The Egypt-Jordan-Israel Tour Summary:

Day 3 – Monday, February 17: Memphis, Sakkara, the Pyramids, and Sphinx, New Grand Egyptian Museum

Today was our first full day of the trip, and it was a great one! We spent the day in the Cairo/Giza area. The sun was bright, with cool temps to begin the day (50s) but perfect temps with highs in the mid 70s. Following an early breakfast we left at 7:15 a.m. We read Genesis 46 and 50 (about Joseph and his brothers) as we started out for Memphis & Sakkara

Memphis & Sakkara

We got a quick taste of Cairo traffic this morning as we left the hotel. We drove directly to Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Here among the scattered ruins we saw an impressive statue of Ramses II (from the New Kingdom actually). We drove a short 10 minutes to Sakkara, the ancient necropolis of Memphis. Here we saw the impressive Stepped Pyramid of Djoser (or Zoser). It dates to around 2,700 BC (conventional dating). It is the oldest of all pyramids (now totally 124), predating Abraham by almost 700 years! Sakkara, the necropolis of the Old Capital of Memphis. We view the Step Pyramid of King Zoser before entering a small pyramid for Unas from the 5th Dynasty (about 2350 BC). We also entered a mastaba (the tomb of Seshseshet Idut, c. 2345-2323 BC). Leaving Sakkara, we made a brief stop at a local carpet school en route to the Pyramids of Giza.

Great Pyramids of Giza / Great Sphinx

Next, we drove to the Great Pyramid (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops or Khufu and constructed around 2,600 BC), with the Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren) and the Pyramid of Menkaure built shortly after. Two of them are around 500 feet high. Most likely it took 200,000 men 20 years to build. The Great Pyramid was built with 2.3 million stones, with the average weight of each stone around two-three tons (the stones weigh between one and 60 tons). Many of us walked completely around the pyramid. We also enjoyed a panoramic view of the pyramids as well as a short camel ride. We also saw the Great Sphinx, some 240 feet in length and 66 feet high.

National Egyptian Museum

From the Sphinx, we were delighted to spend about two hours inside the brand new Grand Egyptian Museum. While it doesn’t officially open until July, we had access as a group. While the artifacts of the King Tutankhamen collections (including his gold masks), the Merneptah Stele, and there Amarna Letters are still in the Old Museum, we walked through this newly-designed museum on our own. We made many biblical connections. We saw statutes of Ramses II, Amenhotep II (the likely pharaoh of the Exodus based on conventional dating), Thutmose III, and the head and sphinx of Hatshepsut, to name just a few. The colors of some of the artifacts (e.g. the “sitting scribe”) were astonishing!

After completing our visit of the museum, we drove back to the Sheraton Hotel for dinner at 7 p.m., followed by an early bedtime. We get up at 3:30 a.m. tomorrow morning in order to catch our 7:15 a.m. flight to Luxor 480 miles to the south.

Day 4 – Tuesday, February 18: Morning Flight to Luxor, Luxor/Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Overnight in Luxor

Today started really early. With a wake-up at 3:30 a.m. and breakfast boxes waiting for us at 4:15, we loaded the bus and left our hotel at 4:30 en route for the Cairo Airport. We read from Psalm 100 on the way. Following the check-in procedures, we flew 480 miles south to Luxor, the highlight of Egyptian archaeology and history. We arrived at 8:45 a.m. and drove directly our hotel for some relaxing time along the Nile River and by the pool. At 12:30 we boarded our bus for lunch before visiting the Karnak Temple. Today’s weather was once again sunny, with perfect high temps in Luxor about 80.

Temple of Karnak

Following lunch, we made our way to the Karnak Temple. It is really a massive complex of five temples. This temple was first built around 2100 BC (conventional dating). Many Pharaohs are honored here, including Thutmose III (who had 18 military victorious campaigns and took Megiddo in Israel), Seti I, Ramses II (who reigned 67 years and lived until 91 years of age, 1303-2113 BC, conventional dating). We also saw the many pylons, the Hypostyle Hall (built by Seti I. It consists of 122 columns), the obelisk of Hatshepsut (the largest one), the Sacred Lake, and the relief of Shoshenk. Some suggest he was one in the same as the Pharoah called “Shishak” in the Bible (I Kings 14:25-28 – although there are historical and archaeological inconsistencies with this theory). The grandeur of Karnak was incredible!

We left Karnak and visit a papyrus shop. How this ancient paper is made was interesting.

Temple of Luxor

We then continued to the Luxor Temple. This temple is primarily in honor of Ramses II. He was the great Egyptian pharaoh of the 13th century BC. To see this temple eliminated with lights at night was spectacular.

We drove back to our hotel for another wonderful buffet dinner and overnight. We wake up up early tomorrow for our hot-air balloon ride on the west side of the Nile River.

Day 5 – Wednesday, February 19: Luxor: Sunrise Hot-air Balloon Ride, Valley of Kings, Temples of Medinet Habu and Hatshepsut, Felucca Boat Ride on Nile River, Evening Flight to Cairo

Following a better and slightly longer night’s sleep, we departed from our hotel at 5:00 a.m. for a unique and amazing experience. It was another great day here in Egypt as we crossed the Nile River to the western side. The weather was predictably sunny again, with highs in the low 80s.

