It is August of 1895 as Dr. Matt Staffords ferry nears Ellis Island. His spirits soar as he approaches the island filled with immigrants pursuing their dreams. Seeking a change from the routine of his hospital surgical practice, he decides to take a temporary leave to provide medical care to those who left their homelands in pursuit of the American Dream. Eager to interact with the newcomers, Dr. Stafford is quickly intrigued by their personal stories of struggles, courage, and determination. Soon though, everything is about to change on the island; major conflicts unfold, immigrants are exploited, and a riot takes place. Becoming entangled in a secret passionate relationship, Dr. Stafford witnesses President McKinleys assassination and a societal backlash against the rising tide of immigration. As he valiantly struggles to find emotional fulfillment, a series of events will lead to dramatic changesboth at Ellis Island and in his own life. Based on actual events, Guardians of the Gate shares the intriguing tale of the people and provocative occurrences that occurred at Ellis Island during the 1890s and 1900sthrough the eyes of a dedicated physician on a compelling quest for fulfillment.

When she accidentally falls through the purple door of an antiques shop, Erin embarks on an adventure which tests her commitment to God.

Key second-temple texts with introductions and notes by an international team of scholars--now available in affordable softcover bindings. The writers of the Bible lived in a world filled with many writings. Some of these documents are lost forever, but many have been preserved. Part of these extant sources are the Pseudepigrapha. This collection of Jewish and Christian writings shed light on early Judaism and Christianity and their doctrines. This landmark set includes all 65 Pseudepigraphical documents from the intertestamental period that reveal the ongoing development of Judaism and the roots from which the Christian religion took its beliefs. A scholarly authority on each text contributes a translation, introduction, and critical notes for each text. Volume 2 includes expansions of the "Old Testament" legends, wisdom, and philosophical literature; prayers, psalms, and odes; and fragments of lost Judeo-Hellenistic Works. Contributors include E. Isaac, B.M. Metzger, J.R. Mueller, S.E. Robinson, D.J. Harrington, G.T. Zervos, and many others. Of enormous value to scholars and students, religious professionals and interested laypeople. Part of Anchor Yale Reference Library.

The Revelation of Metatron is a medieval Jewish work, that claims to have been written in the late-2nd century AD by Rabbi Ishmael 'the High Priest.' It is known by various names, including the Sepher Hekhalot (Book of the Palaces), the 3rd Book of Enoch, and the Book of Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest, although its most common name, is the Revelation of Metatron. The earliest name for the work was likely the Sepher Hekhalot (Book of the Palaces), however, all copies have been so reworked that it cannot be known for sure. It is clear that Rabbi Ishmael did not write it, and his name, which is in almost every verse, was inserted to replace another name that the medieval publisher did not want associated with the book. Rabbi Ishmael was the author of the book called Hekhalot Rabbati (Greater Palaces) sometime between 100 and 130 AD, and his name was late used as a pseudonym by many authors of Merkabah literature between 200 and 1000 AD. Several fragments of the Ascension of Moses have survived to the present, however, most of the work is likely lost forever. The Ascension of Moses is almost certainly the precursor to the Revelation of Metatron, in which Rabbi Ishmael was taken up to the sky by Metatron, the supreme archangel. In the Ascension of Moses, it was Moses who was taken up to the sky, and Metatron played a smaller role, although, clearly the same role in the Long Aramaic Revelation of Moses, which is the closest to Revelation of Metatron. In both the Long Aramaic Revelation of Moses and the Revelation of Metatron, Metatron identifies himself as Enoch, Moses' ancestor, which connects this clearly heretical Jewish work with the older Enochian literature. In the other surviving fragments, the connection is less clear, as is the cosmography of the seven skies, and it is, therefore, possible that there were several stages of textual development before the version that was redacted into the Revelation of Metatron. In the Revelation of Metatron, the role of Moses has been replaced by Rabbi Ishmael, a rabbi who lived in Palestine in the late-1st-century and early-2nd-century AD, however, his name was attached to most of the Merkabah literature in that circulated in Babylonia during between 400 and 1000 AD, and is universally considered to have been used to replace an earlier name. Chapter 15B of the Revelation of Metatron is itself an excerpt from the Ascension of Moses, which, if nothing else, proves that the Ascension has been viewed as an earlier copy of the Revelation since at least the 1000 AD, the latest the Revelation was likely to have been edited significantly. The story of Samyaza and Azazel, which like the Yiddish Ascension of Moses is a Yiddish story found among the Chronicles of Jarahmeel, also appears to be a very ancient story bordering about as close as a Jew could get to polytheism without actually crossing that imaginary line. It is included as an appendix as is seems relevant to the question of Metatron's origin within Judaism, however, it is its treatment of Astarah that reveals its true age. The name is a variation of Asherah, who is mentioned many times in the Hebrew Bible, generally in association with Ba'al. Her worship was banned by King Josiah in the Hebrew Book of Kings when he banned the worship of Ba'al and the armies of the sky (hosts of heaven). Archaeological evidence has proven that Jews (or possibly Essenes) continued to worship Asherah until the 6th century BC, during the early Persians era, which is missing from the Talmud's records.

