Anyone interested in the history and antiquities, as well as a passion for spiritual quest, I invite you to communication: reading, leave comments, share your opinion, ask questions!
Ashdod is an ancient Philistine city, the pride of the civilization of Dagon's admirers and the last refuge of the non-afflicted Nephilim. Today, from those mysterious creatures, there was nothing left (fake and false photoshops of supposedly giant skeletons do not count). Picturesque ruins on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea are the remnants of a medieval citadel of Arab rule. But written sources shed light on the events that took place here thousands of years ago.
"as they hope for in getting us under their power, let us leave them an example which shall at once cause their astonishment at our death, and their admiration of our hardiness therein" ... Those others were nine hundred and sixty in number, the women and children being withal included in that computation. This calamitous slaughter was made on the fifteenth day of the month Xanthicus [Nisan]..
(Flavius Josephus "War of the Jews")
Now remember what Jesus warned 40 years before these events: And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains...
Gospel of Luke
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
The Holy Land ... Still it's called "The Promised Land" - the land that God promised to Abraham and his descendants. It is also the birthplace of our Savior - Jesus Christ.
Zion. The coffin of King David. Zion Gate. Wailing Wall.
2000 years have passed since he came to earth the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
2000 years, there is His Church and the Gospel of Him preached to all nations.
But many of his own people did not accept their Messiah then. Soon, the Temple was destroyed, as well as the whole of Jerusalem, and several centuries in its place erected a Muslim mosque.
Leaving only a small section of the wall adjacent to the Temple. Today, it has become a place of weeping, a place of prayer of the Jews awaiting the coming of the Messiah and the rebuilding of the Temple.
On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen who never hold their peace day nor night. Oh, ye that make mention of the Lord! no rest, - give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62
Church "Mary of Zion", the Room of the Last Supper, the Room of the descent of the Holy Spirit.
After the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples another 40 days and finally commanded them not to diverge from Jerusalem, but to expect fulfillment of the promise of the Father. And then ascended.
Because the students continued to meet every day in the upper room.
And after ten days the Jews had to celebrate Shavuot - Pentecost and fruits. It was one of the three main temple prazdnkov in Israel. Shavuot means "seven weeks" potmou what exactly seven weeks after the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, the Lord appeared to Moyse on Mount Sinai and gave him commandments, the Torah.
Like every year, in those days in Jerusalem were many pilgrims - from all over Judea, as well as other areas in the coordinate lived scattered Israelites:
Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians ... Acts of the Apostles 2
But this time, the incredible happened. In the upper room with the apostles of Christ and his mother Mary Eogo were gathered together and the other disciples, vseogo approximately 120 people. Suddenly there arose a great noise and wind:
...And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts of the Apostles, 2
What were these languages? I have listed above, how many different aliens was expected that day in Jerusalem. So each of them he heard the familiar language of the country where he came from!
It was incredible, because all the disciples of Jesus, who had gathered in the upper room, came from Galilee and could not know so many different languages and dialects. So on the day of Pentecost, God fulfilled the promise given in the Old Testament:
And afterward, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons shall prophesy, and your daughters; your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon - in the blood, before the coming of the day of the Lord, the great and terrible. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.Joel 2
And the Holy Spirit came upon a large crowd of students and performed their heavenly forces. Apostles and disciples of Christ began to do many miracles, heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and prophesied. Church was born and began to grow rapidly.
Temple of the Holy Sepulchre, Mount Olives, Chapel of the Ascension.
Christ's death stunned his students and delighted his enemies. Followers, thus ending their disappointed hopes for the coming of the King of the Jews and the Redeemer of Israel, began to disperse from Jerusalem to their homes. But the Pharisees and the chief priests feared even after the death of Christ, remembering the prophecy of the resurrection in three days. Because they turned to Pontius Pilate, who ordered to guard the tomb in which they buried the body of Jesus.
Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it; His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men; But the angel said to the women, he said, do not be afraid, for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified He is not here - he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee; there shall ye see him. Behold, I have told you.
Matthew 28
Thus began a new era in which life defeated death, when the love of God is the salvation of the people, when the Son of God is risen! He became our Passover, the deliverance from sin and eternal death. And everyone who believes in Jesus will not perish, but have eternal life.
