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Israel Study Tour
March 13-23, 2017
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Greetings from the Land of Israel!
Today was our first full day here in Israel, and we saw A LOT. After a long flight and really no major complications, we arrived late last night and spent our first night in Jerusalem. Some of us slept better than others, but we were all up and ready to go at 7am. Our first stop was a place called Kiriath Jearim, which means “The place of the trees.” We learned about how the Ark of God was located here for 20 years (1 Samuel 7). There was also several replicas of wine presses, threshing floors and watchtowers.
Kiriath-Jearim
The biblical city of Kiriath Jearim is best known for the house of Abinadab which held the Ark of the Covenant from the time of Samuel until the time of David (about 120 years). Kiriath Jearim was originally a Gibeonite city that fell within the tribal territory of Judah near the borders of Benjamin and Dan. The prophet Uriah, a contemporary of Jeremiah, was from Kiriath Jearim.
The next place we went was to Beth Shemesh, which means “House of Sun.” Beth Shemesh is a Tel, which is basically a large mound that was once a city that had been destroyed and then resettled over the ruins and then destroyed and on and on. It’s like a layer cake of ruins. Three necessary things that each Tel settlement needed was water, defenses, and close location to major transportation roads. Each Tel we went to we were able to see huge water cisterns that were built to hold vital water to sustain life. We were struck by the realization of how necessary it is for each of us to stay connected to Jesus, the living water. Without Him, we cannot stand up to the pressures and disappointments of this world. He is our very life.
Beth Shemesh
A border city between Judah and Dan, Beth Shemesh was given to the Levites. Beth Shemesh was the most important Israelite city in the Sorek Valley as it watched both east-west traffic through the Sorek Valley and north-south traffic along the “Diagonal Route.” Recent excavations have shown a thriving city here from the Middle Bronze Age through the Iron II period.
After Beth Shemesh, we went to two other large Tels and are still being excavated; Lachish (2 Kings 17) and Be’er Sheva (Genesis 21). The water cisterns here were enormous and held a very large amount of water.
We also got to stand on the top of a large ridge that overlooked the Elah Valley where David fought and killed Goliath. We were even able to pick stones out of the very creek that David chose his five smooth stones.
Tel Azekah and Elah Valley
The Brook Elah is famous for the five stones it contributed to the young slinger, David. Some surmise that David chose five stones instead of the one needed in case he needed to face Goliath’s four brothers.
Finally, we made our way down to the Dead Sea. The landscape change was dramatic as we drove. It went from lush green hills to dessert mountains in a matter of minutes. We drove further and further down toward the sea and the scenery was stunning. Like I said, we saw a lot of incredible things today and learned a ton of new information.
The thing that strikes me over and over again is the incredible story of redemption. God’s love for his people and because of Jesus, all people. Our messiah has come and adopted us into His family. What an incredible experience to walk in the very land that He once walked.
Pray for continued safety and also that we would be able to retain all the excellent teaching and information that we are receiving every day.
God Bless!
Dead Sea
Known in the Bible as the “Salt Sea” or the “Sea of the Arabah,” this inland body of water is appropriately named because its high mineral content allows nothing to live in its waters. Other post-biblical names for the Dead Sea include the “Sea of Sodom,” the “Sea of Lot,” the “Sea of Asphalt” and the “Stinking Sea.” In the Crusader period, it was sometimes called the “Devil’s Sea.” All of these names reflect something of the nature of this lake.
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