BiblePlaces Blog: Ophel City Wall Site Inaugurated

BiblePlaces Blog: Ophel City Wall Site Inaugurated

From a press release from the Israel Antiquities Authority:

In a festive ceremony to be held Today - Tuesday, June 21, 2011, the Ophel City Wall site, a complex of buildings uncovered along the route of the fortifications from the First Temple period (tenth-sixth centuries BCE), and the display of the earliest written document ever uncovered in Jerusalem will be inaugurated. The opening of the site, located in the Walls Around Jerusalem National Park, and the exhibit in the Davidson Center are made possible through the generous donation by Daniel Mintz and Meredith Berkman.

[...]

Upon completion of the excavation and conservation work at the Ophel City Wall site, visitors will now be able to touch the stones and walls whose construction tells the history of Jerusalem throughout the ages. It is now possible to walk comfortably through the built remains, in places that were previously closed to the public, to sense their splendor and learn about the history of the region by the signage and the different means of presentation and illustration.

[...]

The highlight of the excavations is the complete exposure of the gate house. The plan of this impressive building includes four rooms of identical size, arranged on both sides of a broad corridor paved with crushed limestone. The plan of the gate house is characteristic of the First Temple period (tenth-sixth centuries BCE) and is similar to contemporaneous gates that were revealed at Megiddo, Be‘er Sheva’ and Ashdod. The excavator, Eilat Mazar, suggests identifying the gate house here with the ‘water gate’ mentioned in the Bible: “…and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower” (Nehemiah 3:26). The ground floor of a large building that was destroyed in a fierce conflagration can be seen east of the gate. Mazar suggests that this structure was destroyed by the Babylonian conquest of the city in 586 BCE. Twelve very large, clay store jars (pithoi), which probably contained wine or oil, were discovered on the floor of the building. Engraved on the shoulder of one of these pithoi is the Hebrew inscription “לשר האו...”. The inscription indicates that this pithos belonged to one of the kingdom’s ministers, perhaps the overseer of the bakers.

During the course of the excavation the earliest written document to be exposed to date in Jerusalem was discovered. This unique find, which is of extraordinary importance to the history of the city, will now be on permanent display to the public in the Davidson Center. This is a very small fragment of a clay tablet engraved in Akkadian cuneiform script, which was the lingua franca of the time. Among the very skillfully written words that can be read are the words: “you were”, “later”, “to do” and “they”. The tablet and the writing are typical of the tablets that were used in antiquity throughout Mesopotamia for international correspondence.

The full press release, along with 19 photographs (including the one above), is available at the IAA site (temporary link). I’d be curious to know if there are any other archaeologists who agree with Mazar’s identification of the structure she excavated as a gate. Some years ago it seemed that even those most sympathetic to her views did not follow her on this, but perhaps that has changed. I note that the press release does not state that this is a gate but that “Mazar suggests” that it is a gate.

Temple Mount of Jerusalem fro

"The Church"

I have entered a study that I wish to share, concerning "the church." A number of things pass my mind as I think of this term, that I know a lot of people think.  I remember growing up, there wasn't much emphasis put on "church." It was a place to go to socialize, dress up, hear someone speak (sometimes rant) and watch them always with emphasis among the circles I attended - pass the collection plate. After a while, especially in my teen years, I saw a lot of hypocrisy and branded "the church" at large (the group I was attending or otherwise) as hypocrites.  I quit going.  It wasn't until I met my wife, that I began going again, and this particular little group seemed different.  It was the first "church" I attended that emphasized what the bible actually taught, and the collection wasn't emphasized over everything, especially the teaching.

I am now 33+ years on the other side of that day, and once again questions come up about "the church" and what God intended it to be.  I have seen a lot of what God has not wanted it to be. So, I decided to chuck everything I had learned and start afresh on the subject to see what God says and has in mind when He thought of the church. 

