Day 06 - Decapolis: Mount Gilboa, Beth Shean, Susita, Jordan River

Day six - today was a big day! We started off the day at Beth She'an, which is part of the Decapolis (some think it is the capital.) This place became a Roman city in 3rd century B.C. and was basically "Rome in Israel." Seeing the marble everywhere, the intricacies of the carvings in the columns, the spa, the shops, the theatre - it was mesmerizing. But it also drove home the point that sometimes we get excited about the things man builds instead of the things God provides. The Romans built columns that could withstand most earthquakes; however, a major earthquake destroyed the city for good in 749AD.

Hebrews 12:26-27 reminds us that lives built on Christ are the only things that will stand in the end. Being a Roman city, the people in Beth She'an worshipped false gods, lived in darkness and debauchery, and basically approached life in a way that says "Here, I can be my own god." As Christians, we know this is a sad way to live. Recognizing the depravity here was a good reminder that we are always being discipled, either by culture or by scripture, and that living as a believer in our own cities back home is of the utmost importance. The biggest takeaway from this site was that our stories have such impact on those around us. We don't have the ability to change the minds of unbelievers; all we can do is share our story and the ways the Lord has transformed our own lives. We have to pray for others and pray for the Holy Spirit to soften hearts and create that burning desire to know the Lord and have a personal relationship with him.

After leaving Beth She'an, we traveled to Susita/Hippos, which means the horse. This was a Roman city - 20 acres on plateau - a very wealthy town. It's the only city in Israel where podias have been found, which are platforms that give tribute to the wealthy. The city was known for the red marble on its columns, which shone in the sun. In 67 B.C. Pompeii organized cities and this area became known as the "Land of the 7". In Joshua 3:7-10 it talks about God driving out the 7 " ites" - the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

While sitting overlooking the mountainside, we heard the story from Mark 5 and Luke 8 of Jesus healing a man with a demon. The man saw Jesus coming to shore, ran to him, and fell down in front of Jesus. The demons inside of the man begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss (body of water that you don't know what is under it). Essentially what the demons were begging for was to not be sent to hell. Hell is punishment for Satan and demons too - they don't reign there. Jesus speaks and the demons obey; Jesus has absolute authority! The demons enter a herd of pigs nearby, who then run off the cliff into the lake and drown. The people of the city were freaked out and afraid of what had happened, and they begged Jesus to leave. The man who Jesus had healed begs Jesus to let him go with Jesus but Jesus tells him no. At first you feel bad for the man, but the reason he had to remain is because he had a story to tell and his story points to Jesus.

This was a great reminder that others don't need our wealth, advice, etc: they need our Jesus. In Mark 8:1-10 we read about how Jesus came back to this city at a later time, and there was a following of 4,000 people - these followers all began with the healed man telling his story. Jesus had seven loaves of bread to feed the crowd with and had seven baskets leftover; they were in the "land of the 7". The parallels and connections truly come to life here! We finished in Susita by visiting the remnants of a Christian church - there are currently eight Christian churches that have been discovered in Susita. The big takeaway: we ALL have a story to tell that will impact and further the Lord's kingdom!

Today was intensely hot, so what better way to end it then taking a dip in the Jordan river?! We had the opportunity to submerge into the river and treat it as a Mikvah (ritual bath). The focus during this is to cleanse the head, heart, hands, and feet. The water was refreshingly cold and the current was swifter than you'd expect. It was an incredibly unique, surreal experience!