Jerusalem Through The Ages

I love visiting Jerusalem. It is a fascinating city. But, it is a confusing city from a historical standpoint. Over the millennia, the city has been built up and destroyed so many times that it is often hard to distinguish what you are seeing when you look at it. Even during Biblical times, the configuration of Jerusalem changed several times. Keeping up with all of that and then understanding it can be a challenge.

About a week ago, Leen Ritmeyer updated their Image Library with a number of new drawings which help the user better understand the city. There are some smaller images that show the different configurations and several other topographical drawings that allow you to get an idea of what the city looked like from a geographical perspective.

I encourage you to take a look.

Understanding the land of the Bible, helps you understand the Biblical stories.

Theodotos Inscription

Earlier tonight, I was involved in a study of Acts 6, dealing with the early church in Jerusalem. Part of the passage reads:

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. - Acts 6:8-9

As we read the passage, I was reminded of an artifact that I saw last September in the Israel Museum. In 1914, a French archaeologist found an inscription while digging in the Ophel, just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The inscription, called the Theodotos Inscription, is about 25 inches wide by 17 inches high. It reads:

Theodotos son of Vettenus, priest and synagogue leader, son of a synagogue leader, grandson of a synagogue leader, rebuilt this synagogue for the reading of the Law and the teaching of the commandments, and the hostelry, rooms and baths, for the lodging of those who have need from abroad. It was established by his forefathers, the elders and Simonides.

The "Freedmen" that were mentioned were freed slaves of the Diaspora. This First Century inscription was possibly mounted above one of the synagogues of the freedmen that we read about in Acts 6.

Of particular note is the use of the term "synagogue leader". That exact same term is used by Luke (who also wrote Acts) in his gospel (13:15, 18:8, 18:17). Each time, it is referring to a leader of the Jews of the Diaspora.

NOTE: If you are reading this via email, you might need to click on the title to see a picture of the inscription.

H/T Ferrell Jenkins

Water and Caesarea Maritima

I have always enjoyed the TV show M*A*S*H. As everyone knows, it was a 1970's comedy about a group of surgeons and nurses in the Korean War. The show wasn't just a comedy. It had great writers that were able to make serious points amidst all of the jokes. In one scene, Hawkeye Pierce (one of the surgeons) approaches a Korean woman who is leaving her village with a bucket.

Hawkeye: Where are you going? Woman: To get water from the spring about a mile away. Hawkeye: A mile away? Why are you walking that far? Woman: That's where the water is.

If you are like me, we take our access to water for granted. Including the outside spigots, I have seven locations around my house where I can turn a knob and out flows water.

Think about all of the major cities in the United States: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa, Miami, St. Louis, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Detroit, Boston, Washington DC, Houston. Why are those cities located where they are? It's simple: water. Even cities that are not located by large bodies of water, were founded in their locations due to water. (Ever been to the River Walk in San Antonio?)

The same thing occurred in Bible times. Jerusalem had the Gihon Spring. Capernaum, Magdala, Tiberias, Bethsaida all had the Sea of Galilee. Caesarea Philippi had the (what we now call) Banias River.

Caesarea Martima was built in its location due to two things. A local spring to supply fresh water and the Mediterranean Sea to help with the economy. However, what happens with the city's population grows to a point so that the small spring can no longer sustain the people? (At the time of King Herod, Caesarea grew to be one of the biggest cities in the region, with a population of over 100,000.) Well, you have to get water from somewhere else. In the First Century BC, King Herod determined that the other location would be Mount Carmel, about seven miles to the north-northeast.

So, how do you get water from Mount Carmel, seven miles away, to Caesarea Maritima? If you are King Herod, with basically unlimited resources and "free" labor, you build an aqueduct. Now, think about how this aqueduct had to work. There are no electric pumps. And, water doesn't flow uphill. So, the aqueduct had to flow downhill continually for seven miles. In many places the slope of the aqueduct is so indiscernible that you literally have to put water in it to determine that the water will flow. Like many of King Herod's building projects, the architectural mastery is amazing given their primitive tools and equipment. And, he built it so well that it transported water almost continually for 1200 years.

Since the aqueduct is never mentioned in the Bible, you may be wondering why this is important. It's important because it helps us to better understand the people and places of the day. I would guess that Cornelius and his family was very happy that King Herod built the aqueduct. As was Peter when he visited the city. And Paul when he was imprisoned there for two years. You can not live with out water.

