Advent Journeys

I hope you have enjoyed our new book Advent Journeys.  When I first worte the book, I started with an idea.  I wondered what it was like for Joseph and Mary to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  The road (as you know if you read the book) was well traveled, and with a lot of history.  I tried to relay some of the stories as Mary and Joseph journeyed toward Bethlehem.  I also included in the book some foods they might have eaten and details of some of the more rugged portions of the route.

After writing about Mary and Joseph, I wondered about the journey of the Magi.  I learned a lot of stories from ancient history (including how the ancient Magi learned to adjust the calendar so they would know which month was spring.  I also learned the seven notes of the musical scale are patterned off the seven days of the week.  When the Magi visited their capital and also King Herod, I found out the gossip about their queen and the court of Israel.

As I turned my thoughts to the Shepherds, I realized they only traveled from their fields to Bethlehem.  Rather than a travel diary, I decided to look into what the Shepherds did to fill their time.  I learned about how sheep were cared for and sold.  The Shepherds became real people.

As I added the diary of Zechariah, I studied the daily tasks of the Priests (which is NOT like our worship services today!) and also the layout of the Temple.  I had some fun reading the Jewish Mishnah and hearing senile old men trying to remember what the Temple was like when they served as young men.  Did you discover the secret of the wood shed?

During the final week of the month … the fifth week of Advent (there actually is no fifth week, but we there ought to be one) I take a look ahead to the New Year.  I do this through the second trip of Joseph and Mary with Jesus as they leave Bethlehem and travel to Egypt, and then back to Nazareth.  Through the Journals of the final week of Advent I wanted to help people focus on the future.  For after Christmas we have a new year beginning.  (After Jesus was born he had a life ahead of him … and the life of Jesus was planned).  I have always benefitted personally by taking the week between Christmas and New Years to look ahead.

I included a sixth chapter of the book, Chanukah.  This was to be read during the week of Chanukah.  Because Chanukah (on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev) occurs according to the lunar calendar, the corresponding date on our calendar changes every year.  I will put up a calendar for 2016 on the website some time in January.

Did you enjoy the book?  If you did, would you do me a favor and recommend the book on Amazon.com.  To do this, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click the “write a customer review” button.  It only takes a sentence or two to let people know you enjoyed the book.  Tell them something you enjoyed or learned.  Also raecommend they purchase a copy!  And I would appreciate five stars.

Your review will help others decide to purchas a book next year.  And, it’s not too early … Who would benefit from receiving a book for Christmas (or even better, Thanksgiving) next year??

Roman Cities, Jewish Cities - Hippodromes & Such

On our trip to Israel we learned there were Jewish cities and Hellenistic-Roman cities.  Jewish cities were places where monotheistic faith in God and obedience to the commands were important.  Jewish villages were generally smaller and poorer than Roman towns.  Elements of faith were also present, such as mezuzahs.

Roman cities contained places of worship for various gods.  They were also bastians of Hellenistic culture.  These cities contained centers of entertainment such as the Theaters which told stories of the gods, hippodromes where horse racing was part of the culture, and amphitheater where gladiators and animals fought. Excellent examples of these structures can be seen in Caesarea, Beit Guvrin and Beit Shean.  Other examples are known to have existed.

Roman towns were often governmental centers.  Caesarea-Maritima, Sipporis, Tiberias, and Beit Shean (Scythopolis) were known to be governmental centers.  Beit Shean is in the Jordan River valley, level ground, which is easy to travel, on the way to Jerusalem.  The ruins of this city are well preserved, with many standing columns on the cardo.  Pictures of Beit Shean today show up on pages 90 of Advent Journeys.

Both types of cities existed in the time of Jesus.  It is thought that Joseph lived in Nazareth, a small Jewish town, but walked 3 miles to Sipporis, the new government center in order to work.  Joseph was a carpenter, or a construction worker.  Homes in the area are built of stone. Buildings in Sipporis have elaborate mosaics on the floor.  Joseph could have been the artist who constructed these floors.

Jewish people stayed in their communities because they were careful not to get caught up in the ways of the gentiles.  Gentiles were interested in entertainment.  Jews were interested in observing the faith and in community.  People were more important than activities, and the Jews were known for their care for one another.

