73
February .1932
THE KING’S BUSINESS
The Land of the Bible Then—and Today By SAMUEL H . CUFF, Managing Director, Travel Institute of Bible Research Here is a ' ’dream trip” to the scenes o f the International S. S. Lessons for this quarter. It is second only to visiting the land yourself.
not unlike those the Saviour, visited; the stone fences and roads are almost identical, and in som? cases have remained unchanged. The exact location within the city, where Nicodemus visited Jesus is not known how ever there are many typical homes still exist ing that will give us the required back ground. During the week of the Passover the Jewish residents of the city conduct the ceremony in exactly the same manner as they have for more than 3000 years. This is one of the times they appear at the “Wailing Wall’ in large numbers to lament because of
Beirut today is the port of Syria, a French protectorate, and the precise efficiency of the omnipresent French Colonial troops form a marked contrast to the world we seek. So we do not tarry but, in imagination, trans port ourselves immediately to the land of the second lesson. On January 10, our lesson tells the story of the First Disciples (John 1: 35-45). In the days of our Lord and, even to this day, the roads between Galilee and Jerusalem were almost impassable during the spring season. Hence the natural and less difficult way to
This is to be a story of the “land” as it is today. It is being written in the hope that it will bring many thousands closer to Christ and closer to His teachings.
In this story, it is our aim to take you on a “ dream trip” to the Holy Land—to let you visit in your mind the scene of each Inter national S. S. Lesson during the current quar ter. You will find it inspiring. It will make each lesson more yivid—alive—forceful. In order to gain the maxi mum from our descriptions, I suggest that you preserve this article, preferably in your Bible. As you study each lesson you will find it intensely interesting to read how the land in this particular locality appears today. You will obtain a clearer picture of the lesson and situations, which prompted the teachings. It will be much easier to apply those teachings to our modern world. So come with us—for a dream trip. It is afternoon. Our giant ship has left Phaleron Bay and is steaming majestically toward Beirut. We have been refreshed in body and mind by days at sea on the palatial liners of the P. & O., Cunard or Fabre lines and are looking forward eagerly to the days ahead in the Holy Land. The islands of the Greek archipelago are both to right and left of us. ■ There is one especially which attracts us. Like the others, it has huge cliffs of solid rock which tower over the blue waters of the Aegean Sea like battle ments. It is the island, known to all Christians by the name of Patmos, and it was there St. John received the j Revelation. In all, the island is only ten miles long and six miles wide. The first lesson of 1932 is found in the first eighteen verses of the Gospel ac cording to St. John. There the apostle tells the story of the Son of God coming to earth. As he sat on the rocks of Patmos and gazed out to sea, ho doubt his thoughts turned back ward to those glorious years he spent with the Saviour. Now as we gaze at Patmos we too can turn Back our thoughts to the teach ings which have meant so much to us. But we do not stop at Patmos. Interest ing though it is because of the association with St. John, a still greater interest lies ahead. Beirut—the Gateway to the Holy Land, will be reached the following day, so, as the sun sinks into the sea behind us, we take one last look at Patmos and turn our eyes eastward.
the destruction of the Temple and the dispersion of their race. Originally the wall was a part of Solomon’s Temple, but now it forms the eastern wall of the Mosque of Omar area. Drink at Jacob’s W ell There is so much to see in Jerusalem that it is difficult for us to leave, but the next lesson takes us to Samaria, so once more we must yield to the wings of our imagination. Thè lesson for January 24, is the story of the Samaritan woman (John 4:9-26) and takes place out side the city of Sychar at Jacob’s Well. Samaria was th'e land immediately north of Judea and south of Galilee, yet its residents were not of the Jewish faith.
The world famous S. S. Aquitania of the Cunard Line will carry hundreds of Christians across the ocean this year.
An arid country like all of Palestine, water was a precious possession and wells were owned by the còmmùnity. Jacob’s Well was was dug by Jacob and bequeathed accord ing to legend, to the Samaritans who cher ished it highly. It is one of the very few artesian wells in Palestine. Today it still exists and still furnishes water to the thirsty. The stones about it are worn with time. Innumerable thousands have refreshed them-
make the journey was to follow the fertile Jordan valley. This the Saviour was doing when the Baptism took place. The exact location is not known but presumably it was due east of Jericho. The re cruiting of the disciples took place east of the Plain of Esdraelon, and con tinued on to the southeast of the Sea of Galilee, thence around to Bethsaida on the north. Today the fertile valley of the Jordan is still tilled by peasants; shepherds watch their flocks ; and on the Sea of Galilee the fishermen still stretch their nets as they have done for thousands of years. The natives who now inhabit the land are of almost pure Semitic blood, but of course they are not of the Jewish religion. Ever since the wave of Islam swept the land they have been wor shippers of the Mohammedan faith. These natives, in all probability, are very similar types and possibly direct descendants of the ones our Lord knew and loved so well. We shall meet many of them as we follow the Jordan southward and then cross the hills to Jerusalem. The lesson for January 17, is based on the story of Jesus and Nicodemus as related by the apostle John (John 3: 1-16). The city today has many homes which are
Sifting wheat from chaff is still a household task in the land which has stood still for centuries.
Made with FlippingBook HTML5