[caption align="aligncenter"]The Nativity Church In Bethlehem[/caption] THE NATIVITY CHURCH The traditionally accepted birthplace of Jesus is in a grotto located under the Church of Nativity. This is not inconceivable, in the sense that stables were usually on the ground floor or underneath the inn rooms. The tradition, however, only begins 175 years after the birth of Jesus. Three Christian churches, Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic, hold separate services here and…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Wild Oregano[/caption] LIFE GOES ON No matter the economic hardships one may encounter, this I know, life goes on. This family of Elimelech, with two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, settled in Moab for several years. Mahlon and Chilion took Moabite women to wife. Eventually, Elimelech died along with his two sons Mahlon and Chilion (whose names in Hebrew actually mean sickness and death). All that was left of Elimelech’s…

Defense Minister, Mr. Lightning: Barak ("lightning" in Hebrew), the military leader of Israel, was hesitant to follow Deborah's prophetic instruction to engage the enemy. He acquiesced after she agreed to accompany him. (There may have been fewer wars if presidents and prime ministers had accompanied their young soldiers to battle.) Kenites: Modern archaeology has discovered Kenite temples identical to Israelite temples. Jael, Heber's wife, of the Kenite people, apparently may…

"Prophet in Waiting:" The selection of Joshua to replace Moses was anticipated by the Israelites. There was (and still is) a system that God established that there would always be a worthy "Prophet in waiting." Known examples include Joseph for Jacob, Joshua for Moses, Nephi for Lehi and presently the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. These prophets were and are still led by the Lord. History some times…

How Are You Using Your Anchors? The Children of Israel did so poorly in keeping a "spiritual" standard that Moses endeavored to give them a more "physical" standard. The advantage of having physical items as "anchors" to keep reminding us of spiritual goals is evident and useful. However, to many people like the Children of Israel, the physical aspects became more important than what they should be reminders of. The…

What Do Jews Think of Balaam? The collection of Jewish traditions about Balaam are mostly negative and confusing. First of all, he is considered a "gentile prophet." What makes this of interest is the acknowledgment, or at least the inference, that there were prophets outside of ethnic Israel. Unfortunately, the same Jewish tradition distrusts "gentile" prophets. In the same breath, it diminishes the importance of the positive Biblical accounts of…

True Concept of God–Revelation, Lost: For Judaism, "looking to God" and "revelation" are almost figurative and in modern times have become unexplainable. "There is no specific term corresponding to "revelation" . . . appearances are described by a series of anthropomorphic (i.e., human) expressions and concrete images . . . Thus, various phrases are used when describing appearances of the Divine, for example kavod ("glory") or shekhinah (. . .…

Manna, the “Bread” That Kept Israelites Alive: ". . . it was the special duty of the housewife to bake the bread for the Sabbath . . . Two such loaves are placed on the festive Sabbath table as a symbol for the double portion of manna which the Israelites in the wilderness received every Friday . . ." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) Israel Complained–not Enough Water: In the exodus, Moses…

[caption align="aligncenter"]The Hula Valley[/caption] THE HULA VALLEY The challenge to drain the ancient, stinking swamps called the Hula, was met by new Jewish immigrants in the 1940's and 50's. The land is now fruitful. Many of the returning Lebanese visitors are surprised to see the new landscape which has changed considerably since they last saw it almost forty years ago. New settlements and development towns like Kiryat Shemona dot the…

Extermination Order–Deliverer: Baby Moses being saved during an extermination order by the Pharaoh parallels the account of the baby Jesus being saved during an extermination order by King Herod. Moses becomes a "type" of the deliverer. Jesus is the real deliverer. Jesus Was Born on Passover: According to the biblical calendar, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on April 6, 1830. It was Passover that year!…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Mount of Olives[/caption] MOUNT OF OLIVES In the Judean hills, the Mount of Olives looks over Jerusalem. It is about 2700 feet above sea level and is the highest of the several hills in the immediate area of the Holy City. This mount is sacred as a place for the dead as well as for its biblically renowned orchards and vineyards. The graveyard has been the hallowed resting spot…

Ancient Joseph Learned a Profound Lesson in Becoming a Slave: He simply became the very best slave or servant he could be. "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant . . ." (Matthew 23:11-12) "He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all." (Doctrine & Covenants 50:26) Hiding…

