Bethlehem & East Jerusalem - Day 4

We began the first day of the new year in the place where it all began. Bethlehem. To a manger where a child was born. A child who was Christ The Lord.

Church of the Nativity is considered to be the oldest continuously operating Christian church in the world. It was built originally in 339 AD on top of the cave housing the stable and manger where Joseph and Mary stayed. Most of the churches from this time were destroyed by invading armies, but when the Persians invaded in 614, they did not destroy the structure. According to legend, when their commander saw the painting inside the church of the Three Wise Men he thought they were Persian, and commanded that the building be spared.

Stairs inside the simple basilica take you down to the cave where Jesus was born. A star on the floor marks the spot. A nook displays a manger where it is believed they laid him after birth. To touch these stones was like touching the presence of God.

The Nativity church shares land with the Church of St. Catherine, which houses sacred places below it's floors as well.

Below St. Catherine's is the tomb of St. Jerome, who translated the Bible from Greek to Latin. Also housed there is the Chapel of the Innocents where the tomb of infants slain by Herod the Great was discovered. (Matt. 2:16) This tomb is feet away from where Christ was born, just on the other side of the wall. Moisture still comes up from the rocks of the tomb and since it has been covered with glass it looks like tears still poor from that earth.

Just down the hill from the place when Jesus was born is where the shepherds who were in the fields were greater by angels proclaiming His birth.

Wi'am Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center where they work to teach conflict resolution and spread principles of a civil society throughout Palestine. We sat in the shadow of the wall in a place where children come to play, to learn how to talk about their fears and to help spread peace. We heard just a bit about what they do at this center and how they work to made resolution from a social aspect. We asked questions, because many of us do not have a good, present-day grasp of this very complicated issue.

When one of the directors was asked who the Palestinians are, he answered, "We are people who seek peace." Then another from our group said, "So, I'm a Palestinian." Here is a link to the center we were at, if you would like more information. www.alaslah.org

After lunch we journeyed to the Mount of Olives. Where Jesus sat, overlooked the city and wept (Luke 19:28-44). We then had a devotional before heading down the hill to the garden. We took a moment to pray and reflect on our connection to this place.

The Garden of Gethsemane is where Jesus prayed to His father and then was betrayed by Judas and turned over for trial. (Matthew 26:36-56) In the garden, though it has surely changed with time, sit several trees which would have been in the garden while Christ was. One is over 3,000 years old and still bears fruit. Seeking solace in this place is difficult. Large crowds like those of our own are streaming through one after the other. But solace is why Jesus came here. He knelt down on this very soil, prayed to God and rose up with the weight of the world on his back.

For more photos from today, please click here.

(Disclaimer: This was a very emotional day for me personally. To visit the place where my savior was born and then to quickly go to a place talking about the immeasurable hurt of a people seeking recognition, is to simply be swept up in the same type of emotional turmoil and fear around during the time of Christ. And then, caught in the dichotomy of the moment, we were swept off to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane, to the final desperate hours before the passion.

It's a world of strife and heart ache and yet a world filled with redemptive joy.

A world filled with sin and conflict, grace and salvation.

Please, pray for peace.
- Kat)



Lower Galilee - Day 2

Today was quite a mix of ancient and new.

 

We went to visit Beit She’an, an ancient city in the Jordan River Valley, northern Israel. These ruins show their connection with the Romans and Greeks who built the city. Parts of Beit She’an date back to 5,000 BC. The town became a part of the larger Israelite kingdom under the rule of the Biblical kings David and Solomon (1 Kings 4:12 refers to Beit She’an as a part of the district of Solomon.)

The site has the largest theater in the Holy Land - it originally held 7,000 people. The coolest part of the site was the ancient gym - maybe I'm just a sucker for a great spa. But they developed a method of heating the bath water from underneath by building large fires and heating the air and water that flowed through a coiled pipe system under the pools. Genius! They hadn't invented soap yet, but they sure could get a warm bath.

We took a lengthy drive, traveling near the Jordan border, to Caesarea Maritima, a national park on Israeli coastline, near the town of Caesarea. The ancient Caesarea Maritima city and harbor was built by Herod the Great about 25–13 BCE. The city has been populated through the late Roman and Byzantine era. Its ruins overlook the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

After lunch we climbed Mount Megiddo, which is identified as the site of the final battle between the forces of good and evil at the end of time, known as Armageddon and mentioned in the New Testament in Revelation 16:16. Standing on top of the hill, looking down on the pleasent farm land, it's hard to picture all of the wars that have been fought on this hill side. And all the ones to come, according to scripture. The city of Nazareth can be seen on top of the next hill over. Almost like a forshadowing of what is to come.

