Posted in theology

Top Ten blogs of 2022

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

This is the time of year when bloggers, reporters, other writers do the round up of their year, making lists. I think it’s interesting to look back and see what people were most interested in, on this blog anyway. What were the top read or viewed blog essays here at The End Time?

But first, some stats:

My readership seems to be holding steady at about half a million views per year. I don’t receive a huge amount of comments, nor lengthy back and forth arguments (I’m grateful for that one!)

I seem to get a lot of traffic from the referrers of Facebook, and also Android. As one might expect, my audience is mainly from English speaking countries, from the US, Canada, UK, Australia and South Africa. But also in the top ten countries from which visitors view The End Time is the Philippines, India, Singapore, and Nigeria. Welcome everyone!

After “Unknown search terms,” the #1 search term that brought people to The End Time was “types of glory” which pleases me.

Top Posts:

  1. Home page / Archives
  2. Bullet points on why Joyce Meyer is a false teacher (2021)
  3. Dr David Jeremiah’s shocking apostasy, Updated (2015)
  4. Beth Moore is finally “home” (2021)
  5. Jackie Hill Perry comes out as a ‘prophet’ (2022)
  6. “The walls are coming down” says Dallas Jenkins of The Chosen. But should they? (2021)
  7. Two divorce cases: Summer White and Melissa Moore (2016)
  8. Exactly what ARE the ‘Treasures in Heaven’? (2021)
  9. According to prophecy the Nile River will dry up (2012)
  10. One more reason to avoid Lysa TerKeurst of Elevation Church (2016)

It amazes me that something I wrote ten years ago is in the top ten this year. Go figure. I hoope I wrote it right back then…

Eight of the top ten are discernment essays. The other one was prophecy. People are obviously interested in discernment, especially when it comes to Christian celebrities. Christian celebrities rack up huge numbers of followers. Some of those followers seem to have become concerned with the doctrine and lifestyle of whom they are following, so they google it. They may be looking for confirmation of a radar alarm of discernment going off in their head.

I remember in 2010, 2011 I was looking for information on Beth Moore. I’d become terribly concerned with her antics, her doctrine, and her growing cultish-celebrity following. I couldn’t find much discernment on her back then, except from Chris Rosebrough and Dale Ford. I’ve always been grateful to have found their discernment essays on that particular celebrity, confirming and putting into concise words based on the Bible of what I’d been sensing.

Or, people come to the discernment essays on The End Time perhaps are wondering IF they should begin to follow this person, absorbing their teaching or mimicking their behavior or their lifestyle. This is good. I applaud it.

The Lord instilled in me a drive for discernment and a Spirit-founded ability to smell something off from 20 paces. Errant doctrine grieves me almost physically, wounds me emotionally, and tears at me mentally. Since discernment is a gift from the Spirit, I won’t apologize for using it, nor for writing discernment essays. Exalting the Lord means we proclaim His excellencies, but we also cherish the brethren and protect them from wolves by warning them in loving discernment.

Also in the top 20 this year are essays about Beth Moore, Rick Warren, Jen Wilkin, and the IF:Gathering. More discernment seekers, good!

The all-time essay on this site consistently has been one I wrote in 2016: Two divorce cases: Summer White and Melissa Moore (2016). Melissa Moore is Beth Moore’s daughter. In that essay I compared two Christian women (or one who is and another who claims to be) and their reasons for and process of divorce. I culled public documents and statements from each lady, and wrote about it.

I remember catching a lot of flak for that, with Beth Moore groupies crying out that I had no right to delve into anyone’s life. Oh, but I do. A teacher of the Bible, especially a public teacher, must maintain lifestyle standards as well as doctrinal purity. We compare both their doctrine AND their life to the Bible. After all, if they teach doctrine perfectly but disobey the Bible with their life, they are still a rebel.

Personally, the essays I’ve enjoyed researching and presenting to the public this year have been:

The antichrist will conquer by flatteries, because I got to examine how people use language to manipulate, a subject of my college and graduate education, and afterwards. I love examining how language is used, and when it’s used in a Christian or religious context, all the better to look into it.

Why does mankind resist certain fictional narratives? I looked at the philosophy subset of “imaginative resistance”, another language essay.

I loved writing about The Attributes of God.

Heaven is a favorite subject of mine, and the essay The RIGHT kind of heaven tourism was fun to write.

