Our final day of travel led us into Israel’s northernmost region, the Golan Heights.  All of this was completely new ground to me.  As well, it was beautiful ground—lush and green—to end the trip exploring.

Tel Dan is a national park containing a gorgeous hiking trail through forest with streams and small waterfalls spread throughout.  The water flowing here feeds into the upper Jordan River before flowing into the Sea of Galilee.  As well, our hike took us right through the ruins of the ancient city here, dating back to 1800 BC!  If you read Judges 18, THAT is where we were (see verse 28-31), in this place where God’s people turned away from Him.  Right in front of our eyes was the site of an altar used in their sacrifices! Continue reading →

The Sea of Galilee is not a sea.  It’s actually a lake—I don’t really know why its gets “sea credit”—measuring only about thirteen miles long and 8 miles wide.  I’ve read that a biker can pedal his way around in four to five hours—I hope to do that one day.  But for the smallness of the area, this body of water and its surrounding communities played a massive role in the life and ministry of Jesus.

Today, we worked our way over this area.

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Well, this day far exceeded my expectations!  The itinerary listed Nazareth, Zippori (ancient Sepphoris), and Cana.  These three sites are mere miles apart, AND our previous visit to Israel saw us spend several nights at a sweet little guesthouse in the modern-day village of Zippori.  In a sense, I was feeling a bit of “been there, done that”.

Not even close! Continue reading →

Bye bye Jerusalem.  Hello Galilee!  Today marks the move into the fourth and final phase of our journey.  Syria done.  Jordan completed.  Tantur finished.  Galilee, go! Continue reading →

Our final day in Jerusalem began with a tour of the Mount of Olives.  Our bus drove us to the top, which is truly a watershed location.  In a spot clear of buildings, one can look down the slope into the Kidron Valley, on the other side of which is the Temple Mounts and the rest of the Old City.  A swivel of the head has one looking down the east side of the mountain, where the elevation fades out of sight on the horizon, eventually reaching the Jordan Valley, and ultimately the Dead Sea.  From this peak, we wound our way down, beginning in a Palestinian neighbourhood and passing along the way multiple churches and the major Jewish cemetery here.

Besides offering some of the best panoramic views of Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives is the site of numerous significant biblical moments—Jesus’ frequent retreats to pray, his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, his sadness as he gazed over the city whose history was filled with its rejection of the prophets, and his arrest as he prayed his sweating-blood prayer on his final night.  Tradition also holds this as the place of Jesus’ ascension, despite the Scriptures’ silence on that detail. Continue reading →