Day 07 - Beth Shean, Megiddo, Mt. Carmel, Caesarea Maritima

Shalom from Jerusalem!
 
We woke up for the last time this morning on the Sea of Galilee.
 
Our journey today took us through the Jezreel Valley, starting at Beth Shean. Beth Shean was first mentioned in the Old Testament book of Joshua, when the tribes were being allotted their territories (Beth Shean went to Manasseh). It’s also mentioned after the death of Saul and Jonathan.
 
The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. (1 Samuel 31:8-10, NLT)
 
Heartbreaking, isn’t it? The kingdom may have been taken from Saul and given to David, but what an undignified end for one who ruled over the people of God.
 
Beth Shean, though, later became known as Scythopolis. It was conquered by the Greeks and was then Hellenized. Hellenism is the Greek perspective of the world that places man at the center. Sure, they had their gods and goddesses and worship was an important part of their culture, but Hellenism is really centered on human achievement – in physical feats, in the arts and architecture, in intellectual pursuits, and so forth.
 
Our culture kind of sounds Hellenistic, doesn’t it?
 
As you walk through the ruins of Beth Shean today, you can imagine it’s former glory. The amphitheater is magnificent. The bathhouse is tiled with beautiful mosaics. The fallen columns are gigantic.
 
And that’s kind of the point. It was meant to entice. It was meant to draw you in and invite you to sample the Hellenistic way of life.
 
But for both the Jew and the Christian, man is not at the center of the universe. God – the Creator – of the universe is. Man is not the source or arbiter of truth, God is. Man is not the ultimate authority, God is – and man is to be submissive to Him.
 
We can appreciate human achievement, but we worship the God who created humans in the first place.
 
From Beth Shean, we went to Megiddo. Megiddo was a one of three cities that guarded the Via Maris trade route – one of the most important trade routes in the world.
 
We had an incredible lesson on the relationship between archaeology and the Bible. There has been no archaeological discovery ever made that disproved the historical account of the Bible. Raised questions? Yes. Disproved? No.
 
By way of example, we went to the city gates that had a unique six-chamber design. The design is only found two other places – Hazor and Gezer. These gates date to about the 10th century BC – the time of Solomon. Interesting, isn’t it, that we read this in Scripture.
 
Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. (1 Kings 9:15, NIV)
 
It’s one of those verse you might be tempted to skim right past, but actually has proven out archaeologically.
 
We then went to Mount Carmel – the site of Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal. The people of Israel, influenced by king Ahab, have been worshiping Baal and Elijah comes to call them to repentance. To do so, he challenges the 450 prophets of Baal to a contest.
 
The prophets of Baal will put a bull on an altar and call out to Baal, while Elijah will do likewise, but call out to God. Whoever answers by sending fire from heaven is the one true God.
 
You know how the story goes. After calling out to Baal all day, the prophets are met with silence. Elijah prays a short prayer, asking God to answer his prayer so that all Israel would know that He is God and turn back to Him. God immediate sends fire down upon the altar, consuming everything in its path.
 
The story, of course, demonstrates God’s superiority over Baal, but we spent a bit of time reflecting on Elijah’s love and passion for the Lord and His people. He lived in a spiritually desolate time. It was not culturally popular – or even safe – for Elijah to take the stand he did. But his love and passion compelled him to speak and act in alignment with the truth of who God is.
 
Just before Elijah was taken up to heaven, he asked Elisha, his disciple if there was anything else he could offer him. Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, a double portion of his passion and zeal for the Lord.
 
Wouldn’t it be amazing to be asked that? Wouldn’t it be amazing to have lived a life so evidently single-minded?
 
Can you imagine what one intensely passionate person could do for the Kingdom? What one intensely passionate family or church or community could do? It would change the world, wouldn’t it?
 
Our last stop was at Caesarea Maritima. Caesarea Maritima was built by Herod the Great in the first-century BC. Years later, it’s where Paul stood trial before the Roman governor Festus and King Agrippa. Agrippa allowed Paul to speak to the charges against him. Paul took the opportunity to not only address the charges, but to share his entire testimony with Agrippa. Listen to how his trial ends.
            “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” (Acts 26:27-29, NLT)
Paul likely would have been released, but he had made an appeal to Caesar and once such an appeal was made, there was no turning back. But Paul had gotten to share the gospel with Agrippa and now, headed for Rome, he’d get to share it with the Emperor (though we’re not privy to that part of the story).
Isn’t that incredible? Isn’t that convicting? Paul had been wrongly accused, but instead of complaining about it he uses his chains as an opportunity to talk about Jesus. I love that.
We then drove to Jerusalem where we’ll stay for the remainder of our time in the land. It’s hard to believe we only have three days left. God has done and is doing incredible things. We can’t wait to see what He has for us in Jerusalem.