Help support our friends in Israel in their time of need.
Israel In Depth - Dr. Lewis
January 3-16, 2015
Subscription options are no longer available for this tour.
Our first full day in Israel
Our first full day in Israel was exactly that... Full! We started the day with a hearty breakfast at Yad Hashmona Hotel before taking a relatively short drive (nothing is too far in Israel which is roughly the size of the state of New Jersey) to Jericho, which fell to Israelites after they obeyed God and marched around it. After Jericho we visited Shiloh, the site of the Israelite tabernacle for over 300 years and where Samuel the prophet heard the voice of the Lord. We then enjoyed a quick sandwich on the bus and finished our travels for the day at Shechem, home to Jacob's well and the burial site of Joseph's bones.
What a way to start the trip! Though we had planned to visit TBS Church History professor Dr. Scott Stripling's archaeological dig at Khirbet al-Maqatir, the rains prevented us from doing so. However, Dr. Stripling redirected our day to be able to visit these sites and served as our tour guide for the day. We were so glad to visit these sites which were not originally on the itinerary!
Jericho, the oldest city on earth, afforded a chance to see archaeological work that validates the reliability of the Bible. Similar to Dr. Stripling's dig site, previous archaeological work Jericho seemed to not align with the biblical text, but more recent evidence has been unearthed there to prove that the Biblical passages about Jericho are in fact accurate. So cool to see archaeological work that supports the inerrancy of God's Word! Jericho also offers a look into the wilderness that Jesus likely wandered in for 40 days and nights, enduring temptations from Satan. We truly have a high priest who can sympathize with our struggles.
Jericho
The “City of Palms” spreads out on the west side of the Jordan River at 825 feet below sea level. In Jesus’ day a new center had been constructed on the wadi banks in the foreground by the Hasmonean rulers and Herod the Great.
Though Shiloh appears numerous times in the Old Testament, the story of Hannah and Samuel seemed to stand out as we stood at the spot where a woman called out to God for one of the deepest longings in her heart and God answered her cry. We too paused for a few minutes to lift up any longings or promises we've been carrying in our heart.
Shiloh
The portable shrine that Moses built in the wilderness was stationed at Shiloh from the time of the Conquest until the city’s apparent destruction by the Philistines in 1104 BC.
Psalm 78:60 (NIV) “He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among men.”
Finally, we drove about 50 minutes northward to Shechem, which means "shoulders" and sits between two mountains (Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerazim) that look like huge shoulders branching out from each side of the town. Peering down into the well where Jesus offered the Samaritan woman living water was a powerful image of God's desire to cut through all our attempts to work for our own sustenance. While we work hard drawing "water" from human wells and run to almost every relationship except the right one for fulfillment, He longs to give us water that truly satisfies.
It was a powerful first day of the journey, and we've only dipped our toes in the water.
Shechem
Located between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal Shechem is preeminent in the biblical record, beginning with God’s promise of the land to Abraham.
Later Jacob would return here with his family and settle shortly. During the Conquest, the twelve tribes gathered on these two hills to recite God’s Law and the blessings and curses that accompanied obedience and disobedience.
https://twitter.com/BibleSeminary/status/551980976591872001
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.