Podcasts about judean

The fate of the Persian empire—and possibly the Judean people—hang in the balance and in the persuasive power of one ordinary woman. Bestselling author Tessa Afshar shares from her book "The Peasant King."   Originally aired November 27, 2023  Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: click here 

Welcome back to season eleven with Aramaic Word of the day: "Laahana" which means My Vacation or my Rest i pray you are enjoying these short in depth aramaic words that shaped first century mindset of the early followers of Yeshua and deepen our understanding for Today by learning the aramaic language  The Western word “vacation” comes from Latin vacare “to be empty, free.” In the Western world, vacation often means:"Stopping work so I can rest, escape, or entertain myself." In Aramaic, we don't say “vacation.” That's a modern word, born from the idea of escaping work, escaping responsibility, escaping noise. But in our tongue, the word is (Laahna). It means rest, yes but not the way the West imagines it. Laahna is soul-rest. It's not absence of work. It's the presence of stillness. Not a schedule-free week, but a heart returned to rhythm. You see, Westerners plan their “vacations” like military operations: flights, hotels, bucket lists. They miss what our ancestors knew: real rest begins inside. Laahna is what Yeshua did on the seventh day not because He was tired, but because He was satisfied. But in the Eastern (Semitic) mindset, the concept of “vacation” is not absence of duty, but presence of restoration, purpose, and inner stillness. As a guide from the Judean hills and the alleyways of Jerusalem, I've walked with many pilgrims well, they call themselves “tourists.” They come with cameras and checklists, ready to “see the Holy Land,” but often miss something far holier: rest. I've watched travelers rush through the Garden of Gethsemane, take a photo, and say, “Done!” But did they ever sit under the olive trees and breathe? Did they let the silence speak? That silence is Lahna. It's what Elijah found on Mount Horeb not in the wind or the earthquake, but in the still, small voice. Laahna is restoration, not recreation. It's when your insides are aligned again. That's why Yeshua said, “Come to me, all who are weary and I will give you rest. Not a sabbatical from your job. A homecoming to your purpose. This is not simply about physical exhaustion it's about being weary in your being, tired from the weight of life, expectations, and performance. Yeshua wasn't offering a Mediterranean cruise. Yeshua was offering Laahna a rest that reorders the soul and returns you to the rhythm of Eden. I live in Texas now, in a small space with no office but back home in Jerusalem, even our stones breathe history. Even our desert has rhythm. I take the train sometimes just to write, to slow my soul down, to remember that Laahna is not about location. It's about intention. So next time you think of coming to Israel not for a vacation, but for something deeper remember Laahna. Come not just to see the land, but to let the land see you. Come not just to hear the stories, but to let your story be rewritten by sacred stillness. Because the Holy Land doesn't just want your footsteps. It wants your quiet. It wants your confession. It wants your transformation. Think of it as a Laahna moment. A pause not of emptiness, but of presence  where the land  doesn't just receive you, but recognizes you. You don't come here merely to see ruins or landscapes. You come to be seen by olive trees that have outlived empires, by waters that have heard the whispers of prophets, by hills that still hold the echo of Yeshua's footsteps. In the West, we “go on vacation” to escape. But in the East, we withdraw to return. To withdraw, like Elijah to the cave. Like Yeshua to the wilderness. Like monks to the Judean cliffs where the silence isn't empty, it's full of God. So come not to walk where Jesus walked but to walk with Him again, in your own inner desert. Let the stories of Scripture stop being museum pieces and start becoming mirrors  where your soul sees what it forgot. Finally my prayers to you let Laahna not vacation be your guide. Not rest from work, but return and rest Laahna to what you were made. The Land is waiting for you in 2026, and i pray i will be your guide. you can check my Signature tour by going to my website twinsbiblicalacademy.com see you soon!   

In this episode, we venture just 15 minutes from Jerusalem into the heart of the Judean desert to discover one of Israel's hidden gems: the spring of Ein Prat. Flowing quietly through the rugged cliffs, magical pools, canyons, gorges and ancient pathways, Ein Prat is more than just a natural spring-it's a place where history, nature and spirit meet. One of our favorites!

Welcome to season eleven Aramaic Word of the day: Noura — Fire. As a Middle Eastern guide shaped by the ancient stones of Jerusalem, I often stand by a campfire in the Judean hills and watch the flames dance alive, unpredictable, and warm. That fire, in Aramaic, is Noura. But it is not just physical heat or chemical reaction. No In our world the Semitic world Noura is presence. It is life, purification, judgment, revelation, and divine encounter. Noura as Manifestation In the Bible, Noura is how God appears not in abstraction, but in relational intensity. Think of Exodus 3: “The bush was burning with fire but it was not consumed.” Noura is theophany - God made visible. But Western thinking? It reduces fire to a thing. An element. A force to be studied, measured, and controlled. Fire in science labs. Heat on thermostats. A survival tool. In our world, fire is not tamed it is encountered. Noura as Purification In Semitic thought, Noura purifies. Daniel's friends in the furnace (Daniel 3) weren't burned they were cleansed. Fire revealed their faith and the presence of the divine Fourth Man walking with them. Fire is not punishment; it is refinement. Western theology often frames fire as hellfire, destruction, and fear. “You will burn if you fail.” But the Aramaic heart sees Noura as the flame that refines gold, not the one that destroys straw. Fire tests. It does not torment. It reveals. Noura and Light The root of Noura is also tied to light. The fire of God gives vision. In Psalm 119, the word is a lamp to my feet that's Noura guiding the soul through darkness. In Western thought, light is often symbolic of knowledge illumination of the mind. Think Enlightenment, progress, reason. But in our Semitic walk, light is relational clarity, not just cognitive. It's how you see God, not just how you learn facts. In Aramaic, to have Noura is not to know more it's to walk closely. Noura in the Heart When the disciples walked with Yeshua on the road to Emmaus, they said: “Did not our hearts burn within us?” (Luke 24:32). That is Noura not intellectual persuasion but heart ignition. A Middle Eastern man does not say, “I agree with your argument.” He says, “My heart burns.” That's how we know truth—by inner fire. In contrast, Western thought often seeks truth through cold logic and philosophical systems. But our ancestors knew: if the truth does not burn, it is not yet alive. My brother, my sister have you experienced Noura? Not just the warmth of emotion, but the fire that reveals, refines, and invites you closer? Ask yourself: Is the Word just ink on a page, or is it fire in your bones? Is your theology cold, or does it set hearts ablaze? My hope is this:That you no longer fear fire, but welcome it.That the presence of Noura in your life would not consume you,but illuminate the face of the One who walks beside you in the furnace. Please always remember that the fire of God is not against you. It is for you. Come closer to the fire in your heart.  For more in depth studies check our website: www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com 

Welcome to season eleven Aramaic Word of the day As an Israeli guide who's spent years walking the dusty roads of ancient Galilee and praying beneath the arches of many monasteries, I often pause when I hear Western believers speak of the "Holy Spirit." They say Spirit, and I nod but my heart whispers: Ruḥa You see, in the Aramaic world of Jesus, Ruḥa isn't just “spirit” the way the Western, Indo-European mind understands it as something abstract, immaterial, or metaphorical. In the West, shaped by Greek dualism and Enlightenment rationalism, “spirit” is often divorced from breath, body, and movement. It becomes a concept something to analyze, categorize, and sometimes, to doubt. But in the Semitic world — in Aramaic — Ruḥa is breath. It is wind. It is life itself. Ruḥa comes from the verb (raḥ) to blow, to exhale, to cause movement. Every time someone in ancient Israel said Ruḥa, they were speaking of something felt  the stirring of a breeze across your skin, the warm exhale of a mother over her newborn child, the final sigh of a man at death, and the first gasp of a baby at birth in the Aramaic mindset, Ruḥa is never separated from action. It's not a distant, ethereal presence it is the invisible that moves the visible. Like the wind over the Sea of Galilee, it cannot be seen, but its power is always known by what it stirs. Now compare this with the Western idea. In Indo-European thought take Latin spiritus, or Greek pneuma we begin to move toward abstraction. Spiritus is elevated, intellectual, something more philosophical than personal. The body is often seen as separate or even lesser. But in Semitic thinking, and especially in Aramaic, there is no separation between the breath of God and the life of a human. The two are intertwined. God's Ruḥa animates us moment by moment. That's why when Yeshua breathed on His disciples in John 20:22 — “And he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit”  the Aramaic understanding is not metaphorical. It is literal. The breath of the risen one is the Spirit. He didn't give them a “doctrine of pneumatology.” He gave them His Ruḥa His presence, power, and nearness in breath. Let me tell you something I've learned from standing in the prayer caves of the Judean desert in Qumran. If you quiet your soul enough, you can feel the Ruḥa there not because it's emotional, but because it's reeal. The Aramaic word doesn't ask, “What is the Spirit?” It asks, “Where is the Spirit blowing?” And that question implies a sacred responsibility: to move with it. Reflect and Breathe My question for you, my friend:Are you walking with the Spirit like an idea, or like a breath? Are you analyzing God or inhaling Him? My hope is that as you learn the language of Jesus, you learn to breathe again with Him. Slowly. Deeply. Without rush. Because Ruha is already within you. All you have to do is listen for the wind. That was the Aramaic word of the Day, for more in depth Aramaic words check our website www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com  

