Of all the parables Jesus told, the one we call "The Prodigal Son" is possibly the most famous. In the story, a younger son demands his inheritance from his father and leaves the family behind, taking his riches to a far country. The imp... MORE
It was customary in the Roman world to consider the emperor a divine being. New emperors would claim this status because they believed that when the previous ruler died, he would ascend to heaven to be seated among the gods, making ... MORE
At one point during his ministry, the Apostle Paul was at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. He was accused by some Jews of bringing a Gentile into the courts where only Jews were allowed. He hadn’t, but they thought he did and a riot started. W... MORE
The Jews of Jesus’ day lived together as extended families, sharing the family resources. The task of the father was to use those resources to care for everyone who lived in “the father’s house,” as they called it – r... MORE
In ancient times, people craved words of counsel and knowledge from their gods. The city of Didyma in what is now modern-day Turkey functioned as one of three main oracles, places where ordinary people would travel to hear advice and predictions o... MORE
The covenant at Sinai is often thought of as a wedding between God and His people, between God and the bride He chose for Himself. This became the picture of God's redemptive plan for humankind, fully realized in Jesus' death and resurrection. In ... MORE
The Passover Sedar employs four symbolic cups to help the Jews remember the miraculous ways that God delivered His people from the hand of Pharaoh. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked the Father to take away the cup placed before Him, a "... MORE
Throughout His ministry, Jesus' compassion for sinners and those considered unclean raised the eyebrows of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. God's word warned His people not to touch any unclean thing, and they could not understand why Je... MORE
After His resurrection, Jesus spent about 40 days with His followers in Jerusalem and back in the Galilee region, where they had received much of their training. He explained that after His ascension to heaven, He would send them a ... MORE
Paul’s missionary journeys were generally marked by conflict. Sometimes, his message clashed with the Jews, who were often skeptical about Jesus or jealous of Paul’s success. Even more often, Paul’s teaching angered the governing... MORE
The Jewish RevoltsJewish people of Jesus' day had a passionate desire for freedom from the domination of the pagan Romans and the oppressive Herod dynasty that had ruled them for many years. Revolt seethed continuously, mostly underground, for mor...
The WildernessWe may not want to face the wilderness, but the "rocks" of life are the very places where God often brings sweetness into our lives.Rugged wilderness covers much of Israel. The two most prominent deserts are the Judea Wilde...
DVD-The Path to the Cross - DVD w/ Leader's guide in DVD caseSynopsis:God’s story culminates with the intense devotion of his people in this 11th volume of the Faith Lessons series. Discover how their passionate faith prepares the way for Je...
Belvoir is located on the western side of the Jordan Valley. It is in a group of hills knows as the Issachar Plateau just north of Beth Shean. This photograph is of the Jordan Valley looking northeast. Down in the valley, the channel where the Jor...
Throughout church history, there has been discussion and debate on exactly what Jesus meant when he said, 'on this rock I will build my church' (Matt. 16:28). The cliff face in Caesarea Philippi that was used for centuries in idol worship provides...
The Mount of Olives is 2,650 feet above sea level. The ridge is two miles long. Beyond the Mount of Olives is the Judea Wilderness. The Old Testament predicted that the Messiah would come from the east through the wilderness and would enter Jerusa...
This view is from the northwest looking southeast across the New City. Jerusalem expanded to the north in Jesus' time, to the area in the foreground called the New City. The wall in the center is the second wall, and the area inside it is the busi...
There are numerous biblical accounts of those who came from a sinful past, chose a personal relationship with God through Jesus, and went on to become powerful instruments in sharing the message of Jesus. God reveals the depth of his forgiveness b...
While excavating the theater in 1961, archaeologists discovered this stone, which was being used as a step in a small stairway. When they had uncovered it, they found that it was in secondary use.Originally, it had been the dedication stone for a ...
This aerial view looks north over the fertile plain of Gennesaret. The road follows the route of the biblical Way of the Sea (Matt. 4:12-17). The modern-day Kibbutz Ginnosar is not far from what was Gennesaret in Jesus' time.In the distance along ...
This neatly arranged row of marble and basalt columns was part of a basilica church during the period after Jesus' time. The floor of the church was made of colored marble tiles arranged in geometric designs. This church was in Kursi, near Susita....
The roads leading to Jerusalem through the Judea Wilderness traverse some barren, desolate, and rugged areas. This path following a wadi is one such trail. Seeing this path can help us understand the parable Jesus told of a man who went down to Je...
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