The Jerusalem Movie Trailer

Since I posted about the official Jerusalem movie trailer last night, I've had a couple of people ask me about some of the locations. If you are interested, here is a run-down of all of the locations in the trailer: 0:05-0:09 - The Dead Sea 0:10-0:14 - Caesarea Maritima - This is the home city of Cornelius. The apostle Paul traveled through this city on his missionary journeys and then was imprisoned here for two years before traveling to Rome. 0:15-0:20 - Mar Saba Monastery in the Kidron Valley 0:21-0:25 - Masada 0:26-0:31 - Jerusalem from Mount Scopus 0:32-0:34 - Dome of the Rock 0:35-0:37 - Western Wall Plaza 0:38-0:43 - Western Wall 0:44-0:49 - Port of Joppa - Jonah tried to flee from God by boarding a boat at Joppa. The cedars from Lebanon were delivered for Solomon's temple via the port at Joppa. Peter saw a vision while he was at Simon the tanner's house which told him to go to Caesarea and find Cornelius. 0:50-0:52 - Franciscan Chapel on the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee - This is the traditional location of the Sermon on the Mount. 0:53-0:57 - Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives - Jesus would have traveled in this direction a number of times during His final week as he spent the night in Bethany, but spent the day in Jerusalem. 0:58-1:01 - Descending the Mount of Olives toward the Kidron Valley 1:02-1:03 - One of the many streets in the Old City 1:04-1:06 - Dinner time in the Old City 1:07-1:10 - Worshippers walk the Via Dolorosa 1:11-1:12 - Prayers at the Western Wall 1:13-1:17 - Prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque 1:18-1:24 - Church of the Holy Sepulture - This is the traditional location of Calvary and the tomb. 1:25-1:30 - Hezekiah's Tunnel 1:31-1:33 - Coffins from Gaza at the Israel Museum 1:34-1:38 - Sunrise over the Old City 1:39-1:45 - Jerusalem from the southeast

Would you like to visit these places? Next June, I'm going and I'd love for you to join me. If you are a student of the Bible, it is a trip that you will never forget.

Jerusalem - The Movie

Earlier today, the folks putting together the new movie about Jerusalem released their official trailer for the movie. It is fantastic. I invite you to watch it.

Honestly, I do not know the agenda behind the people putting this together, so I really can't speak to the message it will provide. However, the wonderful pictures are breathtaking. Jerusalem is a beautiful city. And, it is in a the middle of a beautiful country.

I am hopeful that this movie comes to an IMAX theatre in my area of the country. I can't wait to see these images on a huge screen. But, seeing this movie will not be as good as being there in person.

I'm going next June. Want to join me?

The Good Shepherd

A shepherd watches over his flock near Nazareth.Everytime I see this photograph, I think of the words of Jesus from John 10:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Ironically, I took this picture near the town of Nazareth, the same city where Jesus spent most of his childhood. It seems appropriate.

The View from King Ahab's Front Porch

The above picture was taken from the tel at Jezreel, looking north toward the Hill of Moreh across the Jezreel Valley. How many Biblical events can you name that took place within the area of this picture? Here is a partial list:

• King Ahab, and his wife Jezebel, built a palace in Jezreel. This view is what they would have seen when they looked across the valley.
• Gideon defeated the mighty Midianite army with only 300 men by surrounding their camp which was located at the base of the Hill of Moreh.
• The prophet Elisha often stayed with a couple from Shunam. Shunam was a small city on the western edge of the Hill of Moreh.
• King Saul once visited a medium who lived at En-Dor. That small town was located on the other side of the Hill of Moreh.
• Jesus raised a widow's son at Nain, which was located on the other side of the Hill of Moreh.

And, here is one more item of interest...

• In 1 Samuel 29:1, we are told that in preparation to battle the Philistines, the Israelites encamped at the spring of Jezreel. Do you see the group of trees to the right in the picture? That's the location of the spring.

There is so much history in such a small area. Isn't that interesting?

The Pinnacle of the Temple

In Matthew 4, we read the account of Satan tempting Jesus. One of those temptations is recorded in verses 5-7.

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

So, where is the "pinnacle of the temple"? Is it the top of the building? Honestly, we do not know. However, there are a couple of places that are generally considered when trying to answer this question.

