BIBLE

GEOGRAPHY
By Louis Rushmore
 © 1994, 1998 revised 2008
Louis Rushmore

rushmore@gospelgazette.com
rushmore@worldevangelism.org
www.gospelgazette.com
www.worldevangelism.org

Maps created by PC Bible Atlas for Windows 1.0,

copyright 1993 by Parsons Technology, Inc.
Used by permission

Additional maps by the American Bible Society

Pictures from Bible View Clip Art 3.0

copyright 1996 by Pastoral Computer Services
Used by permission

Cover Art By:

Betty Burton Choate

Published By:
Choate Publications
P.O. Box 72
Winona, MS 38967
(662) 283-1192

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT .............................................................................................................. 4

PREFACE................................................................................................................................................ 5

A BIBLE LANDS OVERVIEW............................................................................................................. 7

LAND OF PALESTINE ....................................................................................................................... 17

PATRIARCHY...................................................................................................................................... 24

PATRIARCHY (CONTINUED).......................................................................................................... 30

THE JEWISH EXODUS ...................................................................................................................... 33

CONQUEST OF CANAAN.................................................................................................................. 41

JERUSALEM ........................................................................................................................................ 44

THE TIME OF CHRIST...................................................................................................................... 49

BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE................................................................................................................. 53

BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE (CONTINUED)..................................................................................... 57

BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: ROME .............................................................................. 62

BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: CORINTH ........................................................................ 68

NEW BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY.................................................................................................. 71

ADVERTISEMENT: THE VOICE OF TRUTH INTERNATIONAL ............................................ 74

ADVERTISEMENT GOSPEL GAZETTE ONLINE........................................................................ 76

ADVERTISEMENT: DIGGING UP THE PAST .............................................................................. 77

ADVERTISEMENT: BIBLICAL COMPANIONS: BIBLE GEOGRAPHY, SACRED HISTORY

& ARCHAEOLOGY ............................................................................................................................ 77

ADVERTISEMENT: PARABLES OF OUR LORD ......................................................................... 77

ADVERTISEMENT: WHAT MAKES US TICK? ............................................................................ 77

PLAN OF REDEMPTION................................................................................................................... 78

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 PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT
In recent years, Social Studies have been de-emphasized because of the growing
awareness of the deficiency of many American children in the fields of math and science.
However, a deficiency in any field leaves a hole in one’s over-all comprehension of life-
issues. There is the saying that we are destined to repeat the mistakes of the past if we fail
to take heed to lessons in history, and that is true.
However, there is also a need to know the cities, places and terrain of the world. In
particular, we want to aid the Bible student in getting a clear mental image of the world
of the Scriptures. Bible Geography is a tool designed to familiarize readers with the
culture, history and geography of the cities and peoples we already know through the
biblical accounts. Brother Rushmore has done an outstanding work in writing this book
and providing the maps as illustrations.
It is our aim, also, to print two others of brother Rushmore’s books, as companion
volumes: Digging up the Past and Biblical Companions: Geography, Archaeology, and
Sacred History. We are confident that those who study Bible Geography will have a
desire to learn from these books as well.
While words and pictures on paper are excellent educational tools, we would hope
that what you learn in these studies will create in you a desire to actually go to these
“lands of the Bible” to see with your own eyes where Jesus walked, where Paul taught
and where many of the familiar events of the Scriptures took place. As the world has
grown smaller, seemingly, through jet travel, it has become increasingly possible for
anyone with the desire to make such a tour of these famous geographical locations. What
a memorable gift that would be to your spiritual life!
Betty (Mrs. J.C.) Choate
Winona, MS
February 6, 2008

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 PREFACE
The following material is suitable for a wide range of age groups. Therefore, some text
appears bold to help students more easily locate answers to the questions at the end of
each chapter. Further, other words appear in italics to indicate possible vocabulary words
with which especially younger readers are not familiar. However, Bible Geography is
particularly fitting for older youth and adult studies because the subject is sorely
neglected, but one that can significantly enhance comprehension of Bible lessons.
The use of good classroom and individual student maps will greatly contribute to the
efficiency of these lessons. All ages, even preschool through adult can learn more easily
about Bible places by associating geographical locations with funny names. For instance,
the island of Cyprus appears somewhat like an alligator with its mouth open. The Dead
Sea looks like a big fish and the Jordan River is a snaky line. The Sea of Galilee looks
like an upside down pear and Lake Merom (Hula) reminds one of a fried chicken wing.
Mt. Carmel is the thumb on the sea coast. The gulfs of Suez and Aqaba appear as large
and small rabbit ears respectively while the Red Sea looks like a rabbit; Mt. Sinai is the
bump on the rabbit’s head. The Nile River appears similar to a flower stem and blossom
and the island of Crete looks like a person lying on his back. Italy is a boot and Silicia is
a football being kicked by the boot. Corinth appears as a ball falling out of a horse’s
mouth. The Fertile Crescent is the shape of a rainbow.
I hope students using this material will both enjoy it and learn something about Bible
Geography. Knowing something about Bible Geography helps link Bible facts and
history together in a meaningful way without which often biblical information is little
more than disjointed and curious data.
~ Louis Rushmore

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 CHAPTER 1: A BIBLE LANDS OVERVIEW

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 CHAPTER 1

A BIBLE LANDS OVERVIEW

Mount Ararat stands at the northern most point of the Bible lands and Mount Sinai
lies at the southern most tip. The city of Rome is at the western edge of the Bible lands
and the Persian Gulf marks the eastern border. The Bible lands are about 2,200 miles
from east to west and 900 miles from north to south or about two-thirds the size of the
Continental United States.
A strip of land suitable for farming and
building cities extends from the Persian Gulf
north to the northeastern corner of the
Mediterranean Sea, then south through Canaan
and west to Egypt. Called the “Fertile
Crescent,” it is primarily watered by the Tigris
and Euphrates rivers. South of this rainbow-
shaped farmland is desert; north are mountains.
The earliest traces of human history were
discovered in the Fertile Crescent near the Persian Gulf. Several centuries before the birth
of Christ, the world powers that rose and fell and battled each other all fought over this
land, the Fertile Crescent.

LARGE BODIES OF WATER

Mediterranean Sea: Also called the Great Sea, the Mediterranean Sea is the largest
body of water in the Bible lands; it is 2,300 miles long, 680 miles wide and over 14,000
feet deep. Bad weather and rough seas from November through February made shipping
extremely dangerous in ancient times; therefore shipping was largely restricted to other
months of the year. Since there are few harbors along the coast of Palestine, the
inhabitants of the land over the centuries made little use of the Mediterranean Sea.
Persian Gulf: The Persian Gulf is 520
miles long or three times larger than Lake
Superior. This body of water is 200 feet deep.
As mentioned above, it bounds the Bible lands
and the Fertile Crescent on the east. The
Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow into the
Persian Gulf.
Caspian Sea: The Caspian Sea is the
largest body of water surrounded by land in
the world; it is also the largest salt lake in the
world. This lake is just over 700 miles from
top to bottom, 130 to 170 miles wide and

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 CHAPTER 1: A BIBLE LANDS OVERVIEW

3,200 feet deep. The Caspian and Black seas form a natural boundary between the
continents of Europe and Asia.
Red Sea: The Red Sea is about 1,500 miles long, 180 to 250 miles wide and 1,500 feet
deep. Its average temperature is 80 degrees. It has two ears, the Gulf of Suez (its
northwestern ear) and the Gulf of Aqaba (its northeastern ear). Between the Red Sea’s
two ears lies the wilderness where the Israelites wandered for 40 years and Mount Sinai.
Black Sea: Along with the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea forms a natural boundary
between Europe and Asia. It is 750 miles by nearly 400 miles and 7,350 feet deep. The
Black Sea is the largest body of fresh water in the world. It is not mentioned in the Bible.

MAJOR RIVERS
Tigris River: The Tigris River flows along side of the Euphrates River; they merge
and flow 100 miles together southeast into the Persian Gulf. The combined rivers are
called the Shatt al Arab. The Tigris River begins in the mountains and is 1,150 miles
long. Important ancient cities such as Nineveh were built on its banks. The first Bible
reference to this river identifies it as the Hiddekel River in the Garden of Eden (Genesis
2:14).
Euphrates River: The most important river in the Bible is the Euphrates River. It is
also mentioned in Genesis 2:14 as one of the four rivers in the Garden of Eden. This
waterway was sometimes called simply “the river” or the “great river.” The Euphrates
River was the northern boundary of the Jewish kingdom under the reign of King
Solomon. One of the most famous cities on its 1,675 mile course was Babylon.
Orontes River: The Orontes River flows 250 miles north from near the northern
boundary of Canaan to enter the Mediterranean Sea at the cities of Antioch and Selucia.
Nile River: The Nile River
forms the longest river system
in the world. The Nile River
is over 4,000 miles long; it
compares to the Amazon
River in South America
(3,900 miles long) and the
Mississippi River (just under
4,000 miles long). The Nile
River begins in the mountain
lakes of Africa as two rivers,
the White Nile and the Blue
Nile, which merge along with
another river 1,600 miles from its source. Without the Nile River, Egypt would be just
another useless desert; therefore, some have called Egypt “the gift of the Nile.” Each year
the Nile River flooded, providing much needed water and depositing rich soil washed
from other places onto Egyptian fields.

MOUNTAINS
Mount Ararat: Mount Ararat was the landing place of Noah’s ark. It rises over

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 CHAPTER 1: A BIBLE LANDS OVERVIEW

21,000 feet above sea level. This mountain lies between

the Caspian and Black seas.
Lebanon Mountains: The Lebanon Mountains are
two mountain ranges side by side just north of Canaan.
Mount Hermon is one peak in these mountains. The
famous Cedars of Lebanon grew on these mountains;
these trees were an average of 52 feet around and 152 feet
tall. Some of these trees were used to build Solomon’s
Temple.
Mount Hermon: Rising 9,200 feet, Mount Hermon is
snow covered year round. There are many other
mountains in the Bible lands, some of which will be
noticed when discussing specific areas.

KINGDOMS, CITIES AND LANDS

Some of the kingdoms and cities that ruled the Fertile
Crescent were Armenia, Media, Persia, Sumer, Babylon,
Assyria (Nineveh), Elam, Mesopotamia, Syria (Damascus), Phoenicia, Egypt and
Canaan. Each of these kingdoms or cities occupied a different but neighboring place in
the Fertile Crescent, though which ever nation was strongest at the time often ruled most
or all the Fertile Crescent. The land of Canaan is of chief importance as we study the
Bible lands; sometimes also called Palestine, it includes 6,600 square miles. Under the
rule of King David the kingdom was expanded to 12,000 square miles; King Solomon
ruled over 60,000 square miles.

QUESTIONS
1. What two mountains mark the northern and southern points of the Bible lands?
2. How many miles long and how many miles wide are the Bible lands?
3. What is the name of the rainbow-shaped strip of land between the desert and the
mountains?
4. Name the five large bodies of water that border the Old Testament Bible lands.
5. Name the largest body of water in the Bible lands.
6. What lake (sea) is both the largest lake and the largest salt lake in the world?
7. What two bodies of water are on either side of the wilderness where the Israelites
wandered for 40 years?
8. Name the largest freshwater lake in the world.
9. What two rivers come together and flow as one river into the Persian Gulf?
10. Name the longest river in the world.
11. On what mountain did Noah’s ark come to rest?
12. What is the name shared by the two mountain ranges side by side just north of
Canaan?
13. How high above sea level is Mount Hermon?
14. What is the name of the land that is of chief importance when studying the Bible?
15. Who ruled over more land, King David or King Solomon?

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 CHAPTER 1: A BIBLE LANDS OVERVIEW

Label 15 places on this overview map of the Bible lands.

Label the Fertile Crescent and the Nile River

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CHAPTER 2: BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY

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 CHAPTER 2: BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY

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 CHAPTER 2

BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeology could be defined as
“digging up the past.” Bible
archaeology is when something
unearthed is about the Bible,
something mentioned in the Bible or
Bible times. “Digging up the past”
can help people today better
understand several Bible related
subjects: (1) Is the Bible an ancient
writing? (2) Did the Bible really tell
of events long before they happened?
(3) What was life like in Bible times? Bible archaeology proves that the Bible is very old
and is truthful. It also reveals how those to whom the Bible was originally given
understood those messages.

