Thursday, Oct 8                 Day 5     Ministry Foundations-to Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

• Sepphoris
• Nazareth Village
• Nazareth precipice

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Well, it seems like the days are going a bit to fast!  Already done with day 5 – but day 5 was spectacular.  This morning we packed up our things and loaded them into the bus for our Journey north.  I had the opportunity to sit next to Tim Hatt and gain knew understanding from his perspective after having been here last year.  Actually, it was nice just to hang out with him.

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Sepphoris – Educational piece

• Sepphoris (Zippori, or “birdy”) was a major Roman and Byzantine city, the capital and heart of the Galilee province. It included a network of colonnaded paved streets, markets, residential houses, public buildings, bathhouses, theater, synagogues and churches. The richness of its mosaic floors, architecture and other findings indicate that the city was wealthy.
• It was a major Jewish town at the Byzantine times, and for some time the  center of the Jewish administration in the Holy Land.
• The ruins of the ancient city are located in the western Lower Galilee, 2 miles north-west to the old city of Nazareth. The ruins of the ancient city is located on the top and sides of a hill  The site is accessed from the main road from Acre to Nazareth, through the modern Moshav of Zippori.
• According to some scholars, the city (identified as Kitron or Kattah) was part of the region of the tribe of Zebulun, but was not captured. The Mishna tells us it was fortified by a wall during the Israelite conquest.

The reality is, I had never heard of this city before..  But, precisely during the time when Jesus was growing up as a young boy to his late 20’s this city was being built.  Now of course we know Joseph was a carpenter and that he raised his boy in the trade.  Nazareth was a small town of 300 people and there were undoubtedly many other carpenters in Nazareth.  How much work could there be in a small town for many carpenter’s?  Probably not enough to keep them all busy.  Carpenter as I learned is a bad translation of what the Greek word really means, but because it encompasses that of a number of trades, in English it works – just not that well.  Really, the primary work of a “Carpenter” in the day of Jesus was stone worker – much like our modern day brick layers.  In actuality, “Carpenters” were really a jack of many trades.  That being said, while Jesus was growing up, the most modern city of his generation was being built and He would have undoubtedly worked there simply because it was so close and because the Romans paid well.

So, we toured this excavation site and imagined the real possibility of Jesus laying these stones.

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Nazareth Village – Educational Piece

• Nazareth Village offers you exactly what you come to the Holy Land for: to touch the time of Jesus, see its sights, hear its sounds, and even breathe in its aromas.

  Located on a pastoral patch of farmland in the modern city of Nazareth, a tour of Nazareth Village provides an authentic experience of the land of the Bible.

  You are greeted by costumed “inhabitants” (the staff actually did grow up in Nazareth), and feel Jesus’ teachings come alive along the Parable Walk. You can see women spinning, drawing water and baking bread, and men tilling the soil or harvesting, and herding sheep and goats.

  At the olive oil press you’ll learn that the word “Nazareth” comes from the Hebrew for a new shoot of an olive tree, the “branch” of Isaiah 11:1. An entire house has been reconstructed, along with a synagogue of the type in which Jesus preached in this very town (Luke 4:16-28). Nazareth Village is a truly unique way to immerse yourself in the Bible.

This was a tour and it was well done.  The educational piece from above really describes exactly what we did.

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Nazareth Precipice – Educational Piece

• Nazareth, where Jesus spent most of his life, has over the centuries held fast to the most famous story to come out of those years – Jesus’ synagogue sermon and its aftermath, when admiration for him turned to rage (Luke 4:16-39).

  The site of the synagogue where Jesus preached has been marked for centuries, and so has the hilltop – Precipice Mountain –where the people of the city pursued Jesus. Mary, was also here, frightened at the thought of what might happen to Jesus, until she saw he had emerged unharmed.

• A road leads to the top of Precipice Mountain; on the way you’ll see a church marking the site where Mary is said to have watched fearfully. At the top of the mountain, where the cliff plunges to the Jezreel Valley below, is where you will enjoy the most magnificent panorama you may ever see.

Entering Nazareth, you get the sense that this is nothing like the days of Jesus.  The Arab Muslims control the entire area and the city is vast.  When Jesus was living here there were maybe 300 people in the town.  But, one thing man has not had a dramatic impact on is the Jezreel Valley.  And from the top of this Mountain you can see it and some of the most Biblically historical locations on the globe.

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Sea of Galilee

After we left Nazareth, we headed West to the Sea of Galilee.  We settled into an amazing village on the East side of the lake right under the Golan Heights.  Across the lake we can see Tiberias, Arbel, Madalla, Gennesaret, and Capernaum all lit up against the back drop of the Galilee mountain range.  It is breathtaking!

We went and had the absolute best meal of our trip!  I can see why Jesus wanted to spend so much time here.

Well, again – It was a long day.  Tired and off to bed.

Tomorrow’s escapades:

Friday, Oct 9                       Day 6     Ministry Training/Expanded Outreach-Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

• Bethsaida
• Korazin
• Capernaum
• Walk down Mount of Beatitudes to seashore of Galilee

 

Wednesday, Oct 7           Day 4     Old City and City of David (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Temple Mount
• Pool of Bethesda
• Western Wall
• City of David-movie, Ruins, Warren’s shaft and shaft, Hezekiah’s tunnel
• Western Wall tunnels (Night visit)

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Alright, this morning started out after a good night sleep.  Probably the best I have had since arriving – Praise the Lord.  I still didn’t have much of an appetite so I skipped breakfast all together opting only for coffee.  We gathered in the hotel lobby and left at 7:30 am.

Today was all about Jerusalem most of which was in the Old City as you can see from our itinerary above.  We headed out North on David’s street toward the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall outside of Temple Mount.  The Wailing Wall is the most Holy place to the Jew as it is the closest accessible place to where the original temple was located.  We entered the Temple Mount through security.

