We just concluded our second day since leaving The Woodlands, and our first full day of touring. What a great day it was for us all. We toured along the Mediterranean Sea through Central Israel, ending up at the city of Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee. As I look out the widow of our room in the Gia Beach Hotel, I am gazing at the sunset overlooking the Sea of Galilee with the Golan Heights in the background; it is a beautiful sight to behold.
Today, we visited the City of Caesarea by the Sea and toured the ancient Roman ruins of this famous port city. I read Acts 10:1-10, about the visit of Peter to the home of Cornelius. It was at this house that God first converted the Gentiles into the faith. We also saw the ancient port, the house of Pontius Pilot, the Roman Theater and the aqueduct system.
Next, we traveled through the Jezreel Valley and up the mountains to Mt. Carmel which was made famous by the Prophet Elijah in his battle with the Gods of Baal. I read the account of this epic event from 1 Kings 17.
From Mt. Carmel we went to the ancient city of Megiddo. Over 6,000 years of human history is found here. In Christian history it is most notable as the site of the great and final battle of Har-Mageddon or, in English – Armageddon, which is depicted in Revelation 16.
The next stop was Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus. We viewed the sight of the attempted stoning of Jesus which is described in Luke 4. We traveled from there through Cana, the site of the first miracle of Jesus, turning water into wine at the wedding. The day concluded with our arrival in Tiberius.
We traveled down the Via Marias (Way of the Sea) which is the same ancient road that the Disciples, especially Peter and Paul, tread. We gazed upon Mt. Tabor, the location of the Transfiguration of Jesus which is found in all four Gospels. Standing in the great Roman Theater in Caesarea, I read the story of Paul’s defense of his faith before the Roman authorities, which ultimately led to his deportation to Rome for the appeal of his case of sedition against Rome.
Today, we were standing in the very places of history of the Jewish and Christian faiths. I wait with great expectations to what will happen tomorrow.