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Holy Land Tour 2012
(pictures and captions by Ryan Gear)
Day
1
Welcome
to
Israel!
We
arrived
safely
at
about
9:00
am
Israeli
time,
2:00
am
EST
(Israel
is 7
hours
ahead
of
Aurora).
During
our
short
layover
in
Newark,
we
were
able
to
see
the
new
Freedom
Tower
being
constructed
on
the
World
Trade
Center
site
in
lower
Manhattan.
We
had
a
pleasant
10
hour
flight
from
Newark
to
Tel
Aviv
with
crystal
clear
views
of
London,
Paris,
and
Athens
from
37,000
feet.
Our
top
speed
was
713
miles
per
hour
with
an
outdoor
temperature
of
-90
F!
Upon
arrival
in
Tel
Aviv,
our
tour
guide,
Mark,
led
us
to
Jaffa/Joppa,
known
in
the
Bible
as
the
place
from
which
Jonah
set
sail
to
run
from
God's
call
to
preach
in
Nineveh
(before
his
unexpected
fishing
experience!)
and
as
the
place
where
Peter
had
a
dream
in
which
God
instructed
him
that
no
food
is
unclean.
Here
is a
photo
of
St.
Peter's
Church
in
Jaffa.
This
is
the
area
outside
of
St.
Peter's
in
Jaffa.
We
took
a
stroll
around
Jaffa
that
included
lots
of
slippery
steps,
as
Israel
is
experiencing
some
winter
rains.
It
is
beautiful
and
a
comfortable
58
degrees,
regardless
of
the
rain.
We
drove
through
Tel
Aviv,
Israel's
modern
city,
to
experience
some
daily
life
there.
Tel
Aviv
is
known
as a
"little
New
York."
Surprisingly,
even
from
Tel
Aviv,
the
Judean
Hills
are
visible,
and
you
can
actually
see
some
of
the
buildings
in
Jerusalem.
Ben
Gurion
Airport,
where
we
landed,
is
positioned
only
12
miles
from
Tel
Aviv
and
31
miles
from
Jerusalem,
demonstrating
the
close
proximity
of
the
major
sites
in
Israel.
These
are
a
few
of
the
many
condos
in
Tel
Aviv,
as,
according
to
our
guide,
80%
of
the
population
lives
in
condos.
Tonight,
we
are
staying
in a
4
star
hotel
in
Netanya
on
the
coast
of
the
Mediterranean
Sea
(somebody's
gotta
do
it).
:)
The
view
is
absolutely
gorgeous.
The
hotel
served
us a
delicious
and
large
buffet
dinner
of
traditional
Israeli
foods
such
as
falafel,
hummus,
roasted
chicken,
salads,
etc.
Now,
after
a
long
flight
and
eventful
day,
it's
time
for
bed.
Tomorrow:
Caesarea,
Megiddo,
and
the
childhood
home
of
Jesus,
Nazareth
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Day
2
has
been
very
exciting
and
filled
with
too
many
events
for
just
one
blog
post.
Our
stops
included
Caesarea,
Megiddo,
Nazareth,
and
the
Sea
of
Galilee,
where
we
are
staying
for
two
days.
Caesarea
Caesarea
was
an
ancient
port
city
built
by
Herod
the
Great,
who
was
King
of
Judah
when
Jesus
was
born.
Herod
honored
his
benefactor,
Augustus
Caesar,
with
a
brand
new
city
and
man-made
port
in
his
honor.
It
was
the
third
largest
port
in
the
ancient
world.
The
ruins
include
a
hippodrome
(horse
track),
the
foundation
of a
palace
for
Herod
(including
an
inscription
for
Pontius
Pilate),
a
small
part
of
the
harbor
not
submerged
in
the
Mediterranean,
and
a
reconstructed
Roman
theater.
A
little
further
north
of
Caesarea,
we
stopped
to
see
a
Roman
aqueduct
built
to
provide
water
to
the
city.
According
to
our
guide,
Roman
engineers
were
able
to
slope
the
aqueduct
down
one
yard
per
every
mile
to
ensure
that
the
water
would
flow
downward
under
the
force
of
gravity.
Megiddo
Our
next
stop
after
Caesarea
is a
very
important
site
to
both
archaeology
and
to
biblical
studies,
Megiddo.