After the Holy Supper, when the traitor Judas had already left to give his Master to those who sought his death, Jesus and the other students went to the Mount of Olives to pray.
And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father! oh, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground ..
Luke 22
It was here in the Garden of Gethsemane, among olive trees, some of which have survived to our time, Jesus seized the temple guards and taken to the high priest. Here he experienced betrayal and the last time before the crucifixion was with his disciples.
Jesus loved to pray. For prayer, he walked away from the crowd and routine and climbed into the mountains, where they could be alone and indulge in communion with God. The Gospel of Luke tells us that when the day Jesus taught in the Temple, the night he prayed. Once on the Mount of Olives, after another prayer, the disciples asked him to teach them to pray, just as John the Baptist taught his disciples. Jesus answered them:
When you pray, say: Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done and on earth as it is in heaven; our daily bread Give us each day; and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone indebted to us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11
On the Mount of Olives is clearly seen ancient Jerusalem, and at the bottom, on its slopes, is the Garden of Gethsemane. And in the place where Jesus gave the disciples a model prayer, the church was built Pater Noster. The history of its origin is related to the Italian Aurelio De Bossi, who lived in the 19th century. She was a cousin of Napoleon III, Princess de la Tour de Auvergne. Aurelia lived a life of luxury ladies of light, was married three times, was fond of different kinds of art. But now Aurelia found solace in prayer "Our Father", which she considered the greatest revelation of Jesus to all people. That's why semnadtsat years of his life devoted princess search "the same place" on the Mount of Olives. As a result, she was lucky: excavations have revealed an ancient grotto that Aurelia declared place of the Lord's prayer. She also provided and the construction of the church, and then handed it to the ownership of the Catholic Order of Carmelites. Now, on the walls and in the galleries of the monastery Pater Noster posted the prayer "Our Father" in almost all the languages of the world. I found there, and Ukrainian, Russian, and even ... Old Church Slavonic.
The first time I came to Jerusalem in the evening. With Arab hotel on the Mount of Olives, we went to the modern part of the city. It was a Saturday, the sun was setting and the day of rest (Sabbath, which lasts from sunset to sunset) is about to have ended. Because there were not many people, and all the shops and cafes just ready to open.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy; Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day - Saturday the Lord thy God: thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Exodus 20
I was immediately surprised that the modern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, a little different from most of the big cities in the world. Cozy alleys, benches in the shade of small trees neat, welcoming coffee shops and restaurants, the bright windows of boutiques - all spacecraft and elsewhere in Europe, Asia or any other continent. But we went through the narrow streets close to the Temple of the Holy Sepulchre, as all around was to change rapidly, as if we were flying in antiquity to a time machine. Even the people around were different, because most of them were the same as we do - foreigners, tourists or pilgrims who came from afar to the Holy Land.
Jerusalem more than 3,500 years. In the Bible, it was first mentioned under the name Salem (Shalem)
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan; And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus; and back all the goods and Lot, his kinsman, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. When he returned from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Chaves, now that the royal valley; And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine - and he was priest of God Most High ...
Genesis 14
For a thousand years BC King David captured this Canaanite city and made it the capital of Israel. His son Solomon built the first temple there. But in the 5th century BC it was destroyed by the Babylonians. After returning from the Babylonian captivity, the Jews rebuilt the Temple. He stood until 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the Temple, not only, but also the entire city.
Later built on the site of ancient Jerusalem is almost completely buried it beneath them. Modern excavations have shown that the remains of the ancient streets are at a depth of 10-15 meters.