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Temple Mount – Educational

• The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism, the third holiest site in Islam, and a revered site to Christians. To the Jews it is known as Har HaMoriyah (“Mount Moriah”) and Har HaBayit (“Temple Mount”); to Muslims it is known as Haram el Sharif (“the Sacred Noble Sanctuary”). In the Bible it is also called Mount Zion (Psalm 48:2; Isaiah 4:5). Because of its importance to three major religions, its ownership has been hotly contested for nearly two thousand years. Today the Temple Mount is under the control of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, a trust that was established in 1187 to manage the Islamic structures in Jerusalem. Under their current rules, access to the holy sites is prohibited to all non-Muslims.According to the Bible (Genesis 22:1–14), God told Abraham to bring his son Isaac to the land of Moriah (meaning “Chosen by Yah”) and offer him as a sacrifice on a mountain there. As Abraham was about to complete the sacrifice, God stopped him and provided a ram as a substitutionary sacrifice. In this same location, nearly 1,000 years later, God led Solomon to build the First Temple (2 Chronicles 3:1). David had identified this location as the place for worshiping God because it was here the plague was stayed when he confessed his sin, and he purchased the place so he could build an altar (1 Chronicles 21:18–26). Solomon’s Temple stood until the Babylonians destroyed it in 586 BC. Zerubbabel led the efforts to build the Second Temple, which was completed in 516 BC, then enlarged by Herod the Great in 12 BC. The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70, fulfilling Jesus’ words in Mark 13:1–2.As the Roman Empire was fading, Mohammed and his teaching of Islam was rising in the Middle East. According to the Quran (Surah 17:1), Mohammed made a miraculous night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem in AD 621. There he led worship at “the farthest mosque,” was lifted to heaven, and returned to earth to carry on his teachings. At that time there was no mosque in Jerusalem, but 15 years later, Caliph Umar built a small mosque to commemorate the prophet’s night visit. The Al Aqsa Mosque (“the farthest mosque”) was built in AD 705, then rebuilt in 754, 780, and 1035. The Dome of the Rock was built in AD 692 over the place where Mohammad supposedly ascended to heaven. This rock is also identified by Christians and Jews as the place where Abraham offered Isaac and the location of the Holy of Holies in the Jewish temple. During the Crusades, Christians took temporary control of the Temple Mount, and the Al Aqsa Mosque was used as a palace and church in 1099.

  The Temple Mount continues to be the center of controversy today. Though they are barred from entering the Muslim areas, Jews pray at the Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall), part of the remaining structure of the Temple Mount from the time of the Second Temple. The Islamic Waqf has created controversy with their decision to allow major renovations to the underground areas of the Temple Mount without regard to archaeological artifacts. Huge loads of earth have been removed from the area and dumped elsewhere. Archaeologists sifting through the dumped earth have recovered several artifacts of Jewish origin, though nothing that can be directly tied to the Jewish temple. Many Jews are making preparations for the Third Temple to be built on the site, and Christians also look with interest on those preparations. According to the prophecy of Daniel 9:27, it appears that there will be another temple built, for there will be sacrifices that are stopped by the Antichrist. Since the other parts of Daniel’s prophecies were fulfilled literally, leading up to Jesus’ life and death, we look for this part to be literally fulfilled also.

As we went up and through security we stopped just inside to see some of the original pieces of the Temple that have been discovered through archeology.  You can tell they were authentic primarily because they were made of marble which was imported.  Also, when you look closely, you see gold which these would have been covered with.

There has been a lot of unrest in the region as the Palestinians have been protesting the Jews who enter.  It has resulted in at least three deaths since we have been here in the Old City.  I mention this because as we moved to the courts of the gentiles, loud chanting erupted and the Israeli police moved to cover three Jews who were walking through.  I took video of this.  From there, we moved up to the courts of women where the Holy Temple once stood.  Currently, the Dome of the Rock sits in the general location.  The Muslims keep a close eye on us as we move about.  Women must be covered (Long sleeves & and dresses that go to the ground) and men are not allowed to touch women.  You are also not allowed to pray.  Someone offered to take our picture and so I naturally put my arm around Christine and they yelled at me – they are serious.  Our guide Andrey pointed out something interesting.  He said the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, The original “Beautiful Gate”, the Eastern Gate, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the place believed to be where the ascension of Jesus occurred are all in a straight line.  If that is the case, then the place that the Muslims built the Dome of the Rock is just east of what some believe was the Holy of Holies location within the original temple.  Now, they don’t know for certain but if that is the case, then we stood in the very location of the Holy of Holies and took that picture (when we were hollered at).  It seems so wrong that Islam occupies this location.  Of course, they have had it a very long time – but still, just seems wrong.   As I spoke of above, the Daniel prophesies that a Temple will occupy the spot – but, it will obviously come at a great price.

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The Pool of Bethesda – Educational Piece

• The Pool of Bethesda is a pool of water in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem, on the path of the Beth Zeta Valley. The fifth chapter of the Gospel of John describes such a pool in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. It is associated with healing. Until the 19th century, there was no evidence outside of John’s Gospel for the existence of this pool; therefore, scholars argued that the gospel was written later, probably by someone without first-hand knowledge of the city of Jerusalem, and that the ‘pool’ had only a metaphorical, rather than historical, significance.
• In the 19th century, archaeologists discovered the remains of a pool fitting the description in John’s Gospel.

What is interesting to me is that this was the start of controversy concerning Jesus.  It was here that after healing the invalid He told him to get up and take his matt.  This occurred on the Sabbath – and was prohibited by Jewish law.  It was one of many miracles Jesus performed on the Sabbath – which seems as though Jesus used the opportunity to show the Religious leaders their lack of understand and knowledge of the Word of God.  To me, I believe I got a taste of what Jesus was up against with the Muslim minders.  The 5th chapter of the book of John describes this very well.

The Catholics built a Church right next to the site as they believe it is the birth place of the Virgin Mary.  We went into the Church and sang two songs in the sanctuary and then toured the place of her birth.

As we were leaving we heard and saw a lot of police zip down our street.  They blocked our entrance and thus we had to walk around the outside of the Old City on our way to the City of David.  The commotion was caused by a Palestinian who stabbed a Jewish women (as we were told) – more evidence of the tension in this region.

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City of David, Ruins, Warren’s shaft and shaft, Hezekiah’s tunnel – Educational

The City of David is the birthplace of the city of Jerusalem, the place where King David established his kingdom, and where the history of the People of Israel was written. It is within walking distance from the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall, and is one of the most exciting sites in Israel. Visitors come from all over the world to see the strongest physical connection between the stories of the Bible and reality, the place where the Holy City started.

