Tim Ede s 2015 Israel Trip Blog Faith Lutheran Church Andover, MA February 2015
Follow our congregation member Tim Ede and his son Ted while they traveled to Israel.
Table of Contents Day 1 - Jerusalem... 1 Day 2 - Jerusalem... 3 Day 3 - Old Jerusalem... 5 Day 4 - Amir, Masada, and the Dead Sea... 9 Day 5 - Nazareth... 12 Day 6 - Looking Back... 15 Day 7 - Caesaria Philippi... 17 Day 8 - On to Capernaum... 19 Day 9 - The Golan Heights... 22 Day 10 - The River Jordan... 24
Day 1 - Jerusalem Tim Ede, February 17, 2015 Today my son Ted and I begin a vacation In Israel. But for me I like to think of it as a pilgrimage. No, we are not walking hundreds of miles, but I hope to have an intense spiritual component every day. Just a few of my goals is to pray in the Garden, meditate by the River and give thanks on the Hill. This morning we visited the Garden of Gethsemane. We walked down steep slope of the Mount of Olives. That steep path was the path that Jesus road into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. At the bottom of the hill is the Garden. We had brief worship service with ample time to pray. Wonderful moment! Thanks be to God. Looking across the valley at the Mount of Olives 1 T im Ede s Israel Trip
2 T im Ede s Israel Trip Garden of Gethsemane
Day 2 - Jerusalem Tim Ede, February 18, 2015 Today was quite different than expected. We visited the old city of David, which is not Bethlehem. King David built his palace just below Mt. Mariah with spectacular views of Mt. Zion the Kidron valley and the Mount of Olives. We then visited the Church of St. Peter which is built on top of the cave where Jesus was held in jail before His crucifixion. It is one of the places that historians have very high degree of certainty that the location is correct. That thought made the visit even more significant for me. The church dome is adorned with a rooster wind vane to remind us how easily we can deny Jesus no matter how certain we are that we would never do that. We visited Oscar Shindler's grave where a violinist who is traveling with us played the theme from the movie. It was very moving and provided me an exceptional venue to just sit and meditate for a few peaceful moments. 3 T im Ede s Israel Trip
For me, the highlight of the day was a journey to the desert where Jesus spent 40 days and nights praying and denying satan. I was awe struck by the view and felt the need to steal quietly away from the others to kneel and pray, so I did exactly that! The food is good, lots of fresh fruits and delicious bagels and eggs for breakfast but I haven't found the bacon table yet. Off to the old city tomorrow and visit the Temple and Western Wall. 4 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Day 3 - Old Jerusalem Tim Ede, February 19, 2015 Today was the most rewarding day so far... The Old City of Jerusalem is packed with historical sights of ancient Jewish history and places that were significant to the events of Holy Week. We walked on the Via Dolorosa following the footstep of our Savior while carrying the cross. I prayed to The Lord that He would always help me to follow His ways. It seemed the most natural thing at the time but as I walked I was reminded just how hard that was going to be! Then of course I remembered the promise of forgiveness and redemption. Words of gratitude and joy raced through my heart punctuated with exclamation points. The precise location of many events during Holy Week is uncertain because of the constant rebuilding of Jerusalem over the past 2100 years. One such uncertainty is the actual burial site of our Lord. The Roman Catholic Church claims that the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the exact site of His crucifixion and burial. That sight was chosen by the wife of Emperor Constantine during her visit to the Holy Land in the late fourth century, so you have to ask yourself "how likely is this to be correct?" It is a beautiful and moving edifice but its location doesn't fit the Biblical description. We later visited the "Garden Tomb" site which many archeologists and scholars now believe is the true sight of crucifixion and burial tomb of Jesus. There is a cliff behind the garden where the shadows created by small caves clearly formed the image of a skull. You will recall that Golgotha means "place of the skull". I have included a photo that doesn't show the image as clear as it really is. Also in the Garden is an empty tomb that looks very much like the tomb described in the Bible. It even has a grooved channel in front of the entrance to guide a stone to seal the tomb. At this place I was moved to give thanks for the "gift" God gave us here. 5 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Look to the right edge of the cliff for the image of the skull At the end of the day we visited the Western Wall which is one of the most Holy places in all of Judaism. Tradition calls for placing prayer written on paper into a crevice in the wall. I placed a prayer for my friend Steve who is suffering from cancer. Tomorrow, we visit Masada and swim in the Dead Sea. 6 T im Ede s Israel Trip
A washing fountain to wash your hands before praying at the wall 7 T im Ede s Israel Trip
8 T im Ede s Israel Trip Placing Steve's prayer
