Becker Bible Teacher Resources

A Jewish social-religious sect whose liberal, hypocritical, self righteous members flourished in the first century B.C. Supported by most of the Jewish people at that time, there party was the beginnings for the development of all later forms of Judaism. The popular Pharisee laymen challenged the aristocratic Sadducees sect in allowing varying discussions of the law, applying it to everyday life and giving authority to oral traditions. They believed in personal immortality with the existence of life after death, and emphasized prophetic ideals and the afterlife.

The Philistines were a tribe allied to the Phoenicians. They were a primitive race which spread over the whole district of Lebanon, the valley of Jordan, Crete and other Mediterranean islands. In the time of Abraham, they inhabited the south-west of Judea and Abimelech of Gerar was their king. They were a powerful tribe and made frequent incursions against the Hebrews, and there was almost always a war going on between them.

They were not subdued until the time of King Hezekiah, however, they continued to occupy their territory and show hatred toward Israel. The Philistines are called Fulsata or Pulista on the Egyptian monuments and the land of the Philistines (Philistia) was termed Palastu and Pilista in Assyrian inscriptions. From Philistia, the name of the land of the Philistines came to eventually be known as “Palestine.”

The belief that Jesus Christ's second coming will be after the 1,000 years of Christian peace, prosperity and dominance in a "Golden Age" of Christianity on earth. The Rapture is not a prominent focus in this belief. (Contrast Premillennialism, Amillennialism, Pretribulationism)