Putting this in perspective, the Gentiles would celebrate this season with giving (and getting) fo gifts; with elaborate decorations (lights and greenery), with their trees (which symbolized new life), parties, and entertainment.  Jews would have put the story before anything else.  Each day would open and close with a scripture.  Music would be important.  And they would make sure no one was alone this season.

Astronomy & Music

The time I spent on the journey with the Magi was amazing.  I learned many things as I visited the East and sat at the feet of the Astronomers.  During our third day of Advent Journeys this week the caravan of Wise Men is traveling up the Euphrates River.  Along this part of the trip they are enjoying the rich agricultural portion of this river, and have some time to enjoy.  They pull out their musical instruments.  As I wrote this portion of the devotion, I learned the Middle Eastern Astronomers made a huge impact on music.

Take for instance the musical scale.  It is made up of seven notes (A, B, C, D, E, F and G - plus sharps and flats … but there are seven actual notes).  This equates to one note for each day of the week.  (with sharps and flats, if the scale was arranged differently it could have been more notes).  The seven notes are named Xosrovani.

The seven notes can be played thirty ways, called modes.  These include: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian.  They can be augmented or diminished.  A musician can explain this better, but the thirty modes represent thirty days of the month.  These are further organized into 360 melodies (one for each day of the year) named dastan.

Music was important to all ages of Mesopotamian history.  In the book of Daniel we find persians used the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and pipes.  They probably also used percussion instruments.  Some of the instruments were brought in from India, other instruments from the west, from Greece.  Many instruments still exist, or have been re-created, and can be heard on YouTube.

The prophecy of Balaam

We live in a small world.  With modern transportation we can easily travel to almost anywhere.  We read and share traditions from around the world in our stories, merchandise, and food.  We enjoy furnishings from the orient, art from Italy and carvings from Africa.  We eat at Chinese, Italian, German, and Mexican foods.  We tell stories from Greek, Roman and Norse mythology, and we share the tales of King Arthur and Shakespeare.

The sharing of stories, merchandise and food between nations is not new. World empires of Babylon, Persia and Greece began a mixing process.  People in the Middle East and also in Europe gained a taste for products from India and even China.  Stories, pottery and foods were also shared from the west to the east via Hellenistic culture.  

In the middle of the world both in ancient times, and now, is the land of Israel.  Israel is the link between east and west, north and south.  The via Maris is the main road to Egypt.  The King’s Highway is the main road to the sea which leads to Africa.  All armies and cultures in times past have passed through Israel.

And Israel has given to the world its stories and its God.  The stories came at first through bondage to Egypt and as the people of Israel were conquered by Assyria and Babylon.  Through the passing of time and the mixing of cultures stories were shared by people on three continents.

One of the stories which successfully passed from one culture to another was the prophecy that a king would come when an unusual star was seen in a certain constellation.  The story springs from the prophecy of Balaam (possibly from Ammon) which states: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.” (Nu. 24:17)

It is thought that the Hebrew prophet Daniel who was born in Israel, lived in Babylon, and possibly died in Persia, informed the magi of Babylon and Persia of this prophecy.  He also shared a connection between this prophecy and Genesis 49:10, “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.”

Strabo the geographer writes about the time Jesus was born: “the prophets too were held in so much honour that they were deemed worthy to be kings, on the ground that they promulgated to us ordinances and amendments from the gods, not only when they were alive, but also when they were dead, as, for example, Teiresias, ‘to whom even in death Persephone granted reason, that he alone should have understanding, whereas the others flit about as shadows.’ Such, also, were Amphiaraüs, Trophonius, Orpheus, Musaeus, and the god among the Getae, who in ancient times was Zamolxis, a Pythagoreian, and in my time was Decaeneus, the diviner of Byrebistas; and, among the Bosporeni, Achaecarus; and, among the Indians, the Gymnosophists; and, among the Persians, the Magi and the necromancers, as also the dish-diviners and water-diviners, as they are called; and, among the Assyrians, the Chaldaeans; and, among the Romans, the Tyrrhenian nativity-casters. Moses was such a person as these, as also his successors, who, with no bad beginning, turned out for the worse.” (Geographica XVI, ii, 39)

Our Bible tells us Magi saw movements or changes in a star in the east (possibly Aldebaran) and put it together with prophecies from the west they understood a new king was to be born.  They gathered gold, frankincense, and myrrh and traveled down what is called the silk road in search of the king foretold in their prophecies.

This week we will travel with the Magi in the book Advent Journeys. I hope your reading is going well, and spending time with the people of the Christmas story is bringing joy to your Christmas.

