Feb. 15 Touring the north country: Galilee

One of the amazing things about Israel is its small size.  Within a couple of hours you can drive from lush green fields to mountains to wasteland to sea shore.  It is difficult for the western mind to understand how quickly the terrain and climate could change in a day’s walk.  In the US we would have to drive hours and hours to be able to experience all of the different climates.  There are even snow caps atop Mount Hermon to the north.  I’m amazed at how a small understanding of geography can affect how you read and understand the Bible.

This morning, we boarded the bus and headed off to Nazareth.  The little home town of Jesus is now a metropolis of over 70,000 people.  The city now spans portions of the valley and the hills surrounding the old town.  We took a few pictures from the road, but the pictures from the Mount of the Precipice are more inclusive.  We ascended the road to the top of the mountain and then took a short hike up the path to the overlook.  What an awesome sight!  On the north we had the view of Nazareth and to the south we had the view of the lush green Jezreel valley. Jezreel means, “God will plant.”  It is evident that this valley is close to the heart of God and has been a place where He has worked throughout Bible history and will into the future.   It is no doubt that Jesus spent time up there as a boy and young man.  There is Mount Tabor where the account of Deborah and Barak took place, Mount Gilboa where we can see Gideon’s spring, Megiddo where King Ahab had a palace and where the final battle of Armageddon will culminate, and also Mount Carmel where Elijah took on the prophets of Baal.  I can imagine that Jesus spent some time there remembering His work throughout history and contemplating the final work of God in the future.

After Pastor Brian’s message about the valley we took some pictures and boarded the bus heading toward Megiddo.  We walked up the hill and viewed the 3 chambered city gates that made it nearly impenetrable.  This city was an ancient one bearing evidence of the pagan, hedonistic idolatry of the Canaanite cultures that occupied it for years before the land was possessed by the children of Israel.  From the hill, we could view the Jezreel Valley and see Nazareth and Mount Tabor just behind it.  We had the opportunity to see the water system built by King Ahab so that the city would always have a water source even under siege.  Ahab was a smart and industrious man, but he sure knew how to be a crybaby!

Our next trip took us to Mount Carmel, there we again looked into the Jezreel Valley and had a challenge from II Samuel where Elijah faced the prophets of Baal.  You could almost hear the thousands of people shouting, “The Lord, He is God!”  We walked up to the roof of the monastery that is there and had a magnificaent view of all that surrounded us.  We were also able to see the Brook Kidron where Elisha slew the prophets of Baal.

Lunch was at a “by the wayside” restaurant owned by a Druze couple.  I’ve never heard of the Druze religious sect, but they are a combination of Judaic, Islamic, and Christian faiths.  They are a very secretive society that keep their religion to themselves and almost never marry outside of their families.  We had falafel and schnitzel pitas along with the traditional salad and vegetable sides.

We finished or day’s tour by heading over to the Mediterranean cost.  Our first stop near Caesarea was at an auquaduct by the sea.  By the time we leave Israel, we will have seen the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Dead Sea, and the Sea of Galilee.  We then headed to the city of Caesarea.  There in the theater we read the account of Peter and Cornelius where the Gospel was fully opened to the Gentiles.  The Apostle Paul also spent a couple of years here on his way to Rome to appeal to Caesar.  It was here that King Agrippa spoke his famous words, “Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian.”  It is believed that Paul may have written a few epistles while here.

Caesarea was a truly amazing city.  Herod the Great turned it into the famous sea port that it was in the days of Jesus.  Like Beth Shean, it was a place of paganism and hedonism that would have focused on the externals and pleasure.

After finishing there we headed toward Jerusalem, which will be our central location for the remainder of the trip.  4 nights 3 days in the Ambassador.  What a beautiful place!  Tomorrow will be a whirlwind of Masada, Qumran, the Dead Sea, and Jericho….