| Author | Message | ||
| 8thday Registered user Username: 8thday Post Number: 539 Registered: 11-2007  |
Thank you for the rich descriptions!!! Amazing! | ||
| Mommamayi Registered user Username: Mommamayi Post Number: 647 Registered: 12-2007  |
River, I've also been praying for your stamina and for Donna's back. Love, D | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 8959 Registered: 12-2003  |
Hi, friends! Today was overwhelming. Besides being VERY full, it was a very emotional day. Right now it's 5:31 PM in Israel; we've just returned to our hotel, and we have an hour and a half until dinner. Both Richard and I are totally exhausted—but in a really good way! On Galilee The day began with a short jaunt to a harbor where we boarded a "Galilee praise boat". Apparently there are several boats designed after the fashion of ancient fishing boats (but with wooden canopies over the top) which takes tours of people out to the Sea of Galilee. This particular boat is the only one of the Galilee fleet owned by Christ-followers. The owners are musicians who perform internationally besides running their praise boats. As we boarded the boat, the sun had not yet driven away all the morning mist. The Sea of Galilee is a bit below sea level, and the temperatures are fairly warm and it's somewhat humid. It was comfortable this morning—shirt sleeve weather—and the lake was totally calm. The eastern shore was not quite visible in the mist, but the sun was shining. The boat owners were playing Michael W. Smith's "Worship Again" CD, and we climbed aboard to his singing "Breathe". For some reason finding myself on the Sea of Galilee, seeing the hills around it, seeing the sun and the morning mist just as Jesus and the apostles had seen it countless times, totally overwhelmed me. In fact, it seemed to overwhelm the whole group. Before we began moving, however, because we were Americans, they raised the USA flag and played the "Star Spangled Banner" before we left the dock. After they loosed the moorings, they put the Michael W Smith music back on and just let us "be". Many simply sat and stared at the sea; some of us climbed onto the bow and took pictures, fighting tears. Eventually we all sat down and just remembered what we knew of Jesus and the Sea of Galilee. I kept thinking of His calming the storm and retreating to pray near the lake. Finally the music stopped, and Gary Inrig stood in front of us and said he wanted us just to experience being quiet on the lake, and they cut the motor. In absolute silence the boat floated in the calm water, and the exquisite beauty of the water and the green trees near the shore, the dry Mediterranean hills rising above the valley, and the city of Tiberius gleaming in the morning sun on one hillside was inexplicably moving. I realized that Jesus had looked at those hills, and He had prayed for the people He had come to save. He had prayed for His disciples and for Himself, and He had asserted His authority over the elements He created: water, wind, and the laws of physics—when he calmed the storm and walked on water. Gary finally opened his Bible and taught the passage from Mark and John where Jesus calmed the storm on the lake as the terrified disciples cried for help. Here is a synopsis of his main points: Storms are an inevitable part of life. Storms come even when Jesus is in the boat. The disciples were in that boat in obedience to Jesus' command—not disobedience—yet the storm still came. Storms come to expose our lack of faith and trust. The disciples were expert fishermen and sailers. That storm revealed the place where their expertise could not manage. The storm was out of their control, and they were afraid. Jesus said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" I don't sense my true lack of faith until the storm comes. The storms don't just expose us, they reveal the Lord. Suddenly the disciples understood Jesus in a new say. "Who is this man, that even the winds and the waves obey him?" Storms enlarge our vision of Jesus. Jesus had told the disciples to go to the other side of the lake. They actually got where Jesus told them to go—they just didn't get there the way they expected to get there! After Gary spoke, the boat owner, Daniel Carmel, and his keyboardist led us in some worship songs. He specializes in taking well-known worship songs and translating them into Hebrew. We sang three songs, and I can't remember the name of the first one right now, but the last two were "Our God Is An Awesome God", and "Amazing Grace." Beatitudes and Peter's Commission The combination of being on the Sea of Galilee singing worship and praise was simply overwhelming. But we came back to shore, and we had to be off to the next thing. We went to the Mount of Beatitudes. It has been made into a "shrine" with a really beautiful basilica which is run by an Italian order of nuns. While we were allowed to go into the church and even to take pictures, the highlight of that stop was standing under a tree on the hill above the