Unexpected Legacy Series: John Mark, The Runaway

By Matthew J. Elliott

As I have often claimed, researching biblical concepts is one of my favorite hobbies. It comes from my college days at OkWU. Many of the classes I took while earning my degree in Biblical Studies were directed studies. This means that I worked one-on-one with my professors on research projects that focused on Bible events and the characters we read about in Scripture. Some of the most memorable encounters and revelations in my faith came from those stories and that is a legacy left to me by my professors. At first, I only took the directed study courses so I could get out of sitting in the classroom and avoid taking exams. All of my final projects required me to investigate topics that were confusing to see others. Why am I sharing about me when the title of this post is about John Mark's unexpected legacy? 

Antique Scroll similar to what John Mark wrote on

It all ties into why I do what I do as a writer today. It was the legacy I received that opened my eyes to people like Brother Lawrence, Madame Guyon, Barnabas, and even Gene Edwards whom I intend on writing about next month. More importantly, though, I share this seemingly random information about my past, because John Mark's past is very similar to mine. He was a well-educated young man, even before being mentored by men like Barnabas, Paul, and Peter. The knowledge we both received, in the beginning, was about the research, the topical information, and the historical details. It was not until we both experienced real aspects of our lives that we began to learn about our true Legacies.

While my legacy is still unpredictable in many ways, the legacy left behind by John Mark is a phenomenal example of internal growth and acceptance. It was only through the experiences he had in places like Cyprus, Rome, Ephesus, Jerusalem, and Alexandria that he began to see his true calling.  As an educated young man, John Mark knew who Jesus was. He knew that there was something significant about his three-year ministry, and to an extent, what would happen in the end. His mother, Mary, hosted many of the believers in the upper room of her home in Jerusalem. (Acts 12:12) Many even believe it was in her home that Jesus appeared to his followers and told them to wait for the spirits coming. While there are no claims in Scripture that John Mark ever met Jesus, he did have many encounters with those who did.

Wikimedia Image of John Mark

As a much older young man, John Mark found himself assisting Saul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey, probably believing that he was unstoppable, only to learn through some misguided experiences in Cyprus that he was not ready to accept the calling he imagined. Abandoning Saul and Barnabas in Pisidia (Acts 13:13), for reasons we have little documentation on, was one of the worst, and yet, best decisions he would ever make. While some believe it was out of fear of the unknown, or even that he received word his mother was ill, we will never know. The reality here is that making that one choice changed his life, forever branding him as the runaway. There is so much more to his story than being branded in this way and his legacy, in this writer's opinion, is worth discovering.

After making his way back to Jerusalem, John Mark spent a great deal of time learning about his faith under the watchful eye of Peter and others who remained in Jerusalem during the persecution that was taking place. At some point during this time some believe that Peter began sharing the stories we find in Mark's Gospel. As an educated man, it fell to John to write those stories down. Other parts of his story claim that John Mark may have been commissioned to leave Jerusalem and travel to Alexandria, where he among others, planted a church. In the wake of the controversy about Circumcision, a meeting of the believers was called in Jerusalem, and John Mark and others were called back to Jerusalem from their prospective missionary journeys. (Acts 15)

AI Generation of The Jerusalem Council 50AD

In taking part in this Jerusalem Council, John Mark was reunited with Barnabas and even Paul. At this point, we lose sight of what happens with John Mark and don't hear about him in Scripture until Paul is in Rome. Somehow between the Jerusalem Council, believed to have happened in 50AD, and arriving in Rome, which happened around 60AD (Col. 4:10), John Mark has found himself and is considered a valuable asset in Paul's ministry. Something had to change because when Barnabas recommended bringing John Mark on the second missionary journey, Paul was so much against it that he broke his partnership with the man he'd spent years ministering alongside. (Acts 15:36-42) What could that change in John Mark have been though? Was it just that he matured with Age? I am not sure it was!

In my upcoming book, The Cyprus Journal, John Mark has some experiences that could explain how this change took place, but that is not where I'm heading with this post. I honestly believe that when Barnabas took him to Cyprus, he gave John Mark the time he needed to learn the true meaning of leaving a Legacy behind for future generations. I also believe that hearing the gospel story through the hearts of those who knew Jesus personally opened his eyes to the possibilities. Sometimes we need to open our eyes and look at the world around us. Sometimes the lessons we learn teach us the value of acceptance and that is where John Mark truly finds his calling. The legacy he left behind proves that no matter how far we stray off the path, we can find our way back. No matter how many times the fears of life take hold of us, we can overcome them and embrace who we are meant to be.

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He has served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which has given him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is happily married to Traci, and they have three children named Leyla, Caleb, and Hannah, who bring them immense joy and inspiration. As a writer, Matthew's goal is to share love, equip others, and edify them for the greater good. He loves connecting any amount of scripture to his stories and uses his knowledge of Biblical History to do so often.

You can find Matthew's works on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

The Cyprus Journal is Coming Soon! May 5th, 2024!

