The Hebrew Bible uses a metaphor of marriage for the relationship between God and Israel. God is the faithful and true husband, while Israel is an unfaithful bride.

The wedding takes place at Mount Sinai, and marriage language is used throughout by the prophets to emphasize the closeness of this special relationship.

Marriage is also a metaphor for redemption. God’s plan of redemption will end with humanity intimately dwelling with the presence of God.

In the New Testament, the metaphor of marriage/redemption continues with Jesus as the bridegroom.

Marriage/redemption language is used throughout the New Testament to communicate God’s cosmic plan.
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Join us as we explore this rich metaphor and see how Jesus is the bridegroom we await to take us to be with him.  

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Moses acts as a covenant mediator for the brand-new nation of Israel.

God uses the ancient Near Eastern Suzerain Vassal covenant structure to communicate this new relationship to his people.

When we understand the components of an ancient Near Eastern covenant, we begin to see the underlying structure within the Biblical text.

If we don't understand ANE Covenants, we miss the details the Bible communicates to us.
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Join us for this lesson as we explore the underlying structure of the Mosaic Covenant and how it helps us understand our relationship with God.

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​The 'Father's House' serves as a poignant cultural metaphor, shedding light on the Scriptural principle of redemption.

In this metaphorical realm, God the Father possesses a household, and each one of us is an integral member of that divine family. But what unfolds when we find ourselves estranged, metaphorically 'outside' of the Father's House?

In a profound act of divine love and grace, the Father commissions His eldest Son—the Redeemer—to embark on a mission to reconcile us back to the familial fold.

This salvific journey by the Redeemer illuminates the depths of God's desire to restore us to a place of belonging and unity within His household.

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​The generations following Adam and Eve became wicked, violent, and murderous. God's heart was grieved, and, in His wisdom, He decided to "start over" through Noah and his family.
 
Noah's story is a "de-creation" followed by "re-creation" and a new beginning for humanity. After the flood, God makes a covenant with humanity through Noah as the covenant mediator.
 
His promise to humanity is that He will not destroy the earth again with a flood, and as a sign of the covenant, God sets his "bow" in the clouds.
 
In today's lesson, we will explore the ancient context of the Hebrew word for "bow" and the implications for how we understand this remarkable covenant with humanity.

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Join us as we explore the foundational concepts of the Bible - Redemption and Covenant.

God has a plan of redemption and he is executing this plan through a series of covenants.

Understanding the basics of redemption and covenant will help you read deeper into your Bible!

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In John 10:22, he tells us that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah - or the Feast of Dedication in English.

Hanukkah celebrates a historical event in 165 BCE, led by the Maccabees family, which ultimately won the Israelites their religious and political freedoms.

​Join us in this lesson as we explore the historical background leading up to this holiday and how the impact of this victory was still inspiring the Zealots – including Paul – in the first century.

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​Scholars have long recognized that Jesus was not born on December 25th. 

So when was he born?  Does the Bible give us any clues as to the time of year of his birth?

The answer is yes!  

Join us as we explore a trail of clues in the Gospel of Luke that points us to Jesus' birth being in the fall, around the Feast of Tabernacles. 

Considering the importance that God places on his Appointed Feasts and His plan of redemption, it would only make sense that Jesus, our redeemer, would be born into the world during the feast that celebrates redemption.

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​In today's lesson, we look at the final of the seven holidays – the Festival of Tabernacles. 

This festival is the dress rehearsal for Heaven, and it celebrates the fullness of redemption! And it is the only holiday we are commanded to celebrate with Joy before the LORD. 

Understanding the Festival of Tabernacles is central to understanding the message of the Gospel of John and how the "word" came to "tabernacle" among us. 

We also find Jesus attending this dynamic festival in the Gospel of John.

It is through understanding the first-century context of Tabernacles that the words and actions of Jesus come alive and enrich our reading of the Biblical text.

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​For humanity to be reconciled with God, sin must be atoned for.
 
God, in his wisdom, provided a ritual in the Day of Atonement ceremony for this exact purpose - to restore the covenantal relationship with his people in service of His plan of redemption.
 
In addition to a ransom - the goat whose blood is sprinkled on the Mercy Seat - there is also a Scapegoat ceremony.
 
The scapegoat ceremony offers a concrete ritual to the nation that the past year's sins have been "taken away" on the head of the goat.
 
Jesus fulfills both the ransom offering and the scapegoat who "takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
 
Join us as we explore this holiday and the amazing significance of Jesus' atoning death (Romans 3:25).

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​In today's lesson, we explore how the Feast of Trumpets - the first day of the seventh month - became a New Year's celebration - Rosh Hashanah.
 
In the cultures surrounding ancient Israel, the purging of sins from the king, the city, and the people marked their New Year's celebrations.
 
In Babylon, their New Year's festival - called Akitu - even included a scapegoat ceremony to remove the sins from the king. 
 
A New Year's ritual is one of rebirth and the renewal of time so humanity can enter the new period of time free of their sins.
 
Join us today as we explore this ancient ritual and see how closely it resembles our modern New Year's practice.

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References:

"Seasonal Renewal in Ancient Mesopotamia" in Britannica

Lupercalia Festival:  ​en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupercalia

Februus - god of the underworld - 

Antagonyms: ​www-personal.umich.edu/~cellis/antagonym.html 

In the New Testament, a keen eye will notice two distinct Greek words for 'tree.' The word 'dendron' describes living, fruit-bearing trees, while 'xsulon' usually refers to dead wood or an implement of execution—like the tree on which Jesus was crucified.

Intriguingly, John employs both terms in the book of Revelation yet adds an unexpected nuance when discussing the "Tree of Life."

What might surprise you is that John chooses the word 'xsulon' for the Tree of Life. This is no arbitrary choice of words; it's a theological stroke of genius.

The Tree of Life, described as having leaves that never wither and ever-bearing fruit, is dubbed a 'xsulon'—the same term used for the wood of Christ's Cross.

The implication is profound: The Cross itself, often seen as an emblem of suffering and death, becomes a wellspring of life and healing in the spiritual realm.

So, where do we find the essence of life and the path to healing? Look no further than the Cross.
It stands as a paradoxical symbol—conjoining the realms of life and death, tragedy and triumph, in a manner beyond our complete understanding.

​Through the lens of John's carefully chosen language, we discern that the Cross isn't just a historical artifact or a mere symbol; it's a living, life-giving reality.

12th Century Mosaic of the Cross as the Tree of Life in the San Clemente Basilica, Rome. 

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