Megiddo
is a
hill
overlooking
the
Jezreel
Valley,
a
valley
that
runs
north/south
through
the
middle
of
Israel.
In
Scripture,
Megiddo
is
referred
to
as
Har
Megiddo,
or
more
popularly,
Armageddon.
In
the
ancient
world,
the
Jezreel
Valley
was
the
only
passable
trade
route
connecting
the
continent
of
Asia
with
Africa.
Therefore,
the
hill
of
Megiddo
was
a
highly
strategic
location
both
in
biblical
times
and
in
times
since. empires
the
Ancient
Middle
East
including
the
Babylonians,
Assyrians,
Mede,
Persians,
Hittites,
and
Egyptians
warred
with
one
another
to
control
this
coveted
trade
route.
The
ruler
who
controlled
the
Jezreel
Valley
controlled
trade
between
two
continents,
and
therefore,
much
of
the
known
world.
Several
fortresses
have
been
built
on
top
of
one
another
from
3,000
BC
onward,
including
fortresses
built
by
King
Solomon
and
King
Ahab.
Because
of
their
strategic
location,
both
the
hill
of
Megiddo
and
the
Jezreel
Valley
were
the
site
of
many
battles
throughout
history.
The
last
book
of
the
New
Testament,
The
Revelation,
suggests
that
Megiddo
will
be
the
site
of
the
last
great
battle
of
history,
commonly
referred
to
as
Armageddon.
From
Megiddo,
other
sites
that
are
central
to
the
biblical
story
are
visible-
Mount
Carmel,
Nazareth,
Moreh,
Mount
Tabor,
and
the
hills
of
Gilboa.
The
close
proximity
of
these
major
biblical
locations
is
shocking.
All
of
them
would
have
been
visible
to
Jesus
from
his
hometown.
For
example,
as a
young
boy
growing
up
in
Nazareth,
Jesus
would
have
been
able
to
look
across
the
Jezreel
Valley
to
Megiddo
and
reflect
on
the
biblical
stories
of
violence
and
bloodshed
that
took
place
there.
Perhaps
while
viewing
this
valley
in
which
so
many
wars
had
taken
place,
Jesus
realized
that
violence
simply
leads
to
more
violence
and
began
formulating
his
teaching
on
nonviolence
and
self-sacrifice.
(The
city
in
the
distance
is
Nazareth,
the
hometown
of
Jesus.)
At
the
back
of
the
Megiddo
fortress,
the
early
inhabitants
dug
a
deep
gorge
to
reach
the
water
table
and
haul
water
from
a
spring
up
onto
the
hill
of
Megiddo.
The
gorge
is
deep
enough
to
require
183
steps
(that
we
took,
of
course)
down
into
a
secret
tunnel
to
fetch
water
for
the
people
living
inside
the
fortress.
To
add
an
eery
connection
to
history,
as
we
were
viewing
this
ancient
site
of
so
many
battles,
Israeli
jets
continually
flew
overhead
while
we
toured
the
area,
occasionally
breaking
the
sound
barrier.
The
small
blur
in
the
top
left
quadrant
of
this
photo
is
an
Israeli
F-16
fighter
jet
flying
overhead.
Only
a
short
distance
from
nations
hostile
to
Israel,
such
as
Syria
and
Iran,
Israel
is
all
too
aware
of
the
possibility
of
further
conflicts.
Unfortunately,
the
line
between
historic
conflicts
and
contemporary
ones
is
quite
blurry.
More
come
from
day
2,
including
Nazareth,
Cana,
baptisms
in
the
Jordan
River,
and
the
Sea
of
Galilee...
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After
leaving
Megiddo,
we
drove
a
short
distance
across
the
Jezreel
Valley
to
an
extremely
important
place
in
the
Christian
faith,
Jesus'
hometown
of
Nazareth.
While
we
approached
it
in
our
tour
bus,
our
guide
rhetorically
asked,
"How
did
growing
up
in
this
area
affect
Jesus?
How
did
it
influence
him?
What
about
this
area
is
important
to
the
development
of a
new
religion?"
Modern
Nazareth
looks
nothing
like
it
did
in
the
time
of
Jesus.
It
is
now
a
city
of
over
100,000
people.
