Maues in Israel: July 2012

STOP ONE TODAY WAS BET-SHEMISH~ We stood at the old city of Bet-Shemish, but the modern city was built all around the excavated site. This was hill spoken of in the Bible where The Philistines came over the mountain with the Arc of the Covanant.I Samuel 6:10. We looked across the way from where we stood and saw the home town of Samson. IT ALL HAPPENED IN SUCH A SMALL AREA OF THE WORLD!

Teesha explaining where we are and Shawn teaching from I Sam 4 & 6

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Holly & Max keeping up with their notes! Technology is a beatiful thing in the midst of the ruins of an Old Testament Times Civilization.

STOP TWO was nearby at the Ellah Valley. We stood in the streambed of the stream where David picked up 5 smooth stones to slay Goliath! The Philistines were encamped across the way from where David's brothers were on the rocky mountain side and he choose stones and slay Goliath. I Samuel 13:19

Pat listening to Shawn's teaching

Gail

Max & Grandpa

Karen

Beautiful flower on a treacherous thorny bush

Max coming down off the hillside/mountain he had just climbed!

STOP THREE: We walked through the Yed Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. They did not allow photos inside, so check it out at YedVashem.org and google it in "English" It was sobering and educational.

Today we had another FANTASTIC day! We went to the tomb where there is strong evidence that Jesus was buried. We sat in the peaceful garden for some reflection.

This is the only cave tomb on this side of the mountain, Place of the Skull. There is so much to tell that I don't have time or space to share here, but the evidences are overwhelming here. The Israeli nation has done extensive excavations. This nation is overflowing with evidences. One insightful nugget that I am taking from this trip is that all of these Bible stories we read from Solomon in the old testament to Pilate to Herod and Jesus in the new testament took place in a VERY small area. We have seen Solomon's palaces and Herod's hilltops within very few miles of each other. One
civilation literally on top of the next. To see the Jewish people working so hard to unearth and preserve these relics is encouraging. I have such an appreciation for the Israeli nation and God's chosen people.

These are the MVCA Seniors of 2013 at the entrance to Christ's tomb.
Justin, Melissa, Daniel, Erin, Sydney

Inside the tomb (see diagram above)

Here we all are in front of the tomb.

Shawn taught in the garden in front of the tomb. We had worship time and communion.

The worship team leading in song at the garden
STOP #2: THEN WE WENT TO CAIAPHUS' HOUSE. HE WAS THE HIGH PRIEST IN THE TIME OF CHRIST.

In Caiaphas' house BELOW is the the hole where they would have thrown prisoner's down to a rock basement 15 feet below. When they arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, they brought him to Caiaphus, the high priest, to pass judgment. They would have thrown Jesus down this hole to the pit below. True to Scripture, in Psalm 22, NOT A BONE WAS BROKEN. Astounding!

Standing at the top of these steps I could see the Garden of Gethsemane. They arrested Jesus there and brought him to Caiaphus' house. This is the road leading up to Chaiaphus' house. Jesus stepped on these stairs! It was awe inspiring to be here!

Sitting in what was the outer court of Caiaphus' house, Teesha brought to life the history. This is where Peter would have been when he denied Jesus 3 times before the cock crowed. It was difficult for anyone to even comment at this point...silence.

Stop 3 was in the OLD CITY. We walked through the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter and the Jewish Quarter. There was also the Armenian Quarter. BELOW are a few pictures of what we saw there. We will be back tomorrow to shop here. We were cautioned to watch our wallets!

BELOW Christian Quarter. Looks much the same.

Unfortunately for these people, they just got caught in my quick shot. No idea who they are :)

STOP 3: We sat inside Fortress Antonia. In the basement of this building is a stone floor, which was once the walkway where Christ stood at the darkest moment in history. It was where they yelled "Crucify Him"

Above is the floow where they etched in the game they played with prisoners. They dressed them up like a king, they let one prisoner go free and BEAT the one they keep. This is what happened to Jesus. This is the same account of what we read in the Bible. The map was drawn on the walkway where they would have kept Jesus until his cruicifixion.

We walked to the Biscillia, St. Ann's Church. The acoustics were the best I have ever heard in a building with no sound system! It was a reverent site. The building itself only sat maybe 100-125 people. Anyone can walk in, sit in the back, listen to the people in the front sing, then move forward and sing yourself. This is what we did. See below.

I have an audio recording of the group in front of us singing "Halellujah". It was as if angels were singing. The acoustics were so beautiful, I cannot explain! THEN...our very own Shallie Schacht got up and sang "Via Dolorosa, Way of suffering" She blew us away! It was spectacular and I'm not sure there was a dry eye in the building!

Shallie Sang "Via Dolorosa" in this beautiful chapel in Jerusalem!

Before we left for the day, we looked at the healing Pools of Bethesada. It was here that Jesus healed the paralytic man who could not put himself into the pools when the waters were stirred by angels and therefore could not get healing. Jesus told him to rise up and walk and he did!