Hot Air Balloon Ride

An early morning hot-air balloon ride was made available to us for $120/each. Although it required another early-morning rise, the experience was spectacular!  We enjoy seeing the sunrise as we floated about the Nile River, Valley of the Kings, and the mortuary temples located on this western side of the river. We ascended up to about 2,000 feet high above ground below. The bright colors of the balloons along with the contrasting green of the Nile Valley and glowing brown of the desert made the flight scenic. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for sure! We were all glad we did it!

Valley of the Kings

Following the balloon ride, we boarded the bus and drove directly to the Valley of the Kings. 63 pharaohs have been buried here since the start of the New Kingdom. We went into three tombs: the tomb of Ramses III (the one who defeated the Sea Peoples), The dual tome of Tausert (wife of Seti II) and Setnakht (general and father of Ramses III), and the tomb of Ramses IV (a Pharoah of the 20th Dynasty). A few also purchased an extra ticket to see the tomb of the famous King Tut’s (his tomb is included in the photos below). His actually mummy is on display here as well as his sarcophagus. The well-preserved colors in all the tombs of the wall reliefs were stunning to see. The religious focus within the Egyptian belief system upon the after-life is plain to see in all these tombs! It took between six months and three years to build these tombs, some more complex than others. They began  building these tombs once the Pharoah became king.

Alabaster Shop/Store

Close by are many alabaster shops. We went to one whose owner and his workers were quite the comedian. It was interesting to see how some of the vessels are made. The final products made from stone are impressive.

Temple of Hatshepsut

On the opposite side of the cliff of the Valley of the Kings is the Temple of Hatshepsut. The temple was built in 1470 BC (conventional dating). Based on an early dating for the Exodus and Conquest, it is suggested Hatshepsut was the Pharaoh’s daughter who rescued Moses (Exodus 2). She was the daughter of Thutmose I and reigned for over 20 years. She was despised by those who succeeded her, with her image and cartouches eliminated and/or scratched away (perhaps both Thutmose III and Amenhotep II did this?).

Temple of Medinet Habu

The last temple on the western side we saw was the Medinet Habu. This was a dedicatory temple built in honor of Ramses III. Depicted on the pylons is the defeat of his enemies, including the Nubians and the “Sea Peoples” (i.e. the Philistines of the Bible). Ramses defeated the Sea Peoples in 1180 BC. The wall reliefs show Ramses holding the heads of his defeated enemies by the hair. He also cut off their hands and private parts to humiliate them.

Felucca Boat Ride

In the mid afternoon, we enjoyed lunch on the west bank of the Nile before a felucca boat ride on the Nile River. It was a relaxing time of experiencing the river just as the ancients did. We drove directly to the Luxor Airport following the boat ride for our evening flight back to Cairo. We stayed at the Airport Hotel (Meridian) where some of us had a late dinner before retiring. We have one more early morning departure tomorrow for our flight to Amman Jordan to begin the next leg of the trip into Jordan.

Day 6 – Thursday, February 20: Morning Flight to Amman, Bethany beyond the Jordan, Mt. Nebo, Machaerus, Drive to Petra

The day began early once again. With a wakeup at 3:00 a.m. and a departure from the hotel at 3:30, we walked directly to the Cairo Airport for our flight to Amman, Jordan. The flight took about 75 minutes. Upon landing, we were greeted by Salem, our Jordanian agent who helped us through the visa procedures, and Sammy, our Jordanian guide. The weather throughout the day was a big change from Egypt. It rained off and on, but with pockets of sun. The temps were in the 40s-50s.

Bethany Beyond the Jordan

Leaving the airport, we bussed directly to the area of the Jordan River to the west and specifically to Bethany Beyond the Jordan. This area is known for where Elijah ascended into heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2), and where Jesus was baptized (John 1). We walked down a nice path all the way to the river. Jesus also came to this area of Perea on occasion, especially where John was baptizing (John 10).

Mt. Nebo

From here we ascended from the Plains of Moab to Mt. Nebo, part of the Pisgah Range. We read from Deuteronomy 31-34 and Joshua 1 about the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua. The visibility looking westward to the Dead Sea and Jericho was fairly good, even though clouds covered the peak just before we arrived. This was Moses’ view before he died at 120 years of age. A Bronze Snake monument is erected here (Numbers 21, John 3). We also saw the newly renovated church here built upon the Byzantine Church from the 4-5th centuries AD. The mosaics were impressive to see! Nearby we stopped at a mosaic school and store.

Machaerus

Our last stop of the day was Machaerus. This was a palace-fortress built by Herod (but previously built by the Hasmeans). When we arrived at Machaerus, we recalled the story from Matthew 14 (also recorded in Mark 6) about how John the Baptizer was beheaded here. Josephus tells us it happened here (Antiquities 18.5.2). About a third in the group climbed to the top of this palace-fortress built by Herod the Great. It was colder and windy on top. We saw the suggested throne area of the palace (where Herod Antipas received the head of the Baptizer) as well as a few ritual baths and columns. The view across the Dead Sea was fairly good, allowing us to see even the area of Jerusalem on the distant horizon high in the Hill Country of Judah. Later, Machaerus fell to the Romans in 71 AD.