One Young Man. His Significant Story. A Witness of the Early Church.

Many knew him as the young cousin to Barnabas the Encourager, the son of Mary who offered her home to honor the Savior and those who followed Him, or even the man who abandoned Paul on his First Missionary Journey, but there is more to his story. His story is one of new beginnings, a promise fulfilled, and a man who overcame fear of the unknown.

----

Sources:

Scripture is from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Unexpected Legacy Series: Joseph, The Levite

By Matthew J. Elliott

AI Generation of Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark

One of my favorite things to do is research. It inspires me in more ways than one, especially when it is biblical research. There are so many questions that are left untouched in scripture that we often find ourselves questioning things on our own, I know I do. One of the things I’ve questioned lately is the story of one of the main characters in my upcoming book, The Cyprus Journal, which will be released in May. 

You see, when I write a story I want to know everything I possibly can know about the person I am writing about so I can find a way to relate to them and understand what kind of personality they could have had. It helps me write the stories I develop when I have this information. In this particular series, I’ve shared with you two of my favorite historical figures, Brother Lawrence and Madame Guyon. For this post, and the next one, we are going to go even further back in time, back to the ancient biblical times. I must admit upfront that this post, and the next months, focus on what I have learned writing The Cyprus Journal. The Legacy these two biblical characters built is about more than just their history, it is about how their actions changed the essence of the Early Church altogether.  

Barnabas curing the sick by Paolo Veronese

Joseph, The Levite, was one of the people who found their way to Jerusalem in the aftermath of the Crucifixion. Little is known about him before this point in history, but we do know that he was well off and sold everything so he could give all of the profits to the Early Church in support of their ministry. Contrary to what I’d love to believe, there is little evidence that this is Joseph of Arimathea, the man who gave up his tomb for the burial of Jesus. There is, however, sufficient evidence that he was the man who was eventually given the name Barnabas The Son of Encouragement. That evidence is provided in Acts chapter 4:32-37. It is here that scripture gives Joseph, The Levite, his new name, and it is also here that brings me back to my questions about Barnabas. His story has always been one of encouragement to me. He likely found his way to Jerusalem during one of the Passover cedars when Jesus was ministering there. Some have even said he was around when Jesus had his conversations with Nicodemus. This may further allude to the notion that Barnabas could have been Joseph of Arimathea, but that is not where this post will lead. 

Joseph, now called Barnabas, has something significant to add to the Legacy of the Early Church, and the choices he made ensured that two of the most prominent historical figures in the bible would continue the legacy the early church built, Paul and John Mark. Now, if I may, there is so much more to John Mark's story than one may realize, but I plan to write about him next month. This post's purpose is to highlight Barnabas's importance to the success of the Early Church.  Later in the book of Acts, we learn that Barnabas had a proven track record, so to speak, of being ‘a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith.’ Because of this, the church in Jerusalem sent him to a more centralized area called Antioch. (Acts 11:19-30). Here, Barnabas found favor in the eyes of a community from Cyprus and Cyrene who fled from Jerusalem after The Martyrdom of Stephen and began spreading the Gospel. It was at this point that Barnabas found his way to Tarsus, where the newly accepted believer was holding out until the Disciples figured out how he could practice his newfound redemption.  A redemption made possible by, you guessed it, Barnabas, in the first place. If Barnabas ignored the signs, Saul would have never become Paul.

Wikimedia Illustration- Anonimo Lombardo

It was through Barnabas that Saul found himself accepted by the original disciples. It was through Barnabas that Saul, now calling himself Paul, was able to speak to the masses of people during the first missionary journey, which solidified Paul's place as a fellow believer. That is not all though, I mentioned John Mark too, he was there on that first missionary journey as well.  John Marks' time was a great deal less because he left the group right after the trip through Cyprus was completed. A few years after that whole ordeal was done, John Mark is brought back into the picture, but not in a positive light. John Mark was the brunt of a huge argument between Paul and Barnabas that led to them both going their separate ways. Paul headed one way with a scribe named Silas and Barnabas headed back to Cyprus with his nephew, the young man who abandoned them both. It was on this second missionary journey to Cyprus that John Mark's life began drastically changing, for the better. This apprenticeship would eventually give John Mark the courage to reconcile with Paul and embrace his church role as a gospel writer and a valiant defender of the faith.  

The Legacy here does not come from the unexpected past that Barnabas had to endure, it comes from the unexpected impact he had on the New Testament church as a whole. His ability to encourage and strengthen others still exists today. There is so much to say about Barnabas and the ministry he took part in, but even in the midst of weakness (Gal 2:11-16) he found his way. The struggle was always there, but he overcame it and helped others do it. His legacy is a legacy of encouragement and growth. Is it filled with unanswered questions? I believe it is, but the reality of it is more meaningful to me. How about you?

