We began our second full day in Jerusalem by driving to the east side of the city, straight up the Mount of Olives.  The ridge overlooking the Kidron Valley offers panoramic views of the old city of Jerusalem. The importance of the site for Christians can hardly be over-emphasized. It is here that Jesus begins his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. It is here, following the resurrection, that he ascends into heaven. And it is here, according to Scripture, that Jesus will return and bring human history on this side of eternity to a close.

We began our walk down the Mt. of Olives toward the Dominus Flevit (”The Lord weeps”) Chapel. On both sides of the little alley lie thousands of graves. This is the Valley of Jehoshophat (”Judgement”) –and many Jews over the centuries have wished burial here to be near the place where the dead shall rise.

We had some time alone inside the Dominus Flevit Chapel, the traditional site where Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem (Luke 19:37-41). “How often I have longed,” he says, “to gather your children as a hen gathers her chicks —but you would not.” We spoke about how our decision to jettison Christ from our lives is honored by the Master. We can so easily become our own worst enemy.

The Chapel was built in 1954 in the shape of a teardrop over the site of a 7th century church.

From there we walked to the traditional site of Gethsemene, still an olive grove today. We sat in the Church of All Nations, otherwise called the Basilica of the Agony, and pondered the Lord’s words: “Lord, if it be at all possible, let this cup pass from me.”

In the quiet and relative darkness of this church, David Miller sang a  beautiful rendition of Ubi Caritas, which includes the words: Then Jesus went into the garden, the garden of Gethsemene.

More tomorrow….

The day began with lots of laughter and a prayer on the bus. Then, off to Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ first sign, according to John’s gospel, occurred here when he transformed water into wine at a wedding.

Dr. Dearman, whose son, James, is being married at the end of this month, bought some very fine Cana wine here ….We were greeted by a man offering small samples of wine, and soon learned that he was the pastor of the local Baptist Church here in Cana. He had been asked by his brother-in-law to help serve when the tourist bus came in! A vibrant Christian community lives in Cana.

Our next stop  took us to the city where the angel Gabriel came and announced to Mary that she would give birth to a baby and call him Jesus. Nazareth: a busy, crowded and modern city –not at all what many expect to find.

We gathered inside the Basilica of the  Annunciation, a beautiful modern structure dedicated in 1969, built over an ancient Byzantine church site. Evidence suggests that Christians have worshipped here very, very early; perhaps the community began as a house church? A baptistry was found that dates to the 2nd or 3rd centuries. Today the facility stands as the largest Basilica in the Middle East.

Owen Reid read the text for us from Luke 1:26-39.

From Nazareth we travelled to Har Megiddo, or the Mount of Megiddo, or, as the book of Revelation calls it: Armegeddon. Located in the Jezreel Valley, Megiddo has  become known as the “cradle” of archeology. Some 25 or 30 civilizations have been built up one upon another over thousands of years.

The place was made famous by Kings Solomon and  Ahab who built up the city substantially. In 609 BC, King Josiah was killed here . Revelation 16 suggests that Har Megiddo, the place of bloody wars, will somehow see the end of all battles.

We also saw a huge altar that had been built up by the Canaanites, perhaps as early as 2700 BC –some 700 years or more before Abraham.

Our last stop was to the seaside resort, and Roman administrative headquarters, called Caesarea Maratimae, or Caesarea by the Sea. The ruins are breathtaking and the “Whose Who?” of those who’ve come through here is equally impressive.

From AD 26-36 Pontius Pilate was the Procurator of Judea. An inscription with his name has been found, adding further extra-biblical evidence to the story told by the gospel writers.

Cornelius, the Roman Centurion, became the first Gentile convert here, according to Acts chapter 10. Peter had a vision, as did Cornelius, and God providentially brought them together.   Peter simply told his story and the stories of the Master, and Cornelius and his household had their faith come alive in Christ.

We drove to an aquaduct just off the Mediterranean Sea and had a nice romp in the cool and refreshing water.

Our final stop led us to the Notre Dame Center of Jerusalem, our hotel for the next four nights. We had dinner and met with Father Kelly, an Irish Priest who serves the Church here. He took us to the rooftop of the Center where we could see for miles over the old city of Jerusalem.