basilica, and Gary recited the Beatitudes and the verses following them as well. Hearing those words spoken in the warm sunlight with the Sea of Galilee visible was moving. I became more aware than ever that no matter how we try to enshrine the "holy", it falls flat. Only God is holy, and He reveals Himself through His own Word. Seeing a lovely church and beautiful grounds is great, but it is the word of God delivered by the power of the Holy Spirit who reveals Jesus that makes truth and reality come alive. The next place we visited was also dominated by a church—this one Orthodox—but again, the power was not in the church or the relic of stone inside that marked the traditional spot where Jesus ate for the last time with His disciples after His resurrection. Rather, the reality of Jesus' last meal with His disciples came alive as we stood on the rocky shore of Galilee while Gary read us and taught on the passage where Jesus called Peter to his work of feeding His lambs. After the three questions, "Do you love me?", Peter finally said to Jesus, "You know all things. You know I love you." Gary pointed out that Peter realized his own sinfulness fully when he realized Jesus' greatness. It was not in Jesus (or anyone else) pointing out his sin that Peter fully humbled himself and repented; it was by realizing Jesus' greatness and true glory that he recognizes his own sinfulness. I dipped my hand into the warm Galilee water, and I found two perfect shells among the shore rocks which I'm taking home with me. Jesus has allowed me to see what He saw, but the overwhelming reality is that He is not more with me there than He is any other time. He is consistent. I am the one who ebbs and flows with Him! The account of Jesus asking Peter if he loved him occurred at the end of the surprise breakfast Jesus prepared for the disciples. they had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. Jesus appeared on the shore, but the disciples couldn't yet identify Him through the morning mists (easy to understand after seeing the huge lake in the early morning). When the disciples responded to Jesus' telling them to cast on the right side, they caught a net full of fish. Then they recognized Him. Jesus had already prepared a fire and bread was laid out. He just needed some of their fish to finish breakfast. This was the third time He had appeared to His disciples after the resurrection. Capernaum We visited the site of Capernaum—a city which is no longer inhabited. It was at Capernaum that Jesus demonstrated His Messiah-ship and His authority over the powers only God controls: it was there he first cast out an evil spirit, it was there he taught in the synagogue and everyone was astonished because he did not speak as the scribes and Pharisees but as one having authority; it was there that he healed Peter's mother-in-law, and it was at Capernaum that he raised Jairus' daughter from the dead. Jesus demonstrated his authority over the powers of darkness, over Scripture, over the realm of physical health, and over the the power of death. Yet the people were hardened, and Capernaum was one of the three cities about which Jesus cried, Woe to you, Corazin and Nazareth and Capernaum--if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon and Sodom and Gommorah, they would have believed. How much worse it will be for you than for them. The ruins of a Jewish synagogue are being excavated in Capernaum, and there are also the ruins of a foundation of a house that archeologists speculate may have been Peter's house. Lunch We stopped for lunch at a restaurant near Capernaum that specializes in Galilee fish. We ate a salad bar (Israel-style with typical salads consisting of finely-cut lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, various kinds of cabbage, roasted vegetables, and always the inevitable hummus and pita bread). The main course was a whole tapia-type fish, breaded, roasted, and served with the head still on it. We had a lady at our table who hailed from Louisiana, and she dug in and showed us how to flake the soft fish right off the bones. It was both delicious and interesting...very different from the meals we eat at home! Last stop: Bethsaida The actual site of Bethsaida has been recently discovered, and an archeological dig currently is going on there. The Valley of Bethsaida has been identified for years, but now there is an actual site known to be the home of the real city. Again, this place is beautiful and evocative. The trees and the afternoon sun warmed the stone foundations behind the roped off dig areas, and there was a shelter on the side of a hill where we could sit and gaze over the valley toward the Sea of Galilee. Bethsaida is where Jesus healed the blind man in two stages: the first time He spit on his eyes, and the man said he could see people walking around like trees. Jesus put His hands on the man's eyes again, and then he could see fully. Gary told us that theologians have speculated for years over the reason for that two-part