Wow....

Today we traveled North from Tel Aviv visiting Caesarea. This is an excavated site that sits on the shore line. A beautiful amphitheater with seating for up to 5000 and faces the Mediterranean Sea. The acoustics were incredible. David Moore and Carolyn Chapman sang "How great Thou art". It was a beautiful offering. Tour groups from different countries applauded their performance.
Caesarea was where Herod Agrippa I was eaten by worms after allowing his subjects to praise him as a god. 'On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted,"This is the voice of a god, not of a man." Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.' (Acts 12:19-23) We saw the exact location this happened in the Theater.

Caesarea is an important site in Christian history. It was the place where Pontius Pilate governed during the time of Jesus. This was where Peter converted Cornelius, a Roman, the first non-Jew to believe in Jesus. Paul was also a prisoner for two years in Caesarea.

We left these beautiful ruins and headed North for Mt. Carmel, only miles from Lebanon, just west of the Golan Heights. We visited Mt. Carmel, a place of significant old testament history. On top of the Mountain is the Carmelite monastery where there is a statue representing the Lord's victory through Elijah over the prophets of Baal. From the top of the monastery, you can look out over the valley of Armageddon. The guide referred to this valley as "God's Playing Ground". From this view, you could see Nazareth. A really awesome view.

Nazareth was interesting. As we entered The Nazareth Church of the Annunciation, I heard a loud speaker over the entire town....It was Islamic Prayer hour. This was surreal to hear. This church was beautiful and the cave which is purported to be the home of Mary and Joseph reminded me of primitive cave like dwelling.

We visited Megidda, an ancient strategic fort along the Via Maris (Road to the Sea) This site dated back to King Solomon.

Our last stop was at Cana of Galilee. Elizabeth & I recommitted our marriage to each other at the reported site that Jesus turned water into wine. Twenty three years earlier, I committed my life to liz, now twenty three years later, I am more in love and more committed.

One of the notes that I took today made me think of Bonnie Logan & Jennifer Fogle at Salem Pregnancy Care Center in Winston Salem. The word "womb" in Hebrew...Rehem means mercy. The bible, when using the original language, gives new meaning to so many things.

We are now located on the Sea of Galilee in Tiberas. It is dark now and we can look across the water at the lights of Jordan.

What a day..........