Day 10- Mt. Carmel

View from Mt. Carmel

Today I took a bus from Joppa to Mt. Carmel, about an hour and a half away. It was a beautiful ride along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Mt. Carmel lies on the passage way of the International Highway, Via Maris. This road that I traveled on today has had significant travel upon it. Mt. Carmel acted as a barrier for those trying to get through to the Jezreel Valley. As I climbed to the top of the mountain, I could see beautiful, lush green land and a sea of blue water. It was beautiful. The biggest thing to happen on Mt. Carmel Biblically is the challenge presented by Elijah. The challenge was against Baal and Elijah said, "You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel" 1 Kings 18:18-19.

Day 9-Mediterranean Sea

Jaffa/Joppa

I left Jerusalem and now I am headed to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Tel Aviv. The first stop in Tel Aviv is the Bible Museum. This museum included paintings and sculptures, manuscripts, maps, photos and geographical history of the Bible. After the Museum, I went down the Mediterranean Sea.  This sea was spoken of throughout scripture, usually referred to as the "the sea" or "the great sea." While driving along the coast line, I stopped in Jaffa. The city of Jaffa, known as Joppa in the scripture, is joined with Tel Aviv and was one of the main sea ports for the Kingdom of Jerusalem. "And we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them in rafts by sea down to Joppa. You can then take them up to Jerusalem" 2 Chronicles 2:16.

Day 8- Jerusalem

Ruins of King's Palace

Hezekiah's Tunnel

Today we arrived in Jerusalem, the City of David. "David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him" 2 Samuel 5:6-10. Jerusalem was significant in the life of David. Here, David established the capital for united Israel. One of the historical sites I visited in Jerusalem was the remains of what is thought to be the king's palace. Mt. Zion, which looks over the City of David, was the next stop on the trip. King David was buried on Mt. Zion.  One of the coolest things in Jerusalem, or should I say under Jerusalem, is Hezekiah's Tunnel. This 1750 ft long tunnel is one of the greatest engineering pieces of that time. The tunnel was used to bring water into the city. "As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city..." 2 Kings 20:20.

Day 7- Jericho

Excavation sites in Jericho

Day seven started off early with heading north toward the Dead Sea and on into Israel. The stop of the day was Jericho. Jericho is significant in Biblical times for the place where the Israelites returned and the city in which Joshua fought in battle and destroyed the city. While in Jericho, I was able to visit some of the Archaeological sites. Jericho is one of the most excavated cities.  Archaeologist, Sellin, Watzinger and Kenyon have discovered the remains of what could possibly the wall that Joshua destroyed after he marched around the city seven times. 

Day 6- Amman and Mt. Nebo

Amman, Jordan



View From Mt. Nebo

 Today I am headed to Amman, the capital and largest city of Jordan.  Amman is one of the oldest cities and was known as Rabbath Amman in the Old Testament. It is here where King David army battled against the Ammonites and captured the city. "Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon and captured the royal city" 2 Samuel 12:26.  After visiting the old city of Amman, I took a bus to Madaba which is the city where the earliest Holy Land map was found.  From Amman I traveled to Mt. Nebo in the Moab valley. Mt Nebo stands tall in West Jordan and overlooks the Jordan Valley and onto the Dead Sea. According to the Bible, God gave Moses the Promised Land that He promised to deliver Moses and the Israelites to. "Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab" Deuteronomy 34:1-6.

Day 5- King's Highway

I am now in Jordan and headed north on the King's Highway. The King's Highway was a route of importance to the area of Transjordan that connected Damascus to Elath to Midian. The King's Highway is first mentioned in the Bible as the route Moses indented to follow (Numbers 20:17).  The highway winds through biblical lands and into the Ammonites' kingdom. The next stop along the King's Highway is Petra. Petra is an ancient city that has huge archaeological significance in history. Petra, the city built into the rocks, is mentioned in the Bible when mentioning Isaac, Esau, and Jacob. In Petra I got to ride a horse form the visitor's center to the entrance of Petra.

Day 4 Eilat and Aqaba

 Eilate

Today we left Mt. Sinai and headed north to the Red Sea, toward the city of Eilat, the southernmost city of Israel. The city borders two countries, Jordan on the East and Egypt to the south and west.   Eilat was a port town and was a location on major trade routes along the Red Sea. For over 3000 years, Eilat has been an important city. Moses and the Israelites passed through here (Deut. 2:8) and King Solomon made it a major port city (1 Kings 9:26-28). I visited tourist attractions along the bay of Eilate before we continued on to the Gulf of Aqaba nearby.  The Gulf of Aqaba is another location that many archaeologist believe was the place if the parting of the Red Sea. We listened to Archaeologists speak of recent findings in the 1970s of Ron Wyatt. These discoveries included chariot wheels that date back to 1400 BCE. We crossed the sea and are now in the city of Aqaba, Jordan.

