Israel Familiarization Trip
January 4-15, 2016
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The Roman Empire on full display
This was another fantastic day. Each day it is hard to say what was most significant, with each site being more impressive than the last.
We began the day by visiting Beit Shean/Scythopolis. This dramatically illustrated the spiritual battle between the Hebrew worldview and the Greco/Roman culture. To imagine a Jew coming from the simple life of Capernaum or Chorazin and traveling only 25 miles to the impressive Roman city of Scythopolis with its bath, Gymnasium, Theatre and pagan temples and 80,000 people is a contrast in black and white. This also illustrates the continuing struggle between Jesus’ Gospel today, in contract to the temptations of the world.
Beth Shean
Located 17 miles (27 km) south of the Sea of Galilee, Beth Shean is situated at the strategic junction of the Harod and Jordan Valleys. The fertility of the land and the abundance of water led the Jewish sages to say, “If the Garden of Eden is in the land of Israel, then its gate is Beth Shean.” It is no surprise then that the site has been almost continuously settled from the Chalcolithic period to the present.
Visiting Mt. Carmel, the location of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal, with God revealing his power, also emphasized this struggle between God’s way and the false way of the world.
Mt. Carmel
Biblically, Mt. Carmel is referenced most often as a symbol of beauty and fertility. To be given the “splendor of Carmel” was to be blessed indeed (Isa 35:2). Solomon praised his beloved: “your head crowns you like Mount Carmel” (Song 7:5). But for Carmel to wither was a sign of devastating judgment (Nahum 1:4).
Megiddo showed this contrast too, the altar of the idol Molech where human sacrifice was offered, while seeing Jesus home, Nazareth, just across the valley.
Megiddo
From the earliest times (EB) to the earliest historical records of the area (Thutmose III) to the future (Revelation 16), Megiddo assumes a prominent role. This is largely owing to its strategic location astride the Megiddo Pass (Wadi Ara) and inside the busy Jezreel Valley.
In many ways the highlight of the day was our visit to Caesarea Maritima, built by King Herod in 22 BCE, where the might and power of Herod and the Roman Empire was on full display, boasting the first man-made harbor in the ancient world, leading from the Via Maris and the main east-west crossroad. Here the power of Rome was confronted by Peter and Paul, when they came to preach the Gospel to Roman authorities, as recorded in the Book of Acts.
Caesarea Maritima
The city and harbor were built under Herod the Great during c. 22–10 BC near the site of a former Phoenician naval station known as Stratonos pyrgos (Στράτωνος πύργος).[2] It later became the provincial capital of Roman Judea, Roman Syria Palaestina and Byzantine Palaestina Prima provinces. The city was populated throughout the 1st to 6th centuries CE and became an important early center of Christianity during the Byzantine period, but was mostly abandoned following the Muslim conquest of 640. It was re-fortified by the Crusaders, and finally slighted by the Mamluks in 1265.
All in all, this was another FANTASTIC day, making the Bible truly come alive.
Rev. Dr. Dan Molyneux, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Fairfield, CA
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzRMQmq1dhWsISZB_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzRMWsMH1Fw7X1kW_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzRMcOQqCk1hbG02_ret.jpg|The Hippodrome at Caesarea where chariot races were held like those in the movie Ben Hur. Olympic contests were also staged here, and later became a gladitorial arena.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzRQp8iWTKnt45ie_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzRQLMNmZhjUUXNL_ret.jpg|The likely location of the formal hall, located in Herod's royal palace, where Paul appeared before Agrippa and Felix, and appealed to Caesar. This is also a significant city in the history of Christianity because it was here that Cornelius and his household became Christians under the preaching of Peter. This is where it became obvious to the early church that Christianity was for the Gentiles and not just a sect of the Jewish faith that required people to become Jewish in order to be saved.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzRIHsdTaYH9kW3k_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzRICAZV4TSwPpa5_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzRImTVJLNIUsmI4_ret.jpg|Caesarea Maritamia was a significant Roman city developed by Herod the Great. Incredible excavation has been done to reveal the massive size of this city. The Theater is seen here, and also the "Pilate Inscription" was found here. The first archaeological confirmation of the existence of Pontius Pilate, the Roman Procurator who condemned Jesus to die.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzKKdDUNdoJJ8Vdw_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzKKBIR37OVkwLTH_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzKKeB1LsbUAug7O_ret.jpg|Commanding view of the Valley of Jezreelfrom the lookout at a Carmelite monastery on top of Mt Carmel. Statue commemorating Elijah's victory over the 450 prophets of Baal by calling fire from heaven. In light of this, Brent and I found one of the signs on the fence quite humorous.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzJ5sl6qYE1hVqsq_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzJ59ZSY8qKJMsK4_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzJ5iDd43gFX8Cb5_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzJ5YvNHh585V19b_ret.jpg|A manger at Megiddo and other finds. Most notably for me, the round, Canaanite altar to Molech where children were offered as sacrifices - "passed through the fire" to Molech.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzIiY2lGwh46u7V0_ret.jpg|A centipede sleeps through Rich's teaching at Megiddo.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzIfebwxTs9qeVct_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzIfOmUSdsAkUxTi_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzIfB9uvChkXGAF1_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzIflxCOvNXxJUuG_ret.jpg|Rich teaching inside the city gates at Megiddo. A commanding view of the Valley of Jezreel - the Biblical Armageddon.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzHUokJUGbHIuQwI_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzHU4qBjYFutDMsb_ret.jpg|Driving through the Valley of Jezreel on the way to Carmel. This is the location in Revelation of the Megiddo war. "Armageddon."
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzHFB5iMLDC8ZYNf_ret.jpg|Mt Gilboa, where King Saul is mortally wounded. His body is carried away and hung on the walls of Bet Shean.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzHxNeQHZmPfzlv4_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzHx0umuEamIBxKC_ret.jpg|"Ronanamus" teaches at the Roman city of Skitopolis. The ancient art of water skiing was invented here. ;-). However, the word "skit" may indeed have originated here. This is too incredible a place to show pictures and descriptions here. An amazing, historical highlight of the trip.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzFBsynXJHj3chBN_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzFBQ9bFV7J6JaVA_ret.jpg|The city gates of Bet Shean and a palace ruin.
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzFvimLKWUz7hROu_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzFv1GBVykVcw76N_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzFvDkxhwwRJt69Y_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzFvRPutL5Cb1ghB_ret.jpg
journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DzFvW8RaH8Q5uHJm_ret.jpg|Hiking to Bet Shean. This was the ancient Canaanite city that is where the bodies of Saul & Jonathan were hung.
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