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He has served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which has given him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is happily married to Traci, and they have three children named Leyla, Caleb, and Hannah, who bring them immense joy and inspiration. As a writer, Matthew's goal is to share love, equip others, and edify them for the greater good. He loves connecting any amount of scripture to his stories and uses his knowledge of Biblical History to do so often.

You can find Matthew's works on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

The Cyprus Journal is Coming Soon!

One Young Man. His Significant Story. A Witness of the Early Church.

Many knew him as the young cousin to Barnabas the Encourager, the son of Mary who offered her home to honor the Savior and those who followed Him, or even the man who abandoned Paul on his First Missionary Journey, but there is more to his story. His story is one of new beginnings, a promise fulfilled, and a man who overcame fear of the unknown.

----

Sources:

Scripture is from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

What’s the deal with Nebuchadnezzar and the exiles from Jerusalem?

by Naomi Craig










Did Daniel and the others go to Babylon at the same time as Ezekiel?

Why did God allow the Babylonians to conquer Jerusalem and His chosen people anyway?

For many years, Judah and its kings ignored the warning of the prophets. Time and again they were sent to the nation with the same message: Repent. Turn back to God and worship Him only.

Time and again the people refused to honor the Lord’s request.

On the rare occasions, kings like Hezekiah or Josiah led reforms, it was short lived. As soon as the honorable king died, the nation would once again turn to their wicked ways.

One of the things that draws me the most to the Lord is His mercy and longsuffering. But I think I—like the nation of Judah—have grown too accustomed to His mercies being new every morning. I don’t expect my sins to have immediate consequences, because of that amazing grace.

But you see, God is not only a God of Mercy. He is also a Just Judge. He could not continue to allow His perfect law to be broken without consequence.

The Bible says Nebuchadnezzar was God’s servant.

God appointed Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians to overthrow Judah and the city of Jerusalem.

Shocking news for those who thought Jerusalem was off limits because it was God’s holy city with God’s chosen people.

(wikimedia)




In 607 BCE Nebuchadnezzar delegated Jehoiakim as vassal kink of Judah. While in Judah, he received word that his father had died and he made the strenuous trip in three weeks. (As a point of reference, Ezra made the trip some seventy years later in about four months).

As was common for overthrowing governments back then, Nebuchadnezzar brought the brightest young men, including some of the king’s descendants, back to Babylon. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were in this round.

In 597 BCE, another exile takes place, this time the artisans and valiant warriors. 10,000 people including the then king, JehoiakiN, not to be confused with his dad, the former king JehoiakiM. Ezekiel was a part of this round.



Jehoiachin submitting to Nebuchadnezzar (wikimedia)



The final raid of Judah’s residents took place after a two-year siege ending 586 BCE. This time the city was razed and everyone that was alive was taken.

Ezekiel and Daniel would have been in Babylonia (the nation, not specifically the city Babylon) at the same time, but there is no indication they crossed paths. It was a large province and all the Hebrews were not kept in the same location. But there were Jewish communities that thrived in Babylonia. We all know of how some of the elites actually were able to influence the kings and the nation.

In the Jewish Midrash, there is reference that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (bonus points if you know their Hebrew names 😉) approached Ezekiel about the bowing before the idol thing. The legend goes that after the three men left, the Lord DID tell Ezekiel they would be spared from the fire, but there’s no indication he was able to tell Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.

"The Boys of the Bible, by Hartwell James (Wikimedia)

Nebuchadnezzar is known for the deportations of the Hebrews in the Bible, and naturally though of as the “baddie.” Did you know he was also a gifted architect? He designed the hanging gardens to remind his Persian wife of her homeland,  and many temples and buildings in Babylon. The iconic blue Ishtar Gate with the gold lions on it, is Nebuchadnezzar’s creativity.

Roaring lions and flower motifs, decorative glazed wall panel from the Throne Room of Nebuchadnezzar II from Babylon, Iraq. 6th century BCE. Pergamon Museum (wikimedia)

Did you learn something new about the Hebrew exiles in Babylon?

Ezekiel's Song explores life in exile in Babylon, and how serving Nebuchadnezzar would have affected Ezekiel and his family. 

My gift to you! Download On Desolate Heights 

A pagan seer. A slave boy. A talking donkey.

Unlikely messengers proclaiming God's blessings to the nations.

Love Biblical and Early Church Era Novels? Join our community at Biblical Fiction Aficionados

Motherhood in Ancient Times

by Kiersti Giron 

After examining childbirth and motherhood in the 19th century earlier this summer, today we’re going to take a trip far earlier in time—to the ancient world, where becoming a mother was the most important, as well as most dangerous, part of a woman’s life.

Ancient Egypt

Cleopatra offers a sacrifice to Isis in this Egyptian engraving.
Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons.

Let’s begin in Egypt, one of the most complex early civilizations of the world. The ideal mother in Ancient Egyptian society was the goddess Isis, the “Divine Mother” whose cult produced thousands of bronze statuettes of her nursing her son Horus—many of which can still be seen in museums today. In the Egyptian mindset, human mothers also deserved much honor and respect, especially from their sons. Children were expected to care for their mothers as they aged, and there is one record of an elderly mother disinheriting her children because they did not. A didactic text from Any, dating from 1500 B.C., gives a fascinating peek into the care of an Egyptian mother for her child—one mothers throughout the centuries can relate to.