• In the year 1004 BCE, King David conquered the city from the Jebusites and established his capital there. It was here where the People of Israel were united under King David’s rule, here where the Holy Ark was bought and here where the First Temple was built by King Solomon, King David’s son.
• Today the City of David is an archeological park that tells the story of the establishment of Jerusalem, its wars and hardships, its prophets and kings, and the history of the Jews during Biblical times. The remains of the city are present in the ancient stones and the thousands of shards that cover the pathways between the buildings. Among the archeological ruins are large elaborate houses that bear witness to the high social status of the city’s residents, Warren’s Shaftleading to the water tunnel that was used to transport water from the Gikhon spring outside the city, and the remains of one of several towers that was used to defend the well. It is thought that King Solomon was anointed and crowned king of Israel at this site. Among the ruins found in the city were personal seals for signing letters and documents bearing the names their owners – people who were mentioned in the bible.
• One of the most fascinating parts of the City of David is the tunnel of Shiloh – a 533-meter-long tunnel that was carved during the period of King Hezkiyahu. The tunnel extends from the city to the well at Shiloh, and is an astounding engineering feat. Its builders carved the tunnel through solid rock beginning from opposite ends and succeeded in making the two sides meet in the middle. Visitors can walk through the tunnel which is partially filled with water, and come out at the pools of Shiloh.

This was fascinating!  Christine actually walked the tunnel of Shiloh.  I didn’t walk that shaft because the water is ice cold and comes up to your waist – I am just getting over something and didn’t want to risk it.  But, I did walk through a dry shaft and then on our way to meet the others went up to what is thought to be David’s Tomb.  It is empty, but the Bible says that David was buried there and they have found no other evidence of any other tombs – so it is logical to assume this must be his.  Actually, there are two tombs – a smaller one and a much larger one.  I went into the tomb and just wondered if it really was the tomb of King David.

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Western Wall Tunnels – Educational

• Immediately after the Six Day War, the Ministry of Religious Affairs began the project of exposing the entire length of the Western Wall.
• It was a difficult operation, which involved digging beneath residential neighborhoods that had been constructed on ancient structures from the Second Temple period and were built up against the Western Wall. Some residents used underground spaces as water holes or for sewage collection. The excavations required close supervision by experts in the fields of structural engineering, securing subterranean tunnels, archeology, and of course, Jewish Law.
• After almost twenty years, and despite enormous difficulties, the Western Wall Tunnels were excavated. This lengthy project unearthed many archeological finds which can only be described as remarkable.  These finds revealed new and unknown details about the history and the geography of the Temple Mount site.

Tonight, we visited these tunnels.  What really fascinated me was the fact that along the base on top of the first layer of foundation sits blocks of rock the length of a city bus weighing 600 tons or more.  How they moved those blocks into position is unimaginable and simply amazing.

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From there, we stopped off for an ice cream cone and back to the hotel.  It was a great day – and by days end I felt completely back to normal.

Tomorrow – we pack up early and head up to Galilee for four days.  Excited for that adventure.  Below is our itinerary.  Tomorrow would have been my mom’s birthday – our first without her.  I will be thinking about her alot. God is good!

Thursday, Oct 8                 Day 5     Ministry Foundations-to Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

3 hour bus ride and minimal hiking today

Sea of Galilee over next 4 days.

• Sepphoris
• Nazareth Village
• Nazareth precipice

Sick Day

This is the Itinerary of what I missed.

Tuesday, Oct 6                  Day 3     Museums (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Israel Museum scale model of Jerusalem and Dead Sea scrolls
• Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum)
• MINISTRY VISIT: Steven Khoury (Mount of Olives)

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If you read the post of Day 2 – Israel you will have known that I did not participate in the above activities.  Instead, I stayed back at the hotel and for the most part slept.  I just wrote the Day 2 – Israel post and am now writing this one on Tuesday evening, October 6th.

At around noon today, I took a shower and decided to go out for some fresh air.  I didn’t go far from the hotel, just found a step to sit on and people watch.  I think I could do this all day – so many different people coming and going.  Israeli police, Israeli military, Orthodox Jews, Hasidic Jews, Arabs, Muslim, tourists – you name it.  As I was sitting there a man said hi and approached me.  Obviously he knew I was American, by my response.  He too is American and for about an hour we talked.  Another man (very old) approached us to say hi – he is a Messianic Jew.

I went back to the room and slept until about 3:30 – Christine came into the room.  I wasn’t expecting her until 6:00 pm but they changed plans and decided to meet Steven Khoury at the hotel instead of his place.  He, as I understand is a Palestinian Christian and the area he ministers is very dangerous generally, but because of all of the unrest in Jerusalem right now it was not advised that our group go there.

Christine and I went out for dinner together to get some normal food.  Hamburger and fries – Yum!  Never enjoyed a $20 burger more.

That sums up my day – other than writing these posts tonight.  By the way, we have no Wi-Fi in our rooms so I come down to the lobby and write.  I actually really enjoy it – people coming and going, music playing – just perfect to write.   Well, I will now go out for a quick walk to get some fresh air and then go to bed.

Praying for a good night sleep.

Monday, Oct 5                  Day 2     Preparation Period & Ministry Foundations (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Herodium
• Jordan River
• Dead Sea swim at Kalia Beach
• Walk Wadi Qelt – From St George Monastery to New Testament Jericho
• New Testament Jericho

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This morning we were up early and had breakfast.  We had to be on the bus by 7:30 instead of 8:00 am because we have a full day with a lot of travel planned.

Bus ride to Herodium

On our way to Herodium, Andrey our tour guide told us about the three territories in Israel.  Territory A is only for Arabs – Israeli citizens are not allowed to enter.  Territory B is for both Arabs and Israeli and Territory C is for Israeli only.  On our way to Herodium we traveled into A territory on a B territory road.  As you drive you can tell the difference between the Arab communities and the Israeli settlements first by the roofs.  Israeli settlements have a strong European influence thus their roofs are typical pitch.  Arab houses have flat roofs.  Also, the Israeli settlements are fortified with fences and high security.  It felt as though we were entering a 3rd world country – you could just feel the oppression.  I will say I felt no fear, only peace as I recognized the danger of entering Palestinian territory.  After all, these are people who chant “Death to America” and have a common goal of wiping Israel off the face of the earth.  Now, it was reassuring to realize that even though the the Arab Palestinian area is occupied by the Arab’s – it is still ultimately controlled by the Israeli government. The Arabs and a large portion of the world see this exactly the opposite.  They say that Israel is occupying Palestinian territory in the West Bank.

