Archive for the ‘Bible’ Category

Land of Historic Isreal

March 18, 2026

 

Chapter 5 

LAND OF ISRAEL, 1AD
 
INTRODUCTION 
Never forget, you are someone’s gift. God has searched for a person like you to be His eyes and ears. God is counting on you. Be the someone another needs. Set an example. Don’t let the ways of the world cloud your vision. 
 
Instead of singular individuals, God wanted a homerun. The Israelites were His homerun; His representatives to the world. 
 
Called by God, Moses led the Hebrew people to “a land flowing with milk and honey.” In Palestine (Greek for Israel) the land produced rich crops, livestock happily grazed, and fishing filled many tummies. 
 
Yet Yahweh also had a futuristic reason for choosing this land: travel. Major trading routes from throughout the world conversed through Palestine. Trade brought people to interact with the Israelites. If the nation stayed faithful to Yahweh, Yahweh’s message of hope and liberty could be carried by travelers back to their home bases. This tiny land area, about 10, 000 square miles (about the size of Massachusetts) had all the qualities Yahweh needed to evangelize the world. Unfortunately, with the continual forsaking of Yahweh’s best, the spread of the gospel did not take place until after the resurrection of Christ. 
 
ISRAEL’S DIVERSE LAND 
In the first century, the land of Israel was around 160 miles from north to south and around 85 miles from east to west at the widest portion and averaged around 50 miles wide. The main regions of Israel in the first century were Galilee to the north, Samaria in the middle, and Judea to the south. In addition, the Gentile areas of Decapolis and Perea were east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. 
 
For the Israelites, Galilee and Judea were their homebases. Although united in worship practices, significant differences existed between living in northern Galilee and southern Judea. Those living in Judea considered the Galileans as the unlearned, and the religious opportunities inferior: the Temple was in Judea; the academies for higher religious studies were in Judea; the great theologians lived in Judea. The unimportant lived in Galilee. “What good can come from Galilee?” (John 1:46). 
 
GALILEE 
Galilee also differed from Judea in many aspects of daily life. The rich soil of Galilee made agriculture an important staple of their lives. Olive and fruit trees were plentiful. Wheat, barley, and vegetable plants produced rich crops. The harvesting of grapes for wine consumption was a money crop. Because of their ability to supply much of their food needs, the cost of living was less than that of the Judeans. 
 
Galilee also had many job opportunities. Beside day laborers for the fields, Galilee also manufactured pottery, had dyeworks, and produced glassware. Fishing was a profitable business. Since a major trade route traversed through Galilee, small businesses catering to the travelers were found along the route. Galilean men were also workers for the Roman expansion of the Roman city of Sephora. (source: Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah). 
 
Galilee had two major cities: Tiberius and Sephora, both housing tens of thousands of residents. A few towns, such as Capernaum, had a thousand residents, but most of the hundreds of small villages were a few hundred people in size. 
 
While Galilee had families of wealth with more substantial homes, smaller, two-three room homes were more common. An average home was built stone upon stone with plastered walls. Small windows were covered with lattice. The typical home had a front room and a back room for sleeping. The roof was paved with a hard substance and had an outer railing and an outside staircase for safety. The roof was used for sleeping in pleasant weather and drying food throughout the year. The roof, or upper room, sometimes had a covered section that could house a guest. Homes also shared an inner courtyard that had a cooking area, a well, and a spit for grinding corn. 
 
SAMARIA 
At the time of Christ, Galilee and Judea were separated by the region of Samaria. After the Assyrian invasion of northern Isreal, (2nd Kings), Assyria moved large groups of non-Israelites into the region. The few Hebrews left after the invasion, melded with the Assyrian captives into a religious mixture of beliefs and practices that aligned poorly with Hebrew teachings. Even 700 years later, in the first century, animosity was so strong that Israelites walked an additional 2-3 days to avoid Samaritan land when traveling from Galilee to Judea. 
 
JUDEA 
To the south of Samaria and east of the Jordan River, was Judea, the religious capital of Israel. Jerusalem served as the nation’s political capital and home of the Temple. Many medium size cities surrounded Jerusalem and were important in Biblical events. Among them were Bethsaida, Bethany, Bethlehem, and Jericho. The Dead Sea was on the western border of Judea. 
 
If you were wealthy and made a bucket list of places to visit, you might list the pyramids of Egypt, the spectacular city of Rome, or a vacation on the Adriatic seashore. For Jewish adherents, their only wonder of the world was Jerusalem, the majestic Temple, and its services. 
 
The city of Jerusalem, occupying over three hundred acres, was home to over 200,000 residents. The influential occupied the upper city. The High-Priest’s palace was in this area along with the palace of the Maccabees, which now housed members of the Roman ruling class. In the upper section of the city were the Xystos, an open gymnasium, and a large garden area. The center of Hebrew world, the Temple, had grown to over 35 acres in size. Around it, life developed. 
 
