Page 48 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies - Textbook w videos short

Study Section 7: Israel in and after the time of Christ

7.1 Connect.

God promised Israel that they would have a Land and be a nation again. Of course, during
Jesus’s short visit on earth, Israel was controlled by Rome. For almost 2000 years, the Jews
have been visitors in other lands and have not had a place they could call home. But in 1948
Israel declared itself a free nation, and with much struggle, is now a free and independent
country. They have been attacked over and over again, but so far God has blessed them to
repel their enemies and even take their land. The Bible is true. Those who bless Israel will
be blessed. Today we want to see how God has moved in history to bring the country of Israel to where
it is today. Let’s get started…..

7.2 Objectives:

1. The student should be able to explain how God directed historical events to bring the Jews
back to the Promised Land given them as a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

2. The student should be able to describe the courage of those Jewish zealots who took control of
Masada during the Jewish revolt with Rome.

3. The student should be able to describe how God has blessed Israel today in so many ways.

7.3 Israel in and after the Time of Christ

Jesus was born in Bethlehem around 4 BC.
Having been warned in a dream, Joseph took
Mary and Jesus to Egypt, escaping Bethlehem
before Herod’s troops killed the infant boys of
Bethlehem and the surrounding villages.
Herod the Great died shortly after this
incident.

When it seemed safe to return, Joseph and Mary
began their journey back to Israel. On the very long
walk home, they must have been discussing where
they should live, for both Bethlehem and Nazareth
were options for them.

Bethlehem was five miles south of Jerusalem while From the Nile River, Mary and Joseph would have faced
a 250-mile walk to Bethlehem. It was more than 300 miles
Nazareth was 80 miles north of Jerusalem, in the to Nazareth.
Galilee. By this time, Herod’s son Archelaus was ruling
Judea and another son, Antipas, was in charge of the Galilee. Archelaus turned out to be such a violent
ruler, the Romans would eventually remove him from power 10 years into his reign. Antipas, on the
other hand, showed much tolerance to his Jewish subjects. Mary and Joseph could not have known that

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