Ancient Bible History

Many Christians today divide ancient Jewish and Christian literature into two categories: what is in the Bible and what is not. The Christian East, however, has traditionally described a third category considered beneficial for Christians to listen to in the home: “apocrypha.” These texts, from the centuries before and after the Incarnation of Jesus Christ—beyond even the larger canons of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Old Testaments—reveal to us the religious world and theological framework of the apostles and early Church Fathers.

Two celebrated scholars illustrate how the newly discovered Gospel of Judas provides a window into understanding how Jesus' followers understood his death, why Judas betrayed Jesus, and why God allowed it. Presented with the elegance, insight, and accessibility that has made Pagels and King the leading voices in this field, this is a book for academics and popular audiences alike.

Robert Benjamin Lewis (1802 - 1858) was an African American and Native American author, inventor, and entrepreneur. In the ethnological work Light and Truth, Lewis claims that Adam and Eve were people of color, as were the Egyptians and many great figures of the ancient world, including Julius Caesar and Plato. Denouncing notions of white superiority, he asserts that all humans have a common origin, and pointed to a shared cultural history between Africans and Native Americans.

Following up on the first volume, The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament: Volume 2 takes up the challenge of providing a clear and useful guide to those wanting a better understanding of the Old Testament, including its cultural and historical background, as well as discussions on contentious topics like violence and genocide, and whether the Exodus was a real historical event. Volume two also covers the narrative of the Old Testament, from the conquest to the divided monarchy, and a brief history of Egypt to help situate the biblical text within agreed historical events.

In our modern age the biblical Genesis flood account has been probed and analyzed for answers to scientific, apologetic, and historical questions. It is a text that has called forth flood geology, fueled searches for remnants of the ark on Mount Ararat, and inspired a full-size replica of Noah's ark in a biblical theme park. Some claim that the very veracity of Scripture hinges on a particular reading of the flood narrative. But do we understand what we are reading? Longman and Walton urge us to ask, what might the biblical author have been saying to his ancient audience?

A theological exposition of the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel. The passages are organized into nine Bible studies taken from selected passages of the Biblical text that are appropriate for about one hour of small-group discussion or about 30 minutes of personal devotion. The passages are presented with an emphasis on the history and context of the writings, and its application both in the early church and in the church today. Table of Contents ________________________________________ 1:1-4;3:1-8, 3:1-11. Responding to God’s Call. Page 5 7:1-4, 15-22. Choose Worldly or Godly Values 21 12:1...

Christ in the Psalms takes the listener on a thought-provoking and enlightening pilgrimage through this beloved prayer book of the Church. Lively and highly devotional, this audiobook holds a wealth of insight into the beloved Scriptures, the world of the Early Church, and the Apostles themselves.

People need stories to make sense of the world - to hold their lives together, and to fasten on to those values that last. The greatest stories are found in the Bible, enduring through the centuries. In Genesis, acclaimed television journalist Bill Moyers brings together some of the world's liveliest minds for spirited round-table discussions of the ageless stories from the Bible's first, towering book.

They’ve been called legalists, hypocrites, and the ultimate villains of the Gospels. But what if everything you think you know about the Pharisees is wrong? For centuries, they’ve been cast as rigid enforcers of outdated laws, standing in opposition to everything good and true. But history tells a different story. The Pharisees weren’t just rule-makers—they were the architects of a religious revolution. They took Judaism out of the Temple and into the home, shaping a faith that could survive war, exile, and destruction. Their debates laid the groundwork for modern Jewish thought, ...

“I didn’t think he’d do it. I really didn’t think he would. I thought he’d say, whoa, hold on, wait a minute. We made a deal, remember, the land, the blessing, the nation, the descendants as numerous as the sands on the shore and the stars in the sky.” So begins James Goodman’s original and urgent encounter with one of the most compelling and resonant stories ever told - God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

Richard Carrier, Ph.D., philosopher, historian, blogger, has published a number of papers in the field of ancient history and biblical studies. He has also written several books and chapters on diverse subjects, and has been blogging and speaking since 2006. He is known the world over for all the above. But here, together for the first time, are all of Dr. Carrier's peer reviewed academic journal articles in history through the year 2013, collected with his best magazine articles, research papers, and blog posts on the same subjects.

