Think about the trash you took out this week. If someone dug through a year of your discards, what would they learn about you, about your priorities, about your faith? On this special Free-Text First Friday, the Rev. Mark Duerr gives us a brief, but fascinating tour of the ancient world’s favissa pits, the holy trash dumps where sacred objects were ritually buried after use. From the execration tablets of Egypt to the fertility figurines of Canaan, from the recent excavations at Shiloh under Dr. Scott Stripling to the pagan healing votives at the Pool of Bethesda, what these peoples threw away tells us what they worshiped.

The Rev. Mark Duerr, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Monroe, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to discuss the archeological discoveries at sacred disposal sites.

View a video livestream of this episode, including the images discussed, here: youtu.be/rhkFYXTDoWc

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.