God desired a people who would partner with Him in "making space" to reveal Himself to a broken world. The detailed patterns and plans for the tabernacle not only illustrated the kind of care and devotion He wanted to display to His peop... MORE
John the Baptist focused his life entirely on preparing the Jewish people for the coming of Jesus. His ministry still holds enormous meaning for us today, and there is much we can learn from his understanding of how to prepare for the arrival of M... MORE
The heat and intensity of the sun in the desert can be scorching, often without any guarantee of relief. Yet whenever God led His people there, He promised to provide exactly what they needed to make it through each day. In this lesson, wander the... MORE
The Jews of Jesus’ day lived in homes meant to house an entire extended family, with several rooms situated around a common courtyard. A family’s home in that patriarchal society was known as a “beth ab,” which means, &ldqu... MORE
The Lord defied the gods of Egypt with mighty displays of power so that Israel, Egypt, Pharaoh, and ultimately the entire world would see the strength of the one and only God. Pharaoh hardened his heart, but the Israelites responded to the power o... MORE
The Bible compares those who trust in the word of the Lord to great trees planted by streams of water. What would this image mean to someone living in the desert, where water is scarce and trees are few and far between? Is it possible to live out ... MORE
Sheep and shepherds were so much a part of the Biblical world, it's no wonder Jesus uses the imagery as a metaphor in several of His teachings. The shepherds of His day knew every one of the animals in their flock by sight and spent their lives pr... MORE
Jesus came with a unique message, preaching to the Jewish people that “the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). But from the beginning, there was another king who hates the shalom that God creates and loves life’... MORE
Over and over in the Bible, God used the image of fire to illustrate His power, holiness, and passionate love for His people. The fire on Mount Sinai when Moses received the Ten Commandments was just such a display of power, highlighting the holin... MORE
Some of the dangers in the desert are slow to develop: the build-up of scorching heat from the sun, the slow evaporation of streams, the depletion of food supplies. Others are more sudden; the flash floods of desert wadis can come out of nowhere, ... MORE
Jerusalem: The Midway Point in Hezekiah's Tunnel Where the Workers Met
The photograph shows the spot where the tunnelers met nearly at midpoint. The ability of these people to cut this small tunnel without modern instruments or tools is astonishing. The fact that they were only 10 feet off horizontally and none at al...
This photograph shows the southern stairs as viewed from the west, looking onto the stairs and Herod's massive Temple.On the right side of the photo is a straight joint in the wall. This is the beginning of Herod's extension of the Mount to the so...
This view is of the Temple, looking west. The Temple was one of the greatest buildings commissioned by Herod. The front was 170 feet high and 170 feet wide. The back portion was 170 feet high and 115 feet wide.The building was made of white marble...
The enormous Temple Mount of Herod had a 45-foot-wide colonnade around it. The eastern colonnade was called Solomon's Colonnade and was used by Jesus and the early Christians as a place of meeting and teaching. More than 40 feet high, the roof of ...
Located below the Old City of modern-day Jerusalem, Wilson's arch extended high above the street in Jesus' time. The arch supported a bridge across the Tyropean Valley from the Upper City on the Western Hill.Like Robinson's Arch (both of these we...
Jesus spent a lot of time in synagogues (Matt. 4:23). He taught in them (Matt. 13:54), healed in them (Luke 4:33'35; Mark 3:1-5), and debated the interpretation of Torah in them (John 6:28-59).His life seems to have followed Jewish education patte...
During his ministry, Jesus demonstrated his authority over the sea and its destructive power. He walked on the stormy water (Mark 6:47-50; Matt. 14:22-33; John 6:16-20). And he calmed the storms on the sea (Mark 4:35-41; Matt. 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-2...
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...
Did John the Baptist live at Qumran? See the Dead Sea Scrolls? Write any of them? These questions have gripped scholars because the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal remarkable similarities between the Essenes and John's teachings and practices:- John the B...
- The Jordan River starts in northern Israel at the foot of Mount Hermon, more than 1,500 feet above sea level, and ends almost 1,400 feet below sea level at the Dead Sea.
- The Jordan River meanders 200 miles from Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea (a ...
Several Bible stories involve the Jordan River. God often called his followers to cross the Jordan as part of his divine plan. In each case, it was important for God's people to listen to God's calling and stand on the right side of the river. Whe...
Discover the Bible in light of its historical and cultural context! Give now to help That The World May Know Ministries reveal the heart of Scripture—through life-changing study tours, an engaging film series, and more—for a greater understanding of God’s Word than ever before.
Focus on the Family is committed to helping families thrive according to God’s Word! Your support now will help strengthen marriages, equip parents to raise godly children, save preborn babies, reach out to orphans and more by supporting our daily broadcasts, online and print resources, counseling, and life-changing initiatives.