In
Jesus'
time,
it
was
a
village
of a
few
hundred
people
in
which
everyone
knew
everyone
else.
Small
town
politics
would
have
ruled.
It
was
a
simple,
rural
upbringing,
far
from
the
religious
intensity
in
Jerusalem.
We
visited
the
Basilica
of
Annunciation
in
the
center
of
the
city.
In
the
following
photo,
you
are
looking
at a
stone
house
underneath
the
surface
of
modern
Nazareth
with
an
enormous
shrine
built
around
it.
Since
the
4th
century
AD,
many
Christians
believe
that
Mary
lived
here
with
her
family
as a
young
girl.
Whether
or
not
this
is
the
exact
house,
it's
part
of
the
small
village
of
Nazareth
in
Jesus'
time
that
has
only
been
partly
excavated.
Jesus
grew
up
somewhere
within
a
few
hundred
yards
of
here.
Here
is
another
photo
of
the
excavation
of
ancient
Nazareth.
From
Nazareth,
we
drove
through
the
Cana
where
John
writes
that
Jesus
performed
his
first
miracle
of
turning
water
into
wine.
In
Jesus'
time,
Nazareth
was
a
small
village
and
the
nearby
Cana
was
the
"big
city."
They
are
just
a
few
minutes
drive
from
each
other,
and
Cana
now
resembles
what
you
might
imagine
when
you
think
of a
MIddle
East
city.
Both
Nazareth
and
Cana
have
a
high
population
of
Muslim
Arab
Israelis,
and
the
concrete
buildings
are
very
close
to
one
another.
After
driving
through
Cana,
within
30
minutes
or
so,
we
arrived
in
the
region
of
the
Sea
of
Galilee,
a
magnificently
beautiful
area,
actually
below
sea
level.
The
area
reminded
some
of
our
travelers
of
Southern
California.
This
region
is
where
Jesus
lived
for
most
of
his
ministry.
This
is
the
southern
end
of
the
Sea
of
Galilee
where
it
flows
into
the
Jordan
River.
We
stopped
at
the
Jordan
for
several
of
our
fellow
travelers
to
reaffirm
their
baptisms,
and
two
persons
were
baptized
for
the
first
time.
One
was
one
of
our
travelers
and
the
other
was
a
young
man
with
a
group
from
Nigeria.
He
saw
the
baptisms
being
performed
and
spontaneously
asked
to
be
baptized.
It
was
a
moving
experience
for
our
group.
We
then
drove
north
for
just
a
few
minutes
to
the
small
town
of
Tiberias
on
the
western
shore
of
the
Sea
of
Galilee.
Just
being
at
the
Sea
of
Galilee
is a
powerful
experience.
Most
of
what
we
know
of
Jesus'
teaching
and
ministry
happened
in
this
very
place.
It
is
overwhelming
to
think
that
Jesus
viewed
the
very
same
hills
that
we
now
see.
This
is
the
northern
end
of
the
Sea
of
Galilee
including
towns
in
which
Jesus
spent
a
great
deal
of
time,
Capernaum,
Chorazin,
and
Bethsaida.
It
feels
a
bit
surreal
to
realize
that
what
we
know
as
Christianity
began
on
this
small
coast
that
you
see
in
the
distance.
Across
the
Sea
of
Galilee
is
the
area
now
known
as
the
Golan
Heights.
While
standing
in
this
spot,
you
can
open
the
Gospels
and
literally
point
to
the
locations
in
which
many
of
the
events
of
Jesus'
life
took
place.
Peter,
Andrew,
James,
John,
and
the
rest
of
Jesus'
disciples
called
the
towns
around
this
very
lake
home.
The
experience
is
difficult
to
put
into
words.
It
is
enough
to
say
that
Jesus
Christ
lived
here,
and
it
is
understandably
a
very
powerful
experience
to
be
present
in
this
place.
Tomorrow,
we
will
explore
various
sites
in
this
region
of
Galilee.
Until
then,
may
God
bless
you
as
you
view
the
very
places
that
Jesus
lived
and
ministered
on
earth.
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(The
wifi
in
our
hotel
was
too
weak
to
even
upload
the
blog.
Here
are
yesterday's
activities.)
