Maps for Advent: The Hope of the World Enters History

Week 1 > The Historical Context: A People in Exile · The Land of Exile· Galilee throughout Bible Times Week 2 > The Present Reality: The Fullness of Time · Palestine under Roman Rule· The Ministry of John the Baptist· Nazareth and Its Surroundings Week 3 > The Arrival of Hope: God with Us · […]

Solomon’s Enemies

1 Kings 11 Solomon ruled over a powerful kingdom that brought him great wealth, but he allowed his many wives to lead his heart astray to worship the gods of other nations. Many of these wives were likely given to him by foreign rulers to seal political alliances (e.g., 1 Kings 3:1). Because of Solomon’s […]

David Defeats the Ammonites and the Arameans

2 Samuel 8:1-8; 10:1-19; 12:21-31; 1 Chronicles 18:2-11; 19:1-19; 20:1-3 The accounts of David’s greatest military victories stand like bookends around the record of David’s most grievous sins. Sometime after David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem and the Lord promised to establish his dynasty over Israel, David achieved a series of victories […]

Why Does Bible Geography Matter?

If you are reading this post, chances are you already understand the importance of understanding context–particularly Bible geography–when reading the Bible. But the value of knowing Bible geography is often difficult to convey to others, because they are not yet aware of all that they are missing when they read the Bible without a sense […]