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Israel Study Tour - Brian Haynes
June 2-13, 2014
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Day 1
God’s plans for us today were indeed big. As promised, we were challenged spiritually, emotionally, and physically. From 7am to 7pm, our large group would see five places throughout the Coastal Plains and Shephelah. We traversed up mountains, by olive groves, through vineyards, along creek beds, and even into caves and cisterns. Throughout the day and sites, one thing was reiterated in word and in experience - our God never changes.
The day started with a devotion on the grounds of our hotel. The emphasis on the consistency of God would be the perfect preface for today’s course as it set the tone for numerous biblical lessons. Our first stop was at the remnants of Tel Gezer which overlooked the Aiglon Valley - the battleground where God paused the sun for an Israelite victory. As the valley sprawled before us, it was empowering to meditate on how God’s promises unfolded before Joshua at the battle of Gibeon.
Gezer
Situated near the International Coastal Highway and guarding the primary route into the Israelite hill country, Gezer was one of the most strategic cities in the Canaanite and Israelite periods. Gezer is a prominent 33-acre site that overlooked the Aijalon Valley and the road leading through it to Jerusalem. The tel was identified as biblical Gezer in 1871 by C. Clermont-Ganneau who two years later found the first of many boundary stones inscribed with the city’s name.
As we left the gate remnants of Tel Gezer, we came across a set of upright stones called Philistine standing stones. It was a vivid picture of the contrast in obedience to God and obedience to culture. It represented the fact that worlds clashed at the Shephelah as God collided with the pagan gods of other nations.
Just a few miles away we peered out over the Sorek Valley as we sat in Beth Shemesh, the house of sun and home to Samson. It was surreal to see the actual areas where Samson was born and where he judged. Just a stone’s throw away was a cistern that had been unearthed. As we stumbled through a dimly lit slippery floor, the damp darkness brought a new picture to mind when recalling the story of Joseph.
Beth Shemesh
A border city between Judah and Dan, Beth Shemesh was given to the Levites. Beth Shemesh was the most important Israelite city in the Sorek Valley as it watched both east-west traffic through the Sorek Valley and north-south traffic along the “Diagonal Route.” Recent excavations have shown a thriving city here from the Middle Bronze Age through the Iron II period.
After a short ride and an arduous hike up a rocky hill face, we came to Tel Azekah where the Ancient Path lies. This high point provided a bird’s eye view of the valley of Elah and gave a clear perspective on the story of David and Goliath. As we sat under the shade of trees and poured through details of scripture, the wind provided a refreshing reprieve from the 107 degree heat. As the Hebrews describe God as a ruah, or mighty wind, it was timely that we had to stop our teaching to allow the wind to die down. We looked on over the locations of the Philistine and Israelite camp and even visited the creek bed from where David would have gathered his five smooth stones.
Tel Azekah and Elah Valley
The Brook Elah is famous for the five stones it contributed to the young slinger, David. Some surmise that David chose five stones instead of the one needed in case he needed to face Goliath’s four brothers.
Our group then moved from the top of Tel Azekah to Gath, the home of Goliath. We stepped into a shepherd’s cave to talk about how Christ would have been born in something similar and then moved quickly to the Philistine city’s high point. Pottery from the Philistines was abundant and the views from the epicenter of the settlement boasted of the regional control the Philistines would have had.
Gath
The Philistine city of Gath was located near Israelite territory at the end of the Elah Valley, and frequently Gath figured in the biblical record. The most famous inhabitant of Gath was Goliath, the giant who battled David in the Elah Valley, in an attempt to take territory away from the Israelites.
The last stop was at the southernmost Israeli city among the group of Tel Gezer, Beth Shemesh, and Tel Azekah. Lachish was not only the southernmost city in the strand, but it was also the most fortified. We jumped into the story of Sennacherib and Hezekiah and pictured how vile Sennacherib’s offenses must have been. However, as the day began, so did it end - with God’s promises being fulfilled and his constant sovereignty manifesting itself (II Kings 19:32-37).
Lachish
Identified first as Lachish by Albright in 1929, the tell was excavated by James Leslie Starkey 1932-38 and by Tel Aviv University 1973-87.
Lachish is generally regarded as the second most important city in the southern kingdom of Judah. It enters the biblical narrative in the battle accounts of Joshua, Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar.
Today, historical places mentioned in God’s Word were encountered kinesthetically, but the deliberate immersion in the Bible was a fresh reminder that God’s word is always alive and His promises are true no matter where we read them. Tomorrow’s journey will expand our perspective as we visit southern Israel’s desert region. It will be a big, big day - it shouldn’t be a surprise, though…we serve a big, big God.
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