Our Israel Trip: "This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased."

Departing the Sea of Galilee, we came to the baptismal site where millions of people have come to be baptized in the Jordan River. Although this is not considered to be the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, that place would be similar in appearance to this site and we can now better visualize that important event in Jesus' life. One cannot help being gripped by the diversity of the universal church at this site. There were disciples present from "every nation, tribe, people and language", drawn together in this one place by a common faith in Jesus Christ.

Believers preparing to be baptized

Muskrats!

As we entered the town named Bet She'an, little did we realize we were about to explore the largest archaeological dig in the world. The Bet She'an National Park extends to over 400 acres, a larger area than the Roman Forum or the ruins of Ephesus; twenty-seven layers of civilization have been uncovered. In I Samuel 31, we read that King Saul and his son Jonathan were killed on nearby Mt. Gilboa during a battle against the Philistine army. The Philistines then displayed the bodies of Saul and his sons on the Bet She'an city walls. The city was later taken by King David, along with Megiddo and Ta'anach, becoming an administrative center of the region during King Solomon's reign. About one-tenth of the Roman city's area has been uncovered today, including an amphitheatre, elaborate bath house, shopping mall, public lavatories, and a colonnaded street.

The Zodiac mosaic floor in the 6th century Synagogue at Bet Alfa.

Let me remind you of this great story. Gideon, one of the judges, was facing the Midianite army. In order to demonstrate His power in the battle, the Lord reduced Gideon's force from 32,000 to 10,000. He then used a test at this spring, the Spring of Harod, to further reduce Gideon's men from 10,000 to 300. The 300 were those who were vigilant as they drank from the water. Read Judges 7 to find out how this unusual victory took place.

Spring of Harod (Gideon's Spring)

Then we had lunch at Burger Ranch, an Israeli version of a typical American fast food restaurant chain. Service was pleasant, food was good, expectations met (except for ice and ketchup). Check out Burger Ranch at www.burgeranch.co.il.

Betty Scarbrough, Wyeth Luter, Wesley Brown, Billie Sheppard

Full Meal Burger Ranch Deal

Mary Beard

Ken & Billie Sheppard, Eddie & Wesley Brown

We continued our travels south on the "road of the valley" just west of the Jordan River. This would be the route that Jesus and His family would have walked when going from Nazareth to Jerusalem to attend Jewish festivals and Holy days. Below are some of the sites we saw along the way.