Also, part of the nation of Judah in Biblical days, was the Negev Desert. An extremely large southern portion that served as a barrier between Judah proper and Egypt. This area was sparsely populated. In an area averaging less than 8 inches of rain per year, wild animals were still able to survive. “Wandering the desert are gazelles, ibexes, oryxes, hyenas, wolves, jackals, and even hedgehogs. In antiquity, the region was also home to a large number of Arabian and Asiatic animals, including ostriches, lions, and cheetahs. Until only a few years ago, leopards could still be found in the region.” (Source: biblicalarchaeology.org) 
 
GENTILE REGIONS INFLUENCED BY JESUS 
Finally, both Decapolis and Perea, west of Galilee and Judah, were regions controlled by Herod the Great’s son, Philip. These two were primary areas where Jesus ministered to the worldly Romans. Famous events such as the healing of the demon possessed man, feeding of the 4000, along with healing of the deaf and mute occurred. 
 
CONCLUSION 
Israel, in Biblical days, shared similar characteristics to today’s world. Political unrest occupied everyday life. The distrust of their leaders was evident. The religious elites were centered on protecting their domain. 
 
Yet the everyday men and women were active community members, valuing relationships with family and friends above all else. The simplicity, and struggles, of meeting their own needs overrided other obligations. They understood that life was best lived enjoying everyday adventures. 

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A COMMON FOLK BIBLE

March 2, 2026

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMON FOLK BIBLE 

You are on Jeopardy and the topic is “Famous Individuals of Christianity.” You should be able to answer question one on Jesus’s mother or even the $400 question—Jesus’s most beloved disciple (John). Most could even guess at questions about Martin Luther (Justification by faith alone) or John Wycliffe (translated the scriptures into English) but the stumper would be the $1000 question about Ptolemy. Though not a Christian, nor a Jewish convert, Ptolemy’s role in Biblical history cannot be overlooked. 

PREPARTION 

The Persian empire ruled until conquered by Alexander the Great. During his thirteen years of rule, religious freedom continued to be given to the dispersed Jewish communities. Having an even bigger impact on the world was Alexander the Great’s demand that the Greek culture, often called Hellenism, be promoted in his conquered territory. This was a change that affected the entire world and continued well after Alexander’s death. 

After his death, the empire was divided into four territories. Alexander’s general, Ptolemy was awarded control of northern Africa and portions of the Middle East, including Palestine. Despite regional wars, Ptolemy remained in power over his given territory for the next forty years. (source: (historicaleve.com) During the next three hundred years, the influence of the Greek culture grew. Hellenism embraced all aspects of life: art, philosophy, science, architecture, and intellectual development.  

IMPACT OF HELLENISM ON THE JEWISH RACE 

Like the rest of the Middle East, Palestine also was impacted by Hellenism.  Positively, many trade routes were established and Israel’s place as a connection between the east and west developed.  At the same time, the polytheistic beliefs of the Greek empire were counter to the monotheism of the Hebrew nation.  

To counteract the forces of Hellenism, the Jewish religious leaders developed a rigid religious belief system. Attention to the law, observing traditional customs, and an emphasis on the Hebrew educational system remained essential elements of Hebrew life. (source: livestransforming.com) These practices, along with the insistence of using the Hebrew language in religious circles, were important in keeping the dispersed Israelites, along with the homeland, monotheistic until the time of Christ.  

Judaism also continued to flourish outside of Palestine. The openness of Ptolemy for intellectual and religious freedom allowed the city of Alexandria, Egypt to become an enclave for Jewish adherents. The Jewish population of Alexandria were given their own section of the city to live in so that their beliefs and customs could be practiced without influence from outsiders. The one break from a strict Hebrew lifestyle was the acceptance of the Greek language which had become the universal language of all business activities. Since the Greek language was the language used by everyday Judahites, they longed for the books of the Pentateuch and Prophets to be translated into Greek. 

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FIRST ATTEMPTS 

Today, the super-rich buys 12,000 square foot homes or competes to have the biggest yacht. The Ptolemy rulers saw life differently. While a fabulous palace was important, they valued intellectual pursuits as well. Ptolemy, the first was known as a great patron of learning, and the library in Alexandria was a centerpiece of his work.  His successors Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III continued to spend huge sums of money sending advisors throughout the world to secure rare books and valuable art.  

The first attempts to put the Hebrew Old Testament into the Greek language were done by hundreds of slaves who wrote into the Greek language what was orally dictated to them. Unfortunately, this led to errors in translation because the slave used their own judgement of what a particular phrase meant. This, though, did produce a Greek version of the Old Testament that was sold cheaply and became known as the “People’s Bible.”   

If one wanted to buy a scholarly copy of the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) or the books of the Prophets in the Hebrew language, the purchase was expensive. The copy could only be done by Jewish scholars who painstakingly copied the Word of God into another set of writings. If even a small error was made, the entire copy was destroyed. The painstaking process began again. 

PTOLEMY’S SUCCESS 

A spiritual life-changing event was to occur in Alexandria, Egypt. All because of the generosity of Ptolemy’s reign. 