Story that happened here two thousand years ago, was unique even for contemporaries of Jesus who has seen a lot of miracles of God through Him. After Jesus raised not just only that the deceased person, and Lazarus, whose body lay for four days already in the grave, because no one had any doubts in the death of the deceased. Remember how it was:
Certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village where they lived Mary and her sister Martha. Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was the one who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick. When Jesus heard that, said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God may be glorified through it the Son of God. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days in the place where he was. After that, said to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. The disciples said to him, Rabbi, , the Jews sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? who walks by day will not stumble, because he sees the light of this world; as he walks by night that he stumbles, because the light is not in him. Having said this, said to them, then: Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I'm going to wake him up. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he meant natural sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead; And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe; but let us go to him. Then Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his disciples, Let us go and we may die with him. Jesus came, he found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him; But Mary sat at home. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord! if you had been here, would not have died my brother. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise. Martha saith unto him, I know he would rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Do you believe this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord; I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. Having said this, she went and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Teacher is here and is calling for you. As soon as she heard that, she got up and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, and comforted her, seeing that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb - to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord! if you had been here, would not have died my brother. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled And said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord! Come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him. And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Sister of the deceased, Martha saith unto him, Lord, already stinks; For four days in the grave. Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father! I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that you always hear me; but said this for the people standing here, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. Having said this, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus! come forth. And the dead man came out, bound hand and foot with strips of linen, and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. John, 11
According to the subsequent legends, after the resurrection of Lazarus lived another thirty years. He became a disciple of Christ and served as a bishop in Cyprus.
Here Jesus performed his first miracle: turning water into wine.
Kahn (Galilee) struck me as very funny, truly a city wedding, if there every day and only do what they are celebrating someone's wedding. At every step you offer to buy sweet wedding wine and a variety of related souvenirs at the first miracle.
In the days of Christ's earthly life, this city was more than Nazareth, whence came the wedding of Jesus and his mother Mary. I recall that after his baptism in the Jordan and the 40-day fast, beating the devil's temptations, Jesus returned home to Nazareth in the power of the Spirit. But the first time it was showed it at the wedding at Cana:
On the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus said to her that to me and you, woman? has not yet come my hour. His mother said to the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. Now there were six stone jars were standing there on the Jewish rites of purification, can accommodate two or three steps. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the jars with water. And they filled them up to the top. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, - and he did not know where this wine was known only to the servants which drew the water - then called the bridegroom and said to him: Every man at the good wine first, and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; and you kept the good wine until now. So put signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed in Him. The Gospel of John, chapter 2
I wonder what it was for the wine and how it tastes? Probably heavenly varieties! Local merchants offer guests Cana purchase ecclesiastical red wine 12 years of aging or a delicious dessert pomegranate wine.
But drawing attention to this, no doubt, fine drinks, they distract from the main meaning of the miracle: Jesus is Life. He is the source of eternal life. Just as he turned water into wine, the Savior is able to change and our lives, bring it to the eternal, heavenly sense!
For many generations of Sodom and Gomorrah have become symbols of extreme depravity, sexual perversion and insatiable lust. 4000 years ago, these two cities were powerful and prosperous. The men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD. Genesis, Chapter 13
But nothing could save them from God's punishment. Fire and brimstone from heaven, burning them completely, leaving no trace of its former greatness: Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and grew upon the ground. Genesis, Chapter 19
Features of burning sulfur - ultra-high temperature at which burns almost everything, even the stone and metals. Therefore it is not surprising that in place of Sodom and Gomorrah, there was nothing left but ashes. Over time, plain, located well below the level of the World Ocean, filled waters of the Jordan and in the place of the great cities of the Dead Sea was formed. Due to the extreme salinity in it nothing can live. However, our contemporaries discovered the healing properties of minerals from the Dead Sea, on the basis of which are now made popular recreational cosmetics. But taking care of bodily health, we should not forget the lesson of God's drama, who witnessed the certainty and severity of retribution for sins: Just as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it poured from the sky rain fire and brimstone, and destroyed them all; so shall it be in the day when the Son of Man will be
the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 17
Jesus Christ, who said it, He gives us hope and salvation from death: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The Gospel of John, Chapter 3
The oldest city in the world. mountain Temptations.
After the death of Moses the campaign of the Israeli people into the Promised Land, Joshua led. They crossed the Jordan and the first city, which was on the way to the goal, was an ancient Jericho. Its walls schitalis impregnable, but God commanded the Israelites to march around the walls around seven days. A seventh day - and even seven times. Then a miracle happened: The people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. As soon as people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a loud voice, and the city wall fell down flat, and the people went to the city, each with his hand, and took the city. The book of Joshua, chapter 6
This happened 3500 years ago. And in the early twentieth century, archaeologists have unearthed an ancient city, even found the remains of a ruined wall, and found that this city - the oldest of all known science. It existed as early as 3-4 millennia BC
Now fast forward to the Gospel times.
