Holy Land - 11.23

The trip home was long, so I'll spare you all of the details. Our flight left Tel Aviv on-time and took approximately 12 hours. Flora, Zack, and I had the emergency row with room to stretch out! Upon arriving at JFK, there had been a medical emergency on the plane, so they would not permit us to unload. It turned out to be dehydration; but rather than move the passenger to the front of the plane so that paramedics could get to him quickly, Delta chose to leave him at the very back of the plane. This was a slight delay, but caused us to almost miss our connecting flight.

Allow me to summarize: Leave the plane, claim our baggage, proceed through customs, go recheck our luggage, go through another security check, and of course the terminal we had to get to was literally on the other side of the airport. I'm not kidding... we walked and walked, got the the terminal and had to go down an elevator, literally had to leave the buildings,we crossed a street, entered another building, walked some more, and heard them saying "last call for passengers on Delta flight ____" while we were still six gates away. I left Flora to help the Frazier's and I ran ahead to tell them we had more coming. In the end we DID make our flight and arrived safely in Atlanta.

We claimed our luggage, and as soon as we walked outside, we caught the shuttle to the hotel. Not long after, we were on the road again. A Chic-fil-et lunch gave us some energy for our five hour drive home. It was a long day, but the thoughts of Thanksgiving dinner the next day kept us going. It was a GREAT trip and I would recommend it to everyone! Thanks to those who made this trip possible!

Holy Land - 11.22 (Part 2)

From Caiaphas' house, we learned much about the Old City of Jerusalem on the southern side and saw the Ophel leading "up" to the Temple Mount. From this vantage point, we could also see the layout of the Western Wall and the close proximity to where they believed the Holy of Holies to have been. This view gave great understanding as to "why" the Jews go to that particular place to pray.

Upon leaving Caiaphas' house, we went to lunch at the Ambassador Hotel, where we enjoyed hamburgers and French fries. This was the most "American" meal that we encountered while in Israel. In the lobby, "Juan Dollar" (the merchant at whose store we shopped on the previous night) met us with prayer shawls. The story and understanding of the prayer shawl is quite interesting and I purchased one to use as an object lesson with our church at some point.

After lunch, we walked the Via Dolorosa, the road that Jesus walked from His trial at Pilate's to the place of the crucifixion. Click here for pictures http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/ViaDolorosa.html
Due to our tour guides' contacts, we were able to get into a section of the real Via Dolorosa which is located below the modern streets of Jerusalem. We ended our journey at the Damascus Gate and then loaded on the buses for a ride to Gordon's Calvary. Click here for pictures of Gordon's Calvary http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-garden-tomb

Was Gordon's Calvary the actual place of the crucifixion and burial? There is some conflicting viewpoints, but either way, it has been the traditionally accepted site. There is now a modern Arab bus station in front of Calvary, and the tomb was modified during the Byzantine period. In spite of the changes and the varying opinions, the more important FACT is that -- Jesus was not on the cross and the tomb was empty! We enjoyed communion together (the pastors in the group served) and this was a very special and very humbling time together.

As we gathered together at the hotel, someone asked about clarification on the Bar Mitzvah. The occur for Jewish boys at age 12, which is the accepted age at which the boys are old enough to carry the Torah. The Scriptures are bound on their hand and forehead. A leather strap wraps around the left arm, as a symbol of binding the Scriptures close to the heart. The prayer shawl (Talit) is pulled over the head and closed as a personal tent for privacy during prayer. Only the men have the prayer shawls and this is what Deut. 22:5 refers to when it says that a "a woman shall not wear that which pertaineth to a man..." From this verse, some have devised that women should not wear pants, but even the men in Bible times didn't wear pants. A full understanding of the Jewish culture, reveals that this passage is clearly making reference to the prayer shawl. The Bar Mitzvah is a celebration complete with a entry parade, family cheering, and women throwing candy. The candy is symbolic to remind us that the Scriptures are sweet. This celebration is full of meaning and we were blessed to be able to see these celebrations during our visit to the Temple.

During this meeting, we were given the instructions for our departure times, luggage checks, etc. We would have time to eat, shower, rest, and load up to begin our journey back to Hartsville.

