Joffa, Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Jezreel Valley, Meggido (Armageddon), and Lavi tree farm
Our day started out at 5:30 this morning. After a traditional Israeli breakfast, approximately 140 tour members boarded 4 buses for the start of our tour. Mom's and my bus, bus 3, was blessed with an American transplant tour guide, Eli, who has lived in Israel since 1987 and has a background in History, Economics, and a little bit of Archeology.
Our journey started in Joffa. This is the old city, before Tel Aviv. They are basically connected. In fact, our hotel was on the Joffa, Tel Aviv line. Then after seeing a couple of sites, including St. Peter's church, which housed Napoleon at one point before he lost the war. We also saw the clock tower in the old district which is a common meeting place for those living in that district. Joffa is best known from Acts 9 and 10 in the Holy Bible and the story of Tabitha. This was the area that Peter visited on a regular basis.
Back through Tel Aviv. We learned that Tel Aviv was where the declaration of independence for the state of Israel was written and that Tel Aviv started out as swamps and dunes, and was a preplanned city that beautified the region settled in the 20's and 30's. It's name means Renewal of an ancient past. It is a rebirth of a biblical past. Also, Independence of Israel took place on Friday, May 14, 1948 but no one knew until Sunday, May 16 because no papers are printed on Saturday due to Chabot.
We drove to Caesarea, home of many Biblical New Testament stories, including the first baptism of Gentiles in the bible...with the help of Peter. We saw the great amphitheatre where Pilot would have sat for a show, the hippodrome, which was recently excavated, where great chariot races took place. Standing in the middle, running your fingers through the sand or standing at the bottom of the great theatre, you could feel the stories truly come to life here. Looking around, you could see where parts of the city that tumbled into the sea stood. Looking behind you, you can see the newly excavated area of the site, where tax collectors and food vendors once did business a mere 6-12 inches below where the parking lot once stood for the site. I was awed at the thought that Peter actually stood where I was standing. He is one of my heroes in the Bible, so it meant a lot to me to be here. One interesting thing I found with this place is that you won't find any statues with heads on them in Israel, unless it is Christian territory, such as a catholic church. The heads on statues signify idol worship (graven images), so the heads are not put on many statues. Much of the art is representative for that reason.
From there we travelled to the great aqueduct. This engineering feat by Herod was made of clay and lead pipes and travelled 10 miles. He actually had his men chisel the stone walls to keep it level so water could flow on the top with ease. We didn't get out to visit because our next site was about to close and was more important that we visit.
Next stop...Mt. Carmel. WOW is all I can say. It is wild to be standing on the spot where Elijah challenged the local priests of Ahab's to show them who the true God was and our God beat the priests of Baal out by a fire and a few wet stones (1 Kings 18:20) . Then to have the chance to look over the Jezreel Valley over 2,000 feet below was AWESOME!!! Carmel means "Vineyard of God". El is "Of God". Carm is "vineyard". Jezreel means, "God Planted". The region is known for grapes and has been since French winemaker and grower Baron Rothschild moved his vineyards to this region to help a poor people prosper. From the top of Carmel, one can look out and see Nazareth and Mt. Tabor (place of the Barack and Deborah, as well as being the Mount of Transfiguration from Matthew) in one direction and in another see Meggido (Armageddon) on another side. Due to it's location between two major mountain chains, I understand the strategic reasons for wanting to keep this mountain. This region is also known for the olive oil. The Druze sect of Israeli's picks the olives and makes oil. This month, November, is the prime picking season. Did you know that you can't eat olives right off the tree? Neither did I. They need to be processed first before consumption.
After some needed lunch of hummus, falafal, and pita bread, we drove to Meggido (Armageddon). Along the road, we spotted some tombs that have been there since before Jesus was born. It is quite likely that these, now roadside tombs, were there and ready to be used when Jesus was but a baby.
