Were They Wise Men Or Kings? PDF Download

Author: Joseph J. Walsh
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
ISBN: 9780664223120
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 156

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Book Description
Christmas is a time of celebration, rich with ritual and detail. But more than just a season for angels and wrapping paper, Christmas has its own heritage which intersects in fascinating ways with human history and human beliefs, behaviors, and experiences. In this book of fifty Christmas questions, Joseph Walsh gives us the details behind Christmas traditions, such as Santa's origin and appearance, the story of Rudolph, holiday decorations and greenery, the nativity, Christmas tales, celebrations and rituals, gift-giving, and card-sending. He links contemporary practices and historical tradition, explaining why, for instance, we kiss under the mistletoe, and describing the time when Christmas was responsible for a truce in World War I. In this illustrated book, readers will find answers to questions they've often asked and some they've never thought about.

Author:
Publisher: Canongate U.S.
ISBN: 9780802136169
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Book Description
The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.

Author: Dwight Longenecker
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1621576566
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
"The perfect Christmas gift for anyone interested in the historical background behind the birth of Jesus of Nazareth." — Robert J. Hutchinson, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible, The Dawn of Christianity, and Searching for Jesus. "Utterly refreshing and encouraging." — Eric Metaxas, New York Times bestselling author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Martin Luther "The best book I know about the Magi." — Sir Colin John Humphreys, Ph.D., author of The Mystery of the Last Supper Modern biblical scholars tend to dismiss the Christmas story of the “wise men from the East” as pious legend. Matthew’s gospel offers few details, but imaginative Christians filled out the story early on, giving us the three kings guided by a magical star who join the adoring shepherds in every Christmas crèche. For many scholars, then, there is no reason to take the gospel story seriously. But are they right? Are the wise men no more than a poetic fancy? In an astonishing feat of detective work, Dwight Longenecker makes a powerful case that the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem really happened. Piecing together the evidence from biblical studies, history, archeology, and astronomy, he goes further, uncovering where they came from, why they came, and what might have happened to them after eluding the murderous King Herod. In the process, he provides a new and fascinating view of the time and place in which Jesus Christ chose to enter the world. The evidence is clear and compelling. The mysterious Magi from the East were in all likelihood astrologers and counselors from the court of the Nabatean king at Petra, where the Hebrew messianic prophecies were well known. The “star” that inspired their journey was a particular planetary alignment—confirmed by computer models—that in the astrological lore of the time portended the birth of a Jewish king. The visitors whose arrival troubled Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” may not have been the turbaned oriental kings of the Christmas carol, but they were real, and by demonstrating that the wise men were no fairy tale, Mystery of the Magi demands a new level of respect for the historical claims of the gospel.

Author: Jean-Pierre Isbouts
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 1426211597
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
Presents a family guide to the Bible that, told through historic art and artifacts, tells the stories of biblical characters and highlights their greater meaning for mankind.

Author: Rick Renner
Publisher: Destiny Image Publishers
ISBN: 1680319094
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 373

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Book Description
There's More to This Story Than You've Been Told Is there more about the story of Christmas you wish you understood or that you have specific questions about? In this storybook of biblical truth and history, Rick Renner takes you on the magical journey of Christ's coming to earth as a baby — and the purpose of His coming — in a way you’ve probably never heard it before. Featuring full-color, original illustrations by artist Lev Kaplan of Stuttgart, Germany, Christmas — the Rest of the Story tells the spellbinding story of God’s plan to redeem mankind — from the angel’s pronouncement to the virgin Mary, and her espousal and marriage to Joseph all the way to the angels’ glorious heralding of the Savior’s birth and His young, "ordinary" life marked by God Almighty’s extraordinary plan. Some of the topics covered include: Why God chose Mary. Why angels viewed God in the flesh with such wonderment. Who were the "shepherds keeping watch" and the Magi? What was the value of the Magi’s famous gifts? A baby-dedication ceremony of all ceremonies! Why King Herod was so troubled by this historical birth? The humility of the Creator’s death. How to prepare for Jesus’ next coming. This book is sure to be a favorite family book in your home, perhaps for generations to come! Jesus’ birth, life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection is truly the greatest story on earth — but it has never been more uniquely told than in these pages written by Rick Renner.

Author: Alistair Begg
Publisher: The Good Book Company
ISBN: 1784985864
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 384

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Book Description
A year of gospel-saturated daily devotions from renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg. Start with the gospel each and every day with this one-year devotional by renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg. We all need to be reminded of the truth that anchors our life and excites and equips us to live for Christ. Reflecting on a short passage each day, Alistair spans the Scriptures to show us the greatness and grace of God, and to thrill our hearts to live as His children. His clear, faithful exposition and thoughtful application mean that this resource will both engage your mind and stir your heart. Each day includes prompts to apply what you’ve read, a related Bible text to enjoy, and a plan for reading through the whole of the Scriptures in a year. The hardback cover and ribbon marker make this a wonderful gift.

Author: Brent Landau
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0061947032
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description
Each Christmas, adults and children alike delight at the story of the kings from the East who followed the star to Bethlehem to offer gifts to the newborn Christ. While this familiar tale is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, another little-known version later emerged that claimed to be the eyewitness account of the wise men. This ancient manuscript has lain hidden for centuries in the vaults of the Vatican Library, but through the determined persistence of a young scholar, Brent Landau, this astonishing discovery has been translated into English for the very first time as the Revelation of the Magi. Everything we know about the wise men is based on only a few verses from the Bible. With the Revelation of the Magi, we can now read the story from the Magi's perspective. Readers will learn of the Magi's prophecies of God's incarnation from the beginning of time, their startling visitation in the form of a star, the teachings they receive from the baby Jesus, and the wise men's joyous return to their homeland to spread the good news. This ancient version of the Christmas story is guaranteed to astonish and delight. It will also raise larger questions of the significance and meaning of Christ's birth, and the mission to spread the good news to every corner of the globe. All the drama and intrigue of the brief description of Jesus's birth in the Bible is filled out in greater, more colorful detail, offering for the first time the complete story of these beloved characters.

Author: Tomie dePaola
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1534466541
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 36

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Book Description
Tomie dePaola’s “gorgeous…sumptuous” (Horn Book Magazine) retelling of the story of the three wise kings is perfect for sharing with little ones during the Christmas season! Three wise men of the East, having seen a new star symbolizing the birth of a great king, follow the star to Bethlehem where they present gifts to the newborn Jesus. This beautiful rendition of the well-known tale is sure to delight young readers.

Author: W. David O. Taylor
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 1467457213
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 412

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Book Description
How do the arts in worship form individuals and communities? Every choice of art in worship opens up and closes down possibilities for the formation of our humanity. Every practice of music, every decision about language, every use of our bodies, every approach to visual media or church buildings forms our desires, shapes our imaginations, habituates our emotional instincts, and reconfigures our identity as Christians in contextually meaningful ways, generating thereby a sense of the triune God and of our place in the world. Glimpses of the New Creation argues that the arts form us in worship by bringing us into intentional and intensive participation in the aesthetic aspect of our humanity—that is, our physical, emotional, imaginative, and metaphorical capacities. In so doing they invite the people of God to be conformed to Christ and to participate in the praise of Christ and in the praise of creation, which by the Spirit’s power raises its peculiar voice to the Father in heaven, for the sake of the world that God so loves.

Author: G. Q. Bowler
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190499001
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Book Description
Is there a War on Christmas? This book surveys the history of the world's most popular festival and the never-ending battles it has engendered ever since its hotly-contested invention in the Roman Empire.