Tues, Nov 2nd

A Hooded Crow-can be seen in Israel through northern Europe.

Cheese offering for breakfast. Those are large wedges of feta. There's always cheese, milk, and butter for breakfast but none with dinner-it has to do with kosher laws.

This eastern part of the Mediterranean is called the Levant. The Levant is a land bridge-a term referring to this vital strip of land linking Europe, Asia, and Africa for means of trade and passage for warring armies. Roads, such as the Via Maris, which ran along the coast and the King's Highway, east of the Jordan River were the two vital routes connecting the three continents. Whoever controlled this strip of land would control commerce and all who could pass through.

Heading north, we traveled along the Israeli Coastal Plain which extends 116 mi (187 K). The area is the center of the country's citrus farming and is known as the Orange Belt. 57% of Israel's population lives in the coastal plain.

First stop is Caesarea Maritima (Qaisariyeh in Arabic), built on the site of an ancient Persian anchorage known as Strato's Tower named after the Sidonian King, Abdashtart. It came under Jewish control as a result of the conquests of the Hasmonean ruler Alexander Jannaeus. In 63 bc Pompey conquered the town. The Roman emperor Augustus gave the city to Herod in 30 bc. In 12 years Herod constructed an entirely new city named to flatter Caesar. Josephus recorded events and described the city in detail. The city became the civilian and military capital and the official residence of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilatus. The city grew rapidly becoming the largest city in Judea with an estimated population of 125,000. It was the administrative capital beginning 6 ad until the 8th century when Suleiman moved the seat of government to Ramla.

The city featured magnificent palaces and public buildings, a large marble temple to Augustus, an amphitheater, and hippodrome. Fresh water came in from time miles away by aqueduct. The theater is oldest theater still being used today. Sails were hoisted above the spectators to block the sun.

Caesarea became the capital of the province for nearly 500 years but also the headquarters for the Roman legions stationed in Judea. It served also as the official residence of the Roman governor. Caesarea attracted many settlers-Jews and Gentiles. The culture was one in which a population worshiped one God while hating the presence of numerous pagan idols. The city was prominent in early church history. The first gentile, Cornelius the Roman centurion, was baptized by the apostle Peter (Acts 10). Peter came here after being delivered from prison (Acts 12, 19). Paul passed through Caesarea on several of his journeys (Acts 9:30, 18:22, 21:8-16) and was also imprisoned here by the governors Festus and Felix (Acts 23:22-26:32). Philip the evangelist preached and lived here (Acts 8:40).

Relations between the Jewish and non-Jewish inhabitants of Caesarea were always acrimonious. The desecration of the synagogue and massacre of 20,000 Jews was the primary cause of the First Jewish Revolt (66-77 ad) which ended in the destruction of the Jerusalem and the Second Temple. The Roman general Vespasian, who was sent to crush the Revolt, made Caesarea his headquarters until he was declared emperor in 69ad. His son, Titus, who led the final assault on Jerusalem, condemned 2,500 Jews to fight with wild beasts in the amphitheater in celebration of his brother Domitian's birthday. Many Jews were executed here after the Second Jewish Revolt in (132-135 ad). The Latin word for sand is "arena"-sand was used in the amphitheater-it was great for soaking up the blood.

It always amazes me how all these ancient arches are still standing.

During the second century the city became a major seat of the Christian church. A library was built which was second in size only to the renowned Library of Alexandria. The city continued to prosper until the Arab conquest of the Levant. with the arrival of the Arabs in (640 ad) the harbor fell into disrepair and began to silt up. The surrounding areas were fertile for agriculture so Caesarea remained prosperous.

Throughout the 12th and 13th centuries control of the city alternated between Crusader and Muslim hands. An impressive Crusader fortress was built by the French King, Louis IX. It stood until 1265. For 400 years after the final destruction of the city many of the beautiful worked stones were removed, the aqueducts which supplied water to the city became blocked, the springs could no longer flow turned the northern region into a swamp. The other areas surrounding the city became barren and were covered with sand dunes.

The city remained abandoned until the Ottoman Turks settled Muslim refugees from Bosnia here in 1878. In the early 1900's the land was purchased back by Zionist pioneers, the swamps were drained, the arid lands once again irrigated and replanted.

Near the amphitheater, a stone tablet was found with an inscription saying, "Tiberieum, Pontius Pilatus, Praefectus Iuda Eae (Prefect of Judea)."

