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Archive for March, 2020

Caesarea Philippi

Posted in Israel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on March 31, 2020|

One of the places that you may visit if you visit Northern Israel is Caesarea Philippi. It is where Jesus asked His disciples the pointed question, “Who do you say that I am? and of course, it is where Peter responded, “You are the Christ!”

But Caesarea Philippi is largely a pagan spot. It is also known as Banias (or Panias).  It was made famous in ancient times for being where the Greek god, Pan, was said to have visited a nearby spring. During those days, Pan worship was prevalent here.

What I enjoy about Caesarea Philippi is the abundance of living water. Water literally comes out of the rocks. The pictures below give you an idea.

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At the time Jesus and His disciples visited Caesarea Philippi it would have been a city filled with temples to a variety of pagan gods including those of the Greeks and Romans. Only the ruins of some of those temples and others built later remain today.  See the photos below of some images of the ruins and the cave of Pan.

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Temple of Pan

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Caesarea Phillip (1)

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Caesarea Philippi (2)

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Caesarea Philippi (3)

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Caesarea Philippi (4)

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Cave of Pan (Caesarea Philippi)

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Lone Tree

Posted in Poem, Uncategorized, tagged , , on March 30, 2020|

a lone tree
clings to the banks of the raging river
leaves tossed
boughs bent
daily tested by the elements

its roots dig deeper
holding the tree to the shore
security sought in the deep rich soil

how the barren tree during the storm
its leaves blown off

how ugly the tree
its bark patched
its branches twisted

but the clouds disperse
the sun greets the little tree
coaxing it heavenward

by the time the warmth of Spring arrives
the tree is covered in green buds
a promise of many leaves and much fruit

References:
Psalm 1:3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

Job 23:10 But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
Copyright MaryBeth Mullin

 

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Message from the Minor Prophet Hosea (Chapter 3)

Posted in Bible Study, Hosea, tagged , , , on March 26, 2020|

Read Hosea Chapter 3
1. What does God tell Hosea to do in Hosea 3:1?

2. What has Gomer done according to Hosea 3:1?

3. For what price did Hosea purchase Gomer back?

4. What did Hosea require of Gomer when he brought her back home?

5. What prophecy does Hosea speak over the sons of Israel in Hosea 3:4-5?

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Caesarea Maritima (Caesarea by the Sea)

Posted in Israel, tagged , , , on March 25, 2020|

Have you ever been to the Mediterranean Sea? It is beautiful. The seaport of Caesarea is on the coast of the Mediterranean, and it is spectacular although most of what is left of the man-made harbor and the ancient city is only ruins. The varied blue hues of the sea captivate. I have been to Caesarea on several occasions and most recently when I was there, the sea was rough and tempestuous as compared to earlier visits. Below are some of the photos I have taken on my visits:

 

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Caesarea Maritima

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Caesarea Maritima

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Ruins of Herod’s Port at Caesarea

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Caesarea Maritima

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Caesarea Maritima

The photos below are from my visit in 2020. The sea was very different that day than I had seen it in the past.

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In Caesarea, no natural harbor existed. It was Herod the Great, the master builder, who built a huge man-made harbor here. It was a great feat of design and engineering. Unfortunately, Herod’s structure was no match for the forces of nature.

Caesarea has a new visitor’s center which opened last fall which features a short movie about Herod and provides lots of interesting information about Caesarea.

If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page. 

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Message from the Minor Prophet Hosea (Chapter 2)

Posted in Bible Study, Hosea, tagged , , on March 24, 2020|

Hosea is preeminently the prophet of love; but unlike some teachers today, he doesn’t minimize the holiness of God. We’re told that “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16), but we’re also reminded that “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1:5). God’s love is a holy love, not a sentimental feeling that condones sin and pampers sinners.
–Be Amazed: Restoring an Attitude of Wonder and Worship, Warren W. Wiersbe

Read Hosea Chapter 2
1. What does God tell Hosea to say to his brothers in Hosea 2:1? Why?

2. What does God tell Hosea to say to his sisters? Why?

3. How does God describe His relationship with His people in Hosea 2:2?

4. What judgment does God promise if Israel does not abandon her prostitution/adultery in Hosea 2:3?
5. What does God promise to her children in Hosea 2:4? Why?
6. What does God of Israel in Hosea 2:5?

7. What do you learn from the following verses?
Romans 12:2

James 4:4

1 John 2:15-17

8. What does God say He will do to Hosea in Hosea 2:6-13? Why?

9. What does God say He will do for Israel in Hosea 14-23? Copy each “I will statement” below.

10. Review God’s “I will” statements above. What does that tell you about the heart of God?

11. Copy 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 here. Meditate on that. How can you see that love on display in this chapter? In the history of Israel?

12. How will Israel respond to God at that time according to Hosea 2:15-16?

 

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I am Yours

Posted in Poem, tagged , , on March 23, 2020| 1 Comment »

I am Yours
I breathe in
your Spirit fills me again
my troubles scatter
waiting for me in the darkness
for opportunity to arise

I am Yours
how could I forget?

I am precious in Your sight
I am the apple of Your eye
I am Yours forever

You have taken me from darkness and judgment
translated me into the kingdom of your incredible light

You are light
You banish the darkness that threatens
threatens to over take me

My enemies gather ‘round
but they are no real threat to me
You are holding me

I am Yours.

