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Israel Study Tour
October 20 - November 1, 2019
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On the road to Jerusalem
On the seventh day of our adventure in Israel, we drove through the Jazreal Valley and arrived at Tel Megiddo. Tel Megiddo is the most important tel in Israel and combines past (1 Kings 9), present, and future (Revelation 16:12-16). It overlooks the valley of Armageddon where the battle in Rev. 16 will take place!
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.
Our next location was Mt. Carmel which includes several biblical stories with the most famous one being Elijah and the Baal prophets in 1 Kings. It’s been so special to have individual prayer times at some of our locations, like Mt. Carmel where our prayers came out of James 5:17-18.
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).
Before doing a two hour drive to Jerusalem, we walked through and learned about Caesarea Maritima: King Herod’s massive port on the Mediterranean Sea that included a theater and a sports arena. The place was massive and the uncovered ruins are beautiful to walk through. In Acts 24-26 it references to Paul being imprisoned here, and Peter met Cornelius here in Caesarea in Acts 10.
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.
We had our dinner at Jerusalem! And now for the next few days of our trip, we’ll be in the holy city of Jerusalem!
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