Day 3 Mt. Sinai

Climbing up Mt. Sinai

My camel I rode part of the way

Mt. Sinai

Today at daybreak I embarked on a journey that is unforgettable. I had the opportunity to hike up Mt. Sinai. I chose to ride a camel part way, stopping at one of the stations to take in the scenery along the climb to the summit. At the summit of Mt. Sinai there is a small chapel to the Holy Trinity. This chapel was rebuilt in 1934 on the ruins of a 4th-5th century church. The interior of the chapel was decorated with styles that reflected the life of Moses. I got to enjoy a time of praise and unforgettable, breathtaking views of the Sinai wilderness. We read from the book of Genesis remembering that this is the place where Moses met the Lord in the burning bush and where he received the Ten Commandments.  "Then Moses rose early in the morning and went up Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him; and he took in his hand the two tablets of stone" Exodus 34:4.

Day 2 Exploring the wilderness

Day two began with a scenic tour of the Pyramids of Giza and then I traveled east in the wilderness of Egypt to the Sinai Peninsula. The wilderness of Egypt was the land traveled by the Israelites when Moses led them to the Red Sea. This wilderness is located between the Land of Goshen and the Red Sea. "So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea..." Exodus 13:18.  Some archaeologist site the place of the crossing of the sea at Suez Canal. Today we got to walk up and down a beach of the canal. West of the Suez Canal is the city of Succoth. It is here where Moses and the children of Israel camped together as they fled Egypt. We then crossed the Suez Canal via a tunnel that passes underneath the canal. I end my day traveling on a bus through the wilderness over five hours to reach our next destination: Mt. Sinai.

Day 14- The Return Home

Today my journey across the Biblical lands comes to an end.  I started and Egypt and followed the path of that Moses and the Children of Israel took as they fled to the Promised Land. I traveled through the Egyptian wilderness and to Mt. Sinai, to Eilat and on the King's Highway. I visited Amman, Jericho and Jerusalem. I swam in the Mediterranean Sea and climbed Mt. Carmel. The last part of my trip I visited the northern parts of the kingdom including Dan and Lebanon.  I visited archaeological sites across the Judah and Israel. I am sitting in the Tel Aviv Airport, Ben Gurion, getting ready to depart from the Holy Lands and head back to Dallas, Texas. I have had so much fun traveling across such ancient and historic times and seeing firsthand the places I read about daily in the Bible.

Day 13- Lebanon

Today was my last full day and I traveled to the northernmost part of the border of Israel, Lebanon to the Cedars of Lebanon. When mentioned in the Bible, Lebanon is referred to many times as the land of trees. King Solomon sent 30,000 workers to Lebanon, 10,000 per month, to obtain the cedar for the Temple (1 Kings 5:13-14). Today the land is still full of cedar and other trees. At the end of the day I traveled back to Jerusalem, the City of David. I had time to do some shopping and visit some more sites around the city.

Day 12 Dan and Mt. Hermon

Snow Capped Mt. Hermon

Yesterday I was in Hazor and today I traveled north to the City of Dan. Dan is located at the base of Mt. Hermon and is known for being the headwaters of the Jordan River.  Here is Dan I explored the gates of Dan that fortified the city. Later in the day I went to Mt. Hermon and hiked part of the mountain. Mt Hermon is the tallest mountain in the Israel borders and provides water from its snow capped tops. Many ancient temples have been found on the mountain.  Mt. Hermon served as the northern border for the Israelites Promised Land.

Day 11 Hazor

Six-chambered gate in Hazor

Just north of the Sea of Galilee is Hazor, the city that I visited today.  Hazor is the largest archaeological site in Israel. I accompanied a group of archaeologist today as they toured archaeological sites of the city.  These sites included stables and storehouses, homes and gates dating back to the time of Joshua. I visited the site where archaeologists have uncovered a six-chambered gate at Hazor, which is nearly identical in size and design to gates at Megiddo and Gezer.  Hazor is first mentioned in the Bible in Joshua 11.  One of the biggest victories for the Israelites was the taking over of Hazor; Joshua burned the city.

Day 1 Arriving in Egypt

Today I flew over land and oceans to reach this destination to start my journey.  My journey will begin with a tour of the route to the Promised Land, recounting the significant places along the way of the Exodus. I am in the land of Goshen the home to the Hebrews for hundreds of years before they fled. The Land of Goshen, also known as the Land of Ramesses contained the city of Ramesses which was a capital for pharaohs.