Those who perserved the ancient tradition rejected the second temple, and longed for the restoration of the original, true temple and the faith of Abraham and Melchizedek, the first priest-king. In this fascinating discussion, the author refutes the scholarly assumption that crucial Christian concepts, such as the Trinty, the earth as a reflection of heaven, and the cosmic nature of the atonement, are informed by Greek culture. Rather, she argues, they are drawn from the eclipsed faith of the first temple. '[Margaret Barker's] interpretation of temple theology should not be ignored by anyone in Judaism and the origins of Christian faith.' John McDade, Principal of Heythrop College, University of London.

    Smith, went quickly from its #1 spot on radio playlists to a cherished place in hearts, homes, and worship services everywhere. Now the words that millions have been singing will bear fresh fruit as one of Christianity's most insightful and trusted authors personalizes the biblical truths in each phrase of the song.

    Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament is richly illustrated with hundreds of images, including original artwork, artifacts, maps, and timelines. Uncover the origins of the books of the New Testament and learn how stories of Christ's life and teachings were preserved after His death. Explore the relationships between Greek, Roman, and Jewish culture that explain much about how the gospel was shared and recorded. Examine scriptural issues that have been debated by scholars throughout the ages. Nearly 300 topics provide valuable context to understanding New Testament times, from the role of women and families, to portraits of key personalities, to controversial legends that have persisted to our day. This unique resource is sure to enrich New Testament studies as never before!

    In this beautifully bound Milano Softone edition of A Book of Prayer, Stormie shares a special selection of these prayers with those desiring closer communication with God.A Book of Prayer provides an entire year's worth of short, encouraging prayers readers can use to start their own life-changing conversations with God.Each prayer includes a Scripture verse to draw people into the Father's presence as they lift up prayers of thanksgiving, forgiveness, wholeness, healing, and love. This compact book makes a perfect gift of inspiration for any occasion.

    Because of the cultural distance between the biblical world and our contemporary setting, we often bring modern Western biases to the text. For example:When Western readers hear Paul exhorting women to "dress modestly," we automatically think in terms of sexual modesty. But most women in that culture would never wear racy clothing. The context suggests that Paul is likely more concerned about economic modesty--that Christian women not flaunt their wealth through expensive clothes, braided hair and gold jewelry.Some readers might assume that Moses married "below himself" because his wife was a dark-skinned Cushite. Actually, Hebrews were the slave race, not the Cushites, who were highly respected. Aaron and Miriam probably thought Moses was being presumptuous by marrying "above himselfWestern individualism leads us to assume that Mary and Joseph traveled alone to Bethlehem. What went without saying was that they were likely accompanied by a large entourage of extended family.Biblical scholars Brandon O'Brien and Randy Richards shed light on the ways that Western readers often misunderstand the cultural dynamics of the Bible. They identify nine key areas where modern Westerners have significantly different assumptions about what might be going on in a text. Drawing on their own crosscultural experience in global mission, O'Brien and Richards show how better self-awareness and understanding of cultural differences in language, time and social mores allow us to see the Bible in fresh and unexpected ways. Getting beyond our own cultural assumptions is increasingly important for being Christians in our interconnected and globalized world. Learn to read Scripture as a member of the global body of Christ.

    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

    In his three letters John left a legacy of divine love to ignite the passion of future believers.

    For many Christians, the Bible is a how-to manual filled with literal truths about belief that must be strictly followed. But the Bible is not static, Peter Enns argues. It does not hold easy answers to the perplexing questions and issues that confront us in our daily lives. Rather, the Bible is a dynamic instrument for study that not only offers an abundance of insights but provokes us to find our own answers to spiritual questions, cultivating God’s wisdom within us.“The Bible becomes a confusing mess when we expect it to function as a rulebook for faith. But when we allow the Bible to determine our expectations, we see that Wisdom, not answers, is the Bible’s true subject matter,” writes Enns. This distinction, he points out, is important because when we come to the Bible expecting it to be a textbook intended by God to give us unwavering certainty about our faith, we are actually creating problems for ourselves. The Bible, in other words, really isn’t the problem; having the wrong expectation is what interferes with our reading.Rather than considering the Bible as an ancient book weighed down with problems, flaws, and contradictions that must be defended by modern readers, Enns offers a vision of the holy scriptures as an inspired and empowering resource to help us better understand how to live as a person of faith today.How the Bible Actually Works makes clear that there is no one right way to read the Bible. Moving us beyond the damaging idea that “being right” is the most important measure of faith, Enns’s freeing approach to Bible study helps us to instead focus on pursuing enlightenment and building our relationship with God—which is exactly what the Bible was designed to do.

    Different colors and type styles allow readers to easily identify each of the distinct sources, showcasing Friedman's highly acclaimed and dynamic translation.

    It includes subtle discoveries lying just "beneath" the text -- hidden messages, encryptions, deliberate misspellings and other amendments to the text -- that present implications beyond the immediate context, demonstrating a skillful design that has its origin from outside our space and time. Drawing upon over forty years of collecting, Chuck highlights in this book many of the precious nuggets that have become characteristic of his popular Bible studies around the world.It is guaranteed to stimulate, provoke, and, hopefully, to disturb. It will confound the skeptic and encourage the believer. It is a "must read" for every thinking seeker of truth and serious inquirer of reality.

    These heavenly bodies would be used as signals of coming dramatic historical events when the Creator of the universe would intersect with human history. But how do we unlock the code to interpret the signals?  The key is found in the riveting new book, Blood Moons by Pastor Mark Biltz. In 2007 Pastor Biltz first discovered the correlation between when blood moons fell on feast days and key historical world events. He found the divine link between prophecy, heavenly signs, historical events, and when they intersect.Throughout history God, the Master Timekeeper, has used the heavenly bodies to communicate to us when significant events will happen.If you want to understand the timing of the Lord, you have to understand the seasons of the Lord, the feasts of the Lord, and the calendar of the Lord. What are the feasts days?What is the difference between the biblical calendar and the one we use today?Why should you be concerned about eclipses in the sky?In Blood Moons Pastor Biltz answers these questions and more. He explains the importance of these biblical celebrations and milestones and shows how you too can be aware of the signs of things to come.

    Helps people read the Bible as a whole; and even when the whole is narrowed to whole books, helps readers to see how each book fits into the grand Story of the Bible.

    s/t: English edition: completely revised on the basis of the Greek text of the Nestle-Aland 26th edition & Greek New Testament 3rd edition: the text is the 2ed edition of the Revised Standard Version

    This arena beyond reason, Tozer states, is the terrain of faith. Based on the Gospel of John, these sermons explore how faith in God transforms the ordinary into something unimaginable -- into a realm where things are possible only with God.

    See how their struggles, successes, and failures still resonate today. If you've ever asked yourself the question, "Who was she?" while reading the Bible, you need only to open this amazing book to find out. A devotional study of the women who taught us love and compassion, this comprehensive guide presents the successes and shortcomings of all of the key characters in the Good Book. As you review the lives of these classic matriarchs, you'll find that most of these biblical women have joys and follies that align with your own.All the Women of the Bible is divided into two sections: The Book of Names and The Book of Stories.The Book of Names: With over 400 entries, this well-researched and easy-to-follow biographical dictionary and "thesaurus" lists each woman, along with a short description of her life, citations where her story can be found, and cross references to other dictionary entries.The Book of Stories: Taking a different, more narrative tone, this second part retells in rich detail the stories of 56 very important women—women whose lives were changed by crisis and challenge; women who learned, shared, or shunned faith in the Lord.Complete with scripture passages and citations, this book is an ideal study aid for those deeply interested to the Bible.