Joseph, Known and Unknown: The account of ancient Joseph is truly a chiasmas paralleled by the modern story of Joseph. It is a prefiguring of the Savior's mission. In slavery, his identity is really unknown, yet he serves and saves those around him. Later, he serves and saves his brothers before identifying himself. Latter-day Messiah Preceded by a Joseph Messiah? "According to the Talmud, the Messiah will be a descendant…

Modern Finds Give Insights to Biblical Culture: The Biblical area of Haran may have been discovered in modern Iraq. Writings found in an ancient town of Nuzi give some insight to the culture of Biblical times: "NUZI is an ancient city in northeastern Iraq . . . discovered thousands of tablet-documents dating from the 15th-14th centuries B.C.E. . . . when deciphered, turned out to be extremely valuable . .…

Promise Kept: Isaac was a miracle child, born of Sarah who was ninety-years old and barren. One could ask, "what did the neighbors say?" Isaac in Hebrew means laughter, humor, amusing or delightful. Abraham and Sarah were delighted. A human impossibility became a God-given fulfillment. In the Lord's own plan, he kept his promises! A Chosen Birth Date: "According to the aggadah, Isaac was born to Sarah on the first…

Dead Sea Scroll People Move to the "Great Salt Lake": The Dead Sea Scrolls people moved away from wickedness to establish a singular community of righteousness. Their leader was called the "Teacher of Righteousness" and he had two assistants. There was also a council of "Twelve Overseers." They had an order following the 'righteous king', which is said in Hebrew, "Melech Zedek." The Dead Sea sect shunned others, and probably…

Abrahamic Covenant Before Abraham? It can be considered that the "Abrahamic covenant" was in existence before Abraham's time. The honor bestowed on this faithful dispensation leader was to have the covenant that eternally binds God and man named after him. A few others have been honored similarly, such as in "The Law of Moses" and the "Sign of the Prophet Jonah." New Name: It is a common practice among religious…

Jew's View of a Law Preceding Moses: "Noachide Laws, seven laws which were supposed by the rabbis to have been binding on all mankind even before the revelation at Sinai . . . Exegetically derived from statements made by God to Adam and to Noah, six of them are negative: not to 1) worship idols; 2) blaspheme the name of God; 3) kill; 4) commit adultery; 5) rob; 6) eat…

References to Enoch: "Enoch" appears in several apocryphal works. The Ethiopian Jews who claim to be descendants of King Solomon (and the Queen of Sheba) have brought their holy books from Ethiopia to Israel. Although they are recent in terms of age (less than two-thousand years old), they do contain two apocryphal books, one of which is the Book of Enoch. "Probably the most important work in pseudepigraphical literature deals…

Who Remembers the "Fall of Adam" Anymore?: The fall of Adam is one of the faded doctrines of Judaism. Discovery of ancient scriptures (The Pearl of Great Price) and the restoration of temples in modern times have restored understanding that was on the earth before. Following is a collection of Jewish thought on Adam, Eve and sin. Literal or Allegorical? "For most of the medieval Jewish thinkers, the biblical story…

Texts Before the Bible was Written: Before the Bible as we know it was written there were written correspondences between peoples in the Middle East. The oldest known writing may be the Ebla Tablets found in today's Syria. Approximately eighteen thousand ceramic plates were found. They even contained a language that had never been known before. Even more astounding was a set of plates that contained a sort of dictionary…

Pre-earth Life Exists Before New Testament: At the time of Jesus a Society of Jews that many call the Essenes lived at the Dead Sea. Their writings included inferences of "pre-existence." This seems evident because their scribes referred to the Messiah they expected as known by previous prophets and sages. Doctrine Changed: Again, the eighth century Jewish philosopher, Maimonides, eliminated references to a pre-earth life. Various writing of sages prior…

True Nature Of God Known in Antiquity: The anthropomorphic nature of God was known to the Jews at the time of Jesus. The Old Testament, as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls contain several references to God in 'human terms'. As the true nature of God is seen to diminish in history, true religion fades away. When Jewish Belief in God Changed: By the time the Crusaders were approaching the…