1. The Historical Background of the Middle East

2. Abraham’s Journey from Ur Canaan  The “Promised Land”

3. Abraham’s Journeys

4. The Original Covenant
It was with Abraham that God, known as Yahweh, made a covenant, promising to protect Abraham and his descendants, to wage wars on their behalf, and to obtain for them the land of Canaan, an area roughly approximate to modern Israel and the occupied West Bank .
In exchange, the ancient Hebrews were bound individually and collectively to follow the ethical precepts and rituals laid down by God.
In another part of the Torah, God pledges to Abraham's descendants "the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates," an area much larger than historic Canaan.
Arabs also claim descendancy from Abraham and argue that this gives them a claim to the covenant as well.

5. Abraham’s Geneaology HAGAR ABRAHAM SARAH Ishmael Isaac
12 Arabian Tribes
Jacob
Esau
12 Tribes of Israel

6. The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area
The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

7. Sargon of Akkad: The World’s First Empire

8. Menes: Unifier of Upper & Lower Egypt
c B. C. E. ?

9. “Shepherd of His People”
Moses
“Prince of Egypt”
“Shepherd of His People”

10. The Exodus

11. Route of the Exodus

12. Moses and the 10 Commandmets A new “covenant” with Yahweh

13. Mount Sinai

14. St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai

15. A Balance of Power: 1200 B. C. E.

16. King David’s Empire

17. Solomon’s
Kingdom

18. King Solomon’s Temple Floor Plan
The First Temple

19. Inside the Temple Tabernacle
The Arc of the Covenant

20. The Temple Mount, Jerusalem Today
Solomon’s Temple Wall: The “Wailing” Wall

21. Kingdoms of
Judah
&
Israel

22. The Assyrian Empire
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23. Nebuchadnezzar II’s Babylon

24. Ishtar Gate

25. Israelites in Captivity

26. Jewish Captives: 8c BCE

27. The Persian Empire

28. Alexander the Great & the Hellenization of the Near East

29. The Great Library at Alexandria. Egypt

30. Roman Judea

31. Herod the Great’s Kingdom

32. The Jewish Revolt (66-70 C. E.)

33. Masada
Roman Encampment

34. The Jewish Diaspora

35. St. Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles

36. Constantine’s City--Constantinopolis

37. Constantinople: A Greek City (Istanbul Today)

38. Church of Hagia Sophia [Holy Wisdom]

39. Interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia

40. Sunset on the “Golden Horn”

41. Justinian’s Empire at its Peak

42. The Spread of Christianity by 600

43. Byzantine & Sassanid Empires, 6c

44. A Threat to the Great Empires
6c Arabia:
A Threat to the Great Empires ? ?