Friends of the Rosary,Today, June 24, is the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist, the precursor and forerunner of the Lord.Along with Jesus and Mary, John the Baptist's nativity is one of the three birthdays on the Church's calendar.John had a special place in God's salvific plan. His conception was a miracle; he was sanctified and cleansed of original sin in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, at the Visitation.Elizabeth was Mary's cousin and Zachary was a priest of the Temple in Jerusalem. As a baby in the womb, John recognized Jesus' presence in Mary's womb when Mary visited Elizabeth soon after the Annunciation. Both women were pregnant at the same time.The Angel Gabriel had visited Zachary and told him that his wife would bear a child, even though she was already past the childbearing age.John was probably born in Ain-Karim, located southwest of Jerusalem. As a young adult, he lived as a hermit in the Judean desert until approximately A.D. 27.At the age of 30, he began preaching on the banks of the Jordan, calling for repentance and baptizing people in the river's waters.When Jesus came to John to be baptized, John recognized Jesus as the Messiah and baptized Him, saying, “It is I who needs baptism from you.”John the Baptist spent his adult life preparing the way for Jesus, proclaiming that “the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.”He preached the baptism of repentance that was necessary to prepare for Christ, the Lamb of God, as he identified Him. He preceded and heralded the Redeemer.John continued to preach after Jesus was baptized, but was imprisoned by Herod Antipas after he denounced the king's adulterous marriage with Herodias, wife of his half-brother Philip.John was beheaded at the request of Salome, daughter of Herodias, dying as a martyr and anticipating Christ Jesus' saving death on the cross.Many came to know Jesus through John, namely the Apostles Andrew and John.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠June 24, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

God didn't call every Judean to return to Jerusalem when Cyrus decreed for them to rebuild the Temple. But those whom he did call accepted it. They returned with everything they needed to rebuild the Temple and reestablish the worship of God. 

Dr. Joan Taylor has spent her career studying first-century Judaism. In this podcast, I have the chance to walk through some of the content of her new book which presents a fuller picture of Jesus as a boy. I think you will find this study and podcast fascinating.Youtube - https://youtu.be/5ObcWJEM_HYAudio - https://andymilleriii.com/media/podcastApple -  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-to-the-story-with-dr-andy-miller/id1569988895?uo=4Here's a link to Joan's book - https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Jesus-Growing-Judean-Turbulent/dp/0310174651If you are interested in learning more about my two video-accompanied courses, Contender: Going Deeper in the Book of Jude andHeaven and Other Destinations: A Biblical Journey Beyond this World , visit courses.andymilleriii.comAnd don't forget about my most recent book, Contender, which is available on Amazon! Five Steps to Deeper Teaching and Preaching - Recently, I updated this PDF document and added a 45-minute teaching video with slides, explaining this tool. It's like a mini-course. If you sign up for my list, I will send this free resource to you. Sign up here - www.AndyMillerIII.com or Five Steps to Deeper Teaching and Preaching. Today's episode is brought to you by Wesley Biblical Seminary. Interested in going deeper in your faith? Check out our certificate programs, B.A., M.A.s, M.Div., and D.Min degrees. You will study with world-class faculty and the most racially diverse student body in the country. www.wbs.eduThanks too to Phil Laeger for my podcast music. You can find out about Phil's music at https://www.laeger.net

Shaena Cantor Abramowitz, an educational leader and mother, shares her remarkable journey from her Modern Orthodox upbringing in New Jersey to living on the Arugot Farm in Israel. Shaena discusses her experiences of making Aliyah, the challenges of finding her bashert at 37, and her unique life raising three young children on a hilltop in the Judean hills. She also touches on the hardships and miracles related to fertility treatment, living through the Intifada, and the current Israeli war. Despite the adversities, Shaena and her husband Ari find deep meaning and purpose in their unconventional life. This heartfelt conversation provides listeners with inspiration and a profound insight into resilience, faith, and the power of community.Facebook Instagram Email01:26 - Childhood and Upbringing03:25 - High School and Seminary Years06:58 - Graduate School and Early Career09:48 - Making Aliyah and Early Experiences in Israel16:16 - Life on a Hilltop: Challenges, Rewards, and Community37:55 - Navigating Fertility Treatments46:20 - Postpartum Challenges and Support01:02:29 - Being An "Older" Parent*For updates and conversations about these episodes, follow me at @talesoftamar on Instagram. You can also reach out to Tamar@tales-of.com with questions, comments, or inquiries, and/or check out my website tales-of.com to learn more about who I am and what I do. If you would like to donate to continue the initiative, please send money via Zelle to tberg93@gmail.comThank you for listening!

John the Baptist Exalts Christ 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison). 25 Now a discussion arose between […]