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Herodium

The Bible does not mention Herodium however, it was located in a very unique place and was built by Herod the Great.  In 40 B.C., Herod barely escaped from Palestine.  The combined forces of the Jews and the Parthians had closed in on him as they supported a Jewish Hasmonean contender for the throne, Mattathias Antigonus.  However, Herod managed to defeat this coalition and escape to Rome.  Once the Roman Senate conferred the kingship of Palestine on Herod, he returned and made plans to build a palace and a fortress on the site of his great victory.  The building of this very unusual fortress, began in 24 B.C., was completed in 15 B.C.  Herod was buried here and his grave was discovered in 2007.

As you stand on top of the Herodium you will have an unobstructed 360 degree view: east toward Moab in Transjordan, from where Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem; south toward Tekoa where the prophet Amos was born and was a shepherd; west toward Bethlehem; and north toward Jerusalem.  Below this fortress is the subtle transition from the desert to the cultivated area where shepherds lead their flocks from place to place, depending on the time of year.  It was in the shadow of this fortress the Prince of Peace was born.

This place offered me an opportunity to reflect on all of the great places of the Bible as I looked at them.  A place to imagine the unique aspect of God’s decision to reveal His Glory right here from a vantage point where I could see it all.  I took a picture of a rock I took from this location as a memory stone.  I put it on my Bible on the book of Amos and took another picture.

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The Jordan River

We drove from Herodium back around Jerusalem to the north side of the Mount of Olives and then east toward the Jordan River.  It was here that I began to understand why the Bible is always describing “going up to Jerusalem” no matter what direction you are coming from.  Because it is on top of a mountain!  Ears popping as we drove below sea level, you could see dramatic and fast changes in the landscape.  Desolate desert region scattered with nomads.  As we approached the Jordan we entered a military zone.  That is a zone about a half mile wide that skirts the whole Jordan river area called the West Bank.  Once you cross over the zone you enter no mans land and you are not allowed to take pictures.  Then, all at once we park and walk to the river.  This was the most Holy moment I have ever experienced.  The reality of Jesus being baptized right here. The Heaven’s being torn open right here.  God’s audible voice being heard right here.  The Holy Spirit manifested in the form of a dove right here.  The idea of Jesus’ public ministry starting right here.  All of these thoughts flooded my mind and I was overcome emotionally (privately).  Pastor Tim Hatt and Jared Vanvorst climbed into the water and baptized (re-affirmed) Christine.  I took photos and video of this.  Then, I stepped into the greenish brown water and slowly cherished the moment.  Finally, baptized in the Jordan.  I intentionally imagined the Holy Spirit descending upon me and praised God for this privilege.  After I was done and out of the water, I sat down and covered my head with a towel.  I began to speak quietly in tongues.  It was the purest I have ever spoke and I didn’t want to stop – 5 minutes or more as I realized that most Christians will never be afforded the favor I have and never experience this.  Thank you Lord.

I collected a bottle of water from the river and took it with me along with a number of leaves and plants that spring forth from this Holy ground.  I will treasure them for my entire life – God willing.  I am so fortunate to have experienced this with Christine – a memory we will share for eternity.

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Dead Sea

From the Jordan river we went to the Dead Sea.  It is amazing to me how low the water level is as you can see it has receded long distances and the water level appears to have dropped at least 30 feet from where it once was.  We went down to the beach and floated on the water.  What makes this so unique is the fact that the water contains 40% minerals as compared to 2.5% of the Atlantic Ocean.  Of course we rubbed ourselves with the mud – I see Christine collected about 2 pounds to take home.  You do not come this far and not float in the Dead Sea, however I probably wouldn’t do it again.

From the West side of the Dead Sea you can see the Mount Nebo.  This is the Mountain that he ascended to view the Land of Israel, that he would never enter.  He died and was buried there in an unknown valley.

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Wadi Qelt – From St George Monastery to New Testament Jericho

The travel route of Jesus from Jerusalem to Jericho – one of the few places guaranteed that Jesus walked.  This land is so hostile, the mountains are a real obstacle and thus this route is the only one Jesus would have traveled.  Probably the coolest thing I have ever done – this is a 3 mile walk through the mountains of the Judean Wilderness.  This location is famous for a number of reasons, one – this is the area that Jesus fasted forty days and was tempted.  It is also the trail Mary and Joseph walked when they lost Jesus for 3 days.  We had a Bedouin named mohamed follow us with his donkey on this journey.  The Bedouins are “Desert Dwellers” and in this region Arabs.  They capitalize on tourists by selling their wares – scarves, jewelry, water, juice, etc.  Actually, they are very forceful in their approach.  The tactic is to hand you something and if you take it they will not take it back.  They demand money.  For some, this is very uncomfortable as you might imagine.  Anyway, Mahamoud wanted to lead our trip and of course would expect to be paid.  Steve told him we didn’t need him but he came anyway.  On one hand it was rather neat to see this young man and his donkey ride on very dangerous trails.  On the other hand, he knew he would get paid and he did – 50 Shekels.  As we came out of the mountains into Jericho there was a local there with his tractor.  He had set up a table and had pressed fresh pomegranate and orange juice – you could buy for 5 Shekels.  He had three very young boys with him who begged “Shekel?”  They are trained pick-pockets and so Steve warned us to be careful.  I sat down and played with them – gave one a quarter.  I thought about how hard their lives must be and the Lord filled me with compassion.

It was the end of a long day and I was tired.  After our walk, we met up with Christine and a few others who did not walk the trail.  Christine has a fear of heights and would not have fared well – she had a very hard time just riding the bus to this location.  We sat back and enjoyed the ride back while we listened to the song “Jerusalem”.

