Day 06 - Galilee – Jerusalem: Beth She’an, Megiddo, Mt. Carmel, Caesarea Maritima

Although resolutely headed for Jerusalem as our terminus for Day 6 of the trip, we began with a devotional by Pastor Brad Holmes on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Calling our attention to the hills high above us to the east, Brad told of two visits to this area (the Decapolis or Ten Cities) by Jesus. This pagan-dominated city was the site of a temple of Dionysus and featured a statue of her that glistened in the evening sun. On his first visit, Jesus healed the demoniac and cast the demons into a herd of pigs. With an ancient cemetery just down the road, it is possible we stood very close to where this healing took place. On Jesus’s second visit (Mark 8), he performs another miracle by feeding the 4,000. Brad called our attention to the real possibility that many of those who were there had heard about Jesus from the demoniac, who was probably obedient to Jesus’s direction of “Go home to your family and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been” (Mark 5:19). This reminded us that God uses our stories, both good and bad, to bring people to himself.

We then made the short trip to Beth She’an, the largest of the Ten Cities. Entering this national park through the back gate (with the approval of a ranger), we first saw the ruins of the Eastern Gate, a triple gate that would have been protected by soldiers and would lead directly to the other side of town and the Western Gate. This site was near the location of the call on Gideon as Brad connected his fear with whatever our fears may be. Like Gideon, Brad encouraged us to recognize God’s presence and his love, a love that expels all fear (1 John 4:18).

Moving further into the site Dan, our guide had been promising a breathtaking surprise. He wasn’t kidding! We crested a hill and looked down on an unbelievable excavated Roman city. The city featured shops, an agora, a theater, a bathhouse and more! We spent time exploring the ruins of this city that was destroyed by a massive earthquake in 749 AD.

Next, we drove to the top of Mt. Carmel, the location of the famous battle between Elijah and the one true God and King Ahab and his prophets of Baal. We gathered and read through the story as Brad urged us to consider the things we put our confidence in other than God. Only God can fully deliver and satisfy. We took in the views from the top before heading to lunch at a local restaurant.

We were then on our way to the Valley of Megiddo, the site of many famous battles throughout history, including the death of King Josiah after his reign of 31 years (2 Chronicles 35:22-24). This site is also named as history’s final battle, where the nations will gather in one last attempt to defeat Jesus and his host (Revelation 26:13-14). But for our purposes today, Tel Megiddo is one of the most significant archeological discoveries ever made. With civilization stacked upon civilization (23 in all!), we saw well-preserved ruins that featured ancient horse stables. We exited the site through a tunnel that led to the area’s natural spring.

Our final stop was on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and one of Herod the Great’s most magnificent building projects: Caesarea Maritima. These spectacular remains featured a 5,000-seat theater (still used today, as it was set for a performance when we arrived). We also learned of Herod’s deep-water port (currently 30 feet under the Mediterranean Sea). This port, only made possible through the use of a unique salt water-resistant cement that Herod developed, allowed him to sell his country’s grain all over the known world at the best price possible.

We also were told of a recent archeological discovery, a find they may have located as the exact prison where Paul was incarcerated in Acts 24:27! While not yet confirmed, with much work yet to be done, biblical scholars are anxiously awaiting the results! Several of us also took the opportunity to step into the waters of the Mediterranean before the long two-hour ride to Jerusalem. This means in just a few hours, we went from one Sea (Galilee) to another (Mediterranean)! With just three days left in our journey, we look forward to experiencing some of the greatest sites in the Bible before we head back to the States.