This was the day that the Lord had made, and it was good. Very good!

Another beautiful day begins in the Galilee! Our bus drove up the west coast of the Sea of Galilee until we arrived at Hazor (pr. Hatezor), an ancient Canaanite city, dating to at least 3000 BC. Clearly a strategic and important city, Hazor was almost certainly a city that  Abraham would have known and perhaps visited on his way from Ur of the Chaldees.

The Bible speaks of Hazor in several places including the books of Joshua and Judges, I Kings 9, 20-21 and elsewhere.

We saw an ancient olive press designed to extract olive oil by using a weighted beam to push down on a basket filled with olives.  A deep water shaft reflects, as Andy said, the lengths people would go to in order to protect themselves and provide for their security. Thousands of tons of dirt and limestone had to be excavated in order to get a secure source of water.

We also saw an ancient “standing stone” –in a shrine high on a hill. It was such pagan practices that the prophets used to rail about. Clearly, the people of Hazor had learned to accommodate themselves to such idolatry as this.

Our next stop took us to the Golan Heights, a region of Syria that was annexed by Israel in the 1967 war. Here we walked around a series of shrines in Caesarea Philippi, a town known earlier as Paneas, named after the ‘nature god’’ Pan. As you wander along the headwaters of the Jordan River (very cold, by the way, in the heat of the Summer!) you are met with a virtual supermarket of ancient religions and philosophies, literally engraved in the steep canyon walls for all to see. Temple after temple, shrine after shrine, to Zeus, to Pan, to multiple gods and godesses.

It’s here, of course, in Caesarea Philippi that Jesus invites his disciples to reflect upon him: “What are the crowds saying about me?” He asks. And then he follows that up: “And how about you? Who do you say I am?” The context of a Gentile, pagan, backdrop sets the questions emphatically before us.

We drove to an overlook in the Golan Heights from which we could easily view Syria and Mt. Hermon. Military installations along the way, tanks and armored personnel carriers reminded us that this is both strategic and disputed territory.

We made our way down the East coast of the Sea of Galilee to a site called Kursi. The ruins of a Byzantine Church stands here over the traditional site of the location where Jesus healed the Gerasene demoniac (Mt. 5:1-20).

Before our dinner in the Scots Hotel in Tiberius, we gathered and remembered the blessings of the day, sang the hymn Fairest Lord Jesus, and enjoyed some thoughtful reflections from Andy on Flavius Josephus, the first century Jewish historian. His History of the Jews includes references to both Jesus and John the Baptist.

We enjoyed another delicious dinner, rich conversations, and headed up to bed. It was another blessed day in the Galilee! Thanks be to God!

Our day began with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee that offered rich views of the entire Galilean region as well as the Decapolis on the eastern shore of the Lake. The Sea is Israel’s chief source of water. It lies almost 700 feet below sea level, is 13 miles long and 6 miles wide, and has always been famous for the sheer abundance of the fish it holds.

Our first stop was the Greek Orthodox Church in Capernaum. It is known as the Church of the Twelve Apostles and presents an amazing array of iconography, painted pictures of biblical stories and the history of the Church. Andy spoke here of how this sanctuary told the stories of God’s grace and God’s people. “As an ordinary North Carolina boy,” he said, “I realize here just how big my family is! It includes the prophets and the apostles! It includes the martyrs who have gone before me. My family gives me strength!”

The excavated ruins of Capernaum are not far away and take you on a time machine into the first century. This is where Peter and Andrew, James and John, and their families lived. Jesus came here and acted strategically in calling these men into his service. Their fishing boats provided Jesus with quick access to many villages around the Sea.

The synagogue, dated to the fourth century, has been located and excavated and stands over an earlier synagogue which is certainly where Jesus would have worshipped here. According to a very old and strong tradition, including ancient graffitti, he house of Simon Peter’s family is also here, has been excavated, and now sits under a newly built St. Peter’s Church.