Our
day
began
with
a
visit
to
the
museum
at
the
Genosar
kibbutz
featuring
the
2,000
year
old
boat
that
was
uncovered
in
the
Sea
of
Galilee
in
the
late
1980's.
It
is a
small
wooden
boat
perhaps
similar
to
the
one
used
by
Jesus
and
His
disciples.
We
then
set
sail
in a
working
boat
on
the
Sea
of
Galilee
called
the
Worship
Boat.
It
is
operated
by a
Jewish
Christian
worship
leader
who
led
our
group
in
singing
three
worship
songs
while
we
sailed
in
front
of
the
northern
end
of
the
Sea
of
Galilee
where
Jesus
lived
during
his
ministry.
It
was
a
beautiful
boat
ride.
Here
is
the
view
from
the
boat.
The
Mount
of
Beatitudes
is
on
the
far
right.
After
sailing,
we
drove
to
the
Mount
of
Beatitudes
where
it
is
believed
that
Jesus
gave
the
Sermon
on
the
Mount
(The
Gospel
of
Matthew
5-7).
And
this
is a
partial
view
of
the
Sea
of
Galilee
from
the
Mount
of
Beatitudes.
Jesus
chose
a
beautiful
and
inspiring
place
in
which
to
minister.
We
then
took
an
hour's
drive
north
to
Caesarea
Philippi,
a
city
built
by
Herod
the
Great's
son,
Herod
Philippi
as
his
capital
and
a
very
important
site
to
the
Christian
faith.
The
city
sits
near
the
borders
of
Syria
and
Lebanon
and
was
the
site
of a
dramatic
temple
complex
dedicated
to
the
god
Pan,
a
half-man/half
goat
god
of
shepherds
and
agriculture. At
the
base
of a
large
rock
formation
is a
natural
grotto
in
which
sacrifices
to
Pan
were
offered.
Beside
it
stood
a
temple
dedicated
to
Augustus
Caesar.
It
is
in
Caesarea
Philippi,
in
front
of
these
pagan
tombs
that
Jesus
asked
his
disciples,
"Who
do
people
say
the
Son
of
Man
is?"
Peter
answered,
"You
are
the
Messiah,
the
Son
of
the
living
God"
(Matthew
16:13,
16
TNIV).
Coming
up
on
Day
3,
Part
2- A
fishy
lunch,
Capernaum,
and
the
feeding
of
the
5,000...
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After
a
hour
long
drive
back
from
Caesarea
Philippi,
we
ate
lunch
at a
kibbutz
on
the
eastern
shore
of
the
Sea
of
Galilee.
The
main
dish
was
St.
Peter's
fish,
talapia.
It
is
called
St.
Peter's
fish
because
Jesus
instructed
Peter
to
find
a
coin
with
which
to
pay
his
taxes
in
the
mouth
of a
fish
(Matthew
17).
Here's
the
fish
pre-tax
and
after
tax.
Do
you
think
the
IRS
would
ever
accept
this?
:)
After
lunch,
we
took
a
10-15
drive
to
the
north
end
of
the
lake
to
the
ruins
of
Capernaum,
the
"headquarters"
of
Jesus
ministry.
According
to
the
Gospels,
Jesus
lived
in
the
home
of
His
disciple
Simon
Peter
in
Capernaum,
and
many
of
Jesus'
teachings
and
miracles
take
place
here.
A
shrine
is
built
over
what
some
believe
is
the
house
of
Peter,
next
to
an
ancient
synagogue. Even
if
this
is
not
the
exact
home
of
Peter,
it
is
still
likely
that
Jesus
called
this
small
village
home
for
2-3
years
of
his
life.
Here
is
the
foundation
of
the
ancient
synagogue.
We
celebrated
Communion
together
on
the
shore
just
outside
of
Caprenaum.
Then
our
third
day's
sites
ended
with
the
Church
of
the
Heptagon
built
over
the
rock
upon
which,
it
is
believed,
Jesus
placed
the
five
loaves
and
two
fish
before
the
feeding
of
the
5,000.
The
rock
sits
under
the
altar.
Tomorrow,
we
head
south
to
Bethlehem
and
Jerusalem
for
Shabbat,
the
Sabbath.
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Today
was
a
busy
day.
We
visited
several
sites
on
our
journey
from
Galilee
to
Jerusalem.
