Much of the Old Testament is set in the Judean Hills, and much of the Gospels in the hills of Galilee. Life in the hills is more varied with a mix of shepherding and agriculture...
This podcast aims to show you where Nazareth was situated, and why as real estate agents love to say location matters. The helicopter footage has been generously supplied by PreservingBibleTimes from their most useful resources...
In this episode we visit two city sites in the Jezreel Valley, Megiddo (with a wealth of archaeological features) illustrates a major royal centre of power, and the smaller Jezreel a royal palace and capital. These visits will lead to a consideration of stories of the reign of Ahab and of the place of kingship [&hellip...
In this video we visit the Wadi Qelt, the gorge that cuts down into the steep Judean Hills and so provided a passable route in ancient times between Jericho (in the Jordan Valley and Jerusalem in the hills). We’ll begin near the Ein Prat (Prat Spring) and passing the monastery head down towards the opening [&hellip...
The Jordan Valley forms part of the great rift in the earth’s surface that reaches down to the middle of Africa. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth. The Jordan Valley forms both a psychological and a physical barrier for crossing into the land from the east. The Dead Sea is “dead” because [&hellip...
The prayer of Jabez was wildly popular a few years back among voguish Christians worried about the lack of obvious and excess prosperity in their lives (compared to those richer and general better off than them, not compared to the world population in general). Even without that 1 Chron 4:9-10 is funny (strange peculiar, if [&hellip...
The third short summary video, in this series, focuses on the Shephelah (foothills between the hill country and the plains). I’ll stress that it is liminal territory, a boundary region that ideas and armies must cross. We look at Tel Azeka and the Elah Valley, where the story of David’s fight with Goliath takes place. [&hellip...
Continuing our introduction to how geography helps shape the Bible story, and understanding the lie of the land can illuminate Bible stories we consider where the roads ran. The lie of the land (avoiding steep hillsides and deserts) determines the direction and usefulness of roads. Roads transmitted wealth, knowledge and power. So hills, passes and [&hellip...
First video in a new series I plan to prepare for a series of sessions I am doing at church on the boring sounding (but actually enthralling and exciting) topic of the geography of the land where the Bible stories happened. The goal of the series is to bring Scripture to life through pictures and [&hellip...
Since Google suggests the first chapter of 2 Kings is humorous I’ll measure it against the criteria. It meets most (but not all) which i think makes it clear this passage is not merely funny but was intended to be funny. Though again it is a “black” humour. As a bonus I’ll offer a reading [&hellip...