Daily Dose of Hope May 22, 2025 Day 4 of Week 8   Scripture – Matthew 4:1-11   Prayer:  Holy and Almighty Father, We come to you today with humble hearts.  We know we are broken and need you.  We are weak.  We are vulnerable to temptation.  Lord, fill us with your strength.  Give us your stamina and wisdom.  We can't do this life without you, Lord.  It's in the powerful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.   Welcome back, everyone, to the daily devotional that complements New Hope Church's Bible reading plan.  This is the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin Matthew 4.   In the first portion of this chapter, Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan.  The Judean wilderness doesn't look like a forest, by any means.  Rather, it is dry, rocky, and hot.  It is more like a desert with rocks.  Let's start by envisioning that.    The first big question is why did the Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness knowing what would happen?  We can assume that this is part of getting Jesus ready for his public ministry.  Jesus has the credentials and the authority, but now he gets to have the experience of coming face to face with evil.  Consider this: He has just been baptized and the Spirit is with him.  Afterall, the Spirit didn't leave him in the desert.  But he then allows himself to be made weak with lack of food.  Remember, Jesus was God but he was also human.  He allows himself to be made physically weak for this purpose – to demonstrate that he could still resist temptation.   Now, he is ready to face his main adversary.  And as you read this, notice that the devil is never in control of the situation.  Jesus is.  He may be weak, tired and hungry, but he is totally in control.  Jesus is strong and ready for each and every temptation.  In this scene, Jesus gives us a powerful picture of how to go into a spiritual battle, leaning totally and completely on the Word of God.    What were the temptations?  There is the temptation to make stones into bread (remember, he was fasting), the temptation to hurl himself down from the top of the Temple and have God rescue him, and the temptation to have political leadership over all the Kingdoms of the world.  Satan's temptations get immediately to the core question of Jesus' identity, calling into question his relationship with God by beginning with, “If you are the Son of God….” This relationship, announced earlier at his baptism, is now confirmed through Jesus' unwavering trust in God.   These temptations in the wilderness are not one-time experiences, they are tests that are preparing Jesus for his earthly ministry.  Jesus is going to be confronted with all kinds of evil.  He will cast out demons.  He will battle Satan on many fronts.  He will face all kinds of physical and emotional pain.  Think about the cross.  This is good news for us.  Jesus has, after all, already gone before us into the most forsaken places in the wilderness.  Jesus has been tempted and won the victory over temptation and Satan.  We can too, with his help.  But he isn't asking us to go anywhere he hasn't already been.   Spiritual warfare is real. At least a quarter of Jesus' ministry dealt specifically with the conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of darkness.  Jesus was God with flesh on and he came to crush Satan under his feet.  On the cross, Jesus has won the victory and the ultimate divine victory is not in doubt.  But the spiritual forces of evil have not totally conceded.  We live in this in between time.  Victory in Jesus Christ is ours.  In the spiritual sense, we possess everything necessary as Kingdom people, we are children of God, redeemed, reconciled, and make right in Christ.  That being said, in this in between time, there will still be spiritual warfare, there are still difficult battles to be fought, there will still be destruction, and there will be casualties.  The apostle John wrote in I John 5:19, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”   And so the church stands its ground and uses everything God has equipped her with to resist evil.  In today's passage, Jesus gives us a great example of how to do this.    When it comes to spiritual warfare, here are some things to consider:   -God has an enemy who is committed to working against his people and his work in this world.    -This isn't really our battle.  It is God's battle.  We are simply joining him in this mission of fighting back darkness.  And we have nothing to fear in the midst of it, as long as we stay close to Jesus.  It's when we start wondering off on our own that we may have problems.  So, submit yourself to God.  The enemy wants to keep you from growing in your walk with Jesus.  Give yourself over to God; stay focused on him.    -As believers, we aren't to go on the offensive but rather to be prepared for a defensive battle.  Stand firm in doing good and obeying God's will.  Stay faithful.  When you do that, you are pushing back darkness. Don't be surprised if the enemy tries to trip you up and make you ineffective.  Keep proclaiming Jesus but expect opposition.  Anytime we do something significant for the Kingdom, expect opposition.    -God will give us the equipment and strength we need to stay strong.  God provides us with everything we need, the Bible, the armor, the protection, and the prayer connection.   -Be careful not to open yourself up to things that are not of God.  There are some things that we think are kind of harmless, like psychics, tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystals, a lot of the new age stuff.  While some of it might have no power, some of it does.  I've known of people who had really powerful and scary experiences with some of this.  At times, it can be really accurate.  Please know that power doesn't come from God.  As Christians, we should not be exposing ourselves to anything that is remotely evil; it isn't something to play around with.  It's serious.    I truly think Satan's attacks are getting more intense at the same time that many western Christians are not taking spiritual warfare seriously at all.  Satan rejoices in self-centered Christianity.  Satan loves the fact that so many of our churches could care less about leading people to Jesus.  But we are at war – we are at war for the souls of our children, our grandchildren, and our greatgrandchildren.  If the Kingdom of Darkness makes the church ineffective, then they are winning the battle.  And the casualties are really huge.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope May 21, 2025 Day 3 of Week 8   Scripture – Matthew 3   Prayer: Amazing Father and Lord, Thank you for who you are.  Thank you for how you care for us.  We get distracted.  We veer away from you and your Word.  For that, we are so very sorry.  Forgive us, Lord.  Help us to abide in you.  Help us to remain close so that we can be fruitful and effective for your Kingdom.  Help us get outside ourselves and see others as you see them.  Lord, we belong to you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are taking a look at Matthew 3.   Matthew begins by quoting from the book of the prophet Isaiah about a messenger who would be sent ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for him.  And this person, Scripture says, is John the Baptist.  We learn from reading other Gospels that John the Baptist is actually Jesus' first cousin.    The whole Judean countryside came out to see John the Baptist.  Picture this, masses of people were leaving their villages and coming into the wilderness (which looks more like desert than forest) to get baptized by John.  But why?  I mean, he was a weird dude, wearing camel hair and eating locusts dipped in wild honey.  He had taken a vow of poverty.  Maybe they wanted to check out this really bizarre guy but that doesn't explain everything.  John was offering them something they desperately needed – good news, forgiveness, cleansing.  And the good news he offered wasn't that they would receive something good when they die, but that there is good news, there is hope, for life right now.  And remember, these were dark days.  The people were yearning for hope.   He also calls out the Pharisees and Sadducees.  He knows their hearts are evil so he refers to them as a brood of vipers.  Vipers are venomous so John is not hiding his dislike.  He is saying that the Pharisees (the religious teachers) and the Sadducees (the wealthy Jewish aristocracy) are evil, deceitful, hypocritical, and connected to Satan.  Those are fighting words. It's surprising John didn't get in trouble right then and there.    But then John says something interesting.  He says that someone else is coming, one more powerful than him, whose sandals he is not worthy to stoop down and untie. That's pretty extreme. I mean, slaves were typically the ones who untied sandals because they were so filthy.  And John says that while he baptizes with water, the one coming after him will baptize with the Holy Spirit.  For those who were listening to John, this may have been scary.  What kind of person would John feel so humbled by?    And then, we meet him.  It's Jesus, whose birth we have just heard about.  He comes to John to be baptized.  John is hesitant.  He knows that Jesus should be baptizing him.  But he relents.  John knows that this needs to happen. Remember, Matthew is clearly pointing out here that Jesus is Messiah and the fulfillment of prophecy for the Jews. Then, there is this beautiful scene, depicting the Trinity, in which God the Father announces his approval of God the Son and then God the Holy Spirit descends as a dove.  There is a voice from heaven, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”   Before we move on in Matthew, let's spend a little bit of time talking about repentance.  The people were coming to John to confess their sins, repent, and receive cleansing.  Every single one of us need that.  When is the last time you have spent time in confession and repentance?  Talk to God right now.  Receive the ultimate cleansing as only he can give.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Mark 1:2-8 2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" - 3 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" 4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."  Discussion Questions 1 Who is someone in your life that helped prepare the way for you? (Spiritually, vocationally, relationally, etc.) 2 Humility before Jesus is vital in our allegiance to Jesus. In your current season of life, what situations, moments, or environments challenge your humility before Jesus and your submission to Jesus the most? 3 Until Jesus returns, we are the construction crew that is preparing the way for the King to enter into the city. Think about your areas of influence and impact. In what ways have you done a good job of preparing the way for Jesus to enter into the hearts and lives of those around you? Where are you/have you struggled? 4 "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30 In what ways does this verse speak most deeply to you in your season of life?

Daily Dose of Hope May 13, 2025 Day 2 of Week 7   Scripture - Mark 15:21-32   Prayer:  Dear Holy God, Your love is amazing.  Thank you for the way you care for us.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us focus on you...Lord Jesus, help us set aside every distraction and take this time to lean on you.  We want to hear your voice.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Happy Tuesday!  Today's Scripture is powerful and we have probably all read it or heard it before.  I hope you were able to slow down and really take time to read it with fresh eyes.  The miracle of Scripture is that we can read it again and again and God can reveal something new to us.   In today's portion of Mark 15, we read about the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It was a horrific death.  He was beaten and mocked by the soldiers, betrayed by his own people, and nailed to a cross to die.  I won't go into the gory details of crucifixion, as you have probably heard them before, but it was a terribly painful and humiliating way to die.   There is one piece of today's text that we often gloss over, but it certainly is significant.  It's about Simon of Cyrene.  Simon was just passing by when he is stopped and forced him to carry Jesus' cross.  Cyrene was on the tip of Africa so this man was far from home.  And here he was, going about his business, and he is enlisted, or more like seized, to carry the cross of the Savior of the world.  I'm guessing that Jesus' physical body was incredibly weak and bloody by this point.  Simon walked by him, carrying the cross that would serve to execute Jesus but also save all humanity from their sin.    We don't know what happened to Simon after the crucifixion.  He isn't mentioned again in Scripture. But my guess is that his life was never the same again.  Afterall, he had an encounter with Jesus. They may have exchanged a few words.  Maybe they glanced at each other.  I believe that Jesus could say a lot with his eyes and facial expressions.  But my guess is that things changed for Simon from that point forward.  After all, he met Jesus.   An encounter with Jesus is always life-changing.  Think about your own life.  How has encountering Jesus affected your world?  Try to think of tangible examples.    Let's move on in the text.  There was a sign above Jesus' head that read, “King of the Jews.”  What did this mean?  It could actually mean a number of things.  First, Pilate was a bit perturbed with the Jews that they wanted him to crucify an innocent man.  Labeling him as the Judean king could have been a way to get a jab in at the Jewish authorities, who totally rejected Jesus' claim of kingship.    But the sign could have also been another way to mock Jesus.  How could a king be crucified?  How could a king experience such levels of humiliation?  This very well could be a way to make fun of Jesus and his followers.  We don't really know Pilate's motivation. And then there are the criminals crucified next to Jesus.  The Scripture said even they reviled Jesus (in Mark's Gospel, we don't have the story about one of the robbers coming to belief in Jesus).  Others were hurling insults at him, leaders and regular people.  I don't know what it is about the human condition that we like to kick people when they are down.  Maybe it makes weak people feel powerful.  I don't know, but it is hard to read.  Nobody understood who he was and why he allowed himself to be executed.  And Jesus' humility and love are amazing.    More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

The Gospels tell us about Jesus' adult life, with scant references to his childhood.We can catch glimpses of the younger Jesus' life, but there's so much we don't know.But if we move beyond the Bible, we can learn about the world the younger Jesus lived in.Growing up a refugee, in a land under foreign occupation, and a region full of militia groups, it's worth asking: How did the turbulent background of the boy Jesus affect His message … and the whole of Christianity?CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant.  Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.(00:08) - - Judea: A difficult province to govern (08:42) - - Herod (16:48) - - Growing up Judean (21:00) - - Was Jesus actually from the line of King David? (29:35) - - The massacre of the innocents (33:31) - - Was Jesus born in Bethlehem? (42:28) - - Jesus the refugee (50:05) - - Growing up in Galilee (01:01:50) - - Jesus the patriot (01:04:44) - - BONUS! Joan Taylor and Monty Python