Angelic Messages

“Behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.” (Luke 2:9) Today, in the book Advent Journeys we talk about angels, angels who came and made an announcement to the shepherds.  For this Blog, I decided to start with a questionnaire to see how much you know about angels.

1. What is the translation for the word “angel”?
2. Where is the first use of the word angel in the Bible?
3. Who are the two named angels of the Bible?
4. What is the name of the angel who told Daniel the meaning of the 70 weeks?
5. What is the name of the angel who spoke to Zechariah, father of John the Baptist?
6. What is the name of the angel who spoke to Mary telling her she was pregnant?
7. What angel spoke to Joseph concerning the birth of Jesus and the anger of Herod?
8. What was the message spoken by the first angel which appeared to the shepherds?
9. What message was spoken by the multitudes of angels to the shepherds?
10. What do angels tell us about Christmas?

Here are the answers to the above questions:

1. The words מַלְאָךְ (mal'ak - Hebrew) and ἄγγελος (aggelos - Greek) mean “messenger.”  Angels serve God and do His bidding.  One of the areas of service is to bear messages.
2. The first use of the word מַלְאָךְ is found in Genesis 16:7, telling Hagar to go back to Sarah.  Some people see the angels gathering with God in Genesis 1:26, which says, “Let us make man in our own image...”  In Midrash Rabbah Rabbi Yochanan taught angels were created on the second day with the heavens (Psalm 104:3-4), but Rabbi Chanina argues it was the fifth day when God made the winged creatures.  Another early reference to angels is found in the first chapter of Job.
3. Gabriel (warrior of God) and Michael (who is like God).  There is also the mysterious “man clothed in linen”
4. Gabriel
5. Gabriel
6. Gabriel
7. This angel is identified as “the angel of the Lord”  … possibly Gabriel
8. “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
9. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14)
10. The angels tell us Christmas is about Christ.  They are looking to Christ in Luke 2:14; and also in Psalm 103:21; 148:2; Mt 18:10; 25:31; Luke 15:10; Hebrews 1:6; 12:22; Revelation 5:11-147:11

The angels worship God and serve Him.  There are many wonderful passages about angels in the scripture.  There are also some not so wonderful passages: such as Ezekiel 28, which displays what happens when we place the focus on ourselves rather than heaven.

May this Christmas be for you, as it was for the angels of Heaven, who, when the great news was shared, said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14)

The care which must exist in Churches

Today’s devotion inl Advent Journeys demonstrates how good shepherds care for their sheep.  Each sheep is important to the shepherd: first, because they are counted by the owner, second because the shepherd grows to know their personality through the long hours spent together in the field.  The shepherd wants the best for each sheep.

The church is instructed by the Lord to pay attention to the flock of God even as good shepherds take care of each individual sheep.  Jesus told Peter to “feed my sheep.”  Peter told elders of the early church “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2-3)

Some in today’s world have lost the intended concept of caring for the church as shepherds care for their sheep.  Some congregations design an experience called a worship service for clients to attend and enjoy.  Pastors and leaders have been led to think the church is in competition with the entertainment industry, and we must reach the world’s one-upmanship standards of excellence.  Each week we desire people to walk away with a positive experience, and to desire to return (hopefully with a friend) to experience the gospel also.

This thought process misses the point of what both the church and what worship are all about.  The New Testament word for church is ἐκκλησία, which means “an assembly of people.”  As one reads the epistles of Paul we discover this is not just a gathering in an auditorium, but a people who come together to pray, care for others, and receive encouragement to live the Christian life in a pagan world.  Paul spends a great deal of time talking of personal relationships and at the end of each letter he greets people by name.

The church, ἐκκλησία, is to be a place of involvement. We are to be active in our care for one another.  The pastor is to know his sheep by name.  He is also to train under-shepherds; and the flock to share for one another.  This care is a standard of excellence which brings health and vibrancy to the congregation.  If one person is hurting, others help.  If a person is in trouble, friends come together to see how the problem can be solved.  We help the sick get well, bind up the brokenhearted, and help people walk out of darkness into light.