We stopped at several other churches in this region. The Primacy of St. Peter is the traditional site of Jesus’ question of Peter: Do you love me? (cf. John 21)

A German Benedictine church sits in Tabgha, where Jesus is reported to have

multiplied the fish and the loaves (Mt. 14:18-20).  We made our way up to the Cliffs of Arbah and were treated to stunning view of the whole area. On a clear day you can see 9000 ft. Mt. Hermon in the north from here. The cliffs look over the ancient city of Safed, a good example of “a city set upon a hill that cannot be hid.”

The cliffs contain many caves that were used around 40 BC as hiding places for rebels. Herod, at that time a young soldier, brought together a force of soldiers who rappelled down the cliffs and went into the caves to clear them out of all rebels. A dangerous and terrifying chapter of the history here.

Back in Tiberius, a few of the group headed down to the Sea of Galilee for a dip. Cool

and refreshing! David Miller, whom I know pretty well, swam over to a dock where some Jewish boys were diving, climbed a rope to get on top of the dock, was greeted warmly, and promptly dove into the Sea. I know I’m his father, but it was an impressive dive…..

A rich and full day. Brimming with blessings.

We awoke in Jericho to a beautiful morning and headed for a visit to tel Jericho, the archeological site which the British began excavating in the 1920’s. Considered by many to be the oldest city in the world, Jericho has been inhabited for some 9000 years. It sits just across the Jordan River about a mile from the northern edge of the Dead Sea. It is an oasis, blessed with springs that bubble with the water of life.

Dr. Dearman spoke to us of the massive walls found here, dating to 2000 BC –representing a thriving city. There is also evidence that this fortified city had waned in power, its’ ancient walls in disrepair, when Joshua and the Hebrew army arrived on the hills of Mt. Nebo in preparation for their advance into the promised land (1200 BC).

According to Israeli archeologist Yigdal Yadin the people of Jericho could well have worked hard and fast to prop up the ancient walls, in hopes of presenting a strong defense to the invading forces. “Mud-bricks” were clearly used, enabling the walls to be built up quickly –but mud-bricks are not nearly as strong as stone. This may account for the fact that the walls fell so suddenly  when the Hebrew people marching around the city blew their horns.  At any rate, the people of God gained entry into the promised land through this ancient city.

From Jericho we took a  cable car ride to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Temptation. This reclusive community is perched high up on a cliff face. The end of the cable car ride simply means the beginning of a fairly steep climb to the entrance of the monastery. It is not easy-going.

The monastery dates to the 6th century and is located at the traditional site where Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the Devil. Several of the pilgrims in our group remarked that Jericho, the Oasis city and clearly visible from the mountain, would have been temptation enough –inviting an easy and far more comfortable existence.

From Jericho we drove to a city called Beth Shean, the capital of the Decapolis, and the best preserved Roman Byzantine town in Israel. The ruins are breathtaking. It is hard to imagine how beautiful this city must have been in its pristine condition.

Around 1004 BC, the Philistines defeated the Israelites at Mt. Gilboa, killing Israel’s first King, Saul, his son, Jonathan –hanging their bodies on the walls of the city of Beth Shean (cf. I Sam. 31:10: II Sam. 1:17-27).

After lunch, we visited another crusader fortress, called Belvoir Castle, and were treated to awesome views of the Jordan Valley. Built in 1168, the fortress survived many sieges before Saladin, the great Muslim general, took it after a seige of a year and a half.

Our final destination was a beautiful location on the Jordan River, the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism by John.  We shared a holy gathering together, remembering the promises spoken over us in our baptism. Many of our band waded into the river and had the waters of the Jordan wash over us, remembering God’s faithfulness and reaffirming our commitment to serve Him. It was a special joy for me to share in this remembrance with my wife, Diane, and our son, David.

Jericho. 846 ft. below sea level. Arguably the oldest city in the world. An oasis in the desert. Palm trees, springs, wells, water. But the oasis is small, surrounded by dry, barren land. Jericho is part of the Palestinian Territory called the West Bank. You must cross a Palestinian check-point on your way in.

Jericho, of course, is the first city Joshua met on the way into the promised land. It was the home of Rahab the prostitute who gave refuge to Hebrew spies. Centuries later, Jericho was home to Zacchaeus, a small man who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus and had his life changed forever  (Luke 19). Here, also, Jesus gave sight to blind begger named, Bartimaeus (Luke 18).

