Day 3 – Wednesday, April 30: Caesarea, Megiddo, Mt. Gilboa, Precipice of Nazareth, Tiberias
Today was our first full day here in Israel. We are all excited to engage with the Bible and the primary land where biblical events took place. The day’s weather was warm and partly sunny in the morning. In the afternoon it was overcast. After a wonderful full breakfast, we loaded the bus and left about 7:30. We read Psalm 100 as we drove north to our first site. We also learned the song, “Oh, the Sun’s Coming Up.” 🙂
Caesarea Maritima
We drove north in the Sharon Plain to get to our first site, Caesarea Maritima. It was a city built between 22-10 BC by Herod the Great.We started the the theater where we read portions of Acts 8, 9, 10, 12, 21, and 26. Peter, Phillip, and Paul were all here sharing their faith in Christ. Among the ruins the praetorium (palace, where we saw a replica of the Pilate Inscription found in 1961 in secondary use), hippodrome, and the area of the harbor. We then entered the Crusader part of the city. We ascended to the top for a great view of the harbor below. Before leaving the site, we also saw the aqueduct that brought fresh water into Caesarea from the Carmel Range.
Carmel Range
Leaving Caesarea, we drove to the top of the Carmel Range (or Mt. Carmel). This range separates the Sharon Plain with the Jezreel Valley. On the way, we once again (for Memorial Day) stopped the bus and stood in silence as the sirens sounded at 11 a.m. throughout the country in honor of the fallen. At Muhraqa (“burnt offering), we had a great view of the valley below. We read from Isaiah 35, Amos 1 and 9, and Song of Songs 7. The primary story connected with Elijah the the Carmel Range comes from 1 Kings 18. In the open courtyard of this place they have a wonderful display of flowers as well! Following our time here, we enjoyed lunch at a nearby restaurant owned by a wonderful Druze family!
Megiddo
After lunch, we descended to the edge of the Jezreel Valley to Megiddo, an archaeological site that has about 25 levels of occupation that span 2,500 years! After seeing a model of the tel (ancient mound), we walked to the top of this Canaanite/Israelite site. We saw two Canaanite gate complexes, the gate, stables and palace area of Solomon (1 Kings 9:15), a sacrificial altar (Canaanite), and a grain silo. The also enjoyed a great view of the surrounding hills from here and the valley itself (Revelation 16:16). We left the site through the impressive water system that was designed and engineered to safely bring water into the city. It was remarkable to descend down and up through this amazing engineering project.
Tel Jezreel & Mt. Gilboa
We left Megiddo and drove east.As we passed Tel Jezreel, we read from 1 Kings 21 and 2 Kings 8-9. These stories reference Naboth (who had a vineyard), Joram, Jehu, and Jezebel. High up on the slopes of the Gilboa Range nearby we walked to a wonderful though hazy view of the Harod Valley. Looking east we could see Beth Shean. We read from 1 Samuel 31 about Saul and his three sons dying on Gilboa.
“Today was our first full day here in Israel. Already we made so many biblical connections with the land through archaeology, history, geography, and customs and culture. Tonight we are in Tiberias for the start of Israel’s Independence Day!”
Precipice of Nazareth
To end the day we drove north across this broad part of the Jezreel Valley to get to the Precipice of Nazareth. The view from here of Mt. Tabor (Judges 4-5), the Hill of Moreh (Judges 6-7, 2 Kings 4), Gilboa (1 Samuel 31), and even Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18) to the west was impressive! Unfortunately because of the haze we could not see the Hills of Gilead across the Jordan Valley to the east (in Jordan today). We considered the life of Jesus as we read from Luke 4 and John 1.
Tiberias/Sea of Galilee
It took about 50 minutes (past the modern Arab town of Cana, John 2 and 4) to arrive at our hotel in northern Tiberias (the Ron Beach Hotel). It is located along the western coastline of the Sea of Galilee. We enjoyed dinner here followed by free evening. Tonight begins “Independence Day” (Yom Haatzmaut) here in Israel. There was a celebration and fire works in Tiberias! The State of Israel is now 77 years old!
Day 4 – Thursday, May 1: Ancient Boat, Katzrin, Ben Tal (Syrian Border), Caesarea Philippi, and Dan (Lebanon Border)
