HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE Wed Feb. 11, 2009

From Holy Land Trip 2 11 09

From Holy Land Trip 2 11 09

From Holy Land Trip 2 11 09

From Holy Land Trip 2 11 09

Wednesday, February 11, 2009
After breakfast we drove to Joppa, the ancient port city to view the home of Simon the Tanner. We read from Acts 9:32-43 and then Acts 10:24-ff. It talks about Peter going to Caesarea and Joppa. This is where I walked today. It was amazing to step into history.

Now we will begin our journey north along the coastal road to to Caesarea, built by Herod the Great. It was here that Peter was imprisoned for two years. Herod was a builder. We sat in a 5,000 person amphitheater and then saw peaces of his palaces by the sea. It actually had a fresh water pool right on the salt water beach. We also saw a piece of stone etched with Pontius Pilates name. We saw a aquduck that ran fresh water 15 miles from the spring.

Visit the Crusader's fortress and Roman ruins.

Proceed to Beit Shearim, ancient seat of the Sanhedrin, to visit the Catacombs and the ruins of what was once the most important synagogue in Israel.

We ate lunch at Megiddo or Armageddon. See Revelation 16:16.

We continue to Megiddo ancient chariot city of King Solomon and Ahab. They had a stable with 700 horses.

Mt. Tabor, the traditional site of the Transfiguration. This will be the gospel text when I return on Feb. 22. It is a mountain with heighth. Jesus and the disciples would have had to been in good shape to hike to the top.

On top of Mt. Tabor we visit the Church of the Transfiguration. A Roman Catholic church that marks the traditional place of Jesus' transfiguration.

We end the day by coming to our hotel (Nof Ginosar Hotel) right on the Sea of Galilee. We will stay here for two nights. Dinner was an amazing buffet of salads, main dishes and desserts. The black olives are great, but the desserts are even better. It's all kosher-so no dairy in anything, but I can't tell.

Tomorrow we will go around the Sea of Galilee, including a boat ride and going into the water for a remembrance of baptism. So far it's all been so amazing. I can't take enough pictures or movies to do it all justice. I'm recording the lectures our tour guide gives. I think we could do a adult education class, just on the pics and tour guide insights.

Overnight: Galilee, Israel