The palms on Tel Megiddo are the most striking sights on an important, once thriving ancient city. Archaeologists have discovered at least 25 strata of civilization on this Tel that has been unoccupied since the 4^th century BC.

"The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-Shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel." (Josh. 17:16)

We entered on the north side of the Tel through the Canaanite MB Gate. This recently opened entrance to Tel Megiddo is a powerful experience for Holy Land traveler.  Thorn, Jim and Brian are entering through the Gate. We toured the entire site. We saw the palace from the time of King Solomon, the grain silo, the strategic overlooks, the test cuts made by early archaeologists, and looked at King Ahab’s chariot stables. As with most archaeological finds, the mind has to fill in the gaps of sight. Our final sight was the water tunnel built by Ahab. It was a real engineering feat. It is 200 feet deep and 400 feet long to the water source outside the city.

General Allenby fought the Turks here in 1917. Revelation says that Armageddon, the last great battle, will be fought at Megiddo.

These ancient sites awe me. They bear testimony to the fact that things do change. The strategic location of Megiddo did not insulate those that lived there from the march of human events. New things, new ways came, and civilizations ceased to exist. People lived and worked here. Important people made their homes here. Change came. This world is continually in the process of change. Quiet ancient rocks warn us like the centuries old testimony of the Canaanite altar at the right.

Lunch was a welcome stop. We really enjoyed our meal at Megiddo. The patio was cool and the soup, hummus, pita bread, coffee, and other things were refreshing, filling and tasty. We had good fellowship around the table. Probably, we tarried longer than we should but enjoyed every moment.

The reverse view of this site looks over the mouth of the Jezreel Valley. The Valley runs west toward Tyre and Sidon and east toward Damascus and Mesopotamia. It was a strategic location that controlled the Way of the Sea.

We turned toward Afula, 6 miles east of Megiddo on hwy. 65 to continue our days activities. Our goal was Bet Shean but first we got lost in Afula. I generally do this. The streets aren’t well marked and the roads criss-cross and well, I generally get lost. But, not to fear, by watching the mountains and the direction I wanted to go I wound around until the desired road showed up.

We found the right road and took a quick trip north to the village of Nain. Jesus came here with His disciples and a large crowd, (Luke 7:11-15) and met a funeral procession for a woman’s only son. Jesus raised the man from the dead. This caused great fear in the people. We stopped on the road outside of Nain. We took pictures. Somewhere near where we were standing the Lord had reached into a lonely widow’s world and explained the angels proclamation to the shepherds of Bethlehem, "Fear not". I am grateful that when my day is muddled and the future is bleak, my Lord says to me, "Fear not". We were blessed on the side of the road outside of Nain. Jesus came to this place.

Bet Shean wasn’t far. (I know that I’ve spelled everything several different ways but that is the way they spell in Israel. Everyone has their own slant on how things should be spelled and there is no Webster there).

We passed Mount Gilboa on the way. The tragedy of Saul occurred there (1 Sam 28:4). This event reminds me that God is more interested in my obedience than in my sacrifice. Gideon also encamped with his troops near Mt. Gilboa at the Spring of Harod (Judges 7:1). Our drive to Bet Shean was by many other significant Old and New Testament activities.

Bet Shean is another ancient city that has been controlled by many different rulers because of its location on the trade route between Damascus and Egypt. It is a city located in a fertile area, literally surrounded by water. It is a natural location for a city.

The Roman Theater at Bet Shean is awesome. The magnitude of the building that the Romans did here is a testimony to the importance of this city.

Today, the archaeologists have reconstructed the Roman street and bathhouse. This is an impressive sight. Dr. Dennis Cole and students from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary participated in the Old Testament dig on the top of the Tel for several dig seasons.

Saul and Jonathan were hung on the walls of Bet Shean (1 Sam. 31:7). The temple of the Ashtaroths (1 Sam. 31:10) and of Dagon have been excavated here.

Shabbat would begin shortly and the site was closing at 3:30 p.m. We completed our tour and stopped at the concession stand for coffee and cold drinks. I think that this first day at Bet Shean was where the great devotion to Israeli ice cream began. A few members of our group, not naming Thorn, Steve, and Brian had a Mega-bar. The love affair began. I will add a picture of a Mega-bar on our January 10 trip.

The trip up the Jordan to Ein Gev took us about 45 minutes. It was a big transition from Bet Shean to the Sea of Galilee. We would spend three nights (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) at Ein Gev.

We all loved Ein Gev. It was quiet, clean and beautiful. Our cottages were roomy, neat and comfortable. They had a kitchen area and two bedrooms. It was delightful. The view of Tiberias was gorgeous.

I had arranged for us to have our evening meals at Nof Ginosar, 15 miles away on the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee. This popular kibbutz houses a boat from the time of Jesus and has very good food. The first night, this worked well except that Tom Brimmer forgot his insulin and had to run back to the cottage to get it. This took him an extra 45 minutes to make the round trip. The Friday night meal was excellent.

We ran into our Italian friends from Dor Holiday Village at dinner. The drive over and back gave us a chance to experience the Sea of Galilee at night and fellowship (although unnamed members of the group fell asleep).

I love to read scripture and pray on the Sea of Galilee. We had an opportunity to do this after our evening meal and early in the morning before breakfast.