My Prayer in Israel

Before even going to Israel, I knew this was a special privilege. I'm humbled by the generosity that made this trip possible for my wife and me. We have served in ministry almost 21 years together and again and again I am brought to my knees in thankfulness to God for the love of his people who serve us in return.

In preparing for this trip I had one prayer. "Speak to me."

It's not that God can't speak to anyone anywhere, but the Holy Land is special. God picked that place and put his stamp in time and history by working through people and places to bring his plan of salvation to all. I did not want to miss what God needed me to see and hear from him in Israel.

There were three times in particular which God spoke to me loud and clear, not through audible words, but through the peace that only his Spirit brings.


At the Western Wall
On the Sabbath, we went to the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. We were encouraged by our guides to move among the Jewish people who were singing and praying at the wall. Men on the left and women on the right. We were assured we would be welcomed. Indeed we were. What a blessing to pray at the wall with fellow seekers of God. At the Wall, God spoke to me saying, "I love all my children." With his words, he put a love in my heart for the people of Israel like I've never known. This is complicated, because his children at the Western Wall do not know Jesus as their Messiah. But God reminded me, that though in my own sin, I reject him again and again, his love for me is steadfast. And so is his love for the children of Israel. And so I will pray for the people of Israel to know their Messiah, Jesus, someday.

The Western Wall of the Temple Mount

At En Gedi
The week prior to leaving, Bonnie and I shared our story of our son, Caleb, and his battle with cancer and passing. But we shared how God was with us at the moment of his passing and his presence gave us a peace that was beyond all sorrow. We also shared how special Psalm 63 was for us during this difficult time in our lives.

At En Gedi, we walked up the wadi where David hid when he life was being pursued by the jealous king, Saul. David's life had hit rock bottom, literally, for En Gedi is at the Dead Sea, the lowest physical point on earth. And yet in the depth of his despair, God was with him, lifting his spirit up to find refreshment and life. At En Gedi, when we saw the springs of water that nourished David and the sanctuary that he worshiped God in, we were once again blessed by God's presence, touching us and assuring us of his never-ending peace and love for us. As you read Psalm 63, imagine the barest of desert canyons and yet a spring flowing from the ground bringing life and refreshment to all who find rest at its waters.

Springs of En Gedi

Psalm 63

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.


Flying Home
The challenges of planting a church are beyond what I ever imagined, but the joy of seeing God move and show us he's got all things under his control are even more amazing. Therefore, as my thoughts turned toward home and the challenges that awaited me, God spoke to me, saying, "I will never fail you" through this special song. I love how visual this song is, as it sings about walking around Jericho and God fighting our battles for us. Yes, LORD, you've got this!!!

Do It Again (Elevation Worship)



Walking around these walls
I thought by now they'd fall
But You have never failed me yet
Waiting for change to come
Knowing the battle's won
For You have never failed me yet

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I'm still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You've never failed me yet

I know the night won't last
Your Word will come to pass
My heart will sing Your praise again
Jesus You're still enough
Keep me within Your love
My heart will sing Your praise again

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I'm still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You never failed

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I'm still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You never failed me yet

I've seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe, I'll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe, I'll see You do it again

Day 6-1: Tel Beersheba (The Biblical Negev)

Sheba in Hebrew means both "oath" and it's the number "seven." Therefore, Beersheba means "the well of the oath" or "the well of the seven." The town of Beersheba gets its name from a story from the life of our patriarch, Abraham. In Genesis 12 we read where God called Abraham to leave the land of Ur in Babylon and go to a "land that I will show you." With the calling came the great Abrahamic promise:

"And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing."  Genesis 12:2

So Abraham did what God asked him to do and he came to the geographical region in Israel known as the Negev he began to look for a place to settle. However, there were Philistines in the land who didn't like Abraham grazing his flocks in their fields or drinking out of their wells. So Abraham dug his own well, which is no small amount of work, mind you.  However, his well was seized by the servants of a Philistine named Abimelech.

25 When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized, 26 Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. 28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 30 He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this[c] may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” 31 Therefore that place was called Beersheba,[d] because there both of them swore an oath. 32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.  (Genesis 21:25-34)

Pictured below is most likely the well (or one just like it) that Abraham dug at Beersheba. This town is called "the well of the oath" or "the well of the seven" because it was here he dug his own well and then made a treaty (or oath) by giving seven ewe lambs to Abimelech to keep the well he dug as his own. This was the great length that Abraham had to go to in order to establish himself as a foreigner in a new land.

The Well at Beersheba

This well is 70 m deep (230 ft.). With a water source and God's blessing, of course, Abraham was able to establish his family and the city of Beersheba grew to about a population of 300 people with about 70 homes in Abraham's time. The 2nd Stratum of Tel Beersheba reveals the level of habitation during Abraham's lifetime (Iron Age).

Looking Down into Abraham's Well at Beersheba

Well Platform

 There's also a very impressive water cistern that feeds the town of Beersheba.

Water Cistern at Tel Beersheba

View of Tel Beersheba from Observation Tower

Model of Tel Beersheba in Foregrund

Four-Room Homes in Tel Beersheba

Demonstrating Columns that Held Up Second Floor of Home

Replica of Four Horned Altar - Beersheba Served as a High Place for Worship

Other things to note at Tel Beersheba are the following:

1. Casemate walls surrounding the city
2. The Outer Gate requiring two right turns and the main gate with guard rooms
3. The cellar building is built on bedrock, demonstrating the depth of loess soil (loess means "windblown")
4. The typical four-room houses. All exhibit the same plan: a room parallel to the street with an oven and stairs to the roof, two storage rooms separated by pillars, and a living room in the casemate wall.
5. The storehouses
6. The Four Horned Altar (replica)

Day 1-5: Tel Maresha (Guvrin Valley of Judean Lowlands)

The Guvrin Valley has a long and diverse history, illustrating the importance of the Shephelah as the buffer of the hill country to the coastal plain and highway. Tel Maresha is an ancient city in the Guvrin Valley. It was occupied in the Iron Age, Persian and Hellenistic period and was destroyed by the Hasmoneans in the end of the 2nd century BC. Rehoboam fortified the city as a storehouse and armory; Sennacherib conquered it in 701 BC. Egyptians used it as a place for slave trading and it became a Gentile city. It was then conquered during the Maccabean Period and its citizens were forced to be circumcised or be exiled. It is likely the birthplace of Herod the Great, so his family was one of that forced conversion. In AD 200 it was renamed Eleutheropolis and it became quite prosperous, even building an oval amphitheater for gladiator games.

The fame of the site is due to its thousands of man made caves, cavities, and tombs. The hard surface area (nari) provides a solid roof while the white chalk below is both easy to work with and easy to erode. Over the centuries, these caves were used for many things: raising pigeons, ritual bathing, tombs, olive presses, residential homes, water cisterns, and mazes.

About 20 ritual bathing caves have been found, dating to the Hellenistic period (3rd-2nd century BC), and is typical of Idumean purification methods. A ritual bathing cave would consist of a staircase and two small chambers.  Water was poured over the bather sitting on a seat in one of the chambers, while the person pouring the water from the other chamber would not see the bather. 

Also at this site are 80 bell caves, named for the shape that quarrying produced. Workers would open a small hole in the top and excavate downward. The radius increased as the pit descended, sometimes breaking into an adjoining pit. The chalk was exported to create mortar and plaster.


Columbarium
One of those incredible uses is the raising of pigeons (turtle-doves) in a columbarium for temple sacrifices in Jerusalem as well as for food and fertilizer. A columbarium is a massive cave with thousands of little pigeon roosts for nesting. The pigeon or turtle-dove was the minimum offering a poor family could make at the temple in Jerusalem, thus, Joseph and Mary offered two-turtle doves as a purification offering to the LORD for Mary having opened her womb. Therefore, the sacrificial system created quite an enterprise for such elaborate caves for pigeons to be raised.

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)

Columbarium Cave Entrance at Tel Maresha

Columbarium with Niches for Raising Pigeons (photo not mine)

Biblical Relevance of Maresha

When David was hiding from Saul, he hid in the caves of the Guvrin Valley. David writes how these caves are his "rock" and "fortress." In the past, I always imagined rock walls that would rise up to protect David, but in this case, they are rock hewn caves in which he hides. David also writes how these pits becomes snares for his enemy to fall into, as literally, there were thousands in the area and one had to really be careful when walking through the area.  Approximately eight Psalms speak of David writing in caves like these. (Psalm 7, 17, 31, 34, 22, 52, 57, and 59.) Psalm 31 is a great example of David's experience.

Psalm 31:1-2

1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;    let me never be put to shame;    in your righteousness deliver me!2 Incline your ear to me;    rescue me speedily!Be a rock of refuge for me,    a strong fortress to save me!

In Joshua 15:44 Maresha is listed as being in the fourth of ten administrative districts of Judah.

In 2 Chronicles 11:8 we read how Rehoboam built fortifications at Maresha. The remains of these ancient walls are still visible today.

In 2 Chronicles 14:8-15 King Asa of Judah takes his stand at Maresha against the army of Cush.

In Micah 5:15 Micah prophesies a conqueror coming against Maresha. 



Sidonian Burial Caves
On the east side of Tel Maresha are the Sidonian Burial Caves, an extraordinary rock-carved and hand-painted burial complex. It belonged to Phoenician traders from Sidon that settled in southern Judea after Alexander the Great’s conquests (332 BC). The structure is named after Apollophanaes, who was the leader of the Sidonian community in Maresha.  His family tomb was carved out in the 3rd century BC, and was used for burial of several generations.

Sidonian Burial Cave

Above the southern sarcophagus chamber, on the transverse of the flat door frame, is an important Greek inscription which reads: 

"Apollophanaes, son of Sesmaios, thirty-three years chief of the Sidonians at Maresha, reputed the best and most kin-loving of all his times: he died, having lived seventy-four years".

The  inscription explicitly names the name of the city Maresha, thus establishing an accurate identification of the city.

To the right of the sarcophagus chambers, on the south wall, are illustrations of a hippopotamus and a crocodile, while two large fish are on the right side.  The Greek inscription reads:

"(grave) of Apollodoros, son of Zabbaios. Let nobody touch this, and if he will not hearken, then may not his (grave) rest undisturbed. In the year 117 on the 30th of Panemos".

Day 1-4: Tel Shaaraim (Elah Valley of Judean Lowlands)

The Valley of Elah

Shaaraim sit in the valley of Elah where the famous battle between David and Goliath occurred. The valley of Elah is a triangle shaped flat valley, located on the western edge of the Judah low hills. Its Hebrew name, Elah, is named after the Terebinth (Pistacia Palaestina) tree. This valley was an important corridor from the coast cities, up to the center of the land Judah and its cities - Bethlehem, Hebron and Jerusalem.

Panoramic Photo of the Valley of Elah

Tel Shaaraim

It was only recently, however, that the city of Shaaraim (also, She’arayim) was discovered when a tourist stumbled upon a second gate to the city. She’arayim means “two-gates” which was a very unique concept for any city since the weakest siege point of any city is its gate. Cities only had 1 gate because of the gate was the most vulnerable part of a city wall.

The 1st city gate of Shaaraim.

Our group is standing in the 2nd city gate, which was discovered by a tourist.

The city of Shaaraim is one of the cities of the tribe of Judah.

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans. 35 ... Shaaraim... 36 ... fourteen cities with their villages. (Joshua 15:20, 35, 36)

It is also mentioned in 1 Chronicles, as part of the list of cities occupied by the tribe of Simeon, who co-shared cities with Judah until the reign of David.

31 The sons of Simeon  ... at Bethbirei, and at Sha'araim. These were their cities unto the reign of David".  (1 Chronicles 4:31)

The city also appeared in the Biblical account of the aftermath of the battle between David and Goliath of Gath. According to the Bible, Sha'araim is located near the place of the battle in the valley of Elah.

And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. ( Samuel 17:52)

Archaeologists have found only one Iron Age phase, dated to the early Iron IIa period (1000-925 BC) - the times of Judean Kings David and Solomon.

Sha'araim was probably the largest Iron age IIa city in Judea, and was abandoned during the end of the Iron age IIa - at about 925BC. It came to an end in a sudden destruction. The reasons for the destruction was either by war, earthquake or other reasons.

David and Goliath

In the valley of Elah was the great battle between young David and the Giant Goliath, who settled the war between the Israelites and the  Philistines by a single combat between the two champions of each side.

The battle happened at about 1010 BC ,after the Philistines attempted to push along the valley of Elah towards the heart of the kingdom of Judah. King Saul and his Israelite army blocked them, facing the Philistines at Sochoh in the center of the valley.

The Philistine giant, Goliath of the nearby city Gath, challenged the Israelites to fight him in order to determine the  fate of the battle, but no Israelite soldier dared to take this challenge. Only the young David, an untrained shepherd who came to assist his elder brothers, bravely volunteered for this fight.  The two camps watched the fight on both sides of the valley.
 
To summarize the battle:  David, with just 5 stones and a sling, faced the giant Goliath which was heavily armed. The young shepherd, drawing his strength from his faith in God, shot the rock into the center of the giant's forehead, knocking him down, then took his sword and cut of his head.  Israel wins, chasing the Philistines out of the valley of Elah. Here is the fascinating Biblical account from 1 Samuel.

