When the believers began to bring the message of the gospel to the world of the Gentiles, they quickly realized that their faith made them extremely countercultural. How would they explain the good news in places where they couldn't engage in the ... MORE
The apostle Paul was no stranger to the duties of a rabbi, having studied under one of the most famous rabbis in Israel before becoming one himself. He understood exactly what Jesus meant before His ascension, when He commanded the church to go ou... 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
The Colosseum in Rome is famous for many reasons, not least of which because it was built by the spoils of war from the destruction of Jerusalem, the military defeat of the Jews. In the Roman world, it was assumed that if Caesar was... 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
When the time came for God to choose a people, He didn’t pick the strongest kingdom He could find. He chose the weak, the nobodies – a family that would become the nation of Israel. God rescued them from Egypt and brought them into the... MORE
When questioned about his message, Paul tells the Athenians that the one and only God "does not live in temples made with hands" (Acts 17:24). Naturally, anyone who was curious about Jesus in the Greco-Roman world would ask the early bel... MORE
Jesus told His disciples that anyone who wished to follow Him would have to take up his own cross. Many of the early believers did just that, willingly following in their rabbi's footsteps even when it meant certain death. Count their cost as you ... MORE
My God is YahwehNames are important in Western culture. Parents choose names for their children after much thought and discussion. For the rest of a person's life, he is identified by the name he was given before birth. But the significance of nam...
MasadaHerod the Great built and impressive fortress at Masada to showcase his own power, but it is remembered today as a symbol of the Jewish desire for freedom.' The mountain of Masada stands tall in Israel's Judea Wilderness. On top of this spe...
Tradition holds that this is the place where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). There is no concrete evidence to support this belief because the exact location is not specified in the Scriptures. However, this slope is in the righ...
This five-mile-long block of salt rises out of the ground at the southern tip of the Dead Sea. The barren conditions of the area are a stark reminder of the consequences of Lot's choice and his wife's disobedience. Some scholars believe that Sodom...
Four views of JudaismIn Jesus' day, there were varying philosophies within the Jewish faith. While some Jews embraced the Roman rulers, others resisted with violence. And whereas some Jewish believers lived a simple, isolated lifestyle...
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...
The southern part of Israel is called the Negev. It is a "tame" desert, with occasional rain in some area, and some land that is valuable for livestock and certain crops.The arid Negev (Negev means "dry") lies south of the Hebr...
Israel's neighbors were powerful leaders in the ancient world: Egypt to the south, Greece and Rome to the west, and the nations of Bablyon, Assyria, and Persia to the east.Israel stood as a natural land bridge between them, and millions of foreign...
Net WeightIn Jesus' day, fishing nets were made of fibers, sometimes linen.They had wood floats along one edge and sinkers attached to the rope at the bottom. These net sinkers were often made of small stones of basalt, flint, or limestone. A smal...
This mountain, standing about 2,641 feet above sea level, stands east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. It is approximately 325 feet higher than the Temple area and the highest peak in the area. Jesus entered Jerusalem, gave his final teachin...
Individual who showed his devotion to God by choosing to separate himself from other people through his lifestyle. He made a three-part vow: to never cut his hair or beard, to abstain from any grape product, and to avoid contact with anything dead...
During and after Jesus' time, the city expanded north, and many wealthy people built large villas in this new area of Jerusalem. Herod Agrippa walled it about thirty or more years after Jesus? crucifixion.
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