Then we found ourselves at the place where the end as we all know it will take place. Meggido is a tel that is over 3000 years old, if not older. A tel is a hill that civilizations have built cities over other cities.It is shaped like a hill, but is flat on top and has evenly distributed sides. This tel has 25 different layers of civilization beneath it's soil. Before the Persians, and before the Assyrians came to split up the region and the 10 northern tribes of Judah, King Solomon used this strategic location as a tax capital where local tribes would pay for their taxes in grain. You can still see where the granary was, as well as the stables for his 400+ horses. King Ahab made this site one of his 3 administration sites of the region. This tel was strategic in that anyone who needed to travel through the mountain passes, needed to pass through this area regardless of direction. At the site one can climb 183 steps into the ground to a water channel that was built to protect water from any enemies and to ensure the people of Meggido had water at all times. There is no longer any water flowing through, as Jews who came to the area after WWII diverted the water for their fields. This site, as well as the others we visited today, are still being excavated and new discoveries are constantly being made. There is constant change for those who visit. There is a saying...it is a place that the future doesn't change, but the past always changes. One can visit here and come back and history will be changed, re-written, or will be unfolding right under your nose.
Before we found ourselves winding down for the day, we stopped for a very special detour. Lavi Forest is a place where trees are planted to help reforest this once swampy and uninhabitable wilderness of sand and rock. We each were able to pick a sapling, mom and I had pine trees, and dedicate a tree as we each planted. These were in memory of family members who never made it to Israel, but dreamed to...my grandfather, grandmother, and great-grandfather. As we planted, the large sun started to set, larger than in the Midwest of the US, wearing a blood red hue, and a lightning storm started in the distance. It was really different, but beautiful.
Tired, we re-boarded to make our way to the northern city of Tiberius. We ate dinner and I stepped out to some shops before they all closed- 8:00 here....early! Oh well, we are here tomorrow night as well.
Well, that was our day in a nutshell. I could go on and on about all that we discovered, but I will let your eyes take a rest. Tomorrow is here before we know it and it will be time to switch from Peter to Jesus...until tomorrow's update...night!
Our day started out at 5:30 this morning. After a traditional Israeli breakfast, approximately 140 tour members boarded 4 buses for the start of our tour. Mom's and my bus, bus 3, was blessed with an American transplant tour guide, Eli, who has lived in Israel since 1987 and has a background in History, Economics, and a little bit of Archeology.
Our journey started in Joffa. This is the old city, before Tel Aviv. They are basically connected. In fact, our hotel was on the Joffa, Tel Aviv line. Then after seeing a couple of sites, including St. Peter's church, which housed Napoleon at one point before he lost the war. We also saw the clock tower in the old district which is a common meeting place for those living in that district. Joffa is best known from Acts 9 and 10 in the Holy Bible and the story of Tabitha. This was the area that Peter visited on a regular basis.
Back through Tel Aviv. We learned that Tel Aviv was where the declaration of independence for the state of Israel was written and that Tel Aviv started out as swamps and dunes, and was a preplanned city that beautified the region settled in the 20's and 30's. It's name means Renewal of an ancient past. It is a rebirth of a biblical past. Also, Independence of Israel took place on Friday, May 14, 1948 but no one knew until Sunday, May 16 because no papers are printed on Saturday due to Chabot.
We drove to Caesarea, home of many Biblical New Testament stories, including the first baptism of Gentiles in the bible...with the help of Peter. We saw the great amphitheatre where Pilot would have sat for a show, the hippodrome, which was recently excavated, where great chariot races took place. Standing in the middle, running your fingers through the sand or standing at the bottom of the great theatre, you could feel the stories truly come to life here. Looking around, you could see where parts of the city that tumbled into the sea stood. Looking behind you, you can see the newly excavated area of the site, where tax collectors and food vendors once did business a mere 6-12 inches below where the parking lot once stood for the site. I was awed at the thought that Peter actually stood where I was standing. He is one of my heroes in the Bible, so it meant a lot to me to be here. One interesting thing I found with this place is that you won't find any statues with heads on them in Israel, unless it is Christian territory, such as a catholic church. The heads on statues signify idol worship (graven images), so the heads are not put on many statues. Much of the art is representative for that reason.