I’m curious about the natural history of vegetation and animals mentioned in the Bible. I wrote “What is the almug tree?” and I enjoyed researching that one.

Also comparing “Two Gardens, Eden and Gethsemane“.

I enjoy writing about the ladies of the Bible, here is one about Lois & Eunice, Euodia and Syntyche.

Do you make your husband known at the gate?

On January 9, in a week or so. I will celebrate the 14th anniversary of writing this blog. I’ve written daily here for 5,110 days straight, with few repeats. I praise the Spirit for His support of this ministry. I’ve written so many blogs…6,006.

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; (Hebrews 12:28)

The Lord will tell me whether my service has been acceptable. I pray it is. My prayer is that I continue with this ministry as long as the Spirit desires me to; that I remain doctrinally sound; that I stave off weariness in the doing good but persevere; and that I serve ladies of the faith well.

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21.

Happy 2023!

Posted in theology

Speaking of books… list of links to interesting book sites

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Yesterday I posted about the value of reading challenges. For me, there were at least 5 benefits to doing one last year, even though I felt I’d failed. They push you to read books you’ve always wanted to read, to read books that are already on your shelf, you read books you might not have otherwise read, you absorb good material into your heart and mind, you track your reading and objectively see that you’re not so much of a reading failure after all!

If I relied on my memory I’d have thought I’d read barely anything, but discovered I’d read 24 books. I did see my pattern, though, and why I thought I’d not been reading much. Months went by with no tracked reading of note, but during school breaks, I see I went ahead with much reading. If that’s my pattern, then oh well, OK.

Here are a few links to some good essays about reading and links to some booksellers.

Do you ever feel guilty reading a classic or even a secular novel? Do you feel like you’re ‘wasting time’? I mean, if I’m reading, shouldn’t I be reading Christian, edifying material? Spurgeon certainly read widely, and if it was good enough for him.. lol, here’s an essay about Spurgeon’s reading habits: Follow Spurgeon’s example in reading good books

I like dystopian fiction. Dystopian is the opposite of utopian. Instead of everything being perfect (utopia) it’s gone really, really wrong. I wrote about why reading dystopian literature might be useful-

The Usefulness of Dystopian Fiction

100 Great Works of Dystopian Fiction: Tales about a world gone wrong. I’ve read 13 of these on this particular list. Stephen King’s The Stand is hands down THE best dystopian novel ever. I found Ender’s Game at the thrift store yesterday and scooped it up for 50 cents, I was thrilled. I started reading it.

Open Book is a podcast from Stephen Nichols at Ligonier, interviewing theologians on what books influenced them, what books are on their nightstand, and generally about their favorite books! Season 1 featured RC Sproul speaking about books he enjoyed, season 2 was interviews with John MacArthur, season 3 features Joel Beeke.

I never forgot Sproul’s passion for the Herman Melville book Redburn. He also loved Moby-Dick, in fact, wrote his thesis on “The Existential Implications of Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick,” an essay I wish I could read (I cannot find it online). Sproul loved Melville, and in his interview went on about the most monumental chapter on holiness, “The Whiteness of the Whale”

From Banner of Truth we read Why Christians Must Be Readers, when Paul called for Timothy to ‘bring the books’, “Even as the shadow of eternity fell upon him, he was anxious that his dying days should be also learning days and days of progression. Evidently there were still things he had to learn, and he was humble enough to indicate his readiness to learn from books.”

Booksellers:

Laus Deo Books buys pastors’ libraries and resells for cheap. FYI.
website: https://lausdeobooks.com ; ebay store: https://ebay.com/str/lausdeobooks

Free Grace Press

Reformation Heritage Books

Banner of Truth Bookstore

Ligonier store (look for their $5 Friday sales, too!)

G3 Press

Westminster Books

Grace Books

Grace To You store

What’s on your bookshelf?

Posted in theology

Reading Challenge 2023: Are reading challenges any good?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

As every new year comes around so do the ‘Reading Challenges’. And every year I commit to a reading challenge, and every year I fail. Or I think I do. I come home from work wiped out, mind bleary and only able to absorb kitten or thrifting videos … picking up but then putting aside the book I’m reading “until tomorrow”. Until suddenly it’s December and the same book is still staring dolefully at me from the same place I’d put it down.

