Hebrew Heritage Pastor’s Tour - November 2004

Visit the MTI web site for pictures highlighting the November 2004 Hebrew Heritage Pastor’s Tour.

Visit the photo gallery at www.farrells.org/photos to see the pictures taken by John & Donna Farrell and Linda Spafford.

Everyone got a wake-up call at 12:15AM and were expected to have their luggage downstairs and at the bus to depart from the hotel by 1:15AM. The bus ride to the Tel Aviv airport was about 45 minutes. The process of baggage checks, airline check-in and customs/passport checks went smoothly. We waited for an hour before boarding the aircraft to leave at 5:30AM for the four and a half hour flight to Frankfurt. The MD group had four hours between flights in Frankfurt so we walked around the airport as much as we could because we had an 8 hour flight ahead of us to Dulles.

We left Frankfurt about 30 minutes late because of a security issue (the pilot told the passengers that one passenger didn’t board after checking a bag so the bag had to be removed - the grapevine on the plane was that a passenger was removed from his seat because of a passport “issue” and then his bag had to be removed - so we ended the trip as it started but praise the Lord we got home safe and in good health) and arrived at Dulles about 30 minutes late.

The end of the trip (last 48 hours) was very tiring. From the time we got up Friday morning to finish the tour until we arrived home Saturday afternoon, we slept a couple hours Friday night in the hotel, a couple hours on the flight to Frankfurt and a few hours on the flight to Dulles. Combined with the jet lag from 7 hours time difference between home and Israel, it will take us several days to get rested and adjust to the time change… but it is all worth it for the experience and the memories of what we did and saw. Definitely a life impacting experience. We will return there one day - either in this life or the next… praise the Lord!

Our second day in Jerusalem started at the Pool of Bethesda, continuing to the Praetorium in the Fortress of Antonia, the site of the public trial and condemnation of Jesus. Then we visited the Church of the Holy Seplechure, where the orthodox churches believe Jesus was crucifed, entombed, and resurrected.

We walked around the city streets and shops again before heading off to Yad Vashem, the memorial to the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust - a very moving and difficult place to visit but a necessary visit to make. It is noteworthy that the Jewish population in Israel today is only slightly more than 5 million persons.

The afternoon ended at the offices of Ministry to Israel, where we were introduced to the staff and people being helped by the ministry. Their web site tells their story better than this blog could ever do: www.ministrytoisrael.org.

On Thursday evening, a young Russian Pastor, Mark, who has moved to Israel with his family, invited Pastor Chris and some friends, including Linda, Donna and John, to visit their home for the evening. It was a great time of fellowship and learning about each other. Mark has a new messianic church started in Jerusalem focused on Russian immigrants. We had a wonderful evening, and were taken to places where we could overlook Shalom Park and the City of Bethlehem. Pray for Mark, his family and his church.

Our tour of Jerusalem began at the Mt of Olives - the site of the Ascension and the cemetary of Jews buried facing the east wall of the city (with their feet pointed at the city awaiting the resurrection). Just below the Mt of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane with olive trees that are decendents of the trees when Jesus visited the Garden. The Church of Nations has been built at the bottom of Gethsemane, facing the eastern wall of Jerusalem and the moslem cemetary just outside the city wall. This was also the first experience with street vendors - children and adults - trying to sell merchandise or beg for money. The kids were all over us and were very persistent - we were warned to watch closely for pick-pockets - no one was picked that we know about.

For both Donna and John, the Garden of Gethsemane was the most impactful place we visited. We gained greater understanding that when Jesus cried for Jerusalem when he rode into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday, He cried for the suffering He knew was ahead for the Jews, who were seeking political freedom, not their spiritual freedom. As Christians, we are taught that He forsaw the suffering and destruction of Jerusalem during the first rebellion against Rome but we also have to believe He knew the future sufferings and destructions of Jerusalem - by the Muslems, by the Crusaders, by the Romans again, and on and on throughout time - and yet to come… Jerusalem is a city that has been conquered 42 times in history, and completely destroyed 4 or 5 times, to date… I felt God was telling me He cried for the city and future generations because He knew only His peace will bring peace to man and thus to this land… and His peace over the city and land will not come until all men - Jew and Gentile - declare Him to be their Lord and Savior.