From there we travelled to the great aqueduct. This engineering feat by Herod was made of clay and lead pipes and travelled 10 miles. He actually had his men chisel the stone walls to keep it level so water could flow on the top with ease. We didn't get out to visit because our next site was about to close and was more important that we visit.
Next stop...Mt. Carmel. WOW is all I can say. It is wild to be standing on the spot where Elijah challenged the local priests of Ahab's to show them who the true God was and our God beat the priests of Baal out by a fire and a few wet stones (1 Kings 18:20) . Then to have the chance to look over the Jezreel Valley over 2,000 feet below was AWESOME!!! Carmel means "Vineyard of God". El is "Of God". Carm is "vineyard". Jezreel means, "God Planted". The region is known for grapes and has been since French winemaker and grower Baron Rothschild moved his vineyards to this region to help a poor people prosper. From the top of Carmel, one can look out and see Nazareth and Mt. Tabor (place of the Barack and Deborah, as well as being the Mount of Transfiguration from Matthew) in one direction and in another see Meggido (Armageddon) on another side. Due to it's location between two major mountain chains, I understand the strategic reasons for wanting to keep this mountain. This region is also known for the olive oil. The Druze sect of Israeli's picks the olives and makes oil. This month, November, is the prime picking season. Did you know that you can't eat olives right off the tree? Neither did I. They need to be processed first before consumption.
After some needed lunch of hummus, falafal, and pita bread, we drove to Meggido (Armageddon). Along the road, we spotted some tombs that have been there since before Jesus was born. It is quite likely that these, now roadside tombs, were there and ready to be used when Jesus was but a baby.
Then we found ourselves at the place where the end as we all know it will take place. Meggido is a tel that is over 3000 years old, if not older. A tel is a hill that civilizations have built cities over other cities.It is shaped like a hill, but is flat on top and has evenly distributed sides. This tel has 25 different layers of civilization beneath it's soil. Before the Persians, and before the Assyrians came to split up the region and the 10 northern tribes of Judah, King Solomon used this strategic location as a tax capital where local tribes would pay for their taxes in grain. You can still see where the granary was, as well as the stables for his 400+ horses. King Ahab made this site one of his 3 administration sites of the region. This tel was strategic in that anyone who needed to travel through the mountain passes, needed to pass through this area regardless of direction. At the site one can climb 183 steps into the ground to a water channel that was built to protect water from any enemies and to ensure the people of Meggido had water at all times. There is no longer any water flowing through, as Jews who came to the area after WWII diverted the water for their fields. This site, as well as the others we visited today, are still being excavated and new discoveries are constantly being made. There is constant change for those who visit. There is a saying...it is a place that the future doesn't change, but the past always changes. One can visit here and come back and history will be changed, re-written, or will be unfolding right under your nose.
Before we found ourselves winding down for the day, we stopped for a very special detour. Lavi Forest is a place where trees are planted to help reforest this once swampy and uninhabitable wilderness of sand and rock. We each were able to pick a sapling, mom and I had pine trees, and dedicate a tree as we each planted. These were in memory of family members who never made it to Israel, but dreamed to...my grandfather, grandmother, and great-grandfather. As we planted, the large sun started to set, larger than in the Midwest of the US, wearing a blood red hue, and a lightning storm started in the distance. It was really different, but beautiful.
Tired, we re-boarded to make our way to the northern city of Tiberius. We ate dinner and I stepped out to some shops before they all closed- 8:00 here....early! Oh well, we are here tomorrow night as well.
Well, that was our day in a nutshell. I could go on and on about all that we discovered, but I will let your eyes take a rest. Tomorrow is here before we know it and it will be time to switch from Peter to Jesus...until tomorrow's update...night!
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