Greetings from Israel!
Well, we're almost on our way home. This time tomorrow, we'll be at the airport. Please pray that everything goes well in customs. Israel is a VERY tightly secured country. So, borders have taken a while. But, I'm sure that everything will go smoothly, and we'll get through the airport in record time.
Here's what we've been up to.
Thursday
Today we began our day with a wonderful boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. Even though it was a bit chilly and windy today, the water was great, and the ride was incredible. They played praise songs over the sound system, so we praised right along - "Shout to the Lord", "Awesome God", "Lord we lift your name"...it was inspiring.
The boat dropped us off on the other side where we visited a museum holding the Ancient Boat (or the "Jesus" boat). This is a boat that was discovered at the Sea. It was totally preserved for the last 2000 years in mud. It was neat to think that this could be the boat that Jesus used...chances are against it, but it's the right time period.
From here we moved on to the Mount of the Beatitutes. There is a beautiful church built on this site. In fact, there is a beautiful church built on any Biblically significant site.
Capernum was also on our agenda for today. This was probably my favorite spot today. This is the town that Jesus lived in during most of His ministry (His headquarters, if you will). Here we saw a Tabernacle from the 1st century. We also saw Peter's house...where Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. This was just an amazing place with amazing sites.
Other places of interest today were Caessarea Phillipi (sp?) and Tel Dan. This was a HUGE DAY, and bed was a welcome site!
Friday
Even though we didn't see as many sights today, this was a full and very special day. We started out by visiting Bet-Shan. Although there is not much about this excavation that tells us much about the Bible, it was the largest excavation that we have seen this trip. Truly a wonder! This was a Roman city...part of the Decapolis. But what we learned about some of the sites work well into understanding points of the Bible.
At this site is a Wonderful Ampitheater. It originally seated 7,000. It also included a HUGE bath house. Some of us hiked up to the top of the ancient tel, where there are excavations from the Israelites, Caananites, Egyptians, dating back as far as 5,000 BC. This place was absolutely incredible!
From here we moved on to Nazareth. We have been blessed to have some really unique guides, and this place was no exception. We had this young man from Brazil who had the most wonderful testimony...can't share it all right now...just know that his passion for the LORD was out of this world. I forgot to tell you that he was a guide for a "Nazareth Experience". This was a town that was built to show what life was like in the times of Jesus is His hometown. They found a wine press, built a Synagogue, and built a working olive press.
This will be my final entry. It's been fun bringing you all along with us. Sometimes I've been a bit out there. Sometimes I've just been informational. But I hope that sometimes I've also given you something to think about...a new way to look at the Holy Land or our Savior.
Now what? I just pray that God will continue to use me to spread HIS message, HIS stories, HIS Word to all who need to hear it.
God Bless you all!
See you in the States.
Love, In CHRIST,
brian
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