Oahspe: A New Bible in the Words of Jehovih and his Angel Ambassadors
Oahspe: New York & London: Oahspe Publishing Association, 1882, executed here in 1960 by Ray Palmer in facsimile of the 1882 edition. First Edition Thus (of Palmer's facsimile). Quarto, 910 pp., green leatherette covered boards. Laid in is an apparently quite scarce "Dictionary of Words and Terms Used in OAHSPE The New Bible" (see scan), itself published by the Essenes of Kosmon, Montrose, CO. The book itself shows previous owner's sticker on front pastedown, large adhesive stain on back cover which has bits of paper still attached; probably cleanable (see scan). Slight spine lean. Otherwise very good or better, contents near fine. American dentist John Ballou Newbrough's "New Bible", purported by him to have been produced through "automatic writing", is at the very least a significant example of neo-revelationist scripture in the latter part of the 19th century. Fascinating in its complexity even if seen as a fabrication; if it was more...? A singular piece of Americana. Scarce. L 5000-5
Hardcover: 991 pages
Publisher: Oashpe Publishing Association (1960 Ray Palmer Facsimile); First Edition edition (1960)
The Ra Material: Law of One: 40th-Anniversary Boxed Set
Is our universe intelligently designed? What are the possibilities of healing, transformation, and service? What is the Law of One? After 19 years of research into the channeling phenomenon that involved communications with members of the Confederation of Planets in the Service of the One Infinite Creator, a group consciousness called Ra, who had evolved on the planet Venus, established contact with three dedicated seekers of truth to explore these and other questions. Ra said that all people and all of creation are One Being: the One Infinite Creator. They suggested that the process of learning to love (awakening to the "Original Thought") is studied via humanity's movement through all of time. The Ra Material sessions conducted by these three individuals examine the meaning of our cosmic existence and contain 106 transcripts of every conversation, including events leading up to first contact, and, in Book V, commentary about the contact. This 40th-anniversary boxed set includes all five books in hard cover.
About the Author
Three seekers of truth, Don Elkins, Carla L. Rueckert, and James McCarty of L/L Research, were the pioneers responsible for receiving the Ra channeling. Jim is the only surviving member of the group.
Carla L. Rueckert (McCarty) was born in 1943 in Lake Forest, Illinois. She completed undergraduate studies in English Literature at the University of Louisville in 1966, and earned her master's degree studies in Library Service in 1971. She served as librarian and bibliographer to college and school libraries for six years.
Carla was a meditator with the group Don Elkins started in early 1962, and became partners with Don in in 1968. In 1970, she turned full-time to assisting Don with his research and together they formed L/L Research. She read and abstracted books and periodicals, and did correspondence and writing for Don.
In 1974, she began channeling and continued unceasingly in that effort until she was stopped in 2011 by a spinal fusion surgery. During four of those thirty-seven years of channeling (1981 – 1984) Carla served as the instrument for the Ra Contact. In 1987, she married Jim McCarty and together they continued the mission of L/L Research with Carla at its helm. Carla passed into larger life on April 1, 2015.
Hardcover: 1000 pages
Publisher: Red Feather (December 8, 2020)
This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
Hardcover: 214 pages
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing, LLC (September 10, 2010)
Love
Love is truly contagious and eternally creative. (p. 2018) “Devote your life to proving that love is the greatest thing in the world.” (p. 2047) “Love is the ancestor of all spiritual goodness, the essence of the true and the beautiful.” (p. 2047) The Father’s love can become real to mortal man only by passing through that man’s personality as he in turn bestows this love upon his fellows. (p. 1289) The secret of a better civilization is bound up in the Master’s teachings of the brotherhood of man, the good will of love and mutual trust. (p. 2065)
Prayer
Prayer is not a technique of escape from conflict but rather a stimulus to growth in the very face of conflict. (p. 1002) The sincerity of any prayer is the assurance of its being heard. … (p. 1639) God answers man’s prayer by giving him an increased revelation of truth, an enhanced appreciation of beauty, and an augmented concept of goodness. (p. 1002) …Never forget that the sincere prayer of faith is a mighty force for the promotion of personal happiness, individual self-control, social harmony, moral progress, and spiritual attainment. (p. 999)
Suffering
There is a great and glorious purpose in the march of the universes through space. All of your mortal struggling is not in vain. (p. 364) Mortals only learn wisdom by experiencing tribulation. (p. 556)
Angels
The angels of all orders are distinct personalities and are highly individualized. (p. 285) Angels....are fully cognizant of your moral struggles and spiritual difficulties. They love human beings, and only good can result from your efforts to understand and love them. (p. 419)
Our Divine Destiny
If you are a willing learner, if you want to attain spirit levels and reach divine heights, if you sincerely desire to reach the eternal goal, then the divine Spirit will gently and lovingly lead you along the pathway of sonship and spiritual progress. (p. 381) …They who know that God is enthroned in the human heart are destined to become like him—immortal. (p. 1449) God is not only the determiner of destiny; he is man’s eternal destination. (p. 67)
Family
Almost everything of lasting value in civilization has its roots in the family. (p. 765) The family is man’s greatest purely human achievement. ... (p. 939)
Faith
…Faith will expand the mind, ennoble the soul, reinforce the personality, augment the happiness, deepen the spirit perception, and enhance the power to love and be loved. (p. 1766) “Now, mistake not, my Father will ever respond to the faintest flicker of faith.” (p. 1733)
History/Science
The story of man’s ascent from seaweed to the lordship of earthly creation is indeed a romance of biologic struggle and mind survival. (p. 731) 2,500,000,000 years ago… Urantia was a well developed sphere about one tenth its present mass. … (p. 658) 1,000,000,000 years ago is the date of the actual beginning of Urantia [Earth] history. (p. 660) 450,000,000 years ago the transition from vegetable to animal life occurred. (p. 669) From the year A.D. 1934 back to the birth of the first two human beings is just 993,419 years. (p. 707) About five hundred thousand years ago…there were almost one-half billion primitive human beings on earth. … (p. 741) Adam and Eve arrived on Urantia, from the year A.D. 1934, 37,848 years ago. (p. 828)
From the Inside Flap
What’s Inside?