Petra

From Machaerus, we had a long drive to Petra. For the most part, we used the newly-paved Desert Highway before exiting on to the King’s Highway (Numbers 21-22). We arrived at our hotel for a late dinner. We rise at 6 a.m. (yippee!) for Petra, one of the 7 Wonders of the World!

Day 7 – Friday, February 21: Petra, Wadi Rum, Captain’s Bedouin Village

Following a good (and longer) night’s sleep here in Wadi Musa (Petra) and a great breakfast, we walked to the site of ancient Petra at 7:30 a.m. It was a remarkable day here in this red-rose city of the Nabateans. The morning weather was very cool (40s) but with warming temps (around 50) and partly sunny skies in the afternoon. We prayed and sang our Oh, the Sun’s Coming Up song as we walked to the entrance of the site.

Petra

Petra, this ancient Nabatean city was built within the Seir Mountains, the land of the Edomites (Deuteronomy 2, 33; Ezekiel 35) is one of there seven Wonders of the World. Because of the brand new Jordan government restrictions of the local Bedouin being able to sell things inside Petra (they literally bulldozed and dismantled the shops, combined with the very low tourism currently now, we essentially had the entire site to ourselves!

We all thoroughly enjoyed the spectacular scenery and tombs/ruins of this red-rose ancient city. Once we entered the site, we all walked through the Siq (canyon) which brought us to the first monument, “The Treasury” (“Al-Khazneh”). This well-preserved monumental tomb appeared in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” It was the tomb of the Nabatean King named Aretas III (Paul mentions his son, Aretas IV in 2 Cor. 11:32). His daughter (or granddaughter – depending on dating) was the former wife of Herod Antipas, see Matthew 14).

From the Treasury we now began our walk into the city. Besides passing by many of the Nabatean tombs, we walked by a 3,000-seat theater carved into the sandstone, one of the largest theaters in Jordan. From here, many in the group walked to the Monastery Tomb at the far west side of Petra, while others explored on their own (e.g. the Royal Tombs). The Aravah and Negev of Israel could be seen to the west from the area of the Monastery. Seven in the group also hiked to the High Place (using the back trail) far above the site. We all made it back by 2:15 p.m. where we began our drive south to Wadi Rum.

Wadi Rum

Driving on portions of the King’s Highway and then again accessing the Desert Highway lead us down to Wadi Rum in southern Jordan. Upon arriving in this area made famous by Sir Lawrence of Arabia during WWI (this British officer helped the Bedouin fight against the Turks), five jeeps (e.g. pickup trucks) were awaiting us to take us through the desert. It was a lot of fun driving through the sand. The views were amazing as well. We stopped by a Bedouin tent for tea and coffee. We made it to a rocky hill where we enjoyed a wonderful sunset. The jeeps then took us to Captain’s, our “Bedouin-style camp” for the night. Following a unique dinner (prepared underground), we enjoyed a free evening back in our bungalows.

Day 8 – Saturday, February 22: Southern Border Crossing into Israel, Red Sea, Timnah, Dead Sea

Staying here in the desert last night was really a fun experience. While it got cold last evening here in the desert of Wadi Rum, our bungalows were warm. We awoke to clear skies and a warming sun throughout the day, with highs around 60 (cool for this southern region). Following breakfast, we left Wadi Rum at 8 a.m. and drove to the southern border to cross into Israel. We read from Obadiah about the Edomites who lived in this area.

Rabin Southern Border Crossing

It took about 50 minutes to arrive at the border crossing. Located at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, we cross from Aqaba, Jordan to Elat, Israel. The border here is named after the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The border crossing (we walked across to Israel) was fairly easy and quick.

Coral Beach/Red Sea

Once we crossed, we met Shlomo (our Israeli guide) and David (our Israeli driver). We drove through Elat, Israel’s most southern city, to Coral Beach. Here, we enjoyed the beautiful waters of the Red Sea. The clarity of the water and the color of all kinds of fish was stunning! It was a fun time of swimming (about half the group) and relaxing.

Timnah/Tabernacle Model

From here, we drove north through the Aravah (Rift Valley) to Timnah. In ancient days (14th-12th century BC), this was a copper mine of the Egyptians. Here we walked through a full-size replica of the Old Testament. Before we left the site, we read from Hebrews 9. We also hiked up and over Solomon’s Pillars where we saw a Temple of Hathor (the Egyptian goddess of fertility).

Yotvata & the Dead Sea

We drove to Yovata about 15 minutes north of Timnah. We enjoyed lunch and especially the ice cream here (complementary, with special thanks to Amiel Tours, our Israeli agent!) at this “dairy kibbutz.” Shlomo’s sister lives here. With content stomachs, we drove about 1:45 hours north up Rt. 90 to the southern end of the Dead Sea (33% salt and minerals). We checked into our hotel in Ein Bokek and then enjoyed floating in this unique body of water. Additionally, some in the group enjoyed the hotel pool filled with warm Dead Sea water. Dinner and a free evening at our leisure followed to end the day. Tommorrow we continue northward along the shoreline of the Dead Sea.

Day 9 – Sunday, February 23: Masada, Ein Gedi, Jericho, Judean Desert

We checked out of our hotel by 7:45 this morning following a good breakfast. Today was “desert day” here in the Judean Desert. The weather was once again on the cool side (for the desert), with highs around 50, and mostly cloudy skies. We read Psalm 18:1-2 as we left the hotel, focusing on the word the Hebrew word metzada (“fortress”).

