Day Six in Israel

3/25/08


Mt. Carmel was our first stop today. How amazing to be in the place that Elijah called fire down from heaven and showed those prophets of Baal how powerful the One True God really is! (Read the entire story in 1 Kings 18:20-40.) Unfortunately, the haze was very thick this morning and we couldn’t see very far. Apparently the view is absolutely amazing!


On our way to Megiddo, we drove by an incredible example of a rolling stone tomb, similar to the one in which Jesus was laid (though Jesus' was much larger since it belonged to a wealthy man).There are tombs everywhere around here. They are carved out of the sides of the hills. Most of them have been emptied and the remains buried elsewhere. But it is pretty fascinating stuff!

Megiddo was a highly strategic city during Biblical and modern times. Joshua conquered this city (Joshua 12:21). Gates from the time of Solomon still stand (1 Kings 9:15). King Josiah died here (2 Kings 23:29). Deborah sang about Megiddo (Judges 5:19). In modern history, Napoleon conquered this city and Allenby defeated the last of the Ottoman Empire here. And one day Jesus Christ will reign victorious here (Revelation 16:16)! The view of the Valley of Jezreel was amazing. Again, I wish it had been clearer. The water system they had in this place was impressive as well.


Caesarea by the Sea has probably been #2 on my list of favorites so far. What a beautiful place! It is no wonder Herod had an amazing palace here. The aqueduct stretching along the coastline was a marvelous structure!

The port here stretched a mile into the sea. It was that busy! This was the center of Roman government for during the first century. Peter had a most important (and pertinent to this Gentile) vision here and ministered to Cornelius (Acts 10). Philip the evangelist and his four prophetess daughters lived here (Acts 21:8). Paul had a hearing with King Agrippa and then left from this port in order to sail to Rome for his appeal to Caesar (Acts 25-27:1). Hubs and I walked down the original steps to the pier that Paul would have walked as a prisoner on his way to Rome.

Hubs raced our friend Hannah in the Hippodrome. Herod had a tidal swimming pool constructed here in the Lower Palace.

I wish we could have spent more time here. But we had to rush to make it to Bethlehem before they closed the Church of the Nativity for the night.

Our visit to Bethlehem was the most poignant of the trip I think. It crystallized the religious tension that exists here. As we pulled up to the gate, we read a sign that said “No Israeli Citizens allowed!” We had to get off of our bus and onto another one with a different guide to cross into the West Bank, leaving our Israeli driver and guide behind. Ironically, our new tour guide was a Christian (as best we could tell). He did an excellent job with our tour. As we were driving toward the church, there was a traffic altercation behind us. The men jumped out of the cars, got clubs from their trunks and commenced to having it out. Unreal. In order to get in the church (I think that there are 5-6 sharing this site), we had to duck! The opening had been closed in long ago in order to protect the church from invaders. Once inside, we saw amazing lamps hung everywhere.

After an orientation, we descended the steps to the place (most scholars believe that it really did happen here) where the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
I was moved to tears - not by the site because it was all “gussied up” - but by the fact that a teenage mother birthed the Son of God and placed Him in a manger all swaddled up right here (Luke 2:1-20). I was struck by the beauty and sheer terror of that moment. I can’t imagine the thoughts she would have had knowing that she was holding her own salvation in her arms, and was also responsible for raising Him! I am familiar with that beautiful terror having held my own children moments after their births, and holding them now at 5 and 2 years old. Oh the responsibility! Oh the joy! We also passed by the Shepherd’s Field, where it is likely the shepherds heard the announcement of the angels. They would not have had very far to run to see the newborn King!


Once we arrived at the Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, got settled and were dozing off to sleep, we could hear gunfire in the distance.


Silent Night, Holy Night.
All is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace…