Caesarea and Megiddo

Today we went to Caesarea, the prominent Roman city on the coasty of the Mediterranean Sea where the gospel first went to the Gentiles (Acts 10) and where Paul spent years under arrest (Acts 24-26). You can see the pictures here where we sat for Sunday morning worship in the very theatre where Paul was tried before Agrippa and where the proud Herod was struck by the angel of the Lord during his oration.

It was a beautiful day on the coast of the Mediterranean.  We enjoyed seeing the ruins of this old city and also just the blessing of being in this place with such rich biblical history. It was a very pleasant day here.

After Caesarea, we went to Megiddo, which overlooks the valley where the battle of Armageddon will be fought. From up on the hill we could see many hills and valleys dotting the landscape where prominent biblical events took place. I just thought to myself in that moment, “I am in Israel!” To be in the land of the Old Testament, where the battles of Joshua and Gideon and David took place - to see the hill where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal or where Abraham slept in tents with Isaac - Amazing! To be in the land of the New Testament – to see the hills of Nazareth where Jesus grew up or the mount of Transfiguration – wow!

Also, this evening we had a special treat in joining an orthodox Jew named Menachem in his “biblical village” where we saw things as they simply would have been 2,000 years ago. He was quite a funny story teller. We baked and ate our own unleavened bread over the fire, had donkey races, enjoyed some olives and drank tea made from hyssop. Walking around the property (which was just outside Nazareth) made me think of Jesus’ surrounding as a child and a young man. What a blessing to be where the Savior lived – to see the sunset as he would have seen it many times!

Check out the picture of Menachem’s ten-year-old son – 

he has memorized the five books of Moses (187 chapters!)

Tomorrow we will be in around the Sea of Galilee – another full day.  Hope your Sunday in church was God glorifying and encouraging.  We miss you and will see you next Sunday!