City near the southern end of the Dead Sea that God destroyed because of its wickedness, which included oppression of the poor.
MORE
Wilderness south of the Judea and Negev mountains between the Wilderness of Zin and the Sinai Peninsula. The Israelites wandered here for 40 years.
MORE
Transliteration of the Hebrew har megiddon, which means literally the "hill of Megiddo." Revelation 16:16 uses this place to symbolize the final great battle between good and evil. Many battles were fought at this location because the ma...
MORE
A high priest of the Jews who presided over the assembly that condemned Jesus to death. (Matt. 26).
MORE
Golgotha, the place where Jesus was crucified (Luke 23:33).
MORE
One of the Dead Sea Scrolls, etched on copper, claiming to identify a great treasure that had been hidden before the Temple was destroyed.
MORE
An inland lake in the Great Rift Valley known as the Salt Sea; 50 miles long and 10 miles wide, the salt content is five times more concentrated than the ocean and is uninhabitable by marine life. The Essene community lived in the wilderness along...
MORE
Commentaries or instruction manuals for the Essene community discovered in 1947 by the Dead Sea in caves near the ruins of Khirbet Qumran. They provide valuable insights into the beliefs of one religious community from the time of Jesus; and conta...
MORE
Get an understanding of what day to day life was like during the bible times.
MORE
The second commandment forbade making images. Hellenistic culture glorified the human form. These two world views clashed in the days of Herod as he tried (and largely succeeded) to mold his kingdom into a Hellenistic one. He imported great number...
MORE
One of the writings of the Essenes found among the Dead Sea Scrolls; it describes the rules of the community.
MORE
A ritual bath containing living water. Observant Jews would wash head, heart, hands, and feet as a symbol of purity before God.
MORE
Cultivated garden inside a colonnaded area. Herod the Great built several peristyle gardens, including Jericho and the Herodion.
MORE
A person who brought sacrifices and prayers to God for all the people. In Israel, a priest had to be from the tribe of Levi.
MORE
Roman military governor. Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea.
MORE
Name given to a room in the Qumran community in which many scholars believe the Essenes wrote some of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Excavation has revealed tables and benches similar to those used by scribes, as well as ink pots and basins in which the Es...
MORE
City near the southern end of the Dead Sea that was destroyed by God because of its wickedness, which included oppression of the poor.
MORE
Means "dwelling place." It was a special tent where the Israelites worshiped God. It is sometimes called the Tent of Meeting. It was the place where God would meet his people.
MORE
Structure used for presenting sacrifices to God. A large altar of sacrifice stood in the outer court of the temple at Jerusalem. It symbolically stood before God's presence to indicate the need for forgiveness before approaching God.
MORE
THE JOY OF LIVING WATER: JESUS AND THE FEAST OF SUKKOT' With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isa. 12:3)Water was of great importance to the people of the Bible. They lived in a dry country, completely dependent on the season...
MORE
Herod's FamilyHerod lay dying in his opulent palace in Jericho. He had been seriously ill for a long time. From the description in Josephus' writings, Herod had gangrene, severe itching, convulsions, and ulcers. His feet were covered with tumors, ...
MORE
The Dead Sea Scrolls have been called the greatest archaeological discovery of modern times. They have dramatically enhanced our understanding of the world of the New Testament, the teachings of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus, and the early c...
MORE
Jewish Feasts
In the Old Testament, God instituted a religious calendar for the Israelites to follow. Within each year, there were seven specified feasts (Lev. 23), four in the spring and three each fall. Through these feasts, the Jewish people ce...
MORE
The Works of a Master BuilderHerod the Great's visionary building programs, ingenious development of trade with other countries, and advancement of his nation's interests were remarkable. He used his magnificent building projects to strengthen his...
MORE
Early in the history of Israel, God established the Nazarites as a unique category of people. They were totally devoted to his service (Num. 6).Nazarites took a vow of total separation from the community for a short time (or occasionally, for life...
MORE
The Construction of the TempleMade of marble and gold, Herod's temple was taller than a fifteen-story building. Built on the exact location of Solomon's temple and the temple Nehemiah constructed, it could accommodate hundreds of thousands of pilg...
MORE
The JordanThe Jordan River, mentioned nearly 200 times in the Text, is one of the fastest flowing rivers of its size.As a prominent feature in ancient Israel, the Jordan River was mentioned nearly 200 times in the bible. Its fast flowing waters cr...
MORE
One day a student came to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what is the greatest commandment?"You might recall that Jesus included "Love God" and "Love your neighbor" in his response. Do you remember, however, that Jesus ans...
MORE
Qumran - The SiteThe wilderness community of Qumran served as home for the Essenes, a Jewish sect existing in Jesus' day.Qumran served as a study site for the Essenes, a Jewish sect existing in Jesus' day. Located at the edge of the Judea Wilderne...
MORE
The people of the Bible used cisterns regularly for their water supply. Rainfall was limited, coming only five months of the year from November through March. People would dig pits into the rock, sometimes entirely underground (as in the cistern a...
MORE
"This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'" Jeremiah 6:16
In the Hebrew to live is to walk! Enoch walked ...
MORE
There are many opinions as to exactly what John referred to when he wrote these phrases in Revelation 2:13: "where Satan has his throne" and "where Satan lives." No one knows whether he had in mind a specific temple or pagan pr...
MORE
Many Christians today recognize that salvation is a gift from God, so they place little emphasis on 'keeping the law' of the Bible. It is true that Jesus did away with 'law keeping' by obeying the law completely and by offering salvation through g...
MORE
The remains of a great arena (or hippodrome-meaning "horse track") are emerging from the sand dunes of the Mediterranean shore. The stone seats show the beginning of the curve of the southern end of the stadium. The Mediterranean Sea has...
MORE
Herod the Great had tremendous wealth and influence in his day. He controlled major trade routes and constructed buildings and cities that showcased his power. Despite the glory he enjoyed in life, the buildings Herod built for himself now lie in ...
MORE
God's plan for the birth of the Savior unfolds through the people he chooses to be in Jesus' ancestral line.For example, Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho, hid two Israelite spies and believed in Yahweh. Because of this, she and her entire family wer...
MORE
At the beginning of his last week, Jesus was greeted in Jerusalem as a heroic savior, someone to free the Jews from Roman authority. By the end of the week, Jesus was no longer seen as a hero. He was publicly ridiculed and disgraced as he hung on ...
MORE
Temple Sacrifices
The people of ancient Israel made sacrifices to God in the temple. These sacrifices, which involved the shedding of blood (the pouring out of the animal's life), symbolized the atonement made for the people's sins.According to Go...
MORE
The Herod Family TombThe tomb to the west of Jerusalem was at one time thought to be the burial place of the Herod family. Later research indicated that it was not Herod's tomb. It is noted for the "rolling stone" still in place next to ...
MORE
The pool of the Herodion was one of the largest in the ancient world. It is 10 feet deep, 140 feet long, and 200 feet wide. Herod typically built as if he could defeat nature. Since the Herodion is located in the desolate Judea Wilderness, Herod c...
MORE
