That the World May Know

Jerusalem was a fitting place for Jesus, the greatest king of all, to live out the final moments of his life.Jerusalem held deep cultural and religious significance for the Jewish people. Many of their great leaders, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, reig...

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Encyclopedia

Burial Practices

Burial PracticesThe BodyAccording to Jewish interpretation of the Old Testament Law, burial had to occur within 24 hours (Deut. 21:23). This was partly due to the climate in Israel, and partly because the body was considered to be ceremonially unc...

Caesarea

Herod seized an opportunity to control world trade by building a seaport on Israel's coast, where the sea routes and the predominant land route intersected. Caesarea was a glorious city, covered with marble, and symbolizing the vast wealth that He...

Caesarea Philippi

Located in the northeastern part of Israel at the foot of Mount Hermon, lay Caesarea Philippi, a pagan city built by Herod Philip, a son of Herod the Great.For many years, people in this area had worshiped false gods, including Baal (Josh. 11:16-1...

Cistern of Masada

Cisterns Herod built to provide water during times of siege and to fill his luxurious swimming pools and supply his bathing complexes. The amount of water needed was staggering. There were several swimming pools on top of the desert mountain, wher...

Cisterns

What was "Cistern Water"In Israel, the rainy season is only five months long, stretching from November through March. Since fresh springs like those at En Gedi are rare, most ancient cities, towns, and even households used cisterns to ca...

City Gates

City gates played a significant role in ancient life. Because openings in city walls created a weak place, ancient people strengthened their gates to prevent their city from being easily invaded. Building a gatehouse inside the city wall became a ...

City Gates in the Bible

City Gates in the Bible Since gates were the center of city life, it is not surprising that scripture writers often described important officials as "sitting in the gate." Understanding the important role of city gates brings new light t...

Confronting Evil

The CityAncient Beth Shemesh guarded the Sorek Valley of Israel's Shephelah; a place where the pagans and the Israelites often interacted.Beth Shemesh stands in Israel's Shephelah;foothills lying between the coastal plain and Judea Mountains. Seve...

Covenants

FormIn order to make sense of covenants, people followed a certain pattern that governed the content and form of a covenant. A summary document representing the entirety of the relationship was usually provided. As the superior party, God alone de...

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Glossary

Cistern Definition

Because water in Israel is hard to come by, most ancient cities, towns, and even households used cisterns to catch and store rain runoff from rooftops, courtyards, and even streets.Cisterns were dug by hand out of solid rock and were plastered so ...

Coastal Plain Definition

Flat, fertile area of Israel along the Mediterranean Sea that comprises the Plain of Sharon in the north and Philistine territory in the south.

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