healing, and it seems likely is was a demonstration of the disciples partial understanding of who He was—demonstrated by Peter's identifying Him as the Son of God—but not fully realizing who He was until after the resurrection. Further, this partial understanding represented the Israelites' situation as well. Also, Bethsaida is where Jesus fed the 5,000. The Sea of Galilee will always be a significant memory for me; the Lord Jesus was so gracious to be so powerfully present with us all on that boat this morning. He let us know how real and close He is, and He made His own word come alive and was in the worship we sang to Him. Jesus is real; He is alive; He became a man not primarily to be our example but to take away our sin. We are alive in Him because He came and lived in these dry hills and hot summers and performed His ministry mostly in the area of Galilee. It makes me so happy to be able to share these experiences with you, my brothers and sisters, who have also been rescued by God from your own deep bondage. The freedom we have in Jesus is the freedom from our sin and from the curse of the law. We are free to call God our Father, and we are free to approach the throne of grace without fear. In Jesus, we are free indeed. Colleen | ||
| Mommamayi Registered user Username: Mommamayi Post Number: 649 Registered: 12-2007 |
Again, I am moved to tears! Sweet dreams Richard and Colleen! | ||
| Toria Registered user Username: Toria Post Number: 478 Registered: 2-2006  |
Colleen & Richard, I am so very moved by your experiences. The way you describe them, I can just close my eyes and imagine...wow. Thank you for sharing. Praying for you...(and espically for Richard's back). Toria | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 5952 Registered: 3-2004  |
Wow, as I read I could picture the Sea of Galilee and all the other places you saw in my mind. Thank you for sharing this trip with us. Still praying for you, especially for Richard's back. Diana L | ||
| Joyfulheart Registered user Username: Joyfulheart Post Number: 328 Registered: 10-2006 |
Thank you so much for sharing this. Your writing seems to put us right there with you. This thread is a blessing! May the Holy Spirit work in each of your lives in the group and bring scripture to mind as you walk where Jesus walked. May God grant you physical and spiritual rest as you travel. I'm so glad you got to go! Joyfulheart | ||
| Honestwitness Registered user Username: Honestwitness Post Number: 709 Registered: 7-2005  |
Colleen, thank you so much for writing so much for us to digest about your trip. I'm touched as I read your descriptions of people and places. You are truly a treasure! I have a question. A friend once told me that in Israel sunrise is at exactly 6:00 am and sundown is at exactly 6:00 pm every day, year around. Is that true? Honestwitness | ||
| Jrt Registered user Username: Jrt Post Number: 18 Registered: 10-2008 |
I'll simply echo the sentiments that have already been written. Thank you for taking the time in your busy day of touring and recovering from jet lag to include us in your journey. I feel like I am traveling with you and experiencing the sights, sounds and experiences of the Holy Land too (never been) - it is so fun! JRT | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 519 Registered: 7-2007 |
Colleen, thank-you for telling us about your trip. I wish I was there! Now that Honestwitness has asked if sundown and sunrise there are at 6:00, I'm curious too. Also now that you mention that, Honestwitness, I'm curious about what Adventists do in Alaska. I think a couple of you on the forum are from Alaska. What do they do at their jobs when sundown is at 2:00 PM in the afternoon? Do they just have a hard time getting a job or what? Also in the far far north when the sun stays down for several months - what do they do then? Say if the sun sets for the final time for the winter on a Friday, do they then have to "keep" the Sabbath for several months? | ||
| ~angel~ Registered user Username: ~angel~ Post Number: 395 Registered: 3-2008  |
Asurprise,What great questions! How beutifully written Colleen!  I enjoyed every post and as Leigh Anne said "it feels like we are there with you" I am really looking forward to seeing the pictures you've taken too! Peace and love be with you....praying for your safe return.... ~Angel~ | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 8960 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hi, everyone! It's truly a pleasure sharing this trip with you. Regarding Sabbath: no, sundown is not consistent. What we've read is this: Sabbath is observed from sundown on Friday until after sundown on Sabbath when three stars can be seen. For three stars to be seen, it has to be darker than mere sundown. Thus, Sabbath is generally around 25 hours long, more or less, depending on the season. Here's today's blog; we've got limited online time, so I have to hurry myself along, here! Greetings from Tiberias—for the last time! Today was impacting in a very