Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 Since getting back from Jordan, much of my days could be summed up in the simple phrase “writing papers”. With four papers due by Monday, it’s been a lot of work. I had started before Jordan, but it’s been a lot of work still. I’m now nearing done. I have written about the Hyksos in Egypt, the physical geography of the Coastal Plain and Negev, the archaeology/history surrounding the exodus, and rabbinic interpretations of the early part of Exodus. Thursday evening we celebrated Thanksgiving. It isn’t a holiday in […]
Author Archive: Brian Johnson
My Puzzle is Missing a Few Pieces
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;I will turn the darkness into light before themand make the rough places smooth.These are the things I will do;I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16 In the city of Medeba in Jordan many ancient mosaics have been found. One is of particular interest. It’s a map of the region, including much of Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. Large chunks are missing, but it’s been used to help locate some otherwise unknown sites. Our final stop in Jordan was Mount Nebo. This was the place […]
Capitals
Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. Give them a message for their masters and say, `This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. Jeremiah 27:3-5 In ancient times, Jordan was the home of three small nations that regularly interacted with Israel: Ammon, Moab, […]
The City of Rock
For who is God besides the LORD?And who is the Rock except our God? Psalm 18:31 The top tourist site in Jordan is Petra. That’s where we began our third day. Unfortunately we were only there until 1:00. You could easily spend the entire day there because it is so big and there are so many trails to wander on, stretching on and on for miles. Of course, even my short time there was full of long, arduous hikes. A full day would be even more exhausting! For those who don’t want to hike as much, the Bedouin are there […]
What is this Place?
The end of our second day in Jordan brought us far off the main highway in the ancient region of Gilead. As we arrived at our destination, our instructions were to put our skills of observation together to examine the ancient structure at the site and determine its age and purpose. We had a mystery on our hands and I was bound and determined to solve it! We found an ancient stone building. Walking around it, I saw lions carved in several places. There was a pair of columns on each end. It was looking like a temple to me. […]
The Ten Cities
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. Mark 7:31 During the first century there was a group of cities east of Israel known as the Decapolis (the Ten Cities), a league of ten Greco-Roman cities in their own Roman district. The region was on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, visible from where Jesus spent most of his time. We visited several of these cities. I’ve already mentioned Beth Shean from our Galilee trip. In Jesus’ day it was called Scythopolis. […]
From East to West
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.” Zechariah 8:7-8 The last stop of our first day was at Ramoth Gilead, where King Ahab lost his life (1 Kings 22). Plains surround it, stretching out for miles. As the sun was setting, the full moon popped above the opposite horizon. I don’t remember ever being able to see both the full […]
Across the River
So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, `Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.’ “ Joshua 1:10-11 I had one more day with my mom and friends last week before they departed. We had a fun day seeing some sites around Jerusalem. But their time was soon up and they departed. I, on the other hand, had other travels to make. Our final field study […]
I See Dead Archaeologists
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 I’ve been back from Galilee for over a week. There’s just one more Physical Settings trip remaining, which will begin this […]
Around the Lake
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20 Our fourth and last day in the Galilee began with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Our day would focus on sites around the lake. Jesus and his disciples traversed this lake extensively. We stopped at the Jordan River about a mile […]