The battlefield is described.

1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. (1 Samuel 17: 1-4, 50)

Goliath, the Philistine giant from the city Gath (located about 10km downstream), is heavily armed.

5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. (1 Samuel 17:5-7) 

Goliath challenges King Saul's soldiers.

8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” (1 Samuel 17:8-10)

No Israelite soldier was brave enough to fight Goliath.

11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. (1 Samuel 17:11)

Only David took the challenge.

32 And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” (1 Samuel  17:32)

David refused to be armed, taking only 5 stones and a sling.

38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:38-40)

David approached Goliath, who mocked him.

41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.”  (1 Samuel 17:41-44)

David speaks with the courage of the LORD.

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47)

David kills Goliath.

48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. 51a Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. 1 Samuel 17:48-51a)

Israel routes the Philistines.

51b When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. (1 Samuel 17:51b-54)

Day 1-3: Tel Bet Shemesh (Sorek Valley of Judean Lowlands)

We stopped at Tel Beth Shemesh to get a hilltop view of the Sorek Valley which is part of the Shephelah (lowlands) just south of the Aijalon Valley.  Beth Shemesh means “House of the Sun” and that suggests that the Canaanites worshiped a sun-god here. The Bible mentions Beth Shemesh nearly two dozen times, including the description of the northern border of the Tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:10-11) and as a Levitical city in the territory of Judah (Joshua 21:16).

The Sorek Valley (in April 2018)

Situated at the geographical, political and cultural border, as well as the meeting point between Canaanites, Philistines and Israelites, Beth Shemesh was the scene of great historical events and cultural changes. It is therefore an ideal site for the investigation of key historical and cultural issues relating to the vexed relations and interaction between these three peoples. Beth Shemesh served as an administrative center for Solomon because of its strategic location along the International Coastal Highway. The tel itself covers about 7 acres. 

Tel Beth Shemesh (in January 2015)

In Joshua 5-6 we read how the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, but when they realized that the ark brought them nothing but trouble, the Philistines decided to return it to the Israelites and sent it to Beth Shemesh.

Imagine the Ark of the Coveneant sitting atop a cattle-drawn cart, traveling from the Philistine town of Ekron in the west through the Sorek Valley to Beth Shemesh. Just as you stand here, so would the people of ancient Beth Shemesh have stood, watching the Holy Ark as it approached the town.

Panoramic Photo of the Sorek Valley

The Biblical Account of the Return of the Ark

Joshua 5 - The Ark is Captured by the Philistines

1 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. 

6 The hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.” 8 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. 9 But after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” 11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.  

Joshua 6 - The Ark is Returned to Israel

1 The ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place.” 3 They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you.” 4 And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 5 So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land. 6 Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had dealt severely with them, did they not send the people away, and they departed? 7 Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them. 8 And take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart and put in a box at its side the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as a guilt offering. Then send it off and let it go its way 9 and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, to Beth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence.” 

10 The men did so, and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they put the ark of the LORD on the cart and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors. 12 And the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh along one highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh. 13 Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it. 14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there. A great stone was there. And they split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. 15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was beside it, in which were the golden figures, and set them upon the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on that day to the LORD. 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron.  

17 These are the golden tumors that the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron, 18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and unwalled villages. The great stone beside which they set down the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.  

19 And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the LORD. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great blow. 20 Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?” 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to you.” 

Betg Shemesh, which controlled the northern approach to Judah, was at one time of great strategic importance. It was also prosperous enough to have been one of 12 chosen cities to provide food for King Solomon and his immense family (1 Kings 4:9).

But Bet Shemesh has another claim to fame as well: it was here that a battle took place between Amazia, King of Judah, and Jehoash the king of Israel.

It seems that after Amazia defeated 10,000 Edomites, he was feeling pretty arrogant. So he challenged Jehoash, the King of Israel to a fight. Using an interesting parable about a Lebanese thistle and a Lebanese cedar, Jehoash tried to talk him out of what he believed would end up in disaster for Judah.

When Amazia wouldn’t listen to reason, Jehoash attacked. “So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh. . .” Judah was routed by Israel and “every man fled to his home.” Every man that is, but Amazia, whom Jehoash took prisoner (2 Kings 4:11-13).


During the 8th century BC, the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh engaged in olive oil production. Remains of olive crushing basins, oil presses and stone weights, all used in the process of oil extraction, were found in the buildings by all three expeditions excavating at the site.