Our first visit was to Qumran, best known for the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948. From about 150 BC to AD 70 or so, Qumran was home to an ascetic and reclusive community called the Essenes. They believed the Messiah’s arrival was imminent and that serious preparation was needed —living a life of purity, unstained from the many diversions of life.

We do not know what happened to the Essenes. Their presence here simply vanished. But their library of scrolls was discovered by a Bedouin boy looking for a lost goat among the caves in 1947. It’s a treasure trove of history, theology, and insights into the life and beliefs of an ancient Jewish sectarian group.

Every book of the Hebrew Bible was found here (except Esther). In fact, prior to the discovery of these scrolls, the earliest manuscripts we had of the book of Isaiah dated to about AD 1000. When the Scroll of Isaiah was found at Qumran it gave witness to the astonishing reliability of the scribes who transcribed these documents. Both Isaiah documents, 1000 years apart, are essentially the same —with the exception of a few copyist’s errors.

In my last First Church tour to Qumran, I threw a rock into cave 4 (just as the Bedouin boy did so long ago). Last Summer I was here with Princeton Seminary and came close but missed. Today, I missed (not even close). Time is taking a toll.

We drove from Qumran to the Dead Sea and enjoyed a “refreshing” swim in this body of water. Four times denser in salt than the  ocean, the Dead Sea is exactly as the name implies: dead to virtually all sea life.

We then made our way to the Monastery of the Temptation, the traditional site where Jesus, in the wilderness, was tempted of the Devil. Cable cars bring you to the base of the site, but there are many stairs to climb in gaining access to this Eastern Orthodox monastery carved into a cliff.

We worshipped together after dinner. Blessings of the day were shared. David Winslow spoke eloquently about his experience standing in the waters of the Dead Sea. He and others spoke of how the Bible was coming to life. Old biblical names were suddenly in view. Tangible. Real.

Andy Dearman gave a homily from the book of Jeremiah where the prophet, speaking for God, says “My people have made two mistakes: they have hewn out cisterns for themselves that cannot hold water, and they have forgotten me, the Fountain of living water!” Andy described how hard it is to build a cistern (a deep hole dug from rock that holds water), and how much harder, still, to maintain one.

Religion, said Andy, can be like building a cistern; we have to work harder, and harder. Do this. Do that. But God is personal. He comes to us as a Fountain of Living water. Bubbling up. Springing up. You don’t need to “do” anything. You just need to get close and drink!

We prayed for you back in Tulsa, prayed for the people of Jericho, and praised the Lord for his goodness and grace!

And then we went off to our beds….but on the way, we heard music. Lots of music. And we went down to the lobby just in time to meet an orthodox wedding procession, bride and groom, family and friends, dancing straight through the lobby to a setting behind the hotel. Great joy, great fun, great blessing!

Our crossing from Jordan into Israel was without incident, taking about an hour and thirty minutes or so. We had to unload from the Jordanian bus, walk our bags through customs, and then we went about 200 yards further and got on the bus in Israel.

Our new guide is named “Peter”, a Palestinian Christian.

The bus drove us about three hours straight north to the ancient fortress called Masada. We took a cable car up the sides of this mesa-like formation, which sits about 1350 feet above the banks of the Dead Sea.

it served as a refuge and palace for King Herod the Great, the same King who was in power when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. When Herod died in 4 BC, the  fortress passed into Roman hands until Jewish Zealots took it in the revolt of AD 66.

After the Romans had crushed the Jews and destroyed Jerusalem, they came to Masada to finish out the Zealots. About 1000 Zealots and their families lived here when the Romans put a seige wall completely around the fortress (easily seen today), and began building a huge earthen ramp which would allow them to gain access to the walls.

It took two years before the Romans arrived at the top. When they breached the walls, they found all but two women and three children dead by their own hands. Complete silence greeted them. The Jews had decided that dying free was more important than living as slaves.

Today, when Israeli military personnel graduate from their training, they often do so at Masada, receiving a rock from the fortress with this refrain: Never again.

From Masada, we boarded our bus, went through a Palestinian checkpoint just outside of Jericho and arrived at the Inter-Continental Hotel outside the old city. We were all glad to welcome Scotty Edwards who flew into Tel Aviv today and joined his wife, Co, and the tour.