Masada

The site of Masada (metzada, in Hebrew) was our first site and only a 15 minute drive from our hotel. This was built in the early 30s BC as a palace-fortress by Herod the Great. We took the cable car to the top and began seeing the ruins from the 1st century. We saw huge cisterns, the western and northern palaces, the Roman Ramp, the synagogue, and the bathhouse. In 70 AD, this was the location where 967 Jews found refuge from the Romans following the destruction of the Temple. The holdout lasted about three years until all by five of these Jews (a few women and children) took their own lives. It is a story of bravery and courage! About half of our group walked down the Snake Path. By the way, we had the entire site to ourselves!

Ein Gedi

From here we drove about 20 minutes north of Masada to get to Ein Gedi, one of only a few oasis here in the edge of the Judean Desert. We read from Song of Songs 1, 2 Chronicles 20 (the “Ascent of Ziz”) and 1 Samuel 24 (David hid from Saul here). Most in the group hiked back to the water falls at the end of the canyon. The view was still spectacular from there! What an incredibly beautiful place! It was amazing to see so much water here in the desert! Beside a 5th grade ultra-orthodox group, we were the only other group here once again.

Jericho

Next, we drove into Jericho where we first had a marvelous lunch. “Walid” served us well! Then we walked to the archaeological site of Old Testament Jericho, Tel es-Sultan. After we climbed the site. We looked east and could see the Jordan Valley the Mt. Nebo on the ridge on the horizon (Dt. 34). Elijah was taken to heaven in the area across the river (2 Kings 2). Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River at “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (John 1). Looking south we could see the area of NT Jericho (where Zachaeus and Bartimeaus lived, and where Herod the Great died in 4 BC). We then turned our attention to the ancient OT site of Jericho. The archaeology of this ancient site of Jericho supports and confirms the Bible’s historicity. Besides seeing the oldest structure (a round tower) in Israel, on the southern end we saw the double retaining walls of this Canaanite city taken my Joshua (Joshua 6). A mud brick wall once stood on top of these stone walls. This wall was the wall that came tumblin down.

While still in the area of Jericho, we visited the site of “New Testament” Jericho. Specifically, we look down upon the winter palace of Herod the Great from an older Hasmonean tower. Herod the Great died here in 4 BC (some suggest 1 BC), and his body was transported to Herodoum (9 miles SE of Jerusalem) for burial.

Wadi Qelt

To end the day, we made a stop overlooking a specific part of the Judean Desert called the Wadi Qelt. We were fortunate to get permission to enter this area (it was blocked off for security reasons). However, Shlomo’s nephew was the soldier on guard this morning. 🙂 The view of the Wadi Qelt was spectacular. Here we heard the “prophet Isaiah” (all dressed up in a new outfit HA) as he shared the powerful words, “Prepare the way for the Lord…” (from Isaiah 40). John the Baptizer would echo the exact same words here int he same place 730 years later (see Matthew 3). Also, Shlomo sang in Hebrew Psalm 23.

We then traveled back to the Qumran area to our “kibbutz/hotel” (Al Mog Kalia) where we enjoyed dinner and a free evening. We travel north to the Sea of Galilee tomorrow!

Day 10 – Monday, February 24: Qumran, Shiloh, Beth Shean, Tiberias

Today we traveled from the Dead Sea area to Tiberias in the north along the Sea of Galilee. Our travels once again included great sites and experiences along the way. Today was the coldest of our days so far, with highs in the morning only in the low 40s. It actually snow-flurried at Shiloh off and on! We read from Jeremiah 32:14 about preserving documents in clay jars. This was a good verse in preparation for our first site. We left our hotel at 7:45 and drove three minutes to Qumran.

Qumran

Qumran is the most important site in Israel because of what was discovered here!  When we arrived, we walked directly to the cliff area of the desert to get a glimpse of Cave 6 (one of 12 caves in which fragments of ancient scrolls were discovered). We also saw the beginning of the aqueduct system that brought rain/flood water into the site.

It was here at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found! The discovery began in 1947, while the excavation took place through 1956. We walked through the limited ruins where a small community of Essenes lived (or retreated here from Jerusalem, as a new theory suggests). To date, about 930 scrolls and fragments of texts scrolls have been discovered. The scrolls/texts date primarily from the late 3rd century BC – 1st century AD. At the small archaeological site we saw cisterns, ritual baths (mikvot), and the scriptorium. In front of “Cave 4” (where the majority of texts were found), we read from “Psalm 151,” and Psalm 19. We celebrated the perseverance of God’s Word! We were invited to take joy in God’s Word.

Shiloh

Next, we drove into the Hill Country of Ephraim to Shiloh. On the way, we drove through the Desert of Pareth (Parat) where Jeremiah hid the linen belt (Jeremiah 13). We even saw a few gazelle’s on the way as well as the backside of the Mt. of Olives further to the west.