Day 4 - Amir, Masada, and the Dead Sea Tim Ede, February 20, 2015 Our guide is a man named Amir Tsarfati. He is completely dedicated to God, Israel and his family. He is a Jew who has accepted Christ in his heart. He is a former intelligence officer in the Israeli army and served as Deputy Governor of Jericho before it was turned over to Palestinian control. He is very learned and has wonderful knowledge and understanding of the both the new and old Testaments of the Bible. Ted and I have grown to like him very much. He has a very active web site www.beholdisrael.org. Amir and Tim We visited Masada. It is a fortress atop a mesa shaped mountain 1300 feet high overlooking the Dead Sea. It was built by King Herod. History tells us that the Romans captured the fortress in 73 AD. It took 15,000 troops nearly a year to finally reach the summit. When they arrived they found 960 had chosen to die rather than be enslaved by the Romans. Their heroic story is legendary in Israel. Today Masada is the name of 9 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Israel's Intelligence Agency. The views from the top were spectacular! The Dead Sea is below sea level and the top of the mountain is at sea level. After Masada we went for a swim in the Dead Sea. Wow, what an experience that was. The water was comfortable warm especially since the air temperature this time of year has a high in the mid-60 s. Wading in was difficult because the bottom is very irregular mud. Sometimes your foot can sink 10-12" into the mud and be difficult to extract. The good news is that if you stumble or fall you will simple bob to the 10 T im Ede s Israel Trip
surface like a cork. The water is so buoyant that you can float on your back with both arms and legs in the air and not sink. It is a very strange sensation. It is very difficult to get your feet back on the bottom because your legs just want to keep on floating! I paddled back to shallow water and finally managed to stand up. I'm glad I did it. Would I do it again? I don't think so! Tomorrow it is north to Nazareth and Capernaum. 11 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Day 5 - Nazareth Tim Ede, February 22, 2015 Today we traveled from Tiberius across Galilee to Nazareth. There we visited an old site typical of a home were Jesus grew up. The site has been restored by the YMCA. There were goats and sheep roaming freely. I had my picture taken with my friend Cynthia. Tim and Cynthia There were many people dressed in costumes of the day demonstrating the daily activities such as sheepherding, olive pressing and of course carpentry. The site was saved and recreated because it had a wine press carved out of a large rock and a lookout tower as described in Mark CH.12. 12 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Carpenter's Table in Nazareth What struck me the most is how far and how difficult it must have been for Jesus to walk from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee. It took 30 minutes on a bus so it must have been at least 15 miles over rocky hilly terrain to where most of Jesus' teaching occurred. 13 T im Ede s Israel Trip
We spent time on the Hill of the Beatitudes reflecting on the word of The Lord and all that happen there. It was a moving and powerful experience! As I mentioned previously, I came on this trip hoping for spiritual experiences to strengthen my faith. This was one of those experiences. 14 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Day 6 - Looking Back Tim Ede, February 25, 2015 We were leaving Nazareth after visiting the restored site that was similar to the living conditions when Jesus was there. Upon reflection I didn t have the emotional uplift that I had experienced when in Jerusalem. I began to think back upon all the things we had seen and done in Jerusalem. Especially the highlights; the walk down the Mount of Olives, the reflections in the Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden at the Tomb near Golgotha. As we drove along quietly looking out the window at the passing villages and orchards my mind kept returning to the tomb. I remember it well. For the next day and a half, every time things were quiet, my thoughts would return back to the tomb in the garden. What was it? There is a photo below showing the entrance to the tomb. Not much look at really, just a small doorway in a limestone wall. The tomb is not very big; about the size of a small bathroom. There is room inside for about four or five people standing elbow to elbow to look at the hewn slab where Jesus was laid to rest. Even though photography was permitted inside the tomb, I chose not to take pictures. It was just an empty tomb. A tomb carved out of the soft limestone so common in Israel. Just an empty tomb. 15 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Then it struck me. THE TOMB WAS EMPTY! Of Course, that s what it is all about. What is the meaning of the sacrifice, if the tomb wasn t empty? How could His Church seed be planted and grow for 2000 years, if the tomb wasn t empty? What reason would 2 billion people have to worship God thru Jesus Christ, if the tomb wasn t empty? For the rest of the trip and the rest of my life I will be glad that the tomb was empty? Next Caesaria Philippi 16 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Day 7 - Caesaria Philippi Tim Ede, February 26, 2015 Caesaria Philippi is located North of the Sea of Galilee. There are three tributaries, which flow from the mountains just north of Caesarea Philippi in the city of Dan which merge together to form the river Jordan. The word Jordan literally means from Dan. This picture shows one of the streams, which flows down from Mount Hermon. Caesarea Philippi is known as the location where Jesus informed His disciples of the passions he was about to endure in Jerusalem. There is a flat section in the stream in which a small pond has formed. It has been designated as the site to commemorate what happened here. It is as moving as it is beautiful. 17 T im Ede s Israel Trip