THE BIBLE: AN ANCIENT WRITING

Archaeology shows that people have always
used some form of writing. In the earliest writings,
pictures told of man’s deeds. This type of writing
was used before the great flood of Noah’s day;
archaeologists have found stone tablets with
picture writing that were written before the flood.
Cities and palaces of the ancient world even
maintained their own libraries with tens of
thousands of inscribed tablets and stones.
Evidence proves that the Bible could be written at
the time in history and by the people it claims. Other archaeological discoveries confirm
the truthfulness and accuracy of the Bible. There is every reason to believe the Bible is
an ancient writing handed down by God.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

The Tigris and Euphrates river valleys were home to
the first people on earth. The ruins of man’s earliest cities
lie in this part of the world. These cities were made of brick.
Garbage and broken bricks from destroyed buildings were
used repeatedly as foundations to rebuild. Hundreds (even
thousands) of years of destruction and rebuilding made a
unique parfait of human history; each layer of earth holds
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 CHAPTER 2: BIBLE ARCHAEOLGY

clues to everyday life at the same site, but in different times and sometimes by different
peoples. Twenty different cities may rest on the same place and rise 100 feet from the
original level of the city. Broken pottery, tools, weapons, dried seeds and writings in
every layer of earth tell something about the people who used those items.

THE BIBLE: FAITHFUL HISTORY BOOK

Some people began to doubt the truthfulness of the Bible; instead, they came to
believe it is only a collection of stories and not true. However, archaeology has
unearthed ancient cities and references to kingdoms previously unknown to modern
man except in the Bible. Archaeology does not disprove, but unintentionally shows that
the Bible is true in every case where both archaeology and the Bible speak about the
same thing.

THE BIBLE: FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS

The Bible is much more than simply a thorough and reliable history book. It is an
ancient volume that has been carefully preserved; writers called scribes made copies of
the Bible throughout the generations of man’s existence. The Bible also told of events
(such as then future kingdoms and kings) which were to come; these prophecies did come
true and prove the divine source of the Bible. From every examination, the Bible is
reliable.

COMPANIONS: GEOGRAPHY,
ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE BIBLE
Bible Geography, Bible Archaeology and the Bible are friends; they tell the same
story, only better than were it told by one of them alone. The study of the Bible comes
alive when the people and events studied can be placed in their physical settings.
Geography teaches about the lands and places where ancient people lived and famous
events occurred; archaeology reveals HOW people lived in those places in those times
and how Bible illustrations and messages were understood. All this helps the student
today better understand God’s Word; after all, we should simply want to understand the
Bible as it was intended to be understood by those to whom it was originally spoken or
written. This study will often introduce archaeological discoveries at various points as
Bible events are linked to Bible geography.

QUESTIONS
1. Define “archaeology.”
2. What is different about “Bible archaeology”?
3. Name the earliest type of writing.
4. Where did men build the first cities?
5. From what were the first cities made?
6. What was used for a foundation when new cities were built at the site of a former city?
7. Name some of the items found in the earth through archaeology.
8. How has archaeology helped people believe the Bible is true?
9. How can we know the Bible came from a divine source?
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CHAPTER 3: LAND OF PALESTINE

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 CHAPTER 3: LAND OF PALESTINE

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 CHAPTER 3

LAND OF PALESTINE
The Bible land bounded on the east by
the Jordan River and on the west by the
Mediterranean Sea was Canaan. The
Lebanon Mountains formed the northern
boundary of Canaan and desert bordered it
on the south.
The name “Palestine” is said to have
come from the phrase “Philistine land.”
Palestine includes land on both sides of
the Jordan River. Its northern border is the
Leontes River, Mount Lebanon and Mount
Hermon. On the east, Palestine is bounded
by the Syrian Desert. It is bordered by the
River of Egypt (not the Nile River) and
the Negeb on the south. Of course, the
Mediterranean Sea forms the western
border. Palestine is about one fourth the
size of Pennsylvania or about 12,000
square miles. Later, under the rule of King Solomon, Israelite rule was expanded to
include 60,000 square miles.

THE FACE OF THE LAND

Coastal Plain: Along the Mediterranean
coast of Palestine is a coastal plain except
for where Mount Carmel stands. Between
Mount Carmel and the city of Joppa the
coastal plain is six to 12 miles wide and is
called the Plain of Sharon; Jaffa Orange
trees grow there. From Joppa south to Egypt
the coastal plain is called the Plain of Philistia, named after the Philistines who once lived
there. North of Mount Carmel the coastal plain is called the Plain of Accho. East of
Mount Carmel, the Plain of Esdraelon (or Valley of Jezreel) links the coastal plain with
the Jordan River Valley. The Plain of Esdraelon is a crossroads between places north,
south and east; it is an important intersection in the fertile crescent. Therefore, it has been
the scene of countless military battles over the centuries.
Shephelah (low hills): Low hills between the coastal plain and the Central Range of
mountains are called the Shephelah. They formed a natural fence between the Philistines

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 CHAPTER 3: LAND OF PALESTINE

and the nation of Israel. When the Philistines were stronger, they lived in these hills, but
when Israel was stronger, Israel lived there. The Philistine stronghold was in the coastal
plain, and the stronghold of Israel was in the mountains.
Central Range: Between the low hills (Shephelah) and the Jordan River Valley were
mountains, the Central Range. These mountains were the primary dwelling place of Israel
and vary in height above sea level from 1,800 to 4,000 feet.
Negeb: The Negeb is desert country. In the rainy season plants thrive. However, in the
hot summer it is dry and barren. The most
prominent city there is Beersheba, the
southern most city of Palestine.
Jordan River Valley: From south of the
Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea the Jordan
River Valley varies in width from two to 12
miles. On either side of the valley are steep
cliffs. The mountains west of the Jordan are
higher than those east of the river. Winding
like a snake, the Jordan River weaves
through semi-tropical jungle that once was
the home of lions.

WATERWAYS OF PALESTINE
Jordan River: The Jordan River has its source near the city of Dan and Mount
Hermon. From there it flows 40 miles to Lake Hula (or Lake Merom), 15 miles further to
the Sea of Galilee and 65 more miles to the Dead Sea. However, because it winds like a
snake, the water actually travels about 200 miles instead of the 120 miles between its
source and the Dead Sea. It is five to 12 feet deep and 80 to 180 feet wide. In its travels it
drops down hill 22 feet per mile for an overall drop exceeding 3,000 feet. It is no wonder
the Jordan River drops so sharply since it feeds the lowest body of water on the face of
the earth, the Dead Sea.
Lake Hula (Lake Merom): Twelve
miles from the city of Dan and 40 miles
east of the Mediterranean Sea, Lake Hula
was about 11 feet deep. It and the swamp
land around it has been drained in recent
years.
Sea of Galilee: The pear shaped body
of water south of Lake Hula has been
called various names: Galilee,
Chinnereth, Genesareth, Tiberias. It is
up to 12½ miles long and seven and a half
miles wide. The surface of the Sea of
Galilee is 700 feet below sea level; the
lake averages 12 feet deep but its deepest
depth is 165 feet. Winds funneling through

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 CHAPTER 3: LAND OF PALESTINE

the Jordan River Valley from the north can quickly whip calm seas into threatening
waves; remember an instance when Jesus and his apostles faced such a dangerous
adventure on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:22-24).
Dead Sea: The surface of the Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea, is the lowest body
of water on the face of the earth. Its surface is about 1,300 feet below sea level and the
Dead Sea is another 1,300 feet deep. The
Dead Sea is 48 miles long by up to 10 miles
wide. Being very hot in the area of the Dead
Sea, water evaporates rapidly; the only natural
escape for water in the Dead Sea is
evaporation. Twenty-five percent of the water
content is solid material, including a heavy
concentration of salt.
Wadis: Several often dry brooks that fill
during the rainy season are called wadis and
flow into both the Jordan River and the Dead
Sea, too.
MOUNTAINS
Lebanon Mountains: The Lebanon Mountains run north and south on the west side of
the Jordan River near its source. They average 7,000 feet above sea level; their highest
peak is 10,200 feet.
Mount Zion: Mount Zion was originally one of the four hills on which the city of
Jerusalem was built. Later, the name “Zion” was applied to the other hills as well and to
the city of Jerusalem.
Mount Nebo: Mount Nebo is 12 miles east
of the mouth of the Dead Sea. It was here that
Moses died and was buried by God.
Mount Carmel: Like a thumb on the sea
coast, Mount Carmel rises 500 feet as it juts
out toward the Mediterranean Sea. Its highest
peak is over 1,700 feet. Here Elijah confronted
the prophets of Baal; Elijah called down fire
from heaven to consume the sacrifice, altar and
water in the ditch around the altar (1 Kings
18:17-40).
Mounts Ebal and Gerizim: Mount Ebal
(over 3,000 feet high) and Mount Gerizim
(almost 3,000 feet high) are in Samaria. It was
here Joshua had the law of Moses read before
all the people after their conquest of Canaan.
The cursings of the law were read from Mount
Ebal; the blessings of the law were read from
Mount Gerizim.

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 CHAPTER 3: LAND OF PALESTINE

Mount Hermon: Mount Hermon stands about 9,200 feet and is in the Anti-Lebanon
Mountains on the east side of the Jordan River. Snow remains on its peaks all year round.

QUESTIONS
1. Which is bigger, Canaan or Palestine?
2. What is the name of the coastal plain between Mount Carmel and the city of Joppa?
3. Name the important plain east of Mount Carmel that is the crossroads of the Fertile
Crescent.
4. What is the name of the low hills between the coastal plain and the Central Range?
5. What is the name of the southern most city in Palestine?
6. It is about 120 miles from the source of the Jordan River to the Dead Sea, but how far
does the water actually travel?
7. The Sea of Galilee has been called by at least three other names too; what are they?
8. How far below sea level is the surface of the Dead Sea? How deep is it?
9. Where did Elijah confront the prophets of Baal?
10. Name the mount of “cursing.” Name the mount of “blessing.”
11. How high is Mount Hermon?
12. On what mountain peak did Moses die?

Label the lake and the river on this relief map.

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 CHAPTER 3: LAND OF PALESTINE

Label 23 places that are

mentioned in chapter three.
Try to do this from memory.

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 CHAPTER 4: PATRIARCHY

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CHAPTER 4: PATRIARCHY

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 CHAPTER 4

PATRIARCHY
“Patriarchy” is a compound word meaning “father” and “rule.” This word represents
the first period of man’s religious history and describes how God first governed
mankind—through the fathers of their respective families. God ruled through the fathers
who in turn ruled their families.
Patriarchy was, therefore, a family-type religion. Judaism, which was given to Israel
(the Jews) in the time of Moses, was a national-type religion; and, the Gospel of Christ
which we have today is a universal-type religion. For many years Judaism and Patriarchy
were both in force, one for the Jews and the other for non-Jews. However, now the
Gospel is the only religion given by God for all men everywhere.
Under Patriarchy, God spoke directly to the heads of families. The first family to
whom God spoke was that of Adam and Eve. After God created all things, including the
first couple, and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he gave them instructions.
(1) Populate the earth, (2) Exercise rule over the earth (Genesis 1:28), (3) Care for
the Garden of Eden and (4) Not to eat the fruit of a certain tree (Genesis 2:15-17).
It is apparent that God continued to give instruction to Adam and his family even after
Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden for their sins. Among other evidences,
through Abel one sees the sacrifice of animals which God required throughout Patriarchy,
Judaism and in a sense in the Gospel Age too (through the death of Christ on the cross).
(Abel worshipped according to faith, which faith results only from the Word of God,
Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17.)

THE GARDEN OF EDEN

Though no one knows exactly where the Garden of Eden was located, it appears
certain it was in the Fertile Crescent not far from the Persian Gulf. Four rivers, two of
which can still be found today, watered Eden (Genesis 2:10-14).
Hiddekel (Tigris) River: The Tigris River has its source high in the Taurus
Mountains. This river was also known as the Hiddekel. It flows southeast 1,150 miles
before merging with the Euphrates River. From this junction, they flow together to the
Persian Gulf about 100 miles away.
Euphrates River: The Euphrates River begins high in the mountains of modern
Turkey and travels 1,675 miles southeast before joining the Tigris River. Known from
that point onward to the Persian Gulf as the Shatt al Arab, the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers flow as one the final 100 miles.
Not only were these two rivers the primary sources of water for the Garden of Eden,
they also contributed most of the water responsible for the so-called “Fertile Crescent.”
This rainbow shaped piece of land extended from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean
Sea; north of it are mountains; south of it is desert.

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 CHAPTER 4: PATRIARCHY

On the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers the first civilizations were established.
Man’s earliest history has been unearthed through archaeology in this part of the world.

THE GREAT FLOOD

Noah was born a little over 1,000
years after the creation. Six hundred
years later, Noah, his wife, three sons
and their three wives and a sampling
of all animal life escaped the world of
sin on the ark. Between the creation and
the Great Flood, mankind became very
wicked. God destroyed the world with a
universal flood because of man’s great
wickedness and much violence by both
man and beast (Genesis 6:6-13). God
showed displeasure toward both man
and animal life (Genesis 6:7).
Some students of the Bible believe dinosaurs roamed the earth between Creation and
the Flood. The violence and corruptness attributed to both man and animals and God’s
displeasure toward both is consistent with the existence of dinosaurs during this period.
Archaeology confirms the co-existence of dinosaurs and man despite denials by
evolutionists. Also of possible significance, some reptiles continue to grow as long as
they live. Since life spans were several hundred years long before the flood, dinosaurs
may have been nothing more than oversized reptiles. Archaeology reveals at least some
dinosaurs died in a catastrophe (such as those found frozen). The universal Flood was a
sufficiently large catastrophe to destroy all dinosaurs as well as all other animal life along
with mankind.
Mount Ararat: Finally, the flood began to decline and the ark came to rest in the
mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:4). The international boundary of the former Soviet
Union and Turkey crosses through these mountains which lie between the Caspian and
Black Seas. The exact location of the ark is still unknown.
FAMOUS PATRIARCHS: Abraham
Several generations after the Flood, God called on a righteous man named Abram;
later God renamed him Abraham. God instructed Abram to leave his home; he became a
wanderer between his former home near the Persian Gulf and Egypt.
Ur of the Chaldees: Ur was a chief city on the Euphrates River in the Fertile Crescent
a little over a hundred miles from the Persian Gulf. It was here that Abram was born and
reared (Genesis 11:27-30).
Haran: Terah moved along with his son and daughter-in-law, Abram and Sarai, and
his grandson, Lot, to Haran. This city was on a tributary to the Euphrates River about 60
miles north of the Euphrates. Haran was in northern Mesopotamia (land between the
rivers).

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 CHAPTER 4: PATRIARCHY

Terah planned to travel later to Canaan but died in Haran. While at Haran, God
instructed Abram to leave Haran and his father’s house; so, Abram, his wife Sarai and his
nephew Lot gathered their possessions and departed.
Mesopotamia: Mesopotamia means land between the rivers; the rivers meant are the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Mesopotamia included the right half of the arch that makes
the Fertile Crescent. Ur was at the southeastern edge of Mesopotamia, whereas Haran is
still at the northwestern edge. This stretch of land and often the larger Fertile Crescent too
were controlled at various times by many different peoples (including Babylon and
Assyria). Abraham sent his servant to Mesopotamia to bring back Rebekah to marry
Isaac (Genesis 24:10).
Canaan: After the death of Terah, God sent Abram to Canaan. He took with him Sarai,
Lot, great possessions and many servants (Genesis 12:1-5). Canaan was the land of
Palestine west of the Jordan.
Shechem (Sichem): The Lord appeared to Abram in Shechem in Canaan (Genesis
12:6). It was a walled town in the hill country later given to the tribe of Ephraim.
Shechem was in the valley between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim.
Bethel: Abram camped near the town of Bethel (Genesis 12:8). This city was about 12
miles north of Jerusalem.
Egypt: Because of famine in Canaan, Abram went to Egypt (Genesis 12:10). Upon
entering Egypt Abram and Sarai agreed to lie, saying Sarai was Abram’s sister (verses
11-13). Sometimes the servants of God also sin, for which they must repent.
Sodom: Abram and Lot returned from Egypt to Bethel, but the land could not support
the herds of both men. Lot chose the choice land near the evil city of Sodom (Genesis
13:5-13). Sodom, later destroyed by God, is thought to lie in ruins under the southern end
of the Dead Sea.
Dan: Lot was taken captive when the city of Sodom was plundered (Genesis 14:14).
Abram armed himself and his servants and pursued Lot’s captors first to the city of Dan.
This city marked the northern boundary of Canaan after its occupation by Israel many
years later.
Damascus: Abram followed the captors to the city of Hobath near the city of
Damascus (Genesis 14:15). Damascus is on what were anciently called the Abanah and
Pharpar rivers. It lies at the junction of major trade routes in the Fertile Crescent. Here
Lot was freed.
Salem: Upon his return after these battles, Abram met Melchizedek king of Salem
(later called Jerusalem, Genesis 14:18). It was the home of the Jebusites until the time of
King David when it was captured and made the capital of Israel.
Hebron: The Plain of Mamre, later known as Hebron, became home to Abram
(Genesis 13:18; 18:1). Hebron was in the hill country of Judah. It was David’s capital for
the first seven years of his reign. Abraham bought a burial plot near Hebron.
Gerar: Gerar was a city in southern Canaan inhabited by Philistines. It was here
Abraham told the lie again about Sarah not being his wife (Genesis 20:1-2).

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 CHAPTER 4: PATRIARCHY

Beersheba: This city is the southern most city in

the land of Canaan (Judges 20:1). It was at
Beersheba that Abraham dug a well and planted a
grove of trees (Genesis 21:25-34).
Mt. Moriah: God called upon Abraham to offer
his son Isaac as a sacrifice at Mt. Moriah (Genesis
22:1-2). Mt. Moriah is one of the four hills on which
Jerusalem was built.
Abraham received promises of God which were more fully realized by his
descendants. Abraham himself owned only the Cave of Machpelah at Hebron which he
purchased for a burial site. Finally, at the age of 175, Abraham died and was buried with
Sarah who had preceded him in death.
Hebrews 11:8-17 praise Abraham as a man of faith. James 2:23 says Abraham was the
“Friend of God.”

QUESTIONS
1. Patriarchy is a compound word meaning what?
2. Patriarchy was a ___________________-type religion; Judaism was a
______________-type religion; and, the Gospel is an ___________________-type
religion.
3. What is the ONLY religion given by God for ALL MEN everywhere today?
4. Whose family was the first to whom God spoke under Patriarchy?
5. What four instructions did God give the first couple in the Garden of Eden?
6. What two rivers that were in the Garden of Eden can still be found today?
7. What is another name for the Tigris River?
8. After the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers merge, they travel for how many miles to the
Persian Gulf and bear what name?
9. How many people were on the ark?
10. God destroyed the world with a universal flood for what two reasons?
11. Did the water of the Great Flood cover the whole earth?
12. The ark came to rest after the flood where?
13. What was the name of Abraham’s hometown?
14. Name Abraham’s father and where he died.
15. What does Mesopotamia mean?
16. Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, was from where?
17. On what side of the Jordan River was Canaan?
18. Where was Shechem?
19. Bethel is how many miles north of what city?
20. Why did Abraham go to Egypt?
21. Why did Lot choose to live near (and finally in) Sodom?
22. TRUE or FALSE? Abraham and Lot took a vacation in Dan?
23. On what two important rivers was the city of Damascus built?
24. Major trade routes in the Fertile Crescent crossed at what city in chapter four?
25. What is another name for the city of Salem?
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 CHAPTER 4: PATRIARCHY

26. Who was the king of Salem?

27. What city became home to Abraham and was where he bought a burial site?
28. Twice Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife; where was he the first time he told
this lie? In what city was Abraham the second time he told that lie?
29. At what city did Abraham dig a well and plant a grove of trees?
30. On what mountain was Abraham told to offer Isaac as a sacrifice?
31. How old was Abraham when he died?
32. “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was
imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the ____________________”
(James 2:23).

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CHAPTER 5: PATRIARCHY (CONTINUED)

29
 CHAPTER 5

PATRIARCHY (CONTINUED)
FAMOUS PATRIARCHS: ISAAC
The birth of Isaac, his journey to Mt. Moriah with Abraham (where Abraham intended
to sacrifice him as God commanded) and Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah were noticed while
discussing Abraham’s life. Sometime after the death of Abraham, twin sons were born to
Isaac and Rebekah. Esau, the first born, grew to be a hunter (Genesis 25:27). Jacob,
the second son, was a smart man who sometimes tricked his brother, father-in-law and
other people. He became a shepherd. Once Jacob sold food to this hungry brother who
was returning from the field. The price of that meal was Easu’s birthright (the privilege of
the first born child to inherit great possessions and blessings). The promises God made
before to Abraham were repeated to Jacob, whose name God later changed to “Israel.”
Isaac journeyed to Gerar. This city belonged to the Philistines and was home to
Abimelech, King of the Philistines. While in this city Isaac told the same lie Abraham
and Sarah told twice before; Isaac and Rebekah pretended to be brother and sister.
After leaving Gerar, Isaac traveled to Beersheba. Isaac’s journeys were guided by
God. While at Beersheba, God also made the same promises to Isaac that he made to
Abraham (Genesis 26:3-4, 24). These promises were not only about land and many
descendants (children and their children, and so on) but included the coming of Jesus
Christ through whom the whole world could be blessed.
When Isaac was old and blind, he told Esau to hunt deer and prepare the meat for him,
after which he would give Esau a blessing and his inheritance as the first born child.
However, Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, and their son, Jacob, tricked Isaac while Esau was away
hunting. Jacob wore some of Esau’s clothes and covered his hands and neck with
goat skins to make Isaac believe Esau had returned. Instead of venison, Rebekah
prepared a meal of goat. Through this deception Jacob received the blessing and
inheritance intended for Esau. Many years later, after the anger between Jacob and Esau
ended, Isaac died at the age of 180 years old at Hebron.

FAMOUS PATRIARCHS: JACOB

Afraid for his life, Jacob fled from his angry brother, Esau. Jacob was also instructed
by his mother and father to go to Haran (where other family members lived) to find
himself a wife. While on his journey, God spoke to him in a dream at the city of Bethel.
It was there God repeated the promises first made to Abraham to Jacob also (Genesis
28:13, 14).
Jacob lived the next twenty years in Haran working for Laban (Genesis 31:38). During
that time he became wealthy, married Laban’s daughters Leah and Rachel, and through
his wives and two servant women he also married had twelve sons and one daughter

30
 CHAPTER 5: PATRIARCHY (continued)

(Dinah). Later, Rachel died while giving birth to Jacob’s last son, Benjamin (Genesis
25:16-20). Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun
and Benjamin became the fathers of tribes of Israel bearing their names (upon leaving
Egyptian slavery hundreds of years later). Joseph bore two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim,
who also became fathers of tribes in Israel. Levi became the father of the priestly tribe
which was scattered throughout the other tribes after they settled in Canaan.
After leaving Haran, Jacob returned to Canaan. Esau no longer hated his brother for
the trickery he committed and warmly greeted Jacob. Jacob settled near Shechem; later
he lived at Bethel, Bethlehem, Hebron and finally Egypt. Jacob’s wife, Rachel, died at
Bethlehem. Jacob’s son, Joseph, was sold into
slavery by his brothers who were tending
sheep at Dothan.
Several years later Joseph rose from slave
and prisoner in Egypt to second highest ruler
of that nation. When famine again occurred in
Canaan, Joseph brought Jacob and his brothers
to Egypt where their descendants remained for
hundreds of years. Joseph gave the land of
Goshen to his family; it was among the best
land in Egypt.

QUESTIONS
1. The twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah were whom?
2. Which son was born first?
3. Which son was a hunter? Which son was a shephard?
4. Which son’s name was changed by God to Israel?
5. Who was the king of the Philistines in Isaac’s day?
6. The promises God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were about what three things?
7. How did Jacob trick his father Isaac into believing he was his brother Esau?
8. Isaac was how many years old when he died at what city?
9. Where was Jacob when God spoke to him in a dream and repeated the promises first
made to Abraham?
10. Name the children of Jacob.
11. In what city did Rachel die?
12. What happened at Dothan?

