Just in case you don’t get it – those big white stones are certified genuine Canaanite standing stones. I asked the students to bow down before them so I could take a picture illustrating the Bible, and one of them asked – is this ok? What do you think?
My response: these aren’t the idols that are the problems in your life.
“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21)
I graded a new assignment today – that is, one that I have never given, though I’ve taught the OT Archaeology course many times. I had the students spend some time studying one of the volumes of the Survey of Western Palestine, and then write a review about it. My primary goal was to give them exposure to and understanding of one of the best studies of the land ever done. One student found a remarkable quote in looking through volume 3: “The study of archaeology in Palestine, by excavation or otherwise, is not likely to bring to light very much of value with respect to the illustration of the Bible” (p. 450). That was in the 1880s. If only they had known… :-) We’re starting a new thing at www.ibexsemester.com and that is to post some of the work that the students do. That will add a dimension to the “beach pictures” type of thing that is more common on the website. We haven’t yet set up that section, but I’ve uploaded the file already. If you’re looking for a 5-minute intro of the Survey of Western Palestine, this is what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for the 26-map set, you can find it here for $4000 or here for $35. And the index for the SWP volumes is here for $4000 or here for free.
Here are the two latest reasons why the United States should increase its support of the Palestinian Authority. Its respect for Jewish places of worship and its respect for Christians.
If you’re wondering how that group photo came out that I was working on the other day, you can see it at ibexsemester.com now.
Tomorrow a dream comes true. I get to go to amazing biblical sites like Gezer, Michmash, and Jericho. Oh wait, I’ve done that dozens of times. Sometimes I ask – is this really my life? God has blessed me far beyond what I deserve.
On Friday, a student asked me what I did all day. I struggled to remember. I was pretty sure I wasn’t lounging around on the couch in my office, and I could remember a few things, but what exactly do I do all day? So I thought today I’d just keep a little record. It’s not really a normal day because today is the first day in the last 14 that I haven’t taught or led the students. Most of them are at the beach in Ashkelon right now (where the lifeguard tower served as the huge bonfire last night; fire dept hung up on their emergency calls 5 times), and I’m hoping to have a fairly productive day. Whether or not this will interest anyone besides my friend Happy, I don’t know. But I’m not making anyone read it… [ed. note: at the end of the day, I wonder if it was worth doing this; the day wasn’t remarkable in any sense of the word; maybe I shouldn’t even post this…]
9:00 I’ve spent the hour this morning working on a sermon. I’ve been thinking about the text (2 Cor 1:9) for the last month, but only now have put something to writing. The sermon isn’t for 3 weeks yet, but I have exactly one free day between now and then. It was a very good hour in which I feel like I got the main points outlined. It’s actually easier to write on a subject that you’ve been thinking about for years. And my goal isn’t to make some new discovery, but to just bring into sharp focus what Paul wrote and why….
9:30 Started going through some email before being interrupted by the delivery guys with the new IBEX picnic table (gift of class of Fall 04 – thanks guys!) and a bench for our home. Very solid (and heavy) pieces of furniture. Back to email…
10:30 Enough of email for now (went from 67 to 52 in the inbox). I also did the last bit on the new packaging for the Pictorial Library DVDs – that’s been in process for many months now. The DVDs are available only in Israel (sorry).
11:30 The students are back with tales of the fire. Apparently the fire dept is first-rate. They arrived an hour after the fire started. Three of their hoses broke so they ended up using a garden hose. When told that the arsonist was possibly spotted, the firefighters denied it (oh, you’d have to go to the police station and file a report and all that; you didn’t see anything). So the interruptions have started, but so far, the morning has gone extremely well from a productivity standpoint. I did various things this last hour, ending with the typing of 6 pages (of 20 total) of notes I took on a trip with an archaeologist in April. One non-negotiable with me: no matter what else is going on, I insist on typing up hand-written notes immediately because my writing can be hard to read (esp. when writing quickly) and while the memory is still fresh. The fact that it’s taken me 5 months indicates the backlog here. The notes I’m typing are from a tour of “Jerusalem in the Rockefeller Museum.” There are a number of interesting things about the museum, which I’d like to report in a future blogpost. On to something else; typing hurts the wrist.
1:30 More random things, including fixing some problems with my DVD/network interface for the Pictorial Library. I hope to release that in the next BP newsletter. The moshav manager called to say they installed wireless internet in the guesthouses; another headache for me. Lunch was good; at home with Kelli, Bethany and Katie. Found a traveling partner for Malta, Pompeii, Rome, plus in November and emailed the travel agent for a quote. Made a few DVDs with the new packaging (DVD insert and labels). One of the students is editing video from the beach trip in the computer room next door and every minute or so, everyone busts out laughing. I pretend not to hear my name. Onward…
2:45 I took an hour to do something “fun” and go through some “new” old b/w photos for a project I’m working on. I made it through 1000 pics, largely because many are poorly preserved or duplicates of what I already have. 3200 more of those to do on other days. There were a variety of interesting photos, only one of which I’ll comment on here: a group of Americans (in the 1920s?) enjoying a fun day at the beach at Ashkelon. Sounds like a good idea :-)
4:50 The afternoon has raced along, like usual. I got the price for the Malta trip – ouch. That may change things. I worked on new problems with the DVD/network interface and think…think that’s done now. Various other interruptions. Down to 30 min. before heading home.