Holy Land - 11.22 (Part 1)

This would be our last day of "touring" in the Holy Land, so our tour guides really packed it in. They rearranged the route to beat the 50 busses of tourists coming off the cruise ships. We started at the Garden of Gethsemane where we saw eight olive trees, five of which are dated to be over 2,300 years old. That means that Jesus walked among these trees, and so did we! Most of the olive trees were cut from the Mount of Olives by the Muslims, in an effort to eliminate the possibility of a new King (Jesus) to be anointed with oil from the Olive trees on the Mt. of Olives, as is required by Jewish law. This was another Muslim attempt to stop Jesus from returning as King -- even though they say they don't believe in Him!

Not far from these olive trees is the Stone of Agony, where Jesus prayed and sweat drops of blood. The Rock of Agony is directly in front of the pulpit at the Catholic "Church of All Nations" with an iron fence shaped as thorns surrounding it. Interestingly, this Catholic church has no religious symbols, is open 24/7, and has widows made of Alabaster. These windows are symbolic of the Alabaster vials that contain the olive oil with which the new King (Jesus) will be anointed.

We went to a private area of the garden for a service. On the way, several in our group noticed the clovers with red spots on the leaves. The red spots are symbolic of the drops of blood that Christ shed as He prayed in the garden. The Garden of Gethsemane is the only place in the world where these clovers can be found. Is that just a coincidence?

The next stop was a children's hospital at which we distributed toys and Randy presented the Gospel using object lessons with a basketball. The hospital also contained a school. The children were in their uniforms, well behaved, and learning on their laptops. It was exciting to see the educational opportunities for these children.

We continued to the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest. This was the place where Jesus was tried, scourged, and Peter denied Christ. We saw the scourging area and how they tied and stretched those who were being scourged. We saw the salt pools into which they dipped the sponges to mop over the open wounds and increase the pain. We saw the Roman scourge with its leather straps and metal barbs. We saw the pit into which Jesus was thrown (approx. 12 feet deep hole) and the rocks against which He leaned to cool His back after the scourging.

We went outside for a brief lesson and heard a rooster crowing! We saw the Jericho Rd. We looked across to the Mt. of Scandal, and could see the close proximity of Caiaphas' house to Jerusalem, the Kidron Valley, and the Mt. of Olives. It was only about a 12 minute walk from Caiaphas' house to where the soldiers apprehended Jesus and He could see them coming the whole way. This was an amazing place!

Holy Land - 11.21

This day started by standing in a security line and waiting to enter the Temple Mount through the Tanner's Gate, located next to the Dung Gate. We learned much in the line as the conversations and teaching focused on the Islamic belief in eternal reward for deception in this lifetime. The more they deceive, the greater the reward. For the first time, we also saw Jews begging for alms outside the temple.

Once inside, we saw the Eastern Gate, which the Muslims sealed to keep Jesus from returning to Jerusalem as He said He would. Question: Why would you seal a gate to keep out someone you say you don't believe in? Why would you install a cemetery in front of the gate to keep out Jesus, the Jewish Rabbi? Why would you cut down the olive trees so this King could not be anointed? Answer: Because deep down, you really do believe! Actions speak much louder than words!

While at the temple, we also saw the Dome of the Rock that covers the place where Abraham offered Isaac - the son of promise. This event was a picture of salvation revealing that God would offer His promised Son, Jesus. (Muslims believe Abraham offered Ishmael - the son outside the promise.) We saw the "Place of the Spirits," which many believe is the location of the Holy of Holies. We sat on the steps of the South Gate looking over the old city. As we walked, we sampled Pomegranate juice. We saw the great wall that Herod built as a retaining wall and saw the stones that were still present from the time when the temple was destroyed. We saw the area where the place of the money changers and where sacrifices were sold. We saw the old road around the city and the narrow road used by those who had already cleansed themselves. There was so much history and so many light bulbs coming on as we walked, saw, touched, and learned about the temple. Click on either or both of the following links for some great pictures and much information about the temple: 1) http://www.bibleplaces.com/templemount.htm 2) http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-temple-mount

One of my favorite spots to visit was the Western Wall. After seeing and understanding the layout of the temple and the surrounding areas, "why" the Jews choose to pray in this place now makes sense. This is the closest point to where they believe the Holy of Holies was. The men in our group had to cover our heads with a hat or a one of the yarmulkes or kippahs they provided. The prayer areas were divided with men praying on one side of the fence and the ladies on the other. There were many Bar Mitzvahs in progress during our visit. These are held at the temple on Mondays and have great meaning in the various ritualistic components.