Parts I and II
God, the inhabited universes, life after death, angels and other beings, the war in heaven.
Part III
The history of the world, science and evolution, Adam and Eve, development of civilization, marriage and family, personal spiritual growth.
Part IV
The life and teachings of Jesus including the missing years. AND MUCH MORE…
Excerpts
God, …God is the source and destiny of all that is good and beautiful and true. (p. 1431) If you truly want to find God, that desire is in itself evidence that you have already found him. (p. 1440) When man goes in partnership with God, great things may, and do, happen. (p. 1467)
The Origin of Human Life, The universe is not an accident... (p. 53) The universe of universes is the work of God and the dwelling place of his diverse creatures. (p. 21) The evolutionary planets are the spheres of human origin…Urantia [Earth] is your starting point. … (p. 1225) In God, man lives, moves, and has his being. (p. 22)
The Purpose of Life, There is in the mind of God a plan which embraces every creature of all his vast domains, and this plan is an eternal purpose of boundless opportunity, unlimited progress, and endless life. (p. 365) This new gospel of the kingdom… presents a new and exalted goal of destiny, a supreme life purpose. (p. 1778)
Jesus, The religion of Jesus is the most dynamic influence ever to activate the human race. (p. 1091) What an awakening the world would experience if it could only see Jesus as he really lived on earth and know, firsthand, his life-giving teachings! (p. 2083)
Science, Science, guided by wisdom, may become man’s great social liberator. (p. 909) Mortal man is not an evolutionary accident. There is a precise system, a universal law, which determines the unfolding of the planetary life plan on the spheres of space. (p. 560)
Life after Death, God’s love is universal… He is “not willing that any should perish.” (p. 39) Your short sojourn on Urantia [Earth]…is only a single link, the very first in the long chain that is to stretch across universes and through the eternal ages. (p. 435) …Death is only the beginning of an endless career of adventure, an everlasting life of anticipation, an eternal voyage of discovery. (p. 159)
About the Author
The text of The Urantia Book was provided by one or more anonymous contributors working with a small staff which provided editorial and administrative support during the book's creation. The book bears no particular credentials (from a human viewpoint), relying instead on the power and beauty of the writing itself to persuade the reader of its authenticity.
Leather Bound: 2097 pages
Publisher: Urantia Foundation; Box Lea edition (August 25, 2015)
The Seth Material: The Spiritual Teacher that Launched the New Age
Seth is the acclaimed non-physical teacher whose collected works are the most dynamic, brilliant and undistorted map of inner reality and human potential available today. His articulation of the furthest reaches of human potential, the eternal validity of the soul, and the concept that we create our own reality according to our beliefs, has been presented in books that have sold over 8 million copies and been translated into over a dozen languages. Seth's empowering voice clearly stands out as one of the major forces which led to the current New Age philosophical movement. This book chronicles Seth's first contact with author and medium Jane Roberts. It is a mixture of great Seth excerpts, selected by topic, and further explained by Jane.Topics covered include: afterdeath & between lives, how to get rid of llness,reincarnation, why people are born into different circumstances, God, All That Is, Dreams, exercises to develop the inner senses, and much more.
Paperback: 308 pages
Publisher: New Awareness Network; 1 edition (January 1, 2010)
A Course in Miracles - Original Edition
The great classic work, A Course in Miracles, is devoted to teachings about who we are, our relationships to God and with each other, and the actually mental nature of our bodies and the world. There are three constituent parts to the Course: The Text, a Workbook for Students, and the Manual for Teachers. The Text lays out the theoretical foundation for the metaphysical system of the Course. The Workbook contains a series of 365 Lessons to be practiced daily for the purpose of retraining the mind and healing our perception. Finally, the Manual contains information for and about advanced teachers of God. The Course is also about miracles, which students understand to be, in part, a shift in perception to healed vision. But miracles are more than a shift in perception, because the shift has consequences in the world as we see it. The Course is a self study educational program for retraining the mind that is spiritual, rather than religious, in its perspective. Although the Course uses Christian terminology, it expresses a universal experience, and its underlying ontology is reminiscent of ancient refrains, echoing the world's most hallowed traditions.
About the Author
The story of the Course began when Columbia University research psychologist Dr. William T. Thetford decided he had had enough of the the intensely competitive and negative climate he was experiencing and declared to his colleague, Dr. Helen Shucman, "There must be another way, and I am determined to find it. She agreed to help. What ensued was a dramatic progression of waking dreams for Shucman, which culminated in October of 1965 with her experience of a voice which spoke clearly in her mind, saying, "This is a course in miracles. Please take notes."
