Israel Study Tour with The Well Community Church
February 14-25, 2016
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Its not about how you start, it's how you finish
Today we woke up on the Sea of Galilee and packed up our bags to head towards Jerusalem! Our first site of the day was Nazareth. We went to the top of the hill [in the midst of a heavy rainstorm] and read the story of Luke 4.
After Nazareth we headed for Megiddo... It was such an amazing moment to look out across the plains from the top of the Tell and know that one day Armageddon would begin right there. While most of our sites have been about looking at the past and learning about history, this site was more about looking at what is to come in the future when our King returns!
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.
After Megiddo we braved the rain, wind, mud and stray cats on Mt Carmel. It was here that Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to see who was the real God. And while Elijah was faithful in a lot of ways, it was towards the end that he fell short of following three things the Lord asked of him. The point was made its not about how you start, it's how you finish. So make sure you finish strong.
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).
The rain started to clear as we left Mt Carmel and headed towards The Mediterranean Coast to Herod's palace in Caesarea. We got to explore the ruins, understand a bit more about the culture of that time, and sit in the place Paul was imprisoned for several years.
We then left the coast and drove up to finish our journey in Jerusalem! Shalom my friends!
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.
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