We are also to be active in our worship.  Paul tells us to “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” (Eph 5:18-21)

The shepherd in today’s entry of Advent Journeys says, ”Through observation in the field and processing each animal as an individual we can catch problems in the early stages.”  We must take the same care in our churches.  People are more important than sheep.  We must listen to each other each time we come together in order to hear of any needs.  If an individual is not present, we should call (how often does that happen today!) in order to know if the individual is well.  We must be attentive to God’s flock in order to “catch any problems in the early stages.”

God desires churches which are healthy because they make sure their members enjoy intellectual, physical, social and mental health.  Healthy churches are encouraging churches.  They are places broken people go to become whole.  They become known in the community for the miracles worked in individual lives.  And these miracles become contagious.  These churches take full-time dedicated shepherds, who give beyond the normal because of God's love.

Character traits of True Shepherds

The people of the Bible were much more tied to the earth, to agriculture, than we are today.  Through these ties, people were able to observe what worked … and what did not work.  People were trained through some aspects of agriculture for more vigorous service to God.  Take for instance shepherds.

Abel was the first shepherd, and the Bible tells us he gave a more excellent sacrifice than his brother Cain.  Beyond the blood offering, we must note that sheep require more care than crops.  A farmer can get by with tilling the soil, watering the crop, and making sure thieves do not come in and destroy.  A shepherd must do all of the above (instead of tilling, the shepherd must carefully select a field with good grass), and more!  The shepherd is in charge of living animals.  They can wander (and he must watch).  And more important, he must love the sheep with all of his life.  Sheep who are loved flourish.  Sheep which are just tended do ok.  Sheep who are abused grow weaker and die.

Through the care of sheep men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and David learned to rule people.  They learned one cannot haphazardly do his work, occupying their time with pleasure rather than focused care: or the sheep, and the nation will wither.

I have been reading some of Philo of Alexandria, who lived at the same time as Jesus, who said this of the Shepherds: “It is customary to call those who have management of sheep both the name of shepherd and the keeper of sheep.” We often do not do not connect these names with government leaders or business managers of people, but we must reason the same way for leaders and managers are caretakers of people and therefore superintendents of the flock of the soul. “A man who is but an indifferent manager of the flock is called a keeper of sheep, but a good and faithful one is called a shepherd.”  

In the book Advent Journeys, I wanted to make sure to represent the shepherds of Bethlehem as good shepherds, not just “keepers of sheep,” for God gives extra privileges only to the righteous.  Philo says, “Since the flock is devoid of reason, and God is the fountain of reason, it follows of necessity that a man who lives in an irrational manner is separated from the life of God.”

“Those indeed who are able to reason correctly, it is more noble employment than that of a king, to be able to govern the body and the outward senses, and the belly, as one might govern a city or a country, and to restrain the pleasures which have their seat around the belly, and the other passions, and one’s tongue, and, in short, all the different parts of one’s composite nature with vigor and exceeding power, and again to guide them in the right way with due gentleness, for it is necessary at one time to act like a charioteer who slackens the reigns with which he holds the horses which are yoked in his chariot.”

“It is said that ‘Moses was the shepherd of the sheep of Jethro, the priest of Midian.’  And this man himself prays that the flock many not be left without a shepherd, meaning by the flock the whole multitude of the parts of the soul; but that they may meet with a good shepherd, who will lead them away from the nets of folly, and injustice, and all wickedness, and conduct them to the doctrines of learning and all other virtue.”

I am sure the shepherds of Bethlehem, as referenced in Advent Journeys, were good shepherds, who were given the privilege of hearing angels and seeing the Great Shepherd at his birth because they were not only responsible shepherds, but also shepherds who cared for their sheep out of love rather than obligation.

Our lessons from this: 1) Pastors, Elders, Deacons, Sunday School Teachers and other leaders in our churches must serve out of love rather than obligation; and must diligently care for the souls of the people they lead and serve. 2) We must carry the teachings of Christ into business, always making sure we care for the needs of employees as a good shepherd, as opposed to the manipulative methods used in some organizations. 3) Our political leaders (this is a political year) should exemplify the care for citizens which would define a good shepherd.

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The Christmas Stories and the book Advent Journeys takes us to Bethlehem. Bethlehem is at the crest of a hill along the Central Ridge Road traversed by countless travelers over the years.  Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would have passed this way as they journeyed from the north to Hebron and Beer-Sheva. Rachel, the wife of Jacob died at Bethlehem (Ge 35:16-18) giving birth to Benjamin.  