Coomaraswamy's final un-published essays, including: The Iconography of Sagittarius, Philo's Doctrine of the Cherubim, Concerning Sphinxes, and The Concept of Ether in Greek and Indian Cosmology, are complemented by the author's own illustrations from his personal archives.

The Revelation of Metatron is a medieval Jewish work, that claims to have been written in the late-2nd century AD by Rabbi Ishmael 'the High Priest.' It is known by various names, including the Sepher Hekhalot (Book of the Palaces), the 3rd Book of Enoch, and the Book of Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest, although its most common name, is the Revelation of Metatron. The earliest name for the work was likely the Sepher Hekhalot (Book of the Palaces), however, all copies have been so reworked that it cannot be known for sure. It is clear that Rabbi Ishmael did not write it, and his name, which is in almost every verse, was inserted to replace another name that the medieval publisher did not want associated with the book. Rabbi Ishmael was the author of the book called Hekhalot Rabbati (Greater Palaces) sometime between 100 and 130 AD, and his name was late used as a pseudonym by many authors of Merkabah literature between 200 and 1000 AD. Hekhalot (Palaces) and Merkabah (Flying-chariot) are two related forms of Jewish literature that developed from the visions from in the prophetic books, such as Ezekiel, apocalyptic books, such as Isaiah, and the Enochian tradition. Hekhalot literature, which includes books that focus on Merkabah, such as Maaseh Merkabah (Working of the Flying-Chariot), is the term used for works written during the Second Temple era. During the Second Jewish-Roman War, Merkabah literature was prohibited, largely it seems, due to the teachings of Rabbi Elisha ben Abujah, more commonly referred to as 'Aher,' meaning 'the other.' After the literature was banned, it went 'underground' and continued to be used in secret, resulting in the Merkabah (Flying-chariot) literature, which itself later gave rise to the Kabbalah school of Judaism. At each stage the literature became more metaphysical and spiritual, resulting in stranger and stranger texts for the uninitiated, much of which can be seen in the various additions and redactions to the Revelation of Metatron. The contents of the chapters of the Ascension of Moses that have survived to the present show that the Ascension is an earlier version of the Revelation of Metatron, and the original protagonist of the story, later redacted to Rabbi Ishmael. There are several parallels between the stories of Moses and Metatron in the Ascension, and the stories of Ishmael and Metatron in the Revelation, however, the Revelation includes several heretical concepts that the original redactor and author of Chapter 16 did not want to ascribe to Moses and therefore used the popular Merkabah pseudonym Ishmael. The date of the original redaction is also difficult to determine, as Aher is a heretic in the Talmuds and Tosefta, and so the derogatory nick-name could have been adopted from the Talmud or Tosefta at any point. Nevertheless, if the original work was Rabbi Elisha's (Aher's) Sepher Hekhalot, it would have likely been redacted before the Babylonian Talmud's version of the story, which did not bother to name him. By that point, the text would have been by a generally unknown author, and there would have been no reason to redact his name from it. This would place the original redaction sometime before 450 AD, and likely in Byzantine Palestine.

According to the Scripture, Romans 8:28 says- "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." The question is, how do all these things work out to our benefit? God is a God that declares 'The End' from 'The Beginning'. However we must understand that He is also a God of process. Doors and Chambers is a simple metaphor for understanding how God systematically moves His people through His paths of righteousness. Sometimes in life, it can become easy to lose sight that God's hand is upon us for our good and not evil. His Holy Spirit leads and guides us through the good times and the bad. Whether you a new Christian or have been saved many years, Doors and Chambers will help you gain insight into God's methods of bringing His saints to maturity. It is much easier to play the game when we know the rules. It is much easier to navigate through life when we understand God's process to take us from glory to glory. Learning to pursue His Will causes His blessings and supernatural enablement to be released. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." - Romans 8:14 Ric Steele is the senior pastor and founder of Due Season Christian Church International along with his wife, Kathy, located in Novi, MI. Dr. Steele oversees a network of ministries. Dr. Ric & Kathy Steele have ministered both locally and internationally. Dr. Ric & Kathy are also the founders of RISEN , an apostolic and prophetic training camp, held nationally. He has also authored a series on prophetic training and discernment. For more information, please visit us on the web at http: //www.DueSeason.Org

Presents the author's elegiac ode to love, death, and intimate friendship that describes how her life was profoundly changed by the suicide of a mentally ill friend and roommate with whom she shared poignant formative experiences.