Hardcover: 1154 pages
Publisher: Course in Miracles Society; Original Edition-1972 edition (November 30, 2006)
A New Approach to Studying the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
The Prophet Joseph Smith declared a person would get nearer to God by abiding by the precepts of the Book of Mormon than by any other book. While considering ways of making the precepts of this divine book more readily available to the reader, a distinguishing format was devised to isolate the doctrinal precepts and at the same time render this rather complex volume of scripture more comprehensible for reading and pondering. Not one word, letter or even a punctuation mark of the actual text has been deleted or altered in the process. Only the formatting has been enhanced by adding wider margins for notes, two type sizes, and spaces between textual subdivisions. These contextual enhancements are designed to help the reader more readily visualize the context, speaker and doctrine of the Book of Mormon narrative.
This edition of the Book of Mormon divides the text into 214 events or episodes. An event-based approach provides an alternate way to read the scripture text without the obvious intrusion of verse and chapter breaks which can obscure the narrative as it was originally written or even the continuity of doctrinal discourses. Short text headings in the margins indicate names of speakers, chronological dates, locational information and other scriptural references. These marginal annotations allow the reader to quickly and consistently place the Book of Mormon historical narrative within space and time.
About the Author
Starting in the 1980s as a father and son team we developed and helped the Church publish the first online edition of the scriptures. Parallel to that project we considered ways to isolate the doctrinal precepts by reformatting the scriptures for easier reading and pondering. We also investigated ways to go beyond merely searching electronically for words in the text. We quickly discovered this reformatted edition emphasizing events rather than chapters was our preferred way to study.
More than a decade in the making, A New Approach to Studying the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ has been our labor of love. We are ever mindful of the long line of record keepers from Ether to Nephi to Mormon to Joseph Smith who have made this edition possible. We express appreciation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for providing a license to publish the text of the 2013 edition of the scriptures.
We add our testimony to the millions before us that The Book of Mormon is a true account of the Nephite, Lamanite and Jaredite people, and its translation came by gift and power of God. We also testify The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and contains the gospel doctrines of salvation that lead to joy and happiness.
Lynn A. Rosenvall
David L Rosenvall
Paperback: 720 pages
Publisher: Olive Leaf Foundation (August 1, 2017)
Oahspe: New York & London: Oahspe Publishing Association, 1882, executed here in 1960 by Ray Palmer in facsimile of the 1882 edition. First Edition Thus (of Palmer's facsimile). Quarto, 910 pp., green leatherette covered boards. Laid in is an apparently quite scarce "Dictionary of Words and Terms Used in OAHSPE The New Bible" (see scan), itself published by the Essenes of Kosmon, Montrose, CO. The book itself shows previous owner's sticker on front pastedown, large adhesive stain on back cover which has bits of paper still attached; probably cleanable (see scan). Slight spine lean. Otherwise very good or better, contents near fine. American dentist John Ballou Newbrough's "New Bible", purported by him to have been produced through "automatic writing", is at the very least a significant example of neo-revelationist scripture in the latter part of the 19th century. Fascinating in its complexity even if seen as a fabrication; if it was more...? A singular piece of Americana. Scarce. L 5000-5
Hardcover: 991 pages
Publisher: Oashpe Publishing Association (1960 Ray Palmer Facsimile); First Edition edition (1960)
Oahspe
by John Ballou Newbrough
[1882]
Book of the Arc of Bon
Chapter XXVI
1. JEHOVIH said unto Chine: Now will I stir up the nations. Through thee will I show them the glory and dominion of My kingdoms.
2. For thou shalt walk without feet; write without hands; hear without ears; see without eyes; and thou shalt rise in the air as a bird; by thine own will go withersoever thou wilt.
3. And thou shalt bring down the thunder cloud, and at the sound of thy voice the rains shall fall.
4. And thou shalt say: Go away, ye clouds; and the sun will shine in the place thereof.
5. And thou shalt come to some that are hungered, and thy voice shall rise up to Me, and I will send down from heaven the food of heaven; and thy people shall eat thereof and be appeased.
6. And thou shalt stretch up thy hand over the dead that are ready for the furnace, and they shall come to life again and be made whole.
7. For these are the testimonies that thou art My servant, and hast kept my commandments:
8. In which thou shalt say to them: Behold me; I am but a man! Why fall ye down before the Gods and worship them. For I charge you, O all you people, ye shall not worship me nor call me but a man striving to do the will of my Father, the Creator.
9. For whosoever becometh one with Him; to such a man are many miracles possible; howbeit, I declare unto you they are not miracles in fact; but possibilities granted by Jehovih unto the upright who serve Him in act and truth.
10. Jehovih said to Chine: And when thou hast shown these things unto many, know thou thy time on the earth is finished. For I will cast thee in a trance, and the people shall bewail, saying: Alas, he is dead! And they shall cover thee and cast thy body into the furnace in the way of the dead; and the fire shall blaze and consume thy body before them. But thou shalt have previously bid them watch by the furnace, for thou shalt gather together the elements of thy burnt body and restore them, and again inhabit it and go about, preaching before men.