Much
of
the
route
is
located
in
the
West
Bank,
in
the
Palestinian
territory
of
Israel.
We
stopped
at
an
ancient
and
strategic
Roman
city
overlooking
the
Jezreel
Valley
called
Bet-
Shean.
The
ruins
are
magnificent,
including
a
theater,
columns,
a
massive
hill
with
the
foundation
of a
temple
to
Zeus,
and,
of
all
things
a
latrine.
After
leaving
Bet
Shen,
we
traveled
south
on Route
90,
the
major
highway
along
the
border
of
Israel
and
Jordan.
The
climate
changed
from
semi-arid
to
desert
as
we
approached
Jericho
near
the
Dead
Sea.
We
saw
shepherds
with
herds
of
goats
and
sheep,
bedouin
communities,
the
Samaritan
Hills
(John
chapter
4),
and
we
could
also
see
the
country
of
Jordan
across
the
Jordan
River
border.
Oh,
and
many
of
our
pilgrims
rode
a
camel
at a
gas
station.:)
We
then
began
our
ascent
to
Jerusalem.
The
difference
in
altitude
during
the
short
drive
between
Jericho
and
Jerusalem
is
3300
feet.
When
climbing
the
Judean
Hills
into
Jerusalem,
one
has
the
feeling
of
going
"up,
up,
up."
You
notice
the
clouds
getting
closer
and
closer
as
you
climb
toward
the
Holy
City.
It's
no
wonder
that
the
Temple
was
placed
in a
city
on
top
of
the
mountain.
Our
tour
of
the
Old
City
including
the
Temple
Mount
will
be
tomorrow.
For
today,
we
crossed
from
Jerusalem
back
into
Palestinian
territory
to
visit
the
birthplace
of
Jesus,
Bethlehem.
Our
only
site
was
The
Church
of
the
Nativity
on
Manger
Square.
It
is a
church
building
constructed
over
1,000
years
ago
and
was
standing
during
the
time
of
the
Crusades.
After
entering
the
church,
pilgrims
descend
a
flight
of
stairs
to a
star
on
the
right
marking
the
place
where
Jesus
is
believed
to
have
been
born.
Many
kneel
and
either
touch
or
kiss
the
star.
After
leaving
the
Church
of
the
Nativity,
our
tour
bus
passed
through
the
military
checkpoint
back
into
Israel
and
went
to
our
hotel
for
the
evening.
The
conflict
between
the
Israelis
and
the
Palestinians
is
sad,
especially
when
one
considers
that
the
Prince
of
Peace
was
born
near
the
security
wall
that
divides
the
two.
It
appears
that
many
Israelis
and
Palestinians
do
desire
peace.
We
hope
that
a
time
of
peace
will
come
soon.
Tomorrow
events
include
the
Mount
of
Olives,
Old
City
of
Jerusalem
and
walking
the
Via
Dolorosa,
the
route
Jesus
took
on
his
way
to
the
cross
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Day
5
was
an
awe-inspiring
experience.
For
the
first
time,
we
saw
the
Temple
Mount
with
the
Dome
of
the
Rock
sitting
where
the
Jewish
Temple
once
stood,
the
hallmark
image
of
Jerusalem.
Our
first
stop
this
morning
was
the
Mount
of
Olives
where
Jesus
often
prayed
during
his
visits
to
Jerusalem.
It
was
there
that
he
prayed
in
the
Garden
of
Gethsemane
just
hours
before
his
betrayal
and
arrest.
We
stopped
at
the
top
of
the
Mount
of
Olives
for
this
view
of
the
Temple
Mount
and
the
City
of
David
to
its
left.
The
Temple
Mount
behind
the
Kidron
Valley.
The
Temple
Mount
is a
vital
location
for
the
three
monotheistic
religions
of
the
world-
Judaism,
Christianity,
and
Islam.
The
Temple
Mount,
the
Valley
of
Ben
Hinnom
(Gehenna),
and
the
City
of
David
to
the
left.
The
East
Gate
through
which
Christ
entered
Jerusalem
on
Palm
Sunday.
This
gate
faces
the
East
toward
the
Mount
of
Olives.