31
 CHAPTER 6: THE JEWISH EXODUS

32
 CHAPTER 6

THE JEWISH EXODUS

THE LAND OF EGYPT
Egypt represents one of the oldest civilizations; its people are descendants from
Noah’s son, Ham. The nation touches the Mediterranean Sea and is nestled in the Nile
River Valley. Without the Nile River, Egypt would be desert like the deserts east and
west of the country. Therefore, Egypt has been called “the gift of the Nile.”
The Nile River is the longest river in the world, and unlike most rivers, flows north.
Since higher ground in Egypt is in the southern part of the country, Upper Egypt is in the
southern part of the nation and Lower Egypt is in the northern part. The whole country is
about the size of the state of New Hampshire (9,600 square miles).
The mouth of the Nile River divides into several branches as it enters the
Mediterranean Sea. The two largest branches are called the Pelusiac (on the east) and the
Canopic (on the west). Southeast of the Pelusiac lies the land of Goshen which Joseph
gave to Jacob, his brothers and their descendants.
The branches of the Nile River entering the Mediterranean Sea created the rich Nile
Delta. It was here that for centuries the Nile River deposited the fertile soils it gathers
from its long course from central Africa. Goshen and its Jewish inhabitants enjoyed the
rich farmland of the Nile Delta.
The Egyptian people were short, dark complexioned, having deep-set eyes, large
cheek bones, thick lips, short nose and straight black hair. Their language was similar to
Hebrew. Egyptian writing is called hieroglyphics, a form of picture writing.
Most of what is known about Egypt of long ago has
been unearthed through archaeology. Especially revealing
have been the exploration of the great pyramids built in
the desert. The desert climate preserved writings and other
objects that would have decayed in many other parts of the
world. One of the most striking notes about the Egyptians
was their engineering skills by which they constructed
mammoth pyramids and the Sphinx.
Once, Egypt was a world empire. At other times it was governed by foreign kings
(pharaohs). It was one of these foreign rulers who appointed Joseph to second highest
authority in all Egypt. Later, when Egyptians again ruled themselves, the Hebrews were
hated and made slaves.
Memphis was the capital of ancient Egypt. The word “Memphis” means “city of good
abode.” It lies ten miles south of Cairo. The chief city of Goshen was Rameses; it was a
store city built by Hebrew slaves.

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 CHAPTER 6: THE JEWISH EXODUS

Alexandria was a great shipping port and an important cultural

city. It was built by Alexander the Great. It was here that a large
Greek-speaking Jewish colony flourished centuries after the Hebrew
exodus from Egyptian slavery. The Septuagint, the Greek
translation of the Old Testament, was produced in Alexandria.

THE EXODUS
The enslavement of the Hebrews,
the birth of Moses and the ten plagues
80 years after Moses’ birth preceded
the dramatic exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt. God
miraculously caused the Red Sea to part, providing them a
route of escape from the pursuing Egyptian army. When the
Egyptians tried to follow the Hebrew people, God caused
the walls of water to collapse and drown the soldiers.
Crossing the Red Sea, the Jews (as they were called
much later) entered the Sinai Peninsula. There they
wandered for forty years because of lack of faith in God.
The Sinai Peninsula is the triangular piece of land between
the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. It is a wilderness or
desert; five individual wilderness areas are named (Shur,
Etham, Sin, Paran and Zin). Mountain plateaus rise from 2,000 to 2,500 feet in this area.
There is little water or vegetation.
The most important single
mountain in the Sinai Peninsula
was Mount Sinai. Moses twice
received the ten commandments
on tables of stone from God. At
the foot of this mountain the
children of Israel made a golden
calf and worshipped it. This
angered both Moses and God. The
exact site of Mount Sinai is
unknown today; at least three
peaks are thought by various
people to be the original Mount
Sinai.
Moses had lived on the Sinai
Peninsula for forty years in self-imposed exile after fleeing Egypt when he killed a
taskmaster. The Amalekites also lived there and once fought with the nation of Israel
(Deuteronomy 25:17-19; Exodus 17:8-16).
The nation of Edom, descendants of Esau, occupied the land southwest of the Dead
Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The land is mountainous. The city of Petra was a fortress
carved out of rock in Edom. En route to Canaan, the Israelites asked permission to travel
34
 CHAPTER 6: THE JEWISH EXODUS

through Edom, but were refused. Because of their ancestral relationship to the
Edomites, Israel was not allowed to fight Edom. Therefore, the Jews went around Edom
and came up on the east side of the Dead Sea.
This route did result in confrontation between the Hebrews and the Amorites and the
Moabites. Arriving on the east side of Canaan, two and a half tribes decided to settle the
land there (Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh). Here also Moses died and
was buried by God on Mount Nebo; Moses was not allowed to enter Canaan because of
an occasion of rebellion against God. Aaron, Moses’ brother and high priest, had died
already. Only Joshua and Caleb remained of the men twenty-one years or older who left
Egyptian slavery forty years earlier. The rest died in the wilderness and were not
permitted to enter Canaan because of their disbelief in and rebellion against God. The
massive nation of the Hebrews just east of the Jordan River was a new generation.

QUESTIONS
1. Egypt has been called what?
2. Two things are especially different about the Nile River from most other rivers; what
are they?
3. The Nile River has two main branches as it empties into the Mediterranean Sea; name
them.
4. What is a delta?
5. What was Egyptian writing called?
6. For what are the ancient Egyptians best remembered?
7. Name the capital of ancient Egypt.
8. Name the chief city of Goshen.
9. At what city was the Greek translation of the Old Testament made?
10. What is the name of the Greek translation of the Old Testament?
11. What is the name of the land where the Israelites wandered for forty years?
12. Where did Moses receive the Ten Commandments?
13. Why did the Jews not attack the country of Edom when that nation refused to allow
them to cross through their country?
14. Which tribes decided to stay on the east side of the Jordan River?
15. Where did Moses die?
16. Name the two men who left Egypt and survived the wilderness wandering to enter
Canaan.

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 CHAPTER 6: THE JEWISH EXODUS

Label 15 places
that are mentioned
in Chapter Six.

36
CHAPTER 7: CONQUEST OF CANAAN

37
 CHAPTER 7: CONQUEST OF CANAAN

38
CHAPTER 7: CONQUEST OF CANAAN

39
 CHAPTER 7: CONQUEST OF CANAAN

40
 CHAPTER 7

CONQUEST OF CANAAN
THE CONQUEST OF THE TRANSJORDAN
Before the death of Moses, the nation of Israel conquered the land east of the Jordan
River. This territory was called the Trans-Jordan; the first part of the word, “trans,”
means “across.” Thus, “Trans-Jordan” means the land across the Jordan River from
Canaan. Two and a half tribes were allowed to settle here after they agreed to help the
other tribes conquer Canaan.

THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN

After the death of Moses, Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River. Once over
the river, they camped at Gilgal; they used this site east of the city of Jericho from which
to launch their attacks on Canaanite cites.
The first city attacked by Israel was the walled Jericho. The people marched around
the city seven days; on the last day they all shouted or blew trumpets. The walls fell flat.
Jericho was destroyed and burned.
The city of Jericho is about 16 miles east of Jerusalem and about 800 feet below sea
level. Jerusalem is on a mountain about 2,500 feet above sea level. This is a drop of about
3,300 feet between the two cities.
The city of Ai was attacked next. However, Achan kept some of the captured things
from Jericho for himself. Therefore, God allowed them to be defeated. After Achan’s sin
was discovered and he was punished, Israel later defeated the city of Ai.
Representatives from the city of Gibeon, six miles north of Jerusalem, pretended not
to be inhabitants of Canaan. Joshua was tricked into making an agreement with that city
whereby Israel would not attack it. After the lie was discovered, Joshua still kept the
agreement but made that city servant to Israel.
Even when the cities of Canaan joined to fight Joshua and his people, God permitted
the people of God to win. First, Joshua led his army against the southern cities when they
attacked the city of Gibeon. God caused a hailstorm to kill the fleeing armies of Israel’s
enemies. Among the cities conquered were Eglon and Hebron.
Northern cities also banded together to resist the oncoming people of God. However,
they too were defeated near Lake Merom. Not all the inhabitants of Canaan were
defeated; for centuries the enemies that remained troubled Israel. For instance, the coastal
plain was kept by fierce people, the Philistines. The tribe of Dan was given the land still
occupied by the Philistines. For this reason, some people from the tribe of Dan looked for
some other place to live. They traveled north and conquered a city that they renamed,
Dan. The Book of Judges records several battles fought over the course of about 300
years against some of the peoples left in Canaan.

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 CHAPTER 7: CONQUEST OF CANAAN

God commanded Israel to conquer the people of Canaan because they were wicked.
They did not believe in or worship God. If God had allowed the heathen people to remain
in the land, their bad influence on Israel would have led God’s people into sin, too. Israel
failed to conquer all the people, and they did lead the people of Israel to worship idols
and commit many other sins. Israel failed to do what God commanded them in especially
three areas: (1) not killing all the wicked heathen, (2) worshipping idols and (3) allowing
their children to marry the wicked people.
When the land of Canaan was divided
among the tribes, there was no place for the
tribe of Levi. The Levites were given 48 cities
scattered throughout the tribes.
Many years later, the Jews asked for a king
and Saul was chosen by God to be king.
Following him, David was made king. After
David, Solomon was appointed king. The next
king ruled harshly and caused the kingdom to
split into the northern and southern kingdoms.
The name “Judah” came to represent the
southern kingdom, and the northern kingdom
was called “Israel.” The ten northern tribes of
Israel were wicked and grew more wicked year
after year. Finally, God caused the heathen kingdom of Assyria to defeat Israel and take
her people away as slaves. Sadly, the southern kingdom of Judah later was also defeated
and taken away into slavery because of great sin; God caused the nation of Babylon to
war against Judah. After several years in slavery, God permitted some of the Jews to
return to Canaan and rebuild their cities.
Hundreds of years later the Roman Empire ruled Canaan. It was during this period
Jesus Christ was born. Over the years, some of the cities changed names. Often cities
were destroyed in war and new cities were built upon the ruins of the former cities.
Today, many of the cities of ancient Bible history are cities in which people today live.
Other cities have been abandoned and are being re-discovered through archaeology,
“digging up the past.”

QUESTIONS
1. What is the land east of the Jordan called?
2. Where did the Israelites camp while attacking the cities of Canaan?
3. Name the first city attacked.
4. Name the second city attacked.
5. Name the city whose people tricked Israel.
6. What heathen nation lived on the coastal plain?
7. Which tribe of Israel was given the coastal plain but unable to live there?
8. Which tribe of Israel was given 48 cities scattered throughout the tribes?
9. Name the first three kings of the people of Israel.
10. What two heathen nations were allowed to make slaves of God’s people?
42
CHAPTER 8: JERUSALEM

43
 CHAPTER 8

JERUSALEM
INTRODUCTION
The city of Jerusalem is about 30 miles east of the Mediterranean Sea and 14 miles
west of the northern end of the Dead Sea. It is five miles north of Bethlehem, the birth
place of Jesus, and 120 miles south of Mount Hermon. Followers of Islam, Judaism
and Christianity revere Jerusalem. For both religious and political reasons, Jerusalem
continues to be the site of unrest and deadly battles. Jesus Christ was crucified outside
the walls of Jerusalem on a cross between two thieves. Jesus rose from the grave three
days after his death. Fifty days after his death, the Holy Spirit empowered Jesus’ apostles
to preach the Gospel and the church began. That day about 3,000 souls were baptized
for the forgiveness of their sins and added to the church (Acts 2).

A CITY OF SEVERAL NAMES

Throughout history the city of Jerusalem has worn many other names too. Biblically,
this city was first known as Salem (Genesis 14:18); it was here that the priest and king,
Melchizekek, lived in Abraham’s day. Before its conquest by King David’s armies, it was
called Jebus (Judges 19:10). Though additional biblical and political names have been
variously assigned to the city, it is enough for the student of this study to remember the
names Salem, Jebus and Jerusalem. The several different names for Jerusalem resulted
from its possession by many different peoples; often when Jerusalem was conquered, its
new owners gave it a new name. Finally, after bearing several names over the centuries,
the name Jerusalem was restored to the city. It is by this name (Jerusalem) the city is
known today.

A CITY OF MANY
HILLS AND VALLEYS
Jerusalem rests on top of four prominent hills:
Mount Zion, Mount Moriah, Hill of Ophel and
Hill of Acra. It was on Mount Moriah Abraham
was directed by God to offer his son, Isaac. Much
later, the temple was built here. Sometimes
Scripture refers to the city of Jerusalem as Mount
Zion (Isaiah 2:2-3).
These hills are peaks in the Central Range of
mountains that run through the middle of Canaan
from north to south. Jerusalem rises about 2,500
feet above sea level. The city of Jericho, 16 miles

44
 CHAPTER 8: JERUSALEM

away to the west is 800 feet below sea level, a

difference of 3,300 feet between the two cities.
Naturally, valleys lie between the hills on which
Jerusalem is built. However, through the years of
tearing down and rebuilding the homes and walls
of the city on previous ruins, these valleys are
nearly filled to the level of the hills. South of the
city is the Valley of Hinnom (or Gehenna); it was
used as a city dump and was often on fire. Jesus
used it as an example of hell. East of Jerusalem
was the Kidron Valley (sometimes called the
Valley of Jehoshaphat); in it is the Kidron Brook. Intersecting these two valleys and
coming southward from the center of the city was the Tyropeon Valley. Across from the
Kidron Valley was the Mount of Olives from which Jesus ascended back to heaven.

