This Is Our Catch Up Blog

Pastor Rick with the En Gedi Falls in background

Marker for Corrie Ten Boom in the Garden of the Righteous at the Holocaust Museum

Orientation of the Eastern Gate from the Temple Mount

Orientation at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem

Viewing the ruins of Masada

Sunrise on the Dead Sea 

OK, we're back on track with the blog. Now we have some catching up to do. Stacey Peyakov will tell you a little of what has happened in the last couple of days.

I started out my morning with a swim in the heated pool containing water from the Dead Sea.  To float in the Dead Sea water is an experience you would never forget.  Experiencing it with my father even better!  Leaving there we went to Masada.  This place is incredible!  A fortress on the hill.  The remains of this place and its location is fascinating.  Even more incredible is to hear the history of Ein Gedi.  This is where David hid from Saul.  We know this to be the correct site because it is the only location in the wild desert with a running spring and oasis of palm trees.  Although we couldn't hike it, it still hit you with the thoughts and feelings David had.  Also,  David left there, he went to Masada (the Hebrew word for fortress.)  To walk and feel where all these people of Bible history were is the most fabulous experience and brings the Bible to life even more.  I have heard Bible stories since I was a little girl, then as a young adult studied these places and people, now as an adult to be right here, brings all the pieces together and draws you into Christ even more.  In studying the Great Woman of the Bible, I have already walked where 6 of these woman lived.  This in itself brings my character to develop deeper meaning of what I learn.  

     From there we headed to Jerusalem.  We have spent two days here.  Several people have gotten sick with the flu, but do not want to miss anything knowing they may never walk these streets again.  The hardest thing for me in this city is to draw the same experience and feelings from the previous days.  Here, is Muslim occupied, Jews don't believe in the Messiah, so much of the areas are lost to non-believers.  Makes you pray deeply for the lost in this city.  With that in mind, it is still quite powerful to be at the city gates, the ruins, and walk the busy roads that Jesus would have walked. 

     For anyone who hasn't been, you have to do it!  It has been safe, not scary by any means, and will change your life forever.  (Stacey Peyakov)

Sorry

Good morning to all of you following our blog. I will try to catch up here. 

The funniest thing happened to me when we got to this hotel. I signed on the internet to log in and everything came up in Hebrew! I didn't have the slightest idea of where to go or what to do to to access my account. I finally found someone to help me navigate the Hebrew so as soon as we are done with our traveling today, I'll catch you up on all of our adventures.

Thanks for your patience.

Rick

PS/ A few of our group have gotten the flu or something. Please pray for their health and that others of us would be protected since we are in such a close enviornment.

Israel 2008 Day 3

Hello to you all. Every one in our group sends their best to all family and friends following this blog. You can see them all in the first picture. 

The second picture shows you where we are "SUFFERING FOR JESUS" at Galilee. It's the Maagan Kibbutz right on the shore. We can literally walk off the sidewalk into the water. 

Picture three is of the Jordan River. We stopped there for a devotion. Rick Malec gave a devotion there. 

The last picture was taken at Beth Shaun. This is a most remarkable sight. I'll have more on it later. But do you see the steps leading up the side of the mountain in the background? Well, a few of us (including Pastor Rick of Hillside, took the opportunity to climb to the peak of the hill to see a piece of the ancient wall on which the bodies of King Saul and his sons were hanged after their defeat at Gilboa. Can you say, "SORE THIGHS, anyone?"

The remainder of the blog is written by Kyle Bates from Saugus, CA. 

I'm not really sure where to start! It's a pretty difficult finding the words to describe all the things we've seen today! I mean...I actually stood where Jesus stood. I walked where Jesus walked. I looked right into the home of Saint Peter. When you stand in a place like that, there's just no way to put into words how you feel.

We started the day by viewing a pretty remarkable site. I'm sure most of you reading this recall the story where Jesus healed a possessed man and cast the demons into a herd of pigs. Our group had the thrill of being right there where the pigs ran down the hillside into the Sea of Galilee! 

