The True Easter Story

Explore 2,000-year-old tombs much like the one that held Jesus and experience the vibrant history and culture of Israel. Teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan reveals the fascinating truths surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus in this v...

The True Christmas Story

Tiny Bethlehem lay in the shadow of the Herodian, the magnificent home of Herod the Great. In this remarkable program, Ray Vander Laan leads a tour through the palace ruins, the modest dwellings of Bethlehem, and other historical sites in Israel. ...

Volume 1

Travel to Israel and radically change your understanding of the Scriptures. Wet your feet in the Jordan River and impact the culture with life-giving water. Show your trust in the Lord's provision by offering up first fruits at Jericho. And cleans...

Volume 2

Filmed on location in Israel, Faith Lessons is a unique video series that brings God's Word to life with astounding relevance. By weaving together the Bible's fascinating historical, cultural, religious, and geographical contexts, teacher and hist...

Volume 3

Pack your bags. We're going on a journey. A quest to uncover Scripture and its meaning across history. Filmed on location in Israel and throughout the Middle East, the Faith Lessons DVD series is an adventure in biblical learning. You will discove...

Volume 4

Pack your bags. We're going on a journey. A quest to uncover Scripture and its meaning across history. Filmed on location in Israel and throughout the Middle East, the Faith Lessons DVD series is an adventure in biblical learning. You will discove...

Volume 5

Experience the Bible for yourself! This in-depth video Bible study-shot on location and featuring teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan-will help you understand the New Testament better by giving you abetter understanding of the Old Testament.

Volume 6

During his ministry in Israel, Jesus called and trained disciples, His "talmidim." Their job would eventually be to bring His message of redemption to all the nations, Jew and Gentile. What would happen when they began to make disciples ...

Volume 7

Becoming a disciple of Jesus demands more than merely a deep commitment to the text and complete devotion to Christian community. The Messiah is king, and believers are called to pick up their crosses in daily pursuit after becoming like Him. Come...

Volume 8

This five-session small group Bible study, God Heard Their Cry, by noted teacher and historian, Ray Vander Laan, is volume eight of the 12-part Faith Lessons series. In this volume, Vander Laan illustrates how God answered the cry of the Israelite...

Volume 9

When the Israelites left Egypt, they were finally free. Free from persecution, free from oppression, and free to worship their own God. But with that freedom comes a new challenge - learning how to live together the way God intends. In this ninth ...

Volume 10

Ray Vander Laan takes us on a journey through Sinai and Israel, a region that is still largely desert but at times filled with lush, bountiful places. We will discover how Jesus called people to live in the Promised land. What can we learn during ...

Volume 11

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 Jesus and his ultimate act of obedience and sacrifice at the cross. Then, be c...

Volume 12

Throughout the Bible, the desert functions as an image of discord, of loss of control, and of separation from the safety of society. Barren and deadly, the wasteland places of the text meant certain death without access to resources. Many times Go...

Volume 13

As they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai, the Israelites not only agreed to partner with God by worshipping Him as king, they also took on a mission: become a kingdom of priests in a prodigal world. This had been God's plan for His people from the...

Volume 14

It’s easy to think of the Bible as a collection of short stories, but each one makes up a greater story – one story of a God who created the universe and entrusted it to His human partners to care for it. They were unfai...

Volume 15

Like the Roman Empire, today’s governments or organizations can become centered on power and believe their messages are the “good news.” As Christians, we’re called to proclaim God’s name in all the earth (1 Chronicle...

Volume 16

How do you live in a culture where the worldview conflicts with Christianity? Learn from Paul as he presents his beliefs to the most powerful court in Athens and settles among the Greco-Romans of Corinth, who valued wealth and class, worship of mu...

Lesson 1.1

Lesson 2.1

Lesson 3.1

Lesson 4.1

Lesson 5.1

Lesson 6.1

For a first century Jew, to follow a rabbi meant to "be covered with the dust of his feet." When Jesus called His disciples, it was implied that they would begin this process of becoming like Him by following closely in His footsteps. Tr...

Ceres Definition

Roman god of earth. Daughter of Cronus and Rhea.

Cherem Definition

Hebrew word meaning "totally given to the Lord," often through destruction. Only God's judgment could reclaim anything placed under this curse.

Christ Definition

The title of Jesus that means "annointed" or "chosen one" in Greek. The Hebrew word is "Messiah." Jesus Christ is God's chosen one to bring salvation to his people.

Church Definition

A group of the followers of Jesus that meets in a certain place. Jesus calls the church his body. Most of the books of the New Testament are letters to churches.

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 ...

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...

Cities

Gezer, Dan, Arad-these place names have little meaning for most Bible readers. But they did mean something to the writers of the Text. These places brought certain pictures and events to mind, much like the names "New York," "Hicksv...

City Daughters

City DaughtersA city king's influence often extended beyond the city walls. Major cities, such as Gezer, had smaller villages, known as "daughters," that cropped up outside the city walls. Unlike a city, these villages were not walled. T...

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 Definition

During Biblical times, city gates protected the entrance to the city and functioned as the center of city life. In various chambers inside the gatehouse, people paid their taxes, settled legal matters, and even met the king. The city gates also pr...

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...

City Kings

The American concept of a king is usually negative. The Revolutionary War experience prompted most Americans to view kings as tyrants who cared little for the common person.Not all bad This view of kingship would not have been shared by most ancie...

City Life

Most cities from the biblical period were fairly small, and people lived in closely knit, well-defined communities. Jerusalem of David's time covered 9-10 acres with a population of 1,500-2,000 persons. Jerusalem during Jesus' time occupied about ...

City of Great Kings

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...

City of Refuge Definition

A place of safety for people who had accidentally killed someone (Deut. 19:1-21).

Clever Counterfeits

The False Claims of the CultsEach of the cults in Pergamum was a counterfeit, a clever copy of the things that God alone provides. Each god took credit or honor away from God, thus giving it to something human or of human invention. False Gods ...

Cliff at the Garden Tomb

Cliff at the Garden Tomb This cliff face is located just outside the garden tomb. It was originally a quarry, but the rock quality was poor. It is just outside the city of Jerusalem, near the main gate. The area in front of the cliff was probably ...

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.

Colonnades Definition

Rows of columns spaced evenly apart that support arches or a roof. First-century Roman streets often had colonnades on both sides.

Column Style and Fresco Panels on Masada

The photograph here displays a column style used by Herod on Masada. The columns were made of sandstone pieces that were plastered to look like fluted columns. When new, they probably looked like polished limestone or even marble. In the same plac...

Commandment Definition

A rule or teaching that people should obey. God gives his people commandments to help them live a good life.

Commerce

Commerce was an important part of ancient life, allowing people from various regions to trade with each other and acquire needed supplies.Occupations varied from place to place. In fertile areas, agriculture thrived. In the wilderness, shepherds r...

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...