Our next stop was the Old City for lunch, shopping, and puddle jumping (it was raining). The Old City is interesting with so many shops and all of them packed so together tightly. Each street looks almost identical and it did take us some effort to find our way back to "the Fountain," which was in close proximity to our meeting place. Everyone was soaked (especially the lady who was standing on the sidewalk when the car hit the puddle beside her), so we went back to the hotel to dry off and take hot showers.

Just before supper, the group met to ask questions, share testimonies, and to discuss our plans for tomorrow. This was a special time, and I especially enjoyed the answers that explained how much we get "wrong" when trying to teach Jewish tradition from an American viewpoint. Many will give an account for teaching American preferences as Bible doctrine!

Holy Land - 11.20

We finally reached Jerusalem! It was Sunday morning, and we were sitting on the Mt. of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. The view was breathtaking as we enjoyed our Sunday morning service and observed communion together. As we were leaving the Mt. of Olives, some rode the camel; but there was not time for all. Vendors surrounded us on every side and it would continue as such until we left on our final day.

We went to the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man in John 5. The ruins were well preserved and you could easily picture the various pool and patio areas as they once stood. The Church of St. Anne is in close proximity to the pool, so we were able to tour it. The church was built in approx. 1129 by the Crusaders. The Muslims conquered the Crusaders and turned the church into an Islamic school for girls. Our group sang (our guide was a trained vocalist) and the priest thanked our people for bringing the rains of blessing to their land.

We drove past and overlooked the Valley of Gehenna, where babies were sacrificed to the god Molech (II Kings 23:10; Jer. 32:35); and continued on toward Bethlehem. It was only about five miles and we sang Christmas carols on the way! Bethlehem is located in the West Bank, so we had to have our passports ready and armed guards walked through the bus for a quick sweep. Evidently none of us looked too suspicious.

We ate lunch at "The Tent Restaurant," which had a great ambiance with long tables, bench seating, and burlap roofing. The food was great. As we left, we saw a shepherd with his flock of sheep and almost lost one of our group members (from another church) as she stepped out in front of a speeding car. Her guardian angel almost lost his job that day!

After lunch, we made our way to the Shepherd's Field, where it is traditionally believed that the angels announced Jesus' birth to the shepherds. We were able to wander through the caves where the shepherds and the sheep slept. This was a very neat site and offered a great view of Bethlehem, which was in very close proximity.

Next was the Church of the Nativity -- the place observed as the birthplace of Christ. We waited in line for approx. 1 hour. The church constructed over the site was huge! It was built by the Byzantines, had a Crusader mosaic of gold on the wall, a mosaic floor over 1500 years old, ornate oil lamps hanging, chandeliers, priest saying "quiet," and candles being sold. (Our guide stated, "Nothing has changed." They sell candles for $12 each, but you can buy the same ones outside for only $1 each.) This place was "cold," "empty," and a symbol of "dead" religion! It reminded me of Matt 7:22.

We eventually made our way into the small cave, where an elaborate and ornate structure was built over the birthplace. A 14 point star marked the spot. People were bending over touching it, kissing it, etc. There was pushing, shoving, priests bringing people in the wrong way if they paid them on the side, etc. This site was my least favorite of all and opened my eyes as to "why" God has not revealed things like Noah's Ark, the Ark of the Covenant, etc. When these items or places are found, people begin to worship the items more than God.

We left the church, went shopping in Bethlehem, and then returned to the hotel for supper and bed.

Holy Land - 11.19 (Part 2)

During our drive, we learned another interesting fact about Jewish culture. It is traditional for Jews to consume pomegranates on Rosh Hashana because the 613 seeds, which correspond with the 613 mitsvot or commandments of the Torah. Of the 613, 2/3 refer to "don'ts" while 1/3 refer to "do's."

We finally arrived at Mt. Carmel, where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and called fire down from Heaven (1 Kings 18). The "mountain" is really not a mountain at all, but rather a mountain ridge of approx. 30 miles long, with the highest point reaching 2,200' above sea level. We stopped at a picturesque overlook, from which we could seek everything around us, including the Valley of Megiddo. The view was breathtaking, and the cold winds also took your breath away! People were huddling together, and really getting to know those around them.

From that site on Mt. Carmel, we went to have a Druid lunch nearby. The primary meat was chicken, but there were also many other things to sample. The single shot restrooms made for long lines on both the men's and women's sides, but no one was getting back on that bus without making the pit stop. (Our driver didn't stop very often!)