Nazareth is the largest Christian city in Israel. It has a population of about 80,000. In Jesus time it was a small village. Mary is believed to have lived in a grotto or cave with her family there. We visited the Church of the Annunciation built in 1969 over the remains of Byzantine and Crusader churches. 

Pilgrims from all over come to this site to see where they believe the angels visited Mary and told her she was to bear God's son.The lower level of the church is built around this 1st Century gratto, which tradition recognizes as the home where Mary lived.

From there on to Cana.

We visited the Franciscan Wedding Church on the site most traditionally recognized as where the temple was when Jesus turned the water into wine, his first recorded miracle. We had a short devotional in the chapel reflecting on the covenants in our lives.

On a personal, but still very highly ranking highlight of the day, there was falafel at dinner! One of the things I've most been looking forward too, and I'd had 6 meals here without spotting one. And the seventh it arrived. Holy coincidence? I'll let you decide. But they were divine!

For more photos, click here.

The Sea of Galilee - Day 1

Today was an action packed day. We started out at about 8 a.m. and were able to meet up with the last of our wayward travelers at lunch. Here’s a quick run-down of what we saw today. I’ll follow up with a little more reflection in a bit. For now, enjoy these highlights!

Our first stop was the Valley of the Doves – next to the ancient city of Magdala, where Jesus met Mary Magdalene. Jesus frequently passed through this valley on his was to Capernaum, which is essentially the north shore of the Sea.

The area is very plush and fertile. Farms and kibbutzim (communes) in the area are growing olives, mangoes, grapefruit, lemons, bananas, oranges and pomegranates, among others.

We then travelled to the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus left the crowds to go up to the mount and preach the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). We visited the Church of the Beatitudes which has a, octagonal shape, representing the 8 beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12). We read the blessings aloud in English and our guide repeated them in Hebrew.

Next we went to Ancient Capernaum, the city Jesus adopted as his second home. He preformed many miracles in Capernaum and, as written in John 6:35, preached that he was the bread of life. In ancient Capernaum there is a synagogue built in the 3rd to 4th century A.D. So, before Jesus time, but reflective of what would have been there. Just behind those ruins are more that are believed to be from the time of Christ. Quite possibly the temple he preached in.

On to Tabgha where we visited the Church of Multiplication. Tradition recognizes this site as where Jesus took the 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed 5,000 (men, not counting women and children). (Matthew 14:13-21)

A short walk down hill and we arrived at the Church of the Primacy, where tradition states, Peter was asked by Jesus to “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15-17) At this spot we were finally able to dip our hands or feet into the Sea and connect with those sacred waters. Several other groups were even worshipping by the shore.

One last stop before lunch at Bethsaida. An entirely archeological site, we walked amongst the ruins of the town where at least 3 of Jesus’ disciples lived – Philip, Andrew and Peter. This fishing village was also where Jesus healed the blind man in Mark 8:22-38.

Lunch was a nice meal of “traditional St. Peter’s fish” overlooking the Sea. Lots of hummus and beets and carrots, like each meal so far. Can one eat too much hummus? We’ll find out.

We then took a 20 minute boat ride out onto the Sea. We cut the engine, Dr. Andy Stoker led us in a quick devotional, and then some much appreciated quiet time. We finally had a moment to sit and take in the wonder that was around us. A verse of “O Come All Ye Faithful” was lifted up. Then a verse of “Amazing Grace”. Here's a link to the devotional video.

We continued to the other side of the Sea and then took a short bus ride to see The Sea of Galilee Boat or the "Jesus Boat" which is an ancient fishing boat from the time of Jesus Christ. It discovered in 1986 on the north-west shore of the Sea. While there is no evidence connecting the boat to Jesus or his disciples, there is also (glass half full) no evidence of Him not being connected to it. It is from his time… so they’re saying there’s a chance.

Wow! What a day! Tomorrow begins with a 5:30 wake up call!

Click the picture below to see more photos.

Israel Day 1