The most accepted location is the southeastern corner of the Temple Mount. This would have been where the Royal Portico and Solomon's Porch met overlooking the Kidron Valley. At the time of Jesus, the height from this location into the Kidron Valley would have been around 450 feet. Of course, the top of the walls have been destroyed and rebuilt since then, so it is hard to know exactly how high it would have been. Either way, it would have been a very long fall into the Kidron Valley. The image at the top of this post is a picture that I took last September from the area of the Gihon Spring.

The other location that is often discussed as being a possible location of the pinnacle of the temple is the southwestern corner of the Temple Mount. From this corner, you would have overlooked the Upper and Lower City and you would be directly above a Roman street complete with shops and other places of business. Back in the late 1960's, excavations directly below this spot revealed temple stones which were cast over during the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD as well as an inscription. This inscription, which also fell from above, describes the southwest corner as "the place of the trumpeting". From this location, a priest would have blew his trumpet for different Jewish events. The image to the left is a current picture of this corner with with the buttress of Robinson's Arch about halfway down.

The final picture was taken at the model of Jerusalem at the Israel Museum. This model, around an acre in size, depicts Jerusalem during the first century. In this picture, you can see both of the Temple Mount corners that we have discussed here.

Both locations are viable options for the location of the pinnacle of the temple. From either location, a person would face certain death if they decided to jump off. Luckily for us, Jesus used His wisdom and did not succumb to any of the temptations that were thrown at him by the Devil. We all have a lot to learn from His example.

Parable of the Ten Virgins

Earlier today, I read a fantastic blog post by Steven Braman about the Parable of the Ten Virgins. He uses the analogy of his experience with the Boy Scouts and their motto which states "Be Prepared". If you are unfamiliar with the parable, then I invite you to read Matthew 25:1-13. He illustrates the parable by showing pictures of an Iron Age juglet and and Roman-era oil lamp, both of which play prominently into the story. Last September, Steven and I were traveling through Israel with our friends Trent and Rebekah while on one of Ferrell Jenkins' tours. Trent and Rebekah purchased the two items that are pictured while we were in Samaria. They currently use them for teaching purposes and graciously allowed me to take pictures of them a few months ago.

Understanding the people, places and things associated with the Bible help you to better understand the stories. Thank you Steve, Trent and Rebekah, for helping us understand this parable better.

Back In The Saddle

For those of you who are frequent readers of this blog, you probably have noticed that I have not written much lately. That is due to the fact that my wife and I recently spent a week and a half in London, Paris and Edinburgh celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. I have a number of posts that I want to write, mostly of items that we viewed in the British Museum. For now, I want to share a post that was written this morning from my friends Trent and Rebekah. They are currently touring the country of Israel and spent some time around the Sea of Galilee. This morning, they posted a beautiful picture of the sun rising over the Golan Heights on the eastern side of the sea.

If you ever go on a trip to Israel, you will visit all of the very popular sites (Caesarea, Megiddo, Jerusalem, etc). But, there are also hidden gems that it is up to you to find to make your visit extra special. One of those gems is to get up early and watch the sun rise over the Sea of Galilee. Due to the geographic nature of that entire area, clouds can form and dissipate very quickly, often producing amazing sun rises.

Seeing this, it is easy to imagine Peter, Andrew, James and John seeing similar sun rises as they prepared their nets for their daily work.

The Mount of Olives

For anyone who visits the land of Israel, a "must do" is a stop at the top of the Mount of Olives. The view of Jerusalem from this famous peak is one that you will never forget. Not only is it a beautiful view, but you can also visualize a number of Biblical stories from that spot. How many Biblical stories can you name that happened on or around the Mount of Olives? I've updated the Jerusalem page on the website with a link to information about the Mount of Olives. Give it a minute and see how many you can think of. Then, compare your list with mine.

More Information on the Ophel Excavations

For the past several summers, Dr. Eilat Mazar has been leading many of the excavations around the City of David just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Recently, she has been concentrating her efforts in the area of the Ophel. A couple of days ago, their group released a fantastic video showing some of the most recent excavations. These digs have centered around a cistern from the Second Temple period as well as some underground caverns and tunnels. The current assumptions is that the cistern collected rain water for public use during the time of King Herod.

The Jewish historian, Josephus, mentions that many of the Jews hid in underground caverns and tunnels during the time of the Roman overthrow of Jerusalem around 70AD. It is possible that some of these tunnels that are mentioned in the video are the same ones mentioned by Josephus.

