Israel Study Tour - Ancient Paths

October 25 - November 7, 2021

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Day 08 - Gamla, Caesarea Philippi & River Jordan

Hello Friends,

Apologies for the late post!

 As is everyday, yesterday was another for the books. After breakfast, we drove from Galilee up into the Golan Heights. On the way there, Nadav, our Israeli guide, gave us a history lesson about the Six Day War in 1967, and the war in 1973 on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. It hurts the brain to try and take in all the history that has taken place on this small patch of God’s real estate. Thankfully, our guides and rabbis are so gifted, and so patient with us.

 Our first stop was at a place called Gamla, home base for a religious sect called the Zealots. At least one of Jesus‘s disciples, Simon, was a zealot, and possibly Judas as well. Zealots were Pharisees who were very serious about living according to God’s word. But they were also of the opinion that sometimes we, as God’s people, need to take justice into our own hands. So, as Rabbi Rod said, they walked the path with “Torah in one hand and a knife in the other.” Gamla was a walled city on a small mountain in the shape of a pyramid. In 67 AD, the Romans breached their walls and massacred everyone within. And those they didn’t get to jumped off the cliff into the ravine below. It was very reminiscent of Masada and yet another example of the brutality of the Roman empire.

From Gamla we headed up to the ancient city of Caesarea Philippi. Since the days of Alexander the Great, this location was called “the Gates of Hell,” where a spring of water burst out of a grotto in the cliff wall. Rabbi Rod described this city as the Red Light district. Not only did they worship Caesar, but they also had a temple to a god named Pan, who was as perverse as can be, and their worship was just as perverse. It was here, toward the end of his earthly ministry, that Jesus took his disciples and asked them the question, “Who do people say that I am?” When Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God,“ Jesus affirmed his answer, renamed him “Rocky” ;) and said, “On this rock I will build my church and the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” Brings a whole new meaning to this passage! Jesus calls us even to the red light districts of our day and to the people who seem so unreachable, and He promises that his Church will prevail!

Our last stop of the day was a hike down a long lonely road, with only a few lazy looking cows hanging about. And there, out in the middle of nowhere, was the Jordan River. Next to Jerusalem, the Jordan is the most oft-mentioned geographic character in the Bible, over 200 times. And there it was… looking a lot smaller than we all had imagined. We talked about the faith that it took for the Priests to step into the Jordan at flood stage, and how faithful God was stop the flow so they could cross. Rabbi Rod asked us the question, “What is it for us that awaits us on the other side of the Jordan, something that we have been called to, but we have been too afraid to step into the waters and cross?” He then invited anyone who wished to, to get wet in the Jordan. Some practiced Mikveh, while others strapped on their boots and walked through the river to other side. It was definitely one of our holy moments as a group.

God bless you all, and stay tuned for another post later today.

At the River’s edge,

Shalom.

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