Then we went to Capernaum (or Kefar Nahum) which is right on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. And, as I'm sure you've read, that's the place where Jesus spent half of his entire ministry. There's an incredible 4th century white synagogue built right on top of the foundation of the actual synagogue that Jesus taught in! We had the amazing privilege to walk through the synagogue and then down the path that lead right to the shore where Jesus and the disciples have been. The experience was completely overwhelming. 

Next we went to Beth Shaun. Now, most of you probably haven't heard of that, but these are the most remarkable ruins in all of Israel! The ruins on top of the hill in the picture above were first mentioned in the bible at around 1050AD. But they were actually built much earlier than that. The part of the city down below was an incredible pagan city built by the Roman Empire. And as such it was complete with a massive theatre (where Ron Roberts sang a hymn from the stage), several bath houses, temples, and the "red light district". The city was destroyed by an earthquake and abandoned to be buried beneath centuries of earth. Now uncovered, we had the unique opportunity to actually walk right through the city as it lays in ruin. 

We ended the day at Qumran, the town where archeologists (with the help of a little shepherd boy) found the dead sea scrolls! 

So, needless to say, today was an amazing day! Never in my life have been in a place filled with so much history and spiritual significance. I'm sure that I (and everyone else) will never be able to read our bibles the same way again! We've been to these places and seen them with our own eyes. We've walked in the very footsteps of Jesus himself. My prayer is that we'll continue to follow those footsteps when we return home.

Blessings,

Kyle Bates

2008 Israel Day 2

(Picture 1: Herod Agrippa's Palace in Caesarea Philippi)

(Picture 2: High Altar discovered at Tel Dan)

(Picture 3: Boat Ride on Galilee)

Picture 4: Getting Orientation from our Guide, Mickey Nicholaev

What an exciting day we had today. It's difficult to reduce it to a few words for this blog. It started out with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Along with seeing wonderful sights, we sang many Christian songs and several Israeli folk songs - IN HEBREW - well, sort of. We attempted to sing in Hebrew would be more like it. 

The boat's crew had many of our group dancing traditional Hebrew dances. I have it all on digital movies. I think I'll offer it to the highest bidder to keep it off the internet! As I like to say, "In a two-hoot world, that was a hoot-and-a-half."

Another great stop for us was Tel Dan. Pictured above is a high altar. On one of the stones there was written in ancient Hebrew the words "the House of David." This is a profound historical confirmation of the biblical record.

Then we were off to Caesarea Philippi. It was in this area that Jesus asked His disciples who the Son of Man was. It was to Peter's response Jesus said He would "build His church and the gates of hades would not prevail against it."

We saw and experienced much more. You'll have to ask your friends and loved ones about it when they get back. Better yet, plan to make a trip to the Holy Land yourself in the future.

Shalom from Israel.

Pastor Rick   

Israel 1st Day

(Picture # 1: The Church of Announciation in Nazareth)

(Picture # 2: Gate to Megiddo built by Solomon)

(Picture # 3: Caesarea by the Sea)

Shalom everyone. This is the 1st post for our blog while in Israel. I couldn't get internet access at our first hotel.

Today was a full day of sightseeing for us. We started at Caesarea Maritima. This is the beautiful port city built by Herod the Great. It is located right on the Mediterranean Sea and was the major port for the Romans. 

Peter preached to Cornelius in Caesarea. Paul was imprisoned there for two years. 

Another stop for the day was Tel Megiddo. You know it as the site of the great end times battle of Har Megiddo or Armegeddon. 

Our last stop of the day was in Nazareth. Jesus grew up in Nazareth. The beautiful church you see above is the Church of Announciation. It is on the traditional site of where the angel Gabriel announced to Mary she would bear the Christ Child.

The church covers what would have been the entire town of Nazareth in Jesus' day. It is a really large church. 

We have had great weather so far. However, the guide said we may experience a little rain tomorrow. No one seems to care.

Our hotel this evening is right on the Sea of Galilee. It is really beautiful. 

Tomorrow, we are off to the Golan Heights, Tel Dan, Caesarea Philippi, and a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

Blessings to you all and Shalom for now.

