
3) That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.
4) If you do this, and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain,
5) and all these people will go home satisfied."

Moses puts that plan of action into place; appoints capable judges; the people’s disputes are resolved much more quickly; & Moses’ doesn’t get leader-burn out!

The point that grabbed my attention (point 3) above) was in contrast to what I was advocating in my previous post. Previously I had wondered if more pastor visits to a congregation would be helpful & useful in showing the love of God to people. But this narrative (Moses & Jethro) shows that a single leader can not expect to (or be expected to) meet the needs of his flock, no matter how large or small it is. He needs help in that work.

As some people commented on my original post (“Pastor visiting, a thing of the past?”) it is very difficult for a single person to visit all the people they know are in need, especially as pastors are often overseeing more than one congregation. Pastor’s are busy people. So was Moses, as the narrative clearly states. That’s why it seems like a great idea to get more than one person involved in carrying the load... if you can!

So my new, Bible-inspired suggestion would be that “capable people” (not just men, surely?!) should be looked for & appointed to help the pastor carry his load of pastoral visitation & congregational support. That way, “you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." Sounds like a win-win to me!


Bible Reference:
[1]
Exodus 18:13-23 (ANIV)
13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood round him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand round you from morning till evening?"
15 Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws."
17 Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."

Snakes & stuff: Exodus Bible Cartoons

Wow! It’s the end of January 2014 already!
What have I been doing this month? Well, I’ve been drawing the life of Moses from the book of Exodus, which is commissioned artwork from a US sports ministry organisation. By agreement with them I am also able to sell the work on this website, which is great!
Here’s the pic’s I’ve drawn so far:

















Exodus 02 - Birth of Moses - Scene 01 - Nile Basket
This picture took days to draw & colour, due to the vast number of reeds I included. Still, it was worth it in the end. I imagine that Moses’ mother & sister would have picked a spot on the bank of the river Nile which would screen them from anyone looking.
I was very pleased with the way the water Lilies in the foreground came out. I think it adds an extra dimension to have a strong close-up object in a scene.

















Exodus 02 - Birth of Moses - Scene 02 - Pharaoh’s daughter
This scene also took a long time to draw, partly due to the reeds & partly due to the complicated figure poses needed. I had to take photo’s of myself wearing a sheet to try to get the features & clothing folds right!
The architecture & stone sculpture of ancient Egypt is very large & impressive, which I hope I have managed to show in this scene.
Notice the 2 Flamingo’s flying overhead... and the crocodile gliding past in the water!

















Exodus 02 - Birth of Moses - Scene 04 - Moses playing (Hide-and-seek)
I enjoyed drawing the columns with their Egyptian hieroglyphics in this scene. I also had to research which plants are found in Egypt, so that I could include appropriate species in the foreground garden, in which the young boy Moses is hiding.
I added Dr. Who’s TARDIS onto the 4th column’s Egyptian hieroglyphics, just for fun!

















Exodus 02 - Moses murders - Scene 01 - Egyptian slave master
More photo’s of myself in action poses enabled me to draw convincing figures here! The things I do for art!
I didn’t want to make too much of the marks & blood on the Hebrew being whipped, as this scene is intended to be used in sports ministry & will be viewed by young children.
I enjoyed drawing the Egyptian hieroglyphics & even added some non-standard ones, just for fun (see below). There’s also a green Tyrannosaurus rex, behind the Egyptian slave driver’s left hand!



















Exodus 02 - Moses murders - Scene 01 - Egyptian slave master - Partial
Note my inclusion of Noah’s ark (bottom left) , a red space capsule (top left) & Dr. Who’s TARDIS (bottom right)!

















Exodus 03 - Burning Bush - Scene 01 - Wonder (fiery version)
I drew two versions of this scene, as a result of adding extra fire in the burning bush & extra shadows across the scene. I couldn’t make up my mind which version I preferred, so I made them both available.
I really enjoyed drawing all the fire & designed it so that it would contrast strongly with the dark mountains behind them. I added the long steamer of fire going up skyward, or perhaps it’s coming down from God in heaven, to show the divine nature of the burning bush that was not consumer in the flames.

















Exodus 03 - Burning Bush - Scene 01 - Wonder (shadow version)
This is the second version of this scene, with striking cast shadows across the background rocks.

















Exodus 03 - Burning Bush - Scene 02 - God calls to Moses
In the version used by the sports ministry people, the words “Moses, Moses” are coming out of the burning bush.

















Exodus 04 - Burning Bush - Scene 04 - Staff
I liked the way the background rocks came out in this scene. The view is looking back towards the rock on which we saw Moses sitting (see Scene 01 - Wonder) & also includes his goats: it’s nice to be able to include objects in two or more scenes that connect those scenes together.


There’s more drawings to complete before the end of February. The next one shows Moses’ shepherds staff turning into a fierce looking snake - should be good fun to draw & colour!