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BIBLE EDUCATION STUDY GUIDE Grade 8
A member of the FUTURELEARN group
Bible Education Study guide
1808-E-BIE-SG01
Í2(È-E-BIE-SG01aÎ
Grade 8
LM van der Walt
Study Guide G08 ~ Bible Education
TABLE OF CONTENTS LESSON ELEMENTS .......................................................................................................... 3 FOREWORD ....................................................................................................................... 5 YEAR PLAN......................................................................................................................... 6 UNIT 1 Geography of the Biblical lands ........................................................................... 7 Lesson 1: Geography of the Biblical lands in Palestine. .............................................. 7 Activity 1:............................................................................................................... 9 Lesson 2: The land of Palestine .................................................................................. 9 Activity 2:............................................................................................................. 12 Lesson 3: The Coastal Plain and Central Highlands ................................................. 13 Activity 3:............................................................................................................. 17 Lesson 4: The Jordan Valley ..................................................................................... 18 Activity 4:............................................................................................................. 19 Lesson 5: The Dead Sea and Trans-Jordan ............................................................. 19 Activity 5:............................................................................................................. 22 Lesson 6: The climate, plant life and animal life in Palestine..................................... 23 Activity 6:............................................................................................................. 40 Lesson 7: Geography of the Biblical lands outside Palestine .................................... 40 Activity 7:............................................................................................................. 47 UNIT 2 History of the Old Testament: Biblical figures .................................................. 49 Lesson 8: The Creation ............................................................................................. 49 Activity 8:............................................................................................................. 55 Lesson 9: Cain and Abel ........................................................................................... 56 Activity 9:............................................................................................................. 57 Lesson 10: The story of Noah and the building of the ark ......................................... 58 Activity 10:........................................................................................................... 61 Lesson 11: Abraham and Isaac ................................................................................. 61 Activity 11:........................................................................................................... 66 Lesson 12: Jacob and Esau ...................................................................................... 66 Activity 12:........................................................................................................... 69 Lesson 13: Joseph .................................................................................................... 69 Activity 13:........................................................................................................... 71 Lesson 14: The story of Moses ................................................................................. 72 Activity 14:........................................................................................................... 75
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Study Guide G08 ~ Bible Education
UNIT 3 History of the New Testament: The coming of Jesus ...................................... 80 Lesson 15: The birth of Jesus ................................................................................... 80 Activity 15:........................................................................................................... 83 Lesson 16: The shepherds and the visit from the East .............................................. 84 Activity 16:........................................................................................................... 85 Lesson 17: The flight to Egypt, the infanticide and the return to Nazareth ................ 86 Activity 17:........................................................................................................... 87 Lesson 18: John the Baptist ...................................................................................... 88 Activity 18:........................................................................................................... 89 Lesson 19: The baptism of Jesus .............................................................................. 90 Activity 19:........................................................................................................... 91 Lesson 20: The temptation of Jesus. ......................................................................... 91 Activity 20:........................................................................................................... 92 Lesson 21: Jesus' first sermon and the calling of the disciples ................................. 93 Activity 21:........................................................................................................... 95 UNIT 4 The parables of Jesus ......................................................................................... 96 Lesson 22: The parable of the sower ........................................................................ 