Between the Lines

All good things must come to an end and this pilgrimage to the Holy Land has been a great thing that has come down to its final day. Just because it was the last doesn't mean it was a simple one as we visited numerous places including the Israel Museum and The Garden Tomb, with stops at Herodium, Bethany, and Jaffa. We started the day off with an addition to our original schedule by going to Herodium just outside of Jerusalem. This is the location where King Herod constructed a magnificent palace and fortress to not only be the jewel of his kingdom,but to also serve as his grave. We were able to see the recently excavated remains of this impressive structure, as well as the area where Herod's tomb was discovered. We would later see some of what was discovered here at the Israel Museum. After Herodium, we went to the Israel Museum, an impressive museum both architecturally and materially. This museum offered us a chance to see the large scale model of what the city of Jerusalem ...

Today was one of the hottest in Israel since we've been here but it was also our shortest,turning out to still be a good day. We visited the City of David, Hezekiah's Tunnel/Pool of Siloam, the Davidson Center and Bet-Guvrin-Maresha to participate in an archeological dig. Some of the remains of King David's palace We started the day off going to the City of David which is an Israeli national park and excavation site where Jerusalem sat during the time of King David. We were able to see the newly excavated structure which many believe to be King David's palace. Then we entered Hezekiah's tunnel, which was constructed by King Hezekiah to provide water for the city of Jerusalem prior to war against the Assyrians. This was a walk in complete darkness (except for our flashlights), in almost knee deep water through a tunnel that was not very high or very wide. Yet despite all that, it was a really fun experience for those who braved the waters of the tunnel.  ...

Today was one of the days I think many people were looking forward to, with the highlight being walking the Via Dolorosa. We also visited the old Temple Mount, the city of Hebron, and Yad Vashem, the Jewish holocaust museum. The Western Wall in Jerusalem We started the morning off by visiting the Western Wall where many Jewish people come to pray because this is the last remaining part of what was the Jewish Temple Mount. It basically is the closest thing Jews have to the old Temple which was destroyed in 70 A.D. Today you can see individuals coming to the wall to pray, read the Torah, and place prayers on papers in the wall. After, we went up on what was the Temple Mount, which is now space occupied by Muslims. Here we were able to see the Islamic mosque there and the shrine known as the Dome of the Rock. This location once was where the Jewish temple sat on what we know as Mount Moriah, where Abraham went to sacrifice his son Isaac. The "Dome" is built over the rock...

Our time here in Israel has started it's way down to the end, but today was a long one, as we left the hotel at 7:15 making stops at the Jerusalem tunnels before going to the Mount of Olives, and Bethlehem to visit Bethlehem Bible College (BBC), The Church of the Nativity, and The Shepherd's Field. A portion of a road from the 1st century, during Jesus' time We began early with a special treat. Our guide Doran was able to secure us a spot visiting the old tunnels that go under the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The Western Wall (which we will visit later in the week) is the only remains of the Jewish Temple which was destroyed in 70 A.D. Today on the site sits the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim holy site. These tunnels were dug by Jewish rabbis who were attempting to make their way under the old Temple Mount site before they were discovered, and the digging promptly ceased. Today these tunnels offer glimpses to the first century Jerusalem which lies buried beneath present d...

Today was another fun day for our group as we visited Ein Gedi, Massada, and the Dead Sea. Waterfall in the middle of the desert at Ein Gedi First, if Ein Gedi sounds familiar, that is because it is where David, who was running from King Saul was hiding in a cave. As he was hiding, Saul entered the cave to use the bathroom when (and this is one of the more comical scenes in the Bible for me), he cut off a corner of Saul's robe while he was relieving himself to later prove to him that he had no quarrel with the King. This location was a 30 minute hike into the desert which revealed one of the greatest treats so far, a beautiful waterfall in the middle of the desert. View of the desert and Dead Sea coming down from Ein Gedi Masada, from a distance. Next we traveled to Masada, which is not a place of Biblical significance but is extremely important in Jewish and ancient history. Masada was a fort built by King Herod on top of a flat top hill as a refuge if ever at...

Today was another long one beginning in Ginosar, and ending with us finally making our way to Jerusalem.  The 2,000 year old "Jesus boat" from Sea of Galilee We spent our final night in Ginosar (Galilee) last night, and woke up to visit the “Jesus Boat,” a ship dating to 2,000 years ago that was discovered in the Sea of Galilee. This boat would have been used during the time of Jesus, and though many people like to say it was used by Jesus, that is merely speculation. It does however, allow us to have the type of ship that may have been used by Jesus. Next we went to Tabgha, the traditional location of two very important events in the life of Jesus. One being where Jesus fed the 5,000, where now sits a church, the Church of the Multiplication, which holds beautiful mosaic floors honoring the miracle. Second, is what is called Peter’s Primacy, the place where Jesus prepared a meal for some of the disciples and restored Peter. The church here is built around what ...

Today may have been the most exciting day yet. We visited Bet-Shean, Harod Spring (or Gideon's Spring), took a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, visited Capernaum, and went to the Jordan River. The remains of the Roman city, Scythopolis, with the tell in background. After another great breakfast here at Nof Ginosar, we drove across the Jordan River to the town of Bet-Shean. A magnificent place, with a large tell consisting of 20 tels (or different cities built one on top of another). This city was originally a part of the Decapolis. It is found in the Biblical story of King Saul and Jonathan, because after they were killed in battle, their bodies were hung from the walls of this city. The excavations offered a great glimpse into the former glory of the Roman city, Scythopolis, one of the most exposed portions of this tel.  Want to guess what bodily function this was used for? The actual spring used by Gideon and his soldiers in Judges 7. After a long morning...

Hello everyone. We did so much today, that I am am just going to briefly mention each one for your sake and mine. We made stops at Caesarea Maritima, Megiddo, Zippori, and Nazareth for the Church of the Annunciation and the Mount of Precipice. The updated but original theater at Casarea First we drove over to the Mediterranean Sea and the ancient port city of Caesarea Maritima. Caesarea is a beautiful city that was originally constructed by Herod in an effort to impress the Roman government, and was one of the greatest architectural constructions of its time. For Biblical purposes, it is the place where the Apostle Paul made his defense to King Agrippa and was held before going on to Rome, as well as the city where Peter was told to go to meet Cornelius, the first Gentile convert. The city ruins showed us the remains of a Roman theater (that now plays host to some of the biggest names in entertainment, most recently Bon Jovi), as well as a Roman hippodrome , an arena where horse ...

Today begin our official visiting of sites and locations around Israel. We started the day with a delicious breakfast before boarding our bus at 8 AM to head to our first stop, the Mount of Beatitudes. This is the site traditionally believed to be the location where Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). The site currently has a Catholic church on it surrounded by beautiful gardens and places of reflection, that are run by a group of nuns. When we arrived, the group gathered and was led in a time of devotion by Nathan Morton, a CUDS student and pastor of Burgaw Baptist Church in Burgaw, NC. It was a wonderful reminder of what it means to be the salt and light of the earth, as Nathan read this memorable passage on the very site it is traditionally believed to have been delivered by Jesus.  Nathan sharing from Matt 5 on Mount of Beatitudes Church at Beatitudes Me with the Mount of Beatitudes and the Sea of Galilee in the back...