Skip to main content

location: Jericho

Luke 19:1&2
"1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich."

Last week we studied Pentecost. The Disciples were told to "WAIT" for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They did, and it transformed them into people who could do the Lord's work of starting the Christian church! It was all God’s plan.

Today we turn back to the Gospel of Luke to study another man who accepts Jesus's invitation and follows God's plan. It was on the occasion of Jesus passing through Jericho.

Jericho was an affluent city located about 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem near the Jordan River. It was known as an oasis city, and Herod the Great built his winter palace there due to its warm climate and fresh water springs. The road between Jerusalem and Jericho is the setting for the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Additionally, Jericho was a stopping place for Galilean pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem, as they preferred to avoid contact with Samaritans. Historically, it was the first town that Joshua and the Israelites conquered when they returned to the Promised Land. 

It's an important place. On this occasion, it was the home of Zacchaeus. A Jewish man who became the Leader of the Tax Collectors. He was responsible for gathering the Roman tax from this wealthy and prosperous city. This made Zacchaeus very rich and despised by his family, friends and neighbors.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

to be taller

Matthew 6:27 "27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" Jesus has questions... Beginning our study this week with "Why Do You Worry?" Questions have always been a cornerstone of education, used to assess students’ knowledge, promote comprehension, and stimulate critical thinking. Well-crafted questions lead to new insights, generate discussion, and promote the comprehensive exploration of the subject. It makes sense that GOD would use questions VERY effectively. In yesterday's verses, Jesus asked "Are you not MUCH BETTER than birds?" His questions do not end there. In today's verse we read another one, "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" This is a sentence our culture needs to learn. No anxiety, no thinking, no wanting will alter our bodily height, or any other condition of our life that is fixed by God’s laws. We often wish things were different than they are, but our "wo...

we also...

Romans 6:3&4 "3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." In our studies we are striving to understand God’s love and care. God's unconditional love for His followers, appreciating that we are part of GOD’S family! God is with us from cradle to grave. His divine presence is always giving us purpose and guidance. One of the most important milestones in the life of a Christian is baptism. When we are baptized, an indelible mark is made on our soul. This mark signifies a permanent transformation and dedication of the individual to God. The act of Baptism involves water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity. This ritual is seen as a symbolic washing away of original sin and a new birth into the life of Christ. Baptism is a foundational s...

in roads

Acts 2:7&8 "7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" The Holy Ghost is the only way this happens. They were very surprised to be hundreds and, some cases, thousands of miles from "home" and hearing their language spoken! It was astonishing! Appreciate that these devout Jewish people whose families had been carried away from Israel generations before. Taken in captivity by armies that invaded and conquered Israel. (A little like Joseph was taken captive to Egypt. All by God's plan to save the Israelites during a time of famine.) Over the years, these Jewish "captives" would adopt the language and some of the customs of their captors. However, they remained Jewish. By the time of the events recorded in the book of Acts, they made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover and the Feast of Weeks. They just happe...