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Hospitality

When the Door Was Opened: Nighttime Hospitality in Acts

And it came to pass in the days of the apostles, when the Spirit of the Lord moved mightily upon the earth, that hospitality was shown not only in the light of day, but also beneath the mantle of night. For the saints, scattered across the cities of the Roman world, opened their doors even when the hour was late and the path was long. In the book o...

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Places of Refuge for the Traveler and the Stranger

In the days of old, when the earth was yet young and the sons of men journeyed afar, the weary traveler and the stranger sought refuge beneath the sheltering hand of God’s people. For it is written, “Thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 23:9). Thus, places of ...

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Hospitality in the Days of David and His Men

In the days when David fled before Saul, and his men gathered in the wilderness, there was a sacred law of hospitality that bound the hearts of strangers and friends alike. For in those times, the wayfarer was to be welcomed, the weary given shelter, and the hungry fed, as it is written, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some ha...

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Of Pillows of Stone and Wilderness Rest

In the days when the children of Israel journeyed through the wilderness, their path was fraught with trials and their nights oft spent under the vast expanse of heaven. The land was dry, the roads wearying, and yet the Lord was their refuge and strength, a shelter in the time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). It is written that Jacob, the patriarch, lay do...

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Under the Stars: When No Inn Could Be Found

In those days when the roads were long and the cities few, there came times when the weary traveler found no roof to cover his head, no inn to offer rest. As it was written of the holy night in Bethlehem, “And there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7), so too did many journeyers in ancient times lie under the vast expanse of heaven, their b...

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Lodging Houses and Caravanserais in the Ancient East

In the days of old, when the kings of the earth ruled and the caravans traversed the vast wilderness, there arose along the ancient roads a network of resting places for the weary traveler. These were the lodging houses and caravanserais of the Ancient East—havens where those journeying afar might find respite, sustenance, and safety beneath the wa...

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Hospitality Among Nomads

Among tent-dwellers. If a guest is entertained by one who lives in a tent, there is no separate place provided, nor would it be expected. Usually, the first section of tent within the entrance is the regular guest apartment, which serves as dining room and sleeping quarters. The men eat with their guest and sleep with him.8 It was in this guest-apa...

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Giving Water to Guests

The guest given a drink of water. One of the first things done for a guest who has been received, is to offer him a drink of water. The doing of this is recognizing him of being worthy of peaceful reception. Thus to give a drink of water is the simplest way to pledge friendship with a person. When Eliezer, Abraham's servant, sought a welcome, he di...

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Hospitality in Towns

In the villages and cities. If a village was not provided with a community guest room, then a guest would be entertained in one of the houses, and since most of these had but a single room, that one room would serve as reception room, dining room, and sleeping quarters. This room would be much like the reception apartment of the tent. But in many o...

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Sharing Meals with Guests

The guest served a meal. The sharing of food in the East is a very special act of hospitality. It means far more than it means in the West. It is a way of making a covenant of peace and fidelity. When Abimelech wanted a permanent covenant with Isaac, the confirmation of that covenant came when Isaac "made them a feast, and they did eat and drink" (...

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