Pastor Rick

Tel Dan

(Picture: High Altar in Dan [about 2 miles from Caesarea Philippi])

Hello Fellow Travelers.

It's Thursday and time to get those last minute things done. Tomorrow we leave from San Diego and L.A. to meet in Washington DC, our international flight departure city. 

This will probably be the last entry in the blog until we arrive in Israel on Saturday. I thought I would tell you about another of our stops, Tel Dan.

Dan was one of the sons of Jacob. In the distribution of land, his tribe was given a portion from the west of Jerusalem to the "Great" Sea.  (You can read about the area in Joshua 19:40-48.)

Dan was not content with his inheritance in Judah and settled his tribe in the land of Manasseh, lending his name to the area and setting up idolatrous worship. This idolatry would plague Israel many days. 

We're told in I Kings 12 that Jeraboam set up golden calves in Dan and Bethel to prevent people from going to Jerusalem to worship.

Although Dan was not the furthest point north in Israel, it was symbolically so. When one wanted to talk about the entire nation of Israel they might say, "...from Dan to Beersheba..."

From the phone calls and emails I've received lately, I know many of you are as excited as I am about our trip, and rightly so. I agree with Jack Hayford (Church On The Way) who said, "A trip to Israel will change your life."

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

(Picture: Passion Relief inside Church of the Holy Sepulcher)

Hello Fellow Travelers.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is one of the two major sites purported to be the place of the the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We will discuss this matter, and more, when we visit this spectacular church in Jerusalem. 

Many people visit this site daily and it may be difficult to get "good" pictures without a lot of people in them. So, if you're up to it, we can go there on our own when the church first opens around 5 AM. Usually you can get great photos at that time. 

Let's talk about it one of our days in Jerusalem.

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Jezreel Valley

(Picture: Jezreel Valley from Megiddo)

Hello Fellow Travelers:

The Jezreel Valley is a strategic location in that it provides a natural break in the Jerusalem Mountain Range for easy east-west travel. In ancient days it was an important trade route connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Jordan Valley (ancient Mesopotamia). 

You might recall that Josiah, the last good leader of Judah, tried to prevent Pharaoh Necho of Egypt from this area as he was trying to give military aid to the king of Assyria (II Kings 23).

Necho killed Josiah at Megiddo, a major city of the Jezreel Valley, in 603 BC.

We'll learn a lot about this important piece of real estate on our trip. 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Dome of the Rock

Hello Fellow Travelers:

You've all seen in pictures of Jerusalem the large, gold-domed mosque called the Dome of the Rock. What you may not know, it is a shrine, not a place of worship. It is a beautiful edifice that houses a large rock. The rock is the alleged altar that Abraham would have offered his son had God not provided a sacrifice (see Genesis 22).

It is now closed to the public. Still, we will ascend Temple Mount to view the marvelous structure and learn more about the Temple Mount's history and future. 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Weather: extended forecast

Hello Fellow Travelers:

Tracking the weather at weather.yahoo.com shows the possibility of showers in San Diego on our departure day, Friday. Washington DC shows partly cloudy with temps in the mid 40's.

The extended forecast shows wonderful weather the first few days we are in Israel. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-high 60's with sunny skies. 

This is just a friendly reminder that a hat with a wide brim would be very appropriate to protect you from the sun. A good sunscreen will help protect you as well.

We're in the final countdown mode. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me:

PastorRick@julianchurch.org

Shalom.

Pastor Rick 

Jerusalem Model

(Pictures: Model of Jerusalem at the time of Christ)

Hello Fellow Travelers.

We're just 5 days from our departure. Have you packed already? I have - 3 or 4 times. 

The pictures above are a replica of what Jerusalem might have looked like in the days of Christ. We will visit this site on the day we go to the Israeli Museum. While there we will get some details about the Temple as well as follow the footsteps of Christ on the night betrayal. 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Snowed Out!

Hello Fellow Travelers:

We were snowed OUT of Julian Thursday, can you believe it? Jan and I went down the hill to pick up some supplies for the cabin we are preparing for our new Youth Director. It had been raining most of the day down the hill but as we listened to the news, we found out it was snowing in Julian (and eventually snowed all the was down to Ramona - 1,100 ft level.)

