The Tower of Babel

The story of the Tower of Babel is recorded in Genesis chapter 11. According to Josephus’s Antiquities of the Jews, Book 1, Chapter 4, Verse 113, it was Nimrod who incited the people to build the tower. Nimrod was the great-grandson of Noah and the grandson of Ham, described in Genesis as “the first on […]

The original sin

The story of Adam and Eve comes from the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament. Adam and Eve were the first humans. Adam was created first, then Eve. After God created the heavens and the earth and all living things, on the seventh day He rested from all His work. On the sixth day, […]

Background and Introduction to the Book of Genesis

The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is “Bereishit” (בְּרֵאשִׁית), while the English name “Genesis” comes from the Greek word ‘énesis’ (γένεσις) in the Septuagint, meaning “origin.” Genesis is the first book of the “Pentateuch,” a name derived from Greek words meaning “five scrolls” or “a book […]

Old Testament Survey (Part II)

The books of the Bible have a time and space context. When we read the Scriptures, we must take these two aspects into account and understand when and where God said these things. The Old Testament basically covers two thousand years of history before the birth of Christ, but Genesis 1–11 records the pre-historical portion […]

An Introduction to the Old Testament (Part I)

The Bible is a collection of books God has given to us. The word “Bible” is plural, coming from the Latin biblia, which means “many scrolls.” The entire Old Testament covers a period of about two thousand years and contains books of various genres—such as historical books (like Chronicles), law books (like Deuteronomy), prophetic books […]

Jewish Wedding Customs III: The Procession and Consummation

In Jewish tradition, the groom would travel to the bride’s home late at night. The bride would be anxiously awaiting her groom to come for her. In ancient Middle Eastern customs, before the wedding, the groom would have young friends serve as “companions” who would celebrate and drink with him for several days before setting […]

Jewish Wedding Customs II: Preparation Before the Wedding

Following the engagement ceremony, the bride and groom would separate. This period was a time of sanctification. The bride-to-be would perform a ritual cleansing in a mikvah (a ritual bath) to purify herself before the wedding. Similarly, Christians undergo a parallel process, entering a new covenant through repentance and baptism. “He might sanctify her, having […]

Jewish Wedding Customs I: Proposal and Betrothal

Jews have a deep respect for marriage that is rare in modern times, and this is inseparable from their faith. In traditional Jewish society, when a young man and woman reached marrying age, most marriages were arranged by the father, rather than being the result of a love match. The Bible is full of such […]