Amman ,Jordan

We toured Amman, capital of Jordan, once a Roman city, known as Philadelphia . We passed thru volcanic area and actually saw a mirage. There is no oil in Jordan. Right in the center of Amman is a huge Roman theatre, forum, and street columns. Looking down on them are the ruins of a once proud Acropolis built over a temple to Hercules -6000 seats, 3 floor high.

Map of Holy Land

This map is the route of the Holy Land trip that we toured. Pictures and information in this blog are not in that order. Some places we visited are not indicated on the map. For best view of this trip, go back to October 6th.

Masada

Ramp Romans built to reach Massda

Cliff of Massada

We were able to visit the ruins of Masada, truly a remarkable piece of history. We took a cable car to visit the ruins of this mighty fortress, where from 70-73 A.D. the Jewish defenders made the last stand of the Judean revolt against Rome. It was here that rather than surrender their belief in one God, they chose Suicide.

Megiddo

To the south of Mount Camel is the Pass of Megiddo which offers evidence of the splendors of the reign of Solomon and his successors. We saw the excavations (tells) of the chariot city of Solomon and Ahab. In the valley below is Armegeddon, the battle field where the powers of evil will challenge the powers of good as the end of time ( Rev. 16: 14-16)

Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock is one of the most beautiful mosques of the Islamic world. It ranks in sanctity after that of the Kaibab in Mecca and the tomb of the Prophet in Medina. This is the place where Mohammed ascended to Ali. The dome i s made of plates of aluminum impregnated with gold which gleams in the brilliant sunshine. Beautiful inside and out. This site might also be where Abraham took Isaac to offer him there for a burnt offering. There is fighting over this site today. (Genesis 22:2)

Go to October for first of series on Holy Land.

Jacob's Well

Jacob's Well

North of Jerusalem, past Nob, Gibeah and Ramah; we arrived at Sychar where Joseph is buried and where Jacob dug a well. We had the opportunity of having a drink from this well. A pebble was thrown into the well to show how deep it was. It seemed minutes before it hit bottom.

To view the first of this series on the Holy Land, go back to October 6th.

Abraham's Well

Water from the Sea of Galilee has created a truly beautiful oasis around Beersheba. There are miles of wilderness and then the cultivated land of wheat and grapes. Abraham planted the first tamarisk tree here and it was here we visited Abraham's Well. Animals moved the wheel to draw the water.

Haifa-Caesarea

Sunset over Mediteranean

Port of Joppa-Jaffa

At Haifa, we had an outstanding view of the city and harbor, the river Kishon and the Mediterranean. We traveled along the coastal road to Cesarea, the ancient port founded in 22 B.C. by Herod the Great. The ancient ruins recall the preaching of Peter and the suffering of Paul. Peter baptized the centurion, Cornelius and his family here, the first Gentile converts (Acts 10). Paul was imprisoned here for two years before being sent to Rome for trial (Acts 23-26).

Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea was beautiful to behold and I was moved to write this poem:

Mighty Waves

Roar on Sea, send your waves,

Pound the shore in clouds of spray.

Fierce and mighty, never ceasing,

Always rolling, night and day,

Roar on Sea, I hear message,

Roar On.

Roll in Sea, come closer,

Now release mighty breakers,

Lap the shore, then fade away,

Spread and leave your treasures,

Roll in Sea for us to enjoy,

Roll on.

Having spent the night at Hezeliah a suburb of Tel Aviv, we were also able to watch the sunset over the Mediterranean, and view the many summer resorts here.

The Port of Jaffa at Tel Aviv was where Jonah embarked on his ill-fated voyage to Tarhish (Jonah 1:3).

The Apostles recorded that while in the house of Simon the Tanner, Peter had the strange vision touching on the baptism of the centurion, Cornelius. In Yafo, Biblical Joppa (Jaffa) Peter raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:40)

.Having spent the night at Hezeliah, a suburb of Tel Aviv, we were also able to watch the sunrise over the Mediaterranean, and view the many summer resorts there.

It was from Yafo, Biblical Joppa (Jaffa), 70 miles down the coast, that Jonah embarked on his ill-fated voyage to Tarshiah (Johah 1- 3)

This series on the Holy Lnad started October 6th.

Jordan River

Where the Jordan river flows out of the Sea of Galilee

Our group viewing the Jordan river

The Jordan River is where John baptised many people including Jesus. ( John 1:26-32).

Jericho

Mount of Temptation

Elisha's Spring

Wall of Jericho -6000 B.C.

Jericho is over 800 feet below sea-level, it is the oldest city in the word and the first town the Israelites took after crossing the Jordan (Joshus 3-6). The town is an oasis in the Judean Desert, drawing water from the spring which the prophet Elisha purified (II Kings 2:21 ). Jesus was very familiar with Jericho and its environs. It was in the River Jordan near Jericho, that he was baptised by John the Baptist (Mark 1:9). On top of a desert mountain overlooking the city, Qarantal, the Mount of Temptation was where he fought for forty days against temptations offered by Satan.

Lazarus Tomb

This is Lazarus' Tomb

Bethany lies 2 miles east of Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives and on the road to Jericho. The home of Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, whom Jesus loved. It seems that the tomb of Lazarus was hewn in the rock within a cave. No wonder Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus come forth' (John 11a;5).

There are 22 steps that lead down to a dark cave which is the traditional home of Lazarus. The original entrance which must have been at ground level, was sealed by the Moslems who built a mosque between the church and the tomb. In the 17th century, the Franciscans obtained permission to make this new entrance which still leads down to the tomb.

Shrine of the Book

Later after we visited where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, we visited the 'Shrine of the Book', where we saw the Dead Sea Scoll Collection. Shown in the picture also are the symbols of 'Night' or 'Death' and 'Day' or 'Light.'

Dead Sea Scrolls

At Qumran near the Dead Sea is where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found (the complete book of Isaiah) in the remains of the Essence Monastery and Caves. A goat belonging to a shepherd fell into a crevice in the rock and upon rescuing the goat, the shepherd found a scroll which he sold for $35,000 to a man from Bethlehem who later sold them for $250,000.

Hezekiah's Tunnel/Pool of Siloam

We were fortunate at the time we were Israel to be able to walk the entire length of the Hezekiah tunnel. In the year 700 B.C. Hezekiah, king of Jerusalem in order to protect the water supply of his city from the invading Asyrians, cut a tunnel in the solid rock. This was to channel the water, of the Gihon Spring, located outside the walled city, into the pool of Siloam which was within the walls of the city. The outlet was closed and hidden from the eyes of the invaders. Jerusalem was saved since the Assyrian army's thirst without water, failed to conquer the city and withdrew.

Hezekiah's Tunnel is 600 yards and roughly in a "S" shape. The workmen began tunneling at each end and accomplished the remarkable engineering feat of meeting in the middle within 4 feet of each other. The workmen recorded their joyous meeting by an inscription which was found in 1880. This inscription written in old Hebrew, tells how working from opposite ends, the two groups managed to meet.

The Pool of Siloam was probably constructed by King Hezekiah as a reservoir at the southern end of the tunnel to receive the water of the Gihon Spring. This is the pool that Jesus sent the blind man to wash the clay from his eyes (John 9).

Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is 35 Mile long, 10 mile wide, 1400 ft. below sea level. Nothing can live in the Dead Sea, but through irrigation, the surrounding area has been cultivated.