As we were returning home, Caltrans and the CHP had all roads leading to Julian closed down due to snow and ice. We had to spend the evening with our daughter in San Diego.

We returned to Julian on Friday morning and got stuck in ice. We had to be towed off the road. Fortunately, we were near someone we knew and was towed to her driveway. Since the temperatures were in the 40's the ice melted by mid afternoon. We were able to retrieve our car and get it safely home. 

What a day!

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Departure Weather

Good Morning Fellow Travelers:

weather.yahoo.com now has extended forecasts that include our arrival weather in Israel. It looks really good. The temperature in Tel Aviv is forecasted in the 60's with sunny skies and 0% chance of precipitation.

Our arrival in Washington DC is a little different. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and intermittent rain with temperatures in the the 50's. 

If we can get out of US without an incident it should be smooth sailing (or should I say flying) all the way! 

Although we are only going to spend 1 day at the Dead Sea, there are 3 great sites to visit while we are there: Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, En Gedi where David hid from Saul, and Masada.

There will be time to "frolic" in the Dead Sea if you wish or take advantage of the spa at our hotel. Don't forget about your purchase of Dead Sea products while we are there. Take advantage of the low prices you find. 

To give you an example, 2 years ago I purchased Premier hand lotion at En Gedi for about 7 dollars US. In a kiosk at one of our local malls the same product was $29.00. Prices may vary with the value of the dollar, but you can expect very good prices. 

Shalom for now. We're only a week away!

Pastor Rick

Capernaum (Kafer Nahum)

(Picture: Synagogue Ruins in Capernaum)

Hello Fellow Travelers:

One of our premier stops will be the town of Nahum (Kafer Nahum) or Capernaum. When Jesus' ministry was rejected at Nazareth, he moved His headquarters to Capernaum and spent about two years there. Many of the disciples had homes and businesses here. It is located on the north coastline of the Sea of Galilee.

There are ruins of a 4th century synagogue in Capernaum. This synagogue was built on the ruins of the synagogue of Jesus' day. Luke 7:51 says a Roman Centurian built the synagogue. It was his daughter Jesus healed.

We are just 9 days from departure and I say Whoo Hoo.

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

The Herods

(Picture: Roman aqueduct in Caesarea at sunset)

Hello Fellow Travelers:

Don't forget to read your Study Guide BEFORE going to Israel and Jordan. It has 75 pages of Scriptures, maps, pictures, biographies, studies, and much more. Make sure to read the short bio of the Herods. There are several of them mentioned in the Bible. Do you know them?

Herod the Great ruled from 37-4 BC: he was the King of Judea, Galilee, Iturea, and Traconitis. He built Caesarea, Masada, and remodeled the Temple in Jerusalem. He had the babies in Bethlehem killed.

Herod Philip II ruled from 4 BC-34 AD: he was the Tetrach of Iturea and Traconitis. He built Caesarea Philippi.

Herod Archelaus ruled from 4 BC-6 AD: he was the Governor of Judea, Idumea, and Samaria. He was deposed by the Romans. It was his harsh rule that made Joseph and Mary settle in Nazareth.

Herod Antipas ruled from 4 BC-39 AD: he was the Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. He built the city of Tiberias. He killed John the Baptist and sent Jesus back to Pilate.

Herod Agrippa I ruled from 37-44 AD: he was the King of Judea. He killed James (John's brother) and had Peter imprisoned. He was struck down by God at Caesarea.

Herod Agrippa II ruled from 44-70 AD: he was the King of Judea. He heard Paul's testimony at Caesarea.

Now you know! We'll talk about and learn more about the Herods on our trip.

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Jordan River

(Picture: Jordan River)

Hello Fellow Travelers:

You've all read or heard about the Jordan River. It is one of the great stops on our tour. Although we will not be baptizing anyone in the River, we will stop and remind ourselves of its place in Scripture. 

The Jordan River (meaning "go down") runs from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. From the southern tip of Galilee to the northern tip of the Dead Sea is about 70 miles. When you follow its winding path, it is about 120 miles long. 

