"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.

This volume provides a full fifty-two weeks of devotional material based on the Revised Common Lectionary for Year B. Drawing from the insightful Bible commentaries in the Connections series, each week also includes scriptural and literary readings, lectio divina, spiritual practices, questions for journaling, and prayers. This resource has been crafted with mainline lectionary preachers in mind, both to supplement their planning for the week and to feed their souls in the midst of the work of ministry. Individuals and small groups will find their faith deepened through regular contemplation and devotional insight.

Story of three camels who carried the Three Wise Men to visit the baby Jesus--Résumé de l'éditeur.

Presents a family guide to the Bible that, told through historic art and artifacts, tells the stories of biblical characters and highlights their greater meaning for mankind.

Tomie dePaola’s “gorgeous…sumptuous” (Horn Book Magazine) retelling of the story of the three wise kings is perfect for sharing with little ones during the Christmas season! Three wise men of the East, having seen a new star symbolizing the birth of a great king, follow the star to Bethlehem where they present gifts to the newborn Jesus. This beautiful rendition of the well-known tale is sure to delight young readers.

This book is a children’s book written for young readers who enjoy reading for themselves or may need a parent or grandparent to read it for them. This is a story of the birth of Jesus, presented to the reader through the eyes of an old camel, Papaw, as he tells the story to his grand-camels. The book has true facts of a bright star, three wise men, a city called Bethlehem, and the humble birth of a baby boy who was given the name “Jesus.” It’s presented to the reader through the use of fictional camel characters. I have learned through my years of narrative storytelling that animals have the special ability to open the minds of children, and animals are most like God in that they are created with the ability to love unconditionally. The story can teach parents and grandparents how their children have many important attributes given to them from God. It doesn’t matter if they are different by oddity of size, having a special talent others may think weird, or a different skin color. All is precious in the sight of God. He makes no mistakes in His creation. This story can remind us to look to the heavens at night and remember: For God loved the world so much, that He sent His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV) Read your Bible in Matthew 1:18-25(KJV) and Matthew 2:1-23(KJV) to experience the true Biblical story.

The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.

The bestselling author of A Wrinkle in Time takes a fantastical look at the childhood of Jesus in two allegories set in an Egyptian village. In “Pakko’s Camel,” Yehoshuah, the poor son of a carpenter, befriends Pakko, the arrogant son of a rich merchant. Yehoshuah cares for of Pakko’s camel and shares with him the knowledge of the precious gifts he received from three wise men. But when Yehoshuah’s treasures are taken, he quickly learns that all gifts have a price. In “The Sphinx at Dawn,” Yehoshuah and his camel journey into the desert, where they come across the monstrous, hungry Sphinx. Intrigued and unafraid, Yehoshuah endeavors to answer the Sphinx’s riddles—and in doing so, he begins the real journey of a man with an incredible destiny. Known for both her literary accomplishments as a winner of the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award, and her spiritual outlook, Madeleine L’Engle presents two affecting and inspiring tales for readers of any age. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Madeleine L’Engle including rare images from the author’s estate.