Between 50 and 90 CE, the various writings that comprise the New Testament were written, including the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of Paul, and other letters to more general communities of the early Church. But what is recognized as the 26 books of the New Testament today, in literally hundreds of English translations, actually took several more centuries to be determined as "canonical" by the Church.

In 1925, James Henry Breasted sent a team of archaeologists to the Holy Land to excavate the ancient site of Megiddo - Armageddon in the New Testament. Their excavations made headlines around the world and shed light on one of the most legendary cities of biblical times. Digging Up Armageddon brings to life one of the most important archaeological expeditions ever undertaken, describing the site and what was found there, and providing an up-close look at the internal workings of a dig in the early years of biblical archaeology.

Now you can explore the origins, purposes, and destinies of the nations strictly from a biblical perspective. In Dr. Henry Morris’, God and the Nations, you will find a comprehensive study of the history of God’s dealings with the nations — past, present, and future. This is truly the untold story of the world. Many volumes have been written about individual nations, of course, as well as regional and world histories, but even these are rarely written from the biblical perspective. Filled with Morris' well-documented Scriptural research, you will find in these easy-to-read pages the ...

For over a millennium, there has been no documented evidence of Jesus writing anything for future generations or any personal correspondence written by his earthly hands. Today, however, a discovery of monumental significance is poised to be revealed to the world for the first time. Recorded over 2000 years ago by the Messiah's own hands. Protected and concealed for centuries. Many have waited for these treasured documents to be made public. But only one person knows the true message contained within the Jesus letters. "The Lost Writings of Jesus Christ'' is a richly crafted and powerful ...

Told through intimate diary entries, this historical fiction series unfurls the extraordinary sagas of the Bible's best-known characters through the eyes of ordinary girls. In Persia's Brightest Star, the first book of The Promised Land Diaries, Susiana is introduced into Persia's glamorous royal palace, where she is chosen to attend to the stunning Esther. Tension builds in the lustrous halls and courtyards and fiendish plots unfold as the court waits for Xerxes to choose his next queen.

This audiobook is about the city which houses the mighty Ziggurat - the Biblical “Ur of the Chaldees” where Abraham was supposedly born. The site near which the earliest human cultures were found. The site which held the most glorious Sumerian Dynasty in ancient history. This is the story of the city that was destined to die and be reborn every millennium or so, a city full of intrigue, magnificence, tragedy, and glory.

In a world filled with questions, skepticism and doubt, There Must Be A Reason tracks Maureen Lang’s illuminating journey exploring her own, life-long faith. In her first non-fiction book, Maureen shares five core elements as the foundation for unwavering belief in the Bible’s truth: Archeology, Science, Wisdom, Prophecy and Personal Testimonies of a Spiritual Realm. Discover how archaeology has illuminated the accuracy of Scripture, how current scientific understanding meshes with Biblical descriptions recorded centuries ago, how prophecies have been fulfilled, and how the Bible's ...

Told through intimate diary entries, this historical fiction series unfurls the extraordinary sagas of the Bible's best-known characters through the eyes of ordinary girls. In The Laughing Princess of the Desert, the second book of The Promised Land Diaries, Rhoda is orphaned and brought into Abram's household to help his beautiful wife, Sarai. Getting used to the nomadic life of camels and goat-hair tents, Rhoda must exercise courage as she serves the remarkable woman who will one day become matriarch of the Jews.

Told through intimate diary entries, this fiction series unfurls the extraordinary sagas of the Bible's best-known characters through the eyes of ordinary girls. In Book 3 of The Promised Land Diaries, Alisah, a young nursemaid, must leaver her family to live with beautiful Rebekah in order to help her aging nurse Deborah and care for her growing household. Alisah learns of Rebekah's generous spirit and witnesses firsthand the tender love story of Rebekah and Isaac.