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We came back to the hotel and had dinner.  Shortly after that I started to feel horrible.  I could not sleep – bad stomach pains and then fever.  Cold, clammy, headache – just felt horrible.  So, I skipped the Day 3 and instead slept most of the day.  Below is the itinerary of what I missed.  I am writing this post on Tuesday evening as I am just now getting my energy back.

Tuesday, Oct 6                  Day 3     Museums (HOUSING @ GLORIA) (General modesty all day)

• Israel Museum scale model of Jerusalem and Dead Sea scrolls
• Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum)
• MINISTRY VISIT: Steven Khoury (Mount of Olives)

So, I will post about Day 4 tomorrow.  As you can see, this is the itinerary of that day and I am excited.

Wednesday, Oct 7           Day 4     Old City and City of David (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Temple Mount (Muslim modesty in the morning)
• Pool of Bethesda
• Western Wall
• City of David-movie, Ruins, Warren’s shaft and shaft, Hezekiah’s tunnel (clothes & shoes that will get wet while walking through the tunnel in the afternoon.  You WILL go back to hotel to change during lunch time)
• Western Wall tunnels (Night visit; All lit up and no water.  No modesty)

Sunday, Oct 4                    Day 1     Getting Acquainted & Prayer (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Opening meeting at Gloria Hotel
• MINISTRY VISIT: worship at Karen Dunham and Living Bread International Church – Lunch, chat, and Jewish Worship Service (Dress for worship service)
• Mount of Olives visit- welcome to Jerusalem
• MINISTRY VISIT: Wall of Life mural

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This was a light day – designed to ease us into what will be a very busy week.

I woke up early – 5:00 am, showered, and got ready for the day.  Unfortunately, I had a pinched nerve in my neck and could hardly move my head.  This was from the plane ride.  I took some Advil and while Christine got ready I headed down to breakfast.

Breakfast – We met at 6:30 am for breakfast in the Gloria restaurant.  It was a buffet style breakfast (I think all of our meals will be served this way) and it included scrambled eggs, potatoes, toast and a variety of things I just wouldn’t think to eat.  I enjoyed what I took but learned a few things about the cultural food.  The had cereal but they serve the milk warm and you won’t find ketchup anywhere.  Fortunately, the coffee was good – but it is not like America where coffee is everywhere.  You can get it with breakfast, but other than that you have to hunt for it.

We had our opening meeting on the third floor of the hotel.  What is really neat about this location is that you can go out on the roof and look East toward the Mount of Olives.  From the roof you can see part of the Old City, the Dome of the Rock, and the City of David.  I will explain what I have learned about some of these sites in a bit.  Our meeting was instructional in regards to logistics and some general rules.  We went through the Hosanna! study tour guide which is really well put together.  It includes our itinerary, site visits, maps, and devotionals.  We prayed and then headed out to the Old City.

The Old City as it is today was built by the Turks about 500 years ago.  It is divided into four quarters which include, the Christian Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, and the Muslim Quarter.  What is interesting is that the city today is the top layer of many layers (much like a multi-layered cake).  The Jerusalem that Jesus knew was destroyed by the Romans in about 78 AD.  They then built a city upon the ruins which is probably 20 feet higher than the original and so on.  We are staying in the Gloria Hotel which is just inside the Jaffa Gate in the Christian Quarter.  We walked North and East through the Christian Quarter to the Damascus Gate.  Along the way you walk through narrow paths that you share with mopeds.  There is really no level ground – lots of steps and thy have these small brick ramps the mopeds use to go up and down.  We stopped and got some fresh warm bread from a bakery.  The bread had a liquorish flavor to it which I thought was odd.  We exited the Damascus Gate and turned to see what would have been the original Roman Gate about 20 feet lower than the Damascus Gate.  From there we headed East into the Jerusalem city about four or five blocks to the Church we were visiting for worship.

Living Bread International Church – Karen Dunham.

• Contact Information – (972) 2 628-2833
• P.O. Box 101 Cantonment, FL 32533 USA.
• P.O. Box 1056, Jerusalem 91006, Israel
• Karendunham7@yahoo.com
• http://www.livingbreadchurch.com

We arrived at the Church and entered others were praying.  We joined them in prayer and then helped set-up for the service.  This so reminded me of Breakthrough.  A women grabbed a guitar and started to sing worship songs we are all familiar with.  The worship escalated and before long others were banging on drums, cymbals, and one lady started to blow the shofar.  I was literally in Heaven!  We worshipped for an hour.  Then Pastor Karen Dunham came up and preached about the throne of Grace and how everyone was welcome there.  She shared testimony about how God miraculously healed her son Blake which you can read all about in her book.  Then, she looked at me and said start banging that drum!  Before long, everyone had drums and other instruments and we moved into a level of worship I was yearning for.  We did this for about thirty minutes and then she had a Prophet come up and speak about what God had shown him.  He had a steady voice and kept repeating “God says” as he prophesied.  I really wish I had been prepared for that because I would have loved to record it.  After the service I went up and talked with her and told her about how familiar this is to Breakthrough.  She invited us to have lunch in the courtyard.  She told us about the militants who fire bomb her building and how they have tried to gas her and her team by putting hose through the windows.  She shared a story about what happened last year – she was beaten in front of her Church in the street and knocked unconscious.  She has many stories like this.  Lunch was falafel, veggies, fruit, and juice.

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Mount of Olives

The bus picked us up at the Church and we headed to the Mount of Olives.  This is the “Mount facing Jerusalem” (1 Kings 11:17) – the ridge running along the east side of Jerusalem, separated from the city walls by a ravine and the Brook of Kidron.  Of course, this is the site of many events in the Bible and will be the site of a yet future fulfillment of prophecy.