So this year I vowed to ignore all Reading Challenges.

Then GoodReads sent me a link to “My Reading Activity” this year. I put my hand over my eyes like I was watching a horror film and clicked…but it wasn’t so bad. Hey! I read more books than I thought I did! I perked up and took a good look at the stats.

Twenty-four books, not so bad. I didn’t finish a couple, like the Trueman book, but I did skim the rest of it after I read the first chapters. I put down the “Book Lovers” book because it was supposed to be a romantic comedy but it was filled with rough language (f-bombs). Like, why do that? So I quit that one pretty early. Not all books are winners.

My favorites were A Night To Remember, A Sheep Remembers, Puritan, and Johnny Cash’s bio of the Apostle Paul, Man in White. Y’know, those were GOOD BOOKS! I’m glad I read them! So that is number 1 reason to dive into a reading challenge, you end up reading good books! Maybe not as many as I’d wanted, but some!

Looking back, another value of the reading challenge for me was that I know I would not have read Treasure Island unless I’d been challenged to. It is a classic and I like to read the classics, but I always put them off in favor of some other book, either an easy fiction or a spiritual book. Not so this time, and I completed the book. I’m glad I did. It was haunting and interesting and truth be known, challenging to read. So that’s good.

Another value of the Reading Challenge is that I tend to track my progress at GoodReads. I know in addition to the 24 books listed I read a few other booklets from Chapel Library, but now I do not remember which ones. At least I have these I’d tracked thanks to GoodReads.

And the value of tracking is not only to help me remember what I’ve read (either to revisit my enjoyment of the book or to continue to apply edification of the book’s concepts to my heart and mind) but to help me stop beating myself up for ‘failing’ to meet some goals. Now can objectively assess my reading progress rather than through the veil of “I’m too tired” and “I’m a failure”.

Hm, I guess there is value in doing a reading challenge after all. So far I’ve counted 4 valuable lessons for participating in one, with a 5th below. Here are the books I read in 2022.

  • A Sheep Remembers Calhoun, David B. Jan 2022
  • Hell Bay (Barker & Llewelyn, #8) Thomas, Jan 2022
  • A Time for Confidence: Trusting God in a Post-Christian Society Nichols, Stephen J. Jan 2022
  • Man in White Cash, Johnny Jan 2022
  • Borden of Yale ’09 Taylor, Geraldine Guinness Apr 2022
  • Moody: A Biography Pollock, John Charles Apr 2022
  • The Atonement Murray, John May 2022
  • Treasure Island Stevenson, Robert Louis May 2022
  • A Night to Remember Lord, Walter May 2022
  •  Disorder in the Court: Great Fractured Moments in Courtroom History
  • Sevilla, Charles M May 2022
  • The Sovereignty of God in Providence Reisinger, John G. May 2022
  • Our True Riches in Heaven MacArthur Jr., John F. Jun 2022
  • Blood Is Blood (Barker & Llewelyn, #10) Thomas, Will Jun 2022
  • Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1) Peters, Elizabeth Jun 2022
  • Brothers, We Are Not Plagiarists: A Pastoral Plea To Forsake The Peddling Of God’s Word Schrock, David Jul 2022
  • The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution Trueman, Carl R. Jul 2022
  • The Blood of the Lamb: The Conquering Weapon Spurgeon, Charles Haddon Jul 2022
  • Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament Vroegop, Mark Aug 2022  
  • Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson Carson, D.A. Aug 2022
  • Because the Time is Near: John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation MacArthur Jr., John F. Nov 2022
  • The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey, Buck, Rinker Dec 2022
  • Benefiting From Life’s Trials: [James 1:2-18] (John MacArthur’s Bible studies) MacArthur Jr., John F. Dec 2022
  • Book Lovers Henry, Emily Dec 2022
  • To God’s Glory: Lessons on Puritanism: Puritan DVD Workbook, by Joel Beeke Dec 2022

Right-click to see larger in new tab.

I see my pattern. I started off gangbusters in January, fresh from the new year, entering a new challenge. Then not much (at least not recorded) in Feb-March. April we have a week-long break so I read at home then. And of course as the end of May, June, July came I am on summer break, so I see I resumed then. September and October I’m in the flush of a new school year and consumed with that, so I see the reading dropped off. Then as November’s Thanksgiving and December’s Christmas school break approached and with it, the end of the year, I resumed my gangbusters attitude to try and meet the Challenge goals.