Tomorrow, we visit Qumran, swim in the Dead Sea, and end the day at the Mount of Temptation Monastery.

We look forward to a night of restorative sleep, grateful for the blessings that come in a new day. And we pray for the Lord to bless the worshipping community of First Church in Tulsa even as we will be worshipping tomorrow here in Jericho.

Petra. It’s been called one of the seven modern wonders of the world —and, surely, it is. Enclosed by towering rocks and watered by a perennial stream, Petra had all the advantages of a fortress, even while it controlled the main commercial routes of this entire region. It’s described by Biblical Archeology Review this way:

For every tourist who visits the ancient city of Petra in modern day Jordan, there is one        breathtaking moment that captures all of the grandeur and mystery of this city carved in stone. After passing the final bend of the tortuous narrow canyon that leads into the site (the Siq), one is confronted by the awe-inspiring spectacle of a towering rock-cut façade, its sun-struck sandstone gleaming through the darkness of the canyon.

This has been quite a day. Long, hot, arduous. Yes, all of those. But these words, too, describe our experience: breathtaking, wonder-full, unforgettable.

We hiked right into the heart of ancient Petra today. We saw the wide, half-mile long street flanked on both sides by remarkable examples of the city’s Hellenistic life. As one writer put it: “On the left, one can spot the remnants of luxurious pools and gardens, as well as a bustling market and a grand temple reached by a monumental staircase; to the right, there is an elegant nymphaeum and an opulent shrine dedicated to al-Uzza, one of the chief goddesses of the Nabataeans.It was the capital city of the Nabateaen Kingdom.”

Herod the Great’s mother was a Nabataean and his father an Idumean (or Edomite).  He spent some ten years as a child in Petra and as King of the Jews had close political and commercial relations with the Nabataean city.

It’s possible that St. Paul spent some time here immediately following his conversion.He writes in Galatians: “I went away at once into Arabia” (Gal. 1:17). Some NT scholars, including Martin Hengel, link that comment to Petra.

In II Corinthians 11:32, Paul tells how his preaching in Damascus angered the governor under King Aretas IV of Nabataea, who “guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me.” Paul was let down over the walls of Damascus in a dramatic escape in a basket.

We sat in the beautiful ruins of a Byzantine Church, again blessed with beautiful mosaics down either side of the columned nave. And after Dr.Dearman spoke to us, we sang the great hymn of the Church: Great is Thy Faithfulness.

Two things that Andy said today grabbed me: (1) Looking at the blue colonnade of a nearby Byzantine church, he said: “Those columns come from Egypt. I want you to think of this: Someone loved their worshipping congregation so much, believed that the worship shared together here was so dear, that they paid an enormous sum to bring the very best stone for these columns all the way from Egypt.” I found myself thinking of our own building effort at FPC, Tulsa.

And (2) he also said: “As we look at the once-beautiful, but now ruined churches, we must remember that true faith can whither and die. Today, in this whole region, there is no living Christian community here.” Who will tell the children?  Who will sing the joyful news? How will others come to know unless those who know share what they know?!

On a personal note, we celebrated the birthday of Mrs Kathy Winslow in a grand and unforgettable style. I’ll let her tell you the story! Happy birthday, Kathy!

Tonight we gathered as a group and read one of the Psalms of Ascent, Psalm 121. This pilgrim psalm seems appropriate because we, too, like the ancient Israelites, are on a pilgrimage, going up to Jerusalem.

Tomorrow we drive to the border and into Israel. We will visit Masada, the ancient fortress, and our story will continue.

Let me close with an old poem called, Petra, written in 1845 by John William Burgon:

It seems no work of Man’s creative hand,

by labour wrought as wavering fancy planned;

But from the rock as if by magic grown,

eternal, silent, beautiful, alone!

Not virgin-white like that old Doric shrine,

where erst Athena held her rites divine;

Not saintly-grey, like many a minster fane,

that crowns the hill and consecrates the plain;

But rose-red as if the blush of dawn,

that first beheld them were not yet withdrawn;

The hues of youth upon a brow of woe,

which Man deemed old two thousand years ago,

match me such marvel save in Eastern clime,

a rose-red city half as old as time.

