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Israel Study Tour - Wheaton Academy

January 8-17, 2019

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Katsrin, Cesarea Philippi, Tel Dan

We began today with a very unique experience at the ancient town of Katsrin. We walked up to this area not knowing what to expect and before we knew it we were dressed in the clothes of ancient Israel, grinding olives into olive oil on an ancient olive press and cooking bread around a campfire. We toured the sight of this small town and went into a reconstructed house from the time of Jesus. Sitting in this tiny house we read the story of the friends who dug a hole in the ceiling to get their friend to Jesus. It reframed the story as we read it sitting in a home like those of that time.

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

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We hung up our tunics, got on the bus, and headed to a city that Jesus only visited once during his life – Cesarea Philippi. Jesus brought his disciples to what was considered the most vile city in Israel. Cesarea Philippi was a city devoted to the worship of Pan – a half man half goat god associated with underworld. The temple to Pan in this city was built around what they believed to be the gates of hell. It was here that Jesus turned to the disciples and said, “Who do you say that I am?” And after Peter’s response he said, “On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it.” Jesus was not talking about a building or physical place but the people of God, the Church. It felt powerful as we sat there – the Church – looking at the ruins of this temple. It seems that the Church did indeed overcame the gates of hell because here we are and that temple is in ruins. But that isn’t the complete story here because during this visit Jesus also made it clear that Jesus not only desired to defeat this pagan temple, but also to love and save the people of this city. There is no one beyond Christ’s love.

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.

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As the rain approached we raced to our last sight for the day, Tel Dan. It was an interesting stop to a place that should not even exist. When the Israelites settled into the Promised Land, God has allotted a place in the south for the tribe of Dan and yet here we sat at the northern most part of Israel. We read in Scripture about a tribe that was not satisfied with the allotment that God had given them so they left what God gave them and set out to find what they wanted. This was a convicting moment to reflect on if we are satisfied with the allotment that God gives us or if we are prone to leave it behind seeking what we want. We found that for the tribe of Dan – and for ourselves – that it never ends well for those leave behind what God gives them for what they want.

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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Our last stop in Dan was hurried as the rain came in but the significance of this place was staggering. We stood looking at the gateway to the only entrance into the city of Dan, dating back to 1800 BC – when Abraham lived. As if that was not enough, we read Genesis 14 where Abraham was searching for Lot who had been captured and in scripture it says that he went as far north as Dan. If this was the only gate into Dan and this city dates back to Abraham’s time, then Abraham walked through this gate in search for Lot. We finished today day looking at the same city walls that Abraham saw as he walked the earth.

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