To understand the context of Biblical Books we need to know a little about the history of the Ancient Near East for the Old Testament and the Greco-Roman world for the Inter-Testamental and New Testament. A great resource for learning more about this history is the award winning website, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Here is the…
Sunday Blessings
I had a wonderful Sunday in Jerusalem today and invite you to join me from afar. It began with an early cup of tea in the garden of the College as the sun rose and the birds woke and began their morning song. The dew was heavy on the roses – a small sign of…
Dancing with the Word
I went for a walk this evening – it is lovely and cool as fall comes to Jerusalem. There were very few people out, because today marks the end of Sukkot…sort of. As I mentioned in my last post, Sukkot is the most joyful of all the Jewish holy days, and so everyone is loath…
The Feast of Sukkot
A Sukka Jerusalem is in the midst of the week long Feast of Sukkot/Tabernacles/Booths. It is a combination of a harvest festival and a religious holiday that celebrates and remembers four things: God’s Presence with and Provision for the Israelites during the Wilderness Wanderings. Renewal of the Covenant after the incident of the Golden Calf….
Yom Kippur & Jesus
I awoke this morning to something very strange – quiet. It was so silent I heard the wings of flying crow passing by my window, and the bark of a dog across the Valley of Hinnom. That was all. No din of traffic, because there was not a car on the road, nor a person…