In this episode of the Judean Book Club, Jeremy Gimpel unpacks Chapter 2 of his book Waking Up: The Judean Way to Start Your Day. What does it mean to be truly happy? From King David to Aristotle to modern psychology, Jeremy explores timeless wisdom on the human pursuit of happiness. Drawing from both Hebrew and Greek traditions, he reveals that genuine fulfillment isn't just about feeling good—it's about growing into your purpose and becoming who you were created to be. Discover why happiness and personal growth are inseparable, and how living as a “good soul” might be life's highest calling. To dive deeper into the teachings of Waking Up, join Jeremy's online course. Click Here: https://thelandofisrael.kartra.com/page/wakingupbyjeremy

In this special episode of the Judean Book Club, we dive into Waking Up: The Ancient Way to Start Your Day — the powerful book that inspired Jeremy Gimpel's newly released course, Waking Up: The Ancient Judean Way To Live With Biblical Faith. While the course explores the overarching themes of practical emunah (faith in action), the book serves as a more intimate guide into the spiritual structure of the Judean morning — rooted deeply in the Hebrew prayers and ancient rhythms of life in the Land of Israel. Join Jeremy as he unpacks the connection between body, soul, and the first moments of the day — where awakening becomes an act of devotion and alignment with divine purpose. Whether you're journeying through the course or discovering the book for the first time, this episode will deepen your understanding of how ancient Jewish wisdom can transform the way we live today. Ready to wake up the Judean way? To register for the online course click here: https://Thelandofisrael.kartra.com/checkout/wakingup

Acts 11 commences with Peter being caused to justify why he baptised Gentiles. We next have a description of the progress of the truth in Antioch in the province of Syria, where believers were first derisively called ‘Christians'. Oneof these faithful believers is a prophet named Agabus. He prophesies of a great famine that would affect the entire Roman world. The disciples of Antioch start a fund to help Judean believers, who were greatly affected and in dire need.In Acts 12 Herod Antipas kills the Apostle James – the year was AD 44. Seeing how much this delighted the Jews Herod has Peter arrested for execution after Passover. Despite being securely chained between guards the angel of the Lord causes a deep sleep to overcome the guards and releases Peter. Peter proceeds to the house where the ecclesia is gathered to pray for his deliverance. A maid named Rhoda answers the door and runs to tell the disciples that Peter was outside. Rhoda is told that she must be mistaken. The disciples say that it must be Peter's “messenger” (Greek angelos- angel). Peter is admitted to the house and he recounts how he had been delivered. James, the half brother of Jesus. was informed and told Peter to secretly depart to a different location where he cannot be found. Herod kills the guards (verses 20-23). The chapter concludes with an account of Herod's narcissistic claims and his being smitten with dysentery by the angel of God and Herod dying verses 20-23. Nonetheless the Word of God exceedingly prevails.

As Jesus Christ grows in favor with God and men, John the Baptist ministers in the Judean wilderness; calling the nation of Israel to repentance. Nathan Pearl teaches through scripture about the life of Jesus Christ as he prepares to begin his ministry.

Welcome to Day 2618 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2618 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 63:1-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2618 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2618 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today's Wisdom Nugget, we continue our journey through the Psalms, ancient prayers, and songs that reveal deep insights about life, faith, and our relationship with God. Today, we arrive at Psalm 63—a passionate and vivid Psalm of longing, trust, and joyful praise. King David wrote this Psalm during a profoundly difficult period, hiding in the Judean wilderness, fleeing either King Saul or perhaps later from his own son, Absalom. Yet in these harsh conditions, David's heart reveals a passionate hunger—not merely for relief or rescue, but for something far greater: an intimate and personal encounter with the living God. So, let's embark on today's journey into Psalm 63:1-11 from the New Living Translation, opening our hearts and minds to discover the wisdom within these verses: Psalm 63:1-11 (NLT) 1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. 7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely. 9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. 10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear to tell the truth will praise him, while liars will be silenced. A Deep Spiritual Thirst (Verses 1-2) David opens Psalm 63 by vividly expressing his deepest spiritual longing: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.” David begins with the deeply personal address: “O God, you are my God.” This isn't merely a theological acknowledgment; it's a passionate, personal declaration of relationship. In Hebrew culture, the phrase indicates covenant intimacy—a committed, deeply personal connection with God Himself. David's physical surroundings in the Judean wilderness—harsh, dry, barren—mirror his spiritual thirst. He compares his inner longing for God to physical thirst in a parched desert. Ancient Israelites understood thirst profoundly—water was scarce, precious, and life-giving. David feels the same intense craving for God's presence. Yet David also remembers vividly his past worship experiences. He recalls being in God's sanctuary, where he experienced God's powerful presence firsthand. These memories fuel...

The Pharaoh Necho has finally turned up at Megiddo (well, his guys have), which isn't so surprising since the Bible says he killed King Josiah there. But this raises questions like, do pots equal peoples? Why did so many Greeks become mercenaries? And why did Judean kings make so many bad decisions? With a shoutout to our late friend and mentor Doug Esse!

Experience the land, culture, and customs surrounding the Bible’s most compelling stories with geographer Dr. Jack Beck in all-new episodes of The Holy Land. Jack Beck (PhD) is the host of the fourth and final season of the 10-episode docu-series The Holy Land: Connecting the Land with Its Stories. Jack helps us understand the land and culture of the bible, so that our reading of the stories are transformed, and our faith is deepened! Jack shares how the green pastures of Psalm 23 weren’t green at all. The sheep were absolutely dependent on the shepherd to lead them to the hiding tufts of grass. Showing us just how dependent we are on the Good Shepherd! Jack shows why Jesus was compelled to go through Samaria to talk with the Samaritan woman at the well. He did it in that exact moment in time to fulfill a 2000 year old promise. What promise was that?? We see that Jesus went to Nain to raise a child from the dead to accomplish an identical miracle that happened in the same place over 1000 years before that. So that the people could begin to understand Jesus’ true identity. Finally Jack shows us that Jesus followed the same path as David when David’s life was threatened. For David he fled past Gethsemane into the safe Judean wilderness. Jesus could have taken that same path to safety. But he chose not to. Why? Also in this episode, Perry shares, “In my early journey with Jesus when I’d fail, I thought, ‘I’ll never change.’ But I don’t believe that anymore. Because I understand something powerful now that I didn’t then.” As Shawna read the story of Jesus’ resurrection it stood out to her that Mary was with Jesus in the garden, and she didn’t know it. And the disciples on the road to Emmaus walked with Jesus and they didn’t know it was him. It made her wonder, “Lord, are there times that you have been right here, and I didn’t know it?”Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshow/wgnbSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to a bonus episode of The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. In today's episode, environment reporter Sue Surkes makes a guest appearance, stepping in for Berman. This is a week of spring holidays, and so we are dedicating the program to some of the biblical flora of the Land of Israel. In honor of Easter, which is celebrated by much of Christendom on Sunday, we begin with a date palm that was brought back from the dead and a plant that resurrects itself. In 2008, Dr. Elaine Solowey germinated a 1,900-year-old date palm seed that took the name Methuselah after the long-lived biblical character. She has since gone on to revive several more ancient seeds, including females that bear fruit. Surkes tells the story of Solowey's amazing success -- and describes how the dates taste. Next, we hear about the Rose of Jericho, which was named for the biblical city of Jericho that constantly rose from its ashes -- and still stands today. It's an extraordinary story of a plant surviving in the harshest of circumstances. We then turn to a tree that is called the Christ-thorn jujube (shezaf). Traditionally, this type of tree was used to create the thorny crown that Jesus wore on his last journey down the Via Dolorosa. Surkes then speaks about the olive tree -- both the last few remaining "wild" variety located near Atlit, and the cultivated variety. She turns to Psalm 128 to show how being acquainted with the flora of the Land of Israel gives a deeper meaning to the text. And finally, we speculate on the Garden of Eden's "forbidden fruit." Was it an apple? Or maybe a fig? Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: Dates harvested from 'Hannah,' the first female palm tree germinated from 2,000 year-old seeds discovered in the Judean desert, are displayed in Kibbutz Ketura in southern Israel, on September 27, 2021. (Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The House of Ahab is destroyed in the North, but its negative influence persists in the Kingdom of Judah. Achaziah fails dramatically and is killed and almost the entire House of David is wiped out by Athaliah in a violent coup.

John 3:22-24 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). John 3:25-26 Now a discussion arose […]

This week, leading up to Easter, we're looking at the most famous trial of all time: the trial of Jesus. It's a courtroom drama like no other, and its outcome changed everything.But what do we actually know about the trial and conviction of Jesus? Was it fair? Was it real?(00:00) - - Intro (05:33) - - Gospel anti-Semitism? (07:45) - - Judea and Galilee (12:54) - - Pontius Pilate (26:02) - - The Sanhedrin (33:30) - - Judean trials (36:37) - - Jesus in Jerusalem (49:13) - - Jesus' final night (51:16) - - The Jewish trial (54:46) - - The Roman trial (01:02:11) - - King of the Jews (01:10:03) - - Five-Minute Jesus (01:13:13) - - Are the trials historically plausible? (01:21:29) - - Why was Jesus crucified?