Beth Shemesh was destroyed by the Assyrian king Sennacherib in his campaign against Judah in 701 BC, and abandoned. But in the 7th century BC some Judean families returned, refurbished the water reservoir and lived for a while in its vicinity. Many pottery vessels, broken while drawing water, remained embedded in the thick layer of silt accumulated at the bottom of the reservoir.

This attempt by Judean families to settle in Beth Shemesh once more was resented by their Philistine neighbors and/or the ruling Assyrians. This was due to the fact that the Shephelah was wrenched from Judah by the Assyrians and given to the Philistines so they could use its agricultural yield for the tremendous olive oil industry that emerged at the Philistine mega-city of Ekron. To ensure the abandonment of Beth Shemesh, the entrance to the reservoir was deliberately blocked with 150 tons of earth and debris. The long-lived border town of Beth Shemesh was now left in ruins forever.


Unfortunately, we also read of the internal skirmishes when the kingdom is divided and King Jehoash of Israel defeated King Amaziah of Judah here. These internal skirmishes made them even more vulnerable to their enemies. (1 Kings 14:1-14) If only the kingdom would remain united in fellowship and faith.

Day 1-2: Tel Gezer (Aijalon Valley of Judean Lowlands)

At Tel Gezer we learned how controlling this city provided the most strategic control of access to Jerusalem. When Joshua conquered Canaan, his conquest began from the backside or the north side of Israel. The first city he conquered was Jericho, of course, but he continued to drive the Philistines out of the Promised Land, through the Central Benjamin Plateau, down the Aijalon Valley and as far as Gezer. Because Gezer is a high place, it remained a watchpost for the valley.

Panoramic View of Tel Gezer

It was in the Aijalon Valley where God rained down hailstones to kill the Philistines so recognizing how great a day this was, Joshua prayed and God made the sun and moon stand still to Joshua’s army could finish their conquest. (Joshua 10)

When the Philistines heard that David was anointed King, they attacked Israel, perhaps because he was the one who had killed their champion, Goliath, or perhaps thinking that this new king wasn’t skilled yet in warfare. But God was with David and he too defeats the Philistines all the way back to Gezer. (1 Samuel 5:25)

Solomon received the city of Gezer as a dowry in a political alliance with Egypt. (1 Kings 9:16)

At Gezer we saw the remains of Solomon’s famous 3 chambered gate design. This is one of three locations where this gate design can still be seen today. The other two locations are Tel Hazor and Megiddo.

Solomon's Three Chambered Gate

Ten monoliths were set up about 1800 BC and scholars believe these were erected to serve as a venue where alliances between ten tribes or city states were forged or renewed. This is a similar concept to the LORD's instructions to Moses in Exodus 24:4-6.

Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar.

10 Monoliths

Evidence of child sacrifice has been discovered and the altar still remains.

Altar for Child Sacrifices

We also saw evidence of the great stone tower built in the 17th century BC. It was 50’ wide and linked to a 14’ wide wide and the city gate. It's difficult to see, however, from the photo below, but it's the best one I have of the tower area.

Tel Gezer

Tel Gezer also has the largest and oldest water system in the ancient Near East. We climbed down a flight of stairs to look deep into the system. The water system is comprised of a keyhole-shaped entrance measuring 26 feet high and 15 feet wide, a long shaft stretching down at a 38-degree slope and a basin for water collection. Over the course of the excavation, the archaeologists have removed over 550 tons of thick, rock-filled mud and have dug about 145 feet underground. But it is estimated that perhaps another 550 tons of mud would need to be removed to get to the bottom of the system.

Tel Gezer Water System

In 2017, a team of archaeologists in Israel unearthed the human remains of three individuals, almost 3,200 years after its catastrophic destruction by the ancient Egyptians. Excavations at the site have revealed enough evidence that appears to verify the speculations of historians that Pharaoh Merneptah invaded and eventually destroyed Gezer in the 13th Century BC. The heavy destruction suggests that the Egyptian pharaoh encountered much resistance from the Gezerites.

3,200 Year-old Remains Discovered at Tel Gezer

Day 1-1: Aijalon Valley Overlook at Canada Park (Judean Lowlands)

Our faith steps begin with getting a good understanding of the layout of the lowlands of Judah  (Shephelah), which consist of a series of five east to west valleys to the west of Jerusalem. Today we traveled to high places (literally, but more on that later) to overlook these valleys and their significance to the land.