We boarded the bus in Amman and headed southwest about 50 miles to the city of Madaba, the fifth largest city in Jordan (pop. 60,000). The town was once a Moabite border city, mentioned in the Bible in Numbers 21:30 and Joshua 13:9.

As we walked to a Greek Orthodox Church in the city, young school-kids were running around spraying each other with foam; others were setting off firecrackers. Good cheer was everywhere. Why? It was the last day of school! Why not!

Thanks to archeological efforts, the town has become known as “the city of mosaics”. The most remarkable discovery happened in 1893, when a 30 by 10 ft. mosaic map of the middle east was unearthed on what was at one time the floor of an ancient Byzantine Church.  The Church itself was dedicated on Nov. 20, 542. The  mosaic map is the oldest surviving depiction of the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem.

Dr. Andy Dearman commented on the significance of the architectural decision to include a mosaic map of the middle east right in a place where every worshipper would walk over it. The notion of God’s providence in history, his faithfulness to promises, the connectedness of the Church to events in Jerusalem and beyond, all of this was on display for every worshipper.

From Madaba, we drove to Mt. Nebo which sits 2850 feet above sea level and provides a stunning panoramic view of the holy land. From here, looking west, we could easily see the Dead Sea, Qumran, the Jordan River, the west-bank city of Jericho and the wilderness that surrounds it. On a clear day you can sometimes see Jerusalem itself.

On this site (or very near it) Moses was gifted, we’re told, with a view of the promised land that God was about to give to His people (cf. Deuteronomy 34:1f).  It is moving to stand there where the ancient children of Israel stood after wandering in a very barren wilderness for 40 years, and consider God’s promises. To think of our own wilderness meanderings, our own faithlessness, and the Lord’s faithfulness to promises made.

We sang the Doxology: Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

From Mt. Nebo we drove to a magnificent crusader fortress about 175 miles south of Amman. called Kerak. Built in 1142 it served as a link in a chain of places of refuge for crusader troops.

Back on the bus we continued our drive to Petra and arrived at our hotel at about 7:15 p.m. After dinner some hardy souls remained to hear a concert put on by a local musician, singing and playing his lute. After awhile we figured he was singing: “Go to bed” –so we did!

A glorious day and one for which we have much to be thankful!

A beautiful day began this morning in Amman, Jordan, our first full day in this remarkable city. We began with a tour of the Acropolis, a name that means “a city up high” (a cemetery is known as a necropolis: “a city of the dead”; and Amman is in the ancient territory of the Decapolis: “a region of the ten cities”).

Amman, known in the Bible as Rabbah, is the ancient capital of the Ammonites; the Citadel was fortified and sat high on a hill. Under King David, according to II Samuel 11, the Israelites beseiged the Citadel of Rabba (Amman). Meanwhile, King David had seen Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers, Uriah the Hittite. He takes her, sleeps with her, and a baby is conceived. The whole tragic tale is told in II Sam. 11. It results in David sending a message back to his general, Joab, to charge the Citadel at the strongest point, and then have his troops pull back, leaving Uriah on his own. Uriah, subsequently is killed. David’s confession of sin, in Psalm 51, is his response to his own complicity in this terrible ordeal. Uriah was killed very near to where we were standing today.

We travelled to Jerash, site of  a stunningly well-preserved Roman city of the middle east. Jerash is one of the cities of the Decapolis and it is likely that Jesus would have come here when he travelled east of the Jordan River on one of his preaching and teaching missions. The ruins of the city include a hippodrome (where we saw a re-enactment of a chariot race today), temples dedicated to Zeus and Artemis, an impressive “cardo” or main street lined with columns, shops and residences.  And much more. Byzantine Churches from the 6th century remain with still beautiful mosaics on the floors. To sit there quietly and remember those who worshipped our Savior so long ago is moving.

It was a day full of reflection but not lacking in fun and laughter.

Tomorrow, Lord willing, we are off to Mt. Nebo, then to Iksander, a current archeological site, and finally to bed in Petra. More then.

May the Lord who redeems all time and circumstance, hold you close and grant you joy.