Caesarea
King Herod built Caesarea on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the fanciest places ever built in the world. It was a planned city, with a temple, theatre (where they still hold events), hippodrome for chariot races, markets and residential quarters. It took 12 years to build, became a great commercial center and the headquarters of the Roman government in Palestine. We saw the remains of Herod’s palace. Pagans, Samaritans, Jews and Christians lived here during later periods. The heads were removed from all the statues in the city. One theory is that when Jews and/or Christians lived there they removed them because of the second commandment, thou shalt not make any graven images. During the time of the crusades a wall was built around the city, making Caesarea the largest fortified city in the country. The aqueduct served as a source of water for the city, bringing water from Mt. Carmel, which was 13 miles away. We saw a portion of the aqueduct that is still standing today.
Caesarea is where Cornelius was converted. Paul and Peter probably preached from the theatre, a place with incredible acoustics. Paul spent 10 years in Caesarea during 3 different visits. Two of those years were spent in a prison there. A stone was found with an inscription that Pontius Pilate had also been in Caesarea.
We gathered on the top of Mount Carmel. Our guide asked Jim to share the story of the contest between Ahab and Elijah as to who was the true God, we sang and prayed together. We then looked down over the Jezreel Valley, where the Israelites killed the 450 prophets of Ahab. This is also the place where Deborah and Barak were victorious and Jael put the tent peg through the head of Sisera. We also viewed the Mount of Transfiguration and the city of Nazareth across the valley. Our guide pointed out where Saul and his sons were killed in battle, where Gideon put out the fleece to test God and the city of Nain where Jesus raised the widow’s son.
We saw olive trees, and learned how oil is pressed and how nothing is wasted from the olive. Green and black olives grow on the same tree – black olives just stay on the tree longer. We learned that every pomegranate has 613 seeds – the same number as the number of laws in the Old Testament. We saw wheat and mustard, looking at how tiny a mustard seed is.
Megiddo - Har Megiddo = Armageddon
We walked around the archaeological digs at Megiddo. Initially it was thought that Solomon was the builder, but it is now thought that it might be King Ahab. The Tel reveals layers of history. A shaft and tunnel were built 100 feet down for carrying water. We walked down 180 steps into the tunnel, saw the spring of water and then came out the other side.
We talked about the story of the disciples not catching any fish, Jesus telling them to throw the net on the other side and then catching 153 fish. The Hebrew significance of this is that the letters stand for “I am God.” Jesus wanted people to know He was God, but he never told them He was God – He showed them.
Nazareth
The city of Nazareth is busy and crowded. We visited “old Nazareth” where we could walk through a village setting as it must have been during Jesus day. We saw a carpenter at work, a weaver, a shepherd, the olive press and a church. We wanted to “feel” what it was like to have been there with Jesus, but it was difficult because it felt “staged” (and the guy weed-whacking around the different sites didn’t help!)
We drove by Mt. Precipice, where the people accused Jesus of blasphemy and wanted to push Him off the cliff but he disappeared from their midst and never came back to Nazareth again.
Lodging
Tonight and tomorrow night we are staying in a lovely waterfront hotel room in Tiberius, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. We have a balcony so are able to relax and enjoy the water.
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