A WALLED CITY
A series of walls surround the city of
Jerusalem. It was usual in ancient times to
build walls around cities to protect their
inhabitants from the dangers of wild animals
and enemy armies. As cities grew in size,
new walls were built to include new areas of
the city, too.
The walls of Jerusalem have kept many armies out and unable to conquer it. The
Israelites were unable to possess it until the time of David, though Joshua hundreds of
years earlier led a conquest of Canaan. Once, Jerusalem’s walls prevented Assyria from
taking the city. However, Babylon and Rome, at different times in history, did destroy
Jerusalem, in spite of its walls. Between the conquest of Jerusalem by those two nations,
Nehemiah led the Jews to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
A CITY OF MUCH WATER
Jerusalem does not receive its rainfall equally
distributed over the course of a year; most of its rain
falls during three months of winter. However,
numerous natural and manmade pools in and around
the city collect and store enough water for the whole
year. Some of the more widely known pools are:
Bethesda, Lower Gihon, Upper Gihon, Hezekiah
and Siloam. Additionally, many large buildings
have cisterns beneath them to collect rain water.
The pool biblically known as the Pool of
Bethesda is the only known natural year round
fountain around Jerusalem. It is in the eastern side of
the Hill of Ophel and is supplied by an unknown

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 CHAPTER 8: JERUSALEM

underground source. The stream entering this pool is not constant, but flows only two or
three times daily. Some people in Jesus’ day believed the disturbance of the water by the
start up of this inward flow was caused by an angel. They believed anyone in the water
during this time would be healed of his diseases (John 5:1-4).
The Pool of Hezekiah fills from the Pool of Upper Gihon through a conduit running
between the two pools. The conduit and Pool of Hezekiah were built by King Hezekiah to
ensure an adequate water supply in Jerusalem when the city was being attacked and its
people could not leave the city to obtain water. Upper Gihon is outside the city, whereas
the Pool of Hezekiah is inside the city.
The Pool of Siloam is at the foot of the Hill of Ophel. This is the pool to which Jesus
sent a blind man (John 9:7). Water from another pool flows into Siloam before flowing
into the Kidron Valley.

CONCLUSION
Because Jerusalem was built on top of a mountain, most of the buildings are made
from stone extracted from the mountainside. This city has been the center of attention for
religious and political reasons for centuries. Jerusalem, therefore, is a unique city; it is an
ancient, walled, mountain, capital city.
QUESTIONS
1. The city of Jerusalem is about 30 miles east of what large body of water and about 14
miles west of what other body of water?
2. The city of Jerusalem is about five miles north of what famous city?
3. The city of Jerusalem is about 120 miles south of what mountain?
4. What three religious faiths treasure Jerusalem?
5. Name two important events that occurred at Jerusalem.
6. Give three names by which the city of our study was known.
7. Name the four hills on which the city of Jerusalem is built.
8. How many feet above sea level is the city of Jerusalem?
9. Name three valleys in the city of Jerusalem.
10. Name the brook in the valley east of the city of Jerusalem.
11. From what mountain did Jesus ascend back to heaven?
12. Name two things from which the walls of ancient cities were intended to protect their
inhabitants.
13. Name two cities whose armies did capture the city of Jerusalem in spite of the walls
around it.
14. What Jewish leader led the Jews to rebuild the fallen walls of Jerusalem?
15. During which season of the year does Jerusalem receive most of its annual rainfall?
16. Name five of the pools in and around the city of Jerusalem.
17. Name the only known pool in Jerusalem that always has water all year long.
18. Which pool was built by a king to bring water into Jerusalem in case an enemy army
attacked the city?
19. To which pool did Jesus send a blind man?
20. Out of what building material are most of the buildings in Jerusalem built?

46
CHAPTER 9: THE TIME OF CHRIST

47
 CHAPTER 9: THE TIME OF CHRIST

48
 CHAPTER 9

THE TIME OF CHRIST

Many cities, rivers, lakes and seas, and mountains had the same names during the life
of Jesus Christ as they did hundreds of years before. For instance, the names for the city
of Jerusalem, the Jordan River, the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Hermon were
unchanged. Other sites previously noted in this study, though, changed names by the time
Jesus was born. Remember that the Sea of Galilee was at various times called by other
names, too. The names of the
tribes also disappeared from
Palestine and were replaced with
the names Judaea, Samaria and
Galilee. Still other places had
the same names before and
during the life of Christ, but are
emphasized here because of their
importance to the ministry of
Jesus.

ROMAN PROVINCES IN CANAAN

The Roman Empire ruled the known world during the life and ministry of our Lord,
and was divided into provinces, similar to states. In Canaan, three provinces were west of
the Jordan River; they were Judaea on the south, Samaria just north of Judaea and
Galilee the northern most of these three. East of the Jordan River were two provinces,
Peraea and Decapolis. The provinces west of the Jordan are of primary importance when
studying the life of Christ.
Judaea was the largest province west of the Jordan River. This land was formerly
occupied by the tribes of Judah, Dan, Benjamin and Simeon. The Jews living in Judaea
felt superior to their Jewish brethren in Galilee. It was in Judaea (especially in
Jerusalem) that Jewish educational and cultural opportunities were most available.
Samaria was inhabited largely by descendants of Jews and Gentiles who intermarried
following the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by the nation of Assyria. The
Jews hated the Samaritans. The chief city in the province of Samaria was the city by the
same name. Mounts Ebal and Gerizim and Jacob’s Well where Jesus talked with the
Samaritan woman are in the province of Samaria, too. Instead of worshipping in
Jerusalem, the Samaritans built a temple on Mt. Gerizim and worshipped there.
Galilee extended from south to north from Samaria to Phoenicia and was bounded by
the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the Jordan River on the east. Lower Galilee’s
fertile plains produced grain, whereas Upper Galilee’s mountains were noted for olive
trees. Jews of Judaea thought they were more holy than Galilean Jews because Galilee

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was between Samaritans on the south and Gentiles on the north; the Jews despised both
Samaritans and Gentiles.
Jesus was reared in Nazareth of Galilee. Further, eleven of the original twelve apostles
were Galileans; only Judas was not from Galilee. Cana of Galilee was the city in which
Jesus began his ministry by turning water into grape juice. Capernaum, a Galilean city on
the west shore of the Sea of Galilee, became the Lord’s home during his earthly ministry.
Much of Christ’s ministry took place in Galilee.

IMPORTANT CITIES
Bethlehem, like Jerusalem, rests on top of the Central
Mountain Range. The city of Bethlehem, only five
miles south of Jerusalem, is best known as the birth
place of Jesus Christ. Micah 5:2 prophesied the Messiah
would be born there. Hundreds of years earlier the Old
Testament character Ruth lived in Bethlehem. Samuel
anointed David in this city.
Nazareth was an obscure town of Galilee about 80
miles north of Jerusalem. What little notice was paid to
this town was uncomplimentary. “Can any good thing
come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Joseph and Mary
lived in Nazareth before their travel to Bethlehem for taxation, and they returned to this
town later. Nazareth was the boyhood home of Jesus.
Our Lord’s first two miracles were performed at
Cana in Galilee. First, Jesus turned water into wine
(John 2:1-11) and subsequently he healed the son of a
nobleman, though the man’s son was in Capernaum
(John 4:45-54).
Capernaum was on the west shore of the Sea of
Galilee and the frequent residence of Jesus during his
earthly ministry (Matthew 9:1; John 6:48). The
apostles Matthew and Peter also lived in this city
(Matthew 9:9; Mark 9:35).
Nain is a city in
Lower Galilee and the
place where Jesus healed a widow’s only son (Luke 7:11-
16). Bethsaida is another city Jesus frequented. This city is
at the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was once the
home of Peter, Andrew and Philip (John 1:44; 12:21). Here
Jesus healed a blind man (Mark 8:22-26) and outside town
miraculously fed five thousand people (Matthew 14:13-21).
Caesarea Philippi lies at the base of Mount Hermon,
northeast of the Sea of Galilee. Some students of the Bible
cite this city as the place of the Transfiguration of Jesus.
The city of Bethany, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, is where Lazarus and
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 CHAPTER 9: THE TIME OF CHRIST

his sisters Mary and Martha lived. It was here that Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave,
and from this city Jesus departed to make his final entry into Jerusalem. After Jesus’
resurrection, he made his Ascension to heaven from Mount Olives, near Bethany. Our
Lord visited several additional cities during his earthly ministry. However, mention of
them is reserved for a more detailed examination of the ministry of Christ.

QUESTIONS
1. Name the three Roman provinces west of the Jordan River.
2. Name two Roman provinces east of the Jordan River.
3. In which Roman province were the most educational and cultural opportunities
available?
4. Name the chief city in the province of Samaria.
5. Where did the Samaritans choose to worship?
6. Which one of the original twelve apostles was not a native of Galilee?
7. Name the birthplace of Jesus.
8. What city was the boyhood home of Jesus?
9. In what city did Jesus perform his first miracle?
10. Name the city that became Jesus’ adult home.
11. Outside what city did Jesus feed 5,000 people?
12. At what city is the Transfiguration of Jesus thought to have occurred?
13. In what city did Jesus raise Lazarus from the grave?
14. Name the site from which Jesus ascended back to heaven.

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 CHAPTER 10: BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE

52
 CHAPTER 10

BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE
CLOTHING
Among noticeable differences in culture from Bible times to the
present is the clothing worn then versus now. The clothes worn by men
and women were similar; often they wore a wool tunic, a loose fitting
gown, extending to the knees or even to the ankles and secured with a
belt. Another robe-like garment was worn over this. These clothes
concealed the human form and provided protection from the
weather. Clothes were considered prized possessions and were
sometimes used as collateral (Prov. 20:16).
Both men and women also wore leather sandals which were designed more for
practical use than appearance. The enclosed heel of the sandal was held in place by a
piece of leather encircling the ankle before attaching to the front of the sandal, between
the first and second toes. Since roads were unpaved and dusty and people wore sandals,
the custom developed that a well mannered host provided his guest with water and towel
to wash his feet upon entrance to his home. A greater measure of hospitality included
having a servant wash the feet of guests, whereas a demonstration of humility was
possible when the host himself washed the feet of his guests. To “shake off the dust of
your feet” (Matt. 10:14) is understood more easily, knowing the type of footwear worn in
Bible times along dusty roads. See Genesis 18:3-5; Luke 7:37-38, 44 and John 13:4-14
concerning this custom.
In ancient times, jewelry was worn by men and women. These adornments included
earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets and nose jewels.

BIBLE-TIMES’ HOMES
The simplest homes found in small villages were
made of a combination of mostly stone and sun dried
mud brick. With walls and pillars of stone, wooden
beams over top of these were themselves overlaid
with pieces of wood, brush and clay. Inside, the
ceiling was about six feet high (lower where the
beams crossed). Two rooms of unequal portion did
not afford either privacy or personal space. Built for
shelter rather than luxury, these homes were without
furniture except for stone stools. The principle light
came from oil lamps. Though rainwater was directed
from a cistern to inside the house, cooking was

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 CHAPTER 10: BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE

largely performed outside. Toiletry needs were also taken care of outside, some distance
from the dwelling. No matter how humble a man’s home, on the inside hospitality
became the honor and responsibility of the host.
Patriarchs and other nomads often dwelt in tents instead of permanent houses. Larger
villages and cities, particularly among wealthier citizens, boasted somewhat more
elaborate homes. Especially in the cities, buildings often were built on to each other and
a second story might overhang the narrow streets. Since Canaan is mountainous and
rocky in many places and trees are less abundant, stone is the chief building material for
building construction throughout the area.

CITY LIFE IN CANAAN

Walled cities offered their citizens a measure of
protection from wild animals, bands of robbers and
unfriendly foreign powers. These walls were as much as 30
feet thick and 50 feet high and made of stone. Rising from
the walls were towers as well.
The busiest place in the city of Palestine was the gate or
gates. It was here the elders transacted legal matters,
travelers arrived and departed, and much commerce
transpired. The gate was also of strategic military
importance, both to defenders and potential attackers.
Therefore, many cities used a six-chambered gate to
complicate its siege by an invading army and enable a
better defense. These chambers were used in peacetime as
meeting rooms.

ANCIENT AGRICULTURE
Cattle, sheep and goats were a primary resource of ancient agriculture, especially
among nomadic people, such as the Patriarchs. Without fences and other restrictions to
prevent roaming, herdsmen tended these animals and led them from place to place to
graze. Sometimes it was necessary to take
animals several miles away from the main
camp to find enough grazing land. Animals
were also allowed to feed in harvested fields;
this was an efficient use of any grain missed
during harvesting and fertilized the fields, too.
Abraham, Lot and Jacob tended their herds and
flocks in Canaan (Gen. 13:1-12; Gen. 37:1-17).
Besides grazing land, herds and flocks also
need access to an adequate water source. In
Canaan, then, wells were extremely important
to the success of raising cattle, sheep and goats.
The Patriarchs, as nomads, sometimes
experienced disputes over water rights with

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the settled people of the land (Gen. 26:12-22).