When we arrived at Shiloh, we made our way up this ancient site where the Tabernacle once stood here for over 300 years. The almond trees were in full bud too (Jeremiah 1). It was destroyed by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4). We watched a hologram as well as a short movie about the events that took place here. We also read from 1 Samuel 3 (the call of Samuel) and Jeremiah 7. Among the ruins we saw a massive Middle Bronze wall that was incorporated into the Israelite site. Other structures, including perhaps the Holy of Holies area (as proposed by archaeologist Dr. Scott Stripling) could also be seen. It was young Samuel who said, “Hineni” (“Here I am!”) When God called Him into service. Abraham (Genesis 22), Moses (Exodus 3) Isaiah (Isaiah 6), and even God (Isaiah 65:1) used this word. Before leaving Shiloh, we saw the five red heifers brought here from Texas. Already, two of them are deemed unclean to serve as heifer for eventual temple use.

Beth Shean

Leaving Shiloh, we traveled through the Desert of Samaria to Beth Shean. The ride took about an hour and a half. This ancient site is an incredibly large site, with many ruins from the Roman Period. We saw colonnaded streets, the bathhouse, agora, public latrenes, and the theater. Some in the group climbed to the top of the OT site. According to 1 Samuel 31 (and 1 Chronicles 10), the body of Saul was hung on the walls of the town square after he died on near by Mt. Gilboa. The men from Jabesh Gilead (located on the east side of the Jordan Valley), came at night to rescue the body of Saul.

At the end of our visit of Beth Shean, we had bus engine trouble. David diligently tried to start the bus, but even with a mechanic coming to assist, the bus would not start. However, another bus from Tiberias came, and after we transferred all our luggage, we drove to our hotel on the northern end of Tiberias. We checked in to our hotel and enjoyed a wonderful dinner together. We are looking forward to spending three nights here along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee.

Day 11 – Tuesday, February 25: Hippos, Gamla, Syrian Border, Caesarea Philippi, Tel Dan, Lebanon Border

Today was a Golan Heights day. We visited sites on the northern borders with Syria and Lebanon. The weather was perfectly sunny, with cool temps (and wind) in the morning (40s), but with warming temps in the afternoon (50s). We really enjoyed being in the Golan Heights for the sites, the views, and perspectives.

Hippos/Sussita

Our first site of the day was Hippos/Sussita. We first drove around the northern end of the Sea of Galilee (near Bethsaida where the Feeding of the 5000 took place, Luke 9) before turning south down the eastern side. On the way we made a brief stop to see the cliffs mentioned in Mark 5.

At Hippos (a Decapolis city), we saw many Roman ruins. During the Byzantine Period (4th-6th centuries AD), there were no less than a half a dozen churches were built here. With a great view of the entire lake (13 miles long), we read the transformational story of the demoniac from Mark 5.  

Gamla

Next, we drove back to the northern end of the lake and ascended into the Golan Heights. We continued to the plateau to the site of Gamla. This Jewish city played a significant role in the First Revolt (66 AD). The Romans came here and defeated the city run 67 AD. Many in the group walked down (and then back up) the difficult trail to the excavations. We entered the 1st century synagogue where we read from Matthew 9. Even though Gamla is not mentioned in the Gospels, there is a high probability that Jesus taught from this rectangular synagogue!

Syrian Border

Continuing northward, we stopped for a brief stop to look over into Syria. We drove to an area right below Mt. Bental, an old military outpost used in the 1967 war. We enjoyed a nice view into Syria from here (including the city of Kuneitra). As of the last two months or so, Israel now controls more of the buffer area, including the outskirts of Quneitra. They also control the highest peak of Mt. Hermon (9,200 feet). 

Caesarea Philippi

Driving through a few Druze cities and past the snow-capped Mt. Hermon, we drove down to the slopes of the Golan Heights to Caesarea Philippi.

This was a pagan city in the days of Jesus that included temples to Augustus, Zeus (Jupiter), and Nemesis. The Pan deity was especially honored here. It was good to see that recent excavations of the Augustus Temple revealed amazing mosaics and other structures. The Banias Spring begins here, one of the three tributaries of the Upper Jordan River. It was in the region of this city that Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16). We also recalled the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17) that took place perhaps on the slopes of Mt. Hermon, or further south (or Nimrod? Arbel?).

Tel Dan

Our last site of the day was Tel Dan. We walked through the beautiful nature preserve along the Dan Spring. We stopped by the water to read from Psalm 42. Shlomo also played a ballad on his recorder for us. We continued our walk to the culture center. Here, Jeroboam built an altar and set a golden calf on the high place. Sitting on the steps of the high place, we read from Judges 18 and 1 Kings 12. A pattern of disobedience here led to the end of Dan in 734 BC. We also overlooked the border with Lebanon. Before leaving, we walked past the Canaanite mud brick gate (that was most likely a ceremonial gate built after the time of Abraham). Since we were ushered out of the site because of the time, we did not get to see the Israelite gate complex (9th century BC).

We drove south along the Huleh Valley back to our hotel, passing the Canaanite city of Hazor on the way. Once again, we enjoyed a huge dinner and a free evening.

Day 12 – Wednesday, February 26: Arbel, Jordan River/Yardenit, Magdala, Capernaum, Boat Ride/Ancient Boat

Today we spend our time visiting sites in, around, and even on the Sea of Galilee. It was a special day retracing the footsteps of Jesus. Weather wise, it was a little hazy throughout the day, but bright sunny sky rebounded the temps from a cool morning to about 60 in the afternoon. We read the “kingdom parables” from Matthew 13 as we left the hotel at 7:30.