The next stop was Caesarea by the Sea. This was the place of Herod's palace on the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the Hippodrome, the remains of the temple of Roma & Augustus, and the theater that had been excavated. The theater faces west, and we sat in the theater for our service. We saw and stood where the Apostle Paul was chained as he testified before Herod. We saw the remains of Herod's fresh-water swimming pool that extended off the back of his palace and protruded over the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the amphitheater where games were played and Christians lost their lives. The site was closing for the day, so we didn't get to stay very long. We left, then drove a short distance to the twin high-level aqua ducts that were 12 miles in length and carried fresh water to Caesarea by the Sea. One side was cold water, and the other had been modified to produce sun-heated hot water. Herod was a master builder!

As we were leaving, our guide stopped by some native thorn bushes to show us the thorns used to make the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus' head. The thorns were literally 2-3 inches long, and not the small sand spur style thorns that so many people refer to. These thorns, once dry, had been proven to penetrate into bone! I brought a 12" piece of the branch home with me, so people could see just what these thorns were like.

We made our way to the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem, which would become our base for the remainder of the trip. The hotel was beautiful, but the rooms were a little small. The half doors on the shower stall kept half the water from splashing on the floor. On the flip side, the food was delicious! They had a buffet at every meal with much variety, and delicious desserts. After supper, most of our group went out for a walk on the town, only there isn't much nightlife in Jerusalem. We walked a few blocks in two different directions only to find nothing. At this point, most chose to call it a night. Justin and Zack continued exploring and found their way to a section of the Old City. They told us about it the next morning...but there wasn't much to tell, as I think we actually found a place with fewer things open at night than Hartsville. :-)

Holy Land - 11.19 (Part 1)

This morning the weather was beautiful and we started our day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. You can watch a generic video of the boat ride at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbkWW6ekG4o The waters were calm as we set sail, but became increasingly rougher during our ride. We saw rain in the distance, but the sun rays were bursting through the clouds as though to pinpoint the very place where Jesus walked. It was amazing!

During the ride, they reminded us that the lands on the east side of the lake is Gentile and on the west side is Jewish. When Jesus cast the demons out of the man and into the swine, the pigs ran off the cliff on the east side of the lake, since there would be no pigs in Israel. The guide also pointed out an interesting fact about the two multiplication miracles that Jesus performed. He fed 5,000 men on the west side and there were 12 baskets left over, representative of the 12 tribes of Israel. He fed 4,000 on the east side and there were 7 baskets left over, representative of the 7 Gentile churches in Revelation. Through these miracles, Jesus provided an object lesson that salvation was open to everyone!

We next visited Gideon's spring, the place where God whittled away at Gideon's army. The spring was actually dried up now, but site has been well preserved and you could almost picture the soldiers kneeling to drink. There were two turtledoves in the rocks just above the spring, serving as a reminder of God's goodness and blessings. Gideon's spring is located in the Valley of Megiddo (or Valley of Jezreel), where the battle of Armageddon will take place. I got a strange feeling as I looked across that valley, and saw a playground with swings and a swimming pool. Oh how this place will change! See a picture and some additional commentary at this link http://www.biblestudy.org/biblepic/megiddo.html

From there we went to Nazareth. In Jesus' day, the population of Nazareth was approx. 180; but today, there are almost 70,000 - and all Arabs. The city was very crowded, busy, and dirty. Many houses were left looking incomplete, because they pay less in taxes while building (no matter how long it takes to finish). We saw Mary's house, and surprisingly... another Catholic church built on the site. You really have to look past what they have done to "preserve" the sites. I think in reality, there is often more worship of the site, than there is of the Savior. We also saw Mary's well as we passed through.

From here, we were off to Mt. Carmel. I'll tell you more about that soon. On our way, we saw Mt. Tabor, which many believe was the Mt of Ascension.

Holy Land - 11.18

Another beautiful morning following our normal routine of up at 6am, breakfast buffet at 7am, and scheduled to leave by 7:45am. That was a good plan, until one person (out of 90) overslept and another left something in his room. It was nice NOT to have to repack our luggage, since we would finally be staying for a second night in this same hotel. The only thing to pack was a swimsuit for those desiring to be baptized in the Jordan River.