The land along its path is not very suitable for settlements. There are two significant ones, however: Beth Shaun (a sight we will visit) in the north and Jericho in the South. 

Do you have a picture of the Jordan in your mind? If so, I hope it is not like the "mighty" Mississippi! The Jordan is relatively unimpressive. Most of the year it is only about 50 feet wide. Much of the water source for the Jordan is now being used for irrigation. 

But who can forget about Naaman and his cleansing in the Jordan? Or Jesus, Himself, being baptized in the Jordan?

Well, the countdown clock continues. We are only 12 days away!

Shalom.

Pastor Rick 

Weather

Hello Fellow Travelers:

The extended forecast for Jerusalem (Feb. 16-20) is partly cloudy with temps 49-55 degrees. It's a bit chilly but good travelin' weather. 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

The Herodium

Hello Fellow Travelers.

When we are in Bethlehem we will also make a stop at the Herodium. It is about 7.5 miles south of Jerusalem and was built by Herod the Great about 24 BC. He built it to commemorate victories over his enemies, the Hasmoneans and Parthians. It was a fortress rising about 400 feet above the surrounding terrain. 

Here's what Josephus said about it:

"This fortress, which is some sixty stades distance from Jerusalem, is naturally strong and very suitable for such a structure, for reasonably near by is a hill raised to a (greater) height by the hand of man and rounded off in the shape of a breast. At intervals it has round towers, and it has a deep ascent formed of two hundred steps of hewn stone. Within it are costly royal apartments made for security and for ornament at the same time." (Antiquities 15.324).

On a clear day, from the Herodium, one can see Bethlehem to the west, the Dead Sea to the east, and the Mt. of Olives to the northwest. 

Recently, archaeologists believe they have found what is the tomb that would have been the burial place of Herod the Great. We are very fortunate to be able to visit this site.

Shalom.

Pastor Rick 

Elevation Drop

Hello Fellow Travelers.

The terrain of Israel has many dramatic variations. None is more striking than two very well known cities; Jerusalem and Jericho. The distance between the cities is about 16 miles. However, the land between the two cities drops from about 2,500 feet above sea level to about 1,100 feet below sea level - a drop of approximately 3,600 feet!

You might remember a parable of Jesus about the Good Samaritan. It took place in the Judean Wilderness between Jerusalem and Jericho. 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Megiddo Archaeological Find

(Picture 1: Ruins at Megiddo with Valley of Megiddo in background)

(Picture 2: Valley of Megiddo [Jezreel Valley] with Mt. Tabor in background)

Hello Fellow Travelers.

There is a great article in the Biblical Archaeology Review magazine of Mar/Apr 2007. While digging the footing for the expansion of the territorial prison, an early Christian prayer hall was found. Specific artifacts found at the site reveal the hall was part of the military base for the VI Legion stationed near Megiddo (Roman name: Caporcotani.)

In the center of the hall is the remains of a table stand, believed to be the Eucharist Table. Mosaic floors are in very good condition and inscriptions (in Greek) date to the 3rd century based on their paleographic characteristics.

"The inscription at the top of the northern panel is dedicated to Gaianus, the centurion who paid for the floor to be paved with mosaics. It reads, 'Gaianus, also called Porphyrius, centurion, our brother, has made the pavement at his own expense as an act of liberality. Brutius has carried out the work. 

The inscription on the eastern side of the southern panel is call the 'Women Inscription" because it asks for remembrance of 'Primilla and Cyrica and Dorothea, and moreover also Chreste.'

The most important part of the floor, and the one that makes it undeniably part of the Christian place of worship, is the inscription on the western side of the southern panel, which is dedicated to 'the God-loving Akeptous,' who offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial." (Biblical Archaeological Review: March/April 2007, p. 46)

Archaeologists dated the ruins circa 230 AD making it the earliest known Christian church in Israel to date. I don't know if this site will be open to the public when we are in Megiddo. But if it is, we certainly will visit this marvelous find.

Shalom.

Pastor Rick 

Amman/Ammonites

Hello Fellow Travelers.