11. Therefore get thee ready; declaring these prophecies beforehand, that they may be testified to by men, and so be recorded in the libraries of the kings and queens.
12. Chine related unto the congregations of Faithists, the true Zarathustrians, what Ormazd (Jehovih) had said, and many of them wept bitterly.
13. In years prior to this, when Chine had traveled and preached by the voice of Jehovih, he visited the kings and princes and rich men in many regions; and whilst he was thus speaking, rebuking them for their governments and for their possessions, they took no part against him. But afterward, when he was gone, the kings and queens and nobles said: Chine hath preached a dangerous doctrine; for he said: Thou shalt have no king but the Creator,
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Who is King over all. Will not this set our slaves against us? And if the people go into communities of their own, ignoring the king, where will the king find his revenue?
14. And there were priests of Dyaus and of other Gods, and speakers in temples (oracles) where the Gods wrote on sand tables. Besides these there were seers and prophets without number. And the kings, being on the alert, went into the matter, inquiring of the spirits, as to whether the doctrines of Chine were true.
15. And some of the spirits said: There is no All Person. Behold, we have visited the stars and the sun, and looked far and near, and we saw not any Creator, or All Person. There is no Great Spirit, save Te-in, who was a one-time mortal, but hath risen to all power in heaven and earth.
16. And other spirits said: There is nothing in heaven that we have not on earth. How shall we find Ormazd? Waste not your time with Chine and his doctrines; he will overthrow your kingdoms. Eat, drink and satiate your desires; for these are the sum and substance of all things in heaven and earth.
17. Tee-zee, king of A'shong, the capital city of the Province of Aen-Na-Po'e, who was withal a great philosopher, had previously heard Chine preach, and was greatly interested. Some time after this a magician, Loo Sin, visited Te-zee, who told the magician about the wonders of Chine. The magician listened to the king's story, and the king asked the magician whether he could himself, in addition to his sleight-of-hand, manifest wisdom in words, like Chine, and if so, how could it be attained?
18. Loo Sin, the magician, answered: Te-zee, O king, thou knowest not how thou hast embarrassed me, thy servant. For when we are young, and finding we have the natural powers for a magician, we go before an adept to be taught all the mysteries of the order; and here we take a most binding oath never to reveal by hint, or word, or mark, or written character, anything that will reveal any of our signs and mysteries, binding ourselves under great penalties, which I can not name to thee.
19. Know then, O king, I can answer all thy questions, and am desirous to serve thee, but what shall I do?
20. The king said: I, being king, absolve thee from thy oath. The magician said: Compared to my power, though I only beg from door to door, thy power, O king, is but as chaff before the wind. In my subtle realms are the keys of all dominions. Not only do I and my craft rule over mortals, but over the spirits of the dead. My oath, then, is too great for thee to absolve, for I can not even absolve it myself!
21. Te-zee, the king, said: Since, then, thou canst not do all things, and especially, absolve an oath, thou art not sufficient for me to deal with. Loo Sin, being desirous of earning something, said: As for that, O king, I tell thee I can not reveal all, for the virtue of my art dependeth much on its secrets and mystery. Nevertheless, as I am very poor, I might reveal an index to thee, to which, if thou wouldst apply thyself diligently, thou mightest attain the remainder.
22. The king thereupon commanded him to perform before him, agreeing to award him according to the decree of the fates (spirits). And Loo Sin at once fell to work, performing wonderful feats, such as causing the tables, and seats, and desks, to move about and to roll over; and to cause voices to speak in unseen places. He also changed rods into serpents, and caused birds to sit on the king's shoulder; and he changed water into wine, and also brought fish and laid them on the floor at the king's feet.
23. The king said unto him: All these things I have witnessed from my youth up. Show me now, whilst thou remainest here, how thou canst see into my neighbor's house?
24. The magician said : Yea, O king; but for that feat it is necessary to enter the state of the holy ghost (trance), and the price is expensive!
25. The king said: I will pay thee; therefore enter into the state of the holy ghost.
26. Loo Sin turned up his eyes and gave a shudder, as one dying, and having stretched himself on the floor, bade the king question him.
27. The king said: Here is chalk; mark thou on the floor the character which is on the top of my tablet, on the left of the throne! Thereupon the magician marked correctly. And now again the king tried him as to his power to see without his eyes, and in far-off places; and, having proved him in many ways, the king said: Canst thou also show the spirits of the dead?
28. Loo Sin said : Of a truth I can, O king. But that requires me to enter,
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the sublime state of creation, and is even yet more expensive!
29. The king said: Have I not said I will pay thee? Go to, then, enter thou the sublime state of creation at once!
30. Loo Sin then went into a dark corner and laid himself down on the floor, and then swallowed his tongue, and was motionless and stiff, like one that is quite dead. Presently a light like a thin smoke rose up from the body and stood a little aside, and a voice spake out of the light, saying:
31. Who art thou that callest up the spirits of the dead? Beware! He whose body lieth stiff and cold beside me, is one of the heirs of the immortal Gods! What wouldst thou, man of earth?
32. The king said: Who art thou? The voice answered : I am Joss, Te-in! Ruler of heaven and earth! The Great Spirit personified! Creator of all things!
33. The king in satire said : Thou art welcome, O Te-in! I am one of the most blest of mortals, because thou hast made my place a holy place.