different way from yesterday’s Galillee experience. We got into our tour bus about 8:00 AM and drove north to Tel Dan. Dan is at the upper end of the region known as Galilee, and it is the area that became the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel when the nation was divided. Dan became infamous for its idolatry; King Jeroboam, hoping to eclipse the significance and the glory of Jerusalem—which was in the southern kingdom of Judah—incorporated a syncretistic religion that mixed paganism and Judaism, and he established Dan as the capital and religious headquarters of the kingdom. God had instructed Israel that proper ritual worship was to happen only in Jerusalem where the priests and the temple were, but Jeroboam usurped God’s authority in the matter and, desiring to keep his subjects from going to Jerusalem for the feasts, he established a religious center at Dan. He set up worship to Yaweh at a pre-existing Baal high place. Jeroboam did not have his subjects actually worship a pagan deity per se; he insisted that they worshiped Yaweh, but they constructed golden calves in their temple, and they honored the pagan images. The territory of Dan is gorgeous and very different from the rest of the arid country. The source of the Jordan River originates in Dan, and the vegetation is lush. Further, the altitude is higher—and therefore the temps are cooler—than around the Sea of Galilee. We hiked through lush vegetation to the high place at Dan. The excavation at the Dan high place reveals many layers of foundations. Generations have built high places on top of each other; the most recent layer that has bee excavated dates back to Hellenistic Greek times. This pagan altar and temple/altar area stand on top of the same place Jeroboam’s Dan altar stood. Another interesting fact about Dan is that it is situated at the very northern end of Israel, and it is very close to the Syrian and Lebanese borders. In fact, during the Six-Day’s War of the mid 60’s and the war in 1973, Israeli soldiers bunkered at Dan and fought again the Syrians. We crawled through an old Israel bunker that dated back to the six-day’s war. After seeing the huge high place that had been developed for pagan sacrifices and worship, we walked to one of the most amazing archeological finds of recent times. Actually, there were a couple of amazing finds. Sometime in the 90s, a Jewish a Jewish archeologist discovered two things never thought about. First, he uncovered the Canaanite city gates at Dan dating from about 1,400 BC. These ancient gates had been preserved under subsequent construction of city armaments, and when the Canaanite gates were discovered, there were many surprises. One of the greatest surprises was that they were constructed as three sequential gates, and they were arched. Arches, prior to the discovery of this extremely ancient artifact, were thought to have been originated by Rome, but there, still under a canopy and still being removed fully from the burying rock is the enormous gate of the city on Tel Dan, the gates it is possible that Abraham himself walked through. Very close to the uncovered city gates is another startling find: the actual city gate and paved entrance to the city of Dan dating from the time of King Ahab. Just outside that gate the archeological team found another important thing: shards of broken pottery from a legal declaration by the king of Syria announcing his victory in a battle. In his statement he declares victory over a king of the house of David. This reference is the only extra-biblical reference yet found to prove the existence of King David. Golan Heights We then drove north to Ceasarea Phillipi. This place, was the spot where Jesus told Peter He would build his church upon the rock, and the gates of hell [or death] would not prevail against it. What none of us had ever understood, however, is that Ceasarea Phillip is another pagan high place. It housed a temple to Pan, the god of nature, and it is probable that the sacrifices to Pan included humans as well as the traditional goats. In that place of debauchery and evil, Jesus stood and declared His foundation of His church and stated that nothing would cause His church to fail. It is likely that Jesus intentionally chose Ceasarea Philippi as the location to make this announcement because by so doing, He declared in a powerful way His own authority and dominion over nature and over evil itself. We began our return to the southern outlet of the Jordan River by driving through the Golan Heights. We were all amazed to find ourselves able to see the border between Israel and Syria. We could see Mt Hermon, the source of the water for the Jordan River, and the feature that borders three nations: Israel, Syria, and Lebanon. We drove through the area where the fierce tank battles of the 1960s were fought with Syria, and we saw the war-ravaged buildings that still stand ruined. We saw Israeli army outposts with tanks and guns situated within sight of the Syrian border. The Golan