One of the stops in our tour will be Amman Jordan. In Biblical history, think Ammonites. The Ammonites were "related" to Israel through Lot, Abraham's nephew. They descended from a son by Lot's youngest daughter following the demise of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Gen. 19:30-38). 

Because of that "relationship," the Israelites and Ammonites were to live in peace. Deut. 2:19 "When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot." And as you know, a peaceful relationship was not always the norm between the two.

The Ammonites occupied the table land east of the Jordan River and northeast of the Dead Sea. Their territory extended into the Arabian Desert. 

In the Old Testament, Rabbah was the capital of the Ammonites. You might also find it called Rabbath-ammon. 

Going into New Testament times, the name had been changed to Philadelphia. (Do not confuse this with the Asia Minor city of Philadelphia and its church mentioned in the book of Revelation.) Philadelphia was the southernmost city in the league of cities known as the Decapolis (Ten - Cities).

Molech was the national god of the Ammonites.

The ancient city of Rabbah/Philadelphia is today Amman, the capital city of Jordan. 

The countdown clock is down to 14 days. 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Rain in Jerusalem

Hello Fellow Travelers.

I just visited weather.yahoo.com to see the extended forecast for Jerusalem. It appears to be great weather the remainder of this week (up to 60 degrees) but from Feb. 12-15 there is a 60% chance of showers. That is just a week away from our trip. You will want to check weather conditions to pack appropriate clothing for our trip.

Weather aside, I saw an ad in a Christian magazine featuring Jack Hayford, pastor of the Church on the Way. He has visited or led tours to Israel over 20 times. The ad quotes him saying, "It changed the way I read the Bible. It increased my passion for Jesus. It transformed me into a more zealous ambassador for God's truth." Concluding he said, "Visit Israel. You'll never be the same."

I add my hearty AMEN to that! For those of you going to Israel for the first time, I can hardly wait to hear your affirmation of this. 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Petra Voted New 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

(Pictures 1 and 2: Ruins at Petra)

                                                   

                                                         

 (Picture 3: A walk down the Siq at Petra)                                                         

Hello Fellow Travelers.

After 100,000,000 voters spoke, Petra was announced as one of the New 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. It, along with 6 other ancient monuments, was chosen as part of an online campaign titled "New7Wonders" revealed on July 7, 2007. 

Many Bible scholars say Petra's geography is associated with Moses, Aaron, and the Children of Israel in their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. 

Petra is located, for example, at the Wadi Mousa. Wadi Mousa means "the Riverbed of Moses." Close by is the Jabel Haroun which means "the Mountain of Aaron."

The site gained greater popularity when Steven Spielberg used the site in the 3rd installment of the "Raiders" series, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. There, in the final scene, you see them traversing the Siq on horseback until they come to the Treasury (el Deir) where the Holy Grail was hidden.

We'll learn a lot more about this great sight in just a little over 2 weeks!

Shalom.

Pastor Rick 

God's Choice

Hello Fellow Travelers.

I was asked the other day why, of all the places on earth, did God choose this land as the "Holy Land." It's a great question. 

Dr. Charles Dyer (of Moody) says, "God chose this land to teach His people specific lessons of faith." (Dr. Charles Dyer, The New Christian Traveler's Guide to the Holy Land [Moody Publishers: 2006] pg. 14)

He goes on to quote a thought provoking explanation from Jim Monson, "In all of these biblical periods this land served as God's testing ground of faith. It was here, in this land where both personal and national existence were threatened, that Israel's leaders and people were called upon to learn the true meaning of security and well-being, of trust in the Lord their God. It was here that God's weakness was shown to be stronger than men." (ibid, pg. 15)

I hope you are as excited as I am to see this land 1st hand. You might even make your own determination as to why this land is called "Holy."

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Banias (Caesarea Philippi)

(Picture 1: Artist concept of the Temple of Pan in Caesarea Philippi)

(Picture 2: Temple of Pan ruins in Caesarea Philippi)

Hello Fellow Travelers.

One of our stops will be Caesarea Philippi, rebuilt by Herod Philip, and named for the Roman ruler (Caesar) and, most likely, himself (Philip).

