Why did God lead Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 3) east of the Dead Sea causing them to have to cross the Jordan River at flood stage? Why not lead them directly north along the well-worn highways of their day?

In this video, we explore this question and the lesson that emerges out of this event.

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Class handout:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/BL9fTSOvwmw

2:50 Map overview

5:00 Why did God lead Joshua and the Israelites to the Jordan?

7:36 Patriarchal ridge route - Beersheba and Hebron

10:15 Water Motif

11:05 Water symbolism

15:09 Water motif / Genesis 1

21:20 Noah

24:10 Exodus

27:35 Joshua 3

30:56 Lesson of Joshua 3

33:13 Jesus (Mark 1:9-12)

In today's video, we take a look at the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.

Sea of Galilee - There is a Jewish legend - Miriam's Well - about a rock that provided water while the Israelites were in the wilderness for forty years. That rock, it is said, eventually makes it into the Sea of Galilee. The Legend of Miriam's Well is referenced by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4.

Jordan River - this is an introductory look at the Jordan River. The Jordan holds significant spiritual symbolism for both Israel and Christians.

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https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries

Class handout (PDF): https://www.figtreeteaching.com/faith-lessons/jordan-river-sea-of-galilee-pt-6

YouTube: https://youtu.be/L3d4JyKybGQ

References -

Legends of the Jews, by Louis Ginzberg - https://smile.amazon.com/Legends-Jews-Four-Volumes-Complete/dp/1387998595/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2I58SE3KBXG1L&dchild=1&keywords=legends+of+the+jews&qid=1616527171&sprefix=legends+of+the+jews%2Caps%2C244&sr=8-1

3:07 Jordan River

5:08 Map overview

7:05 Mount Hermon

8:10 Sea of Galilee and sheepfold

11:22 Legend of Miriam's Well

13:04 Water from a Rock

15:26 Numbers 20:3-8

17:39 Numbers 20:1 Death of Miriam

20:08 The Legends of the Jews - Ginzberg

22:18 I Corinthians 10:3-4

27:07 Jordan River

28:25 Profile of Jordan River

29:14 Mount Hermon

29:31 Caesarea Philippi

31:39 Spring at Dan

33:07 Jordan River - possible meaning

35:48 Crossing the Jordan - Spiritual Metaphor

39:33 The lesson of "Two Seas"

Jesus stilling the sea (Mark 4:35-41) and the story of Jonah are intricately connected.

Join us this week as we explore the possible meanings of the phrase "Sign of Jonah" and the connections to Jesus and his ministry.

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4:17 Sign of Jonah

7:14 Review

10:31 found 3x in the New Testament

11:54 Matthew 12:38-41

14:08 Luke 11:29-32

17:56 the story of Jonah - intro

24:00 Jesus compared to Jonah

36:37 Jonah 4

40:00 Jonah 4:4

41:56 Jonah 4:9-11

In this lesson, we take a detailed look at Mark 5:1-20 which is the story of the Demon-Possessed Man from the Decapolis. As we fill in the cultural details that help us understand the interactions between Jews and gentiles we gain insight into the actions - or non-actions - of the disciples.

Fig Tree Ministries is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational ministry:

Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries

Class Handout: https://www.figtreeteaching.com/faith-lessons/demon-possessed-man

Smile.Amazon.com: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/83-0587741

Resource:

The Jewish Annotated Apocrypha: https://smile.amazon.com/Jewish-Annotated-Apocrypha-Jonathan-Klawans/dp/0190262486/ref=sr_1_2?crid=XNXBQ751EL3M&dchild=1&keywords=the+jewish+annotated+apocrypha&qid=1615262381&sprefix=the+jewish+anno%2Caps%2C224&sr=8-2

2:53 Main points

4:21 Review of parts 1-3

7:07 Ancient view of cosmos

13:23 Get out of the Boat

13:45 Mark 5:1

15:28 Mark 5:2-5

17:27 Mark 5:6-10

19:38 Mark 5:10 vs Luke 8:31

21:08 Mark 5:11-13

22:42 Mark 5:14-17

23:40 Mark 5:18-20

26:26 Swine, Demons, Legion

28:37 Bible Timeline

32:51 1 Maccabees 1:47 Swine Sacrifice

34:15 Legion

36:15 Pagans - Jubilees 22:16-18

40:21 Actions of the D

This week we continue our look at the Sea of Galilee. Today we will look at the story where Jesus calms the storms but from Mark 4:35-41 and connect this telling to Psalm 107.

We also begin to look at the next part of the story (Mark 5:1-20) where Jesus goes across the lake to heal a demon-possessed man. Mark calls this the region of the Gerasenes. We will tackle the difficulties of this word and offer one solution.

Fig Tree Ministries is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries

YouTube: https://youtu.be/bq3z-10xxPA

Bargil Pixner:

https://smile.amazon.com/Jesus-Through-Galilee-According-Gospel/dp/9654340011/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=bargil+pixner+through+galilee&qid=1613509700&sr=8-1

4:36 - main topics for today's lesson

6:00 - review from last week

13:00 - Decapolis city of Hippos/Susita

14:42 - Decapolis

14:52 - Decapolis "unclean"

16:38 - "A Christmas Story" our own metaphors of "clean v. unclean"

19:20 - Decapolis euphemism

20:41 - Sirach 50:25-26 - example of Samaritans as "unclean"

25:00 - Comparison villages of Galilee to Decapolis

29:05 - Mark 4:37-39 compared to Psalm 107

33;09 - "the driven out ones"

36:22 - Map of possible cities for Gerasenes

39:24 - Hebrew Gerash - "to drive out" or "to expel"

40:55 - Exodus 40:55

42:37 - transliteration of Gethsemane

43:57 - Origen of Alexandria

46:23 - Theme of "driven-out"

In this video, we explore ancient Near East thought about "the Sea" and all of the symbolism that goes along with it. Once we understand the symbolism of "sea," we can better understand the story of Jesus in Luke 8:22-25.