34. The spirit then assumed mortal shape and stood before the king, even whilst the magician's body lay on the floor in sight also. The spirit said: What question is it troubleth thee, O king? Speak thou, and I will answer thee, for I am All Wisdom and Truth personified.
35. The king said: Why hast thou not appeared to me before this? Why have I been left in the dark as to thy real existence? Answer thou me this, for it is the foundation on which I desire to rest many questions.
36. The spirit said: My son, Te-zee, I have been with thee from thy youth up, watching over thee, for thou shalt become the greatest king in all the world. Yea, there are great works for thee to do. And if thou desire to extend the kingdom, or to gain great battles, will show thee the way. Or if thou desire another woman to wife, I will find her for thee.
38. The spirit said: Who sayest thou I am? The king replied: I am at a loss to know if thou art a fool or a devil; and I say that I have either seen one like thee, or else thee, through many a magician. But, alas, there all knowledge endeth.
39. The spirit said: Thou saidst thou would pay what the fates decreed. Hear me then, O king; thou shalt give to Loo Sin four pieces of gold. And after that I will explain all things to thee.
40. The king then cast the four pieces of gold to Loo Sin, and demanded the knowledge as promised. The spirit then said: And on thine oath, thou wilt not reveal?
41. The king said: I solemnly swear to reveal naught of what thou teachest me. The spirit said: Know then, O king, I am Loo Sin, the magician! By long training, the magician attaineth to go out of his own body in spirit, and to appear in any form or shape desired. Wilt thou try me? The king said: Show me the spirit of Ha Gow-tsee.
42. The spirit walked back to the body of Loo Sin, and presently returned before the king, looking like the spirit of Ha Gow-tsee. The king said: It is like the king! The spirit answered: Here then, O man, is the end of philosophy. Behold, I am Loo Sin, also. Some men are one spirit, some two, some three, and some four, to one corporeal body. And yet there is but one person in fact.
43. The king asked: What becometh of the spirit when the corporeal part is dead? The spirit answered: One of two things is possible to every man: his spirit will either dissolve into non-existence, and be scattered and void like the air of heaven, like the heat of a fire that is burnt out; or else it will reincarnate itself in the body of a child before it is born, and, so, live over again.
44. Thus came all people into the world. A child that is still-born is one in whose body no spirit re-incarnated itself. There are no new creations. The same people live now on earth that always lived on it; nor will there be any others. They go out of one body when it is old and worn out; and then enter a young one and live over again and again, forever. Nor is there more nor less unto any man, woman or child in all the world.
45. The king asked: What, then, is the highest, best thing for a mortal man to do during life.
46. The spirit said: To eat and drink, and sleep and rest, and enjoy begetting numerous offspring.
47. The king said: How long would a spirit live if it did not re-incarnate
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itself? The spirit said: If the mortal body is burnt to ashes, then that is the time; if the body be buried, and rot, and return to earth, then that is the time; if the body be embalmed, and keepeth well, the spirit goeth back in the embalmed body and remaineth till that body is moldered into dust, or burnt to ashes, then is the spirit set free, and ready to either re-incarnate itself or to dissolve and disappear forever.
48. The king asked: As it is with thee, is it the same with all magicians? The spirit said: Thou hast only given four pieces of gold; if thou wouldst have more, the price is expensive. The king said: I have told thee I would pay whatever the fates decreed; therefore, proceed. The spirit said: It is even so with all magicians. The king asked: Show me now that thou canst preach like Chine.
49. The spirit said: Thou shalt ask me questions, and I will preach on them.
50. The king asked many questions, and the spirit spake thereon. Finally the king said: That is sufficient; I will pay thee; go thou thy way. As for thy preaching and thy doctrines, they are nothing. Now will I send and find another magician; for out of a counsel with many I shall arrive at the truth.
The Oxford History of the Biblical World
Here, in one impressively illustrated volume, leading scholars offer compelling glimpses into the biblical world, the world in which prophets, poets, sages, and historians created one of our most important texts--the Bible.
For more than a century, archeologists have been unearthing the tombs, temples, texts, and artifacts of the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean world. Using new approaches, contemporary scholars have begun to synthesize this material with the biblical traditions. The Oxford History of the Biblical World incorporates the best of this scholarship, and in chronologically ordered chapters presents the reader with a readable and integrated study of the history, art, architecture, languages, literatures, and religion of biblical Israel and early Judaism and Christianity in their larger cultural contexts. The authors also examine such issues as the roles of women, the tensions between urban and rural settings, royal and kinship social structures, and official and popular religions of the region. Readers will find that 200 photographs, line drawings, and maps as well as an insert containing 25 color photographs vividly illustrate the history discussed.
Understanding the biblical world is a vital part of understanding the Bible. Broad, authoritative, and visually engaging, The Oxford History of the Biblical World will illuminate for any reader the ancient world from which the Bible emerged.