We drove through the city of Tiberias and along the Sea of Galilee. It was a little overcast, but absolutely beautiful! Our first stop would be the city of Caesaria Philippi, also known as Banias (Paneas). The city was the location of the temple to Pan, the half man - half goat god. Pan was known for his vile sexual perversions and the area was an example of the great wickedness found in the heart of man.

At this site, there is a cave known as the "Gates of Hell" containing a pit and a river flowing from it. It was believed this was the river Styx, the passage way to the underworld. An earthquake resulted in the pit being filled in. There is still a river flowing through Banias. This river is the source for the Jordan River. See pictures and read more on this link: http://www.bibleistrue.com/qna/pqna45.htm

It was at the "Gates of Hell" or near this location that Jesus said in Matt 16:18, "...I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He was implying that all the wickedness of the world, could not stop God's plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ! This was an object lesson to His disciples, and a promise to mankind!

As we were leaving Caesaria Philippi, we saw Mt. Hermon upon which it snowed during our visit and set a record for the earliest snowfall on record for that location. We passed through the Golan Heights, the area belonging to the tribes of Dan and Mannaseh. This area borders Lebanon, and in biblical times, Golan was a city of refuge.

We continued to the Mt. of Beattitudes at which we had a service in an outdoor theater located near the site of the feeding of the 5,000, and the traditionally accepted location where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. This site offered a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee and (as it is with so many sites) it housed a Catholic church and school.

We enjoyed lunch at a Lebanese restaurant, where some enjoyed whole Talapia (fish) with the eyes looking at them as they picked the meat off the bones. The meal also included French Fries, and bread & hummus.

Due to the time and overcast weather, we postponed the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and went to the Jordan River for the baptisms. The baptisms were only symbolic and allowed people to be baptized in the same river where Jesus was baptized. For $10, you got a robe, towel, and certificate.

All was well, until we got into the water -- It was FREEZING, but the Muskrats and the large catfish we shared the water with didn't mind the temperature at all. This was a very special time as I was able to baptize those in our group, then Justin baptized Flora and I. This was a memory we will never forget.

From there, it was back to the hotel for a warm shower, followed by supper and a group meeting.

Holy Land - 11.17 (Part 2)

We entered the West Bank and made our way into the crowded, dirty streets of Jericho. It was quite a change in scenery and a drastic contrast from the Dead Sea. The West Bank is under Palestinian control, with a dominant Arab population. The Arabic food (chicken) was wonderful and there were many other dishes to sample. The staple at EVERY meal was pita bread and hummus.

At this one location, there was a fresh market with souvenirs, produce, and Pomegranate juice. In addition, it was the first of several places to ride a camel, Elisha's well/spring was in the parking lot, and there was a rooftop patio on top of the restaurant that offered a great view overlooking the old city of Jericho.

The remains of the old city of Jericho offered another shock to our system. In reading the Bible story, I've always pictured a large city with massive walls. The city was actually rather small. While it was unexpected, it also made perfect sense that the city could not have been too big, if the people marched around it seven times! The remains proved that the walls indeed fell outward and pots were discovered that were still full of grain, proving that this city was not defeated through the normal method of starving the people out. From Jericho, we could see the Mount of Temptation. There is a monastery built up on the mountain, making it easy to spot the general vicinity where Jesus spent 40 days being tempted.

Next, we made our way to the Sycamore tree that is symbolic of the one that Zacchaeus climbed in this effort to see Jesus. The tree was HUGE and really looked like the Keebler elf tree. Interestingly, the tree was surrounded by a fence, I would suppose it was an attempt to keep future Zacchaeuses from climbing it. As soon as our bus stopped, we were surrounded by street vendors and they kept selling as we were trying to take a group picture. They did have some good prices and products; and we DEFINITELY had a group of shoppers! It was there that Zack got his Arab headdress called a Keffiyeh. Several of our ladies also purchased some beautiful necklaces.

We made our way to the next hotel - the Gai Beach Hotel located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The rooms were very small and very plain, but the view of the Sea of Galilee was beautiful! We enjoyed our choice of steak, liver, chicken, an Italian dish, and several other items for supper. I don't think they expected the rush for steaks, as people waited in line for more steaks to be prepared, while passing on the other items! (Let's see... steak or liver...is that really a choice?) This restaurant also had a Hummus bar in which they would prepare your personalized dish of Hummus with whichever spices you selected mixed in. The final course... the dessert bar. It was great!