96 Activity 22:........................................................................................................... 99 Lesson 23: The parable of the weeds among the wheat. ........................................ 100 Activity 23:......................................................................................................... 101 Lesson 24: The parable of the Good Samaritan ...................................................... 102 Activity 24:......................................................................................................... 104 Lesson 25: The parable of the mustard seed and the yeast .................................... 104 Activity 25:......................................................................................................... 105 Lesson 26: The parable of the barren fig tree.......................................................... 106 Activity 26:......................................................................................................... 107 Lesson 27: The parable of the lost sheep ............................................................... 107 Activity 27:......................................................................................................... 109 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES ........................................................................... 111
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Study Guide G08 ~ Bible Education
YEAR PLAN TERM 1
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STARTING COMPLETION DATE DATE
LESSON 1 Geography of the Biblical lands in Palestine 2 The land of Palestine 3 The Coastal Plain and Central Highlands 4 The Jordan Valley 5 The Dead Sea 6 The climate, plant and animal life in Palestine. 7 Geography of the Biblical lands outside Palestine 8 Creation 9 Cain and Abel 10 Noah 11 Abram and Isaac 12 Jacob and Esau 13 Joseph 14 Moses 15 The birth of Jesus 16 The visit from the East 17 The flight into Egypt and infanticide (murder of infants) 18 John the Baptist 19 The baptism of Jesus 20 The temptation of Jesus 21 Jesus' first sermon and the calling of the disciples 22 The parable of the sower 23 The parable of the weeds among the wheat 24 The parable of the good Samaritan 25 The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast 26 The parable of the barren fig tree 27 The parable of the lost sheep
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UNIT 1 Geography of the Biblical lands Lesson 1: Geography of the Biblical lands in Palestine Knowledge of the geography of the Biblical lands is essential for a thorough understanding of the Bible. Most places in the Bible are not known to us and we have never seen these places. To us, the Biblical places are merely names of unknown places. As soon as we can visualise ourselves in these places, even only in our imagination, the Bible becomes a reality to us. There are not many sources available that can provide us with the necessary information regarding the geography of the Biblical lands. The Bible itself is the biggest source from which we can obtain this information. There are a number of places that existed in Biblical times and still exist today, such as Jerusalem, Damascus, the Dead Sea and the Jordan River. Jerusalem today
In the Bible a number of places are mentioned in the same context. We can deduce from this that the places were located close to each other. We find an example of this in Joshua 15–19. In this passage, the territories of the various tribes of Israel in Canaan are described. In a number of instances the Bible also gives very detailed descriptions of the location of places. In Judges 21:19 the location of Shiloh is described in detail.
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The old texts from Biblical times can also shed some light on the geography of the Bible countries. Flavius Josephus was a well-known Jewish historian. He lived in the first century after Christ. Josephus wrote two books that provide detailed and interesting information about Palestine. Eusebius was a Jewish scholar who lived in the fourth century after Christ. He was the bishop of Caesarea and, therefore, had an excellent knowledge of Palestine. Eusebius left detailed information in his book, On the Place-Names in the Holy Scripture″ about places in Palestine. Many excavations have also been done during the ages that shed light on the location of various places in the Bible. Most ancient cities of the Bible lie beneath a hill. This type of hill is called a "tell". In Biblical times most cities were built on a hill to ensure greater safety. When the city was destroyed by war or earthquakes, the ground was simply levelled and the next city built on top of the ruins. This is how a “tell” was formed. The excavations produced many artefacts that tell us a lot about the people and life in the Biblical cities. With each excavation the archaeologists worked through various layers or "strata". Each layer represents an occupation phase. This means that every city's time of occupation could be studied separately. You can see that studying the Biblical countries is a very interesting and informative field of study. In the following lessons we will look at specific places in more detail. DEFINE: A tell: The ruins hills of old cities in Biblical times. FOR THE CURIOUS: Go do some research about the archaeological work and excavations that have already been done in Palestine and surrounding areas. What do we learn from these types of excavations? Make notes of your findings in your workbook and discuss it with your facilitator.
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ACTIVITY 1: Answer the following questions: 1) Give your own opinion on why it is necessary to study the geography of the Bible. Name three valid reasons. (3) 2) Give the meaning of a “tell” and describe how it is created.
(3)
3) What is the name of the Jewish writer who wrote a book about Palestine?
(1)
4) Name one place that existed in Biblical times and still exists today.
(1)
5) What do we learn from the excavations that are being done?