Josephus called this a "most magnificent palace" that Herod the Great built on a promontory jutting out into the waters. A pool in the center, nearly Olympic size, was filled with fresh water.

Herod's father was a gentile and converted to Judism so he wouldn't have to pay taxes. His wife was Hasmonian. He was known for his building projects as a testimony to himself and what he could do. Herod Agrippa controlled the food supply. Herodian kings typify the antichrist.

King Herod Agrippa of Judea died here being eaten of worms (Acts 12:19-23).

Built near Herod's palace is a large Hippodrome in the shape of a long U (50 x 250M), with 10,000 seats in 12 rows. Romans conducted horse races (Greek hippo is horse), special events, and games.

The hippodrome was decorated with beautiful frescoes.

The starting gates.

Part of the city had been used as a trash dump. Layers of pottery shards can be seen.

There are beautiful mosaic floors all over Caesarea. One of the mosaics I posted from Ben-Gurion air port is a 6th century section of floor with a woman in the center holding a fruit basket that was removed from Caesarea.

Very large storage areas.

Sarcophagus lid decoracted with gorgon heads.

Nyphaeum-a public fountain decorated with sculptures.

The harbor, Sebastos (Greek for Agustus), was stunning in size and complexity and the first artificial harbor known. It was built with a hydraulic concrete made from volcanic sand from Italy forming block weighing 50 tons. This revolutionary technology was lost for over 1000 years. The breakwater extended more than 1,500' out into the water. Barges full of concrete and lime sand mortar were sunk to create it. Once inside the ships could be transported to the warehouse district via a 500' long quay. A huge lighthouse stood on the southern end, the sandbars were marked with 6 enormous bronze statues.

A lack of fresh water required a lengthy aqueduct. In order that the water would flow by the pull of gravity the gradient was carefully measured.

An inscription shows the Second and Tenth Legions worked on the construction of the the aqueduct.

As we were heading north the road goes over the ancient aqueduct.

We headed up into the hills for lunch. In this area live the Druze. It is an 11th century off shoot of Islam. They call themselves Ahl al-Tawhid "People of Unitarianism or Monotheism." I read about it but could not figure out at all what they believe in. The culture is Arab and the language is Arabic but they are against the cause of Arab nationalism and are very pro Israeli-serving in the military and as border police.

We had an awesome lunch which was amazing and really cheap.

The Carmel range is a central mountain range forming a natural barrier. The only pass is a fertile plain in the lower Galilee region called the Jezreel Valley. Jezreel means "God sows." In the 1870's a Lebanese family purchased the valley from the Ottoman government for about $30,000. In 1912 the American Zion Commonwealth purchased 80,000 acres for about $1.5million for Jewish resettlement.

There is a lot of biblical history in this valley. Deborah and Barak camped on Mt. Tabor before attacking and defeating the Canaanite's. King Saul faced defeat by the Philistines. In Judges 7 Gideon thinned out his army, Jehu killed kings of Israel and Juda. In more recent history, during WWI the Battle of Megiddo is the turning point in the war against the Ottoman Empire.

Mt. Carmel was the site of a Canaanite high place. During the rule of Ahab, Elijah challenged 450 Canaanite prophets and their god Baal. The Catholic church, believing this to be the peak, established a monastery. We came for the view. Pagan religions have a history of goddess worship and fertility cults. The statue of Mary in the Catholic garden is nothing more than goddess worship. She is the greatest woman ever to live-she carried Jesus in her womb-but she is a sinner saved by the grace of God like any other woman. Mary knows she is a sinner. In Luke 1:47 she says, "my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." In verse 48 she is "His maidservant." If she is sinless why is she not God? Only God is sinless and perfect. The Catholic church has deified her as being perfect and sin free. Is it possible to follow God but have blatant disregard for the first two Commandments? The first Commandment God says we shall have no other gods-we do not pray to sinners who have died-saints and Mary. The second Commandment says, "you shall not have for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or is in the earth or beneath. You shall not kneel to them nor serve them." Exodus 20:3-5 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the light-no one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) That's it, Jesus is the only Way. You can not pray a loved one into heaven, you can not baptize a loved one into heaven, you can not be "good" and get yourself to heaven.