While nomadic people did not often sow and harvest grains, settled populations
became proficient in harvesting grains, figs and grapes. The primary food of both nomads
and settlers was bread. This bread was flat cakes of dough baked on hot stones or in
mud-brick ovens. Fruits, nuts, milk and sometimes sheep, goats and cattle comprised the
Bible-times’ diet. The flocks and herds, however, were often only the source of food on
special occasions, such as when entertaining guests.
Crops in Canaan were usually coaxed from hillside
terraces, due to the hilly and mountainous lay of the land.
Wheat and barley were the most common grains.
Lacking modern farm equipment, oxen pulled wooden
plows sometimes with a metal blade attached; a plow
might be nothing more than a correctly shaped tree limb.
Seed was then sowed by hand and tamped by foot or the
tread of the oxen. Harvesting was accomplished by using
a sickle (Joel 3:13) to cut the grain, stalk included. Taken
to a threshing floor, it was next either trampled by oxen
(Deut. 25:4) or beat with instruments (2 Sam. 24:22) to separate the grain from the stalks.
Then winnowing forks were used to throw the stalks into the air, whereupon the wind
blew the stalks or chaff aside as the grain fell back to the earth. Raked, sifted through
screens to rid the grain of debris (called sieving) and put in containers, later women
ground the grain into flour.
Better suited to terrace farming than
grains, vineyards were especially
productive in Canaan and contributed
greatly to ancient diets. Grapes, raisins and
juice were prominent food and drink.
Grape juice was also condensed and later
reconstituted with water for beverages.
Vineyards, however, required much work;
stone hedges or fences had to be
constructed to discourage stray animals, grazing herds and flocks from eating the vines
and fruit. Towers were also constructed to guard the vineyards. Vats for juice and grape
preparation and storage required much labor, being carved out of the rock hillsides.
Olive trees provided oil for lamps, cooking and personal
care. Gathered in baskets from the ground after striking the trees
to cause the fruit to fall, olives were crushed in an oil press. It
consisted of a revolving stone on top of a larger stone that was
carved with sides like a bowl. A hole inside the larger stone
drained the resulting olive oil into a cistern for later use. Fig trees
produce a fruit which can either be eaten when harvested or
pressed into cakes for future use. First Samuel 25:18 provides a
picture of a Bible-times’ menu: bread, grape juice (translated
wine), sheep, grain, raisins and fig cakes.
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 CHAPTER 10: BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE

MEANS OF TRAVEL
Walking, of course, is the first means of travel throughout the world. In Palestine of
long ago, pack animals like the donkey and camel were used, sometimes to pull carts or
wagons. Oxen were also used, especially to pull loaded wagons of grain or freight.
Chariots were used by some government officials and wealthy individuals (Acts 8:26-40).

QUESTIONS
1. Describe the differences between the design and function of clothes worn in Bible
times versus clothes worn today.
2. What two things did a well-mannered host provide guests upon entrance to his home?
Why?
3. What was the chief building material for homes in Palestine?
4. Where was the busiest place in most cities in Canaan? Why?
5. Why did farmers who managed cattle, sheep and goats stay in the fields with their
animals?
6. What special problem did nomads such as the Patriarchs sometimes experience trying
to water their herds and flocks?
7. The chief food in a Bible-times’ diet was what?
8. Name two grain crops grown by farmers in Palestine.
9. What crop was better suited for agriculture in Canaan than grains?
10. Of what benefit was the fruit of olive trees to natives of Canaan in Bible times?

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 CHAPTER 11

BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE (CONTINUED)

LEGAL CUSTOMS
Obviously, legal codes varied from community
to community and from nation to nation.
Frequently only residents were protected by legal
rights; immigrants or nomads often were legally
defenseless, or at least largely unaware of local
laws. However, hospitality was an area in which
many ancient peoples exercised themselves nearly
alike. Hospitality was neither offered nor accepted
lightly. Once hospitality was extended and
accepted, certain legal, moral and cultural
responsibilities were incurred by both parties.
Armed conflicts were forbidden during periods of
hospitality and for specified periods following.
Though this often only involved individuals it sometimes affected larger groups, such as
peoples as well. Further, the host became responsible for the well being and protection of
his guests regardless of cost or danger (Gen. 19:1-8).
The oldest male held absolute power over his
family unit. He was the law to those subordinate to
him while he was himself responsible to the
community law. However, should he commit a sin
grievous enough or threatening the safety of the
entire community, his household could suffer the
consequences of his sin, too (Josh. 7:24-25).
Community law was administered through the
elders of the village; this group represented the
collective group of heads of households in the
community. It was their charge to manage the affairs
and legal cases affecting the entire village. Such
business was transacted at the city gate (Prov.
31:23).
Land was so precious to the Jews that they
seldom sold it outside the family. Before land could be sold to a non-family member, it
had to be offered for sale to the next eligible male in the family (Jer. 32:7-14). If he did
not wish to purchase it, another male in the same family was permitted to buy it (Ruth
4:1-10).

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 CHAPTER 11: BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE (continued)

MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
Ancient marriages were usually arranged between the oldest male family members
within the same group or family clan (Gen. 27:46-28:2). This guaranteed the future
existence of the overall group and preservation of culture and values. Girls were given
in marriage when they were old enough to bear children, whereas men married when they
either received their inheritance or obtained their own resources. It was also common for
the groom to give a dowry, or purchase his wife from his
future father-in-law. In the case of Jacob, since he evidently
had no such dowry, he indentured himself to his father-in-
law in exchange for his wives (Gen. 29:15-21).
Judaism prohibited marriage between Israelites and non-
Israelites (Deut. 7:3-4; Ezra 10:10-14). One purpose of this
prohibition was to segregate God’s people from heathens
who would lead them into idolatry. Another reason for
restricting these marriages was to preserve the family tree
of Abraham until Old Testament prophecies concerning the
Messiah could be fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

BURIAL CUSTOMS
Nomads, such as the Patriarchs, sometimes buried
their dead along their route of travel (Gen. 35:19-20).
Otherwise, natural caves or rock-carved tombs were
often used as family burial sites (Gen. 23:1-20),
especially by the wealthy. These rock tombs were used to
bury several family members (Gen. 49:33—50:13). This
custom of burying the dead was practiced in the time of
Christ (Matt. 27:58-60). Personal possessions were
interred with the dead to indicate who the person was in
life. The poor were buried in shallow graves, the marking
of which did not stand through time (Luke 11:44) or in a
potter’s field (Matt. 27:1-10). Most burial sites were
outside cities; only the very rich could afford the price of scarce city property for tombs.
Before burial, a corpse was washed and anointed with spices (Mark 16:1). Next, it was
bound in a linen shroud or grave clothes (Matt. 27:59; John 11:44). This was the Jewish
practice administered to the crucified Lord (John 19:39-40). Ordinarily, musicians and
mourners participated with family members who also grieved for the dead (Matt. 9:23;
John 11:31).

DIVISIONS WITHIN JUDAISM

In the time of our Lord, Judaism was divided by religious and political factions.
Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes and Zealots were the major groups. The Sadducees were
materialists and did not believe in a resurrection from the dead; their religion was a
liberal departure from the law of Moses and overshadowed by politics. The Pharisees
were the strictest sect of Judaism, though they added many traditions not taught in God’s
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 CHAPTER 11: BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE (continued)

Word (Matt. 15:1, 9). The Essenes are not

mentioned in the Bible, but they like the
Pharisees believed in the resurrection and
heavenly rewards for righteous living.
Zealots were politically motivated to
fanatically protest against and resist the
Roman occupation of Palestine. Their strong
views led to armed conflict against the
Romans, which in turn contributed to
Rome’s decision to destroy the city of
Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

THE SANHEDRIN
The Sanhedrin was a Jewish
council of 71 religious leaders.
Included in that number and serving as
the chairman was the high priest.
Other members included prominent
priests, scribes, elders and other
leaders (Mark 15:1; Luke 19:47). The
various divisions within Judaism were
represented in this group including the
Sadducees and Pharisees (Acts 23:6).
The Sanhedrin was the highest religious authority in the time of Christ, as well as the
highest Jewish civil and political authority under Roman occupation. However, they
lacked the power to exact the death penalty under prevailing Roman control of Palestine
(Mark 14:64; 15:1; Acts 13:27-28; 25:1-19).

WARFARE
Weapons in ancient times ranged from primitive
wooden implements such as farm tools, clubs and spears
(Jud. 3:31) to iron or bronze military weapons. The three
primary weapons became the spear, bow and sling.
Later, the Jews adopted chariots and used horses as well in battle.

QUESTIONS
1. Why was offering or accepting hospitality a serious matter to people living in Bible
times?
2. Who was responsible for administering law in an Israelite community?
3. Where did legal transactions occur in an Israelite village?
4. Marriages to family members guaranteed the future existence of the family group and
preserved what?
5. Give two reasons why Israelites were not allowed to marry heathen people.
6. Especially wealthier people buried their dead family members where?
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 CHAPTER 11: BIBLE-TIMES’ CULTURE (continued)

7. Name four religious divisions within Judaism in the time of our Lord.
8. What was the name of the Jewish council responsible for religious, civil and political
functions?
9. Name the three primary weapons of Israelite warfare.

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CHAPTER 12: BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: ROME

61
 CHAPTER 12

BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: ROME

The city of Rome is important to the student of the Bible because of its place in Old
Testament prophecy (Daniel Two) and New Testament fulfillment relative to the
establishment of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (Acts Two). As the New Testament
opened, the Roman Empire ruled the known world, including Palestine and the Jews. The
Gentile rulers in Palestine at the time of Jesus’ birth, childhood, ministry and crucifixion
were Roman appointees. The early church began and functioned while the world was
ruled from Rome. The missionary travels of the apostle Paul also occurred during the
reign of and sometimes interacted with the Roman Empire. The epistles that comprise
our New Testament were written to churches and individuals in this period; one of those
letters was penned to the congregation meeting in Rome.

OVERVIEW
Italy, where Rome is located, is large boot-like land mass extending from Europe into
the Mediterranean Sea. The peninsula is 650 miles long and not wider than 125 miles.
Despite its size, travel is somewhat hindered by the Apennines mountains which,
traveling north to south, rise from 4,000 to a peak of 9,500 feet. Above the peninsula,
Italy’s borders extend about another seventy miles north and approximately 320 miles
east to west. All of Italy measures 91,200 square miles.
Nearly all the few deep water harbors are found on Italy’s southwestern shore; though,
some of the rivers can be navigated by small boats. Lowlands consist of coastal areas
between the sea and the mountains (the wider coast is on the west side), river valleys, the
watershed lowlands for the Alps and Apennines, and valleys between the ridges.
Whereas the coastal areas and watershed lowlands afforded productive farming due to the
richness of the soil, valleys provided pastures for livestock. The mountains were covered
with forests which were used for home construction and ship building.
Climate differs from the continental part of
Italy to the peninsula area. The northern part of
the country has definable seasons, much like
the rest of Europe. The southern portion of the
country enjoys tropical temperatures. None of
Italy’s mountains are high enough to sustain
snow year round.
The mountain passes to the north
encouraged settlement from Europe. A wider
western coastal plain and southwestern bays
invited immigrants by sea from the west. A
narrower eastern coastal plain with mountains rising closely in the background inhibited

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colonization from the east. Two mountain chains separated by a common watershed
discouraged political union of northern and southern communities. However, once united,
the central location of this boot-like nation contributed to its expansion throughout the
Old World.
The history of Rome and what became the Roman Empire predates its biblical
treatment in the New Testament and its affect on Palestine. The city of Rome was
founded in 753 B.C. by Romulus on one of seven hills (Palatine Hill) on the east bank of
the Tiber River, fifteen miles from its mouth at the Tyrrhenian Sea. Eventually, Rome
covered seven hills; the modern city, though, lies north of the ancient city. Originally, the
hills were covered with timber and separated by deep valleys which were partially
flooded. The topography of the site changed dramatically due to the destruction caused
by wars, reconstruction upon ruin and efforts to build a magnificent world capital city.
The magnificence and splendor eventually characteristic of Rome resulted from (1)
the influx of treasures and skilled slaves acquired through conquest of foreign peoples,
and (2) the determination of its emperors to build a city equal to or greater than any the
world had ever seen. From Augustus forward, emperors added to the once forested hills:
temples, huge assembly halls (basilicas), open market places (forums), aqueducts, public
baths, theaters, palaces, triumphal arches, statues and parks. Most early buildings in
Rome were of brick and cement; later marble was used extensively,
too. Thirty-one highways also led to Rome and distances to all
points in the empire were calculated from a monument at the center
of the Forum in the city.
When Augustus became emperor, he had 500,000 soldiers at his
command; 300,000 of these he dismissed and settled in colonies. He
further reorganized his forces and relied mostly on a professional,
volunteer army. Augustus’ army was formed from two main
categories, legionaries and auxiliaries. Legionaires were Roman
citizens, 6,000 to a legion, 25 legions in all. Auxiliaries were
recruited from conquered peoples and amounted to about the same
total number as the legionaries, only they were grouped in much
smaller units. An inducement to enlistment for this latter group was
Roman citizenship upon the conclusion of 25 years of service.
Still another military unit was the praetorian guard. Nine cohorts
of 1,000 men each recruited from the peninsula of Italy served as
personal bodyguards to the emperor. Unlike other troops, they were
stationed at Rome. Their length of service was 16 years, whereas
legionaries served for 20 years. Upon discharge, both praetorians and
legionaries received bonuses, but the former were much better paid.
The Roman Empire also had a fleet, however, which paled in
importance compared to the land armies. The Roman government,
though, also controlled the private shipping industry enough to
guarantee sufficient quantity of food and resources for Rome and
distribution to its armies. Another reason why the Roman navy was
comparatively little used militarily is that Italy, though it has about
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2,000 miles of coast, has few good harbors.