This is the area that Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" Peter answered, "YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD." 

Jesus told Peter He would build His church on that answer and that the "gates of Hades will not prevail against it."

There is an interesting link with what Jesus said and Greek mythology. When we are at this site I am giving a teaching on Caesarea Philippi: Where Greek Mythology, Geography, and Theology Meet. 

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to read up on your Greek mythology. The characters you need to know about are: Hermes and Pan. 

Come back to the blog often. There's more to come!

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Archaeological Periods and Historical Dates

(Picture: Sunrise On the Dead Sea )

Hello Fellow Travelers.

We will be visiting many ancient sites on our 2008 Tour of Israel and Jordan. Our guide will mention archaeological eras and you may wonder how those dates line up with calendar dates. The following information may be helpful to sync the two.

Age of the Apostles: 33-70 AD

Time of Jesus Christ: 4 BC-33 AD

Intertestamental Period: ca. 400-4 BC (aka Helenistic Period)

Age of Restoration: ca. 539-400 BC (aka Persian Period)

Babylonian Captivity: 586-539 BC

Single Kingdom: 722-586 BC

Divided Kingdom: 931-722 BC

United Kingdom: 1050-931 BC (aka Iron Age)

Time of Judges: 1390-1050 BC (aka Late Bronze/Early Iron Age)

Time of Conquest: 1400-1390 BC

Time of Exodus: 1446-1400 BC (aka Late Bronze Age)

Time of Patriarchs: 2000-1446 BC (aka Middle Bronze Age)

(There will be a test on this in Jerusalem - JUST KIDDING!)

The countdown continues.

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Get the picture

(Picture: Mt. of Olives with the Church of Ascension)

Hello Fellow Travelers:

I was thinking the other day about an experience I had in elementary school. Our teacher was telling us about the Alamo. As she told the story, an image of the Alamo emerged in my mind although I had no idea what it looked like. Then I remember the first time I saw a picture of the Alamo. I have to tell you, the picture I had in my mind of the Alamo did not come close to the actual one. 

That very same thing happened to me many times when, as a young believer, I read the Bible. I read about Mt. Moriah, for example, or the Mt. of Olives and images of "Mt. Everest" or "Mt. McKinley" came to mind. And those images often clouded the Biblical record and made the Bible harder to understand. For example, how did Abraham in his old age have the stamina to take his bound son, Isaac, up such a high place? It was incomprehensible!

But a trip to the Holy Land is like putting on a set of geographical spectacles. They make a simple phrase like "going up to Jerusalem" leap off the pages of the Bible and make perfect sense. 

God chose a people and He gave them a land. It was in this land He chose and spoke to our forefathers. It was in this land He gave the greatest law code the world has ever known. It was in this land He taught His people to "trust and obey" Him. It was in this land God "became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory." It was in this land that God in flesh, Jesus Christ, taught, healed, died on a cross, and rose from the dead. 

I've heard it was Ray Steadman who said, "A two week trip to the Holy Land is the same as ten years of Sunday School." After visiting the Holy Land you will not be the same and reading your Bible will never be the same again! 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick 

How To Pray for Our Trip

(Picture: Church of Beatitudes at the Sea of Galilee)

Hello Fellow Travelers:

As we get closer to our departure we can be very specific in our prayers for this trip. Here are some things to pray for:

The health and strength of our group

The joyful attitude of our group

The making of new friendships 

Our guides, bus drivers, and host - that's me, Pastor Rick!

The baggage handlers, flight attendants and pilots

Good weather and road conditions

Reliable transportation

The ability to retain information

A spirit of anticipation, adaptability, and flexibility

The personal safety of our group

A Christlike attitude

How can we pray for you?

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Overcoming Jet Lag

Hello Fellow Travelers.

Someone emailed my about the dreaded JET LAG. It certainly can be a problem for you. I don't know of anything you can do to make your internal body clock sync up with the actual area clock with 100% results. Remember, there is a 10 hour time difference between California (PST) and Israel/Jordan. 

