Were the Three Kings, or Magi, who the Bible says traveled to Bethlehem in search of the Christ Child real, historical figures or simply the stuff of legend? For generations, the Magi have inspired art and music. Epiphany, the important Christian feast twelve days after Christmas, is a national holiday in many countries throughout the world. What lies at the heart of this celebration and is it still relevant today? Turning to discoveries made by historians, scientists, and theologians, Polish author Grzegorz Górny answers these questions. With gorgeous four-color photographs on every page, he traces the mysteries of the Magi from the Gospel of Matthew to modern-day astronomy to revived Epiphany celebrations on the streets of secularized European capitals.

"The perfect Christmas gift for anyone interested in the historical background behind the birth of Jesus of Nazareth." — Robert J. Hutchinson, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible, The Dawn of Christianity, and Searching for Jesus. "Utterly refreshing and encouraging." — Eric Metaxas, New York Times bestselling author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Martin Luther "The best book I know about the Magi." — Sir Colin John Humphreys, Ph.D., author of The Mystery of the Last Supper Modern biblical scholars tend to dismiss the Christmas story of the “wise men from the East” as pious legend. Matthew’s gospel offers few details, but imaginative Christians filled out the story early on, giving us the three kings guided by a magical star who join the adoring shepherds in every Christmas crèche. For many scholars, then, there is no reason to take the gospel story seriously. But are they right? Are the wise men no more than a poetic fancy? In an astonishing feat of detective work, Dwight Longenecker makes a powerful case that the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem really happened. Piecing together the evidence from biblical studies, history, archeology, and astronomy, he goes further, uncovering where they came from, why they came, and what might have happened to them after eluding the murderous King Herod. In the process, he provides a new and fascinating view of the time and place in which Jesus Christ chose to enter the world. The evidence is clear and compelling. The mysterious Magi from the East were in all likelihood astrologers and counselors from the court of the Nabatean king at Petra, where the Hebrew messianic prophecies were well known. The “star” that inspired their journey was a particular planetary alignment—confirmed by computer models—that in the astrological lore of the time portended the birth of a Jewish king. The visitors whose arrival troubled Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” may not have been the turbaned oriental kings of the Christmas carol, but they were real, and by demonstrating that the wise men were no fairy tale, Mystery of the Magi demands a new level of respect for the historical claims of the gospel.

"Investigative stories behind the most controversial events in the Church's history, for example: the Knights Templar trial, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Galileo Galilei trial, and Pius XII's attitude towards the Holocaust"--

Since being written, the end-time prophecies of the Bible have been shrouded in mystery. Our world is now inundated with book after book on the subject of end-time interpretation. Often, the most important aspects of the Bible's prophecies are twisted or changed to fit the needs of a Hollywood movie. Expertly sifting through the modern fog covering these important prophecies, David Hamblin takes an exhaustive yet thoroughly readable approach to the study of the end times. Using the proven techniques of the scientific method, David put together a system of prophecy analysis that would allow for extremely complex theories to be tested against the many and varying passages of end times prophecy. Beginning with a solid faith in the Bible as the infallible Word of God, he now presents his findings in God's Prophetic Timeline. Never before has there been such a clear and concise presentation of God's timeline for the future, along with many passages that David admits we cannot yet understand. Written for the minister and layperson alike, it begins by explaining the church age and progresses through each of Revelation's seven phases, ending with new heaven and new earth. His approach details even subtle prophetic material, including Israel's future wealth, the world war it triggers, and Jesus' coronation. Don't be puzzled any longer by confusion on the subject of prophecy. Leave behind the many contradictory theories propagated by the misinformed. Follow along as God's Prophetic Timeline shows you, in detail, the tested, validated, and unified understanding of the Bible's prophecies.

The gruesome murder of a young French physician draws aristocratic investigator Sebastian St. Cyr and his pregnant wife, Hero, into a dangerous, decades-old mystery as a wrenching piece of Sebastian’s past puts him to the ultimate test. Regency England, January 1813: When a badly injured Frenchwoman is found beside the mutilated body of Dr. Damion Pelletan in one of London’s worst slums, Sebastian finds himself caught in a high-stakes tangle of murder and revenge. Although the woman, Alexi Sauvage, has no memory of the attack, Sebastian knows her all too well from an incident in his past—an act of wartime brutality and betrayal that nearly destroyed him. As the search for the killer leads Sebastian into a treacherous web of duplicity, he discovers that Pelletan was part of a secret delegation sent by Napoleon to investigate the possibility of peace with Britain. Despite his powerful father-in-law’s warnings, Sebastian plunges deep into the mystery of the “Lost Dauphin,” the boy prince who disappeared in the darkest days of the French Revolution, and soon finds himself at lethal odds with the Dauphin’s sister—the imperious, ruthless daughter of Marie Antoinette—who is determined to retake the French crown at any cost. With the murderer striking ever closer, Sebastian must battle new fears about Hero’s health and that of their soon-to-be born child. When he realizes the key to their survival may lie in the hands of an old enemy, he must finally face the truth about his own guilt in a past he has found too terrible to consider....

