Final Day

Wow what an experience this whole trip has been. As one person said well, “we seem to have been running where Jesus walked but in three weeks.

What I mean by that is that we were all over Israel (and even Jordan for the last three days). We spent a week in Jerusalem visiting many sights and seeing so many places that Jesus would have been familiar with. We then went to Golan Heights and West Bank, and then up to Dan in the North. We even looked out at where Syria, Israel and Lebanon meet. We then worked our way down to Beersheba almost to Gaza and swam in the Mediterranean. We then went through the Negev up to the Dead Sea (swam in that too). After visiting the Dead Sea areas we then moved north a bit to the Sea of Galilee and discussed Jesus ministry around that area.

It seems to me then that we’ve been to the highest of highs (seeing snow on Mt. Hebron in the North) to the lowest place on earth (the Dead Sea which is 1,300 feet below sea level).

With all that in mind, I thought I’d just share a few of my favorite photos from my time here.

Again, to those who prayed for my family and I while away- how can I say thank you other than to say “thank you for being a blessing in my life.”

PS- It's 9:30pm here now, leaving at 12:30 am to take a taxi to Tel Aviv airport- then its in the air for a while till I get home on Wednesday sometime. Can't wait to see my family at home and at church. 

Pool of Silom

Hiking in the Desert

In one of Herod's Cisterns- thinking about Jesus the light...

Wheat and Weeds

This is the JUC where my classes were held

Caesarea Maritima

under Herod's Aquaduct

Capermaum, Bethsaida, and Corazin are behind me

Looking at Mt. Arbel from the Sea of Galilee

These items are not in the Beatitudes...

Jordan River

Petra

I sign off with an informal greeting I made up while here- "shalomie homie!"

Well I hate to say it again, but today was another great day. Of course I am missing you all (especially my wife and kids). Today was not the 103 degree day we had yesterday but much cooler. We had a chance to swim in the Sea of Galilee last night and the waves were huge. Brings new meaning to the storm coming on the boat as the disciples are afraid and Jesus is sleeping.

Well we visited many sights today but we began at Hazor which is found in 1 Kings 9:15 where Solomon is building city walls in different places, Hazor included. 

We also had some time to spend at Tel Dan (in the Northern most part of Israel) where the tribe of Dan would have been.

Tel Dan is very beautiful with natural springs and differ variety of flowers. No wonder why the tribe of Dan wanted to be here instead of in the desert like Beersheba which was way to the south. But it was later that Jeroboam in 1 Kings 12:25ff built Golden Calves at the high places so the people would not have to go to Jerusalem. “Here are your gods O Israel,” Jeroboam said. Just look at the outline of an alter Jeroboam would have built there.

At Dan we also saw a very old mud gate that Abraham would have seen. (Gen. 14) 
 

Next, we spent some time at Caesarea Philippi and talked about Jesus in Mt. 16:13 asking Peter “Who do you say I am?” and then Peter saying “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Just imagine standing within earshot of this place and hearing Jesus asking Peter this?

 

What would you do if you heard Peter answer this way? Would you dare speak up? Are you normally the silent type, or would this moment move you to respond in some audible way? Would you stand with Peter and give your answer out loud in front of all to hear?

Tomorrow we make our way back to Jerusalem for a day or so and then its on to Jordan for 3 days. 

Praying all is well with you back home. 

See you all in a week or so.....

Marshall

first day north of Jerusalem

 Well today was a study of the Samaria area. We started the day at Ancient Shiloh (Judges 21:19, 1 Samuel 1:3, 3:3, and 4:4) and we envisioned Eli sitting in his chair at the gate, seeing the man running up the path to him. We then talked about the man telling Eli that the Ark had just been captured and of how Eli then fell of his chair and broke his neck and died. 