Copyright MaryBeth Mullin IMG_0841

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Message from the Minor Prophet Hosea (Chapter 1)

Posted in Bible Study, Hosea, tagged , , on March 22, 2020|

Read Hosea Chapter 1
1. What does the name “Hosea” mean? Why is that significant?

2. What do you learn of Hosea in each of the following passages?
Hosea 1:1

Hosea 1:3

Matthew 2:15

Romans 9:25
3. What did the LORD tell Hosea to do according to Hosea 1:2? Why? Why might this have been hard for Hosea?

4. Who did Hosea marry?

5. What does God tell Hosea to name his son in Hosea 1:4? Why?

6. What does God promise Israel in Hosea 1:4-5?

7. What does the LORD tell Hosea to name his daughter in Hosea 1:6? What does the name mean? Why does God ask this of Hosea?

8. What does God promise to Judah (Southern Kingdom) in Hosea 1:7?

9. What does the tell Hosea to name the second son born to Gomer in Hosea 1:9? What does the name mean? Why does God want this name?

10. What prophecy does God speak through Hosea in Hosea 1:10-11?

11. What promises does God make to His people in the following verses?
Genesis 22:17

Exodus 6:7

Isaiah 35:4

Romans 9:20-28

12. What application can be made to your life from this first chapter of Hosea?

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Messages from the Minor Prophet Hosea (An introduction)

Posted in Bible Study, Hosea, tagged , on March 20, 2020|

Sometimes in the most unlikely places, you find a message from God that encourages you right where you are–almost as if He had written for this time even though it was spoken long before you were born. This is how studying through the minor prophets has been over the past year.

I pray that you will take the time to go through the Bible studies that I will be posting in the Minor Prophets in the upcoming days and weeks. I pray that you will hear from the Author and Finisher of your faith just how much He loves you. The clear message of the entire body of scripture is the faithfulness of God in the face of the faithlessness of mankind.

Background
1. Who is the author of the book of Hosea?

2. When was this book written?

3. Who was the original intended audience for this book? How do you know?

4. To which Kingdom did Hosea prophesy, Northern or Southern?

5. To which king(s) did Hosea minister during his career?

6. Look up the word prophet in the dictionary. Be sure to check both a secular as well as a Bible dictionary if you can. What are the synonyms you find?

7. What do you learn of the prophets from these verses?
□ Nehemiah 9:26, 30

□ Jeremiah 23:15-22

□ Lamentations 2:14

□ Ezekiel 13:1-16

□ I Corinthians 14:1

□ Ephesians 2:19-20

3. What did Jesus say of the prophets in the following verses?
□ Matthew 5:17

□ Matthew 7:15

□ Matthew 13:57

□ Matthew 24:11, 24

□ Luke 24:44

If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page. 

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Tel Dan

Posted in Israel, tagged , , on March 18, 2020| 1 Comment »

In the north of Israel, almost to the border with Lebanon, is some of the most beautiful landscape in Israel. Here one can find the head waters of the Jordan River, and some very important places in the history of the people of God.

You may not know this, but Dan is the name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. When each of the tribes was given its portion of the promised land by lot in the Book of Joshua, the portion given to the tribe of Dan was in the south of the country. A portion of the land given to Dan bordered the coast of the Mediterranean, but unfortunately, to the south of the land given to Dan lived the Philistines, arch enemies of Israel. Because they were unable to defeat the Philistines and ended up in constant conflict with them, the Danites decided to relocate to the north to a city previously known as Laish.

Dan was part of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) when the kingdoms were divided after Solomon died. They worshiped idols including a golden calf which was located at Tel Dan.

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Spring at Tel Dan

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Spring at Tel Dan

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Beautiful greenery and water at Tel Dan

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2020 with the rains, the water flow was tremendous at Tel Dan

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Head waters of the Jordan River

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Snow melt from Mt Hermon (Head waters of the Jordan River)

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Head waters of the Jordan River

The pictures above show you how green it is in the Spring at Tel Dan and the tremendous flow of water. This water will end up flowing in the Jordan River.

Below are photos of the site where the altar was in Dan. It was a pagan altar and not a place sanctioned by God for worship by the Israelites. The northern kingdom was ultimately destroyed by the Assyrians which God clearly stated was because of Israel’s idolatry.

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Altar site at Tel Dan

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Altar Site at Tel Dan

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Altar remains at Tel Dan

Also at the Tel Dan Nature reserve are the remains of the ancient city of Laish and the gate of the city which is sometimes called “Abraham’s Gate” because it is believed that this is the city gate that Abraham would have come through when he was looking for Lot and his family who had been kidnapped. (See Genesis 14) That will be addressed in a future post.

If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page. 

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The Incomparable Christ

Posted in Devotional, Uncategorized, tagged , , on March 17, 2020|

For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
Colossians 1:13 (AMP)

Sometimes the short verses can pack a big wallop. Colossians 1:13 is such a verse. As I unpack it, I find

Rescue
He rescued us. It is a completed work. But why was it necessary? Because we were in danger. We needed help. We couldn’t save or help ourselves.

Relationship
He didn’t stop at pulling us out of the mirey clay, back from the abyss. He drew us to Himself. He sought closeness with us, relationship with us. This, I would suggest, is the heart of God. He desires to be in relationship with us.

Relocation
He didn’t leave us where we were. God relocated us. He took us from the dominion of darkness–where we were threatened–to the Kingdom of His Son (Jesus). In the kingdom of His Son, our sins have been paid for. In the kingdom of His Son, I am an adopted son, I am grafted in to a rich history with God and a future that has no end.

Hallelujah!

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