Mt. Arbel

We first drove north to the trailhead for the path that ascends to the top of Mt. Arbel. There were seven in the group who climbed 1,100 feet to the top of this stand-alone mountain. The rest of the group bussed around the other side and walked up the path. Both groups converged at the top where the view of the Sea of Galilee and surrounding area was stunning! While we cannot be sure (since Arbel is not mentioned in the Gospels, although Josephus mentions Arbela in Antiquities 14.415), maybe this was where the Jesus’ Transfiguration took place (Mt. 17), or where he taught (perhaps on the lower northern slopes) the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7). It is also very possible that on top of Arbel was where Jesus met His disciples following His resurrection and shared the Great Commission (Mt. 28). We spent some reflection time on our own reading Matthew 5-7 before walking down to the visitor center where we were treated to ice cream! 🙂

Yardenit/Jordan River

Next, wedrove directly to the southern end of the lake to Yardenit. This is the baptismal site here in the north. In the waters of the Jordan, 10 in the group in the group reaffirmed their faith, while for two this was their primary baptism! The water was “refreshing cold” but we all survived. It was a special time for everyone, setting ourselves apart for service in God’s kingdom.

Kinneret Cemetery

From the southern end of the lake we now drove north (around noon) along the southwestern shoreline of the lake. We included an extra stop at the Kinneret Cemetery. This is where an early Jewish pioneer woman named “Rachel” is buried. Shlomo shared about her life. She was an Ukrainian Jew who wrote poems, some of which were put to songs. She died in 1931.

Magdala

From here we drove north through the Jewish city of Tiberias to the Plain of Genesseret and to the ancient city of Magdala. This was a large Jewish city in the days of Jesus. We saw a modest 1st century synagogue here. Although the city is only mentioned once (the end of Matthew 15 after Jesus fed the 4,000), Jesus must have taught here at Magdala and in this modest synagogue! We saw a few more ritual baths as well. Archaeologists suggest that a second 1st century synagogue was discovered a few years ago on the other side of the road.

Capernaum

Our last archaeological site was was Capernaum. Located on the NW corner of the lake, this Jewish town served as Jesus’ “home base” for His Galilean ministry. In the late 4th/early 5th century synagogue, we read from Mark 1, 2; Luke 7, 8; and John 6. We also saw the Byzantine church, octagonal in shape, that dates to about the same time period. This ancient church surrounds a 1st century house structure suggested, by tradition and archaeology, to be Peter’s house. Down on the lakeshore, we finished up with reading from Mark 9. Serving in Christ’s kingdom requires a heart of humility and servanthood.

Ancient Boat / Boat Ride

We ended the day by driving to Nof Ginnosar on the western side of the lake. In the museum here we saw an ancient 1st century wooden boat that was discovered in 1986. We then walked out to the dock for a 45-50 minute boat ride. The time of worship songs, reading, and reflection was special. We read from Mark 4 and Matthew 14 about how Jesus calmed the waters of the lake. We were inspired to keep our eyes on Jesus! He is the One who brings peace to our lives!

We drove back to our hotel in Tiberias, arriving at 5:30. We enjoyed an amazing dinner together at 6:30 followed by another free evening. What a great day re-tracing Jesus’ footsteps!

Day 13 – Thursday, February 27: Precipice of Nazareth, Megiddo, Mt. Carmel, Caesarea, Jerusalem, Western Wall

This morning we depart the Galilee towards Jerusalem. We checked out of our hotel at 7:30 enroute to the area of Nazareth. The weather was perfect throughout the day, with a warmer morning, full sun, fairly good visibility,  and afternoon highs in the 60s.. We read Luke 9 (Feeding go the 5000) and John 4 (miracle “from a distance” at Cana).

Precipice of Nazareth

We drove south through the Lower Galilee to the Precipice of Nazareth. The visibility from here was good, allowing us to see Mt. Tabor (Judges 4), the Hill of Moreh (Judges 7), Mt. Gilboa (1 Samuel 31), and Mt. Carmel to the west (1 Kings 18). This was essentially the “backyard” of Jesus while He grew up in Nazareth. We considered the life of Jesus as read from Luke 4. Jesus came for the purpose of offering redemption to both Jews and Gentiles alike. While Nathaniel questioned “What good can come from Nazareth?,” Philip responded, “Come and see!” (John 1).

Megiddo

Located along the edge of the Jezreel Valley is Megiddo. We drove across this broad Jezreel Valley to get here. This archaeological site was about 25 layers of occupation spanning a period of about 2,500 years! It was a Canaanite and Israelite city. Pharaohs like Thutmose III conquered it in about 1468 BC. Climbing the site, we saw 3 series of city gates, Solomon’s stables and palace, a sacrificial altar from the Early Bronze Period, and a grain silo. We also had a great view of the Jezreel Valley referred to as the Valley of Armageddon in Revelation 16. In the end, God wins when Jesus returns! We walked to the water system that was engineered to bring water safely inside the walls of the city. However, the entrance was closed.