 

 

Our next site for the day was at Jacob’s Well and we spent time talking about Jesus meeting the woman in John 4 at the well. This picture is hard to see, but our guide, Carl Lanny is at the well which is 150 feet deep. We later had one of our group members use the phrase “in life, the well is too deep and our ropes are too short.” And we talked about the truth that the only way to get living water in life is from Jesus.

 

 

Oh, I also saw a bus company that 

messed up Tammy’s name. 

 

 

We then spent time at Shechem and looked at Deuteronomy 27 where at Mount Ebal Moses commands the people to be blessed on one mountain and cursed on the other. Look at how close the two mountains are, all the people could have heard Moses who would have been between the two.

  

Walking along a path I also saw this great shot of the wheat along with the weeds which reminds us of the story Jesus tells in Matthew 13 where he says “let both grow until the harvest.” 

So the final question for the day- have you realized that the well is too deep and that your rope is too short? Or, will you still try to fill yourself with what you can obtain?

Until next time- Shabat Shalom. (Sabbath begins tonight & my roommate and I have been invited to a authentic Shabbat dinner in the old city).

Blessings

Oh, one last photo. This is of me and my roomate! Does anybody know his name?

more days in the Holy Land- South of Jerusalem

 So I’ve been a little silent in blog land these last 3 days. That’s because we were on a field trip for 3 days to the Shephela, Judah, Philistia, Negev, and Dead Sea areas and it was easier to leave my laptop behind at the JUC office.

But, wow, what a journey the last 3 days has been. The area we traveled to is south of Jerusalem and can be seen in the changing landscape and hotter temperatures. We also spent time in the cities of Beth Shemesh (1 Sam. 6:14) Lakish, Askelon, Ashdod (1 Sam. 5:5), Azekah, Socho (1 Sam. 17:1), Maresha, Lakish (Isaiah 36:2). And all those locations were on day 7 alone.

On day 8 we spent some time at a site called Arad (Numbers 21:1) which was amazing. They found a small temple in this city with two incense alters. Why is one bigger than the other? Many scholars say this is an example of God+. This town possibly worshiped God and another smaller god. This got me thinking to my life and how I put God first but also have a dependency on other things. What in your life do you add on to God instead of trusting in him wholly?(see two small square stones below)

 Next we spent some time at Beersheba and read from Amos 5:5 “Seek me and live, do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba….seek the Lord and live…” This is where I found an awesome piece of pottery that I’m hoping customs will let me keep. I saw a 5 inch long piece of pottery just poking through the top of the dirt, and after moving some dirt around, it was mine. Amazing- just thinking about someone using this for either drinking, or olive oil or some other common every day use. 

 

Check out this Canaanite camp below the Israelite camp- wonder if the Israelites were influenced by the Canaanites? 

 

  Next during the afternoon we hiked through Ein Avdat in the desert of Sin (Exodus 16:1 the Israelites grumble) and I think it took me about an hour and a half before grumbling about the heat. What in your day today has caused you to grumble? Have you had a chance to thank God for all he’s already given you and done for you?

Today was also Masada-(pict below)  that fortress of Herod that the Jews ran to in order to hide from the Romans in AD 70. 

I also found myself down in one of Herod's cistern's at one point- the light was just right so I threw some dust in the air and had this picture taken. (ready to go???)

We also ended the day at Qumran - where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and at En Gedi where David hid from Saul.

Well that is probably enough for today, I will post more in another few days as we head out to Samaria tomorrow and then Galilee on Monday.

PS- happy 11^th birthday to my awesome little girl Sydney. Happy birthday to my little peanut! Have a great day!

saturday-

Today was a day of contrasts in that we spent time looking at Bethlehem (the town our King was born in) and Herod’s Palace Fortress (one of Herod’s palaces used to flee from his enemies). So interesting that Jesus was born not too far from where Herod would have been living. Yet, Jesus comes to a lowly stable, and Herod, he builds a palace on top of a mountain. Which King will you follow is the question to ask yourself? Follow the king who lives on eternal.

(below picture- was taken from inside the mountain above- Herod built his palace up top of it)