From Where in the East Did the Magi Come?

Map of the Known World at about the time that Jesus was born. On the following map, Bethlehm is in Israel– south of Jerusalem and  near the Dead Sea. Image Credit: Crystal Links Jesus was born in Bethlehem which, on the above map, is near the top of Judah, which is colored lime green. Judah…

Canaanite Religion – Canaanite Mythology – gods and goddesses

Canaanite religion was a group of ancient Semitic religions practiced by the Canaanites living in the ancient Levant from at least the early Bronze Age to the first centuries CE. Canaanite religion was polytheistic and in some cases monolatristic. It was influenced by neighboring cultures, particularly ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian religious practices. The pantheon was headed by the god El and his consort Asherah, with other significant deities including Baal, Anat, Astarte, and Mot. Canaanite religious practices included animal…

St. Paul the Hero by Rufus M. Jones – 1917

Tarsus I THE BOY OF TEN YEARS “Father, who made the mountains that reach clear up into the sky over there where the sun goes down in the west?” “It was God, my dear little boy. Don’t you remember the psalm we read in the synagogue last week: ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto…

The Importance of Purple Dye in Bible History

Fabrics Dyed from Murex Shellfish Image Credit: Wikipedia “In the ancient world the color purple was a mark of high rank and nobility. This was occasioned by the very high cost of the purple dye used for the clothing of nobles and royalty. A special purple dye was extracted from the murex shellfish found in…

Kings and Queens of the Bible by Mary Hoffman

  Pharaoh and Moses King David King Solomon The Queen of Sheba Queen Jezebel King Belshaar Queen Ester About the Kings and Queens Introduction “The Old Testament is full of kings and queens, vivid characters who play an important part in the history of the people who came to be called the Jews. “Some were…

The Birth of Jesus as Re-told by Lois Rock in Five Minutes

Image Credit: Amazoú The Birth of Jesus “The people of Israel believed firmly that they were God’s people. After all, God had made a promise to Abraham. Moses and Samuel had helped them to live as God’s people God’s laws helped them understand right from wrong. Great David had won battles and, he became the…

A List of the Kings of the Jews Before Jesus

Here are some kings of the Jews before Jesus:  King David Playing the Harp (1622) by Gerard van Honthorst Image Credit: Wikipedia David Was the First King of the Israelites [Jews] “According to Jewish works such as the Seder Olam Rabbah, Seder Olam Zutta, and Sefer ha-Qabbalah (all written over a thousand years later), David ascended the throne as…