Know about Judea/ Yahodia Part-II | Enlish/ Urdu | The City of Jesus Christ | Tabish Qazi | Rab TV

Judea Part 2: Judea was a mountainous region, and nearly one-half was desert. On the East Desert that stretched till Dead Sea, and on the West, the Mediterranean Sea. On the North Judea was bounded by Samaria and on the South by the Idumea. Jerusalem was almost the center of Judea. So we will compare the distance of Biblically important areas according to New Testament with Jerusalem. We will look at the important events that happened in those places. Bethlehem: It is situated 8 KM south of Jerusalem. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It was the town if David. One of the oldest towns in Israel, already in existence at the time of Jacob's return to the country. Its earliest name was EPHRATH or EPHRATAH. Jericho: It is located 25 KM east of Jerusalem. It is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. Zacchaeus was also from Jericho. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. Israelites first conquered the city of Jericho when they first came from Canaan. In the parable of Good Samaritan, He was going from Jerusalem to Jericho. The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus also happened in Jericho. Jordan River: The chief river of Israel. It flows from north to south down a deep valley in the center of the country. It originates in the snows of Hermon. John Baptized Jesus in the Jordan river that is near Judean Wilderness. Bethany: It is located 3 KM on East side of Jerusalem. It was the home of Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. Jesus often visited this village and stayed in the house of Lazarus. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in this village. Simon the Leper was also from Bethany. Bethphage: It is located 2 KM from Jerusalem and near the village of Bethany. It is the village in which Jesus sent His disciples to bring Colt with mother. When Jesus was entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Mount of Olives: It is a mountain between Jerusalem and Bethany. It is the same mount from which Jesus ascended into Heaven. Jesus preached the famous Olivet Discourse from this mount. Garden of Gethsemane is also at the foot of this mount. There is a famous valley know as Valley of Kidron between Mount of Olives and Jerusalem. Emmaus: The village 10 KM from Jerusalem to which the two disciples were going when our Lord appeared to them on the way, on the day of his resurrection. Joppa: It was in Joppa where God brought back to life disciple named Tabitha. Peter was in Joppa with a tanner named Simon when Cornelius called him to his house as he saw in the vision. Religious Activity: Jerusalem was the center of all religious activity including Sanhedrin and High Priest as Temple was in Jerusalem. All the religious elite was in Jerusalem. Jews from all over the land came to Jerusalem to celebrate three feasts in a year. Normal population of the Jerusalem ranged from 3 to 4 lacs while on the feasts it could go up to 10 to 20 lacs. Aramaic was the dominant language in Judea. Jews in the Judea despised their neighbors from Galilee and other regions. They prided on themselves for being more religious and pious. This was also one of the reasons that they hated Jesus because he was a Galilean although Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea but they did not know this fact. They thought no good thing can come out of Galilee. According to Judean Jews everything religious must be approved by the religious establishment in Jerusalem even you can’t become a Rabbi without their approval but Jesus sought no approval from them. Jesus was killed by the same religious elite in Jerusalem on the Feast of Passover. We will continue to learn about these facts and figures in our study of Jesus’ life. Tomorrow we will talk about Galilee in which Jesus spent almost 70% of His ministry time. God bless you.