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 · […]
Category Archives: Babylonian Period
Judah Is Exiled to Babylon
Daniel 1; 2 Kings 24-25; 2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 39; 52 One of the most significant events in the story of the Old Testament is the exile of Judah to Babylon in 586 B.C. This event–actually the third in a series of exiles to Babylon (the others occurring in 605 B.C. and 597 B.C.)–precipitated several […]
Borders of the Promised Land
The borders of the Promised Land are described by Moses in Numbers 34 (see also Deuteronomy 1:1-8), and hundreds of years later during the Judean exile in Babylon the prophet Ezekiel essentially repeated this same description as he looked ahead to the restored kingdom of God’s people (Ezekiel 47:13-23). The borders included the land of […]
Rainfall in the Ancient Near East
Throughout biblical history, one of the most tangible demonstrations of the Lord’s goodness to his people is seen in his provision of rain (Leviticus 26:4; Deuteronomy 11:11-17; 28:12; 1 Samuel 12:17-18; 1 Kings 8:35-36; 2 Chronicles 6:26-27; 7:13; Ezra 10:9; Job 5:10; 37:6; Psalm 68:9; 135:7; 147:8; Isaiah 5:6; 44:3; Jeremiah 3:3; 5:24; 10:13; 14:4-22; […]
Aram and the City of Damascus
Throughout the Old Testament the term Aram is used to reference various people groups inhabiting the Levant, and their political power and loyalties changed frequently over the centuries. The Bible first mentions the people of Aram in the Table of Nations and designates them as descendants of Shem (Genesis 10:22-23). Later Abraham traveled with his […]