Let's get a couple of preliminary things out of the way.  Paul says in Col.1:13 "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son..."  In vs.18 in continuation of this thought of being in God's Kingdom, Paul here refers to this Kingdom over which Jesus is the Head as "the church."  God's Kingdom, God's Church are one in the same thing.   The term "church" is an interesting term, because it is not a "biblical" word.  Yes, it occurs in many Bibles, but the term "church" is neither part of the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek that the Bible is written in.  If you look up the term "church" as it is used in the New Testament, you will discover that it is the greek word "ekklesia."  This term is actually a combination of two words in greek  “ek”  meaning "out of" and “kaleo” meaning "I call."  The intent of the term is to describe God's people as those "called out of" the world as intended by Paul in Col.1:13,18. The term "church" is actually an English term of Middle English derivation,  of the Dutch/German/Slavic terms of the greek “kuriokos” meaning “belonging to the Lord.”  It was a term used to identify those who belonged to the Lord, which is not an incorrect use or identification. "Kuriokos" became shortened to "kurioch" which then later became shortened to  "kurch" which then became our modern English "church."  Still initially with the same original meaning intended, which as we have said, is not an incorrect application.  However,  men will do as men will do, and abuse of this term "church" has occurred where where men have craved power that belonged only to the Lord.  So, over history, men have made God's "church" into things that God never meant for it to be.  Men have made the church a philosophy, a culture, a Civil Government and ultimately a Business.  Confusing -- needless to say. But, this is not God's way (1 Cor.14:33), it is the world's and ultimately evil (1 Jn.2:16). 

Probably with that statement, you wish to shoot me to a wall with arrows. But before you do, I ask you to consider with me the question - What did God mean..what did God have in mind when He first mentioned "the church?"

Would it surprise you to note, that Jesus - who is the head of and author of the "church" only mentions it twice while He is living upon this planet?  Matt.16:18 and Matt 18:17 are the only places that Jesus mentions "the church." In the remainder of this post, we will look at Matt.16:18 and the context of it to see what Jesus meant when He said what began this all, "I will build my church."

1. "I will build" - tells us that He and no one else is the builder of His church. It is not left to men to build, to plant, or to possess. He will build it - period. It is already planted BY Him, all I can do is cultivate what He has given.  It is not mine to possess in any way shape or form. It is His!   
2. "and the gates of Hades (see footnote 1 below) will not overpower it" -  If death or the realm of death (Hades) cannot overpower it, then it is not an "earthly" thing (2 Pet.3:7). It is a Spiritual place subject only to the rule of God and Christ. No earthly realm can rule over it, no earthly influence shall have dominion in it and it still be called Christ's. 
3. "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."  This tells us that Jesus' church is a spiritual place guided by heavenly and spiritual values that were decreed or loosened in Heaven before ever so here in this realm.  The decrees and values of God's Kingdom are God's. If not revealed within the context of His word (Jude vs.3; Heb.1:1-3; Jn

All of this brings us back now to our question, "When Jesus said He would build His church, what was He going to build? How would it be different than anything else that men have seen?" 

 The answer is found in what we have studied above, and in a statement made by Paul in Eph.3:10 "so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places."  Men have looked to government and human institutions of every kind, trying to find solace and peace. They have sought lauded rulers only to be disappointed. They have sought social and political institutions, only to find them as corrupt as everything else. And many have sought to find solace in "churches" - governed by man, and full of the same corruption that they find in every other human institution. 

God's church on the other hand (not men's) is the place where God's wisdom rules, where God's wisdom can be seen, and where the peace and solace that people yearn for can be found in God's Son (Mt.11:28-30). It is the place to which rulers, governments, authorities and other institutions look, when they want to see something of TRUE value!  THAT is what Jesus built!

We will look further into this subject in future posts.

Jim

Difficult Decisions and God's Will

Decisions are tricky. There are good ones and bad ones and making the wrong decision creates stress, anxieties, feelings of inferiority and other issues in our lives. This is why reliance upon God is something that one must learn. The main problem is that we like to be the captain of our own ships and think we know what is best, when sometimes we don't. 

How can I know that my decisions are right? How can I know that what I am choosing is what God wants?  

1. Make sure that what you are seeking is in alignment with what God has said in His word. (2 Tim.2:15; Heb.5:14)
2.  Seek what God wants, not what YOU want (Mt.6:33)
3. Base your decisions upon spiritual principle and knowledge (Jn.8:32; Jas.3:17)
4. Ask God to guide your wisdom (Jas.1:5)

Psalm 23:3 states, “He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”  To many, this sounds "corny" and yet others will say, ‘But I’ve tried this!’  There are times when we ask God to guide us but then come away more confused. We still couldn’t figure it out, and perhaps have heard the Tempter beckoning to us, ‘Why is knowing God’s will so difficult?’ Is God playing games with me? 

Anyone who takes the time to know God at all, will know that God is not out to confuse, make things difficult for us, or play games with us. 1 Cor.14:33 reminds us that God is not the author of confusion or unruliness, nor does he play games with or tempt anyone (Jas.1:13). This is a lie that the Evil One has spread since creation began.  God wants to guide us and He has given us the truth that we may know it (Jn.5:39; Heb.2:1-4). The problem is we often look for the wrong thing when we’re trying to find God’s will. 