We capped off the night by using Justin's iPad to Skype our daughters; followed by listening to the Jewish hotel singers "butcher" American songs. They did a beautiful job on the Jewish songs... at least we think they did. :-)

Holy Land - 11.17 (Part 1)

We followed our normal routine of waking up at 6:00am, bags out and heading to breakfast by 7:00am, and on the road at 7:45am. The bus ride was short and we were soon at our first site -- Masada. We rode the cable car to the top and were amazed by the site, by Herod's creativity, by Roman ingenuity, and by the story of those Jews who chose to die there. Rather than be captured by the Romans and in order to avoid "suicide," the Jews devised a plan of mass murder, in which they divided nearly 1,000 people into 10 groups. Ten men were selected and each was instructed to kill 1/10 of the people, or one of the ten groups. The next man would kill the killer, then kill those in his group. The process was repeated, until the last man took his own life. Those who did the killing used a lottery system to determine the order and the one man who would ultimately be guilty of suicide. The story was told by two women who hid themselves and survived the attacks. You can read more about this event and see some pictures by clicking on these links: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Archaeology/Masada1.html or http://www.bibleplaces.com/masada.htm

From Masada, we continued to En Gedi and saw the cave where it is believed that David hid when he fled from King Saul. Click on this link for pictures http://www.bibleplaces.com/engedi.htm

We stopped by an Acacia tree for a quick lesson on how soldiers made arrows and how God shapes us, then continued along a designated road (between the mine fields) to the place of the Jordan River where it is believed the Israelites crossed and Jesus was baptized. This was one of the most shocking sites, as the river was very narrow. We could have easily tossed a rock across the river and landed it in the country of Jordan. The river was dirty and full of bull rushes, but plenty deep enough to baptize.

From there, we went to the Qumran Cave #4 in the Essene community, the place where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in the late 1940's. The Bedouin boy's father first made a pair of sandals from one of the leather cases, the scrolls were then sold for $29, and then in 1954 they sold for $250,000 (the equivalent of over $2 million today). An earthquake had greatly changed the area, but the cave was easily recognizable.

From here, we set out for lunch at the city of Jericho.

Holy Land - 11.16 (Part 2)

As we left Joppa, we saw the beautiful Mountains of Judah, and the Valley of Ajalon (Joshua 10) where God caused the sun to stand still. Our guide also pointed out the traditional road to Emaus, where Jesus met and walked with the two disciples. He explained how the disciples knew Jesus when He broke the bread in Luke 24:35. The "religious" Jews took the wine, then the bread. Jesus followed traditional Judaism and broke bread, then took the wine. This was quite interesting and proved to be one of many things that non-Jews miss when reading the Scriptures.

In explaining other Jewish cultural aspects, our guide explained that only the city of Jerusalem and the Tribe of Judah focused on exclusive worship of God; while the other cities engaged in "inclusive" worship of a variety of gods. This shed light on how Samson (tribe of Dan) would even consider taking Delilah (a blue-eyed daughter of the Philistines) to be his wife. Again, a simple illustration of what we miss, by not having an understanding of Jewish culture.

The guide continued to explain the Book of Judges from a Jewish perspective. While we think of Judges as if it pertains to legal aspects; the Judges were actually war generals or military leaders. We would probably better understand the biblical period of the Judges if we called it the "Book of Military Leaders."

Our travels next took us to the Valley of Elah, the place where David defeated Goliath (1 Sam. 17:40). We were able to walk in the the brook (now dry) where David picked up the five smooth stones. Several in our group took a rock from the brook as a souvenir. The site has been confirmed by archaeologists after discoveries (including pig bones & pottery) from the Philistine camp.

We continued to Be'er Sheva, to see Abraham's well (Gen. 21). The guide pointed out that the name "Abraham" means "Father of many, but Abraham didn't have any." Abraham was actually a laughing stock among the people, but he believed God in spite of it!

We got a lesson pertaining to desserts. There are actually six different words used in the Hebrew Bible, pertaining to six different types of deserts found in Israel, but our English word "desert" limits our understanding to one type of desert. We got a detailed lesson on the differences between them and were drilled with the fact that the "desert will bloom again" and saw evidences of it.

