DAY 4 - Making Our Way to Tiberias through Armageddon

Caesarea, Meggido, Mount Carmel

Checking out of the hotel today; we are off to Tiberias.  We went on a quick bus ride to Jaffa.  We got out for only a few minutes, so I sure am glad that I had gone to Jaffa for a couple of walks on my own as it was a great historical site.

I took an early morning walk before breakfast.  I sure love the sea!
This is the Mediterranean Sea.

Some just live on their boats, I guess.

One of the 12 Tribes of Israel - "Dan" meaning, "Judge," was allocated a coastal portion of land when the people of Israel entered the Promised Land, later moving northwards."Dan" is from here in Tel Aviv, so they named many sites, and things after them...Bus Name, Hotel Name "Dan Panorama", Jor"Dan", etc.

The famous lighthouse in Jaffa- built over Simon Peter's house

Down by the Sea as we talked about Jonah and the whale.

Walking the streets of Jaffa

Oh look!  Jonah's whale is mummified!!

The Israelis are very good about setting up places for recycling.  85% of all sewage in Israel is recycled, compared to 1% in the USA and 10% in Canada---pretty impressive!  We could learn something from this!

A more modern gate opening up the gate to Jaffa.

As we travel on the bus, we find the hillsides covered with pretty little yellow flowers and lots of green grass.  This area has gotten an amazing amount of rain recently.

Our 1st stop - Caesarea

During the lifetime of Jesus Christ and well into the New Testament, Caesarea was a major Roman political center in occupied Israel. It is located on the shore of The Mediterranean Sea, on the road from Egypt to Tyre, about 75 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was built between 25 to 13 B.C. by Herod the Great, who named it after Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor most famous for ordering the census (Luke 2:1) that resulted in Joseph and Mary traveling down from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

The amphitheatre at Caesarea is still in use for concerts today.

Original stone pavement....see the impressions of wheels in the rock?

I'm loving going back in time!

It was at Caesarea that Herod Agrippa I was struck down by God for idolatrous blasphemy (Acts 12:19-23)

  
King Herod's Palace

The pool in King Herod's Palace

The city was described in detail by the 1st-century Roman Jewish Historian, Josephus. Josephus describes the harbor as being as large as the one at Piraeus, the major harbor of Athens.

Casearea hippodrome

On the face of a limestone rock is a monumental inscription which is part of a larger dedication to Tiberius Caesar which says that it was from "Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea."

Remains of the principal buildings erected by Herod and the medieval town are still visible today, including the city walls, the castle and a Crusader cathedral and church. Caesarea grew rapidly, becoming the largest city in Judea.

Amazing mosaic floors still remain.... these are 2,000 years old!

The baptism of the Roman officer Cornelius, by Paul, as described in the Book of Acts, occurred here. In addition, Paul departed from this coastal city and was eventually taken prisoner before departing to Rome for his trial, as also mentioned in the Book of Acts.

Herod later executed several members of his own family, including his wife Mariamne.  It was said "it would be better to be a pig than to be a family member."

Only 10% of Caesarea has been excavated.  There are 5,000 sites, but not enough money to preserve them (yet)!

The Crusader Fortress
During the 12^th and 13^th centuries, Caesarea was under Crusader control, and the Crusader stronghold is among the most well-preserved in all of Israel.

Water was ten miles away so they created an aquaduct to flow down the mountain.

Moat of Crusader Fortress

Now we're on our way going towards Meggido.

Now what's a BIG golf ball!!

Original aquaducts still in tact

We had lunch on Mount Carmel at a Druze family place.  It was very good!  There are 22 Druze communities in Israel.

LUNCH - the infamous Falafel...chick peas that are deep-fried, put into a fresh pita, dressed with yummy hummus and veggies.

At the summit of Mount Carmel

 Elijah slaying a Baal Priest at Mukhraqa

Mukhraka, which means “burned place,” or "sacrifice" or "scorching," is the place where Elijah faced off against the prophets of the pagan deity, Baal, and had them put to death. God sent down fire from Heaven. 

 

Even during ancient times Mukhraka was considered a sacred place. It is often cited in the Old Testament for its beauty and fertility. 

A small cave is located under the monastery, and it is held by Christian tradition to be a place where Elijah occasionally lived.

At The El Muhraka, The Muhraka Monastery, or Monastery of the Prophet Elijah.

View Of The Jezreel Valley From The St. Elias Church

Olive Trees are everywhere

Olive Oil used anciently (as well as today) was the "back bone" of the country
Oranges was the "back bone" in the 19th century
TODAY - it is Diamonds and high technology.

Just like Christ's tomb (This was just off the road and I took the photo from the bus.)  NOTE:  the roll-away stone to the side.

In Christian apocalyptic literature, Mount Megiddo, the hill overlooking the Jezreel Valley where the current kibbutz is located, is identified as the site of the final battle between the forces of good and evil at the end of time, known as Armageddon and mentioned in the New Testament in Revelation 16:16.

To Megiddo we go! ......

From its strategic position, overlooking the key pass through the Carmel Mountains, it dominated the crossroads of ancient trade and military routes that linked Egypt with Mesopotamia and Asia Minor.

Cousin Lloyd, my room mate, Joanne, and Cousin John rest before walking up many steps

Megiddo is an ancient city whose remains form a tel, situated near Kibbutz Megiddo, about 30 km south-east of Haifa.

Destroyed and rebuilt many times during its turbulent history, it was occupied almost continuously from around 6000 BC until about 500 years before Jesus Christ was born.

Overlooking the Valley of Jezreel

This is a stone manger, like what Jesus would have been born in.

Megiddo could be the most important site in Israel dating from biblical times.

Note the original stone steps into the spring.

 The most impressive construction at Megiddo is underground.
To ensure access to the spring at the bottom of the slope, engineers in the much-besieged city dug a 25-metre vertical shaft down to bedrock, then a 70-metre tunnel sloping up to the spring.
The tunnel was cut from both ends and the two gangs of workers had to make only a small correction before they met. Then the outside entrance to the spring was sealed with a massive stone wall and concealed with earth so a besieging enemy could not discover it. 

This monumental project was apparently undertaken during the reign of King Ahab, about 150 years before King Hezekiah quarried his water tunnel in Jerusalem.  (2900 years ago!)
When it was completed, residents standing at the top of the shaft could lower buckets to draw water without entering the tunnel or leaving the city.
Modern stairways — 187 steps down and 77 steps up — 

WHEW!  Everyone was sure exhausted after tackling this climb!

We've arrived at our new hotel for the next two evenings.

Beddy-bye time in Tiberias at the Dan Panorama