This was the first actual day of viewing the Holy Land, and if had been the only day, it still would have been worth it! Many, many things surprised us!
Israel, at least the part we were in all day, truly is a land flowing with milk and honey. We had expected dryness. Someone heard that this area could supply the whole world with fruit and vegetables.
Food: So tasty, but also different. Many exciting flavorings are used. The are a LOT of fresh vegetables at every meal (Yum, Tom!) Also many meats and good desserts. Some thought we were served pork, among other things.
Our guide, Schmulik, speaks EXCELLENT English and is very entertaining. He fills in with many, many illustrations, explanations, and information we’ve never heard before.
The Pilgrim Tour company has arranged a wholly Biblical, faith building, meaningful itinerary and information. We definitely chose a great tour. Our guide is a Messianic Jew, as is the spiritual leader, an older man, who used to work with Promise Keepers.
We knew we’d see a lot of Biblical towns, but almost everything we saw today were mountains, waters, etc. that are familiar to us from our Bible reading.
At least in his later years, Herod truly was the mean lunatic we know him to have been. What we don’t realize is what a genius and builder he was. Our guide says that he died the same year Jesus was born. By that time he was killing anyone who stood in his way -- not just the babies, but wives, sons, mother - in law -- anyone. Our guide calls the magi the unwise men. There was nothing more stupid for them to have done than to go to Herod to search for a newborn king!
Caesurae, built by the Herod of Jesus’ time, is well excavated. We saw the aqueducts,
and the oldest excavated hippodrome and theater. (If a hippodrome is closed in, it’s called an amphitheater. Herod loved his privacy, so he built his home way out into the sea. It was opulent. He even figured out a system of containers filled with lava rocks just below the sea surface. But more important is to realize that it is in the Greek/Herod city, the Biblical account explains how God moved highly Jewish Peter to evangelize the Gentiles. The account, repeated in its entirety so often in Scripture, has Peter on the roof of Simon, the Tanner (guide: probably on the roof because a tanner’s home was smelly). Peter is shown all unclean things and told to eat them - symbolizing God’s plan to use Peter to bring Christ to the Gentiles!
The bus stopped briefly at a rock with a tomb carved into it and the rock that rolls across the front.
To place the geography of Mt. Caramel, with the beautiful and productive Jezreel Valley, brings alive the encounter there between Elijah and King Ahab/Jezebel (guide pretended to misspeak and say “Hillary!”) when God brought down fire to burn Elijah’s sacrifice. Ahab’s Baal priests could not do it. Again, the important thing is not just an amazing story, but the fact that God works his plan in history, using willing, though defective, tools to accomplish his purposes. The really amazing thing about the story is the way a minor prophet humbly stood up to the mighty King Ahab, and the refrain, “Choose today which god you will serve, Baal or God!
I slept on the bus during the stop at Meggido, because the doctor told me not to walk far, and our guide said that this stop had many steps uphill and downhill.
Beit-Shean/Scythopolis (excavated) was the pristine example of excesses. It was the only city of the Decapolis on the west side of the Jordan River. The Decapolis cities were populated primarily by non-Jews. This one was a thoroughly Greek city with gods and a comfort and life style meant to impress. Our guide kept comparing their comforts compared to our "simple" lives (Palladius Street with covered sidewalks, sidewalks made of intricate, beautiful mosaics, elaborate latrines, the theater, ornate everything.) Saul and his son's bodies were displayed in this city after the Philistines defeated the Israelites here. King David later conquered the city. In 749 A.D., a severe earthquake devastated the city. This stop was difficult for many and getting very hot.
There were some changes in our itinerary today because of Israel’s national Independence Day -- 60 years dating back to 1948 when Ben Gurion declared Israel’s independence from Britain, which Britain was glad to grant.
We’ve learned a lot about Israel’s history today, told by our guide in a very understanding way. He really appreciates the wisdom of seasoned statesmen like Ben Gurion. Ariel Sharon (who remains a vegetable, with his sons by his bedside), and King Hussein of Jordan, and his son. He doesn’t appreciate the “pretty boys” put in power by the media, such as Israel’s present leader. Our guide’s information really leads us to a greater appreciation of the Jewish nation, and adds so much color to Biblical knowledge we already have!
I continued to feel better throughout the day, although I remain weak and easily tired. How fortunate I am to have gone to the hospital yesterday!.
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