TEL DAN
One of the most ancient cities in the Holy Land dating to the time of Abraham, Tel Dan is in the upper Galilee near the Golan Heights and Mt. Hermon. It marked the northern limit of the kingdom of Israel in several passages of the Old Testament. Excavations here are extensive and the altar/podium set up by Jeroboam in II Kings 10:29 has been identified to the agreement of most archaeologists. An ancient stele found at Tel Dan also offers the earliest written record of the house of David.
Genesis 14:13-15
13:
And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
14:
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
15:
And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
Joshua 19:39-49
39:
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.
40:
And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.
41:
And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh,
42:
And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah,
43:
And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron,
44:
And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
45:
And Jehud, and Bene-berak, and Gath-rimmon,
46:
And Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho.
47:
And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
48:
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
49:
When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:
Judges 20:1-3
1:
Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
2:
And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
3:
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?
I Samuel 3:19-21
19:
And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
20:
And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
21:
And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
II Kings 10:28-30
28:
Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29:
Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
30:
And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
Tel Dan - God is omnipresent
Dan marked the northern boundary of Israel in the phrase "from Dan to Beersheba." While we as humans have borders and limitations, God is omnipresent and is everywhere. God tells Job that he fills heaven and earth. As the Psalmist ponders this attribute of God, he comes to the only conclusion the human mind can come to -- "such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Traveling certainly gives one a greater appreciation of this attribute, but as the Christian learns more of God, the more the Christian realizes that he does not know nor comprehend.
Jeremiah 23:23-24
23:
Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
24:
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
Acts 17:28
28:
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Matthew 28:16-20
16:
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17:
And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Psalm 139
1:
O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2:
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3:
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4:
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5:
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6:
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7:
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8:
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9:
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10:
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11:
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12:
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13:
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14:
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15:
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16:
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17:
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18:
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19:
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20:
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21:
Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22:
I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23:
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.