Israel Study Tour - The Forge (Pine Cove)
March 15-27, 2015
Subscription options are no longer available for this tour.
Help support our friends in Israel in their time of need.
Shabbat Shalom!
Shabbat Shalom from Galilee!
Today was another tremendous day! Our morning began at the ancient ruins of Gamla. Ronen told us about the story of the Zealots who fortified themselves on the hill in revolt against the Roman armies. He also explained to us the story of the famous 1st century historian, Josephus Flavius, and how it was connected to the story of Gamla and the Zealots. Then, we hiked down into the ruins of the city and Jake encouraged us to remember that our zeal must not be without knowledge (and that our knowledge shouldn’t lack in zeal – see Romans 10:1-3).
Gamla
Known sometimes as the “Masada of the North,” Gamla is most famous for its strong defense against the Romans in the Jewish Revolt in AD 66. The site is bordered on all sides by deep wadis of the Golan Heights and is approachable by only one footpath from the northeast. The earliest settlement was in the Early Bronze Age and the site was reinhabited by returning exiles from Babylon. Herod the Great settled Jews here to populate his border cities.
After Gamla, we headed to the city of Chorazin. It was one of the three “triangle cities” mentioned in Matthew 11:20-24 near where most of Jesus’ miracles were performed. Ronen introduced us to the ruins of the city and explained to us what a village would have looked like and what the people there would have done in the days of Jesus. As he taught it became increasingly clear to us that community (insula) was the only way of life that people knew back then. It gave us some hard things to think about since we live in an i-society.
Chorazin
The synagogue at Chorazin is a typical “Galilean” style synagogue. These synagogues are characterized by 1) a basilical shape with three hallways separated by two rows of pillars; 2) three doorways and the central one is the largest; 3) benches around the interior walls; 4) a stylobate to support the weight of the arches.
Then, we made the short trip east to Bethsaida where Matt talked to us about the story of Jesus healing the blind man there. As we walked around the city, we considered the Scriptures from the Old Testament about how Messiah would be able to give sight to the blind (and how even when Jesus did that very thing, those who knew the Text well still didn’t believe Him to be the Messiah). We took a moment to bless God for opening our eyes and revealing Himself to us.
Bethsaida
The northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee is a fertile plain where the feeding of the 5,000 likely took place. Israeli maps and excavators currently locate the New Testament city of Bethsaida at an ancient ruin known as “et-Tell.” The excavation team, headed by Rami Arav, is insistent that this site be identified with ancient Bethsaida. Others suggest that Bethsaida may be better located at el-Araj near the lakeshore.
Finally, we went to the Jordan River where a number of people in our group had the opportunity to be baptized.
It was an important day for our group. God continues to convict, inspire, reveal Himself, and provoke our faith each day in deeply meaningful ways. We know that your prayers are a large reason for that, so we thank you and hope you will continue to pray for us. We are all healthy and having so much fun! More tomorrow.
Shalom!
By Matt Lantz
Upcoming Signature Tours
With 30 years of experience creating trips for other ministries, we've prepared our own signature study tours featuring some of our favorite itineraries and compelling teachers! If you've never been on a GTI Study Tour, take a moment to learn more about what you can expect.
GTI Signature Germany Study Tour
Sep 11-19, 2024
Learn More
Turkey / Greece Signature Study Tour
Sep 15-25, 2024
Learn More
Egypt / Jordan Signature Study Tour
Mar 5-17, 2025
Learn More