Category Archives: Israel

Israel

Israel, Day 1 Part 2, MAR 22, 2023

Continuing on with the afternoon of our first day, after leaving Caesarea, we continued on to Tel Megiddo National Park, an ancient fortress ranging from 7000 B.C. to 332 B.C. The word “tel” means a hill created by many generations living and rebuilding in the same spot. Megiddo was one of the strongest and most important cities of Canaan. The remains of the palaces, temples, gates, and the sophisticated water system of the city are evidence of its great power, including the days of David and Solomon.

The symbol of the lion of the tribe of Judah was found at Megiddo. The book of Revelation references this symbol.

Since 1903 different archeological excavations have revealed at least twenty cities buried here, one on top of the other. It is the location of the first major battle recorded in history. Many battles have taken place at this site, including the improbable victory of the Israelite over the Canaanite forces which was celebrated in the oldest poem in the Bible, “Deborah’s Song” (Judges 5). 

View of the Jezreel Valley from the hilltop

In order to make the water supply more accessible and less vulnerable to attack, a 98 foot shaft and 230 foot tunnel was built to the spring. We were able to access this shaft and tunnel using modern steps located to the right of the still visible ancient steps. Our guide, Mike, gave everyone the choice of taking an easy shortcut back to the bus, or taking the longer and more difficult passage through the tunnel. Of course Bill and I took the more difficult route. I just wish Mike had been a little more descriptive of what the harder route was like. We descended 187 steps that were narrow, worn stone steps into a dark vertical shaft. The stone stairs at some point were replaced by open metal stairs with just enough light to see down into the shaft which gave one a sense of vertigo. We exited by climbing up 77 steps that left us winded.

Megiddo was conquered 25 times so it is seen as the likely location of Armageddon, the last great battle between good and evil at the End of Days when the forces of good will triumph over evil as described in Revelation. The word Armageddon is a combination of two words, Har Megiddo. Har means mountain or in this case Tel. Thus, Armageddon is Tel Megiddo. The name Megiddo appears eleven times in the Bible.

Leaving Tel Megiddo we passed through Nazareth on our way to Mount Precipice. We walked on part of The Gospel Trail, a 40 mile historical path that Jesus is believed to have taken when he left his childhood home in Nazareth for Capernicum on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, which became the center of his ministry. The main section of the trail begins at Mount Precipice, a steep hill on the southern outskirts of Nazareth. We climbed a steep path to the top, and with a beautiful view of Jezreel Valley, our pastor read scripture and we sang several hymns. For Christians, Mount Tabor is believed to be the place of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, where Jesus began to radiate light and conversed with Moses and Elijah.

Mount Tabor

Mount Precipice is the location described in the New Testament (Luke 4:29-30) where Jesus angered the congregation of the synagogue in Nazareth when he hinted he was the Messiah. The people led him out of the city and were going to throw him from the top of Mount Precipice but he managed to escape and reach safety. After this, Jesus left Nazareth and headed to the Sea of Galilee. This is where the beginning of Jesus’s ministry really began.

Our First View of the Sea of Galilee

Our last stop of the day was at a baptism site on the Jordan River. Anyone who wanted to be baptized or rededicated could have this done by our pastor, assisted by Pastor Don Piper. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, closer to the Dead Sea. Our baptism site was not the location of Jesus’s baptism.  Years ago our pastor baptized people at the actual site but that section of the Jordan River is more polluted and unsafe. The last time our pastor used that site he slipped on a metal rail and badly cut his foot. It became infected and he was hospitalized. Now he uses a different site that is cleaner and safer with nice facilities. For $15 per person we received the use of a baptism gown as well as clean dressing rooms with restrooms and showers. Bill and I had both been baptized before, so this was technically a rededicating of our life to Jesus. I went first and then stood nearby while Bill was rededicated and we walked out of the water together. We had all been warned the water was very cold, and it was! It was a beautiful, meaningful experience and 85 people from our group were baptized or rededicated!

Our first day ended at Tiberias, where we would spend two nights. As you can already tell, our days were very full, usually up at 5:45 or 6:00 A.M., finishing each day around 5:00 or 5:30. We had been told when we signed up for the trip that it would involve lots of physical activity. But I think everyone, us included, was surprised at the amount of physical exertion expected of us every day. Usually 5+ miles a day of walking over hilly or unlevel terrain, cobblestone walkways and many, many stairs.