The Aijalon Valley, pictured below, runs east (right) to west (left). The hills to the east lead up the valley to Jerusalem and if you travel down the valley you'll enter the coastal plains.

The Aijalon Valley

Because Judah and the area of Jerusalem is so hilly, the people of Israel had to come down into the valleys to farm. This presented many challenges related mostly to their security. Down along the Mediterranean Sea ran the International Coastal Highway, running South to Egypt and North to Damascus. Along the coastal plains lived the Philistines. For the most part, life was safer up in the hills, but Israel had to control the lowlands too in order to grow crops. Therefore, conflict with the Philistines and Egyptians was a constant threat. 

Most of our sites today were tels or mounds from the different layers of civilizations. There are over 37,000 tels in the Holy Lands, so yes, this place is incredibly rich in the history of ancient civilizations.

Arrival

After a short layover in Istanbul, we boarded our plane to Tel Aviv (pictured below). We landed in Tel Aviv around 4pm on the 11th. Tel Aviv is the modern city of ancient Joppa from the Bible, the land of the Philistines. From Tel Aviv our bus took us from the green fertile lowlands up into the Judean hills where we will be staying for a few days. Everything in the lowlands and Shephelah is so green. The hills have forests and in many places have been terraced for small growing plots. The ground is a hard limestone, excellent for building. 

We had a short orientation, helping us once again understand  the geography we’d just seen with the mapping we’ve been doing. 

We were also introduced to the basic methodology of how we will be learning throughout this trip. Basically there are three parts: (1) Events, (2) Concepts, and (3) Personal Appropriation. 

1. Our Judeo-Christian faith is first and foremost based in Events (not on sacred writings like most religions). This is significant because these events reveal to us a personal God who works through human agency. He made us. He provides for us. He protects us. He became the incarnate Son of God and dwelt among us. These are actual events, rooted in history first, recorded in Scripture as concepts second. 

2.  As the events are recorded in Scripture they become concepts for us to believe and by which we develop our systematic theology. For example, as the Israelites entered into the promised land, we read the events of how God fought their battles for them. In Joshua 10:11 God kills more with hailstones than the Israelites did by sword. The concept or belief we draw from this are things like “the battle belongs to the Lord” or “trust in the Lord and not in horses or chariots.”

3. Personal Appropriation is about applying the events and concepts to my personal life. Most people want to skip right toward personal application, but faith development is much richer than that. Time and time again we may hear encouragement like “Don’t worry about tomorrow. Trust in the Lord.” But without events and concepts to build upon, the words are shallow. Like God’s people throughout all of history, God is working in real time, in our story. So faith comes as we read these events and see how God has always cared for His people in the past, believe that he cares for me too, and then I can apply that to my present circumstances. 

There is a beautiful cognitive progression both in childhood development but also in faith development with this learning method. For example, a child literally has no concept what it means to “trust in the Lord.”  Cognitively, it’s just too abstract to comprehend. In fact, that cognitive ability isn’t fully realized until around the age of 25. Why? Because through life events a person is learning concepts such as trust to come to a place in life where he or she can actually apply these belief systems personally. So faith development begins first with learning the story. God’s Word is a story. His story of salavation in real time and place for every generation. 

Shalom

(Yes, I’m posting this at 5am because I’m wide awake. My internal chronometer has not yet adjusted to the Isaraeli time zone.)

Homework

Bonnie and I have been doing homework in preparation for our trip to the holy lands. Our homework consists of hours and hours of napping (I wish - gotta love voice recognition), mapping so that we understand the geography of the biblical narrative. We also have videos to watch and reading from Josephus. Getting excited. 

Welcome to Faith Steps

Faith Steps with Clint & Bonnie

Scriptural Insights from Our Journey through the Holy Lands

Trip Dates:  April 9-25, 2018

Please join Bonnie and I as we go on a journey together and take Faith Steps in the Holy Lands. We begin by praising the Lord for the incredibly generous gift from an anonymous servant of the Lord who has blessed us with the trip of a lifetime. It's been my dream for the last 20 years to visit the Holy Lands. I remember how early on in my ministry I was blessed by the ministry videos of Ray Vander Laan and how he brought the Scripture to life by teaching God's Word in its very context. Now, as a gift to celebrate the 20th year of my ordination, Bonnie and I will be traveling to the Holy Lands to begin work on my DMin. It's my goal to be able to bring the Scripture to life with a deeper understanding of the context of each site we visit.

So please journey with us as we hope the insights we share will bless you and your Faith Steps.