Heights are fertile, and we saw miles of farms and orchards tended by Druze villagers. The Druze are an “offshoot” of Islam, but they are not acknowledged by Islam. There are four Druze villages; the Druze are agrarian, and most of them live in the Golan Heights. Our driver, however, is a Druze whose village is near Tiberias. We ate lunch at a small restaurant in the Golan Heights where we feasted on homemade falafels and a sort-of “wrap” that included a flat bread somewhere between a flour tortilla and pita dough spread with a delicious substance that resembled sour cream or a light cheese and served with various savory herbal dips. Baptism Thirteen members of our total group had chosen to be baptized in the Jordan River. Our last stop today was at an area dammed and prepared as a large baptismal “font”. It could accommodate several groups at once, but once Gary introduced the reason for baptism and began baptizing members of our own group, the service was instantly “church” and not merely one feature in a large event. Two of our local FAF members, Michael and Janice Hicks, were baptized today. Michael prefaced their immersion by praising God for having called and chosen him and for giving him life in Christ. He stated that he had been baptized at the age of 16, but his baptism had been entangled with the non-biblical teachings and requirements of a false religion. He said he was choosing to be baptized today as a pure, unencumbered commitment to Jesus and that He was grateful God had revealed to him that salvation required absolutely no works from him but was all of God. My take-home impressions from today are varied. On one hand, I was impacted by our proximity (and by Israel’s proximity) to constant political volatility and to danger. On the other hand, the impact of the ancient apostasy that continually crippled Israel was sobering. As Gary said to us today, we have to ask ourselves what idols threaten to claim the loyalty of our hearts. At the same time, we know that the Lord Jesus has already claimed a completed victory over sin, evil, and death. He even chose to commission Peter with the promise that nothing, not even the gates of hell, will ever be able to destroy His church. He is faithful, and when our lives are hidden in Him, we are safe eternally no matter what we encounter in our lives. Tomorrow we leave for Amman, Jordan. We will be in Jordan for three nights. We continue to appreciate your prayers, and we are praying for you as well. Love to you all, Colleen (and Richard too) (Message edited by admin on November 01, 2008) (Message edited by admin on November 01, 2008) | ||
| Lrcrabtree Registered user Username: Lrcrabtree Post Number: 52 Registered: 1-2007  |
Hey Colleen and Richard, thanks for the daily updates. I'm taking my vacation vicariously through your blogging... BTW, I pulled up Google Earth and saw your buses leaving Dan headed north...wave next time, okay? Larry | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 1519 Registered: 4-2000  |
Colleen and Richard, Hopefully, you will be able to visit Petra that is south of Amman, Jordan. My wife slept one night in one of the caves in ancient Petra. The context of Obadiah 16 refers to the ungodly Edomites who are now as though "they had never existed." When God curses something or certain people he always does a thorough job. Dennis Fischer | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 5959 Registered: 3-2004 |
I put a post on here that got lost in cyber space. I will try again. I really am interested in archeology and find it fascinating when it proves the Bible. But the one thing that really got to me today is the Michael Hicks statement before he was baptized. Tears came to my eyes while I was reading that. Our awesome God is taking people out of adventism 1 and 2 at a time. I praise him for that. Diana L | ||
| Mommamayi Registered user Username: Mommamayi Post Number: 652 Registered: 12-2007 |
Sounds like a thought provoking day. I'm guessing that sour cream like mixture was labane (pronounced lah' bah nay). Mmmmmm.....yummmy! You were blessed! Rest well friends, Diana | ||
| Snowboardingmom Registered user Username: Snowboardingmom Post Number: 506 Registered: 11-2005 |
I've been thinking about you guys experiencing "Sabbath" in Israel today (or rather yesterday!). Thank you again for sharing your experiences and insights from the trip. It's a great treat for me to read about your day and the things you saw and felt. I'm continuing to pray for you guys and especially for Richard's back and the older woman with the wheelchair he's responsible for. Congrats to Michael and Janice (hugs to them for me)! Very cool. Grace | ||
| Joyfulheart Registered user Username: Joyfulheart Post Number: 332 Registered: 10-2006 |
Michael and Janice, Congratulations! May you always keep serving Jesus as your first priorty. Praise God for the way He has drawn you to Himself. Colleen, Thanks so much for this blog. It's so much fun to travel with you vicariously. | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 1633 Registered: 10-2002  |