5:20 Time to post this and go home. The price for Malta did go down some. Overall, I feel like I had a pretty productive day, though it got worse as it went on. It’s not as exciting (for the reader) as other days, and maybe I erred by choosing this one (not knowing in advance, of course). And maybe I shouldn’t post it. Or maybe you shouldn’t have wasted your time reading it :-). Now to home for 1) dinner; 2) scouting out group photo place at Neve Ilan for tomorrow night’s shot; 3) working with the boys more on reading English; and hopefully 4) naming more of my Istanbul Museum shots. I did 100 (of 800) last night and would love to get 100 more done. Tomorrow I lecture for 4 hours. And hope the call comes that the car parts are in. You don’t realize how important it is that the back door closes until it doesn’t. :-)
Living near Jerusalem has its obvious advantages and I am daily thankful to God. But sometimes I wish I were in the US so I could participate in things there. Like next month’s conference on Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. In a letter that Pastor John Piper wrote to his church members this week, he appeals to them to come to the conference. I just think – is it possible that someone who attends Bethlehem would consider missing this? I can’t imagine. It’s too far to fly from Israel, but to drive a half-hour? I think I would seriously consider it if I lived anywhere in the States. Fortunately, I expect that the messages will come out in audio and book form before too long.
Someday I’m going to make a collection of photographs of signs of the Holy Land – of biblical people, biblical places, some related to modern history, and of course, humorous. This is one I saw yesterday in the Muslim Quarter, connected, I believe, to an archaeological excavation. Why they don’t ask a native English speaker to help with appropriate wording I don’t know.
It does remind me a bit of a sign I put on my door in college. It said, “Go away.”
Another night and a day in Jerusalem makes this teacher tired. A few recent reads are worth suggesting:
1. An article on the excavations of “David’s Palace”, with new information. See also this reasonable analysis by Higgaion. I, of course, would like to say more about it.
2. An excellent interview by Justin Taylor with C. J. Mahaney on humility, the subject of his forthcoming book.
3. A good biblical perspective on the hurricane and our response to it by Gunner. The Intellectual Activist has a good column on how the government helped to create the current post-hurricane crisis and it’s not what you think. (Hint: he government “helped” too much, for the last 40 years.)
As a bonus, I’ll throw in a photo I took this morning and you can try to guess where I took it. Choices are below.
a) The city maintenance garage; b) The scrap metal recycling center; c) The most holy place in the world and God’s former and future residence, the Temple Mount.
I counted 40 hours of face-to-face teaching time with our students in the first 7 days. Admin is on top of that. Tomorrow is my first day “off” – that is, I don’t teach any classes, but lead a field trip starting at 6pm and going for the next 23 hours.
One thing that came up in class recently was various things for which we have solid historical evidence but no traces archaeologically. One near-example of this is crucifixion; of tens of thousands of people who were hung on trees between 500 B.C. and 400 A.D., archaeological evidence for crucifixion has been found in only one instance. But there are many other examples where no archaeological evidence exists at all, but where one would expect to find some. I’m motivated to develop a list of these, and would be happy to take any suggestions. I’m especially looking for things mentioned outside the Bible but relevant to the world of the Bible. That is, things that most scholars agree existed. Here’s a start, with more related to Jerusalem since that’s what I’ve been thinking most about this week:
No evidence:
1. Hippodrome in Jerusalem
2. Antonia Fortress
3. Akra
4. Second Wall of Jerusalem
5. Cambyses II’s army of 50,000 destroyed in Sinai sandstorm (some regard Herodotus’ story as a myth)
6. Fortifications of Megiddo in 15th c. (still no evidence?)
7. High place of Bethel
Very little evidence:
1. Theater in Jerusalem (a few seats recently identified)
2. Jerusalem in Amarna age (14th c.)
3. Post-exilic Jerusalem
Disputed:
Polis of Bethsaida
There’s got to be many more, but I’ll start with this. Any ideas are welcome.
From the Caspari Media Review a few days ago:
The same paper (Aug. 8) publishes a short paragraph warning its readers to “beware of guest houses that host missionaries and missionary activity….” Yad Hashmonah is depicted as a kibbutz [it’s actually a moshav] in which the members “belong to the cult of Messianic Jews.” The paper says that in Yad Hashmonah “there is much Christian preaching and activity going on.” According to the article “the rabbis have prohibited the purchase of carpentry products” from Yad Hashmonah. The tours and lectures at the biblical archaeological garden are described as done “only according to their sources” and “there is even a place where conferences are held for missionary activists.” The readers are called upon to “display alertness” and “not to aid and abet the destructive mission by going to these places.”
Indeed the mission of believers is destructive – against the powers of darkness! May God’s light shine through his believers all over Israel. Our sure hope: Jer 31:31-34; Zech 12:10; Rom 11:26.
The start of the semester has been full, including 20 hours of teaching in the first 3 days, besides various student life responsibilities. When it slows up, I hope to have time to blog more. Today was the first day of first grade for our two oldest, Luke and Mark. They got on the bus with about a dozen other kids from the moshav for the 15-minute ride to school. Last night when trying to encourage the younger about how fun school would be, I mentioned the new playground they would play on. Kelli quickly corrected me. There is no playground at the school. Just a lot weeds. Oops. (I’ve been there, but just assumed there was a playground somewhere.) This year some of the Israeli schools are going to a five-day school week, so the kids will now have Friday and Saturday off (instead of Saturday only). I think that’s a good move. As with most good ideas, the religious are fighting it tooth and nail.
Kelli now has the two girls at home all day. They’re fun :=)