Teaching regarding the Mount of Olives:

• In the Old Testament, the Mount of Olives is mentioned once in relation to King David. When David’s son Absalom wrested control of Jerusalem, David and his loyal followers fled the city via an eastern route: “David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up” (2 Samuel 15:30). Later, King Solomon used the Mount of Olives for idol worship: “On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:7). In one of Ezekiel’s visions, the prophet sees the glory of the Lord depart from Jerusalem and come to rest “above the mountain east of it” (Ezekiel 11:23).Jesus made many visits to the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37). In fact, it was “usual” for Him to go there when in the vicinity of Jerusalem (Luke 22:39). Every time Jesus visited Lazarus and Mary and Martha, He was on the Mount of Olives, for their village of Bethany was situated on the eastern slope. The road from Bethany to Jerusalem lay over Olivet.The Bible records Jesus’ visiting the Mount of Olives three times in the last week of His earthly life, and each time something of significance happened. The first visit was to deliver what has come to be known as theOlivet Discourse, recorded in Matthew 24:1—25:46. Parallel passages are found in Mark 13:1–37 and Luke 21:5–36. The content of the Olivet Discourse is Jesus’ response to His disciples’ question “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24—25 primarily concerns the future tribulation period and the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation. The Discourse includes parables about those who wait for the Master’s coming—the wise and faithful servant (Matthew 24:45–51), the five wise virgins (Matthew 25:1–13), and the good servant who uses his resources wisely (Matthew 25:14–30).Jesus’ second visit is what we call the triumphal entry. The donkey Jesus rode that day was found in the area of Bethany and Bethphage, on the east side of the Mount of Olives (Luke 19:29–30). Then, “when he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen” (verse 37). While still on the Mount of Olives, Jesus looked at the vista in front of Him, wept over the city, and pronounced a judgment against it (verses 41–44).

  Jesus’ third visit during the week of His passion was on the night He was betrayed. That evening began with the Last Supper in Jerusalem and ended in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. During that last Passover meal, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet and then revealed Judas as the betrayer (John 13:1–30). At the conclusion of the meal, Jesus established the New Covenant and instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26–29; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26). Then He took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane (literally, “Garden of the Oil-press”) located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. There Jesus prayed in agony as He contemplated the day to come. So overcome by the horror of what He was to experience in the crucifixion the following day that His sweat was “like drops of blood” (Luke 22:44) and God sent an angel from heaven to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43).

  After Jesus prayed, Judas Iscariot arrived with a multitude of soldiers, high priests, Pharisees, and servants to arrest Jesus. Judas identified Jesus by the prearranged signal of a kiss, which he gave to Jesus. Trying to protect Jesus, Peter drew a sword and attacked a man named Malchus, the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man’s ear, displaying the miraculous power of God (Luke 22:51). Nevertheless, the mob arrested Jesus and took Him to face trial, while the disciples scattered in fear for their lives.

  After the trials, crucifixion, and resurrection, Jesus once again stood on the Mount of Olives. During His final post-resurrection appearance, Jesus led His disciples “out to the vicinity of Bethany, [and] he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 22:50–52). Acts 1:12 specifies that “the vicinity of Bethany” was indeed the Mount of Olives.

  Immediately following Jesus’ ascension, two angels told the disciples on the Mount of Olives that “this same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). According to the prophet Zechariah, Jesus will return not only in the same way, but to the same place. In a prophecy related to the end times, Zechariah declares, “On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south” (Zechariah 14:4). The very location where David wept in defeat and where Jesus was betrayed and rejected will be the place where Jesus returns in triumph over all His enemies.

We learned a lot about the local culture here as well.  We stopped at a look-out that is probably one of the best locations in the area to see the Old City, City of David, Garden of Gethsemane, and the location of the Last Supper.  While there, many locals try to sell stuff to the tourists.  This is a place where pick-pockets work and then there was this older guy with his sons and his camel.  If you didn’t purchase a ride on his camel, you were not allowed to take pictures of his camel.  He seemed very offended and called us “American Terrorists”.  Anyway, very interesting time.

 

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Wall of Life Mural

From the Mount of Olives we visited the only place in Jerusalem where foreigners can be buried. It is a very small graveyard in the middle of an urban environment called “Alliance Church International Cemetery”.  It is operated by the Christian Alliance Church.  It dates back to the late 1800’s and only ministry leaders are allowed to be buried there.  What makes this place interesting is the “Wall of Life Mural” painted by Artist Patricia Solveson.  She started this project in 2009 and calls it “Jerusalem Wall of Life”.  The mural depicts the continuous Biblical revelation of God from Genesis through Revelation.  The mural wraps around the outer walls, telling the story of the Messiah.

It was the end of a what seemed to be a long day.  Actually, it was a light day, but the travel has taken a toll on our energy.

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We rested for about an hour (Christine took a nap) and then we had dinner at 6:30.  We were honored to sit with Steve and Joan Hudson and got a chance to get to know each other better.  Steve and Joan are the leaders of this trip have a very similar story to me and Christine.  I will write about that more later – but was intrigued as he knows Tom Mowe a friend of mine from the Twin Cities who is the District Superintendent of the E-Free Church.

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The Wailing Wall

After dinner we ventured down to the Wailing Wall.  This was the last night of the feast of tabernacles and the city was alive with Jews.  Jews celebrating!

The Feast of Tabernacles Teaching:

• The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths and Sukkot, is the seventh and last feast that the Lord commanded Israel to observe and one of the three feasts that Jews were to observe each year by going to “appear before the Lord your God in the place which He shall choose” (Deuteronomy 16:16). The importance of the Feast of Tabernacles can be seen in how many places it is mentioned in Scripture. In the Bible we see many important events that took place at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. For one thing, it was at this time that Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to the Lord (1 Kings 8:2).It was also at the Feast of Tabernacles that the Israelites, who had returned to rebuild the temple, gathered together to hear Ezra proclaim the Word of God to them (Nehemiah 8). Ezra’s preaching resulted in a great revival as the Israelites confessed their sins and repented of them. It was also during this Feast that Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–39).The Feast of Tabernacles takes place on the 15th of the Hebrew month Tishri. This was the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar and usually occurs in late September to mid-October. The feast begins five days after the Day of Atonement and at the time the fall harvest had just been completed. It was a time of joyous celebration as the Israelites celebrated God’s continued provision for them in the current harvest and remembered His provision and protection during the 40 years in the wilderness.