Honestly, it may be hard to know exactly. But, it is interesting to think about.

I wonder what they will dig up next?

Possible Site of Tabernacle at Shiloh

Earlier this year, I had a series of posts about the different locations in which the Ark of the Covenant resided during the period of the Conquest of Canaan, Judges and Kings. (The final article, with links to the other articles, was a post about the city of Jerusalem.) One of those articles had to do with the period of time that the Ark spent in Shiloh. Well, earlier today, Israel Hayom reported that archaeologists have possibly found the post holes for the tabernacle at Shiloh. (Both Ferrell Jenkins and Todd Bolen mentioned this in their blogs this morning.) Later this week, an announcement will be made which will contain information about the find and give us more insight into what they think they have found.

Stay tuned.

HT: Todd Bolen, Ferrell Jenkins

He Walked To Jerusalem

Frequent readers of this blog may already recognize the picture above. I have used it a couple of times. It is a picture taken from the Dead Sea Spa Hotel on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. We are looking across the Dead Sea at the cities of Jericho (lower) and the outskirts of Jerusalem (on top of the hill). I like this picture because it helps us to understand passages better. For instance, consider this verse:

When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. - Luke 19:28

This verse follows the account of Jesus' interaction with Zacchaeus in Jericho. It is only 13 words long and simply says that he went "up to Jerusalem". Although the passage doesn't mention how he went up, we can probably safely assume that he walked. He walked to Jerusalem.

The elevation of Jerusalem is around 2500 feet ABOVE sea level. The elevation of Jericho is around 800 feet BELOW sea level. The distance between the two cities is about 12-14 miles (depending on the exact path that you took). This picture was taken in late April, which is a little after the time of year of which this passage is written. The latter rainy season has ended, so there is nothing but clear skies.

14 miles. Uphill. In the direct sunlight. He walked. And, of course, He knew that He was walking to his death.

Knowing the land of the Bible helps you understand the Bible.

Perhaps in later posts, I'll talk about more paths that were walked in the Bible.

Abel Beth Maacah

To begin, let me encourage everyone to sign up for Todd Bolen's Bible Places blog. (I mention him, as well as others on the "Resources" page of my website.) Every week, he and his writers supply great information about many of the places in the Bible. One of the writers is a gentleman by the name of Seth Rodriquez. Every week, he posts a "Picture of the Week". This week's picture is an aerial picture of Abel Beth Maacah. I will let you read his blog to learn all of the locations in the Bible where this city is mentioned. I have never been in a plane and seen this tel from the angle of this picture, but I have driven around it a couple of times. I enjoy seeing this particular location. It is often overlooked by tour groups. Groups often drive through the upper Hula Valley on Highway 90 to Kiryat Shmona, but then turn east on Highway 99 to get to sites such as Tel Dan and Banias. But, if you travel just a little farther north on Highway 90, you can see this beautiful location.

Here are some links to some other posts of mine about Abel Beth Maacah Abel Beth Maacah Excavations at Abel Beth Maacah 2012 Israel Trip - Day Four

This year's excavations are about to start at the site. So, I'm looking forward to seeing what they find.

Wheat in Israel

Sometimes, I read a story in the Bible and it causes me to laugh. Recently, I was in a study of the Judges, and I was reminded of one of the accounts of Samson.

After a while, in the time of wheat harvest, it happened that Samson visited his wife with a young goat. And he said, “Let me go in to my wife, into her room.” But her father would not permit him to go in. Her father said, “I really thought that you thoroughly hated her; therefore I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister better than she? Please, take her instead.” And Samson said to them, “This time I shall be blameless regarding the Philistines if I harm them!” Then Samson went and caught three hundred foxes; and he took torches, turned the foxes tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails. When he had set the torches on fire, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and the standing grain, as well as the vineyards and olive groves. - Judges 15:1-5

This story just made me laugh. If there is a universal truth it is this: When it comes to girls, guys act crazy some times.

But, as you can read from the story, this takes place during the time of the wheat harvest. In Israel, the wheat is usually harvested in late May or June. In 2010, I saw a beautiful field of wheat in the Valley of Harod that was only a couple of weeks from being harvested. These fields are very common in a number of areas around Israel, but in particular in and around the Jezreel Valley and in the Shephelah.