(2) [10]
Lesson 2: The land of Palestine Palestine is located in Southwest-Asia. Palestine is a very small part of the world and to think that most of the events in the Bible happened there! This part of the world is called the Land of the Five Seas. The area is surrounded by the following seas: Black Sea (North) Mediterranean Sea (West) Red Sea (West) Arab Sea (South) Persian Gulf (South) Caspian Sea (East) In Biblical times, however, these areas fell under different states or countries. Below is a map of the Five Seas area:
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(www.probertencyclopaedia.com) Although they were different states, they all shared a similar climate. Palestine has a Mediterranean Sea climate. In winter the westerly winds bring rain and cold and in summer the easterly winds result in a warm and dry summer. The greater part of Palestine receives little or no rain at all. This is especially due to the mountain ranges that hinder the westerly winds. The saving grace for this region is the big rivers flowing through that bring water from the mountainous regions. The Euphrates and the Tigris are the two biggest rivers that supply the area with water. The rivers originate in the mountains of the north. The Nile River in Egypt is also an important water source. The Nile River is also known for the fact that some of the oldest civilisations in the world resided on its banks. Palestine occupies only a small part of the Land of the Five Seas and is the smallest of the Biblical countries. Palestine lies on a narrow strip between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. This small area has, however, left an influential Biblical heritage. Since the earliest times the Assyrians and the Babylonians who originated on the banks of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers have traded with the people of the Nile River. This trading resulted in the establishment of several trade routes, many of which passed through Palestine. Palestine formed the bridge between the civilisations of the Assyrians, Babylonians and the Egyptians. Palestine, therefore, formed an important link between the East and the West. It was God’s will that the earliest civilisations had their origin there and because the trade routes ran through Palestine, the opportunity was created for God’s gospel to reach so many more people. Many people of different cultures and nationalities travelled through Palestine and all these people have become part of the Gospel. Tradition has it that Paradise may also have been in this region.
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And so God’s plan encompasses all. Palestine was not even a very fertile land, but God's plan became reality in this small country. Palestine formed the centre of three territories. Despite this, the country was still rather isolated. Traffic routes passed along the western coastal plain and hence Palestine remained isolated yet centrally located. Palestine is referred to by various names in the Bible and this can sometimes be rather confusing. Let's have a brief look at the various names: o Canaan Tradition has it that Canaan means ″Land of purple″. Read Joshua 5:1 and Exodus 16:35 o The Promised Land God promises the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants. o Land of the Hebrews. The name is derived from Abraham. Abraham is called a Hebrew in the Bible, and this in turn refers to God's promise to Abraham. o Land of Israel The country gets this name in the time of King Saul. God gives Jacob the name Israel. o Land of the Lord This name was given by Isaiah, the prophet. He calls Palestine the land of the Lord, since God's people, the Israelites, lived there. o Land of Judah The death of Solomon divided the kingdom into two parts: the kingdom of Israel in the north and the kingdom of Judah in the south. The kingdom of Israel is conquered and its people taken into exile by the Assyrians. Later on, the people of Judah were also conquered and taken into exile by the Babylonians. However, the people of Judah are allowed to return to Palestine and from there this name. o The Holy Land Palestine was called this because Jesus lived there. o Palestine The name is not found in the Bible. This name was bestowed upon the country by the Greeks and was only used after Biblical times. Today, Palestine is a war-torn region and it is far removed from the land that God chose to be the centre from which to spread the Gospel.
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FOR THE CURIOUS: Read the following passages in the Bible: Gen. 1:9 Gen.19:24 Gen. 36:24 Gen. 23:9 Ps.68:16 Jos.10:16 See if you can identify the various landscapes of Palestine from these passages. Write your answers in your workbook and discuss them with your facilitator.