*Includes pictures *Includes Biblical and other accounts of the Magi *Includes a bibliography for further reading In almost every nativity scene today are shown three kings presenting gifts to the newborn baby Jesus, and though everyone is familiar with the Three Wise Men, they are also some of the most mysterious characters from the Bible. According to Scripture, they journeyed from an unnamed land to Bethlehem, bearing gifts for Jesus Christ, and then disappeared. They were the first Christian pilgrims, they later became the patron saints of travelers, and their image is on millions of Christmas cards. Nevertheless, over 2,000 years later, little is known of where they came from and where they went, and most of what people think they know about the Magi does not actually come from the Bible but from assorted myths that have emerged over the millennia. The Bible does not, in fact, say that the three men were kings - this was a detail added later. Most startling of all is that the Bible does not even say that there were three men. Moreover, it seems unlikely that the Magi were actually present on the night that Jesus was born. According to the Book of Luke, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem 40 days after Jesus was born, which means they had remained in Bethlehem for some time after his birth: "And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord." In fact, in the course of describing the visit of the Magi, the Bible clearly notes there had been time enough for Joseph and Mary to find a house in Bethlehem: "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." These Magi were wealthy and well-educated. They likely came from Persia, but they had been ordered by King Herod to discover the location of Christ, purportedly so that Herod could pay homage to the child, but in all likelihood to murder the newborn threat to his power. Word quickly reached King Herod of the arrival of a new-born "King of the Jews," and since he was understandably unwilling to allow any threat to his own authority, Herod was determined to do away with this child. He sent soldiers to kill all of the boys that were up to two years old in and around Bethlehem - an event known as the "Massacre of the Innocents." It was a tragic event for many families in the city, but Jesus was evidently safe on his way to Egypt with his parents. So what exactly is known of these mysterious figures that lived in the time of Christ? There is still plenty of intrigue and mystery surrounding the Magi's story, but it's apparent they were inextricably linked to that of Herod the Great, who ruled over Judea when Jesus was born and who is to this day reviled as the evil king who tried to kill the Christ child during the slaughter of the innocents. Herod, the king that the Romans had placed on a throne he had no right to, was prone to violent rages and extreme paranoia. He had a fearsome reputation, having already killed his own wife, several sons, and hundreds of political opponents, and is said to have suffered from all kinds of ailments, including chronic kidney disease and gangrene. Yet there was another side to this brutal king; he was the greatest builder in the history of the land, and he left behind magnificent monuments that still dazzle the eye 2,000 years later. Who was Herod the Great - a murderous madman, a brilliant king, or both? The Three Wise Men: The History and Legacy of the Biblical Magi examines the known and unknown about some of the most important figures in the Bible. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Magi like never befor

Forty years ago, the Holy Spirit told Harlan Legare, "If you study, I will teach you." With that promise came a great love for God's prophetic word. The teaching of the Holy Spirit began with an understanding of the prophecies of Daniel, the key to understanding the words of many of the other prophets, especially those of Zachariah and those of John in the book of Revelation. Here are just a few of the many mysteries of prophecy revealed in The Mystery of Prophecy: The Secrets of Daniel that were revealed to Harlan by the Holy Spirit through those years: - The time of the Rapture within the schedule of events of the coming days - The marvelous truth of the days of 1335, the beginning of birth pangs of the rebirth of the nation of Israel. - The real identity of the infamous head of the beast that was wounded unto death by the sword. - Proof that the Antichrist will not rule the world. - The key to the mystery of Babylon the Great and the scarlet-colored beast she rides. - The origin of the Antichrist. - The true purpose for the existence of the Red Dragon with seven heads and ten horns. - A complete interpretation of the Beast from the Sea with its seven heads and ten horns. - The exact date of the crucifixion of Jesus. - The exact day of Artaxerxes's command to restore and to build Jerusalem. - The very place where Israel was to flee for the 1,260 days of protection. - Revealing of the identity of the coming King of the North. - The event that begins the 2300 evenings and mornings. - Why God sealed the book of Daniel.

Rex "TW" McMurtry’s perpetual single-hood wouldn't bother him so much if all his ex-girlfriends didn't keep marrying the very next person they dated, especially when so many of those grooms are his closest friends. He may be a pro-football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, but the press only wants to talk about how he's always a groomsman and never a groom. Rex is sick of being the guy before the husband, and he’s most definitely sick of being the best man at all their weddings. Bartender Abigail McNerny is the gal-pal, the wing-woman, the she-BFF. She's dated. Once. And once was more than enough. Privy to all the sad stories of her customers, ‘contentment over commitment’ is her motto, and Abby is convinced no one on earth could ever entice her into a romantic relationship . . . except that one guy she’s loved since preschool. The guy who just walked into her bar. The guy who doesn’t recognize her. The guy who is drunk and needs a ride home. The guy who has a proposition she should definitely refuse.

Looking to discuss the purpose of the Magi in the Gospel this book turns to tradition and iconography and draws conclusions about the Magi in the religious imaginations of Christians from the earliest times of Christianity until the Protestant Reformation, as well as, considers what the Magi could possibly mean for today. The Magi become more than simple characters on a page, and communicate a larger truth to the people of every age. Whether they existed as three men, two men, a caravan of peoples, or literary devices, the Magi communicate a deep desire for something outside of ourselves. They call for change and renewal in the lives of people in the act of giving to something much more then themselves.