2019 Israel Trip - Day 3

This morning we packed up and left Upper Galilee working our way through Lower Galilee to Jerusalem. As we drove some of the locations we went by were the height’s of Issachar, Mount Gilboa, Mount Tabor and the Plains of Jezreel. Each is mentioned and has significance in the Bible.

Our first stop was the city of Nazareth. Narrow streets, hillside living and a bustling
marketplace. The streets in Nazareth were originally donkey paths and even today they are not much wider than a pack laden donkey. There we went to the Nazareth Village, a first century village where the life and times of Jesus are portrayed. This a working
farm/museum and an excellent depiction of life in the time of Christ. Nazareth Village sits about 500 yards from the original town of Nazareth.

Our next stop was Ma’ayan Harod National Park-Gideon’s Spring where we got to see, hear and if we wanted to drink from the very spring that Gideon used in Judges 7. The spring rises in a cave on the slope of Mt. Gilboa. Here Gideon following God’s instruction came up with a army of 300 men to battle the Midianites. God took 300 men against a multitude that was so numerous they were “like grasshoppers.” God fought the battle that day.

At Bet She’an we saw probably one of the best archeological sites I have ever seen. There was saw the spectacular ruins of a Roman city from the Byzantine era. Only about 10% of the city has been recovered and that is all that will ever be recovered since the rest of the city is under the current city. Rising above that is where the biblical city of Bet She’an stood. Impressive architecture, planning and another look into the history of Israel.

We finished up the day on the West Bank portion of Israel in the city of Jericho. It is the
administrative seat of the Jericho Governate and is governed by the Palestinian National
Authority. A town of about 20K, Jericho is home to the biblical city of Jericho and contains the only remaining portion of the Jericho Wall that was not destroyed by God. It was truly amazing to stand in front of that wall and look where Rahab had her home. You may ask how I know that was where her home was? How can I be sure? Because it is still there. The rest of the wall was destroyed but Rahab and her household was spared because she trusted in God and his people. Read Joshua 2.

​After Jericho we began the ascent to Jerusalem. The next three nights will be spent in and around Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. I cant wait.
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The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you.