We concluded our travel day by reaching the Dead Sea at 1270' below sea level, bordered on one side by Israel and the other by Jordan. It is really a "lake," but there is no word for lake in the Hebrew language, so it is called a sea. We ate lunch beside the Dead Sea, checked into the Le Meridian Hotel (one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in) and later swam in the Dead Sea. Justin and Zack swam (floated) out to where we almost couldn't see them and collected bottles full of Dead Sea salt. The lake bottom goes from soft to jagged, due to the salt and mineral deposits. See pictures and read about the Dead Sea here http://www.bibleplaces.com/deadsea.htm

I think most in our group passed on the optional hotel spa treatments, massages, etc.; and after a huge buffet supper, most retired for the night. Justin and Zack found a McDonalds where they could access free Wi-fi, and Flora & I went out to walk and explore the small city. We later met Justin at McDonalds so we could Skype with our girls. Interesting note... we must have seen 12+ cats that night, but have only seen one dog since landing in Israel.

Holy Land - 11.16 (Part 1)

On Wednesday morning, the wake-up call came at 6:00am, left for breakfast and put bags in the hallway by 7:00am, and the group was scheduled to depart at 7:45am. Breakfast was interesting. It was the first of many Israeli buffets consisting of many familiar and unfamiliar items. For the traditionalists, there were eggs, cereal, yogurt, fruit, etc. For the adventurers, there were barely recognizable eggs, other unknown dishes, and plenty of bagels and lox. It appeared that most stayed with the "safe" dishes for the first day. While everyone was claiming their luggage, I spotted computers in the hotel lobby with free Internet. I quickly went over to check my Fantasy Football scores from Sunday, and to set my teams for this coming week.

The bus pulled out of Tel Aviv (the "City of Springs" with a population of 500,000) by 8:00am and we started the day by learning a few Hebrew terms: boker tov means "good morning;" toda means "thank you;" and shalom means "peace, but can also be used for "hello" and "goodbye." After the language lesson, we learned about the Israeli military. Every Israeli man is required to enlist from ages 18-21, women 18-20, and all remain in the reserves until age 46. The only exemptions are for Hasidic Jews, and no Arabs are permitted to serve in Israel's military!

We soon arrived at Joppa (written and pronounced Jaffa in Israel). Jaffa means "beautiful" and is best known as the place Jonah tried to flee from God, and boarded a ship heading to Tarshish. We also read about Tabitha (Dorcas), Peter, and Simon the Tanner in Joppa. We visited St. Peter's Church, built on the location of Simon the Tanner's house and had a very interesting experience. With people sitting in the pews waiting for mass to start, our group leader paid the priest to delay the service and allow us to meet in there for a brief service. The priest took the money and delayed the Catholic service so the Baptists could meet. That gained a few chuckles from those who realized what had occurred.

Read more & see pictures of Tel Aviv, Joppa , and St. Peter's church at http://www.bibleplaces.com/joppa.htm

Holy Land - 11.15

Tuesday, November 15, was a blur. The day started over the Atlantic ocean. The pilot actually asked everyone to close their window shades as soon as we took off; since by flying east, we would be experiencing the sunrise in just a few short hours. We were served supper, then breakfast on the plane; but due to the time change (7 hours ahead of USA), we skipped lunch and didn't even miss it.

The flight took over 10+ hours, and we arrived at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv at just before 3:00pm Israel time on Tuesday. We collected our luggage, gathered everyone together, then passed through Customs as a group. It was seamless and surprisingly easy.

After Customs, we left the airport and immediately boarded a Mercedes brand charter bus where we were introduced to our Arab driver, Adel, and our Italian guide, Fabresio. The bus took us to the Grand Beach Hotel in Tel Aviv. The hospitality of the Israeli people is admirable and we were greeted with drinks and desserts in every hotel, and even in some shops. In the hotel lobby, we were handed an envelope with our room keys and luggage stickers with our room numbers printed on them. We put the stickers on our luggage and the hotel delivered the luggage to our rooms. That especially worked well, since you could only get about 6 people on the three small elevators, and there would have been no room for people, plus luggage. We were given about an hour to freshen-up, then we met in the dining area for our first Israeli buffet. It was delicious... especially the array of desserts! Water, juice and coffee were included with most meals; and Coke products could be purchased for $3-$4 each. (That only sounds high, until you hear that gasoline is $12 per gallon in Israel.)

After supper, several of us took a stroll to the Mediterranean Sea, which was located just across the street from the Hotel. We then retired for the night, and and prepared for the next day that would start at 6:00am. Oh... I must confess that in misreading my watch, I was up MUCH earlier than we needed to be, and checked it carefully in the days that followed.

