Biblical Heritage Center Blog

There have been many discussions about the two accounts that appear in Genesis 1 & 2. Check out the latest BHC Bible Study Blog at -- http://bhcbiblestudies.blogspot.com/2015/03/different-versions-of-one-account-and.html

Princess Olga of Kiev was the first ruler of Kievan Rus to convert to Christianity, either in 945 or 957. Her grandson, Vladimir the Great , made Kievan Rus' a Christian state. Read the complete blog at -- http://fromonejesus.blogspot.com/2015/03/founding-of-russian-orthodox-church.html

Festivals were very much a part of ancient life, and people were prepared to endure crowded conditions and long journeys in order to participate. People travelled in groups to Jerusalem for the Passover and the other two major festivals -- Shavuot and Sukkot . The large caravans in which many travelled also protected the temple tax which they brought from lands outside of Israel. They came by land all the way from Babylon . Caravans and ships also brought groups of pilgrims from Syria , Asia Minor and North Africa . Galileans and Idumaeans also travelled in companies to Jerusalem. There is no reason to exclude secular ditties, jokes, and more wine than usual at night. The Jewish festivals were like Christmas: a blend of piety, good cheer, hearty eating, making music, chatting with friends, drinking and dancing.  Read this Real Yeshua Blog at -- http://therealyesua.blogspot.com/2015/03/yeshua-travels-to-jerusalem-for-passover.html

This coming Friday night, Passover begins at sunset. I have such cherished memories, some of which I've already shared, but there is a lesson here for all of us as well. The "Exodus" from Egypt is a universal story. It reflects something about human experience. I maintain, that none of us ever voluntarily leaves their "Egypt", we have to be thrown out!  "Egypt" to me, is a metaphor for what is familiar, what is known. Very few of us voluntarily leave what is familiar and known for what is unknown and unfamiliar. Most people do not like changes, no matter how small. We become used to doing things in a certain way, expecting certain results. Change is usually put upon us, whether we like it or not. Read Rabbi Leynor’s complete blog at http://tovcenter.blogspot.com/2015/03/passover-spiritual-lesson-for-everyone.html

All of the people of Israel are descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. Jacob's third son was Levi, and Aaron was a fourth generation descendant of Levi. The first kohen , the founder of the priestly clan, was Aaron, brother of Moses, of the tribe of Levi. Aaron and his four sons were designated as the first priests ; Aaron served as the first High Priest. All of his male descendants were chosen by God to be priests forever; it is an eternal covenant. The daily Temple ritual was performed mainly by the priests, who had sole access to the altar and the sanctuary. Read the complete Real Yeshua Blog at -- http://therealyesua.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-yeshua-would-have-seen-on-normal.html

Yesterday, in the BHC Bible Study Blog , I wrote Comparing Parallel Accounts in the Hebrew Scriptures . Anytime parallel accounts, or things that look like parallel accounts appear in your Bible, they always present great opportunities to discover some very interesting, and sometimes, unexpected things. This will be true in the subject of this blog – The Greatest Commandment & Eternal Life . If you want to have some fun – and exercise your powers of observation – get some paper and a pen (the old fashion way of studying). Below you will find three accounts that are often considered to be about the same event. Read the complete study at -- http://therealyesua.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-greatest-commandment-eternal-life.html

One of the most important and transformative things the Jewish Sages did after the destruction of the Second Temple, was to transfer and transform Temple ideas to the home setting . Many symbols were created to not only keep the "memories" of Temple ritual alive, but to allow for the continuing development of Rabbinic Judaism as well. For example, on Shabbat, the table of the home becomes the new "altar', the white tablecloth represents the Priest's garments, the candles lit to usher in the Shabbat recalls the 7 branched menorah lit every evening outside the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Read Rabbi Leynor’s complete blog at -- http://tovcenter.blogspot.com/2015/03/more-seder-history.html