Colleen, thank you so much for sharing. Your last post about the Caesarea Phillipi was a very awesome revelation. And your summary about "Dan" is something I'm going to save for re-reading. Quite off the subject, in your description I think you've clearly laid out why the tribe of "Dan" is missing from the roll-call of tribes of Israel in Revelation 7. Bless you in Jesus and everyone there with you! Ramone | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 8961 Registered: 12-2003 |
Wow! It's hard to summarize or to articulate the experiences of today. This morning we left Tiberias and drove down the Jezreel Valley south toward the Jordan border crossing. On the way our Israeli guide, a bright, articulate, fountain-of-knowledge Jewish woman who is native to South Africa but emigrated to Israel several decades ago talked about the landmarks we were passing and also gave us some of the details of the agreement between Israel and Jordan for the use of the Jordan River's water. Her repeated point was that the wars or disagreements in this region are over water, nothing else. The Judean desert is truly arid, and even the more temperate elevations in Israel and the surrounding areas have been drought-plagued for the last several years. The Jordan is at its lowest point in years (if not in history), and the Sea of Galilee is also lower than anyone remembers it being in recent history. In fact, the day before we came, there had been a significant rainstorm that was just clearing out when we arrived in the country. Our guide kept telling us it was the answer to the fervent prayers of the Israelis. We also learned today that the rain had soaked Jordan—which also needs it. On the way south, we stopped at a most interesting and lovely spot: the Spring of Harod. This spring is definitely the very place where God reduced Gideon's army from over 2,000 to only 300 men. Remember the story? Those who were afraid could go home. Two-thirds of the volunteers who had answered Gideon's call left. Then God said to take the men to the spring of Herod; those who lapped like dogs would remain; those who knelt to drink should be sent home. 300 men lapped up the water—probably by dipping a hand into the spring and drinking rapidly. The area of the spring of Harod is exceptionally beautiful. While I know the cultivated trees and bouganvillas and the gem-like park across from the spring are planted, still the climate and the moisture mean that trees and greenery were plentiful there even in Gideon's time. In my head I'd never pictured that spring as anything but an arid desert setting. (I don't know what I was thinking...!) Gary and Elizabeth both pointed out that during the time of the judges, of which Gideon was one, Israel kept experiencing the spiral of 7 "S's": 1. Sin: They did what was evil 2. Servitude: When they fell into sin, the surrounding pagan nations put them back under bondage 3. Supplication: They would finally become weary of their oppression and cry to God for relief—not necessarily in true repentance but in remorse. 4. Salvation: Through the obedience of a prophet or a judge, God would deliver Israel again from the spiral of sin and bondage; 5. Sustenance: God would sustain them for as long as they were faithful to Hiim—until the next time they spiraled into sin, sevrititude, supplication, and salvation yet again. I found it amazing to be a the very place Gideon "received" his army—and water is still flowing there, and it is still fresh and good to drink. I did put my hand into it and taste it! The spring is north of Mt Moreh (which is clearly visible from Harod's Spring) where Saul, desperate for a word from God, sneaked past the encamped PHilistines and consulted the Witch of Endor in blatant disobedience to God's command. Our last stop in Israel was ruins of the classical city Beth Shean. It was awesome to walk among the excavated columns, pavements, and buildings of a city that was first a Hellenstic Greek city, then it was added to by Rome, and finally during the Byzantine era it was built up more before falling into disrepair as the result of a great earthquake. Beth Shean was one of the ten cities that composed the Decapolis; it had a temple to Diana in it. They early church grew rapidly in cities just like Beth Shean. In OT times, Beth Shean was in a slightly different location, but it was essentially the same city. It was here that, when Saul and his sons all died in the same battle, the Philistines took their bodies and impaled them on the city walls. The Israelites in Gilead heard about the humiliation and came and took Saul's bones to give them a proper burial. We sat in the theater open to the sky, and Michael Hicks sang "You Are God Alone" in that place where honor had been given for centuries to pagan gods. The border crossing was an interesting experience. We all made it, though, and were none the worse for wear, even though there were some procedures that surprised everyone because