With a tent peg and a hammer, a nomadic woman named Jael killed one of Israel’s most feared enemies, Sisera. He commanded the powerful army and chariot corps of Hazor, a city in northern Galilee. His army ruthlessly oppressed northern Israel for twenty years until an Israelite leader named Deborah organized a militia to fight back.
Continue reading A LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT (JAEL)
Though his name bears the Hebrew word for peace, Absalom was anything but peaceful. He murdered his half brother and led a coup against his father King David.
Continue reading ABSALOM
Early historian of Jewish life and our most important source for the history of the Jews in the Roman period. His four surviving works are The Jewish War (composed about A.D. 73), The Antiquities of the Jews (about A.D. 93), Life (an autobiographical appendix to The Antiquities), and Against Apion, penned shortly after The Antiquities. The date of Josephus’ death is unknown but was probably after A.D. 100.
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (JOSEPHUS, FLAVIUS)
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (ACTS 1:9-26 JESUS ASCENDS TO HEAVEN, THE UPPER ROOM PRAYER MEETING, MATTHIAS CHOSEN)
Mary had a front-row seat for an unbelievable life full of amazing stories: the angel Gabriel showing up out of the blue to tell her that she, a virgin, was pregnant (Luke 1:26-38)-and not just expecting, but expecting the Son of God; the baby’s birth in an animal shed far from home (Luke 2:1-7); the odd parade of well-wishers saying beautiful and occasionally frightening things (Matt 2:1-12; Luke 2:8-38); the mad dash to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath (Matt 2:13-14).
Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (MARY “THE MOTHER AND FIRST DISCIPLE OF JESUS”)
1.In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (MATTHEW 28:1-7 “THE RESURRECTION”)
This synagogue in which Jesus read the Old Testament scriptures was in Nazareth, his hometown in the province of Galilee, Synagogues were built in towns and cities throughout Palestine. Their purpose was not to replace the temple in Jerusalem that served as the central place of worship and sacrifice for all Israel. Synagogues existed to reach the law to local people. Continue reading READING IN A SYNAGOGUE
During His Galilean ministry, Jesus clashed with the scribes and Pharisees over appropriate the scribes and Pharisees over appropriate observance of the Sabbath on three different occasions. The first conflict appears only in the Gospel of John. Continue reading SABBATH CONTROVERSIES
Today we know Matthew as the one of the four beloved writers whom God used to chronicle the life of Jesus so we would have it, could refer to it, and could be transformed by it. But Matthew wouldn’t have felt the love during his era. He was from Galilee, and while Rome occupied the area, collaborators like Matthew were the ones who collected taxes for them. Tax collectors were also known to becomes rich by charging more than was due. Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (MATTHEW: TAX COLLECTOR TURNED EVANGELIST)
The word about Jesus’ ability to heal the sick had spread to the point that when He returned to Peter’s house after a trip through Galilee (where He had recently healed a leper), a large crowd gathered outside, hoping for an encounter with Jesus. Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (MEN OF FAITH: FIND A WAY)