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Israel Journal Day 4

February 27, 2010

Day 4: NAZARETH/BEIT SHAN/JERICHO

I find it pretty awesome to wake up and realize – Hey I’m right next to the Sea of Galilee where so much of the live of Jesus was spent! As I walk down to the restaurant for breakfast I can’t help but notice that on the side of most every hotel and house door that I can see is a “Mezuzah” which means “Guardian of the doorways of Israel.”

The placing of a mezuzah on the doors of a home or office protects the inhabitants – door posts are mentioned in the Old Testament.
Deut 6:9 Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.

Nazareth
Today we went to Nazareth via Cana, where Jesus turned the water into wine (John 2). We didn’t stop in Cana but as we passed by I let myself imagine this festive event of all these people and how kind Jesus was to be sure that the host was not to be embarrassed in the shortage due to his poor planning. It gives me such a great picture of the person of Jesus – 1st miracle is wine!

We then visited an authentic reconstruction of a Nazareth village in the way it would have been from the time of Jesus. The picture of this 1st century building shows how the roof would have been constructed which shows the determination the 4 friends of the paralytic had in order to break through the roof in order to lower their friend to Jesus. (Mark 2)

Nazareth is a town in Galilee about 18 miles west of the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. It was there the angel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary and announced that she would give birth to Jesus which is marked by yet another church.
Luke 1:26–27 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

From the 4th century onwards, churches were built on the sites located by Helena, Constantine’s mother, which were connected with Jesus, Joseph and the Virgin Mary. This one is called the Church of the Annunciation and was completed in 1969.

As Teresa and I were walking through this church I leaned over and kissed her cheek. Well how was I supposed to know you are not allowed to do that – ya I got in trouble, it wasn’t the 1st time this happened in Israel and it wouldn’t be the last! Stay tuned!!

Some time after the birth of Jesus, the family returned to Nazareth. Jesus grew up there while Joseph worked as a carpenter. This stairwell is believed to lead to the workshop of Joseph. I’m pretty sure that I was some sawdust on the floor 

While in Nazareth we learned of the writings that the Jewish Rabbis would have used and the time periods of each. We were told that from the time the temple was destroyed up to the 5th century the 6 volume “Mishna” was to be followed. 2nd was the “Talmud” followed by 3rd the “Gomorra”. “The guide to the perplexed” is the 4th book, and the last book is “The set-up table”. At this point there is no other book which apparently accounts for the many divisions within the Jewish faith.

We then went to Beit Shan, an ancient city dating from the time of King Saul, and it is here that Saul and his sons were believed to be hung.
1Sa 31:10 They placed Saul’s armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his corpse on the city wall of Beth Shan.
This city was discovered by a man who was digging the foundation for his home and while digging hit something that resulted in being the Amphitheatre.

Fortunately we have this amazing city to explore but unfortunately for this man he lost his home.

Jericho
Being that Jericho is controlled by the Palestinians and our Israeli guide did not take us through the city because of this. I am becoming uncomfortable with what it is that I am seeing in the Israeli Palestinian debate to which I’m sure my future journal entries will address. It just doesn’t look right in the way that the Israeli authorities are treating these people, but that being said, Jericho is about 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem. During the days of Jesus, the ancient site of Jericho was largely abandoned and there was a newer settlement to the south, which had been built by King Herod.

Jesus performed miracles here, including the healing of a blind man named Bartimaeus.
Mark 10:46 They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.

Jericho is believed to be the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world. In ancient times, about 3400 years ago, Joshua sent two spies into the walled city, where they were aided by Rahab, the harlot.
Josh 2:1 Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them: “Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.” They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there.
Because of her assistance, she and her family were spared when the Israelites attacked the city. After seven days of circling the city with the Ark, the Israelite army shouted and the walls of the city came down. Jericho was the first major conquest by the Israelites after they crossed the Jordan and entered the promised land. It’s sad to me that after all of this great history that this city is under the rule of the Hemas and that Israeli people cannot enter it safely because of the risks associated with the unrest.

The story of my journey as a Pilgrim in this country is very eye-opening. I’ve had enough for one day, it’s time to call it a day.

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