Hardcover: 672 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1 edition (January 21, 1999)
The Biblical World: An Illustrated Atlas
Casting the tumultuous history of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam against the rich canvas of the Near East, The Biblical World reveals how three great religions emerged from the same cradle. Author Jean-Pierre Isbouts employs a non-denominational perspective and a wide range of sources—from ancient hieroglyphic texts to the latest scientific findings—to place Bible stories in the framework of history. Chronologically arranged chapters detail battles, conquests, tribal migrations, natural calamities, and more, supporting the stories with intriguing archaeological evidence. To locate sites and events, National Geographic cartographers have created fifty all-new maps of stunning quality. Hundreds of photographs and artifacts add visual excitement. Quick-read timelines link events across cultures while illustrated sidebars focus on what life was like during each era: family roles, farming, trade, dress, childbirth, burial customs, and other aspects of daily existence.
The story traces the evolution of Judaism from Abraham to the Unified Kingdom of Israel... chronicles the emergence of Christianity in the context of Greco-Roman civilization... and identifies the unique circumstances that prepared for the rise of Islam. The multi-dimensional approach weighs similarities and differences among the three faiths and follows developments in nearby lands. With a foreword from bestselling author Bruce Chilton and text reviewed by distinguished advisers, The Biblical World offers a carefully researched, balanced view of history and religious tradition. For its scope, beauty, and relevance in today's world, this unparalleled atlas is destined to become a classic.
About the Author
Jean-Pierre Isbouts holds a Ph.D in archaeology and art, and is currently Professor of Culture and Media Studies at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, CA. He is the writer and producer of four programs that explore the legacy of the Bible, including the award-winning television mini-series The Quest For Peace.
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: National Geographic (November 6, 2007)
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Complete, trustworthy, and portable, Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible is an indispensable reference for all readers of the Bible. For nearly a century, lay people and scholars alike have valued both the authoritative contents and the convenient format of this one-volume work.
Here are just a few reasons Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible has generally been considered the best single-volume Bible dictionary:
• Important events, biblical doctrines, and theological concepts are treated completely and concisely
• Bold-faced cross references point the reader easily to related articles
• Accessible to all, the articles are comprehensive but nontechnical
• Explains all the proper names mentioned in the Old Testament, New Testament, and ApocryphaAbout the Author
James Hastings (1852-1922) was a distinguished scholar and pastor. He was founder and editor of the Expository Times and is also well known for editing the five-volume Dictionary of the Bible as well as the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, the Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, and the Dictionary of the Apostolic Church.
Hardcover: 1008 pages
Publisher: Baker Books; Reprint edition (November 1, 1994)
Like a redwood that towers above all other trees, The Strongest Strong’s takes James Strong’s classic concordance to unprecedented heights. Reflecting thousands of research hours, custom computer technology, and an exclusive database perfected over twenty years, The Strongest Strong’s is packed with features that make it the last word in accuracy and usefulness. No other Strong’s concordance can touch it. This is no mere study tool. Destined to become a foundational resource for Bible study the world over, The Strongest Strong’s is a landmark in biblical reference works.
What Makes This Strong’s the Strongest? Rebuilding Strong’s time-honored concordance from the ground up, biblical research experts John Kohlenberger and James Swanson have achieved unprecedented accuracy and clarity. Longstanding errors have been corrected. Omissions filled in. Word studies simplified. Thoroughness and ease of use have been united and maximized.
Kohlenberger and Swanson have also added the Nave’s Topical Bible Reference System―the world’s most complete topical Bible, updated, expanded, and streamlined to meet the needs of today’s Bible user. No other edition of Strong’s or Nave’s gives you all the information combined in The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
A Stunning Array of World-Class Features
In order to experience all the advantages of The Strongest Strong’s, you’ll have to look inside. But here is a thumbnail sketch of what awaits you:
- Computer-verified accuracy. For the first time ever, cutting-edge computer analysis provides unparalleled, pinpoint accuracy
- Strong’s numbering system speeds you through word studies, giving you clear insights into Greek and Hebrew words
- Goodrick-Kohlenberger numbers in the dictionary indexes give you access to the growing library of reference tools that use these numbers―another unique feature
- The most up-to-date Hebrew and Greek dictionaries ensure precise meaning in your word studies
- Nave’s Topical Bible Reference System supplies the complete descriptive content and references (without the Bible text) of Nave’s Topical Bible, expanded to provide a total of more than 100,000 verses indexed by subject, word, phrase, synonym, and example
- Cross-references to places and names used in Bible translations besides the KJV
- Word counts furnish a complete accounting of every word in the Bible
- Fast-Tab locators help you find your place quickly and easily
- Smythe-sewn binding opens fully, lays flat, and lasts longer
- Words of Christ highlighted in red
- Maps
- Clear, easy-to-read type PLUS: Comprehensive guidance for using The Strongest Strong’s
- Major Social Concerns of the Mosaic Covenant
- Old Testament Sacrifices
- Hebrew Calendar
- Hebrew Feasts and Holy Days
- Weights, Lengths, and Measures of the Bible
- Kings of the Bible
- Harmony of the Gospels
- Prophecies of the Messiah Fulfilled in Jesus
- Parables of Jesus
- Miracles of Jesus
- Chronology of the Bible
About the Author
Dr. James Strong (1822-1894) was formerly president of Troy University and professor of exegetical theology at Drew Theological Seminary.
