Our first stop on the Thursday, April 15, is on a hill in Nazareth overlooking the Jezreel Valley.
Jewish settlers first began arriving in the Jezreel Valley in the 1920s. Like those later in the Hula Valley, they found nothing but malaria-infested swamps. Again, just like those in the Hula Valley, they turned to and converted the Jezreel Valley into the breadbasket of Israel. Commanding this valley is Mount Tabor, believed by some to be the Mount of Transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1-9).
Anciently the largest tel, or "hill," in the Jezreel Valley is Megiddo. Another Hebrew word for hill is har and Mishnaic Hebrew scholars have called the place "Har Megiddon." Later, of course, it became known as Armageddon. It is the connecting point of the Crossroads of the East, and is known by Christians as a place specified for the Battle of Armageddon in the last days.
Behind us is the City of Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus Christ. Today it is a busy city of Arabs and Jews, and the Arab population makes it one of the largest Arab cities in Israel. It lies at 1,200 feet above sea level halfway between the Mediterranean and the Sea of Galilee. In April of 1999 there was a minor disturbance here between Moslems and Christians over the location of a proposed Christian church.
Down the road is the Jumping Cathedral marking the hill wherefrom Nazerene's attempted to throw Jesus. This episode followed the Savior's reading in the synagogue:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
“Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Those present took him to the hill, but he passed through the midst of them and went upon his way (See Luke 4).
Back on the bus we see an increase in industry as we near Haifa on the Mediterranean coast. Oil refineries, steel mills, and manufactures thrive in Haifa where one of the finest technical universities in the world is found. The city's "Technion" or Institute of Technology is the high tech center of the Middle East.
Haifa reminded me of San Francisco -- which I visited in January 1990 -- as it rises and falls on the heights of Mount Carmel. We stop on a hill overlooking the harbor which was built by the British in the 1930s. A breakwater was put in to accommodate the modern ships and tankers that visit this busy seaport.
As a US Navy buff I am quick to spot an Aegis destroyer at anchor in the harbor. Our guide has shared so much with us, and I feel compelled to return the favor by telling him about the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer. As I explain that it is designed to shoot down anti-ship missiles, he responds that Israel could use something like that to combat the rockets launched from southern Lebanon. Israel has since fielded the Iron Dome defense system against rockets fired from Lebanon.
From here we can also see the world headquarters of the Baha'i. With close to 5 million members worldwide this religion believes that all men are brothers and that they should speak the same language. They also believe that their religion will rule and judge all people at the last days, before the "end of the world." We can also see their new justice center under construction. After suffering severe persecution in Persia (Iran) in the 1800s the Baha'i moved their headquarters to Mount Carmel.
Back on the bus we start south along the coast of the Med.
Halfway down the coast to Tel Aviv is the ancient capital of Palestine, Caesarea. The Romans provided the capital with fresh water by building an aqueduct the 13 miles south from Haifa. Remains of this aqueduct are found a few miles north of Caesarea. We stop here briefly for photos and a quick explanation, then it is a quick hop over the the ruins of the ancient capital.
Caesarea was a magnificent city with a breakwater harbor that was constructed by lowering wooden forms with stone weights and then filling them with concrete. The city also contained a theater, amphitheater, and sports hippodrome. Unfortunately the city became a center of Jewish revolt in 63 A.D. (or C.E. for Common Era) and it was destroyed by the Romans. Rebuilt it became a center of Jewish and Christian schools until it was again destroyed by Moselms in the seventh century. When the Crusaders came they built a fortress here, complete with a moat.
Excavations are currently ongoing in Caesarea. We see the Crusader fort to the right as we drive in. To our left is the reconstructed amphitheater. After reading about the trial of Paul before King Agrippa here in Caesarea we are allowed to search an area for ancient glass. Some of the glass found here dates back at least two thousand years when the Romans had a technique of mixing silver in the molten glass.
After lunch we are on our way to Tel Aviv and Jaffa.
Haifa is the third largest city in Israel and Tel Aviv, or "Sring Hill" -- the couple from Springville, Utah, got a real kick out of that -- was the largest until recently when it was surpassed by Jerusalem with a few thousand more people. Tel Aviv is an international city of people from all over the world and is considered the "Miami Beach of the Med." If New York City in the Big Apple, Tel Aviv is the Big Orange.
Just south of Tel Aviv is the ancient port of Jaffa, or Joppa as it is sometimes called. It is, perhaps, the oldest seaport in the world.
It was from here that Jonah tried to avoid his mission to Ninevah. Jonah's ship encountered a major storm and the crew, determining Jonah to be the cause, threw him overboard. As the story goes Jonah was swallowed by a whale only to be spit out after three days. But according to Jacques Cousteau, whales are rarely found in the Med. There does exist, however, a grouper fish that, according to experts, can grow large enough to swallow a man. There are modern tales suggesting such occurrences.
There is also a connection to Napoleon here in Jaffa. A French Army laid siege and then captured the port in March of 1799. Here and there we see painted statues of the little emperor pointing the way to a museum.
Jaffa is also the site where Peter had a vision. He was staying at Simon the Tanner's house when he had a dream in which an angel commanded him to eat non-kosher food that was wrapped in a talith. Not long after this a man named Cornelius shows up saying that a vision had directed him to Peter. At last the meaning of Peter's dream is revealed, he is now commanded to teach the gospel to gentiles (see Acts chapter 10). Today, St. Peter's Cathedral commemorates the spot.
Another day is done and we return to the Hyatt Regency in Jerusalem. Tonight some of us in the tour group went to the Jerusalem YMCA for a show featuring Jewish folk dancing and singing. It was quite a show, even though I had trouble staying awake as I was still adjusting to the time change. In my defense, the show did not start until 9 pm.