I decided to go ahead and do another Reading Challenge. I picked the G3 Reading Challenge again, because I like those guys and because I’m attending the National Conference this September. Below are the suggested books and the ones I chose under each suggested category. The Reformation Women book by VanDoodewaard isn’t strictly a marriage biography, but first, I own it already, and second, I want to see how these women, if they were married, managed in making such a global impact while married and attending to their home duties.

And that’s the other thing, I own these books already, except for Powlison’s Power Encounters. There is time enough to find that one either at a library or a book sale, or at the least, Amazon when the time comes to read it. That’s another benefit a Reading Challenge does for me, makes me take a hard look at my shelves, and focus on reading the books I already own.

So here is my checklist of books I’ve picked for the G3 2023 Reading Challenge:

I was glad to review my reading throughout the year because it helped me see my patterns. I don’t want to let two months go by without absorbing some good material. Of course, it isn’t a total black hole, I’m reading the Bible, and also stuff given out in Sunday School class, but still, it’s too long to just sink into a routine of only watching media and not reading.

I’m looking forward to this year’s books. What are your thoughts on Reading Challenges and such? Do you have reading goals for the New Year?

Posted in theology

Ministries to Follow: Recs & Lists

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Ladies, as a New Year approaches, you might be thinking you’d like to change up who you follow for women’s ministries. Or maybe the Spirit grew you in discernment and you’ve abandoned some less solid ministries but aren’t sure who to turn to next. I can recommend these ministries of women by women, though you’re certainly NOT restricted to women only! I do encourage women to follow solid men too.

I personally follow WWUTT.com (Pastor Gabe Hughes at When We Understand the Text, DB Harrison and Virgil Walker at the Just Thinking Podcast, and anything from The Master’s University or The Master’s Seminary. There are so many other male-led podcasts I can recommend too, Reagan Rose at Redeeming Productivity, the guys at Ligonier and Ligonier Connect, Chris Hohnholz and Rich Story at Voice of Reason radio, Nathaniel Jolly and Ekkie Tepsupornchai at Truth be Known podcast, Andrew Rappaport’s Striving for Eternity, and so many others.

If you’re looking for solid discernment ministries, there are several I trust. Chris Rosebrough-the Pirate Christian, Justin Peters Ministries, and Steve Kozar at the Messed Up Church. I also enjoy videos from the BTWN guy Tim Hurd, and Polite Leader Alan Hunter.

Here are some ladies’ podcasts I think you may enjoy:

The Women’s Hope podcast, with Dr. Shelbi Cullen and Kimberly Cummings. “Join Dr. Shelbi Cullen and Kimberly Cummings as they bring hope and encouragement through 25 years of combined experience in biblical discipleship and counseling as ACBC counselors.” 

Susan J. Heck With the Master. “Susan is a certified counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (biblicalcounseling.com) since 2003.  She is also the author of With the Master Bible study series for ladies and many books. She has memorized the entire New Testament along with two books from the Old Testament!”

Martha Peace. “…Received training and certification from ACBC, which stands for Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. Martha teaches counseling classes and counsels in her church’s Certified Counselor Training Center. She has also written many books, most notably “The Excellent Wife.” She is a noted church and conference speaker, too.

Amy Spreeman and Michelle Lesley “A Word Fitly Spoken“. Each of these women have separate ongoing ministries in the form of blogs, Bible studies, and other written material, links to which are inside the podcast link on their About page. Michelle has a long-standing blog of discipleship and discernment issues, has written Sunday School curriculum for publishers, and has authored a book, in addition to traveling for speaking engagements. Amy also has much written material on topics of discernment and discipleship and also founded Naomi’s Table Bible Studies for women, and participates in speaking engagements.

Brooke Bartz, founder of the free online annual conference, Open Hearts in A Closed World Women’s Online Conference, Brooke has authored “Chronic Love: Trusting God while suffering with a Chronic Illness” and the Christian teen book “Godly Ever After (Fiona’s Faith, 1)”

These women are solid.

What I look for in a podcast, either from men or women, is a serious podcast that takes on biblical concepts unafraid and unapologetic, in love and gentleness. If the podcast discusses cultural issues, do they do so in a tone of charity, yet being solidly informed?

