Dear Friends,

Here is the third edition of the Joan Koelle Snipes e-newsletter. You are receiving it because of your interest in the Bible and in my book, "That Ye May Teach the Children."

In this issue:
- Frank C. Darling's book on Paul;
- Caryl Krueger's cassette "Bible Women for Today;"
- Vacation Bible School and the Cokesbury Press;
- angels, a new Bible study worksheet.

As most of you know, I am keenly interested in the Bible. On any given day I am usually reading a book related to the Bible. One new book I have enjoyed this summer is written by Dr. Frank C. Darling. It is entitled, "The Apostle Paul and Christian Healing: A History and Interpretation," and it was published by Vista Publications in 1999.

The topic of Christian healing through the ages has been explored in great depth by Dr. Darling. I own and have read all three of his previous books on the subject. They make up a trilogy. Although only the first of the three volumes listed below is directly concerned with the Bible, I really liked them all. Here are their titles, dates of publication, and the address for the publisher:

"Biblical Healing: Hebrew and Christian Roots" (1989)
"Christian Healing in the Middle Ages and Beyond" (1990)
"The Restoration of Christian Healing: New Freedom in the Church Since the Reformation" (1992)

Vista Publications
P. O. Box 1066
Ruskin, FL 33570

Dr. Darling's book on Paul is simply a more in-depth look at the apostle's life and role in the development of healing in the early church. I've learned a number of new things from this book. For example, Darling talks about Paul's early teacher, Gamaliel. I was interested to find that Gamaliel was the grandson of Hillel, a famous rabbi. Gamaliel's father was Simeon, thought by some scholars to be the elderly man cited in the book of Luke who met Joseph and Mary as they entered the temple in Jerusalem with their new-born son. Simeon took Jesus into his arms and praised God for enabling him to see "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" before his death. (See page 19 of "The Apostle Paul and Christian Healing.")
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Caryl Krueger's audio cassette "Bible Women for Today"

While driving in my car lately, I have been enjoying a truly excellent set of audio tapes entitled, "Bible Women for Today." This three and a half hour talk has been researched and recorded onto three cassettes by Caryl Krueger of California. I think Mrs. Krueger has done a terrific job of telling the stories of 43 biblical women! I must admit that at least one of these women was brand new to me. Have you ever heard of Adah, mother of Jabal and Jubal? See Genesis 4:19-21 to learn about Adah and her sons.

To read about all of Caryl Krueger's tape recorded Bible talks, go to:
www.bibleinspiration.com
or call her in Escondido, CA at 760-749-2122.
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Vacation Bible School and the Cokesbury Press

This is the fifth year that I have taught in my community's ecumenical Vacation Bible School (VBS). Each August this is an activity I greatly enjoy. We usually have about 100 children enrolled, and the program lasts from 9 am until noon for five mornings. I thought the curriculum we used this year was particularly good. Called "Way to Go! Good Neighbor Tours," it was published by a Methodist press called Cokesbury.

Those of you familiar with VBS know that most churches buy a new curriculum each spring. If you have the opportunity to encourage a child to attend VBS, I would urge you to do so if the sponsoring church is using Cokesbury. The theme for this year's program was from Luke 10:27: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." Hard to go wrong with that as your theme! To learn more about items from this press, you can visit their website at:

www.cokesbury.com
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Forty-four reproducible Bible study worksheets are one of the features of my book. Recently, I looked more deeply into the stories of the Bible that mention angels. One result is a new worksheet. You are welcome to copy and paste it into a word-processing program to format and print out for use with your Sunday school classes.

Bible Study Worksheet: Angels

The first person recorded in the Bible as hearing "the angel of the Lord" was an Egyptian bondwoman. Please name her. Genesis 16:7

Daniel's three Hebrew companions in Babylon were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. These three enraged Nebuchadnezzar when they refused to worship an image of gold he set up. Where were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego when God's angel delivered them?
Daniel 3:28-30

Who said this? "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me...." Daniel 6:22

Who was in Egypt when an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream and said that it was safe for him and his family to return to Israel? Matthew 2:19, 20

In the last book of the Bible we read that "there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven." How many books of the Bible are there?
Revelation 12:7, 8

In the book of Acts we read about "seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom" who were given the job of looking after Greek-speaking widows. One of those seven men was Philip, later known as Philip the evangelist. An angel told Philip to go from Jerusalem to Gaza. Who did Philip meet along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza?
Acts 8:26 - 40

In the book of Numbers there is a story telling of an angel's appearance to Balaam and his donkey. Of the two of them, who saw the angel first? Numbers 22:22-35

After Jacob and his wives, Leah and Rachel, left Laban and their longtime home, "the angels of God" met Jacob. Soon thereafter, Jacob had a harmonious reunion with his older brother. Please name Jacob's brother. Genesis 32:1

During the reign of Ahab and his idolatress wife, Jezebel, the prophets of Yahweh were sought out and slain. Please name the discouraged prophet of Israel who lived during this time and who was touched by an angel as he lay and slept under a juniper tree. The angel said unto him, "Arise and eat." I Kings 19:4, 5

What was the angel Gabriel's message to the priest, Zacharias? Luke 1:1-28

The book of Judges includes the story of a barren woman married to a man named Manoah. This woman was told by an angel, "thou shalt conceive, and bear a son." Please name this son, who became a Nazarite famous for his heroic achievements against the Philistines.
Judges 13:2-5
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In my last newsletter I mentioned a children's book by Peter Spier entitled "Noah's Ark." Please note that this book is back in print and is available through amazon.com. One newsletter reader wrote me that she did not like this particular version of the story because the illustrator makes clear that some animals do not board the ark and are left behind. This may be troubling to some children.

With loving best wishes,

Joan Koelle Snipes

This e-newsletter is published six times per year by:
Joan Koelle Snipes
Bible Teaching Press
2016 Willowdale Drive
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
snipes@principia.edu

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