The
room
believed
to
be
the
Upper
Room
where
Jesus
and
His
disciples
ate
the
Last
Supper
during
the
Feast
of
Passover.
After
His
final
meal
with
His
disciples
before
the
resurrection,
Jesus
went
to
the
Garden
of
Gethsemane
to
pray.
The
Garden
of
Gethsemane
on
the
Mount
of
Olives,
beginning
with
the
Church
of
All
Nations,
marking
the
place
believed
to
be
where
sweat
like
drops
of
blood
fell
from
Jesus'
face.
The
rock
believed
to
be
the
one
on
which
Jesus
prayed
in
the
Garden
of
Gethsemane.
Olive
trees
over
1,000
years
old
in
the
Garden
of
Gethsemane.
Trees
much
like
these
would
have
existed
as
Jesus
prayed.
While
praying,
Judas
entered
the
garden
with
Roman
centurions
and
betrayed
Christ
with
a
kiss
on
the
cheek.
Jesus
was
arrested
and
led
to a
dungeon
near
the
Temple
Mount.
The
steps
Christ
walked
to
the
dungeon
where
he
was
held,
followed
by
the
entrance
to
the
pit.
The
dungeon/pit
in
which
Jesus
was
held
over
night
before
His
crucifixion.
We
then
entered
the
Old
City
of
Jerusalem
and
began
walking
the
Via
Dolorosa,
the
possible
route
that
Christ
walked
on
the
way
to
His
crucifixion
after
his
arrest
and
trial
at
the
hands
of
Pontius
Pilate.
The
entrance
to
the
Church
of
the
Holy
Sepulchre,
believed
by
Catholics
and
Orthodox
Christians
to
be
the
site
of
the
crucifixion
and
empty
tomb.
Inside
the
Church
of
the
Holy
Sepulchre
at
the
spot
believed
by
Catholics
and
Orthodox
Christians
to
be
the
site
of
the
crucifixion.
Some
worshipers
knelt
and
kissed
the
stone.
There
was
a
dramatic
feeling
of
awe
and
reverence
that
one
would
expect
in
the
very
place
venerated
as
the
site
of
the
crucifixion
of
Christ.
Photos
were
not
allowed
inside
the
empty
tomb.
Entering
the
empty
tomb
and
touching
the
slab
of
stone
on
which
many
believe
Jesus
was
laid
was
a
moving
experience,
to
say
the
least.
We
are
reminded
that
the
tomb
is
empty,
and
Jesus
has
risen!
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We
began
the
morning
by
visiting
one
of
the
holiest
sites
on
earth,
a
site
venerated
by
the
three
monotheistic
religions
of
the
world,
theTemple
Mount
in
Jerusalem.
It
has
served
as
the
center
of
Israel's
worship
for
the
past
3,000
years.
The
Muslim
Dome
of
the
Rock
now
sits
where
the
Jewish
Temple
stood
until
it
was
destroyed
by
the
Romans
in
70
AD.
This
place
marks
the
spot
on
which
Abraham
nearly
sacrificed
his
son
Isaac,
where
God
told
David
the
Temple
would
sit,
where
Jesus
taught
in
Jerusalem,
and,
according
to
Muslim
belief,
where
Mohammed
ascended
to
heaven.
Just
to
give
you
an
idea
of
the
size
of
the
Temple
Mount,
Cleveland
Stadium
could
fit
on
top
of
the
Temple
Mount
2
1/2
times!
We
then
drove
east
over
the
hills
of
the
Judean
desert
and
down
below
sea
level
to
Qumran.
It
was
here
that
the
famous
Dead
Sea
Scrolls
were
discovered
in
1947.
A
young
Bedoin
boy
was
throwing
stones
into
a
cave
for
fun
when
he
heard
what
sounded
like
a
pottery
jar
breaking.
The
scrolls
had
been
stored
inside
nearly
2,000
years
before
and
these
Dead
Sea
scrolls
became
one
of
the
most
significant
archaeological
discoveries
of
the
20th
century
with
biblical
manuscripts
1,000
years
older
than
existing
ones.
The
scrolls
had
been
created
and
hidden
by a
Jewish
communal
group
called
the
Essenes,
a
sort
of
Jewish
monastic
community
during
the
time
of
Christ.