ACTIVITY 2:
Answer the following questions in your workbook: 1) 2) 3) 4)
Name one of the seas that surround Palestine. (1) What type of climate does Palestine have? (1) State the name of one of the rivers that existed in Biblical times and still exist today. (1) Why, do you think, did God choose Palestine for the spreading of the Gospel? State only one reason. (1) 5) Which name for Palestine means ″Land of Purple″? (1) 6) What promise does the name "The promised Land" refer to? (1) 7) What is the name of the prophet that gave Palestine the name "Land of the Lord"? (1) 8) After the death of Solomon the kingdom was divided into two. Name the kingdom that was destroyed by the Assyrians. (1) 9) Palestine was also called "The Holy Land". Why was it called this? (1) 10) Which nation eventually assigned the name Palestine to this country? (1) [10]
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Lesson 3: The Coastal Plain and Central Highlands 3.1
The Coastal region/Coastal plain of Palestine
The coastal region of Palestine stretches across 200 km. The boundaries of the coastal region are Lebanon in the north and Gaza in the south. Traditionally Gaza was the home of the Philistines. The Philistines were excellent sailors. The coastal region is characterised by sand dunes, marshes and dense vegetation. Therefore, it is not suitable for agriculture. North of Mount Carmel the coastal region narrows and becomes more suitable for building ports. The Phoenicians practised their maritime skills from there. The following map can help you to obtain a clearer picture of the region. Refer to the map while working through your lesson material.
(www.bible-history.com) The coastal region consists of three parts: 1) The Philistine plain or Philistia This was primarily the home of the Philistines. It stretches from the river of Egypt to Jaffa and has a length of approximately 64 km. There are many sand dunes in the area. However the northern part is more fertile and crop and fruit farming are found there. Today this area still produces wheat, barley, olives, dates, pomegranates and grapes. In times of drought, Abraham and Isaac had their livestock graze in the south as this area was more suited to livestock farming. Water for their herds was obtained from wells. There were five cities in Philistia which are mentioned in the Bible:
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o Gaza We read about the city of Gaza in Gen. 10:19 and it is thus a very old city. Gaza played a crucial role in the trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia. In particular the history of Samson is linked to the city of Gaza. This is also where Samson died. (Judges 16:29-30) o Ashkelon This city was located at the coast, 19 km north of Gaza. The city was rebuilt on a rocky ridge and was the birthplace of Herod the Great. Herod ruled when Jesus was born. It was Herod that gave the order that all the Jewish boys younger than two years had to be killed. o Ashdod The city was 14 km north of Ashkelon and about 5 km from the coast. The temple of Dagon, the Philistine's idol, was in this city. o Ekron The city was located about 9 km northeast of Ashdod. The Philistines worshipped their idol Baal-Sebub here. o Gat The city was 19 km east of Ashkelon. This is where Goliath lived. 2) The Plain of Sharon This is the part that stretches from Jaffa to Mount Carmel and is about 80 km in length. The plain has a higher rainfall than the other regions and is therefore marshy. However, it is bounded by sand dunes on the coast. It is a highly fertile region and in summer it is covered in flowers. The plain of Sharon has four important cities:
Lydda
This is a very old city and it is situated 17 km southeast of Jaffa. It is in this city that, in the name of Jesus, Peter healed Aeneas.
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Jaffa The city of Jaffa is built on a rocky hill next to the Mediterranean Sea. The city is surrounded by a wall and is a natural port, which already served as a port for Jerusalem during Biblical times. Jaffa is located about 56 km from Jerusalem. Peter woke Tabitha from the dead in Jaffa.
Caesarea This is a port city and is also located next to the Mediterranean Sea. The city was built by Herod the Great. Caesarea is often mentioned in the book of Acts. (Read Acts 9:30, Acts 21:8 and Acts10:48)
Dor This is a very old city that used to serve as a port for the Egyptians and Phoenicians.