“When you were born after your months, she was yet yoked to you. Her breast in your mouth for three years, as you grew…When she sent you to school, and you were taught to write, she kept watch over you daily.”

Ancient Israel

The Bible and other ancient Jewish texts give fascinating glimpses into the early mothers of Israel. Midwives were significant women in Israelite culture, seen especially in the beginning of Exodus when the Hebrew midwives were called before Pharaoh—and because of their faith and courage, many Israelite baby boys were saved. The text there hints at childbirth practices of the time, such as the birth stool, thought to be composed of two stones in early days—kneeling also seems to have been a common birthing position, and we now know being upright in childbirth does make things easier. After the baby was born, he or she was commonly bathed and rubbed in salt, then swaddled in strips of cloth, just as Mary did when Jesus was born.

Mary and Infant Jesus, thought to be by Coreggio. Internet Archive Book Images - https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14578002368/Source book page: https://archive.org/stream/correggiocollect00hurl/correggiocollect00hurl#page/n26/mode/1up,
No restrictions, 

Jewish mothers were ritually unclean for some time after giving birth, with the purification sacrifice for after childbirth occurring forty days if the baby was a boy, eighty days if a girl. Interestingly, it is recognized today that it takes about six weeks for a mother to physically recover from childbirth—about the forty days Leviticus prescribes.

As in ancient Egypt, where we have already seen that breastfeeding for three years was apparently normal, Jewish mothers generally nursed their children for two to three years. Weaning was a time of fulfillment and celebration, typically with a party, like the weaning feast for Isaac in Genesis 21.

Jewish mothers were honored as well, seen in Proverbs 31’s laudatory description of a wife and mother who fears the Lord. And Jesus took special care to ensure that His mother was taken care of when He was dying on the cross. In typical Jewish culture, mothers had the primary care of their children, at least boys, for the first six years or so, after which the father would take a greater role in his sons’ training in the Law and a trade.

Plutarch, early Greek philosopher and proponent of breastfeeding.
By Odysses - original: own work of author; this is a cropped version of
File:Copy_of_Plutarch_at_Chaeronia,_Greece.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0

Ancient Greece and Rome

In classical Greece and Rome, wet nurses were common for nursing babies, at least for wealthy families. However, such prominent writers as Aristotle and Plutarch urged against this practice; as Plutarch wrote, “It is necessary that mothers breast feed their own children, because they will indulge them with love and kindness.”  

While Greek and Roman women did have some place in society, mothers lacked rights we today might take for granted. For example, at the birth of a baby in ancient Greece, it was up to the father whether to keep the child or expose it to the elements, as Oedipus was at birth in the play Oedipus Rex. Of course, this effective infanticide was enacted against more baby girls than boys. Mothers also did not get custody of their children if the couple were to divorce—children instead were given to the father, though sometimes mothers and children stayed together voluntarily.

So, what stands out to you about mothering in ancient times? If you had to pick an ancient culture to be a mother in, which would you choose? Please comment and share!

Kiersti Giron holds a life-long passion for history and historical fiction. She loves to write stories that show the intersection of past and present, explore relationships that bridge cultural divides, and probe the healing Jesus can bring out of brokenness. Kiersti has been published in several magazine and won the 2013 and 2018 Genesis Awards – Historical for her novels Beneath a Turquoise Sky and Fire in My Heart. An English teacher and member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kiersti loves learning and growing with other writers penning God's story into theirs, as well as blogging at www.kierstigiron.com. She lives in California with her husband, Anthony, their two kitties, and their new baby boy.

Lessons from a First-Century Waterpot (With a GIVEAWAY!)

The story in John 2 is a familiar one. Our Lord turned plain old water into wine, and the master of the feast, who didn’t know where the wine had come from, declared it the best he’d tasted at the feast. That story is packed with powerful truths, but for some reason the words that speak to me loudest are these:

“Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ So they filled them up to the brim.” (John 2:6-7)

Pair of stone waterpots, circa 70 AD, excavated at the Burnt House in Jerusalem.
Photo credit: Amir Brener [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

No detail in the Bible is without meaning. So what are those waterpots doing on the page?

The question wouldn’t leave me alone. And digging into it showed me some fascinating things.

Why Were They Stone?

The fact that the waterpots were stone turns out to be significant. According to the Mosaic law, ceramic vessels that were rendered ritually unclean would have to be destroyed. But stone vessels could be cleansed and put back to use. Stone vessels represented a bigger upfront investment, but it made sense for a priestly or Pharisaical family that was concerned about ritual cleanliness. So the fact that this family possessed six of these vessels tells us something about them. This was a family of some standing. Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be for a family like that to run out of wine for their wedding guests?

