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Israel Study Tour with Joshua Wilderness Institute
April 8-20, 2018
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Comfort vs Obedience
Shalom, all the way in Israel.
Today is our seventh day in the Promised Land and we traveled all day through the Jezreel Valley to the coast of the Mediterranean and now headed to Jerusalem! We started our day hiking up the Tel of Megiddo where we learned about Solomon’s reign and the reign of King Ahab. Interesting fact this archeological site still has a human sacrifice alter from the Caanianites that these kings kept up! Also, the Tel of Megiddo has 26 different layers from different civilizations. After walking around the Tel of Megiddo we descended into the water system and walked through the tunnels where the city hide their water from their enemies during siege. Then we traveled to Mount Carmel. This is the site where during the time of Ahab and Jeezebel Elijah defeated the 450 prophets of Baal in the name of the Lord but then ran to the Wilderness of Zin to hide from Jeezebel. It taught us the true power of prayer and that God is always with His people, but also that His servants can still run away losing hope in the midst of a miracle.
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.
Then, we went to a little park for lunch and were off again to Caesarea Maritime. This is the home to one of the sickeningly, richest palaces that Herod the Great built on the water, and in his grandeur, all the splendor, and wealth of the Roman Empire it stands crumbled in ruins with erosion plaguing the once beautiful palace and city of trade. This is a testament to the long standing and truth of the Gospel and the salvation of our Lord. With the Mediterranean in the back drop we discussed Acts 22-26 where Paul is held in Caesarea because the Jews were trying to kill him and he pleaded Roman citizens. Thus, he was here to be questioned for the charges against him, and here the Spirit of the Lord spoke to him and told him to go to Rome. So, instead of being released he called his case to be heard by Caesar and being a Roman citizen he was granted this request. This taught us that we are not called to live comfortably or complacently, but are called to obey and follow the Lord in complete faith wherever He leads us.
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.
After our discussion we had 30 minutes of free time where Jill fell into the Mediterranean and Zoey felt the water and ate a Magnum bar (which are much better in Israel than in the USA). Through all of our lessons and all of our time waiting we are now in the bus headed to Jerusalem. Keep praying for God to move in the midst of our class during this time.
Shalom,
Zoey and Jill.
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