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3) The plain of Akko The plain stretches across a distance of 40 km along the coast. The port city of Haifa is located here at the foot of Mount Carmel. The city Akko lies 10 km further north. 3.2
The Central Highlands This is one of the central regions in the Bible, and the area where most Israelites lived. Jesus also stayed here for most of His time on earth. It stretches from the Sinai desert to the mountains of Lebanon and covers a distance of about 240 km. The Central Highlands is situated at a high altitude and forms the watershed of Palestine. The rivers are fed from the rainfall on the mountain. The rain runs down to the west and the south and feeds the rivers. The eastern side is covered with dense vegetation and has many ravines. Due to this people did not often travel through that area, as it provided a good hiding place for robbers. Did the parable of the good Samaritan perhaps have its origins here? (Luke 10). The road that passes through the highlands connects important cities such as: Beersheba – Name courtesy of the water well that Abraham dug there and means: “source of oath”. Hebron – The patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were buried here in the cave of Magpé. Bethlehem – Birthplace of Jesus. Jerusalem – The temple of God stood here and Jesus spilled His blood here. Bet-el – This is the place where Jacob had his dream. Emmaus – Jesus appeared to the two men on the way to this town. Beerot – The place where Jesus stayed as a 10-year old boy. These cities are called the cities of Judea. There are five regions in the Central Highlands: 1) The Southern Negev. This is the most southern part of the Central Highlands. The most important cities in this region were: o Beersheba (Genesis 21:31) o Kadesh or En Mishpat (Genesis 14:7) o Arad (Numbers 21:1-3) o Ziklag (1 Samuel 27:5-6) 2) The Highlands of Judea This area stretches from Hebron to Bet-el. The Highlands of Judea is especially known for the numerous valleys that are found there: o Valley of Aijalon. This is where God made the sun and moon stand still for Joshua. (Joshua 10-13) o Valley of Sorek. Samson's Philistine wife, Delilah, lived here. o Valley of the Elah. In this valley David defeated Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:12-19) o The Salt valley. It is here where the battles between the Israelites and the Edomites took place. (2 Samuel 8:13)
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3) The Highlands of Samaria. This is a highly fertile area and is suited to crop and livestock farming. The cities that are found here, are: o Samaria – the home of king Ahab. The idol worship of Baal was rampant in this city. o Shechem – Abraham lived here for some time. o Dothan – Joseph's brothers threw him into a well here and later sold him. 4) The Plain of Jezreel. The plain lies much lower than the mountain regions. It forms the link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan. We find the following cities here: o Megiddo – Solomon constructed huge buildings here. (1 Kings 9:15) o Jezreel – Ahab had a palace here and Naboth's vineyard was here. (1 Kings 21:1) o Beth-Shan – Here the Philistines nailed the body of Saul to the city walls. (1 Samuel 31:10) 5) The Highlands of Galilee. This is a beautiful landscape with hills and dales. It is a very fertile area and a number of streams run through the region. It is divided into two parts: - Lower-Galilee. This consists of loose-standing mountains that are not very high. Mount Tabor is found here. The town of Nazareth, where Jesus grew up, lies 8 km from Tabor. - Upper-Galilee. This part is very mountainous. Joshua conquered two important cities here, i.e. Merom and Hazor. A number of caves are also found in this area. The most important caves that we read about in the Bible, are: Makkedah (Joshua 10:16) Machpelah (Genesis 23:9) Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1)
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FOR THE CURIOUS: Search for the various mountains that are mentioned in the Bible. Write down the names of the mountains in your workbook. See if you can find information about the role each of the mountains that you mentioned, played during Biblical times. Passages in the Bible that could serve as a guideline: Genesis 22 Exodus 3 en 4 Exodus 20 Exodus 32 1 Kings 19 1 Kings 18 More mountains are mentioned in the New Testament. The mountains referred to above are only those in the Old Testament. ACTIVITY 3: Answer the following questions: 1)
What is the name of the region that forms the northern boundary of the coastal region of Palestine? (1)
2)
The southern side of the Palestine coastal region was not suited to agriculture. What was the reason for this? (1)
3)
What is the name of the area where the Philistines lived traditionally?
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What role did the city Gaza play in the story of the Bible?
(1)
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What is the name of the city where the Philistines worshipped their idol, Baal?
(1)
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What city served as a port for other big cities such as Jerusalem?
(1)
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What is the meaning of the name Beersheba?
(1)
8)
Name one city in the Southern Negev.
(1)
9)
What is the name of the city where King Ahab lived?
(1)
10) State the name of one cave that is found in Galilee.
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