Hardcover: 1742 pages
Publisher: Zondervan; Supesaver ed. edition (September 1, 2001)
From the Back Cover
The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, the result of more than ten years of research and preparation, provides Bible students with a comprehensive and reliable library of information. Varying viewpoints of scholarship permit a well-rounded perspective on significant issues relating to doctrines, themes, and biblical interpretation. Well-organized and generously illustrated, this encyclopedia will become a frequently used resource and reference work because of its many helpful features: - More than 5,000 pages of vital information of Bible lands and people - More than 7,500 articles alphabetically arranged for easy reference - Hundreds of full-color and black-and-white illustrations, charts, and graphs - Thirty-two pages of full-color maps and hundreds of black-and-white outline maps for quick perspective and ready reference - Scholarly articles ranging across the entire spectrum of theological and biblical topics, backed by recent archaeological discoveries - Two hundred and thirty-eight contributors from around the world. The editors have brought to this encyclopedia the fruit of many years of study and research.
About the Author
Merrill C. Tenney was professor of theological studies and dean of the Graduate school of Theology at Wheaton College.
Hardcover: 5 volume set More than 5,000 pages
Publisher: Zondervan Publishing House; Second Printing edition (March 15, 1975)
Archaeology of the Bible: The Greatest Discoveries From Genesis to the Roman Era
From ancient holy sites, to buried relics and treasures, National Geographic uncovers the history and the archaeological discoveries from Scripture and the biblical world. Richly illustrated and written from an objective and nondenominational perspective, author Jean-Pierre Isbouts uses the latest scientific and archaeological discoveries to place biblical stories in the framework of human history. Chapters, beginning with the dawn of human civilization and ending with present day and the future of archaeology, chronicle hundreds of sites and artifacts found in Sumer, Babylon, the Second Temple, along the route of the Exodus, and in many other regions across the Middle East. Timelines bridge hundreds of years and several empires, maps give readers a visual sense of location, while hundreds of photos and illustrations of rare artifacts and ancient places add to the visual splendor. lt concludes with details of what remains to be found and the evolving dynamic of biblical faith in an increasingly scientific world in which archaeologists make daily breakthroughs.
About the Author
JEAN-PIERRE ISBOUTS is a humanities scholar and graduate professor in the doctoral programs at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. He has published widely on the origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, including the bestseller Biblical World: An Illustrated Atlas; Young Jesus: Restoring the “Lost Years” of a Social Activist and Religious Dissident; From Moses to Muhammed; The Shared Origins of Judaism, Christianity and Islam; and The Mysteries of Jesus. An award-winning filmmaker, Isbouts has also produced Charlton Heston’s Voyage Through the Bible, The Quest for Peace, and Young Jesus.
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: National Geographic (October 25, 2016)
Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Time Lines
NEW Anniversary Edition of Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps and Timelines, Volume 1 covers over 200 Bible topics and features MORE pages, 6 EXTRA topics, updated information, and a bonus 24' fold-out on Jesus' Family Tree.
The #1 Bible Reference book celebrates its 10th anniversary with an updated 230-page edition that features more Bible maps, charts and illustrations than the original! This stunning, easy-to-understand reference book still provides the same full-color, REPRODUCIBLE Bible charts and overviews that made the original a favorite, but in an easier-to-use, updated format!
Plus! It includes over 37 ADDED pages of ALL NEW content on popular Bible topics, including Psalm 23, Lord's Prayer, the 12 Tribes of Israel, and more!
Features ALL NEW content and Updated Information, such as:
- 6 NEW pamphlets on popular Bible topics, including Psalms 23, Lord's Prayer, Twelve Tribes of Israel, and more.
- Bonus 24' foldout of the genealogy of Jesus!
- Our 4 bestselling 'Then and Now Bible Maps' that show where Bible places are located today.
- And More!
Features more than 200 REPRODUCIBLE Bible Charts, Maps, and Timelines, including:
2 Bible Foldout Posters: Bible Time Line and Jesus' Genealogy
- NEW! Jesus' Genealogy 24' Foldout!
- Bible Time Line 24'
Overviews on Popular Old Testament Topics
- NEW! Psalm 23
- Tabernacle
- Ark of the Covenant
- Archaeology & the Bible (50 Proofs of the Old Testament
- Solomon's Temple
- Names of God
- The Ten Commandments and You
- 100 Well-Known Old Testament Events
- The Creation
- The Exodus
Overviews on Key Old Testament Topics
- NEW! The 12 Tribes of Israel
- Kings and Prophets
- Family Tree of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
- The Judges
- Feasts & Holidays of the Bible
- Archaeology & The Bible (50 Proofs of the New Testament)
Overviews on Popular New Testament Topics
- NEW! The Lord's Prayer
- NEW! Essential Christian Doctrine
- NEW! Heroes of the Faith: Hebrews 11
- The Twelve Disciples
- 1 Corinthians 13: The Love Chapter
- The Armor of God
- The Fruit of the Spirit
- 100 Well-Known Events from Acts to Revelation
Overviews of Jesus' Life and Teachings
- Jesus & The Names of God
- The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
- Events in the Life of Jesus
- Miracles of Jesus
- Parables of Jesus
- The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount
- Evidence for the Resurrection
Bible Overview: Books of the Bible and Key Bible Stories
- NEW! 52 Key Bible Stories
- 100 Well-Known People in the Bible
- 100 Well-Known Prayers in the Bible
- Books of the Bible
- Bible Overview Old Testament
- Bible Overview New Testament
- UPDATED! Table of Biblical Weights and Measures
- 100 Proofs for the Bible
Christian History
- How We Got the Bible
- Christian History Time Line
Charts Comparing Christianity to Islam and 20 Other World Religions
- UPDATED! Islam and Christianity
- UPDATED! Christianity, Cults and Religions pamphlet
And so much more!