There’s a second interesting point. Stone vessels like this were made using lathes from a single piece of stone. It was a manufacturing technique the Romans brought to the region. So... vessels like this were specific to that era. Their use in purification rituals was another detail someone who isn’t a Jewish person from that time and place would have been unlikely to know about. In other words, this is a period detail that a later writer would have been unlikely to engineer.

Here's something that really fascinates me! Very recently, a 2000-year-old manufacturing facility for vessels like this, using the Roman lathing technique, has been discovered. And it’s been discovered at a spot very close to Cana!

Stone vessels excavated at a first-century manufacturing facility near Cana

Here's another interesting point. Although the vessels were handsome, they weren’t on display for the guests. The vessels were in the kitchen, where the servants congregated, because their role was utilitarian. So while this was Jesus' first public miracle, it didn't take place in broad view. That’s why the “master of the feast” didn’t know where the wine came from.

Another interesting find occurred in 1970--the “Burnt House” in Jerusalem. It is believed to have been destroyed during the Roman conquest of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. 

And guess what they found there? Two large stone waterpots--the ones shown in the image at the top of this post. 

And guess where they found them? In the kitchen area.

My point? John knew the number, material, and size of the vessels because he was an eyewitness to the miracle. He was also intimately familiar with the specifics of how those vessels were used, and archaeology has confirmed that he recorded those specifics accurately.

That waterpot detail serves to validate that our Bible is an accurate first-hand account, not a fabrication from centuries later as many have claimed. 

I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that the waterpots are in the text, and that in the past decades, archeologists have “unearthed”—literally—a set of finds that validate that period detail's accuracy.

Show Up Empty

Of course, there’s a spiritual dimension to my waterpots as well. One of my Bible study buddies had a response that still rings in my ears. “If you want the Lord to fill you, you have to show up empty.”

Show up empty. Yikes! I’ve always been a “Type A” person ("Type A Plus Plus," as my husband says) who tends to show up pretty full. I place stock in my own competence, or failing that, at least in my ability to push through by dint of sheer determination.

But that isn’t how you get with the best wine. Only the Lord can accomplish that, and I’d be well advised to get myself out of His way!

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10)

I’d better get over behaving as if I can accomplish anything worthwhile—anything worth doing is going to be His work through me.

If you’re familiar with my writing, you know I’m crafting stories set in the turbulent years after World War II. The current books revolve around Japanese characters and the war’s Pacific Theater. But, Lord willing, it's my intent that the series will eventually move to Israel. I’m eager to build stories around what I believe are the most pivotal events of our day—the Jewish people’s return to their homeland, which is a powerful fulfillment of Biblical prophecy, and which has enabled "knowledge to increase" (Dan 12:4) via discoveries like those in this post.

The Plum Blooms in Winter

New news! My debut novel, which was inspired by a true WWII story, has recently been named a finalist in the Carol Awards :), as well as in the International Book Awards. I am so thrilled, and humbled, at where the Lord is taking this story!

GIVEAWAY: I've actually got two giveaways going this weekend I thought you might like to take part in. :)  

1. I'm giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate to a new subscriber to my Red Carpet Readers newsletter. To register for that drawing, please CLICK HERE. (If you're already a subscriber, either leave a comment below or enter your email in the form again and I'll include you in the drawing.)
2. I'm also giving away a DVD, Unbroken: Path to Redemption, on THIS FACEBOOK GROUP. To enter, just comment on one of my posts headlined SWEETHEART SATURDAY from Saturday.

Should a war death be avenged? At what price? 

Convinced that American war hero Dave Delham was responsible for the bomb that snuffed out her brother's life, Miyako resolves to restore her honor by avenging him--even if it costs her own life. But the huntress soon becomes hunted in Osaka's treacherous underworld. Miyako must outmaneuver a ruthless brothel owner and outwit gangs with competing plans to profit by her--only to confront a decision that will change everything.

I stepped away from a marketing career that spanned continents to write what I love: stories of reckless faith that showcase God's hand in history. Please also feel free to check out my blog, Five Stones and a Sling, which hovers in the region where history meets Bible prophecy meets current events. It's rich ground--we live in a day when prophecies are leaping from the Bible's pages into the headlines!

I live outside Phoenix with my husband, a third-generation airline pilot who doubles as my Chief Military Research Officer. We share our home with our daughter, our son and daughter-in-law, a brand new grandson, and a small platoon of housecats. When I'm not writing, you'll find me rollerblading--yes, I know that makes me a throwback 😊--or catching a moonrise, or dreaming of my next trip. We recently returned from Israel and Wales.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Connecting with the Hanukkah Story--And Encountering Messiah

The Jewish festival of Hanukkah starts this Saturday evening. Many Christians don’t know the history behind Hanukkah—I’m afraid we sort of think of it as “the Jewish Christmas.” This is not fair at all. It’s a timely and important story of heroes of the faith.

The story also holds a surprising number of ingredients in common with our Thanksgiving.