Demetrious Phalereus became the chief advisor for the library. He wanted a true copy of the Hebrew Books of Moses translated into the Greek language. Phalereus sent Eleazar the High-Priest at Jerusalem a huge financial gift to select seventy-two translators of the highest regard to work on a proper translation. Each translator received an authentic manuscript and were sent to the island of Pharos, (an island in the Nile River), spending seventy-two days individually translating the Hebrew manuscript into the Greek language. After comparisons and evaluation, the Jewish Sanhedrin at Alexandria—the Jewish ruling body of that area–formally approved the acceptance of the Greek version of the Pentateuch. It was given the title, Septuagint. (source: The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah) The translation of the books of the Prophets and Jewish History followed. The Greek translation was widely accepted and used at the time of Christ.  

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY 

In the early 1600’s, English scholars used both the Greek Bible and the Hebrew Bible to develop the King James Bible, the only authorized English version for over 300 years.  

God’s wisdom is infinite and His planning impeccable. Throughout history, God’s desire was that world accept Him as their God. He chose the Jewish people from the beginning to be His ambassadors. A Christian’s goal today is the same—be a worthy ambassador. 

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From Tragedy to Redemption the Israelites and the Messiah

February 27, 2026

Chapter 1   The Beginning 

   

One will never know why Yahweh—God—chose Abraham, then his son Isaac, then his grandson Jacob, and then his great-grandson Joseph as the bearers of Yahweh’s promises. If Yahweh was looking for a sinless individual, He missed the mark. From the start, sin followed. (Read the book of Genesis.) It is a perplexing question how Yahweh could trust a sinful race of people to revitalize the world. Yet He thankfully did.  

Skip ahead four hundred years, and the sin filled lives of his chosen people continued. Moses and then Joshua tried to lead the Israelite people but idol worship and listening to foreigners—particularly women—led to Yahweh’s displeasure and rebuke time after time. Throughout the time of the prophets and then the kings, there were moments of complete trust in following Yahweh, but sin eventually led to more wickedness. Any attempts at spiritual change were short lived. 

 Eventually, the sins of the nation led to their annihilation. First the Assyrians conquered the northern part of Israel. Because of Assyrian cruelty, the history of these captives was lost. (Lost tribes of Israel.) 

 Less than one hundred fifty years later, the Babylonian empire conquered Judah, the southern part of Israel. (Biblical books of Judges through 2nd Chronicles.) The Babylonian rulers, however, treated the Jewish people favorably, and the Israelite population quickly grew. While in captivity, lessons were learned, and for some, a desire for a spiritual change occurred. 

Restoring Their Jewish Heritage 

Then the promises spoken by Yahweh years earlier for a fresh restart came about after the Persian nation overthrew the Babylonians. The Persian King Cyrus issued a decree that allowed the Hebrew people to return to their former land of Israel. “Cyrus allowed Zerubbabel (also known as Sheshbazzar), a descendant of David, to lead the first group of Jews, numbering 42,360, back to Judah somewhere between 538 and 520 BC.” (source: Hebrewnations.com).   

For those who chose to move back to Israel, life was difficult. The small Jewish community was heavily influenced by their non-Israelites neighbors, and the people fell away from following the Sabbath and began to intermarry. Their identity to God was once again fading.  

Yet Yahweh did not give up. Seventy-five years after the first group had returned, Ezra was allowed by the Persian King Artaxerxes to travel with a second group back to Palestine (Israel). Shortly thereafter, Nehemiah also returned. While Ezra led in a spiritual renewal of the people, Nehemiah was instrumental in rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. Between the two, a strong Jewish culture was being rebuilt. 

Millions of other Jewish adherents chose not to make the change. While living in Persia, most Israelites had settled into a comfortable life under their rulers. The Hebrew people had become well accepted in the community and were actively involved in trades and commerce. Moving back to Palestine, was not worth the risk.  

Even more important, the Jewish adherents enjoyed great freedom to travel. They formed their own separate communities in other areas of the known world, and those areas quickly grew. Recorded records show that around the time of Christ over 1 million Jews lived in Alexandria (Egypt). Large populations of Jewish exiles were also found in Rome, Samaria, Ethiopia, Cyrene (now part of Libya), Antioch (Syria), the Italian peninsula, and Turkey. The Greek geographer Strabo said, “You could not go anywhere in the civilized world without encountering a Jew.” (Source: Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah).  

While their homeland was comprised of less than a million residents at the time of Christ, millions of Jewish followers lived in other parts of the world. In each of these Jewish communities, there was a common bond that held the Jewish society together: a common creed, a common way of life, a common center of worship, and a common hope for the future. The Jewish population, wherever they settled, observed laws related to food, followed Sabbath rules, and celebrated the Jewish holy holidays. Through it all, though, was their love for Jerusalem, and the hope of eventually returning to their homeland under the rule of the Messiah. 

The Messianic hope though only came about because of that small group that chose to reestablish the nation of Israel. These courageous followers made many sacrifices. Homes needed to be rebuilt, fortifications against enemies established, and it was necessary to relearn how to plant, grow, and harvest crops. 

 Although change was not easy, those in Palestine persisted. It was into this world that our Messiah would be born, live, and die—all for our benefit. 

All believers should be grateful for these Hebrew change agents. Because of them, the coming of the Messiah was one step closer.  

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