Charles Ehret and Lynne Scanlon have written about it in a book titled OVERCOMING JET LAG by Berkley Publishing. Here are some ideas loosely adapted from the book.

1. On the day of the flight, get out of bed earlier than usual. (No problem there for most of you that are meeting to catch the bus at EFCC at 4:00 AM!)

2. If possible, eat a high protein breakfast and lunch. For dinner, eat a high carbohydrate meal.

3. Drink lots of water and/or decaffeinated beverages to reduce dehydration that is common on long, international flights.

4. After the evening meal on the transatlantic flight, set your wristwatch ahead to your destination time.

5. When you set your time ahead, it is early morning hours at your destination. Try to rest or sleep as soon as possible. If you find it hard to sleep and/or if you are comfortable with the idea, take a sleeping aid (perhaps a Tylenol PM or other sleeping aid),  but do your best to get some sleep.

6. Don't oversleep at this point. At what would be breakfast time at your destination, get your brain and body stimulated. If possible get up and walk around the plane. 

7. At your destination breakfast time (6:00 - 8:00 AM) or when they serve breakfast on the plane, drink a cup or two of STRONG coffee, tea, or have a caffeinated soft drink. 

8. Keep active at this point. Stay stimulated. Read, watch a movie, play cards but do not nap.

9. At 10:00 PM destination time, try to go to sleep. Even though you feel very tired, you might consider another sleeping aid so that you sleep the entire night through.

10. If you wake up, do your best to go back to sleep. 

Remember, since we are not flying non-stop to Israel, we will have layovers to contend with. This may disrupt, to some degree, these steps to overcome jet lag. These guidelines are offered as a tool to help you have the best chance to be ready for the time change once we arrive in Israel. 

Shalom for now.

Pastor Rick

Helpful Websites

Hello Fellow Travelers.

Here are a few websites I have found helpful in my preparation for this trip. 

(Picture: Southeast corner of the Temple Mount Wall and Al Aqsa Mosque)

For tourism in Israel: www.goisrael.com

For headline news in Israel: www.jpost.com

For tourism in Jordan: www.see-jordan.com

For converting currency: www.oanda.com/convert/classic

For U.S. State Department: www.travel.state.gov/travel

For U.S. State Department Passport: www.travel.state.gov/passport

For Center for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/travel

For weather information: weather.yahoo.com (no www)

If you have found some sites that have helped you, please pass them along for all of us to visit. 

Shalom.

Pastor Rick

Bible Reading for Caesarea

Good Morning Fellow Travelers.

I was going through some material for study, thinking about our time in Caesarea (By the Sea). It would be good for you to read Acts 21-23. These chapters tell the events leading up to Paul's arrest and how he wound up in Caesarea for about 2 years. 

See you soon.

Pastor Rick

Airport Transportation

Good Morning.

I woke up to freezing temperatures and snow-covered ground this morning in Julian, CA. My 1st thought was I'm glad this isn't Israel. It inspired me to go to weather.yahoo.com to see what the temperatures are like in Israel. I was glad to see Jerusalem still in the mid to high 50's with partly cloudy skies. 

Looking at the 6-10 day forecast showed only one day of expected rain. As we get closer, you'll want to check it out to help your clothing choices for packing.

We have secured a bus to take our San Diego guests to Lindbergh Field on Feb. 22nd. It will be in the back parking lot of Emmanuel Faith Community Church. You will want to get there around 4:00 AM so we can get all the luggage stored. We will leave the lot at 4:30 AM SHARP. This will be the 1st test to see how many of you will be on time!

A bus will pick us up on our return to San Diego.

The countdown clock is ticking. It's just 18 days from departure. It's hard to believe, isn't it?

Blessings to you all. 

2008 Tour of Israel and Jordan

As we get nearer our departure, I have had some questions about the weather. The best thing I can tell you is to go to weather.yahoo.com  There you can follow the links and even get a 6-10 day forecast of various cities in Israel. 

In Jerusalem this week, it has been in the mid to high 50's and partly cloudy. The forecast for the next few days is scattered showers and temperatures in the low 50's.

Check out the weather conditions regularly. This will help you know what to pack for our trip. 

Rick