Mt. Carmel

Driving along the “byways” (edge) of the valley, we then ascended to the highest peak of Mt. Carmel. This is a mountain range overlooking the Jezreel Valley on one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other. Upon arriving at the site, we first entered a Carmelite chapel called Muhraha. The passages of Amos 1 and 9, Isaiah 35, and Songs of Songs 7 all refer to Carmel. The primary story (1 Kings 18) involved Elijah who confronted the 450 prophets of Baal, the Phoenician/Canaanite god of rain and thunder! Elisha was also on this mountain range (2 Kings 4). The view of the Jezreel Valley from the top of the roof of the chapel was very good. Looking west we could see not only Caesarea but also the high-rises of Tel Aviv! Nearby we ate a great buffet lunch at a nearby Druze restaurant.

Caesarea

Following lunch, we descended down to the Sharon Plain to Caesarea. In the theater of this city built by Herod the Great in 22-10 BC, we read from Acts 10 (Peter), Acts 12 (Agrippa 1), Acts 21 (Philip), and Acts 26 (Paul). We then walked across this ancient city to see the palace, hippodrome, the location of the grand harbor, and the Crusader gate, wall, and mote. Before leaving the site we saw the aqueduct and enjoyed sticking our feet in the Mediterranean Sea.

Jerusalem/Western Wall

In the late afternoon (4:50), we began our drive around Tel Aviv before we ascended to Jerusalem. We entered this magnificent city and saw our first glimpse of the Old City. We checked into our hotel and enjoyed an later dinner. Following dinner, many walked to the Western Wall, the most hotly place for Jews today! We are looking forward to our first full day in Jerusalem tomorrow, Israel’s capital!

Day 14 – Friday, February 28: Jerusalem: Yad Vashem, Israel Museum, Mt. of Olives, Old City

Today was our first full day here in Jerusalem. We were greeted to full sun, with a cool start to the day but temps in the mid 50s by afternoon. We started the day with a solemn visit to Israel’s Holocaust Museum, and ended the day on the Mt. of Olives and a walk into the Old City. We read from Psalm 137 as we left the hotel at 7:30.

Yad Vashem

Our first stop in the morning required us to drive to West Jerusalem. Here we visited the Israel’s Holocaust Museum & Memorial. It is called Yad Vashem, named after a verse in Isaiah 56:5 that mentions the “memorial and a name.” We first entered and walked through the start of the Avenue of the Righteous. Over 20,000 righteous Gentiles are recognized as saving the lives of Jews. We saw trees dedicated to Oscar Schindler and Corrie ten Boom. We even found the tree dedicated to Connie’s grandmother’s (Sijke Gorter) side of the family from the Netherlands who is honored here as well! Incredibly, the Gorter tree was the very first tree (across from Oscar Schindler’s tree). We also heard the personal story from Shlomo about his family during this tragic event. He lost 12 family members in Vilna, Poland (pictured). We then walked through the Children’s Memorial and the museum itself. On our own, we ended our visit by walking through the museum. It was a somber experience recalling the horrors of the Holocaust and the loss of six million Jews.

Israel Museum

Just a short distance away (still in Western Jerusalem) is the Israel Museum. First, we saw 1:50 scale model of 2nd Temple Jerusalem. Because the Shrine of the Book (where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed) was closed, we walked directly to the archaeological wing of the museum to see some of the “highlight artifacts” related to the Bible. We saw such artifacts such as the Dan Inscription, the silver amulet inscribed with the earliest name of “Yahweh,” The Pilate Inscription, Herod’s coffin, and the famous 1900 year-old “pie plate.” “HA

Mt. of Olives/Gethsemane

In the afternoon we drove to the Mt. of Olives. Cresting the Mt. of Olives we drove to a spectacular view across the Kidron Valley of the Old City and Temple Mount below. From here we walked down to Dominus Flavet, a small chapel where we enjoyed singing a chorus together. Here we celebrated Christ’s kingship as we remembered Luke 19 (Palm Sunday), Luke 22 (Jesus’ Passion), Acts 1 (Christ’s ascension), and Zechariah 14 (about the return of Christ). Continuing down the slope towards the Church of All Nations (the traditional Garden of Gethsemane), we walked up to Old City.

St. Anne’s / Pool of Bethesda

We entered the Old City of Jerusalem through the St. Stephen’s Gate (also called the Lion’s and Jericho Gate) and went to the St. Anne’s Church. This is a Crusader Church that is known for it’s 7-8 second echo. We had the entire church to ourselves where we enjoyed singing a number of songs together. How incredible our worship was! On the same grounds is the Pool of Bethesda. We read John 5 while overlooking the steps of this double-pool.

Holy Sepulcher Church

From here we walked to the Holy Sepulcher Church. Built in 325 AD, this is the traditional location for the death and burial place of Jesus. The archaeological and historical records favor this site. We saw the Edicule that has enclosed the suggested tomb of Christ for now nearly 1600 years. A service was taking place in the tomb itself, not allowing us to enter. Other parts of the church were being renovated and excavated.

We walked back to the Jaffa Gate where David was scheduled to pick us up to take us back to the hotel. However, we couldn’t get out of the parking lot because of parked cars. So most of us walked back to the hotel. We saw Herod’s Family Tomb and the Ketef Hinnom tomb on the way! Back at the hotel, we enjoyed a marvelous Shabbat dinner and an optional walk to the Promenade, a quiet traffic-free path to get us a unique view of the Old City from the south. It was a great first full day here!

