Caesarea National Park

This was excavated at Caesarea and was able to see it while we visited the Unesco Site of Caesarea National Park. The Inscription mentions Emperor Tiberius on the first line and Pontius Pilate on the second. It is the only archeological evidence for the governorship of Pontius Pilate in Palestine that dates back to the First Century. This site is where Herod built an incredible Palace, Temple to Augustus, Hippodrome, Theater etc. all on the Mediterrianian Sea. The site is one of my favorites in Israel.

Marc Chagall Exhibition

 

"I did not see the Bible, I dreamed it. Ever since early childhood, I have been captivated by the Bible. It has always seemed to me and still seems today the greatest source of poetry of all time." Chagall. Went to an exhibition of Marc Chagall in Haifa and was impressed by his ability to capture biblical themes in creative ways. His paintings and drawings express biblical themes, contemporary Judaism, and the Holocaust in such a way as to captivate your imagination. His childhood was filled with the Hasidic Jewish Religion and Culture of his small Lithuanian Village. This quote expresses his sentiments.

AKKO

We visited Acre (Akko) , An Unesco site on the Northern part of the Mediterranean Sea that is very close to the border of Lebanon. The history here is so varied and rich. The Apostle Paul came through this port on route to Ceasarea when the city was named Ptolemais. This huge hall is from the Crusader Era, when the city served as an important port and fortification for crusaders to conquer the Holy Land. Good place to film an episode of the Tales of 1001 Arabian Nights.

 

Hiking Galilee

 

We spent the last six days hiking from Nazareth to Capernaum. With side trips to see towns mentioned in the Gospels, we averaged about ten miles a day. It was so nice to be able to get a feel for the topography and difficulty that Jesus and his disciples experienced when traveling around Galilee. These photos are typical of region. This area reminds me so much of Chelan, Washington. Galilee is a region that is made up of a large body of water, steep hills, a few mountains and productive agricultural land.

Caesarea Philippi

We visited the modern day area of Banias. This Nature Reserve area is referred to in the Bible as Caesarea Philippi and is the place where Jesus took his disciples for a "retreat" and discussed with them who the general public thought Jesus was. This is where Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. The area is so lush and beautiful. We saw a wild boar in the bushes while hiking. This is one of the headwaters of the Jordan River.

The Qumran Community

This is the cave where the Dead Sea Scrolls where found. There is a small Musuem here along with the excavation of the community dwellings. This community was a sect of Judaism that was at odds with the Temple Priests in Jerusalem. Scholars are still speculating on exactly who they were and their relationship to the other "denominations" of Judaism when Jesus preached, taught, healed, was crucified and resurrected. Scholars do agree that the scrolls were the greatest archeological discovery of the twentieth century. Judaism was and is a diverse community of faith.

Bethlehem, Jesus' Place of Birth

This picture was taken in Bethlehem at the Church of the Nativity. We waited in line for about an 1.75 hours. While in line we were pushed and shoved towards the back of the church. We went down a flight of stairs and in this ornate cave was this star. Christian pilgrims from all over the world were lighting candles, prostrating themselves and kissing this religious object. I was happy to be a Lutheran Christian so I took a picture. This is the traditional location of the birth of Jesus.

Western Wall

 

This is a photo of the Western Wall. The foundation stones are all that remains of the Second Temple that was the center of worship in First Century AD. It is the Holiest place for Judaism. Jews pray here and place prayers in the cracks in the wall. Many come from all over the world to celebrate Bar Mitzvah. The western wall is a place of worship during Sabbath. Just above the Western Wall is the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock is located. This place really is the point where Judaism & Islam intersect.

 

Yad Vashem

We spent the day going to the Holocaust Museum (Yad Vashem). The experience of the Holocaust--the annihilation of 6 million Jews by the Nazis during WW II--is so deeply seared into the Jewish national psyche that understanding it goes a long way toward understanding Judaism today. The testimonials along with authentic film clips and artifacts are overwhelming and makes you think about tolerance and respect towards others instead of prejudice and lack of understanding. This sculpture is on the grounds and expresses the suffering and tortured souls of those who experienced such a horrific ordeal.

Masada

These pictures were taken at Masada. The Dead Sea is in the background. This was a Fortress-Palace built by Herod the Great and later used by Jewish rebels who fled Jerusalem in 70 AD when Roman armies destroyed the area. Flavius Josephus was one of the rebels who held out here and is the primary source for the history of the war as well as an important source for our historical information about First Century Judaism outside of the Bible and Talmud.

Shrine of the Book

We spent an entire day at the Israel Musuem. This building is the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed. The scrolls were discovered in 1947 and date to the Second Temple Period. They were used by a sect of Judaism at Qumran, the Essenes, between 200 BC and 70 AD. The Aleppo Codex is also on display and is considered the most authoritative text of the Hebrew Bible in existence. The Museum had a special exhibition on Herod the Great, who built the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus. The artifacts are so impressive and help us understand Second Temple Judaism.

Dome of the Rock

We are now in Jerusalem and starting to get oriented to a new place. This is the Dome of the Rock which Is the third holiest place for Moslems. The Mosque is situated on the ancient Temple Mount where the Second Temple stood in Jesus Time. It is also the location where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac out of obedience to the Lord. It is so interesting to be in a place where Jewish, Christian & Moslem pilgrims come in such large numbers from all over the world and display such piety while visiting biblical sites.

The Importance of Rice

I included this picture because when you travel around Bali you will see sights like this the vast majority of the time. This is a rice field and it is farmed by manual labor. Rice is not only their staple but a whole way of life. Their faith has all kinds of connections with rice, water, harvest etc. Rice and tourism is how most people earn a living. I tried to attend a Easter Worship service and contacted a church. Their only service was at 5:30 AM because the building was used for tourism for the rest of the week. It was about ten miles away and no taxis that early. It made me realize what being a minority is like as a Christian.