The story unfolded in the second century before Christ. It's told in the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, which are considered canonical in several orthodox Christian denominations. 

Like King James in the Thanksgiving story, the Hanukkah story also starts with a despot. Seleucid emperor Antiochus Epiphanes wanted to see his entire kingdom unite under a single religious system—that of Hellenistic Greece. Israel was included at that time in the Greek Seleucid Empire, which stretched across modern Lebanon, Syria, parts of Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. 

On Antiochus’ orders, Jews caught keeping Shabbat were burned alive. The Emperor banned the Torah and burned any scrolls found. The Temple sacrifices required by God’s law were halted, and Jews were forced to participate in sacrifices honoring the Emperor. Women who defied the law and circumcised their sons were “paraded about the city with their babies hanging at their breasts and then thrown down from the city walls.” (2 Macc 6:1-11) 

The ultimate outrage took place when Antiochus set up an altar to the Greek God Zeus in the Temple in Jerusalem, and sacrificed an unclean animal, a pig, in the sanctuary.

A Culture of Compromise

The Greeks had overrun Israel more than a hundred years earlier and many Jews bought into Greek culture. As was also the case in King James’ seventeenth-century England, Antiochus found plenty of people who were willing to blow with the prevailing winds of culture. Antiochus appointed Jews to the priesthood who would go along with his idolatrous system, in place of any Aaronic priests who resisted him.

The Faithful Remnant

But as was the case with the seventeenth-century Pilgrims, a remnant of Jews stood determined to stay faithful to God’s word. Jews who wished to keep God’s law hid in the wilderness and many suffered martyrdom. A priest named Mattathias fled Jerusalem with his five sons and settled in Modiim, a small town near Jerusalem. In 167 B.C., Antiochus’ soldiers arrived there and tried to pressure Mattathias into making a detestable offering to the Greek deities. He refused.

I and my sons and my kindred will keep to the covenant of our ancestors. Heaven forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments. We will not obey the words of the king by departing from our religion in the slightest degree. (1 Macc 2:20-22)

Mattathias led an uprising against the Antiochus’ soldiers, and an armed resistance movement was born.

The Cost

For the Hebrew Maccabees—as for the Plymouth Pilgrims—the cost of faithfulness was real.

It took three years of bloody guerrilla warfare and several battles before Mattathias’ rebels triumphed and reentered Jerusalem to take back their Temple. Mattathias’ third son, Judas, showed military leadership that gained him the nickname HaMakkaba—“The Hammer” in Aramaic. Maccabee (Hebrew: מכבים‎‎ Machabi) is also an acronym for the Torah verse the insurgents used as a battle cry: "Mi chamocha ba'elim YHWH", "Who is like You among the heavenly powers, Adonai!”

The Triumph

After this, the sons of Israel went up to the Temple and rebuilt its gates and purified the Temple from the dead bodies and from the defilement.

– Scroll of Antiochus

Once the Maccabees won their Temple back, they had to return it to a state of ritual purification. This was no small task. 

Hanukkah is best known for its special nine-branched Menorah. When Jewish people light the Hanukkah menorah, it reminds them of a miracle that occurred when the Temple was restored:

And they sought after pure olive oil to light the lamps therewith, but could not find any, except one bowl…. There was in it [enough oil] to light [the lamps therewith] for one day, but the God of heaven whose name dwells there put therein His blessing and they were able to light from it eight days. 

– Scroll of Antiochus

Gold-plated replica of the magnificent Temple Menorah on display in Jerusalem. It stands about six feet tall. Levitical law required the lamps in the Temple to burn every night. (Ex 27:21)
This is my photo from our first trip to Israel. I find it funny that our then-teenage daughter hasn't even noticed the magnificent menorah. She's more intent on befriending the kitty!

The dreidel game is basically gambling for chocolate coins, and it is fun with kids the right age! The Hebrew letters that mark the four sides (they're painted on the top of this dreidel) are an acronym for "A Great Miracle Happened Here." 

The Feast of Heartfelt Thanks

When they were able to resume the sacrifices commanded in the Torah, Judas Maccabeus declared an annual eight-day festival.

Now Judas celebrated the festival of the restoration of the sacrifices of the temple for eight days…. he feasted them upon very rich and splendid sacrifices; and he honored God, and delighted them by hymns and psalms.

– Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities xii. 7, § 7, #323

Sound a bit like the Pilgrims’ feast? Only grander and longer?

Therefore, the sons of Ḥashmonai made this covenant and took upon themselves a solemn vow… that they might observe these eight days of joy and honour… so as to make known to those who come after them that their God wrought for them salvation from heaven.

– Scroll of Antiochus

Our holiday table, dressed for Hanukkah

As for the Maccabees, they formed a new Hasmonean dynasty that ruled Israel for nearly two hundred years. Sadly, like virtually all human institutions, it eventually went south—it brought the Herods to power.