We also gained an understanding that olive trees can never be destroyed. The trees on the Mt of Olives are grandchildren or great-grandchildren of the trees that were there 2000 years ago. Those trees were cut down by the Romans to use as firewood when they burned Jerusalem and the 2nd Temple. The Romans cut and burned the olive trees but the roots survived and sprouted new olive trees, which were also cut and burned by later destructions of the city - but the roots survived and sprouted into the trees that sprouted the trees we see today. The olive tree sprouts are called several things - one meaning is the word from which Nazareth comes. The olive tree is symbolic of the power of God in Israel - the tree of life for this land. We saw where the magnificant works of man were destroyed throughout this land, yet the works of God are restored from the land where He is rooted, and no power can destroy His works… praise the Lord.

The next stop was the model of the city built to depict Jerusalem at the time of the 2nd temple - when Jesus lived and where He was crucified. This is an extraordinary work showing the layout of the city in minute detail. For more information, visit http://www.inisrael.com/holyland/model.html.

We spent time walking around the streets and shops in the north end of the old city of Jerusalem. There was such a difference between the Jewish/Christian sections and the Muslem Arab sections. The former being clean and well lighted. The latter being dirty and dark - we could see the physical aspects and could feel the spiritual darkness covering these people… after seeing this ourselves, we understand the reality that the Middle East conflicts are between the powers of darkness and light, and we thank God for His grace upon us… pray for the light of Jesus to set those in darkness free.

It was at this time that our first rainy weather arrived. Rain and cold weather had been predicted but it held off until mid-afternoon, when we visited the Western Wall - where Jews and Christians come to pray - it is the closest part of the remaining wall to where the Holy of Holies part of the temple was located. The Jews believe the Spirit of God hovers over this part of the wall. Prayers are spoken here and written on papers wedged into the wall. Men and women pray in separate areas - men on the left, women on the right. Women back away from the wall after prayer so they do not turn their backs to God.

At dinner in the hotel, our group was invited to a time of worship with a messianic church group visiting from Denver, CO. They sang and danced with great celebration, and were gracious to teach us their dances and accept our stumbling around. Afterward, we found out they were professional dancers, known as the Israeli Celebration Dancers. They dance and pray in intersession for the nation of Israel. For more information, visit www.icdancers.org. The next day, we found them dancing outside one of the city gates in Jerusalem.

We left the Dead Sea, traveling North up the Jordon Valley, to visit Masada and Qumran before heading up to Jerusalem. Masada was the site where Herod built an escape palace - a site later taken over by Jewish zealots during the first revolt against Rome. Their battle and story against the Romans -including their decision to die at their own hand rather than be enslaved by the Romans - is legendary to all citizens of Israel - especially those in the Israel military. To reach Masada, one must take a cable car ride or hike a long, steep and narrow trail to a plateaued city. The Romans overtook the city by building a seige ramp from the west side.

In Qumran, we saw where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found and learned how scipture is the same today as it was originally written. The caves throughout the mountains in this area were used to hide manuscripts when the Romans put down the first Israeli rebellion.

On the way up to Jerusalem, we stopped at Genesis Land - a re-enactment of how Abraham lived when he first came to the Jordan desert. We experienced the hospitality Abraham would have offered visitors - washing hands, refreshments (water, tea and coffee) and dried fruit. It was here that Linda and Donna rode a camel to experience the means of transportation of the time of Abraham. Chris had taken a camel ride last year, and after that experience, all the men in the group opted not to try it.

We checked into the hotel in Jerusalem and shopped on Ben Yahuda street after dinner.

We again started the day at 6AM watching the sun rise over the Sea of Galilee and the Golan mountains - a beautiful sight. We left the Sea of Galilee region headed for the Dead Sea. Our first stop was at the Jordan River just below the Sea of Galilee for baptism services of rededication for Linda, Donna and John.

The bus traveled down the Jordan Valley toward the Dead Sea. We stopped along the way at Beit She’an where King Saul and Jonathan fell fighting the Philistines and where they were hung from the city gates. We spent time viewing excavations of a major Roman city destroyed by an earthquake - the city was one of the greatest pagan Roman cities in the land… yet it was suddenly and completely destroyed by an earthquake - probably at night because no human remains were found among the ruins - and covered by the dust of time - yet olive trees grew over the covered ruins - an example of how the work of God survives through time while the works of man don’t…

The trip down the Jordan Valley took us by and through armed military check-points and outposts - reminders of the unsettled conflicts between Israel and Jordan and the Palestinians. We bypassed visiting Jericho because it is strongly controlled by the Palistinians.

