Day 06 - Galilee - Jerusalem: Beth Shean, Megiddo, Mt. Carmel, Caesarea Maritima

BETH SHEAN (alternative spelling Bét She’an)

We kicked off today with one of the most impressive sites! A town in most of its Roman/pre-Roman glory. There aren’t words to describe the feeling of looking down upon the town in all of its fallen beauty. Samuel 31 references what happened here and the town’s historical connection. At the very end of the mountains visible from the top of Beth Shean, Saul ended up going to war with his sons. The story begins when Saul communicated with ‘Samuel’ through a medium who shouldn’t have even been in the land. He fought with the Philistines and Saul gets wounded then commits suicide. His three sons die as well. The Philistines put the four bodies on the walls of Beth Shean. The top of the mountain where we were was the old Beth Shean. It has Egyptian elements and is built on a lush hill with a beautiful view. Eventually it was expanded down to the main area where the majority of buildings are located. This city was on a trade route to the Jordan valley. There are lots of springs nearby (this is valley of springs), so it was a prosperous spot. En Harod spring is one of them. It’s mentioned in the context of Gideon (judge). As a note to that story, those who were drinking with one hand were ready to fight with their other, hence the reason they were the best soldiers to bring.

This spot has 5000+ years of history. This was also called Scythopolis, which was part of Decapolis (10 different cities). Jesus is recorded to have traveled to at least one of them. The other cities are now owned by Jordan or Syria. Most of what we see is Roman byzantine era. In 749 ad was a horrible earthquake that destroyed the city. You can see the evidence of earthquake with the collapsed columns. The city was build with an e/w road and a n/s road. It included astonishing pillars and a breathtaking theater. The theater could hold ~4000-5000. It was definitely a Roman theater as it was freestanding unlike the atypical Greek theater which would have been built into a hill.

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We drove past Beth Shaen valley then Jezreel and the valley of Jezreel. The city of Nazareth was at one end of the valley. It would have been a city of 200-300 people then.

We also passed Mount Tabor. This mountain is mentioned in Judges 4:6-16. In summary, Deborah goes and reminds Barak should have gone already; she joins him upon his demand but recognized that he will gain no honor from it. With unseasonable rain the chariots were stopped and the victory was won. “March on my soul with strength” -Deborah.

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MEGIDDO

For Megiddo, it’s believed that the valley below is where Armageddon happens (based on name). This mountain holds ruins from 5000+ years ago. Scientists estimate is has 25 layers of civilization built on top of each other.

We got to see the stable that may have housed Solomon’s horses (and sit in the trough with Leslie). We also got to go down once more to the aqueduct system that they had built to allow water in during sieges. 183 steps down, 6 Lord of the Rings jokes, and 80 steps up again, and we have the experience of a lifetime! The aqueduct was large enough that a 6'5" man walked through without hitting his head. We could still see the chisel marks along the walls. What a great way to hide your water from you enemies!

MT. CARMEL

Mount Carmel was topped with an eccentric church with a fascinating rock garden (and 5 cats). Ahab, the one who had the tunnel built at Beth Shean, fought with Elijah (1 Kings 18). Mount Carmel was the space where the contest with Ba’al happened. The people gathered and Elijah challenges them to a test to see who they should follow, God or Ba’al. The alters were prepared (this was during a time of drought) and the Baal priests danced and shouted and such. After a few hours Elijah started to mock them. After a while Elijah put together the Lord’s altar, poured water over it three times. This would have been drought season so a huge water commitment. The Lord’s fire burned it all including the water, then Elijah prophesies a flood (first rain in 7 years). Elijah ran faster than a horse-drawn chariots to make it to Israel.

CAESAREA MARITIMA

Herold the Great builds the city in honor of Caesar Augustus (Octavius). There was something under that they built on top of. Cleopatra’s Anthony was fighting Octavius before they died and Octavius became Augustus. This was the biggest port in Roman times. The two wave breakers built created an artificial lagoon which made this a favorable spot to trade.

Many of the Roman leaders were living here; and even to this day it’s a friendly place to live. The city had everything modern, including a theater, amphitheater, palace, baths, bathrooms, etc. The theater was incredible and would have seated 5,000. There were also painted marble statues (similar to Greece). I even found a government building that was adapted into a tavern. Later on it was destroyed over time.

The first place Peter goes to a non-Jewish house in Jaffa, but from there he comes here. Paul had been held prisoner for two years by Harold Felix. The religious leaders had made at least one attempt on his life, and there was already a plot made to kill him on the way to Jerusalem for trial. Paul declined going to Jerusalem; he was brought before Afestus Agrippa (?) to defend his belief in Christianity (Act 25). Throughout the conversation Paul was both polite and sharp, speaking with words according to God’s will.

The cross wasn’t used as a Christian symbol until after the Romans stopped using it to execute people. Cross can be translated to “execution stake”; it was a well recognized instrument of extreme torture and death.

We also stopped off to see the Roman aqueducts. There are two built right side by side, since the city exceeded the aqueduct’s ability at one point.

Kristin Schneider