Day 15 – Saturday, March 1: Garden Tomb, Rampart Walk, Herodium, Shepherds’ Fields, Bethlehem

Today we had the chance to sleep in a bit, since the Garden Tomb (our first stop) wasn’t open until 9 a.m. We enjoyed a leisurely and more simple Shabbat breakfast. The skies were partly sunny today, with highs again in the 50s. This was our second last full day here in Jerusalem. We departed at 8:30, reading Micah 5 was we began the day.

Garden Tomb

The drive to the Garden Tomb was a short one. Located on the north side of the Old City, this is an alternative (“Protestant”) location for the crucifixion and burial site of Jesus. We saw the suggested rocky scarp (Golgotha) where Jesus was crucified, followed by the proposed tomb. A special time of worship and Communion followed. We worship the Person, not the place. What a great place to consider the redemptive purpose of Jesus’ coming!

Rampart Walk

Next, we wee dropped off at the Jaffa Gate where we entered the Old City. Here, we accessed the entrance to the Rampart Walls for our walk around part of the Old City. These walls date to the Turkish/Ottoman Period, being built by Suleiman the Great (1520-1566) between 1537-1544 AD. The view from high on these walls was quite interesting! We walked from the area of the Jaffa Gate to the Zion’s Gate on the south side of the Old City. We exited the ramparts within the Jewish Quarter before walking out of the Zion’s Gate to meet the bus.

Herodium

We then drove southeast of Jerusalem to Herodium. This was a palace-fortress built by Herod the Great. He was also buried in 4 BC. The site was incredible, with many new renovations and displays. Inside the well-preserved official’s chamber where we saw a wonderful presentation. We then walked up through the royal arches to the top where we saw the bathhouse, synagogue, impressive frescoes, and a great view of Jerusalem. We left the site by carefully walking down through the cistern system.

Shepherds’ Fields/Bethlehem

Just to the west of Herodium and east of Bethlehem is Beit Sahour (an eastern adjacent Arab town). Located here are the traditional shepherds’ Fields. In a cave, we recalled the words of Micah 4 and 5 as well as Luke 2 about the birth of Jesus. It was “just at the right time God sent His Son” (Galatians 4:4). We also went into the Chapel of the Shepherds where we enjoyed singing Christmas carols.

From here we drove into Bethlehem where we visited an olive wood factory and store owned by the Nissan Brothers. These olive wood products were impressive. These olive wood products were impressive and so well crafted.

We drove back to our hotel for dinner and a free evening. Dee took a few on an optional walk. It was another great day here in Israel’s ancient and modern capital city! We have one more full day left on the tour.

Day 16 – Sunday, March 2: City of David, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Pool of Siloam, Southern Excavations, Shorashim, Free Afternoon in the Old City

Today was our last full day here in Jerusalem. The day included some adventure (Hezekiah’s Tunnel), dramatic reading of John 9 at the Pool of Siloam, southern steps of the Temple, Western Wall, a conversation with an Orthodox Jew (Moshe), and some free time in the afternoon. We had perfect weather day, with full sun and warmer temps around 60. We read from Psalm 48 as we left the hotel.

City of David/Hezekiah Tunnel

We started the day by driving to the City of David. After gathering on the observation tower and learning about the surrounding area, we walked down through the excavations (“Area G”). We saw David’s palace, city walls, and 7th-6th BC house structures (one of them was excavated/uncovered by Dr. John in June-July, 1982). We all continued through Warren’s Shaft (2 Samuel 5). The upper part of this discovery was probably used by David but not the vertical 52 foot shaft. Finally, we descended down to the Canaanite/Jebusite pool to the Gihon Spring. We then saw a newer movie about how Hezekiah’s Tunnel was chiseled out of stone before many in the group braved the waters of the 1,710 foot-long tunnel (2 Kings 20, 2 Chronicles 32). Others took the “dry” Jebusite tunnel built 100s of years earlier. Both groups met at the Pool of Siloam where we read John 9 in dramatic fashion. More of the pool (or reservoir pool) as been exposed, but without finding any more of the steps of the pool. It could be that the smaller pool outside the end of Hezekiah’s Tunnel may have been the ritual pool in the John 9 story (?). Time will tell.

Southern Steps

From the Pool of Siloam and because the Drainage Channel was closed, we all bussed north (and up) to the “Davidson Center.” Here, we walked on the Herodian pavement used no doubt by Jesus. The SW corner of the Temple may have been the pinnacle where Jesus was tempted (Mt. 4). We then walked over to the southern steps used by commoners. Jesus Himself (and His disciples, and Paul) would have used these steps to enter the Temple. We recalled the many mentioned in the NT who used these steps (Luke 2, 18; John 2; Mark 13; and Acts 2, etc…). Before leaving the steps, we considered how God wants us to be His spiritual temple (2 Corinthians 3).

Jewish Quarter: Western Wall, Shorashim, Free Time

Following our time on the southern steps of the Temple, we walked to the Kotel and the Western Wall. Seeing this massive retaining wall of Herod’s Temple was impressive. We then walked up into the heart of the Jewish Quarter where we enjoyed an interesting conversation with an Orthodox Jew named Moshe at Shorashim. The rest of the afternoon was free time. Some returned to the Holy Sepulcher while everyone explored on their own.

We returned to the hotel for our last dinner together. We all wake really early tomorrow morning for our flight home.

Day 17 – Monday, March 3: Early Morning Flight Back Home (via Europe)