Jesus didn't enter Jerusalem to be worshipped—he entered to save his disciplesThis Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Was Palm Sunday truly a celebration—or a calculated act of nonviolent resistance? In this special Holy Week kickoff episode, Charlie and Brian explore the radical historical and theological implications of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Was it triumph or tragedy? A step toward divinity or a sacrifice to protect his followers? With deep dives into early Messianic expectations, first-century Judean politics, and a reflection on nonviolent protest, this episode invites you to see Holy Week through new eyes. Plus, a powerful prayer to Mary and an invitation to stand against empire—inspired by the Prince of Peace himself.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.Thank you for Tips / Donations: * https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett * https://patreon.com/cedorsett * https://cash.app/$CreationsPaths* Substack: New to The Seraphic Grove learn more For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com --- A Christopagan Manifesto--- Answer to the Call: A Dream of an Oak ChurchSocial Connections: * BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com * Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths * Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/#Christopagan #CreationSpirituality #ChristianWitch #Paganism #Esoteric #Magic #Druidry #Mysticism #Spirituality #Occult #WitchCraft #Wicca #IrishPaganism #CelticPaganism #Magick #Polytheism #Enchantment #PalmSunday #HolyWeek #ProgressiveChristianity Chapters:00:00 The Rabbi's Plan: Setting the Stage for Palm Sunday00:50 Introduction and Overview of Holy Week01:55 Understanding Palm Sunday: Misconceptions and Historical Context03:44 Jesus' Calculated Entry into Jerusalem08:19 The Power of Nonviolent Protest15:18 Reflections and Modern-Day Applications25:21 Engagement and Support26:33 Prayer to Mary and Closing Thoughts Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe

This month's learning is sponsored by Linda and Jay Marcus in honor of the recent birth of their granddaughter; and the anniversaries and birthdays of their children and grandchildren during Nissan. "בניסן נגאלו ובניסן עתידין להיגאל. May we merit to see the גאולה שלמה במהרה בימינו." Today's daf is sponsored by Lisa Kolodny in honor of Nancy Kolodny's birthday! "So happy you are spending more time in Israel this year, spreading your light, your wisdom and your love to all those around you."  There is a debate about whether Menashe received a portion in the World-to-Come. Rabbi Yochanan brings three drashot in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, each relating to different kings of the Judean kingdom, highlighting how far God goes to allow repentance. He also brought another drasha relating to the disgrace of the Sanhedrin at the time of the Babylonian exile. Rav Chisda says in the name of Rabbi Yirmia bar Abba three statements - one relating to the bad actions of some of the Judean kings, one relating to types of people who are not worthy of receiving the Divine Presence, and one explaining the verses in Tehillim 91:11-13 about evil not coming upon a person. Why is the letter ayin in 'reshaim' suspended above the other letters in the verse in Iyov 38:15? A braita explains that Menashe, Achav, and Yeravam all learned Torah, highlighting that their sins were worse, as they clearly understood the Torah and sinned nevertheless, with full intent. Other braitot suggest that other kings lost their portion in the World-to-Come. Descriptions are brought about some of the bad kings and how their action led to the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash.

This month's learning is sponsored by Linda and Jay Marcus in honor of the recent birth of their granddaughter; and the anniversaries and birthdays of their children and grandchildren during Nissan. "בניסן נגאלו ובניסן עתידין להיגאל. May we merit to see the גאולה שלמה במהרה בימינו." Today's daf is sponsored by Lisa Kolodny in honor of Nancy Kolodny's birthday! "So happy you are spending more time in Israel this year, spreading your light, your wisdom and your love to all those around you."  There is a debate about whether Menashe received a portion in the World-to-Come. Rabbi Yochanan brings three drashot in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, each relating to different kings of the Judean kingdom, highlighting how far God goes to allow repentance. He also brought another drasha relating to the disgrace of the Sanhedrin at the time of the Babylonian exile. Rav Chisda says in the name of Rabbi Yirmia bar Abba three statements - one relating to the bad actions of some of the Judean kings, one relating to types of people who are not worthy of receiving the Divine Presence, and one explaining the verses in Tehillim 91:11-13 about evil not coming upon a person. Why is the letter ayin in 'reshaim' suspended above the other letters in the verse in Iyov 38:15? A braita explains that Menashe, Achav, and Yeravam all learned Torah, highlighting that their sins were worse, as they clearly understood the Torah and sinned nevertheless, with full intent. Other braitot suggest that other kings lost their portion in the World-to-Come. Descriptions are brought about some of the bad kings and how their action led to the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash.

Sunday Bible StudyThe Romans Impact on Christianity Class 4: The Road to the Spread of ChristianityDan CrabtreeOriginal Air Date: 2025.02.23Take a journey and discover what the Romans impact was on Christianity. Dan Crabtree's Bible Study is in four different classes:The Players: Who are the players? Where did they come from? What interaction did they have? There are quite a few players with associated history.The Road to the Cross: How did Rome come to dominate the Judean region and who were their minions? This will talk about the Jewish civil wars during the Hasmonean period and the intervention of the Romans. Then discuss how bitter enemies from the civil wars got together to crucify Christ.The Road to the Temple Destruction: Was the Roman Empire completely responsible for the destruction? Lead up to the destruction of the temple in AD70 and what did the Romans have to do with it? How does one destroy a limestone building with fire? How did the Romans overcome the Jews? The problem with Zealots. What did Josephus have to do with it? And the final conquest of the Jews.The Road to the Spread of Christianity: What part did Rome play in its own transformation from paganism to Christianity? How did a small Jewish sect of about a thousand people, called Christians, explode onto the scene? How did the Romans help them – inadvertently – to accomplish this exponential growth?Service Times are Saturday Evening at 5:30pm and Sunday Morning at 10:30 am. We also offer two Adult Sunday School options at 9:00am.Promiseland Kids Church is available Sunday at 10:30am for Toddler – 5th grade and Youth Sunday School for Jr. and Sr. High.If you have missed a message or are viewing from home, you can catch weekend services on our Facebook page and YouTube by going to www.crossroads-ridgecrest.org, or through the church app. We also have podcasts available by looking up Crossroads Community Church - available on several podcast apps.For questions or information, please contact us at: (760)384-3333 Tuesday – Thursday 10am – 4pm, text (760)301-4840 or email ccc@ccc-rc.org

If you ask any Christian about the life of Jesus, you're likely to get a version of one of the gospels of the New Testament - 90% of the story would concern the final few years of Jesus' life, with a brief mention of his birth in Bethlehem to a virgin and the subsequent flight to Egypt. Historians don't often talk about what Jesus' childhood and adolescence may have looked like, but my guest today is a welcome exception to that rule! Dr. Joan Taylor joins me to talk about her new book, “Boy Jesus: Growing Up Judean in Turbulent Times”.

Sunday Bible StudyThe Romans Impact on Christianity Class 3B: Road to the Temple DestructionDan CrabtreeOriginal Air Date: 2025.02.16Take a journey and discover what the Romans impact was on Christianity. Dan Crabtree's Bible Study is in four different classes:The Players: Who are the players? Where did they come from? What interaction did they have? There are quite a few players with associated history.The Road to the Cross: How did Rome come to dominate the Judean region and who were their minions? This will talk about the Jewish civil wars during the Hasmonean period and the intervention of the Romans. Then discuss how bitter enemies from the civil wars got together to crucify Christ.The Road to the Temple Destruction: Was the Roman Empire completely responsible for the destruction? Lead up to the destruction of the temple in AD70 and what did the Romans have to do with it? How does one destroy a limestone building with fire? How did the Romans overcome the Jews? The problem with Zealots. What did Josephus have to do with it? And the final conquest of the Jews.The Road to the Spread of Christianity: What part did Rome play in its own transformation from paganism to Christianity? How did a small Jewish sect of about a thousand people, called Christians, explode onto the scene? How did the Romans help them – inadvertently – to accomplish this exponential growth?Service Times are Saturday Evening at 5:30pm and Sunday Morning at 10:30 am. We also offer two Adult Sunday School options at 9:00am.Promiseland Kids Church is available Sunday at 10:30am for Toddler – 5th grade and Youth Sunday School for Jr. and Sr. High.If you have missed a message or are viewing from home, you can catch weekend services on our Facebook page and YouTube by going to www.crossroads-ridgecrest.org, or through the church app. We also have podcasts available by looking up Crossroads Community Church - available on several podcast apps.For questions or information, please contact us at: (760)384-3333 Wednesday – Friday 10am – 4pm, text (760)301-4840 or email ccc@ccc-rc.org

In this episode of Bible Talk, the author serves up a sandwich made up of bad Israelite meat and good Judean bread.Bible Talk is brought to you by 9Marks and Southern Seminary. To learn more about Southern Seminary, visit https://www.sbts.edu

Eve Harow took a break from the news and spent a few hours digging at one her favorite sites, Herodian. She interviewed archaeologist Amichai Lifshitz to get some context and just enjoyed a beautiful Judean day. It's about the moments.