I think too many podcasts from ladies send too much of the podcast time giggling, horsing around, and talking of inane things. It is insulting to me, to think that of a 40 minute podcast I’ve got 20 minutes to waste. I don’t. I have limited time and increasingly as I age, with limited mental energy to devote. My ‘think time’ has shrunk! If you’re a younger woman, you only have so much time before the baby wakes up, the dinner has to be cooked, the husband arrives home, etc. If I want to indulge in a mental break or some inanity I’ll watch Green Acres or a few kitten hijinks videos. Spending half your podcast time in personal conversations with each other, swapping in-jokes, and larking about, is self-indulgent! It also displays a lack of control and women who teach are supposed to display control. Titus 2:5, 7 says older women are supposed to teach the younger to “be sensible…dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach,” yet they themselves are not sensible or self-controlled. Ugh.

Secondly, I also think it lowers the credibility of a woman’s podcast to spend time with giggling and tomfoolery, and then turn to the word of God to share eternal concepts. A podcast to me, IMO, is kind of like a pulpit. If you’re going to relate biblical concepts to people, do so with gravitas and a commitment to the One who authored it, in seriousness and earnestness.

So look for podcasts from women who are sensible, self-controlled, dignified in speech, true to the word, and talk about Jesus more than themselves.

I know we are all crunched for time most days, and every minute is precious. If you don’t listen to many podcasts (or sermons, teaching series, audio books, hymns, or Bible studies) I ask you to consider doing so. In the in-between times, like when folding laundry, doing errands in the car, or over a quick lunch, we can fill our mind with Bible-based, edifying material. Even 5 or 10 minutes’ worth will be edifying. 10 minutes 6X a week is an hour. An hour a week is 4 hours a month, and that adds up to 48 hours a year of “extra” edifying material. After all, our mind is how the Spirit transforms us, through the Bible’s good word and through discussions over the Bible’s concepts and doctrines.

Happy New Year ladies!

Posted in prophecy, Uncategorized

Thirty Days of Jesus: Postlude, He is coming again

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata


Further Reading:

GTY blog/sermon link: Christmas Future

In his sermon “Christmas Future,” John MacArthur says that “the first coming of Christ was a veiled coming.” Consequently, he argues that if we are to really understand the identity of the baby in the manger then we need to gaze on His unveiled majesty as displayed in the book of Revelation. “‘The Revelation of Jesus Christ.’ That’s what the book is. It is the unveiling . . . of the Son of God. So this is Christmas future, not the view so common as His first coming, but the full view of an unveiled Christ.”

Spurgeon: Watching for Christ’s Coming

He came once to wear the crown of thorns. He must come again to wear the diadem of universal dominion. He comes to the marriage supper. He comes to gather His saints together. He comes to glorify them with Himself on this same earth where once He and they were despised and rejected of men. Understand this, that the whole drama of redemption cannot be perfected without this last act of the coming of the King.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thirty Days of Jesus Series-

Introduction/Background

Day 1: The Virgin shall conceive
Day 2: A shoot from Jesse
Day 3: God sent His Son in the fullness of time
Day 4:  Marry her, she will bear a Son
Day 5: The Babe has arrived!
Day 6: The Glory of Jesus
Day 7: Magi seek the Child
Day 8: The Magi Offer gifts & worship
Day 9: The Child Grew
Day 10- the Boy Jesus at the Temple
Day 11: He was Obedient
Day 12: The Son!
Day 13: God is Pleased with His Son
Day 14: Propitiation
Day 15: The Gift of Eternal Life
Day 16: Kingdom of Darkness to Light
Day 17: Jesus’ Preeminence
Day 18: The Highest King
Day 19: He Emptied Himself (Servant)
Day 20: Jesus as Teacher
Day 21: Shepherd
Day 22: Jesus as Intercessor
Day 23: Compassionate Healer
Day 24: Omniscience
Day 25: Jesus’ Authority
Day 26: Jesus’ sinlessness
Day 27: He rises
Day 28: Resurrection of Central Importance
Day 29: Ascension

Posted in prophecy, Uncategorized

Advent- Thirty Days of Jesus: Day 30, He sat down

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

We are coming toward the end of our look at the life of Jesus through scripture. The first section of His life was seen through verses focused on prophecy, arrival, and early life.