When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry for last. And the tempter came to him and said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. And he answering said unto him, It is written: I do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written: give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again: do not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 4
According to legend, the mountain, which is mentioned in the Gospels - Mountain Temptations - a mountain Karantal near Jericho. On the mountain was built an Orthodox monastery. From it really offers a wonderful view.
Climbing this mountain under the scorching sun, I lost so much moisture, which then has not been able to quench their thirst. On the mountain, in aid of the pilgrims, the Greek monks prudently oholazhdayut water and give it to all thirsty. But how hard it was for Jesus, as he was walking in the desert and fasted for 40 days?
The Jordan River flows from north to the south of Israel, where it joins the Dead Sea. When the twelve tribes of Israel shared the Promised Land, the three of them have received their inheritance on the east bank of the Jordan.
Many biblical events associated with this river. Its waters parted before the ark of the covenant, when the Israelis after a 40-year journey through the desert were in a land flowing with milk and honey.
Here occurred the Gospel events: John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptizing in the Jordan River:
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized by him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? But Jesus answered him, Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water - and, lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 3
So for the first time Jesus Christ was revealed to the people of Israel.
- holy family stayed here on the way to Egypt.
Ancient legends preserved history to stop the Holy Family in the cave on the way to Egypt. And when Mary nursed Jesus, a drop of milk fell on the stone, which was as white as chalk. Through this belief in the Milk Grotto started coming infertile women, loss of Mary about the baby.
But how is it that the Holy Family went to Egypt? In our time, this trip would not have surprised anyone: from Israel to Egypt to go to relax easier than of Kyiv in the Crimea. But two thousand years ago, Egypt was not the world resort. Powerful country of the pharaohs and slaves was not very welcoming to outsiders. The people of Israel knew about it from our own history - 430 years, they were slaves in Egypt. And to the Jewish family to decide on such a journey, they had a very good reason. What caused them to leave their home and go through the desert, in which once the Israelis went 40 years before they arrived in the Promised land of God? Learned about this from the Gospel of Matthew: When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, Magi came to Jerusalem from the east and say where that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. Upon hearing this, King Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born? And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are not least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who upaset my people Israel. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them what time the star appeared, and he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you find it, let me know, so that I may come and worship him. They had heard the king, they departed. And lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and went into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed another way into their own country. When they were gone, - an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. He got up, took the child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent and slew all the male children in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, The voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and weeping, and great; Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are not. Upon the death of Herod, - behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother and go to the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child. He got up, took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: but in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
So, escape to Egypt was forced, in order to preserve the life of Jesus. But if you compare the texts of Matthew and Luke, the question arises of what the city hit the road, Joseph and Mary? Of Bethlehem or Nazareth? In fact, according to the Gospel of Luke, shortly after the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the Holy Family returned to Nazareth - a city where they came to Bethlehem only census: And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
And if a trip to Egypt began in Nazareth, then stop in Bethlehem, where Herod ordered the destruction of infants under two years old, looks out of place. More on this - in future articles.
The city in which the angel appeared to the Virgin Mary, and in which Jesus grew up
The name "Nazareth" I first heard in the school years, when, and to the Soviet audience has come a wave of Fame rock band of the same name. A little later, I learned that it turns out the band's name comes from a town in Israel. In those days (late 70's - early 80's) in Ukraine, as well as throughout the Soviet Union dominated atheism, so few people knew the content of the gospel.
However, in the Bible we do not find too many news of Nazareth - the first time it is mentioned only in the New Testament, in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John:
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, favored one! The Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, was troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God; and, behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom will have no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? The angel answered her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. So Elizabeth, thy cousin who was called barren, and she conceived a son in her old age, and it is the sixth month, for with God nothing will be impossible word. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And departed from her Angel. Evangelie Luke 1: 26-38
So nachinaetsya embodiment of the history of salvation of the world, which God had promised our first parents, Adam and Eve (but that is another story).
Today Nazareth - a city where he lives with respect to many Christians (30%), ethnic Arabs. Located in the north of Israel. Only in this city Sunday - the official day off, in contrast to the whole country, which rests only on Saturdays. In 1969 there was built a magnificent Church of the Annunciation. Next to it - the house of Joseph and Mary, as well as a synagogue in which Jesus read Isaiah present Jews.