One
of
the
reasons
that
the
Essenes
are
important
to
Christians
is
that
it
is
possible
that
John
the
Baptist
either
was
an
Essene
or
was
influenced
by
them.
Even
more
importantly
to
our
faith,
Essene
thinking
seems
to
have
influenced
early
Christianity
with
a
stress
on
baptism,
the
dualism
of
good
versus
evil,
and
apocalyptic
literature
like
the
book
of
The
Revelation,
the
last
book
of
the
New
Testament.
Could
it
be
that
John
the
Baptist
was
immersed
in
these
ritual
baths
seen
above?
It
is
thought
that
Jesus
was
baptized
by
John
in
the
Jordan
River
near
Qumran,
adding
to
the
potentially
close
connection
between
John,
Jesus,
and
the
Essenes.
After
about
a 45
minutes
drive,
we
arrived
at
one
of
the
most
spectacular
sites
that
any
of
us
had
seen,
the
desert
mountain
fortress
of
Masada.
Masada
was
constructed
by
Herod
the
Great
who
reigned
as
the
King
of
Judea
during
the
birth
of
Jesus.
The
luxurious
fortress
atop
a
mountain
1,500
feet
above
the
Dead
Sea
was
complete
with
both
cold
and
hot
baths,
water
and
food
supplies,
a
palace
and
a
palatial
guest
home.
Views
from
the
top
of
the
mountain
were
truly
spectacular,
the
summit
being
reached
by
cable
car.
Even
though
we
experienced
cool
temperatures,
high
winds
and
rain
on
the
mountain,
a
rarity
for
this
desert
area,
the
site
was
well
worth
the
visit.The
photos
simply
do
not
do
the
view
justice.
One
person
remarked
that
the
view
from
Masada
is
more
striking
than
the
Grand
Canyon.
After
the
Romans
sacked
Jerusalem
in
70
AD,
Masada
was
written
into
the
history
of
the
Jewish
people
for
a
much
more
sobering
reason.
As
Jewish
rebels
fled
Jerusalem,
they
took
shelter
in
the
safest
place
of
which
they
were
aware,
Masada.
Not
to
be
thwarted,
50,000
Roman
soldiers,
led
by
the
future
emperor,
Titus,
built
camps
at
the
base
of
Masada
for
three
years.
There
was
no
route
of
escape
for
the
Jewish
rebels.
To
increase
the
level
of
pressure,
the
Romans
constructed
a
ramp
of
unbelievable
size,
the
ruins
of
which
still
exist,
to
lay
siege
to
Masada.
Trapped
on
the
mountain
with
no
way
of
defeating
the
Roman
legions,
the
nearly
1,000
Jews
were
forced
to
make
a
grave
decision,
to
either
be
enslaved
by
the
Romans
or
to
end
their
own
lives.
Ten
Jewish
men
drew
lots
for
who
would
be
the
last
survivor
and
fall
on
his
own
sword.
The
men
then
killed
all
of
the
women
and
children
and
each
other,
until
only
one
man
was
left,
who
then
took
his
own
life.
When
the
Romans
finally
broke
through
to
Masada,
they
found
a
people
who
would
rather
die
than
be
enslaved
by
them.
Only
a
few
women
and
children
were
spared
who
lived
to
tell
the
story.
This
sad
saga
remains
in
the
consciousness
of
Israelis
to
this
day
who
bolster
their
courage
in
conflict
with
the
refrain,
"Masada,
never
again."
On a
much
lighter
note,
we
traveled
back
in
the
direction
of
Jerusalem
along
the
Dead
Sea
and
stopped
at a
beach
near
Jericho.
A
rainbow
had
formed
over
the
Dead
Sea
as
the
rain
passed
and
we
felt
the
desert
sun
again.
The
salt
content
of
the
Dead
Sea
is
35%,
enabling
a
person
to
float
even
with
both
arms
and
legs
out
of
the
water.
About
25
of
us
swam
in
the
Dead
Sea
in
56
degree
weather!
The
water
temperature
was
probably
in
the
high
60's
and
felt
comfortable.
It
was
a
unique
sensation
to
float
to
the
extent
that
we
could
sit
up
and
still
float
on
the
surface
of
the
water.
Several
of
the
ladies
covered
themselves
in
Dead
Sea
mud
for
free
(instead
of
paying
$20
for
a
small
packet
of
it).