Ruth Patir had been, in her own words, an “artist without art” over the past year. Until this week. Patir’s inventive feminist video installation "(M)otherland" was set to debut in the Israel Pavilion at the Venice Biennale last April - under the shadow of protests against the Gaza War and efforts to oust her from the festival. Ultimately, she made a controversial decision to keep the exhibit intact but shuttered behind closed doors, with a note on the door saying: “The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a cease-fire and hostage release agreement is reached.” That never happened throughout the seven months of the Biennale, and, as a result, her work was never seen. As (M)otherland finally meets the public at the Tel Aviv Museum this week, Patir joined Haaretz Podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer to talk about the firestorm in Venice, the challenges for Israeli artists creating during war, and innovative use of motion capture technology and Judean fertility figurines to tell a deeply personal story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sunday Bible StudyThe Romans Impact on Christianity Class 2: Road to the CrossDan CrabtreeOriginal Air Date: 2025.02.09Take a journey and discover what the Romans impact was on Christianity. Dan Crabtree's Bible Study is in four different classes:The Players: Who are the players? Where did they come from? What interaction did they have? There are quite a few players with associated history.The Road to the Cross: How did Rome come to dominate the Judean region and who were their minions? This will talk about the Jewish civil wars during the Hasmonean period and the intervention of the Romans. Then discuss how bitter enemies from the civil wars got together to crucify Christ.The Road to the Temple Destruction: Was the Roman Empire completely responsible for the destruction? Lead up to the destruction of the temple in AD70 and what did the Romans have to do with it? How does one destroy a limestone building with fire? How did the Romans overcome the Jews? The problem with Zealots. What did Josephus have to do with it? And the final conquest of the Jews.The Road to the Spread of Christianity: What part did Rome play in its own transformation from paganism to Christianity? How did a small Jewish sect of about a thousand people, called Christians, explode onto the scene? How did the Romans help them – inadvertently – to accomplish this exponential growth?Service Times are Saturday Evening at 5:30pm and Sunday Morning at 10:30 am. We also offer two Adult Sunday School options at 9:00am.Promiseland Kids Church is available Sunday at 10:30am for Toddler – 5th grade and Youth Sunday School for Jr. and Sr. High.If you have missed a message or are viewing from home, you can catch weekend services on our Facebook page and YouTube by going to www.crossroads-ridgecrest.org, or through the church app. We also have podcasts available by looking up Crossroads Community Church - available on several podcast apps.For questions or information, please contact us at: (760)384-3333 Wednesday – Friday 10am – 4pm, text (760)301-4840 or email ccc@ccc-rc.org

Sunday Bible StudyThe Romans Impact on Christianity Class 1: The PlayersDan CrabtreeOriginal Air Date: 2025.02.02Take a journey and discover what the Romans impact was on Christianity. Dan Crabtree's Bible Study is in four different classes:The Players: Who are the players? Where did they come from? What interaction did they have? There are quite a few players with associated history.The Road to the Cross: How did Rome come to dominate the Judean region and who were their minions? This will talk about the Jewish civil wars during the Hasmonean period and the intervention of the Romans. Then discuss how bitter enemies from the civil wars got together to crucify Christ.The Road to the Temple Destruction: Was the Roman Empire completely responsible for the destruction? Lead up to the destruction of the temple in AD70 and what did the Romans have to do with it? How does one destroy a limestone building with fire? How did the Romans overcome the Jews? The problem with Zealots. What did Josephus have to do with it? And the final conquest of the Jews.The Road to the Spread of Christianity: What part did Rome play in its own transformation from paganism to Christianity? How did a small Jewish sect of about a thousand people, called Christians, explode onto the scene? How did the Romans help them – inadvertently – to accomplish this exponential growth?Service Times are Saturday Evening at 5:30pm and Sunday Morning at 10:30 am. We also offer two Adult Sunday School options at 9:00am.Promiseland Kids Church is available Sunday at 10:30am for Toddler – 5th grade and Youth Sunday School for Jr. and Sr. High.If you have missed a message or are viewing from home, you can catch weekend services on our Facebook page and YouTube by going to www.crossroads-ridgecrest.org, or through the church app. We also have podcasts available by looking up Crossroads Community Church - available on several podcast apps.For questions or information, please contact us at: (760)384-3333 Wednesday – Friday 10am – 4pm, text (760)301-4840 or email ccc@ccc-rc.org