protocol changes frequently. We had to change busses to a Jordanian bus with a new Jordanian driver and a new Jordanian guide. Our new guide for these three days has been doing official Jordanian tour guiding for 13 years, and he has a B.A. in English from a Jordanian university. We drove through the Jordanian countryside for about two hours until we got to Jerash. When we first arrived, we stopped for lunch at the Green Valley Restaurant. We had only one choice for a meal, but it was delicious. The restaurant itself was very cute, with tile floors, rooms partly open to the outdoors, and ceilings that looked like bamboo poles laid side-by-side with light shining between. The meal consisted of fresh-baked flatbread that must have been at least 13 or 14 inches in diameter served with hummus, a spicy hot relish, olives, and chopped cucumber and tomato and parsley salad. The main course was called "mixed grill", and it included seasoned and roasted chicken, lamb, and beef (or veal) pieces. Yum! We spent the rest of the daylight touring the ruins and excavations/renovations being done at the ancient Hellenistic city of Jerash. This ancient city is breathtaking. We enter it through Hadrian's Gate—an enormous arched gate built by the Ropman emperor Hadrian in honor of his visit to that part of the land in 129 AD. (He is also responsible for Hadrian's Gate in Britain.) Jerash was originally a Hellenistic city also, and over the centuries the later Greeks and then the Romans built and added to it. Jerash is the most complete and extensive classical city in this part of the world, and it, too, was one of the ten cities that comprised the Decapolis. The city covers a large territory and included a temple to Zeus, currently under renovation and not able to be entered, and a massive outdoor theater that seated over 7,000 people. A group of Jordanian musicians were performing when we entered the theater, playing bagpipes and drums in the classic manner they have inherited from their forefathers who were taught by the British when they were in the area in the late 19th century. Our guide spoke to them, and they stepped aside for Michael Hicks to sing—this time, he sang "Amazing Grace", all three stanzas. The acoustics are perfect, and Michael sang that song of grace not only to our group but to other visitors there who were non-Christians. The bagpipers stepped up as soon as Michael finished and began to play "Amazing Grace" as well, moving seamlessly into Yankee Doodle Dandy and another folk song. When the music was finished, the sun was beginning to set. The sky in Jerash was unbelievably clean and clear with the exception of a few puffy clouds; the sunset was beautiful, and the ruins were spectacular in the pink light. As we began to hike down the mountain from the theater, every mosque in the modern city of Jerash just east of the ruins began their sunset prayers. Each mosque has speakers on its minaret to broadcast audibly the prayers being chanted inside; from the hill at the top of the ruins, the sound of the chanted prayers being broadcast over the city from each mosque, each at a slightly different cadence and place in the liturgy (since they didn't all start at the same moment) was startling. As one of our group members said as we walked toward the bus, "You can't capture that sound in a picture." We got into our busses and drove to Amman where we're spending the night in the Intercontinental Jordan reputed to be Jordan's first 5-star hotel. Tomorrow morning we leave and will stay at the ancient Roman city of Petra for two nights, four hours away. It was a day of almost confusing contrasts; I've been struggling to integrate all the information I'm seeing/hearing. The great beauty of Jerash and Beth Shean brought images of Paul preaching in the great Gentile cities that looked like these. The memory of his sermon on Mars Hill to the Athenians recorded in Acts 17 superimposes onto my mental images of the great oval hub of Jerash, paved and surrounded by Ionian columns and overlooked by the temple of Zeus. The work to which the Lord Jesus called Paul was unbelievably difficult: to preach the one true, triune God and to introduce Jesus the Son who became flesh, died, and rose again on the third day and grants life and eternal salvation to all who believe. I find myself praying for our guides and drivers who are hearing the gospel from Gary and Elizabeth. Of course, they've heard it before; they are not novices to leading tours of Christ-followers through the Holy Land. But we know that God is the One who softens hearts and cracks them open to know Jesus, and He is still doing today what He did over 2000 years ago when Paul preached in Hellenistic cities all over the Middle East and Aisa Minor and Southern Europe. I'm still struggling to recover from the jet lag; today was better than yesterday, but Richard has already fallen asleep, and I keep waking myself up. It's 11:08 PM here, and I've got to go get some sleep. Love and prayers for you all, Colleen |