Next up: Day 2: a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, the Beatitudes and City of Magdala

 

Israel Day 1, Part 1 MAR 22, 2023

Bill and I have wanted to visit the Holy Land for a long time, so when our pastor announced he was going to take a group to Israel, we jumped at the chance. We knew this was going to be a Bible based itinerary since our pastor had made nine previous trips to the area and knew the best guides and important places to visit. 

We had been on a previous bus tour of Europe and knew all too well how tiring it could be; getting up very early, packing and unpacking when changing hotels, becoming accustomed to different food, and most importantly the seven hour time difference. So to help with the adjustment, several weeks before the trip we began to slowly adjust our schedule to Israel time.  By the day of the trip, we were getting up at 2:00 A.M. with breakfast at 2:30 A.M., lunch at 8:00 A.M., dinner at 12:00 P.M. and bedtime at 5:00 P.M. I think it really helped us adjust when we got to Israel. 

On March 20th we left the church parking lot by bus for the trip to the Orlando airport. We had 100 people, along with our pastor, so two buses were needed. We flew from Orlando to Frankfurt, Germany (9 hour flight) where we had a 4 hour layover before our 4 hour flight from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv, Israel.

We arrived in Tel Aviv at 7:15 P.M. on March 21st. We had lost a day due to the time difference and long flight. After collecting our luggage and going through passport control, we were divided into two groups and met our guides for the week. Our guide, Mike, led us through the airport to a waiting bus for the trip to Netanya where we stayed for one night. We arrived at the hotel at 10:00 P.M. and the hotel staff had thoughtfully kept the dining room open for us with an impressive buffet. Everyone was really hungry since the food we had received on our two flights was, everyone agreed, beyond terrible. 

We had a 6:00 A.M. wakeup call (we were really glad we had prepared ahead for the time change) followed by breakfast at 6:30 and all aboard the bus at 7:15 with our luggage. People were dragging after the long flights and seven  hour time change. Our guide, Mike, would often say each morning during the trip, “Wake Up America!!! You can sleep when you get home!” Mike is from Israel, a Christian, has done many of these trips for our pastor and has visited our church in The Village with his family. We were absolutely amazed at the amount of knowledge Mike has about the Bible, the history of Christianity and lots of Israel history.

Mike’s brother Mick was the guide for the other bus (50 people on each bus). Along with our pastor, Harold Hendren, we also had pastor Don Piper, author of the New York Times bestselling book “Ninety Minutes in Heaven“. I highly recommend you read his book. Our pastor is a very good friend of Don Piper and they have done this trip together many times. The two pastors took turns sitting on the buses each day so we always had a pastor to do devotions and read scriptures. 

By the way, since Israel is 73% Jewish, 18% Muslim and only 2% Christian, it became painfully obvious to some people at breakfast that there would be no bacon, sausage or ham at breakfast or any meal for the duration of the trip. Also, according to kosher tradition, any food categorized as meat may never be served or eaten at the same meal as a dairy product. This was evident at various meals as people looked for butter and milk. 

We left our hotel, on the Mediterranean Sea, in Netanya, noticing that roundabouts are popular in Israel just like in The Villages.

Our first stop was Caesarea National Park located right off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and considered one of Israel’s great archeological treasures.

Caesarea was a gift to Herod the Great from Augustus Caesar in 30 B.C. Herod constructed a new city here from 22-10 B.C. The Roman amphitheater seated 4,000 people and is where the Caesarea citizens (estimated at 40,000) were entertained. Except for the original first row, most of the seats have been restored. Today the theater is used for concerts.

Pontius Pilate resided here and his name was found inscribed on excavated stones of the theater. The inscription is one of the few physical pieces of evidence of Pilate’s existence other than the Bible.

It was here in Caesarea that Apostle Peter became convinced of the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah that God would make of them a nation, give them land, and through them the Gentiles would be blessed by coming to know the world’s only true God (Genesis 12:1-3). Christianity as a religion of Jews and Gentiles, the God of Abraham and Sarah, started in Caesarea.

Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea is the remains of a large oval amphitheater where Herod held celebratory games and chariot races.

We were surprised that we were allowed to walk on the remains of the beautiful mosaic tiled floors.

I thought they would have been roped off to preservation. 

Located here is the prison of Caesarea where it is believed Paul was tried and imprisoned for two years according to the New Testament.

Nearby are aqueducts that provided water to the expanding city of Caesarea. The aqueducts originally reached five miles with 3 water channels on top of it and were later extended.

Next up: Tel Megiddo National Park, Mount of Precipice and our baptism/re-dedication