We arrived at the Dead Sea with time to swim in the water - where it is not possible to sink below the surface because of the high content of salt (33% salt compared to normal sea water at 4%) and other minerals.

We ended the evening walking through the shopping areas…

The day started at 6:15AM watching the sun rise over the Sea of Galilee - a sight that was surely the same for Jesus as it was for us. We first visited the Jesus Boat exhibit where the remains of a fishing boat from Jesus’ time was housed - quite a story by itself at www.jesusboat.com. From there, we went a short distance to the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus gave His Sermon the Mount. Also nearby was Capernum, where Jesus stayed at Peter’s mother-in-law’s home - the site of the first Christian housechurch.

From the shore of the Sea of Galilee, we traveled to the Golan Heights to see the military fortifications involved in the Yom Kippur War, which overlook Syria - a reminder of the realities of life in Israel today.

On the way back to the Sea of Galilee, we saw castles built by the crusaders and visited Caesarea Phillipi to see the Gates of Hell. The touring ended with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee in a boat built to replicate the Jesus Boat.

After dinner, the group walked through the city of Tiberius and continued our favorite activity - shopping.

The tour started at Caesarea Maritima (where Peter preached to Cornelius and where Paul appeared before King Agrippa prior to his final journey to Rome), then to Mt Carmel (where Elijah triumphs over the prophets of Baal), then to Megiddo (from where we could view the Valley of Armageddon [a.k.a. Har-Magedon], a.k.a. the Jezreel Valley, see Mt Moreh (where Jesus and Elijah each brought the dead sons of widows back to life), and see the base of Mt Gilboa (where Gideon’s army was chosen)), then to Nazareth (the boyhood home of Jesus, where we visited the Church of Annunciation built over the well where Mary would have come for water), and finally arrived at the Sea of Galilee hotel at dinner time.

In Nazareth, drinking water from the well is said to be blessed with pregnancy. Donna drank the water on behalf of our son, Dan, and daughter-in-law, Alicia, for the future… It is also noteworthy that Donna grew up in Nazareth, PA.

Megiddo was a site of 25 different cities spanning over 7000 years but it had been abandoned for several hundred years by the time Jesus lived in Nazareth. This was the place where it was understood that events in scripture are closely tied together physically as well as spiritually - and that when the “war of the great day of God, the Almighty” occurs in this region, that Nazareth is in the middle of it all. (Rev. 16:13-16) Not sure what that means but it is a physical reality.

We were told that 90% of what we read about in scripture ocurred in this region - over thousands of years. Nazareth is in the middle of everything - what a great location for Jesus to grow up - not a coincidence for sure. We learned that Nazareth was home to no more than 20 families - a town built to house workers building the nearby city of Sepphoris. Joseph lived in Nazareth and met Mary, who was from Sepphoris. Nazareth is now home to mostly Arabs.

We arrived in Frankfurt after a 7 hour flight and hustled to the flight to Tel Aviv with minutes to spare. Our introduction to the rest of the tour group was delayed until we arrived in Israel after a 4 hour flight from Frankfurt. The group introductions were at dinner, after which we walked on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea - Linda and Donna walked in the water and picked up shells and rocks to bring home. Tel Aviv is a modern city much like those of Southern CA on the coast.

The MD group departed Dulles International Airport at 8PM. The flight departure was 2 hours late because of security problems in the main terminal. Fortunately, we were already at the gate so we were only delayed - not hasseled by the problem, which our flight crew experienced. We had 2.5 hours between our scheduled arrival and departure to Tel Aviv, so we expected we would make the connecting flight - our first sign that God was taking good care of us.

This site is the travel blog for the Hebrew Heritage Pastor’s Tour from November 11 to November 20. The Tour group was 31 persons from the Church of God from MD, WV, TN, GA, AL, MS, WI, MI, and NE. The travelers from MD were Pastor Chris Reuwer, Linda Spafford, and Donna & John Farrell - all from Freedom Christian Church in Eldersburg, MD- www.freedomchristianchurch.com.

This blog tells a story that has just begun to be understood. The knowledge from these experiences is being added to each day. We will revise and add to these understandings as time goes forward. Join us in this endeavor by adding your comments where you feel appropriate… all to the honor and glory of God.