Paperback: 230 pages
Publisher: Rose Publishing; 10th Anniversary edition (March 13, 2015)
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Urantia Book, 44:0.11 - The Celestial Artisans
Never in your long ascendancy will you lose the power to recognize your associates of former existences. Always, as you ascend inward in the scale of life, will you retain the ability to recognize and fraternize with the fellow beings of your previous and lower levels of experience. Each new translation or resurrection will add one more group of spirit beings to your vision range without in the least depriving you of the ability to recognize your friends and fellows of former estates.
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Princess Bride 1987 Wallace Shawn (Vizzini) and Mandy Patinkin (Inigo Montoya)
Vizzini: HE DIDN'T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE.
Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. -
Urantia Book, 117:4.14 - The Finite God
And here is mystery: The more closely man approaches God through love, the greater the reality -- actuality -- of that man. The more man withdraws from God, the more nearly he approaches nonreality -- cessation of existence. When man consecrates his will to the doing of the Father's will, when man gives God all that he has, then does God make that man more than he is.
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Urantia Book, 167:7.4 - The Talk About Angels
"And do you not remember that I said to you once before that, if you had your spiritual eyes anointed, you would then see the heavens opened and behold the angels of God ascending and descending? It is by the ministry of the angels that one world may be kept in touch with other worlds, for have I not repeatedly told you that I have other sheep not of this fold?"
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Urantia Book, Foreword - 0:12.12 - The Trinities
But we know that there dwells within the human mind a fragment of God, and that there sojourns with the human soul the Spirit of Truth; and we further know that these spirit forces conspire to enable material man to grasp the reality of spiritual values and to comprehend the philosophy of universe meanings. But even more certainly we know that these spirits of the Divine Presence are able to assist man in the spiritual appropriation of all truth contributory to the enhancement of the ever-progressing reality of personal religious experience—God-consciousness.
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Urantia Book, 1:4.3 - The Mystery Of God
When you are through down here, when your course has been run in temporary form on earth, when your trial trip in the flesh is finished, when the dust that composes the mortal tabernacle "returns to the earth whence it came"; then, it is revealed, the indwelling "Spirit shall return to God who gave it." There sojourns within each moral being of this planet a fragment of God, a part and parcel of divinity. It is not yet yours by right of possession, but it is designedly intended to be one with you if you survive the mortal existence.
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Urantia Book, 1:4.1 - The Mystery Of God
And the greatest of all the unfathomable mysteries of God is the phenomenon of the divine indwelling of mortal minds. The manner in which the Universal Father sojourns with the creatures of time is the most profound of all universe mysteries; the divine presence in the mind of man is the mystery of mysteries.
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Urantia Book, 1:4.6 - The Mystery Of God
To every spirit being and to every mortal creature in every sphere and on every world of the universe of universes, the Universal Father reveals all of his gracious and divine self that can be discerned or comprehended by such spirit beings and by such mortal creatures. God is no respecter of persons, either spiritual or material. The divine presence which any child of the universe enjoys at any given moment is limited only by the capacity of such a creature to receive and to discern the spirit actualities of the supermaterial world.
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Urantia Book, 11:0.1 - The Eternal Isle Of Paradise
Paradise is the eternal center of the universe of universes and the abiding place of the Universal Father, the Eternal Son, the Infinite Spirit, and their divine co-ordinates and associates. This central Isle is the most gigantic organized body of cosmic reality in all the master universe. Paradise is a material sphere as well as a spiritual abode. All of the intelligent creation of the Universal Father is domiciled on material abodes; hence must the absolute controlling center also be material, literal. And again it should be reiterated that spirit things and spiritual beings are real.
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Urantia Book, 50:6.4 - Planetary Culture
Culture presupposes quality of mind; culture cannot be enhanced unless mind is elevated. Superior intellect will seek a noble culture and find some way to attain such a goal. Inferior minds will spurn the highest culture even when presented to them ready-made.
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Urantia Book, 54:1.6 - True And False Liberty
True liberty is the associate of genuine self-respect; false liberty is the consort of self-admiration. True liberty is the fruit of self-control; false liberty, the assumption of self-assertion. Self-control leads to altruistic service; self-admiration tends towards the exploitation of others for the selfish aggrandizement of such a mistaken individual as is willing to sacrifice righteous attainment for the sake of possessing unjust power over his fellow beings.
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Urantia Book, 54:1.9 - True And False Liberty
How dare the self-willed creature encroach upon the rights of his fellows in the name of personal liberty when the Supreme Rulers of the universe stand back in merciful respect for these prerogatives of will and potentials of personality! No being, in the exercise of his supposed personal liberty, has a right to deprive any other being of those privileges of existence conferred by the Creators and duly respected by all their loyal associates, subordinates, and subjects.
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Urantia Book, 54:1.8 - True And False Liberty
There is no error greater than that species of self-deception which leads intelligent beings to crave the exercise of power over other beings for the purpose of depriving these persons of their natural liberties. The golden rule of human fairness cries out against all such fraud, unfairness, selfishness, and unrighteousness.