  As one of the three feasts that all “native born” male Jews were commanded to participate in, the Feast of Tabernacles is mentioned multiple times in Scripture, sometimes called the Feast of the Ingathering, the Feast to the Lord, or the Feast of Booths (Exodus 23:16; Deuteronomy 16:13). As one of the pilgrim feasts (when Jewish males were commanded to go to Jerusalem), it was also the time when they brought their tithes and offerings to the Temple (Deuteronomy 16:16). With the influx of people coming to Jerusalem at that time, we can only imagine what the scene must have been like. Thousands upon thousands of people coming together to remember and celebrate God’s deliverance and His provision, all living in temporary shelters or booths as part of the requirements of the feast. During the eight-day period, so many sacrifices were made that it required all twenty-four divisions of priests to be present to assist in the sacrificial duties.

  We find God’s instructions for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus 23, given at a point in history right after God had delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt. The feast was to be celebrated each year on “the fifteenth day of this seventh month” and was to run for seven days (Leviticus 23:34). Like all feasts, it begins with a “holy convocation” or Sabbath day when the Israelites were to stop working to set aside the day for worshiping God. On each day of the feast they were to offer an “offering made by fire to the Lord” and then after seven days of feasting, again the eighth day was to be “a holy convocation” when they were to cease from work and offer another sacrifice to God (Leviticus 23). Lasting eight days, the Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a Sabbath day of rest. During the eight days of the feast, the Israelites would dwell in booths or tabernacles that were made from the branches of trees (Leviticus 23:40–42).

  The Feast of Tabernacles, like all the feasts, was instituted by God as a way of reminding Israelites in every generation of their deliverance by God from Egypt. Of course, the feasts are also significant in that they foreshadow the work and actions of the coming Messiah. Much of Jesus’ public ministry took place in conjunction with the Holy Feasts set forth by God.

  The three pilgrim feasts where all Jewish males were commanded to “appear before the Lord in the place he chooses” are each very important in regards to the life of Christ and His work of redemption. We know with certainty that the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are symbolic of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross. Likewise, we know that Pentecost, which marked the beginning of the Feast of Weeks, was the time of Jesus’ bodily ascension. And most scholars would agree that the Feast of Tabernacles is symbolic of Christ’s Second Coming when He will establish His earthly kingdom.

  There are also some who believe that it was likely during the Feast of Tabernacles that Jesus was born. While we celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25, most scholars acknowledge that this tradition was begun in the fourth century AD by the Roman Catholic Church and that the exact day of Jesus’ birth is unknown. Some of the evidence that Jesus might have been born earlier in the year during the Feast of the Tabernacles includes the fact that it would be unlikely for shepherds to still be in the field with their sheep in December, which is in the middle of the winter, but it would have been likely they were in the fields tending sheep at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. The strong possibility that Jesus was born at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles is also seen in the words John wrote in John 1:14. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The word John chose to speak of Jesus “dwelling” among us is the word tabernacle, which simply means to “dwell in a tent.”

  Some believe it is very likely that John intentionally used this word to associate the first coming of Christ with the Feast of Tabernacles. Christ came in the flesh to dwell among us for a temporary time when He was born in the manger, and He is coming again to dwell us among us as Lord of Lords. While it cannot be established with certainty that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, some believe there is a strong possibility the Feast of Tabernacles not only looks forward to His second coming but also reflects back on His first coming.

  The Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a special Sabbath day of rest. During the days of the feast all native Israelites were “to dwell in booths” to remind them that God delivered them out of the “land of Egypt” and to look forward to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would deliver His people from the bondage of sin. This feast, like all of the feasts of Israel, consistently reminded the Jews and should remind Christians as well that God has promised to deliver His people from the bondage of sin and deliver them from their enemies. Part of God’s deliverance for the Israelites was His provision and protection of them for the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness, cut off from the Promised Land. The same holds true for Christians today. God protects us and provides for us as we go through life in the wilderness of this world. While our hearts long for the Promised Land (heaven) and to be in the presence of God, He preserves us in this world as we await the world to come and the redemption that will come when Jesus Christ returns again to “tabernacle” or dwell among us in bodily form.

As we arrived, we were required to go through security.  From there, the women had to go to the designated area as did men.  You were not allowed to go into the area unless you had a head covering.  Fortunately, I had a hat on.  So, I went in and approached this wall with reverence.  I prayed that I would not be stopped and I wasn’t.  As I touched the wall, I prayed that the Lord would release His anointing and that every Jew who touched it going forward would receive that anointing and come to know Jesus as their Savior.  I kissed the wall and sealed the prayer.  Then I sat down next to two younger jews (early twenties) and asked them questions.  Their names are Sammy and Mushae Cushion.  They told me about the different head coverings and that they represented where the Jews come from.

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Back to bed by 9:30 pm.

Below is the the agenda for today (I wrote this early in the morning – I awoke at 3:00 am)

 

Monday, Oct 5                  Day 2     Preparation Period & Ministry Foundations (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• No modesty clothes all day.  (Wear clothes for a hot day walking in wilderness)
• Herodium
• Jordan River (people being baptized need to bring shorts or swimsuit (guys) to change into at baptism site; NOTE TO GALS – Be careful for shirts that could become see-through in the water)
• Dead Sea swim at Kalia Beach
• Walk Wadi Qelt – From St George Monastery to New Testament Jericho
• New Testament Jericho

Preparation went well – everything in order.

We left the house around 1:00 pm with Amanda, Alex, and Mitchell.  They dropped us off.

We gathered with our group, checked luggage and went through security.  We were notified that our flight was delayed for an hour and a half.  We broke up into small groups and went for dinner.  Our group consisted of Christine, Jared, Tom and myself.  We went to the Rock Bottom restaurant.  I ordered the chicken enchiladas.  Meal was good.  Talked with Tom about his Architecture firm and the possibility of drawing plans for the BTM Equipping Center to include an artist rendering.  He wants to talk more about that.  Sent text to the guys about texting.  Not really sure how this technology works concerning our data plan, but really don’t like big surprises.

Flew United from  MSP to Newark.  An hour layover then flew directly to Tel Aviv.

We arrived at 9:45 am CST Saturday morning.  That is 5:45 pm in Israel.

Taleb is our driver.  We drove 45 minutes to Jerusalem.  Today is Saturday and thus Sabbath – which means the travel is easy because the Jews don’t drive on Sabbath. Sun goes down around 6:30 pm and was as we entered Jerusalem.

I want to remind myself to write about how I am feeling as I go.

I kissed the ground and prayed once outside of the airport.  Took a picture of the spot.  Took a picture of me and Tim Hatt as well. as a memory stone.