The next section of verses looked at Him as the Son, second person of the Trinity.

Continue reading “Advent- Thirty Days of Jesus: Day 30, He sat down” →
Posted in prophecy, Uncategorized

Advent: Thirty Days of Jesus- Day 29, Ascension

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

We are coming toward the end of our look at the life of Jesus through scripture. The first section of His life was seen through verses focused on prophecy, arrival, and early life.

The next section of verses looked at Him as the Son, second person of the Trinity.

We proceeded into looking at Jesus as the Son’s preeminence, His works, and His ministry. Under ministry & works, I chose verses showing His attributes and aspects of being servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and compassionate healer; and His attributes of omniscience, having all authority and power, and sinlessness.

Continue reading “Advent: Thirty Days of Jesus- Day 29, Ascension” →
Posted in prophecy, Uncategorized

Advent- Thirty Days of Jesus: Day 28, Resurrection of central importance

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Christmas advent. We are coming toward the end of our look at the life of Jesus through scripture. The first section of His life was seen through verses focused on prophecy, arrival, and early life.

The next section of verses looked at Him as the Son, second person of the Trinity.

Continue reading “Advent- Thirty Days of Jesus: Day 28, Resurrection of central importance” →
Posted in theology

Jesus was not born in a stable; more on ‘The Nativity’, art by Gari Melchers

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I enjoy biblical art, and I’m entranced with a few particular pieces. One I come back to a lot happens at Christmas time, and I love to look at it. I’ve written about it before. It is called The Nativity, by Gari Melchers.

melchers nativity

When preaching about this moment in history, Pastor S. Lewis Johnson emphasized the virgin conception rather than the virgin birth. He preached that the birth was typical, human, bloody, and messy. It was the conception that was immaculate. The art by American painter Gari Melchers depicts a scene more reflective of a birth than most nativity scenes usually do.

Here, we see a deeply concentrating Joseph gazing at his newborn son, perhaps pondering the spiritual implications of this new physical life that promised to bring new spiritual life. Note his furrowed brow. Mary, exhausted, drooping, leans against her husband sleepily, a recently used washbowl and cloth by her side. Is the glow from the Babe’s head, or the lantern that has been set next to Him? The scene depicts exhaustion, wonder, light, and hope.

Julius Garibaldi Melchers (1860-1932) was an American artist. He was one of the leading American proponents of naturalism. He won a 1932 Gold medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, according to Wikipedia.

As for the setting itself, it is unusual in that it does not show the usual display of a barn or stable, with animals around. Certainly the Wise Men from the East were not present. Historically we know that appeared up to two years later, when Mary and Joseph were living in a house and the babe was a toddler. This is another reason I’ve always liked this painting, above all others. It is more closely historical and accurate than many people know in setting the scene in the animal section of a house.

It was highly likely, almost certain, that Mary gave birth in a relative’s house. Perhaps the house was crowded with other relatives who’d arrived for the census prior to Joseph and Mary’s arrival, so the only spot left was the downstairs entry where the animals were usually kept. Here is information about the likelihood that Jesus was not born in a barn or stable, but in a home, and probably a relative’s domicile. The essay also discusses what is meant by “inn”, and more.

Once More, Jesus was Not Born in a Stable

The mention of a ‘manger’ in Luke’s nativity story, suggesting animals, led mediaeval illustrators to depict the ox and the ass recognising the baby Jesus, so the natural setting was a stable—after all, isn’t that where animals are kept? (Answer: not necessarily!)

The third issue relates to our understanding of (you guessed it) the historical and social context of the story. In the first place, it would be unthinkable that Joseph, returning to his place of ancestral origins, would not have been received by family members, even if they were not close relatives.

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (John 1:16)

Posted in advent, theology

Advent- Thirty Days of Jesus: Day 27, He Rises

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Christmas advent. We are coming toward the end of our look at the life of Jesus through scripture. The first section of His life was seen through verses focused on prophecy, arrival, and early life.

The next section of verses looked at Him as the Son, second person of the Trinity.

We proceeded into looking at Jesus as the Son and His preeminence, His works, and His ministry. Under ministry & works, I chose verses showing His attributes and aspects of being servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and compassionate healer; and His attributes of omniscience, having all authority and power, and sinlessness.

Continue reading “Advent- Thirty Days of Jesus: Day 27, He Rises” →