In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste.He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye,like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young,that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him. Deuteronomy 32:10-12 I’ve written about Gamla before, which was a key city during the first Jewish revolt. Situated northeast of the Sea of Galilee, it tragically fell to the Romans early in the war. The […]
Category Archives: Travel
Mary’s Seaside Town
After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:1-3 The Sea of Galilee is located within the same depression as the Dead Sea to the south with the Jordan River joining them. […]
The Slopes of Tabor
The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. Psalm 89:11-13 The Jezreel Valley is bordered on the east by three mountains: Tabor, Moreh, and Gilboa (from north to south). I’ve been focused on the latter two recently. I finally want to move north to Mount Tabor. Mount Tabor has a very distinctive rounded shape, visible from all angles. It was rather hairy driving up […]
Jezreel
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. 1 Kings 16:29-31 Continuing in the same geographic region again, today’s site is Jezreel. The tel is built above the […]
A Drinking Game
Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. Judges 7:1 Gideon was not one most would have picked to lead the battle against the Midianites, but God can use anyone for his purposes. Last time we looked at King Saul’s death, but much more happened in this region. Nearby, generations before Saul’s time, Gideon fought his battle. Near the foot of Mount Gilboa lies the Harod Spring. The Lord had Gideon bring his already […]
The Death of King Saul
Mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, may no showers fall on your terraced fields.For there the shield of the mighty was despised, the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil. 2 Samuel 1:21 The Philistines were gathering for battle. Saul mustered his forces to meet the threat. They gathered near the spring of Jezreel at the foot of Mount Gilboa. The evening before the battle, Saul was scared. God had abandoned him, and he was seeking guidance. Sneaking across the valley, over Mount Moreh to the north, he found a medium at En Dor, and asked […]
Strengthen the Defenses
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 1 Corinthians 4:8-12 Belvoir is the best preserved Crusader fortress […]
Springs in the Desert
The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. Isaiah 35:7 Driving north from Eilat, we eventually arrived at the Dead Sea region. Most of the areas around the Dead Sea are rather dry and lifeless. But there are a few places teeming with life. En Gedi is the most famous because David hid there from King Saul. I’ve been there a handful of times. We stopped briefly this time before pushing northward. Near the northwest corner of the Dead Sea, […]
Sailing on the Red Sea
King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. And Hiram sent his men–sailors who knew the sea–to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s men. They sailed to Ophir and brought back 420 talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon. 1 Kings 9:26-28 We reached the southernmost part of our trip at the modern port city of Eilat. Israel has a few miles of shoreline on this gulf, nestled between Egypt on the west and Jordan on the east. Arriving in town, we hopped on a […]
Giant Geological Gems
It’s a magical world, Hobbes ol’ buddy. Let’s go exploring! Calvin & Hobbes After our stay in Mitzpeh Ramon, we descended down the switchbacked road into the makhtesh (see last time for more information), following highway 40 south towards the Red Sea. What strange sights would we see in this giant, geological, dinosaur footprint-shaped crater? First, we stopped at the “Carpentry”. Ascending a wooden walkway, we gazed at the unique hill, made of strangely shaped pieces of rock. Given their shape and color, they look like sawed-off logs, giving the place its name. Next, a short hike or drive to […]