• Some of us look for a feeling to tell us God’s will.  Yet, feelings can deceive. This is why feelings must be coupled with the wisdom of the truth, so that I may know the path I walk (Jas.1:25; Prov.8:20)
• Some of us want a formula to tell us God’s will. We want everything in black and white, we want the easy way and the easy answer. Yet, not everything is learned by formula, some things must be learned by use and experience (Heb.5:12-14)
• Some of us look for a fantastic sign that will show us God’s will. Yet, to constantly look for a sign to prove what God has already said is wrong (Mt.12:39). Satan himself can deceive and does deceive with such things (2 Th.2:9; Gal.1:8).  

God's will is not hard to know. It just involves looking for it (Acts 17:11) and asking God for help (Jas.1:5). Then doing, what I know to be truth (Jas.1;25).  The rest? -- you have to learn by experience and putting to practice the truth (Heb.5:14).

Jim

A new tomb at Nazareth Village | Ferrell's Travel Blog

A new tomb at Nazareth Village | Ferrell's Travel Blog

A new tomb at Nazareth Village

Posted on June 15, 2011 by ferrelljenkins| Leave a comment

Nazareth Village has become a necessary stop on my tours to Israel. The eyes of ministers and Bible class teachers are opened quickly to the reality of Bible stories. Some of the “exhibits” change with the season; others remain constant.

There was something new at Nazareth Village this year — a tomb cut out of the rock with a rolling stone.

New tomb with rolling stone at Nazareth Village. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

This new tomb “where no one had yet been buried” is a good reminder of the type of tomb in which Jesus was buried (John 19:41 NET).

After Joseph bought a linen cloth and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone across the entrance of the tomb. (Mark 15:46 NET)

Working for a Bigger Purpose

Working for a Bigger Purpose via Michael Hyatt's Blog

This is a guest post by Jon Gordon. He is a sought-after speaker and the author of The Energy Bus, Soup, and his latest release The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work. At the end of this post, I will tell you how to get a FREE copy. Please visit thebook’s website to learn more and for a details on a special offer. You can read his blog and follow him on Twitter. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

What if work wasn’t just work? What if work was a vehicle to live and share a bigger purpose?

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/vernonwiley

I believe there’s a flawed perception in our society that in order to live a life of purpose we have to leave our jobs and go solve world hunger, feed the homeless, move to Africa, or start a charity.

While these are all noble, needed causes with many who are called to do these very things, for others of us our bigger purpose can be found in the here and now, in the jobs we have, right under our noses. And when we find and live this purpose, it will provide the ultimate fuel for a meaningful life.

You may not build libraries around the world, but you can find the bigger purpose in reading to your children. You may not feed the homeless every day, but you can nourish your employees and customers with a smile, kind word, and care. And while you may not start your own non-profit organization, you can begin a charity initiative at work. After all, “charity” means “love in action.”

You can make a difference every day and touch the lives of everyone you meet. While these people may not be starving because of a lack of food, you can provide them with a different kind of nourishment that will feed their souls (and feed your own in the process).

Here are a few examples:

• I heard of a janitor who worked at NASA. And even though he was sweeping floors, he felt his bigger purpose was contributing to put a man on the moon.
• I met a bus driver who knows his purpose is to help kids stay off drugs.
• I met an administrative assistant who has become the Chief Energy Officer of her company.
• I received an email from a man in the mortgage business who sees his job as a way to help couples save their marriages by keeping their homes.
• I know a Popeye’s Chicken employee named Edith in the Atlanta Airport who makes thousands of air travelers smile each day.

The list goes on … ordinary people with an extra-ordinary purpose.

In any job our purpose waits for us to find it and live it.

I can’t tell you what your purpose should be, but I can tell you that every one of us can find a bigger purpose in the job we have.

I can tell you that every job, no matter how glorious or boring it may seem, will get mundane if we let it.
Purpose keeps it fresh. And when we are filled with purpose, we tap into an endless supply of energy.

Don’t wait until you go to Africa to start living with a mission. Don’t wait until the weekend to feed people who are hungry. Bring your mission to work, start working for a bigger purpose and nourish others in the process.

Wiley Press, Jon’s publisher, has agreed to give 50 copies of his new book, The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work to my readers. To get a chance at snagging one, you must take the following three actions:

1. Leave a comment below. Answer Jon’s question at the bottom of this post.
2. Fill out the special form. I have set up a separate contact form to make it convenient for you to provide your mailing address. Please do not put your shipping address in your comment. This will automatically disqualify you.
3. Twitter a link to this post. You can do so automatically by clicking here. If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can use Facebook.