We also read of wheat in the story of Ruth:

And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.” So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law. - Ruth 2:22-23

The Sower

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” - Matthew 13:3-9

For all of you who said such kind things to my family over the last few days, thank you.

The Cilician Gates

Bible students contemplate lines on maps that indicate the route scholars believe Paul took on his second journey. These lines on Bible maps are not simply a “best guess” at the route of Paul. There is evidence to support the geographical markings, and this evidence is obvious if the Bible student has some familiarity with the geography and the recent discoveries in the area. For instance, the Bible tells us that Paul left from Antioch and “went through Syria and Cilicia…” (Acts 15:41) That tells us the general area Paul passed through, but to understand his route, we must study the landscape. The Taurus Mountains lie between Antioch and Cilicia, and many of those peaks are rocky and rise above 10,000 feet, making the area extremely difficult to cross. However, on closer inspection, you will notice that there is a gap in the mountains. This gap is referred to as the “Cilician Gates”. It allows for much easier passage though the area than any other place in close proximity. The Cilician Gates are only about 30 miles south of Tarsus, which was one of the great crossroad cities of the time. The apostle Paul referred to Tarsus as “…no mean (insignificant) city…” (Acts 21:39), partially due to the fact that it was located so close to this route through the Taurus Mountains.

Even today the major highway of the area follows a route in the only gap in the Taurus Mountains in the area…the Cilician Gates. This is the way people crossed this territory between Antioch and Tarsus in Bible times, and the way it is crossed today.

Khirbet Qeiyafa

This morning, a new short film has debuted on the Internet. It is called "Khirbet Qeiyafa" and discusses the recent archaeology surrounding a site on the northern side of the Elah Valley in Israel. The film debuted on Luke Chandler's blog site and it is one that I encourage you to watch. The interesting thing about archaeology is that we are continually learning about past civilizations. And, as more and more dirt is moved away, the more that we learn.

In Israel, this is a beautiful site. While there, you can open up your Bible, read the story of David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17, and the whole story comes to life.

If you are interested in traveling with Luke Chandler, he is planning a trip to Italy this fall. I'm sure that he would enjoy having you join him.

More Maps of the Bible Lands

I love good maps. I think that I might have mentioned that before. When I'm not reading my Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary or Satellite Bible Atlas, I usually looking at Google Maps.

Well, Google Maps has decided to enhance their product just a little bit. About a week ago, I read a tweet from Google concerning their new version of the popular mapping program. Since it is still in beta, you had to sign up and wait for an invitation before getting in. Last night, I received my invitation. It walked me through a tutorial of some of the features. It was interesting, but I wasn't really interested in finding the best sushi restaurant in San Francisco.

I set my sight on the Bible Lands. And, I was not disappointed. While Google does not have the same quality of imagery of Israel and the West Bank as they do of the United States, I was still impressed. They also have a feature that will allow you to see the terrain the three dimensions. Which, in my opinion, makes this a valuable tool for your Bible classes or in your personal study.

Let me give you a few examples. (You can click on the images to see a larger version of the pictures.)

First, here is a view looking east across the Sea of Galilee. In the foreground you can see the Plain of Gennesaret, Mount Arbel and the city of Tiberias. On the eastern side of the sea, the terrain rises sharply as you go into the Golan Heights.

In the second picture, we are again looking across the Sea of Galilee, but toward the north. You can see the city of Tiberias to your left, the Plain of Gennesaret and the northern shore where the city of Capernaum is located. You can follow the Jordan Rift Valley north from the Sea until you reach Mount Hermon far in the distance.

Next, we have an picture of the western side of the Dead Sea. In the foreground, you can see Herod's fortress of Masada. For everyone that has been to Masada, you have probably stood on the northern end of the plateau and taken almost this exact same picture. (And, for those of you who have a mental image of the Dead Sea that appears to be "dead", think again. The water in the Dead Sea is really that color of blue.)

Finally, we have a picture looking east down the Valley of Elah. This valley is mostly known as the location where David slew the Philistine giant, Goliath. In the story, the Israelites were on the ridge on the left side of the picture, and the Philistines occupied the ridge to the right. Running through the middle of the valley is a stream, which is where the young David picked up his ammunition for his battle. The two warriors met in that valley.

I'm looking forward to finding other sites and seeing how they are depicted. While this is no replacement for seeing actual photographs or especially visiting these sites for yourself, it is a wonderful resource that should be used by every Bible student.