The Bible doesn’t mention the miracle of the oil. But the New Testament does allude to this annual feast as the “Feast of Dedication.” And it records Jesus observing this feast almost two hundred years after these events took place (John 10:22). (Yes, Yeshua the Jewish Messiah observed Hanukkah—reason enough for us to learn its history!)

A Thought for the Holidays

In fact it was during the Feast of Dedication, while Jesus walked in the court of the miraculously rededicated Temple, that the Pharisees demanded, “How long do You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus’ response?

I and the Father are One… If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works…. (John 10:24-30)

Yeshua consistently illustrated how the feasts on the Hebrew calendar pointed to Him. To Emmanuel / “God with Us” (Matt 1:23). To our “Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God” (Is 9:6). Hanukkah is no exception. Josephus tells us it was known even then as the Feast of Lights. And there was the True Light, walking in the miraculously rededicated Temple! (John 10:31)

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him…. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God… (John 1:9-13)

The Plum Blooms in Winter

My debut novel inspired by the Doolittle Raid is finally here!

“A taut, crisp debut achievement that colorfully evokes the Pacific theater of WWII. Start this one forewarned: it's a stay-up-all-night read."

-Jerry B. Jenkins--21-time New York Times bestselling author (Left Behind, et al)

A Prostitute Seeks Her Revenge--In 1942, Miyako Matsuura cradled her little brother as he died on the sidewalk, a victim of the first U.S. bombing raid on Japan. By 1948, the war has reduced her to a street-hardened prostitute consumed by her shame.

A Doolittle Raid Hero Finds His True Mission--Dave Delham makes military aviation history piloting a B-25 in the audacious Doolittle Raid. Forced to bail out over occupied China, he and his crew are captured by the Japanese and survive a harrowing P.O.W. ordeal. In 1948, he returns to Japan as a Christian missionary, determined to showcase Christ's forgiveness.

Convinced that Delham was responsible for the bomb that snuffed out her brother's life, Miyako resolves to restore her honor by avenging him--even if it costs her own life. But the huntress soon becomes hunted in Osaka's treacherous underworld. Miyako must outmaneuver a ruthless brothel owner, outwit gangs with competing plans to profit by her, and overcome betrayal by family and friends--only to confront a decision that will change everything.

I stepped away from a marketing career that spanned continents to write what I love: stories of reckless faith that showcase God's hand in history. I'm so excited to work with the all-star team at Mountain Brook Ink to launch my debut novel, The Plum Blooms in Winter, on December 1! Inspired by a remarkable true story from World War II's pivotal Doolittle Raid, The Plum Blooms in Winter is an American Christian Fiction Writers' Genesis Contest winner. The novel follows a captured American pilot and a bereaved Japanese prostitute who targets him for ritual revenge. Please also feel free to check out my blog, Five Stones and a Sling, which hovers in the region where history meets Bible prophecy meets current events. It's rich ground--we live in a day when prophecies are leaping from the Bible's pages into the headlines!

I live outside Phoenix with my husband, a third-generation airline pilot who doubles as my Chief Military Research Officer. We share our home with two mostly-grown-up kids and a small platoon of housecats. When I'm not writing, you'll find me rollerblading--yes, I know that makes me a throwback 😊--or catching a moonrise, or dreaming of my next trip. Next up: Wales, then Israel.

Weddings in Ancient Israel (And What They Say to Us, the Bride of Christ)

I blog extensively on topics from the Hebrew scriptures that have a vital impact on Christians today, and this is one that has proven central.

There are two distinct steps to a Jewish wedding. While today, both typically take place on the same day under the chuppah, or wedding canopy, this was not the case in ancient Israel. Understanding ancient wedding practices brings new depth to many passages in the Bible.

The Betrothal 

When a young man desired to marry a young woman in ancient Israel, he would prepare a contract or covenant to present to the young woman and her father at the young woman’s home. The contract showed his willingness to provide for the young woman and described the terms under which he would propose marriage. The most important part of the contract was the bride price, the price that the young man was willing to pay to marry the young woman…. 

If the bride price was agreeable to the young woman’s father, the young man would pour a glass of wine for the young woman. If the young woman drank the wine, it would indicate her acceptance of the proposal.

- Tov Rose

Ketubah ( Jewish wedding contract), c. 1740
Brooklyn Museum

This description may be a little dry, but it leads us to a beautiful picture. Jesus at the Last Supper, offering the New Covenant to His disciples:

“For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matt 26:28)

Jesus's phrase here reflects a bridegroom offering the covenant of marriage with the Betrothal Cup, and also disclosing the bride price—His own life on the cross. When the disciples drank from the cup, they ratified the covenant. 

Blessing cup and unleavened bread set for Jewish Passover Seder supper. Jesus' last supper was a Passover Seder (Luke 22:8).

Once the bride sipped from the Betrothal Cup, the covenant between them was sealed. This happened in a ritual called Kiddushin (קידושין)--sanctification, because afterwards the bride was set apart to her husband. (The word is related to kadosh (קדוש)--consecrated, holy.)