Holy Land - 11.14

Staying overnight in Atlanta was a GREAT decision. It allowed us to sleep-in, start fresh, and enjoy a good hot breakfast at the hotel. It also removed the stress of leaving early, traffic delays, possible car problems, extending the travel day, etc. It added a little expense to the trip, but it was definitely the way to go! When we were ready, we simply locked our cars in the secure parking lot, and loaded onto the hotel shuttle bus.

The driver dropped us off at the Delta entrance and the check-in process began. I used to frequent the Atlanta airport when living in Marietta, GA; but haven't been there in a while. The Delta self check-in and lack of real people to assist with our questions about a seat change was frustrating, but not earth shaking. In the end, everything worked out fine and all requests were accommodated at the gate.

In Atlanta, we met half (approx. 40) of the total travel group (approx. 90) that were going to tour the Holy Land with us. Our flight left at 1:40pm and we were on our way to JFK in New York. On the flight, I started the book, "Radical Together" and finished it during the layover at JFK. It was a great read that challenges Christians to think about reaching the world with the Gospel.

While waiting at JFK, we enjoyed a slice of Sbarro's pizza, followed by coffee and a donut from Dunkin Donuts! We had plenty of time to walk it off during the extended layover. At approximately 8:00pm, we started loading aboard the 747 and left on-time at 8:55pm for our 10+ hour flight that would also result in a loss of seven hours with the time zone adjustment.

Holy Land - 11.13

Sunday, November 13 was the departure date for our EBC Holy Land travelers. Those in our group included Gary & Flora Colboch, Justin Facenda, Milton & Pat Frazier, Billie McManus, Ramona Pippin, Zack Pippin, James & Jane Sparrow, and Dickie & Tammy White. We had a great time and I gained MANY sermon illustrations througout the trip, but I promised not to share too many!

On Sunday, we attended the morning services at EBC, enjoyed a Bojangle's chicken lunch together in the Fellowship Hall, then loaded for the trip to Atlanta. We took 3 vehicles (1 being a Suburban for sake of the luggage). Our departure goal was 1:00pm, and we were right on schedule. For the sake of convenience, we stopped in Lexington to save Zack the trip to Hartsville. When Zack got out carrying a bag only slightly larger than a computer bag, I thought he was joking; but having traveled extensively, he had truly packed for a 10 day trip in a bag smaller than the typical carry-on. I was taking notes for my next trip!

The rest of the travel day was rather uneventful and we arrived in Atlanta at approx, 6:00pm. Upon arriving at the Drury Inn at the Atlanta Airport, I was informed that they didn't have a reservation for us. The company we booked with had actually made our reservation at the Drury Inn in Marietta, which was 1 hour away. The hotel staff was great, made the correction, and accommodated us without any delay. I'd recommend them to anyone, and will definitely stay there again when flying out of Atlanta. Another great example of the benefits of customer service!

There was a Ruby Tuesday next door to the hotel, where we enjoyed supper. There was excitement in the air as we were finally "really" underway on our long anticipated trip!

Just Returned From the Holy Land

Last night, we returned from a 10 day trip to the Holy Land. The trip started when our church family designated our 2010 Christmas offering toward sending the Frazier's back to the Holy Land for one more visit. Milton & Pat served our church for 36 years, before he went to serve as the Chaplain at Piedmont Bible College in Winston Salem, NC. The Frazier's led 17 trips to Israel and we all knew they wanted to go one more time. Our church family desired to be a blessing to them, so God's people gave generously. Once we knew they were going, we opened the trip to the church and had an additional 10 people (including my wife and I) who joined them for the trip.

The trip was absolutely amazing and really brought clarity and understanding to the places and events recorded in the Scriptures. I plan to tell you about the trip on a day-by-day basis via this blog. I feel this will be the easiest way to convey the information to the most people. So, check back daily over the next week (or more).

I feel that EVERY Christian should visit the Holy Land at least once in his or her lifetime. In fact, every church should make a concentrated effort to send its pastor to Israel, and seminaries should require the trip for pastoral majors. It was eye opening and confirmed our misunderstandings and efforts to "Americanize" the Scriptures, without regard for or understanding of the culture, customs, language, geology, and geography of the Jewish people and land.

One thing is for sure... I will never be the same after this trip!