Census and subsequent taxation were the means by which Rome paid for the military
and the expansion of the Empire by conquest. Such a census was decreed by Augustus
about the time of the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1). This is the circumstance that caused
Joseph and Mary to travel to their hometown of Bethlehem from their home in Nazareth.
In A.D. 14, the year of the death of Augustus, a census numbered citizens in the Roman
Empire at nearly five million.
One of the principle ways in which successive emperors were chosen rested with the
praetorian guard. This elite group of troops would select a successor which the senate felt
compelled to ratify. Later, armies throughout the empire claimed the same right to select
a successor to a deceased emperor and rivals often competed in military conflicts,
supported by their respective armies.
Life in Rome was accompanied by numerous
carnivals and entertainment. The holidays during
which these amusements were pursued increased
to 135 annually. The events included chariot
races, gladiatorial combats and the theater.
Those were prosperous times for Rome which
resulted from international traders flocking there,
the establishment of military highways,
suppression of piracy and a single currency for
the entire empire.
Many Jews migrated to Rome after the Roman Empire conquered Palestine. They,
however, lived in their own section, just outside the city on the west bank of the Tiber.
(The Greeks and the Syrians also had their sections in which they lived.) The Jews were
allowed to practice their Jewish faith and culture without restriction. Many Jews were
also made freedmen.
When the Lord’s church was established in
Jerusalem, the Gospel began to spread slowly
throughout the Roman Empire, including Rome.
This occurred as a result of the presence of about
15 nationalities of Jews in Jerusalem when the
Gospel was first preached (Acts 2:9-11). Initially,
3,000 Jews were converted to Christianity. After
a while, those who lived in foreign lands and
were converted returned to their homes; there
they told others of the Gospel. Some of the Jews
present in Jerusalem in Acts Two were
inhabitants of Rome (verse 10), possibly some of
which were also converted and who later returned
to Rome. Biblical evidence attests to the vigor
with which Jewish converts spread their new
faith (Acts 8:4).

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It is quite possible that a dissension arose between Jews and Jewish Christians; this
may be the reason all Jews were commanded by Claudius to leave Rome (Acts 18:2). The
Gentiles were likely unable or not interested in discerning the difference between
practitioners of the Jewish faith and Jewish Christians; the early church was solely
Jewish. Judaism was at that time divided into different sects (Pharisees, Sadducees,
Essenes, Zealots), and for all Imperial Rome knew or cared, Christians were merely
another sect of Judaism. Claudius made no distinction between Jews and Christians in his
decree; Christians had to leave also.
Additionally, the church and Gospel in ancient Rome were
confronted with government encouraged and widely practiced idolatry.
Ultimately, because Christians refused to worship the state gods,
they were viewed as atheists and punished or executed. In time, living
emperors considered themselves gods and demanded worship; the
Christian refusal was viewed as treason and sufficient cause for
punishment and death. After Nero burned Rome (A.D. 64.), Christians
who were already despised by their pagan neighbors were accused of
the crime. Subsequently, Christians were punished and killed.
In spite of unpopularity of the Gospel and finally severe persecution of Christians,
many Jews and Gentiles as well were converted by the Gospel. Eventually, the church at
Rome appears to have been dominated primarily by Gentile Christians (Rom. 1:13;
11:13) with a large Jewish minority also.
The apostle Paul was likely the first apostle to arrive in Rome. For, it was to Nero Paul
appealed and to whom he was sent (Acts 25:11). In Paul’s day, Rome was probably a
large, irregular mass of buildings, unprotected by an outer wall; the city outgrew its
previous wall of defense. Streets were winding and narrow, flanked by tall apartment
houses; Augustus placed a limit of 70 feet on such buildings because they were poorly
constructed and subject to collapse. Many of modern day ruins of Rome noticed by
travelers had not been built yet in Paul’s day.
The city was populated by as much as one half with slaves; each palace and plantation
had from hundreds to thousands of slaves. Many masters freed their slaves, especially at
the owner’s death. Others were freed upon the purchase of their citizenship. The larger
number of the remaining population was impoverished and supported by welfare. A
middle class was wholly absent; the balance of citizens were the few wealthy nobles of
Rome.
As the apostle approached Rome, he was taken along the
highway called the Appian Way (Acts 28:15). Upon his first
imprisonment, Paul lived in his own rented house for two
years, though he was chained to a Roman guard (Acts 28:16,
20, 30). His house was either near the emperor’s palace or
Paul otherwise had association with people attached to the
palace (Phil. 1:13; 4:22). Though not documented by Bible
evidence, secular testimony uniformly acknowledges a
second imprisonment of the apostle, possibly under the reign
of Nero, at which time he was executed. About this time,
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 CHAPTER 12: BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: ROME

other Christians were also killed for their faith. They were wrapped in animal skins and
killed by dogs, robed with clothes wetted with flammable liquids and set on fire for light
or crucified.
Many martyred Christians were buried by fellow Christians in the Catacombs. The
Catacombs beneath Rome were tunnels of from eight to 10 feet high and from four to six
feet wide; they continued for miles and were also used by early Christians for worship.

BACKGROUND OF ROMAN
OCCUPATION OF JUDAEA
Though the Roman Empire had its beginning hundreds of years
earlier, it first conquered Palestine when the general Pompey
captured Jerusalem in 63 B.C. From 40-37 B.C., Jerusalem was
wrested from Rome by a rival nation (the Parthians). Again
captured in 37 B.C., Jerusalem remained militarily subject to Rome
throughout and beyond the biblical record. Herod the Great was
installed as the King of the Jews by Rome and ruled from 37 B.C.
to 4 B.C. when Jesus was born. Other Roman appointees served in Palestine during New
Testament times.
The first Roman Emperor, Octavian, Augustus Caesar, ruled at the time of our Lord’s
birth (Luke 2:1). The Roman Emperor at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion was Tiberius
(A.D. 14-37). Caligula (A.D. 37-41) reigned during the time of the Book of Acts;
Claudius (A.D. 41-54) and Nero (A.D. 54-68) ruled contemporary with the life of the
apostle Paul. Trajan (A.D. 98-117) was emperor when the apostle John was banished to
Patmos.
In A.D. 66, Judaea revolted against Roman rule. This
was brought about by several factors: (1) heavy taxation,
(2) the murder of Jews in Caesarea (Roman capital of
Judaea) by Greeks, (3) murder of the Roman garrison in
Jerusalem by Jews, and chiefly (4) Jewish nationalism
which the Jews viewed as identical to the free practice of
their religion. After subsequent Jewish victories over
Roman armies that were sent to stop the uprising,
Vespasian, a Roman general, was dispatched in A.D. 67
with 50,000 troops to re-conquer Judaea. After he
defeated the rest of Palestine, Vespasian laid siege to
Jerusalem in A.D. 70., but withdrew to become emperor after his troops selected him to
that position. However, his predecessor was still reigning and surrendered in effect when
he was slain in battle. Vespasian entrusted his army on Judaean soil to his son Titus, who
destroyed Jerusalem and put down the Jewish rebellion.

QUESTIONS
1. Briefly, why is the city of Rome important to the student of the Bible?
2. What article of clothing does the shape of Italy appear to be?
3. What two mountain ranges are found in Italy?
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 CHAPTER 12: BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: ROME

4. On what river is the city of Rome found?

5. What two factors resulted in Rome being built into one of the most magnificent cities
the world has ever known?
6. What was the name of the Roman armies formed from Roman citizens?
7. What was the name of the Roman armies that acted as bodyguards for the emperor?
8. Name the three primary ways in which people living in Rome amused themselves
during their holidays.
9. Why were the early Christians wrongfully accused of atheism?
10. Name two things for which the Catacombs were used by early Christians in Italy.
11. What Roman general first conquered Jerusalem?
12. Two Roman generals, father and son, conquered Palestine after the Jews revolted in
A.D. 66; name them.

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 CHAPTER 13

BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: CORINTH

In Bible times, the city of
Corinth was a fortified city and a
center of commerce and trade.
Situated on an isthmus (a narrow
neck of land between two larger
masses of land), it was a
crossroads for land trading
between southern and northern
Greece and sea trading between
East and West. Ships anchored in
Corinth’s west harbor off-loaded
their cargo to be hauled about five miles and loaded on ships in the east harbor. Likewise,
ships in the east harbor sent their freight overland the short distance to be loaded on ships
in the west harbor. This procedure saved about 150 miles of sailing around Greece.
Because of its commercial significance, Corinth was called the “eye of Greece.”
The Old World city of Corinth was built against a rock formation rising 2,000 feet.
This offered complete protection from attack in that direction. The balance of the city
was guarded by a double wall. However, due to its strategic location, Corinth came under
attack repeatedly and was more than once destroyed, only to be rebuilt.
In the apostle Paul’s day, the
city of Corinth may have had a
population of about 400,000 —
including several Jewish traders.
It was also a prosperous city of
many magnificent public build-
ings. Further, Corinth was the
site of the Isthmian games,
perhaps the forerunner of our
modern Olympics. The Isthmian
games were held every five
years, and were so highly
respected that warring city-states suspended warfare while they were in progress. Partici-
pants in the games leaped, ran races, threw darts, boxed and wrestled.
The inhabitants of Corinth were polytheists; they worshipped all the gods of Greek
mythology. Their chief gods and goddesses were: Zeus, chief of the gods; Poseidon, god
of the sea; Apollo, god of song and music; Artemis, goddess of flocks; Hephaestus, god
of fire; Hermes, messenger god; Ares, god of war; Hera, wife of Zeus; Athena, goddess

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 CHAPTER 13: BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: CORINTH

of wisdom and war; Hestia, goddess of the hearth; Demeter, goddess of agriculture; and
Aphrodite, goddess of love. Part of this heathen worship included fornication; the temple
of Venus supported 1,000 priestesses dedicated to prostitution.
Citizens of Corinth were notoriously famous for their sinfulness. Whereas Athens,
about 46 miles north of Corinth, was noted for its culture, Corinth was widely known for
every manner of corruption and evil. Citizens of Corinth were viewed as dishonest and
immoral. To call one a Corinthian was to charge him with base immoralities.
In Paul’s day Corinth was a Roman Colony, built by
Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. In 1858 an earthquake forced
the evacuation of the city. By the twentieth century
nearly all evidence of ancient Corinth vanished from the
surface. However, excavation has yielded some relics
of this Old World city. Some fountains have been
uncovered, 40 feet below the present ground surface.
Also discovered were a theater, a portion of an ancient temple, parts of statues of gods
and goddesses, some low walls, colorful murals, vases,
ancient bath towels, lamps, theater seats and over 400 coins.
Only about one percent of the site was excavated in the first
one hundred years since it was deserted. In our time, a city of
about 18,000 is found three miles from the ancient site.
The value of a canal through the isthmus was realized hundreds of years ago; Nero
attempted to have a canal cut through the rock beginning in about A.D. 66. He however
abandoned the project due to the great difficulty involved and the costly nature of this
undertaking. In more recent history, a canal was successfully carved through the isthmus
and completed in 1893. The canal is four miles long, 75 feet wide and 26 feet deep. At
one point, the rock had to be cut 260 deep from its surface to the depth required.
Since the terrain around Corinth is rocky and land is limited, farming is not a suitable
pursuit. The geographical location, though, more than made up for what the soil lacked.
Corinth was a commercial hub of activity for both highways and sea lanes. Corinth also
took advantage of large deposits of white and cream colored clay and became an early
leader in the ceramic industry.
Two New Testament epistles
that were written by the apostle Paul
to the church meeting in that city
have been preserved. Because of the
excessive wickedness of Corinth, a
vivid contrast existed between the
Lord’s people and other citizens.
The Gospel was as a brilliant light
in an otherwise ebony black
darkness. Unfortunately, though, the
church of God at Corinth was guilty of several sins for which the apostle corrected them.
Some of those sins, like the incest cited in 1 Corinthians Chapter Five, may have been
instances of the sinful world at Corinth influencing Christians to do evil. Evidently, the
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 CHAPTER 13: BEYOND THE FERTILE CRESCENT: CORINTH

church at Corinth possessed the right attitude since it corrected the errors of which it was
guilty.
QUESTIONS
1. What is an isthmus?
2. Why was the city of Corinth an important trading city?
3. Every five years Corinth was the site of what games, which may have been the
forerunner of what modern games?
4. Who did most people in Corinth worship?
5. For what was Corinth famous? For what was Athens famous?
6. Corinth became a Roman Colony after it was rebuilt by whom?
7. Why is the ancient city of Corinth important to Christians today?