John 3:22-36,After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Okay, to get started here, I need you to use your imagination for a minute. Imagine that you're in a helicopter and you're flying over Jerusalem — say the helicopter is an eyewitness news station that you're a part of — and so you're flying over Jerusalem to see what's going on — also it's the year 28 (so there's some time travel involved here, but you're using your imagination). Well, you're flying over Jerusalem, over the outskirts, in an area known as the Judean countryside, and you look down and you see a little pocket of people — there's a leader and some followers — and more people are coming to them and they're dunking them in the water.Then you fly up a little more north of Jerusalem, in the countryside and you notice another little pocket of people — there's a leader and some followers — and they're also dunking people in the water.You realize you've seen, basically, two identical pockets of people: two different groups led by two different men in two different areas outside of Jerusalem but they're doing the same thing — that's the setting of our passage today. That's how John, the writer of this Gospel, sets this story up. But now imagine that you jump out of the helicopter (with a parachute) and you come down to one of these pockets of people — and it's the group led by John the Baptist — and you overhear a dialogue.There had been a discussion between a Jewish man and the disciples of John the Baptist about purification — that's all we're told in verse 25 — but apparently that discussion sparked some confusion for the disciples of John the Baptist and so they came to John the Baptist to talk with him in verse 26 and here is where the real action starts. And there are three main things going on here that John, the writer of this Gospel, wants us to see. And I think that if we can track with these three things then we will understand this passage. So three things, really simple:Questions ContinueMission CompleteJesus ClearWe're gonna look closer at each of these three things and we're gonna find in each one there's something for us to take away. There's some practical connections that we need to make. So I'll pray again and we'll get started. Father, you are good and you do good things. Even in the midst of our hard things, we know that you're at work and you do not make mistakes. We ask that you give us now everything we need, to hear from you and to trust you, in Jesus's name, amen. 1. Questions ContinueNow there's not a question mark in verse 26, but these disciples of John the Baptist are bringing a question. Look at verse 26,And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”So these guys had found out about that other pocket of people outside of Jerusalem which was led by Jesus, and they found out that they were doing the exact same thing that John the Baptist and his pocket of people were doing — and these guys were confused by that. Now some have read this and assumed that the disciples of John the Baptist are jealous here; that interpretation assumes they don't like the fact that more people are now going to Jesus than to John. And that could be true, but I don't think that's what's going on. Notice that these guys recognize in verse 26 that Jesus is the one John the Baptist bore witness to back in Chapter 1. They're saying: Hey, that guy that you were telling us about — the one that you said some pretty amazing things about — he's over there doing what we're doing. See, the implied question is: If the one you said you were here to point to is now doing what you're doing, why are you still doing it? (This is the question at least that John the writer wants us to wonder as we read this story.)Don't get too distracted by the details of verse 26 because it's really just there to set up what John the Baptist is about to say in verses 27–30, and the main thing we should see here is that the reality of Jesus raises questions. We've already seen this in the Gospel of John. Everywhere Jesus goes, there's more questions. In Chapter 1: Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?At the wedding, Chapter 2: Why have we kept the good wine for the end? At the temple: Who do you think you are to bring this mayhem?Then, Nicodemus: Can a grown man enter into his mother's womb a second time and be born?We've already seen Jesus raise questions, and here questions continue (and they're gonna keep coming), but at this point, let's drill down into what the question is. Basically, these guys are asking: since Jesus is now here, what do we do?You get that? They're asking: How do we make sense of what we're doing in light of the reality of Jesus?To Ask EverydayAnd I want you to know that question has never stopped being asked — in fact, that's a question we should ask ourselves today. How does Jesus being Jesus change the way I live?And first, we might think broadly about the whole course of our lives and all of our big decisions. If it were not for Jesus, things would look very differently for most of us (I know that's true for me!) — but let's not settle with that broad kind of thinking. Take another step. For example, you might first think … “Because of Jesus I'm a mother.” Okay, yes, but it's more than that. Because of Jesus you want to be a certain kind of mother. What kind? How does Jesus being Jesus make you a certain kind of mother?Another example: “Because of Jesus, I give” — and that's great, but take another step. How does Jesus being Jesus impact the ways you give, and how much you give, and to where?One more example: You might think: “Because of Jesus, there are certain things I don't do” — and that's good, but how does Jesus being Jesus change the way you use your time? What do you give your energy to? How do you think about your purpose?See, the fact is: Jesus has come! Jesus is real. It's like he's right over there. So what do we do now? Today? Tomorrow? The next day? Since Jesus is Jesus, how should we live?The questions continue. And that's the question for us. The second thing to track in this passage is …2. Mission CompleteThis is in verses 27–30 where John the Baptist answers his followers, and what he does here is he gives the concluding explanation of his ministry. Like in Chapter 1, he says again, one more time, what he's all about. He starts with verse 27:“A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” Now that's a true statement all across the board. Every gift we have is ultimately from God. But John is saying this here about what God has called him to do. He's had one job this whole time — to point people to Jesus. That's the job God gave John the Baptist to do, and he says he's done it.He says to his followers, Hey, you guys can vouch for me. You've heard me say, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.You're telling me that all are going to him — and they should be! This is the point. Jesus is the bridegroom; I'm just the friend of the groom, verse 29.And just like that, John the Baptist uses a wedding metaphor. And this is important. When he mentions the “friend of the groom” here he's talking about the best man. That's the idea. That's how John the Baptist understood himself. He is Jesus's best man.Have any of y'all ever been to a wedding when after the ceremony, at the reception or wherever, there's a big receiving line?Well, have y'all ever seen it that when people are lining up to meet the bride and groom, the best man is over in the corner of the room, and he's trying to get people to form a line to see him? Ever seen that before? Have you ever heard of a best man who is confused that people wanna see the groom?Of course not! This is a perfect image, John!For those of you who have a wedding this summer — a lot of you, actually — understand this: the best man has one job. (Now I know today he does a couple of things — there's the ring and the speech and all that — but traditionally, the best man had one job). He was to make sure the groom gets to the wedding. That's it. That's what he's for. And when the groom gets there, the best man is done. “This joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”See, this is the fadeout moment for John the Baptist. And his whole ministry has been looking forward to this. He's known the whole time it's not about him. His one job has been to prepare the way for Jesus — to clear the way for us to see Jesus — and John the Baptist says here, “I've done it. Mission complete.”And I'm so happy for him! I love that he experienced this! I love that he says mission complete, but it makes me wonder: Do you think we'll ever say that?Our Mission NowJohn the Baptist was able to begin his ministry with the end in mind, and here he's reached the finish line. He did it. But when it comes to our mission, is it possible for us to experience that in this life?At one level, no. When we think of the mission Jesus has given us — “make disciples of all nations” — one day that mission will be complete, but not here. Technically, mission complete for us comes in the New Jerusalem, in heaven.So then what does that mean for now? Like for now, are we just spinning our wheels trying to climb a mountain we'll never reach?If that's how we think about our mission, that's pretty depressing and non-compelling.So think about it like this: although we may not see the full mission complete in our lifetime, the things we do today on mission have an eternal impact. Our actions have eternal consequences. They matter.As a local church, last year we focused in on our mission — we exist to make joyful disciples of Jesus who remember his realness in all of life.This means that we don't just want ourselves to be happier in God, but we want more people in the Twin Cities to be happy in God! That's over 3.7 million people! That's gonna take some time and look, we probably won't get there in the next 50 years. And that's okay. It's not our responsibility to do it all, but we are responsible for a part.Our cities are full of lost people who must be found, and hopeless people who must find hope, and drowning people who must be saved — and we have a life boat. And we can and should make a difference. One day, in heaven, it will be mission complete for us like it is for John the Baptist here … but that mission complete does come in part through what we do now. Questions continue …Mission complete …3. Jesus ClearThis is verses 31–36, and it's where John, the writer of this Gospel, speaks up with his own commentary. Now that John the Baptist has officially faded out, John the writer wants us to focus in all the more on Jesus. Like he did in Chapter 1, John here tells us who Jesus is. He tells us seven truths about Jesus:Jesus is above all (v. 31)Jesus has seen and heard from God the Father (v. 32)Jesus utters the words of God the Father (v. 34a)Jesus has been given the Spirit without measure by God the Father (v. 34b)Jesus is loved by God the Father (v. 35a)Jesus has been given all things by God the Father (v. 35b)Jesus, therefore, elicits a consequential response (vv. 33, 36)You can track each one of these in order, but I'm just gonna highlight one here in closing (one and a half). It's in verse 34, and I want you to see this — I also wanna make sure you're still with me. So everybody, if you can, find verse 34. Verse 34,“For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.”Now, when John is telling us about Jesus here, he's doing it in contrast to John the Baptist. Remember John the Baptist was an Old Testament prophet, and John wants us to know that Jesus was much greater than just a prophet — he comes from above, and he's not just told what to say, but he's actually seen and heard directly from God the Father because he's been with the Father forever. So what Jesus says, the Father says, “for” or “because” the Father gives Jesus the Spirit without measure. That's also meant to be a contrast with John the Baptist, or really with any prophet. It was commonly understood in the Jewish worldview that as God spoke through the prophets, God gave a measure of his Spirit to each prophet for their assigned task. Every prophet received the measure of the Spirit that was required for their assignment.Well John is saying that it's different with Jesus. He's more than a prophet. He doesn't just receive a bit of the Spirit for a one-off job, but he's been given the Spirit without limit. His job never ends. Jesus is constantly, always, revealing God to us. He's always making God known. He's always the way back to a relationship with God. And the Spirit is always with Jesus doing that work. The Spirit was doing that work when Jesus was here on this earth, and the Spirit is still doing that work today, as the message of Jesus continues to be told. One way to say it is that anywhere Jesus is made clear, the Spirit is at work. Closer Than a Copter ViewAnd that elicits a consequential response. This is verse 36. And it's really simple: Whoever believes in Jesus has eternal life; whoever does not obey him — does not believe him — the wrath of God remains on him.That's verse 36, which means we all have to make a choice about Jesus. Whenever we hear about Jesus we come to a fork in the road: will we believe him or not?Those are the only two options for us when we encounter Jesus. And this book has been written so that we encounter him. See, a lot of times in life, we can try to stay with only that helicopter view of Jesus. We kinda see him from afar, we know about him, but we don't wanna get too close to him. We don't wanna have to make a choice about him. But the Gospel of John doesn't let us do that. This book gives us closer than a helicopter view. This book brings Jesus right here in front us. John is all about making Jesus clear to us — and we should choose him. Believe him. Trust him. Questions continue.Mission complete.Jesus clear.That's what's going on in this passage, and that's what brings us to the Lord's Table.The TableWe come to this Table each week, first, because Jesus told us to — he told us to come to this table and remember his death for us. The bread represents the body of Jesus, and the cup represents his blood, and as we eat and drink this bread and cup we are saying together that Jesus is our hope. That's why this is a meal for Christians.If you're here this morning and you're not yet a Christian or if you're not sure, I'm so glad you're here and I invite you, Put your faith in Jesus! Believe him! — and I'd love to talk with you more about that. I'll hang out down here after the service as usual. Come talk to me.So for those who believe, if you trust in Jesus Christ, let's eat and drink together and give him thanks.

Welcome to Bible Fiber, where are we encountering the textures and shades of the biblical tapestry. I am Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, a Christian organization devoted to sharing the story of the people of Israel, both ancient and modern. This week we are studying Ezekiel 35 and 36. In the previous chapter, Yahweh restated his loyalty to the covenant people as a nation. In Chapters 35 and 36, he reasserts his commitment to the land of Israel. Mount Seir                  God instructs the prophet to direct his prophecy against Mount Seir (35:1-3). As the capital of Edom, Mount Seir represents the descendants of Esau, Israel's perpetual foe. This oracle seems out of place, as God has already declared punishment for Edom in the Oracles Against the Nations (25:12-14). Why is Ezekiel reiterating God's disapproval of Edom when this could have been tacked on to Chapter 25's mini-oracle? The answer lies in the literary structure of the entire book. In the judgment portion of Ezekiel's message, God instructed him to prophesy against the mountains of Israel (6:1-3). The mountains, hills, valleys, and ravines would all experience God's wrath for hosting idol-worshiping Israelites with their pagan shrines and altars. In Ezekiel's salvation portion, however, he reverses the curse on Israel's mountains by shifting the punishment to Mount Seir.Certainly, the exiled audience heard reports of the Edomites encroaching on their abandoned properties and capitalizing on Jerusalem's misfortune. They plundered the city, captured Judean refugees, and handed them over to the Babylonians. While Israel suffered in exile, Edom seemed to thrive. The Edomites aimed to annex the land of both Israel and Judah, which Ezekiel refers to as the “two nations” and “two countries” (35:10). The Abrahamic land promise had been denied to their patriarch, Esau, in favor of Jacob, fueling their resentment. Israel's exile led the Edomites to believe they could finally reclaim the birthright they felt was unjustly taken from them. God condemned their lack of compassion for Israel during its most tragic moments, declaring he would destroy Edom because they “cherished an ancient enmity and gave over the people of Israel to the power of the sword” (35:5). Their actions during the Babylonian assault displayed a sense of betrayal due to their kinship with Israel.The Edomites' actions during Jerusalem's conquest particularly incited divine disapproval as they celebrated the city's downfall and sought to exploit it for their gain (Psalm 137:7). Before Israel returned to the land, God promised judgment against Edom. The Edomites believed the land of Israel would become theirs by default (35:10-13). However, God declared that this assumption disregarded his sovereignty over Israel. In his omniscience, he heard their blasphemous claims that the land was now theirs to devour (35:12). Despite Israel's failings and the subsequent exile, God remained dedicated to protecting the land for Israel's eventual return.When the Edomites rejoiced over Israel's ruin, they directly challenged Yahweh. Consequently, he would make their land desolate. The Edomites failed to understand that God is the true owner of the covenant land; he repeatedly refers to it as “my land,” even though he entrusted Israel with its care. Seizing any part of the land equates to stealing from Yahweh.When Edom is mentioned in the Bible, it refers not only to historical Edom and a paradigm for all godless nations that oppose God's people. Edom represents those who stand against God and his chosen representatives. Each enemy nation that antagonizes the Jewish people today follows the path of Edom. Although the “Edoms” of the world may experience moments of success, they will ultimately be defeated while Israel is preserved.Support the show