Jesus says, "See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in My name, and they will lead many astray." Matthew 24 Many churches use Jesus' name but they do not follow his Word. Following God's Word isn't a religion. One of the greatest paradoxes of religion is those who are the greatest enemies of God are those who act the most religious. Anyone who denies the gospels is a false religion. The pope says he is a representative of God. Does God need a representative? The pope is a sinning man like everyone else. He isn't holy. Why do we need intercession by anyone other than Jesus? We repent to God, only God can forgive us our sins-not priests. Many people are victims and participants in systems of religion designed by Satan who is disguised as an angel of light, is aided by demons who seduce people with damning doctrine, religion that people propagate for purposes of Satan. It goes for all the health and wealth, name it and pray it, faith healers that comes in the name of Christianity. Muslims and Jews think Christians are idol worshiping pagans because of the Catholic and Coptic churches and Eastern Orthodoxy.

We passed old Jewish burial tombs on the way to Megiddo.

This is what a tel looks like. This tel is a mound made of 26 layers of the ruins of ancient cities in the strategic location at the head of a pass through the Carmel Ridge over looking the Jezreel Valley from the west. Armageddon derives from Har Megiddo (Hebrew) meaning Mount of Megiddo. Har Megiddo was very important in the ancient world, it guarded the western end of a narrow pass and an ancient trade route which connected the lands of Egypt and Assyria. Megiddo and the battle fought here is mentioned in detail in Egyptian hieroglyphics on the walls of Thutmose III's temple. Megiddo was inhabited until 586 bc which is the time of the destruction of the First Temple leaving the ruins of that time undisturbed.

This is what the gate would have looked like at the time of Solomon.

This is the stairway leading up to the city to the left of the gate. Anyone caught outside after the gates had closed would make their way into the city through this entrance.

Our group going through what would have been the main gate. It was actually a triple gate.

Diagram of the various periods.

A significant excavation was this circular altar from the Canaanite period.

A grain pit from the Israelite period.

Dates.

The remains of stone mangers were found in the stables.

Diagram of the stables which could have held up to 400 horses. Probably from the time of Ahab.

There is a very cool water system. The water source was originally outside the city walls. In order to survive a seige a 120' deep shaft was dug which opens up into a tunnel bored through rock for 300' to the water source.

Pretty incredible considering the equipment they had to use.

Nazareth.

Mt. Tabor at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley west of the Sea of Galilee. It is the site of the battle between Barak and the army of Jabin during the judge Deborah in the mid 14th century bc. It is known as Har Tavor and the site which Catholiths believe to be the site of the transfiguration. Mt. Hermon, which is above Caesarea Phillipi as described in the bible is the actual Mt. of Transfiguration. At the bottom of the mountain the Via Maris passed from the Jezreel Valley northward to Damascus.

Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel. The majority of Arabs, 70%, are Suni Muslims. Arabs are legal citizens of Israel. In 1948, when Britain ended The Mandate, Arabs rejected the UN Resolution that would have created an Arab state, and Israel declared their Independence-Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria attacked Israel. A blockade was put around the 100,000 Jewish residents in Jerusalem. Hundreds of armored vehicles were destroyed and almost all who tried to supply the city were killed (we later drive on this supply route). Interestingly King Abdulla of Jordan was working both sides-as head of the Arab League and brokering secret deals with the Israelis promising not to attack in the hope of annexing the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The Arab world had grown suspicious of his good relations with the west and the Jewish leaders. In 1949 Israel signed separate armistices with Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The borders were known as cease fire lines or the "Green Line." The British Mandate was divided into three states, the Egyptian held Gaza strip, the Jordanian held West Bank and the State of Israel. Over 150,000 Arabs remained after the war. Some from the Gaza Strip and West Bank were able to procure Israeli citizenship by marring an Arab Israeli citizen. Arabs that hold Israeli citizenship are allowed to vote, hold office in the Knesset, receive full health care and Social Security benefits and are exempt from military service. Muslim Arabs enjoy religious freedom, have their own political parties-some even calling for conflict against Israel and not recognizing Israel as a state while enjoying full social benefits. I found long lists on the web of court cases claiming discrimination, not receiving sufficient sensitivity or desired social and economic benefits such as housing subsidies. How can one steak claims for full benefits against the very government they refuse to recognize? Muslim women in Israel have more rights than in any Arab nation-they enjoy the same status as men, Israeli law prohibits polygamy, child marriage, and female sexual mutilation. Arabs are allowed to retain their cultural and religious identity. Classes at schools in Arab areas are taught in Arabic. Their standard of living is far higher than what a minority would receive in an Arab country. I found more evidence for disparities being cultural differences.