We
made
sure
that
those
not
going
in
took
photos
of
our
cold
weather
swimming
experience,
purely
for
bragging
rights.:)
We
then
headed
back
to
our
Jerusalem
hotel
for
dinner.
Visiting
the
Temple
Mount,
Qumran,
Masada,
and
the
Dead
Sea,
all
in
the
space
of a
few
hours,
made
for
a
remarkable
day!
Our final day in the Holyland began with a visit to the nearby Israel Museum. It is impossible to encapsulate all of Israel's history in one museum, but two exhibits were particular helpful to us.
The first is an outdoor model of Jerusalem in the first century. The model is based on archaeological evidence collected up to the 1960's. While some details are dated, the model was generally helpful to orient us to the layout of the sites we visited.
The museum also includes a Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit featuring pottery, tools, and copies of the scrolls found in the Qumran community. We were not permitted to take photos of the Dead Sea exhibit, but our time in this exhibit added additional realism to our experience in Qumran.
Our bus then headed to another magnificent fortress built by Herod the Great just prior to the time of Jesus, the Herodian. The Herodion sits atop a man-made mountain a few miles south of Jerusalem. It included a palace, Roman baths, cisterns, storehouses, and even a personal theater for Herod and his closest friends.
Interestingly, the Herodion is visible from the south side of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. This mountain fortress stands in stark contrast to the humble manger in which Jesus was born. Both were called the King of the Jews but one lived in luxury while the other in humility.
 
We traveled back to the Temple area of Old City Jerusalem to visit the famous Western Wall and Southern Steps of the Temple Mount. When we arrived, we saw crowds of mostly Hasidic Jews praying at the wall, and many of our pilgrims placed written prayers into the cracks of the wall, as visitors are invited to do.
The Southern Steps of the Temple Mount marked the spot where King David climbed Mount Moriah (the site of the Temple Mount) and placed the Ark of the Covenant there. This is where all Jews, including Jesus, entered the Temple to offer sacrifice. In addition, it was probably on the Southern Steps that Peter preached his sermon on the Day of Pentecost that resulted in 3,000 persons coming to faith in Christ.
After a week of life-changing experiences, we ended our pilgrimage this afternoon with what was the highlight for many, a visit to the Garden Tomb. The exact location of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection is not known. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is one possibility, and the Garden Tomb is another.
While the Church of the Holy Sepulchre encases the possible sites of the crucifixion and resurrection inside of a large church building, the Garden Tomb is just that, an empty tomb within a small garden just outside of the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem. It was discovered in the 1800's by a man who purchased the property and invited an archaeologist to explore the site after finding the ancient tomb.
There are several reasons why the Garden Tomb may be the historical site of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
First, it matches the New Testament description of the site in that it is outside the city gate, is in a garden area, is near a hill that has the appearance of a skull (Golgotha). The "mouth" of the skull is now underneath the surface of the ground, but the "eyes" are still visible, as seen below.
The Romans normally crucified victims on the edge of a road, so all who passed by would see the price of defying Roman law. A road runs just in front of the hill, just outside of the Damascus Gate.
Second, Byzantine Christians erected a small church building at the opening of the tomb, and Christian art was found inside from that period. The tomb is indeed ancient, from the time of Jesus, and the site was used as a garden, more specifically a vineyard, as witnessed by a Roman winepress excavated at the site. In front of the tomb is a groove that would allow a large stone to be rolled in front of the small entrance.
Here is the Garden Tomb.
Inside the opening to the tomb, there is space both on the right and the left, matching the New Testament description of the burial place of Jesus, as an angel appeared on the right. According to the description, the place where Jesus was layed to rest would be visible from the entrance, making it the left side of the tomb.
It is not possible to know with certainty whether or not Jesus was buried here, but the evidence is compelling and awe-inspiring.
After visiting the empty tomb, our group shared Communion together, led by Rev. Horak, and we slowly exited the Garden Tomb, stopping to take one last glance at what may be the place in which the angel said, "He is not here. He is risen."
Thank you for traveling along with us through our Holyland trip blog. We hope that this pilgrimage has blessed your life as it has ours.
Tomorrow morning, we travel back home, and we can't wait to see our families and friends!
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