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Israel Study Tour with Bridges for Peace, Central Life Church, Lighthouse Christian Church, Village Bible Church
June 18-29, 2017
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Through the roof
Greetings! Today we completed our tour of the Sea of Galilee with a visit to a small town called Kursi and then spent the majority of the time in the Golan Heights.
The first site visited was Kursi, a Gentile town on the eastern part of the Sea of Galilee in the area known as the Gerasenes. The town was in earshot of the Roman cities of the Decapolis. Andrew Gilmore taught on Mark 5 where the demon possessed man was delivered. This town was in the area where Jesus would have visited and ministered.
We then drove north to the Golan Heights. Our first town was Qatzrin. Ronen described how wine and olive oil were pressed in the first century. Ron Johnson taught from Mark 2 about Jesus forgiving the paralyzed man and healing him because of his friend’s faith. We were lucky to have been able to go inside a small house which was typical of that time. Ron taught while 40 of us squeezed in to the tiny building. We saw the roof through which the paralyzed man would have been lowered by his friends.
Katzrin
The ancient Jewish farming village of Katzrin was built around a spring, which still flows. Although there were standing ruins on the site, archaeological excavations have increased the number of accessible ancient buildings. An ancient synagogue was discovered in 1967 and excavated between 1971 and 1984. Other parts of the village were excavated beginning in 1983. Some of the buildings have been reconstructed on their ancient foundations and furnished with replicas of household goods and tools
Next we visited Banias Falls. This stream is one of three that feeds the Jordan River at the mouth of the Sea of Galilee. The forest was very lush and green. Many of us had a good work out hiking but were rewarded by the beauty of the waterfall and stream.
Caesarea Philippi
This abundant water supply has made the area very fertile and attractive for religious worship. Numerous temples were built at this city in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
We had the opportunity to view the Hula Valley and were able to see Lebanon from afar. Our visit to Caesarea Philippi allowed us to see the ruins of the tribute to the Roman gods, including Pan.
We capped our day with a visit to Dan. Ronen taught on the tribe of Dan failing to enter their land and taking over a region called Laish; later renaming it Dan. In Dan, we saw the ruins of the shrine King Jeroboam established. Randy Alonso taught at the site of Abraham’s Gate
It was a full day of rich teaching and challenge from our guides, as well as hiking and opportunity to see the beauty of the region.
Written by David Walker
Tel Dan
On the northern frontier of the kingdom, Dan was particularly well fortified. This gatehouse was built in the ninth century BCE, probably by Ahab, and is part of a series of gateways discovered.
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