Sancheriv conquers the fortified Judean cities; Chizkiyahu sues for peace

Dr. Simkovich taught in a Catholic University and now is at JPS and YU. She continues her interfaith dialogue throughout. But here we spoke, among other things, about the concept of diaspora and exile - what is a Judean, a Judahite, and an Israelite. These are terms that are often thrown around interchangeably, but understanding the meaning and etymology of each helps us understand the spatial and temporal elements of being Jewish, of Judean roots, and in the context of today.  Letters from Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity (Eisenbrauns, 2024) is an analysis of letters from Jewish Antiquity and spans the Persian and Babylonian Empires in space and time and touches upon the Greek and Roman Empires. Is diaspora curse? If a main prohibition was for Israelites to return to Egypt, how is one of the most ancient Jewish communities found in Egypt? How and why did they get there? Was it a negative or positive evolution of the exile?  As the conversation evolved Dr. Simkovich let out a call for suggested readings on the term and concept of "golah" as opposed to "galut", diaspora and exile. Please reach out if you want to share your thoughts on this and the significance of the diaspora as a phenomenon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Dr. Simkovich taught in a Catholic University and now is at JPS and YU. She continues her interfaith dialogue throughout. But here we spoke, among other things, about the concept of diaspora and exile - what is a Judean, a Judahite, and an Israelite. These are terms that are often thrown around interchangeably, but understanding the meaning and etymology of each helps us understand the spatial and temporal elements of being Jewish, of Judean roots, and in the context of today.  Letters from Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity (Eisenbrauns, 2024) is an analysis of letters from Jewish Antiquity and spans the Persian and Babylonian Empires in space and time and touches upon the Greek and Roman Empires. Is diaspora curse? If a main prohibition was for Israelites to return to Egypt, how is one of the most ancient Jewish communities found in Egypt? How and why did they get there? Was it a negative or positive evolution of the exile?  As the conversation evolved Dr. Simkovich let out a call for suggested readings on the term and concept of "golah" as opposed to "galut", diaspora and exile. Please reach out if you want to share your thoughts on this and the significance of the diaspora as a phenomenon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Dr. Simkovich taught in a Catholic University and now is at JPS and YU. She continues her interfaith dialogue throughout. But here we spoke, among other things, about the concept of diaspora and exile - what is a Judean, a Judahite, and an Israelite. These are terms that are often thrown around interchangeably, but understanding the meaning and etymology of each helps us understand the spatial and temporal elements of being Jewish, of Judean roots, and in the context of today.  Letters from Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity (Eisenbrauns, 2024) is an analysis of letters from Jewish Antiquity and spans the Persian and Babylonian Empires in space and time and touches upon the Greek and Roman Empires. Is diaspora curse? If a main prohibition was for Israelites to return to Egypt, how is one of the most ancient Jewish communities found in Egypt? How and why did they get there? Was it a negative or positive evolution of the exile?  As the conversation evolved Dr. Simkovich let out a call for suggested readings on the term and concept of "golah" as opposed to "galut", diaspora and exile. Please reach out if you want to share your thoughts on this and the significance of the diaspora as a phenomenon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

As Paul's group says farewell to the Ephesians, a Judean prophet predicts that Paul will be taken into custody if he goes to Jerusalem, but Paul is still determined to go. Though he and other fellow believers try to show the Jews that Paul is not a blasphemer, it seems to be of little use. A riot ensues and Paul is attacked. The local officials step in to help, finding out later that Paul is a Roman citizen. When Paul is taken into custody by the state, a mob forms and secretly plots to kill him. The plot is discovered in a way that the mob couldn't have predicted, revealing that God is rescuing Paul from death and preserving him for further ministry and teaching.Acts 21 – 1:12 . Acts 22 – 8:40 . Acts 23 – 14:10 . Acts 24 – 20:53 . Proverbs 14 – 25:34 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

To better understand Paul's overwhelming love and joy for the Philippian church, it is helpful to remember how their journey together began. Acts 16 tells the story of Paul's first visit to Philippi and the rag-tag group of believers who founded the church: a middle-class cloth merchant who hosted the city's first church gatherings in her home, a fortune-telling slave-girl delivered of demons, and a jailer spared from suicide by the graciousness of his Judean prisoners… Despite opposition in the city, Paul's ministry there was fruitful, and gave him newfound confidence in God's mission to bring salvation to the gentiles of Europe. Paul's encouragement to these Philippian believers six years later, after these beautiful events had faded into memory, recall the joy and community of those early days. “Make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose” (Phil. 2:2). At Grace Church we too have fond memories of our early years, and yet our community must chart a new course through a world that has changed in many ways. As we consider what the path ahead holds for us, let us never forget what made us who we are: the fellowship, love, and compassion which knit our community together in the first place.

In July of the year 1263, the Dominican friar Pablo Christiani met to debate Rabbi Moses ben Nahman, sometimes known as Nahmanides, to discuss whether Jesus was the messiah, and thus whether Christianity or Judaism had a greater claim to truth. They conducted this debate in the court of King James of Aragon, who famously guaranteed the rabbi's freedom of speech, allowing Nahmanides to advance even arguments that, being regarded as heretical by Christian clergy, would have otherwise caused him to be imprisoned or worse. These proceedings are known, famously, in history as the Disputation of Barcelona. To understand fully the context of this debate, one has to know something more about the Dominican friar Pablo Christiani: he was not born Pablo Christiani. In fact, he was born as a Sephardi Jew with the birth name of Saul. Only later in life, having lived as a Jewish man and having been exposed to some Jewish learning, did he convert to Catholicism. Joining the Dominican order as a friar, Saul—newly dubbed Pablo—dedicated his life to converting the Jews, possibly with argument and persuasion—he liked to use statements from talmudic texts as evidence for Christian theology—but also through the threat of violence and force. What is it that would so compel a person to turn against his own family, his own teachers, his own neighbors, his own religion—and not as a matter of indifference but as a matter of revenge on the sources of his own formation? That is one of the questions that runs underneath a new story by the legendary essayist, novelist, and short-story writer Cynthia Ozick. This work is called “The Conversion of the Jews,” and it was published in Harper's in May 2023. Ozick's “The Conversion of the Jews” follows a twenty-four-year-old scholar of words and languages named Solomon Adelberg, as he, in the early 1930s, attempts to discover how and why Christiani undertook his conversion. These questions lead Adelberg to a hollowed-out monastery in the Judean desert, through the occult world of mysticism and magic, and eventually to attempting a séance with the icon of a saint in his Lower East Side apartment. To discuss that story, and the many ideas, themes, and questions it raises, Cynthia Ozick joins Mosaic's editor Jonathan Silver on our podcast (originally broadcast in 2023).

Isaiah begins to recount the historical narrative of the LORD's deliverance of His people from the Assyrians. Although the might of the Assyrian army was great, the text focuses on the war of words waged by the Assyrian official, the Rabshakeh. His temptations are strong, using half-truths in order to draw the people away from their trust in the LORD. Only strengthened by the LORD's promises can the people of Judah stand against such demonic attacks, and Judean royal officials are prepared to do just that as they mourn over the words spoken by the Rabshakeh and return to King Hezekiah to go hear from the prophet Isaiah.  Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee's Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Isaiah 36:1-22.  "The Fifth Evangelist” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through Isaiah 1-39. The prophet proclaims to the people of his day and throughout history that the Holy One of Israel alone is exalted. Those who put their trust in the strength of man will be brought low, but those who trust in the LORD will see that He is their Immanuel. Jesus is God with us who reigns over the kingdom of God forever and ever! Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org