“The Places of the Faith”: Jesus & Geography of the New Testament

Study # 1

Introduction: The places of faith are more than just geography and topography...it is about:

1. John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. The thought expressed by theSpirit is that the presence

of the LORD God “spread

a __________” in our

presence by becoming like us in the flesh in the person of

His Son, Jesus, Who is the glory of God in the

__________ of His grace and truth. So, the LORD God

“spread His tent” in the “promised land” He had

covenanted with Abraham...

A. The Geography & Topography: The “Holy Land” is

made up of four distinct landscape areas (moving from

west to east/left to right)

I. The Mediterranean Coastal Plain

II. The Central Highlands

III. The Jordan Valley

IV. The

Eastern

Plateau

B. Climate

D. Political Geography

E. Navigating the “Places of Faith”: the Chronological Bible:

Announcing the Coming of the Christ: The Season of __________

Luke 1:1-80 & Matthew 1:1-17

2. Luke 1:5 During the reign of Herod king of Judea...

+ The Place in Geography:

+ The Place in Today’s World:

+ The “Place” of Faith: While the Apostle Luke identifies Judea as the

area ruled by Herod when the Messiah was born, the Apostle

Matthew 2:1 references Judea as the area in which the

Messiah, Jesus, was born – the birthplace of our Savior –

Judea – is the birthplace of our faith!

Acts 1:8

Acts 9:31. T

1 Thessalonians 2:13 & 14

3. Luke 1:9 ...(Zechariah) was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the holy place of the LORD and burn incense.

+ The Place in Geography:

+ The Place in Today’s World:

+ The “Place” of Faith: The outer division of the sanctuary held the

symbols of Israel’s consecrated life unto the LORD God Almighty:

+ altar of incense: __________

+ candles: __________________

+ table of show bread: life of __________/__________ unto the LORD

This outer division – the “Holy Place” – represented the people’s relation to the

LORD. The “Holy of Holies” – the inner division – represented the LORD God’s

relation with His people.

2

Hebrews 10:11

A. Jesus establishes us as His “__________ Place”... Romans 8:9 & 10;

Ephesians 2:22

B. As __________ unto the LORD... Ephesians 2:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:19 &

20

C. As His Temples, His “Holy Place” – reflecting the outer division - our lives are

living __________ for Him...

I. ...like living “altars of incense” – exercising lives of __________ -

Revelation 5:6 & 7; 8:4; Ephesians 6:18

II. like living “candles” – as His _____________________ - Ephesians 5:8-

10

III. like living “tables of show bread” – holy ________ - 1 Peter 2:4 & 5; 9 &

10

D. As His Temples, His “Holy of Holies” place – reflecting the inner division – our

lives reflecting the LORD’s __________ with Us/People... Hebrews 2:14-17;

3:1; 12:1-3; Ephesians 5:1 & 2

4. Luke 1:23 When his time of service was over, he (Zechariah) went to his home. (Luke 1:39 In those days Mary got up and went into the hill country, to a town of Judah , 40 and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.)

+ The Place in Geography:

+ The Place in Today’s World:

+ The “Place” of Faith:

Luke 1:46 – 56

5. Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

+ The Place in Geography:

+ The Place in Today’s World:

+ The “Place” of Faith:

Matthew 2:23

3

Isaiah 11:1

A. Matthew 10:22 & Luke 6:22

B. John 15:5

6. Luke 1:80 And the child (John, of Zechariah & Elizabeth) kept growing and becoming strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he was revealed to Israel.

+ The Place in Geography:

+ The Place in Today’s World:

+ The “Place” of Faith:

Matthew 3:4

7. Matthew 1:11 (1-17, the genealogy of Jesus) 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12 After the deportation to Babylon... 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations.

+ The Place in Geography:

+ The Place in Today’s World:

+ The “Place” of Faith:

1 Peter 5:13 & Revelation 14:8 & 17:5.

1 Timothy 6:11-16

So in these first geographical locations and places referenced in the

opening verses of the New Testament we are brought into:

+ the land of Israel (Palestine)

+ to the region of Judea+ and into the holy place of the LORD+ to the home of Zechariah & Elizabeth in the hill country, to a town of Judah+ then to a town of Galilee called Nazareth+ with John, in the wilderness+ and from Babylon, the birthplace of Judaism...

But these are more than just places, locations and dots on a map – they are the doors through

which we walk through as the LORD God Almighty introduces us to His Son, Jesus the

Messiah! In Him, the Christ, the Father gives us His plan of redemption of which we partake

through the

4

Holy Spirit! In these places, these open doors of invitation we come to know The Word (Who) became flesh and made His dwelling among us...

5