I have fallen a bit behind because WI-FI has been tougher to get. I’m actually using Dave Browns laptop tonight. Anyway let me catch you up …

Day 9 (Tuesday)
This morning we spent some time at ruins of early Tiberius while waiting for a lady in the Spanish group to get medical care at a clinic. She seemed to have “bells palsy”.

9:30A: We are following the Jordan River, Hwy 90, & thus seeing the fertile Jordan Valley. Just S of Bet Shean we saw the Gilboa Mtns, where King Saul & sons were killed in battle. Read 1 Sam 31. The geography perfectly fit what we saw(duh).

10:30A: Entered the West Bank through a checkpoint. We stopped at Argman for a rest stop. There were Israeli soldiers there. Not unusual but just thought I’d mention it.

11:45A arrived at Qumran. In 1947 the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered here. Parts of every OT book but Esther were part of what was found and the end result was that the manuscripts already in use were confirmed by these oldest manuscripts. Read Isa 55:10-11 or Ps 119. The word of God endures!

After lunch we arrived at Masada around 2:45P. It closed at 4P (last cable car down from the top or you have to walk). So our guide Mike (who speaks 4 languages: Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, English) and who is a wonderful Christian man (along with Nareet, our Jewish guide who speaks Spanish and translates for a few in the other bus) got us quickly through the top of the mountain. Masada is a Jewish landmark, where in 73AD a group of Jews decided to end their lives rather than give in to the Romans. As Mike wonderfully pointed out, their leader never did give them the alternative of simply trusting God, whether by fighting the Romans or giving themselves up. Mike has a wonderful grasp of the truth of Scripture.

From Masada we arrived at the resort area at the south end of the Dead Sea and had time for a “float” … not a swim but a float. The picture is on FB if you want to gross yourself out.

Day 10 (Wednesday)
Wow, what an exciting (and exhausting) day! The keys are: JERICHO AND JERUSALEM! If you have a map of Israel it might be helpful.

We left the southern end of the Dead Sea heading back north to Jericho. First we turned East toward the Jordan River, waiting at a gate for 4 Israeli soldiers to show up and let us in, along with 5 other busses, for a baptism service in the Jordan. Several of our group were baptized.

Then we headed into Jericho, with the Mt of Temptation on the West side of the city. This required our group getting on the Spanish group’s bus (since our driver was Jewish and was not allowed in Jericho)and going through (rather easily I might say) a security checkpoint run by the Palestinian Authority as the PA is responsible for security in Jericho. We went through town, seeing the “Zaccheus Tree” as we drove through town (right city name but who knows what tree), to a tram that would take us to the Mt of Temptation (read Mt 4:1-11 and be encouraged on the matter of resisting temptation by use of the Word). Once there we still had a rather steep hike up to a monastery where there is a cave thought to be one Christ stayed in and then an Orthodox shrine/church. Quite the fascinating place. And my knees hurt.

Returning from the mount we had lunch and then went out to Tel Jericho, a mound with several versions of the city piled atop each other. And by the way, from the Mt we were able to see to the Jordan River and Mt Nebo on the other side (where Moses saw the land but was not permitted to enter) and the likely place where the Israelites crossed the river and then made their way to Jericho. Hot stuff!

Leaving Jericho it was now time for our ascent to Jerusalem. What an exciting ride. It was very mountainous, bringing to mind the words of the Pilgrim Psalm 121: I lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth! As we were nearing our first view of Jerusalem our guide played a version of “The Holy City”. The first view was exciting, and the view we had toward the end of the day (not great for pictures as the sun was setting behind the old city) was inspiring and thrilling. On the way we stopped on the Mt of Olives for stops at the Church of the Ascension & the Pater Noster where the Lord’s Prayer is displayed from nearly every language on earth.

Tonight we went shopping (hot diggity). Actually, it was in Bethlehem at a shop run by Christians. It was a surprisingly an enjoyable experience.

Day 11 (Thursday)
Today the keys were 1)Temple Mount and 2) Bethlehem. We began boing to the Temple Mount, seeing the Western Wall, the only part of the 2nd temple (in use in Jesus day) left. You have seen the Jews praying there I’m sure. (Cindy was in tears thinking of why Jesus Himself wept over the city.) Then we went to the Dome of the Rock and al Aksa Mosque … not inside either, of course, since we are not Muslims. The gold Dome covers the top of Mt Moriah, where Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac. We also went to a room commemorating the Upper Room and had a communion service. That was cool!

We then went to a shrine (church) St Peter in the Gallicantu … beats me but it commemorated his denial of Christ. What was interesting and so inspiring was a stair-stepped pathway that descended down Mt Zion to the Kidron Valley, linking the other side of the valley (the Mt of Olives). Christ would have walked this path, probably, leaving the Upper Room for Gethsemane, and then being brought back to appear before Caiaphas after being arrested.

In the afternoon we were in Bethlehem. I was not quite as taken with what we saw, personally. The Church of the Nativity had a cave in a lower part of the church where Mary supposedly had the baby Jesus. People were there kissing the spot. We also went to the Milk Grotto commemorating the place where Jesus grew the first 2 yrs, being nursed by Mary. Some of Mary’s breastmilk leaked or something, making the walls white, providing a powerful enablement for fertility, as indicated by many testimonial letters on the site. Do you see why I was not particularly taken by Bethlehem … the “Mary Cult” has a great emphasis as it did around the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

We did visit the Shepherd’s Field. That was cool. After all, that was ties to a Biblical story (Luke 2) and not some fantastical story.

So much for the account. Quite long. I really suggest you check us out on Facebook, not only while here in Israel but also in Ukraine & Sri Lanka.

I’m asking for prayer as, besides the wonderful things to see here, we are thinking about our upcoming time in Ukraine and being prepared for the first day or 2 of John’s gospel. The time in Israel has, of course, been helpful but it still has to be put together. And time is moving on. Can’t believe as I write that it’s Thursday evening! God bless.