70
 Special Chapter:

NEW BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

Not unlike hermeneutics which is being supplanted by the infamous “new
hermeneutics,” biblical archaeology is being revamped with a “new” biblical
archaeology. In both cases, the old, tried, proven and biblically defensible standards are
being wholly undercut and discarded — by “scholars” who demonstrate their agnosticism
or worse at every juncture.
Strangely, many “biblical archaeologists” today are openly enemies of the Bible.
That being so, the term “biblical” should be dropped. Further, the propositions of both
“new hermeneutics” and “new biblical archaeology” contradict the respective topics of
hermeneutics and biblical archaeology.
James K. Hoffmier, a professor at Wheaton College, summarizes the perspective of
new biblical archaeologists.
The result of their scholarly investigations has been that virtually all that
the Bible has to say about the early history of Israel has been rejected . . .
Gone are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua and now even
David. The Egyptian sojourn and exodus stories, along with Sinai
wanderings and Joshua’s military entry into Canaan, have been reduced to
retrojections or inventions by later Biblical writers. (James K. Hoffmier,
“Of Minimalists and Maximalists,” Biblical Archaeology Review, Vol. 21,
No. 2, March/April 1995, p. 22.)
These and other biblical events, places and people are touted as “fictional.” (Ibid.)
New biblical archaeologists picture “. . . the emergence of Israel from varied groups of
pastoral nomads, sedentary farmers and possibly even urban families, mainly of local
Canaanite origin.” (Shlomo Bunimovitz, “How Mute Stones Speak: Interpreting What
We Dig Up,” Biblical Archaeology Review, Vol. 21, No. 2, March/April 1995, p. 67.)
The Old Testament is equated with “superstition” and “folk religion.” (Ibid., pp. 67, 96.)
New biblical archaeologists do not believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of
God (at least not by the ordinary definitions to which we subscribe). Therefore, they are
predisposed not to find correlation between archaeological discoveries and the Bible. Of
course, new biblical archaeologists accuse “old” biblical archaeologists of being
predisposed to find correlations between archaeological discoveries and the Bible —
even if they must forge those comparisons. God’s Word does not require fraudulently
devised external evidences to defend it. However, legitimate external evidences of the
Bible’s veracity — which may be uncovered through biblical archaeology — deserve fair
consideration.
John H. Morison, Professor of New Testament Studies and Winn Professor of
Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School, author and Lutheran minister, has a

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 SPECIAL CHAPTER: NEW BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

loathsome view of God’s Word. In an article in Biblical Archaeology Review, he: (1)
shudders at the thought
. . . that the Hebrew Bible . . . can be understood properly by both Jews
and Christians only if it is acknowledged that its ultimate meaning is seen
as a prophecy for the fulfillment in Jesus Christ. . . . that all Jews should
be converted to Christianity. . . . there is neither a historical nor a
theological justification for such claims. (John H. Morison, “Historic
Mistakes Haunt the Relationship of Christianity and Judaism,” Biblical
Archaeology Review, Vol. 21, No. 2, March/April 1995, p. 26.)
(2) Morison quotes a fellow Harvard colleague and proceeds to defend the statement:
“Both the canon of the New Testament and the Mishnah are a tragic historical mistake.”
(Ibid.) He adds:
It is a simple historical fact that Jesus was an Israelite from Galilee, and
that he understood himself to be nothing else but a prophet in Israel and
for Israel — a venerable tradition, and he was not the first of these
prophets of Israel who was rejected and persecuted — though he was tried
and executed by the Romans, not by the Jewish authorities. (Ibid.)
(3) According to Morison, Christianity and modern Judaism resulted from an
unauthorized disruption in Judaism. A new religion (Christianity) was never intended by
God or the apostles. “The Pharisee Paul,” though he did not envision a new religious
group, through his teaching inadvertently drove a wedge between Jews and Jewish-
Gentile groups — by which “the heirs of the Pharisaic tradition” caused two distinct
groups to form: Jews and Christians. (Ibid., pp. 26-27.)
Even the editor of the magazine Biblical Archaeology Review is critical of “belief in
the inerrancy of the Bible.” (Hershel Shanks, “A Short History of BAR,” Biblical
Archaeology Review, Vol. 21, No. 2, March/April 1995, p. 38.) Four sentences within
two paragraphs by another renown archaeologist show the link between new archaeology
and new hermeneutics —which produces liberal theology.
I think that it is time for us to stop fooling the people, making them think
that there is just one Bible and that our Bible committee got closer to it
than their committee did. . . . Must we continue to pretend that only our
group is right denominationally and others are not right, and it is just too
bad about others? . . . The Hebrew text is still in the process of
standardization, but I wonder if it would not be proper for there to be an
effort afoot to provide our people with the differences where they exist
and let them see that there have been differences all along. I have been
told by some that that would just destroy the Bible because lay folk still
want to think of the Bible as somehow “inerrant.” (James A. Sanders,
“Understanding the Development of the Biblical Text,” The Dead Sea
Scrolls After Forty Years, pp. 70-71.)
Funny, if it were not so tragic, biblical archaeology has become the very thing that
when it initially came forth it was intended to counteract. Biblical archaeology sprang

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 SPECIAL CHAPTER: NEW BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

from Palestinian archaeology as a calculated effort to offset German “higher criticism” of

the Bible.
Archaeologists working in Palestine between the end of the 19th century
and the First World War are generally regarded as the “Founding Fathers”
of Biblical archaeology. . . . The “Golden Age” of Palestinian archaeology
— the period between the two World Wars — was dominated by
American-style “Biblical archaeology” as championed by William
Foxwell Albright and his disciples. (Bunimovitz, pp. 60-61.)
J.W. McGarvey, was one valiant opponent of higher criticism. His book, Lands of
the Bible, is an enduring testimony of his appeal to external evidence with which to
confirm the Bible against liberal German theology.
However, a new generation of scholars in “the 1960s and early 1970s” arose which
dubbed themselves new biblical archaeologists. They dismissed the archaeological work
of their predecessors as “simplistic” or otherwise faulty. Former biblical archaeologists
were ridiculed for engaging in circular reasoning for their acceptance of “. . . both
archaeology and the Bible as essentially trustworthy sources of historical information.”
(Ibid., pp. 59, 62.)
Archaeologists are accompanied in the digs by “geologists, paleobotanists,
zoologists, anthropologists, soil scientists, climatologists, etc.” (Ibid., p. 65.) and
apparently evolutionists (“. . . we found evidence of early man’s settlement in the
Arabian Peninsula nearly a million years ago.” (Hamid Abu Duruk, “Archaeology
Thriving in Saudi Arabia,” Biblical Archaeology Review, Vol. 21, No. 2, March/April
1995, p. 73.) Together, these specialists collaborate to render interpretations regarding
biblical archaeology. These interpretations are naturally subject to whatever
presuppositions that the archaeologists may have. Consequently, new biblical
archaeologists are promoters of humanistic depiction of man’s past, present and future.
They tend to destroy the Bible as God’s Word and encourage an ecumenical, liberal
theology. Personally, were I to adopt what new biblical archaeologists have to offer, I
would not be anything religiously. I would be a confirmed atheist.
Fortunately, though in the minority, there are still old biblical archaeologists. They
still do revere God’s Word and are willing to make correlation between archaeology and
the Bible where those comparisons legitimately exist. Happily, there are numerous
archaeological proofs that serve as external evidence to the truthfulness of the Bible.
Finally and remarkably, no archaeological discoveries have been unearthed which
contradict the Bible.

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false

prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders;
insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive
the very elect” (Matthew 24:24).

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 ADVERTISEMENT: THE VOICE OF TRUTH INTERNATIONAL

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Through mass media — radio programs, TV, and literature — we are doing all we can
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 ADVERTISEMENT: THE VOICE OF TRUTH INTERNATIONAL

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75
 Gospel Gazette Now a Part of World Evangelism
ADVERTISEMENT Upon Bonnie & Louis Rushmore agreeing in June 2007 to
join the World Evangelism Team and their subsequent move in
GOSPEL October 2007 to Winona, MS, Gospel Gazette Online became
simply one more facet of World Evangelism’s efforts to proclaim
GAZETTE the Gospel to the world through mass media. This Internet
venue for evangelism is companion to TV, radio and mass
ONLINE literature distribution already employed by World Evangelism.

In late 1998, Gospel Gazette Online (GGO) at www.gospelgazette.com was born of

an idea and a desire to extend one’s usefulness beyond the local setting, coupled with the
(financial) go-ahead by my wife. From time to time in the past and in various locations
around the country, Gospel Gazette appeared in printed form. First, Gospel Gazette was
a quarterly, tabloid-size, newsprint magazine, which was distributed through paid
insertion in a city newspaper. Years later, Gospel Gazette appeared again as a paperback-
size booklet which was mailed to community households.
Gospel Gazette Online made its debut in January 1999 as a monthly, religious
Internet journal. Today, it is a 20-page, monthly Gospel magazine read by people all over
the world (from all seven continents, including Antarctica). Obviously, GGO via the
Internet is available even in some places in the world to which one cannot easily go
physically with the Gospel of Christ (e.g. Saudi Arabia and Antarctica). Each issue sports
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selected with the help of the site search engine.
Dozens of brothers and sisters in Christ have lent their studious pens through the
pages of GGO to an international readership of both Christians and non-Christians. By
design, short, teaching articles populate Gospel Gazette Online. Thereby, GGO purposes
to edify both Christians and non-Chrisitians with Bible-based lessons. Response from
readers reveals a wide array of religious backgrounds, including members of the church
of Christ, denominational bodies and world religions. Most fan mail is positive and
encouraging, though some of it ranges from critical to hostile, bordering on hate mail. A
couple of the more heartening posts include correspondence about baptisms in Saudi
Arabia and the request from a Muslim in Pakistan that I pray for his sick wife.
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Any good that Gospel Gazette Online has done or continues to do is owing largely to
the many Christian writers whose articles comprise each issue. Most of my immediate
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from around the globe, if there is anything praiseworthy, let the glory be to God.

76
 ADVERTISEMENT: DIGGING UP THE PAST
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77
 PLAN OF REDEMPTION
GOD’S PART
Love (John 3:16)
Grace (Eph. 2:8)
Mercy (Titus 3:5)
Gospel (Rom. 1:16)

CHRIST’S PART
The Blood of Christ (Rev. 1:5)
Our Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)

Holy Spirit’s Part

Revelation (2 Pet. 1:20-21)

MAN’S PART
Bible Faith (John 8:24)
Repentance (Acts 17:30)
Baptism (1 Pet. 3:21)
Obedience (Heb. 5:8, 9)
Purity (Rev. 22:14)
Faithfulness (Rev. 2:10)
Love (1 John 2:10)
Hope (Rom. 8:24)
Works (Jam. 2:24)
Endurance (Matt. 10:22)
Confessing Christ (Rom. 10:9-10)
Being Born Again (John 3:3-5)
Laying Aside Evil (Jam. 1:21)
Preaching (1 Cor. 1:18, 21)
Calling on the Name of the Lord (Rom. 10:14)
Knowledge of the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:15)

78