Bethlehem, because of location was a strong point along the road.  One of the Judges, Ibzan (Judges 12:8-10) is from Bethlehem. (In the Talmud [Bava Batra 91a] Rabbah teaches Ibzan was Boaz of the book of Ruth.)  The Philistines at one point maintained a garrison here (2 Sam. 23:14).  The city was a prize to be fought for as the People of Israel claimed this important town.

The area around Bethlehem (as many places in Israel) was a place to pasture sheep.  Boaz, a wealthy landowner was from this town, as well as Elimelech.  The book of Ruth recounts how Boaz comes to marry Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Elimelech.  To this couple was born a son named Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.

The area through history remained, as it had been: a rural community at a crossroads.  David protected his home town.  Sorek Valley (of Samson & Delilah fame) and Elah Valley (where David fought Goliath).  Bethlehem is located close to Tekoa, the village Amos called home.  Tekoa was also the location for King Herod’s favorite fortress, Herodium.  From the top of Herodium one can see Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Masada and other fortresses.

The town of Bethlehem, known as “the house of bread,” gained prominence and importance as the birthplace of King David.  Although the population did not increase, the town earned a place in history.  Micah says of Bethlehem: “Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.  But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.  Therefore He shall give them up, until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; then the remnant of His brethren shall return to the children of Israel.  And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; and they shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth; And this One shall be peace.” (5:1-5)

Levitical Villages

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying: “Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession. … Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites.” - Leviticus 35:1-8

Before entering the land of Israel, Moses made sure to give the Levites (ministers) land from each of the other tribes.  Moses was told to make sure no tribal group was left out, and no tribe could begrudgingly not give some land to the Levites, the tribe of Priests.  God did this because He wanted to make sure in a very visual way His presence was spread to each of the tribes of Israel.

Some of the Levitical villages become important within the land of Israel.  The heritage of Abraham was felt in Hebron (Kirjath Arba).  Jacob’s name was honored in Shechem.  Many in the line of the High Priest, including Jeremiah, came from Anathoth.  The ark of the covenant was returned to Beth Shemesh.  By tradition John the Baptist was born in Beth HaKerem.

Six of the Levitical cities Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Golan, Ramoth, and Bosor were named as cities of refuge.  The Levites in these cities acted with mercy as protectors, and with skill as lawyers and judges to discern who was truly guilty and who should find freedom, forgiveness or grace.

The Levites, while they lived among the people were not to blend with the people.  They were to maintain and remember their purpose: to serve as priests for God.  These men were to serve in the Temple according to their time.  King David set up courses so each group of priests would know when to go to Jerusalem.  All Priests served during the three harvest festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot.  By rotation they served two additional weeks per year, making five weeks of service total.

The book Advent Journeys takes a look at how Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist serves in the Temple.  Much of the information in this book comes from the Jewish Mishnah, the oral tradition which was written down by the generation impacted by the destruction of the Temple.

As the Levitical cities served a purpose for the people of Israel, we, as people of faith are to serve a purpose in our communities and villages.  Moses said, “if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5-6; see also Deuteronomy 7:6, 26:19).  Peter repeats this for Christians in 1 Peter 2:9-10.

The Central Ridge Highway

The land of Israel is the link which at times connects the fertile crescent, and more often than that this land is the place of separation.  Through the eons different nations and peoples have traipsed upon the Holy Land in order to expand their own wealth and kingdoms.

The land of Israel is incredibly well connected.  Major roads run through the land.  The major road which travels from the north to Egypt along the level plain of Sharon is called the via Maris (by way of the sea).  Beyond the Jordan River the King’s highway runs between Arabia and the Euphrates, where both the Via Maris and King’s Highway connect with the Silk Highway.  These are the roads traveled by nations and their armies.

The common man has sought to escape these major thoroughfares for less traveled local roads.  Thus Abram, when he first traveled from Haran to the south took the Central Ridge Highway.  This is a more local road that travels the spine or watershed of the mountains.  From the lofty heights of this road the traveler can see where he has been and where he is going.  He can also see from east to west: from Mediterranean to the Jordan Valley.

The Central Ridge Highway is the main road of the Biblical narrative.  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his children walked this road.  Joshua, Samuel and Saul traveled this way as well.  Elijah, Elisha, and Amos used this road.  And Joseph took Mary along this path which later Jesus would traverse also.  