Who has authority over the chaos and the abyss? How is the authority of the Father passed down to the Son?

Please support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries

https://youtu.be/IS_UABKLqgs

References:

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery: https://smile.amazon.com/Dictionary-Biblical-Imagery-Leland-Ryken/dp/0830814515/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LD17DPW6VVZ&dchild=1&keywords=dictionary+of+biblical+imagery&qid=1614111025&sprefix=dictionary+of+bibli%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1

Scholars have noted how important the land is to understand Jesus' message. There has been a phrase coined to describe the life-setting as the "Fifth Gospel." In the series that follows we explore many of the biblical stories while paying particular attention to the context in each situation. We will look at the location of the event, who the intended audience would have been, and the responses of those involved.

Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries

YouTube: https://youtu.be/k4HPzqPWvtI

Bargil Pixner:

https://smile.amazon.com/Jesus-Through-Galilee-According-Gospel/dp/9654340011/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=bargil+pixner+through+galilee&qid=1613509700&sr=8-1

https://smile.amazon.com/Paths-Messiah-Bargil-Pixner/dp/0898708656/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=bargil+pixner+through+galilee&qid=1613509726&sr=8-3

In Jewish mystical thought (Lurianic Kabbalah), the human soul's three highest attributes are Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge.

These attributes have their counterpart in the "Heavenly Man" (Jesus), a manifestation of God's glory.

These three attributes are also associated with God creating the world (Proverbs 3).

In this lesson, we explore these attributes from Genesis through to Paul's letters and discuss how we can structure our own interactions with God through the Holy Spirit.

Class notes can be downloaded at https://www.figtreeteaching.com/faith-lessons/wisdom-understanding-and-knowledge

Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries

YouTube: https://youtu.be/eWFWvUd6nL0

4:16 Review

7:06 Soul is made in the image of Heavenly Man

8:54 Ten Attributes

10:33 Interact with Holy Spirit

13:09 Wisdom

17:04 Understanding

19:43 Knowledge

22:53 Proverbs 2:6

23:37 Signpost into the fog

26:01 Proverbs 3:19-20

29:55 Genesis 41:37-39 Joseph

31:57 Exodus 31:1-3 Tabernacle

35:34 1 Cor. 2:6-10

38:20 Ephesians 1:7-9

40:06 Colossians 1:9

41:32 Messiah - Isaiah 11:2

44:25 Chabad San Diego State

this video is the second of two the Heavenly Man. The topic is mystical and difficult to grasp the first time around. This is a review of our previous vid. but will add a few minor details.

In 1 Corinthians 15:49, Paul refers to Jesus as the "heavenly man" in a comparison with the "first Adam." The idea of the "heavenly man" was not new to the Jews of the first century. Join us in this video as we explore the background to the concept and how it shows up today within the area of Jewish Mysticism.

Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries

Resources:

Lawrence Kushner - Honey from the Rock - https://smile.amazon.com/Honey-Special-Anniversary-Lawrence-Kushner/dp/1580230733/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=honey+from+the+rock&qid=1612313807&sr=8-2

Nyland - Books of Enoch -

https://smile.amazon.com/Complete-Books-Enoch-Secrets-Hebrew/dp/1453890297/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1OUM15KXF57GT&dchild=1&keywords=book+of+enoch+nyland&qid=1612313852&sprefix=enoch+nylan%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-5

Louis Ginzberg - Adam Kadmon - http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/761-adam-kadmon

Daniel Boyarin, “Logos, a Jewish Word: John’s Prologue as Midrash,”

https://www.academia.edu/36254597/Daniel_Boyarin_Logos_a_Jewish_Word_John_s_Prologue_as_Midrash_in_Amy_Jill_Levine_and_Marc_Zvi_Brettler_eds_The_Jewish_Annotated_New_Testament_New_York_Oxford_University_Press_2011_546_549?pls=RHC94DMla

Adam Kadmon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Kadmon

In 1 Corinthians 15:49, Paul refers to Jesus as the "heavenly man" in a comparison with the "first Adam." The idea of the "heavenly man" was not new to the Jews of the first century. Join us in this video as we explore the background to the concept and how it shows up today within the area of Jewish Mysticism.

Support our work: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries

https://youtu.be/i2LLf1738xI

Resources:

Louis Ginzberg - Adam Kadmon - http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/761-adam-kadmon

Daniel Boyarin, “Logos, a Jewish Word: John’s Prologue as Midrash,”

https://www.academia.edu/36254597/Daniel_Boyarin_Logos_a_Jewish_Word_John_s_Prologue_as_Midrash_in_Amy_Jill_Levine_and_Marc_Zvi_Brettler_eds_The_Jewish_Annotated_New_Testament_New_York_Oxford_University_Press_2011_546_549?pls=RHC94DMla

Adam Kadmon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Kadmon