On Friday, June 24, 2011, I will select 50 people, based solely on my arbitrary and subjective evaluation of their comments. If you are one of those selected, I will notify you via email. If you don’t hear from me, you can assume you didn’t make the cut.

1,500-Year-Old Building Discovered in Akko - Inside Israel - Israel News - Israel National News

1,500-Year-Old Building Discovered in Akko - Inside Israel - Israel News - Israel National News

A 1,500-year-old public building dating to the Byzantine Period has been found in excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in the northern Israeli city of Akko.

The building was found in an archaeological excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted approximately 100 meters west of Tel Akko, and it is believed that it may have been used as a church.

The large ashlar-built public building was found to have an abundance of roof tiles, parts of marble ornamentations, pottery, and coins, all of which point to a public structure that served the Bishop of Akko’s city in the Byzantine period. Terra cotta pipes survived below the wall levels and mosaic pavements adorned the floor in one of its rooms. The building’s inhabitants also had a readily available supply of water from a well that was situated in one of the courtyards of the building.

According to Nurit Feig, director of the excavation on behalf of the IAA, “Until now, the city was known from Christian sources which mention its bishop who took part in formulating the new religion. Now, the first tangible evidence is emerging in the field.”

She added that “this is an important discovery for the study of Akko because until now no remains dating to the Byzantine period have been found, save those of a residential quarter situated near the sea.”

Early Christian sources mention the bishops of Akko and Caesarea who participated in major international conferences and meetings that dealt with formulating religious doctrine. This, along with evidence of an anonymous pilgrim from the city of Piacenza in Italy regarding the richness and splendor of the city in the year 570 CE in which he mentions the beautiful churches within its precincts, attest to the centrality of Akko for the Christian religion in this period.

In the past, IAA has also uncovered a treasure trove of some 350 rare pieces of marble, hoarded beneath an ancient cellar floor during an excavation conducted approximately 100 meters north of the Old City wall of Akko.

The unique find, which dates back to the Crusader period (the thirteenth century CE), is a collection of items that were gathered from buildings that had been destroyed.

Dying on The Vine

Many over the years, have misunderstood what "church" is. Unfortunately, through abuse of the term, the idea of the "church" as God planned it has become many things, from a philosophy, culture, civil government, and even a business. None of these are what God intended. God intended his church to be three things - 

1. The body of His Son (1 Cor.12:27; Col.1:13-18)  
2. His administrator and ambassador of His message to the world (Eph.3:1-11) 
3. A fellowship of believers, encouraging one another toward the prize in Christ (Eph.3:1-11; 1 Cor.1:9; Ph'p.1:5; 1 Jn.1:3)

This "fellowship" is a partnership, a union and joining to which we are connected by Christ. It is the one place where of all places we should see God's will being done. The fellowship of God's church is provided to encourage us to fulfill our calling to serve others in practical ways. This is what Paul told the Corinthians, "Now you together constitute the body of the Messiah, and individually you are parts of it  (1Cor 12:27 )." He informed the Ephesians, "from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Eph.4:16)."  

Your service, participation, being part of this fellowship is essential to the Body of Christ. Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important. There is no small service to God; it all matters - even the smallest part.  There are many things that are seen within the church, and just as many if not more that are hidden behind the scenes, but all are valuable and ALL important. 

What happens when one part of your body fails to function? You get sick and the rest of your body suffers, aches, hurts, or in some way misses what the other part supplied.  What happens if for instance your heart decided to start living for itself: -- “I’m tired! I don’t want to serve the body anymore! I want a year off just to be fed. I’ve got to do what’s best for me! Let some other part take over.”  What would happen? Your body would die.

Today churches are dying because of Christians who are either unwilling to serve, or are just plain stubborn and don't want to. They sit on the sidelines as spectators, and watch while the Body of CHRIST suffers. So, here are a couple of thoughts for us all to consider.

1. It is God who calls you to a service far beyond anything you could ever imagine. He created YOU for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for you to do (see Ephesians 2:10). If you're not listening to this call, it is to Him you shall have to answer, not to anyone else. Are you sure you want to do that?

2.) Whenever you serve others, you are serving God (Mt.25:40). If you are not....well you supply the answer.  (Hint - read vs.44,45)  Are you sure you want to be on that side of the fence?

3.) Withholding your fellowship and participation hurts only yourself. Heb.10:25 is often quoted in places like this, to remind us that every one's presence is a special and important thing ..to everyone, including God. Yes, the body does suffer because we withhold our fellowship and participation. But, God's Church will survive.  However, to abandon my fellowship, ignore participating, or neglect that...is to neglect God.  Is that something that you want to do?

Jim