The road, also called the Way of the Patriarchs runs north and south, and is connected by crossroads from the sea to the Jordan River.  Important intersections can be found at Jerusalem, Bethel, Shechem, and Hazor.  The Philistines attempted to take this road through Aijalon Valley, Sorek Valley, Elah Valley, Guvrin Valley and Lachish Valley.

Through the book Advent Journeys you can join Joseph and Mary as they travel the Central Ridge Road from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Ahab and Herod: builders

Kings like to build.  The larger and more ornate the building, the better.  To show off their building projects they hold huge banquets and parties.  They do this to show off how great they are.  Rulers have sought to preserve their names in construction projects since the days Nimrod built his tower.

Solomon once wrote: “I did great things: I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made gardens and parks, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made pools of water for myself and used them to water my growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and slaves were also born in my house. I had large herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem had ever had before. I also gathered silver and gold for myself, treasures from kings and other areas. I had male and female singers and all the women a man could ever want. I became very famous, even greater than anyone who had lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom helped me in all this.” (Eccl 2:4-9)

In today’s reading of Advent Journeys Joseph, the father of Jesus, comments on Ahab’s construction on the hill at Samaria.  Ahab built a number of palaces for himself, including the royal home overlooking the road Joseph probably used as he traveled to Bethlehem.  The palace and other buildings were decorated with ornate ivory carvings.  Ahab was quite a builder.  He erected numerous temples for himself or for his wife Jezebel.  He rebuilt other high places, such as the one in Dan, which was reconstructed over the high place of Jeroboam I.  Ahab desire for a safe kingdom produced fortifications in Megiddo, Hazor and Dan.  He is also credited with the massive water system at Megiddo with its 260 foot long tunnel.  The Bible notes in

King Herod, likewise was known for his building.  His most famous project was the Temple itself.  Herod’s Temple was larger than any of the other, but only lasted ninety years before being destroyed by Titus.  Herod also built (or re-built) fortresses for himself at Masada, Machaerus, Jericho, Herodium, Sebaste, Antonia.  He built Caesarea and other cities.  He reconstructed Abraham’s tomb in Hebron.  And Herod built many projects around the world including Olympic stadiums, Temples, Theaters and Hippodromes.

As a builder himself, Joseph probably admired these massive projects with innovations by each of the builders.  Joseph might have worked on some of these projects.  Some of the projects remain until this day.

The route of Joseph

Robert Frost wrote a poem “The Road Less Traveled.”  In a sense Joseph and Mary go down the road less traveled according to many Bible scholars.  I do this because of the evidence (found in John 4) that Joseph actually took this road and traveled this road with his family every year at Passover and other harvest festivals.

Many Sunday School scholars would have Joseph travel through Jezreel to the Jordan River and then up a riverbed to Jerusalem.  They do this because by their assumption (partially correct) Pharisees wanted no contact with the “half-breed” gentile Samaritans.  Joseph was not a Pharisee, but a carpenter who possibly worked in a gentile city.  Joseph had no qualms with the gentiles, and probably no problems with Samaritans.  

We see this in his son Jesus also.  In the New Testament Jesus is at times critical of the legalistic Pharisees, especially when their legalisms cause hardship on the innocent poor people of the land.  Jesus has great concern for all people, including Samaritans.  He calls the Pharisees out on their prejudices.

Those who are more familiar with the topography of Israel place the journey of Joseph and Mary through Samaria.  In order to prepare the journals in Advent Journeys I followed Israel Roue 60.  This road is the shortest route between Nazareth and Bethlehem.  And until recent times this road was safe and a much used interior route.

I found the route interesting because it was a major highway in Biblical times.  Many Biblical events happened in the rich farmland of Jezreel Valley.  Joseph was placed in a pit and sold to Midianite traders near Dothan Pass.  Both King Ahab and King Herod built a places at Samaria.  Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and many other Biblical heroes followed the Central Ridge Road north from Jerusalem.  

I learned a great deal about Palestinian-Israeli issues along my journey.  I visited facebook pages and other sites which described the villages along Highway 60 today.  The stories on these pages are of hardship and isolation from both Palestinians and Israeli settlers.  There are also pictures which show the beauty of the route and the beauty of Israel. If you want to go beyond the book, you can visit communities in the West Bank via computer.  Through facebook and community pages you will learn of the conflicts and struggles of people in this region.  The struggles between people groups of this region reminded us of the struggles between the ancient peoples: Hebrews, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hittites, and Hivites who lived in these same hills.