The entire drive from airport to Jerusalem was up – I mean a constant climb.

We entered through the Jaffa Gate and went directly to our hotel which is positioned right next to the gate.  The name of the Hotel is “The Gloria” – we were sent over to the Annex rooms across the street because they are over booked in the main hotel.  I was not happy about that because we will have to change rooms tomorrow.  I really wanted to just settle in.  The room it is very simple with two single beds and a desk.  The big plus is that it has a balcony which really only over looks a road that is about the size of an alley.

The Jaffa Gate is also David’s Gate and is one of 8 gates in Jerusalem’s old city walls.  Jaffa Gate is the only one of the Old City gates positioned at a right angle to the wall.  During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Israeli forces fought hard to connect the Jewish Quarter of the Old City with Israeli-held western Jerusalem by controlling the Jaffa Gate.  Israeli forces were not able to gain control of the gate until the Six Day War in 1967.  Also, in 2000 Pope John Paul II came through this gate to the Old City as a sign of respect.

My initial feeling is that this seems so commercial.  I haven’t felt (based upon my short stay) that this resembles Jerusalem of Jesus.  I guess we will see if that changes, but part of my journaling I intend to record how I feel about certain things.

The travel has taken a bit of a toll and I am feeling it – however, I am glad we are here.

Dinner was at the Gloria and it was a buffet.  The food seems to be very traditional to the region.  I am glad to try things, although I didn’t eat anything that was really to my liking and certainly not to my wife’s.  We will try again tomorrow.

After dinner, we went out to exchange our dollars to shekels.  This was really fun as we went down David’s Street which is full of shops.  We didn’t buy anything yet, but I got to know a couple of the shop owners.  One person I spent time talking with was Zak Mishriky.  He is an antiquities dealer and a Palestinian Christian.  He is the money changer we met and Steve Hudson knows him well and trusts him.  He speaks English, Hebrew and Arab.  He told me that “Shook Rum” means thank you in Arab.

Well, after that we went up to our room where we tried to figure out our converters.  This is still not something I am too comfortable with as I certainly don’t want to fry out our electronics.  Also, I couldn’t get a Wi-Fi connection in our room so I am sitting in the Gloria lobby writing this post.  As I complete it, I see it is 10:19 pm in Israel.

Off to bed – Good night!

Itinerary

2015 HOSANNA ISRAEL STUDY TOUR + MINISTRY EXPERIENCE

October 2 –16, 2015

Friday, Oct 2                      Depart USA for Tel Aviv (Overnight flight)

Saturday, Oct 3                 Arrive in Israel, transfer individually to Jerusalem (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

Sunday, Oct 4                    Day 1     Getting Acquainted & Prayer (HOUSING @ GLORIA Hotel)

• Opening meeting at Gloria Hotel
• MINISTRY VISIT: worship at Karen Dunham and Living Bread International Church – Lunch, chat, and Jewish Worship Service (Dress for worship service)
• Mount of Olives visit- welcome to Jerusalem
• MINISTRY VISIT: Wall of Life mural

Monday, Oct 5                  Day 2     Preparation Period & Ministry Foundations (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Herodium
• Jordan River (Baptism)
• Dead Sea swim at Kalia Beach
• Walk Wadi Qelt – From St George Monastery to New Testament Jericho
• New Testament Jericho

Tuesday, Oct 6                  Day 3     Museums (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Israel Museum scale model of Jerusalem and Dead Sea scrolls
• Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum)
• MINISTRY VISIT: Steven Khoury (Mount of Olives)

Wednesday, Oct 7           Day 4     Old City and City of David (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Temple Mount
• Pool of Bethesda
• Western Wall
• City of David-movie, Ruins, Warren’s shaft and shaft, Hezekiah’s tunnel
• Western Wall tunnels (Night visit)

Thursday, Oct 8                 Day 5     Ministry Foundations-to Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

3 hour bus ride and minimal hiking today

Sea of Galilee over next 4 days.

• Sepphoris
• Nazareth Village
• Nazareth precipice

Friday, Oct 9                       Day 6     Ministry Training/Expanded Outreach-Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

• Bethsaida
• Korazin
• Capernaum (one short General modesty stop here,)
• Walk down Mount of Beatitudes to seashore of Galilee

Saturday, Oct 10               Day 7     Colliding cultures day-Galilee (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

• Mount Arbel
• Nof Ginnosar – Jesus Boat
• Boat ride (Nof Ginnosar to Ein Gev)
• Kursi
• Hippos (optional hike)

Sunday, Oct 11                  Day 8     Leadership Multiplication (HOUSING @ EN GEV)

Medium hiking day + 2 hours in the bus

• Dan
• Caesarea Philippi
• Church of Primacy

Monday, Oct 12                Day 9     Leadership Multiplication-Jordan Valley to Jerusalem (HOUSING @ GLORIA)                              Long hike in the sun + 2 hours in the bus

• Beth Shean
• Overview of Bethany/Bethpage
• Mount of Olives – Triumphal entry
• Dominus Flevit Chapel (General modesty clothes required for 15 minute visit)
• Rehearse Sunday through Tuesday events of Passion Week (reflection time)

Tuesday, Oct 13                Day 10   Jerusalem – Ministry day (HOUSING @ GLORIA)MINISTRY VISIT:

Dov Bikas- Aviv Ministries (Tel Aviv) all day trip

Wednesday, 14                 Day 11   Passion walk – Tracing Christ’s last days (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Upper room
• Gethsemane (modesty clothes needed if you want to poke your head in the church; but we will be hiking for 1 hour from Upper Room)
• Private garden next to church
• Caiaphas’ house- St. Peter in Gallicantu
• Wohl Museum
• Walk alternative Via Dolorosa from Jewish Quarter
• Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Thursday, 15                      Day 12   Jerusalem – Multiplication (HOUSING @ GLORIA)

• Garden Tomb and communion
• Mount of Olives – Ascension and Second Coming
• Southern Steps
• Half day free in Jerusalem (you choose what you want to do)
  • Tower of David museum
  • 3^rd Temple museum
  • Burnt House
  • Last chance for shopping
  • Wall walk

Friday, 16                            Depart for home