The betrothal was legally binding. She was “bought with a price” (1 Cor 6:20). From that point, the bride would go about veiled to signal she was formally off the market.

Then what? The betrothal period would typically last a year or two. The bride and groom would not see each other again until the wedding, when they would drink the next ritual cup, the Wedding Cup, together. That’s why Jesus said,

“But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matt 26:29)

He was anticipating drinking the Wedding Cup with His bride at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9).

A 1960s Jewish groom partakes of the Wedding Cup under a chuppah, at historic Yad Mordechai kibbutz in Israel. The chuppah as we know it probably came into use around the 16th century. 

Next, the bridegroom would present the bride with special gifts. The purpose of these gifts was to show the bridegroom’s appreciation of the bride. They were also intended to help her to remember him during the long betrothal period.

- Tov Rose

It fascinates me to look at the way Jesus' actions during the four Spring Feasts, which were given in the Mosaic Law, map to the steps of this ancient betrothal process. 

• Passover Seder (“Last Supper”): Jesus established the marriage covenant with His Bride and sealed it with wine--our Betrothal Cup (Luke 22:20). The Bridegroom promised to go away to prepare a place (John 14:2-3). 
• Passover Sacrifice: Jesus paid the Bride Price. (1 Cor 6:20) 
• Shavuot / Pentecost: This is the point where the Bridegroom bestowed a precious gift on the Bride--the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) 
• Period of separation and preparation: On the Hebrew calendar, the seven Feasts of the Lord show up in spring and fall clusters. Nearly four months separate Pentecost / Shavuot from the first fall feast, the Feast of Trumpets. Observant Jews celebrated this one a little over two weeks ago. 

The Separation

They both had preparations to make during this prolonged period of separation. But the groom’s job was bigger.

…The bridegroom would prepare a wedding chamber for the honeymoon. This chamber was typically built in the bridegroom’s father’s house or on his father’s property. The wedding chamber had to be a beautiful place to bring the bride. The bride and groom were to spend seven days there.
The wedding chamber had to be built to the groom’s father’s specifications. The young man could go for his bride only when his father approved. If the bridegroom was asked when the wedding was to be, he might well say “it is not for me to know, only my father knows.”

- Tov Rose

So now it’s clear why Jesus said:

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2-3)

And:

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. (Matt 24:36)

Once their new home was ready, the groom would come “like a thief in the night” to “steal away” his bride.

Get out!

No, it’s for real. A number of phrases in the New Testament take on a deeper resonance as you learn about ancient Jewish wedding traditions. (There’s a much more detailed explanation of it here.)

The Bride Gets Glam

I touched on the groom’s laborious preparations during their time of separation. How is the bride supposed to prepare?

• Partake of a Mikveh, a ritual cleansing bath in “living” (running) water. 
• Prepare to be “snatched”! Invest in lovely raiment and cosmetics. Have her belongings ready to grab when she hears the shofar (ram’s horn trumpet) that tells her her bridegroom is coming for her at last. Keep her lamp in trim! 

Jewish wedding gown, 19th century Morocco.
Photo credit: Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme via Wikimedia Commons

Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water [NOTE: the Mikveh!] with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. (Eph 5:25-27)

Those who follow Jesus are the beautiful bride He bought with a price. And such a price! But, to quote the ditty from Frozen, we’re “a bit of a fixer-upper”! Only He can make us worth such an astonishing price. Only He can “present us to Himself… without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.”

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, [Note again the reference to the wedding process:)]… Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless… (2 Pet 3:10,14 )

For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Rev 19:7-8) 

Do you see yet again the picture of the spotless and blameless bride, making eager preparation for her long-awaited Bridegroom?

I'll be sending out Advance Review Copies of my new novel inspired by WWII's daring Doolittle Raid in the next week or so! If you'd like a chance to read the novel free of charge, please subscribe to my quarterly newsletter and I'll send you all the details. Thank you!

I stepped away from a marketing career that spanned continents to write what I love: stories of reckless faith that showcase God's hand in history. I'm so excited to work with the all-star team at Mountain Brook Ink to launch my debut novel, The Plum Blooms in Winter, on December 1! Inspired by a remarkable true story from World War II's pivotal Doolittle Raid, The Plum Blooms in Winter is an American Christian Fiction Writers' Genesis Contest winner. The novel follows a captured American pilot and a bereaved Japanese prostitute who targets him for ritual revenge. Please also feel free to check out my blog, Five Stones and a Sling, which hovers in the region where history meets Bible prophecy meets current events. It's rich ground--we live in a day when prophecies are leaping from the Bible's pages into the headlines!

I live outside Phoenix with my husband, a third-generation airline pilot who doubles as my Chief Military Research Officer. We share our home with two mostly-grown-up kids and a small platoon of housecats. When I'm not writing, you'll find me rollerblading--yes, I know that makes me a throwback 😊--or catching a moonrise, or dreaming of my next trip. Next up: Wales, then Israel.