Culture & Traditions

Understanding the Bible on its own terms means stepping into the world that produced it — its customs, calendar, and worship patterns. The resources below can help you hear the scriptures the way their original audiences did.

The Biblical Calendar

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The Hebrew calendar with agricultural seasons and appointed times. From The Parable of Music by Kymber Brockbank.

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The Seven Moedim at a Glance

The Hebrew word מועדים (moedim) means “appointed times” — divine appointments woven into creation itself (Genesis 1:14). The seven feasts of Leviticus 23 trace God’s redemptive plan:

More detailed feast day studies are coming soon.

Resources

• Chabad.org — Jewish Holidays — Authoritative Jewish perspective on each feast’s observance and meaning
• Hebrew for Christians — The Feasts — Each feast with Hebrew vocabulary and Christ-centered application
• My Jewish Learning — Holidays — Accessible overview of the Jewish calendar year

Ancient Israelite Culture

Understanding the daily life, social structures, and worldview of ancient Israel illuminates countless passages that otherwise feel distant or confusing.

Daily Life & Archaeology

• Bible Project — Cultural Context Videos — Beautifully animated videos exploring themes, word studies, and cultural context throughout the Bible
• Biblical Archaeology Society — The leading popular publication connecting archaeological discoveries to biblical texts. Their free Bible History Daily newsletter is excellent.
• Ten Minute Bible Hour — Matt Baker’s accessible explorations of biblical history, denominations, and context

Jewish Traditions & Commentary

• Chabad.org — Torah & Mitzvot — Gateway to Jewish law, custom, and Torah commentary, including Rashi’s classic verse-by-verse commentary
• My Jewish Learning — Accessible articles on Jewish practice, belief, history, and culture
• Sefaria — Free digital library of Jewish texts — Torah, Mishnah, Talmud, Midrash, commentaries — all interconnected and searchable