It is important to understand that the exact site of many biblical occurrences is either uncertain or unknown. This has been troublesome to many Christian pilgrims as they are anxious to walk exactly where Jesus has walked. At first, I too was troubled but soon realized that the message was important, not the exact location. 18 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Day 8 - On to Capernaum Tim Ede, February 27, 2015 Capernaum, also known as Christ s own City is the city where Jesus did most of his preaching and performed most of his miracles. It is the home of Simon Peter and is thought to be the site of the Sermon on the Mount. The mountain, also called the Mount of the Beatitudes. It has a natural theatre shaped section in the hill, which would aid in the ability of the 5000 to hear Him. The Romans later constructed a semi-circular theater on the site, pictured here. We listened to a cleric who explained to us that the Greek word for blessed is makarios which also means happy. Imagine if the Beatitudes used the word happy instead of blessed. Upon further reflection I would be very happy to receive any of the gifts promised in the Beatitudes. We visited the sight of the ruins of Simon Peter s house. There is a circular church structure built over the ruins with a glass window in the center of the floor that allows you to see down into the ruins. It is highly likely that Jesus spent many days and nights there with Peter. 19 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Capernaum was subject to Christ s Judgment, and all that remains is the ruins of a Synagogue. This picture shows the capital of a Corinthian pillar from that synagogue with an unusual ornamentation. About a mile south of Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee, is a small fishing village named Tabgha. The harbor here is fed by seven warm water springs, thus attracting 20 T im Ede s Israel Trip
fish abundantly. On this site a small chapel was erected in the 4 th century called The Church of Saint Peters Primacy. The Bible tells us that it was here that Peter finally recognized that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus then named Peter as the Rock upon which I will build My Church. It seemed certain to me that Jesus must have been here many times and I must confess I fell victim to the feeling that standing exactly where Christ stood has a powerful spiritual affect. I felt compelled to go into the church and offer a prayer of thanks for the life of Simon Peter. The name Peter comes from the Greek word petros or stone. Petra is Greek for large rock but it is feminine in gender. This has led to centuries of disagreement amount scholars as to which word was used and what was meant. Tomorrow, The Golan Heights. 21 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Day 9 - The Golan Heights Tim Ede, February 28, 2015 The Golan Heights is a mountain range about 40 miles long and 8 miles wide. It has a plateau on top. The region has been in dispute for over 3000 years. It borders Israel and Syria. Its structure and location make it strategically important to both countries defense. Israel gained control in 1967 during the 6-day war. This photo was taken about a quarter mile from the Syrian border. While we were there were heard several explosions and saw smoke rising in the Syrian town off in the distance. A retired Israeli tank commander spoke of his experience during the 6-day war against Syria. He told us he was only 19 years old and his crew consistent of three 18- year-olds; a driver, a gunner and a gun loader. When he arrived at the front, he immediately cited a Russian-made T 62 tank. He quickly fired one round that fell short of the target then fired a second round with a direct hit, blowing the turret off the tank. The tank rolled over 360 and landed upright on its tracks. He said that he felt exhilarated and joyful by having done his duty. They continued forward and engaged two other Syrian driven Russian tanks and disabled them both. Upon returning to his unit he passed the first tank that they had destroyed earlier. He took the time to get out of his tank and look into that destroyed Syrian tank. All four crewmen we re dead but he discovered one soldier holding the Koran. He opened the Koran and found a photo of a woman and two children. He then stated that he never regretted doing his duty for his country but that he was extremely ashamed of himself for the feelings of joy and elation he felt at the time of the kill. 22 T im Ede s Israel Trip
He explained that even though that event was 48 years ago he is still troubled. All who heard him were moved. This snowcapped mountain is Mount Hermon and is the highest mountain in Israel. 23 T im Ede s Israel Trip
Day 10 - The River Jordan Tim Ede, March 1, 2015 The last day We visited the River Jordan and then rode a boat on the Sea of Galilee. At the Jordan River, anyone who wished to be baptized could be baptized in the river. I have been baptized and felt no need to go through the ceremony again. There were many in our group who chose to be re-baptized for a sense of spiritual revitalization. The river was extremely cold due to the run-off from snowcapped Mount Hermon. Next we boarded several boats for a brief Journey on of the Sea of Galilee. Note the two pictures below especially the close-up showing the name of the boat in the second picture. I m sure you can guess which boat I chose to board. My mind drifted to St. Paul s letter to the Corinthians about Faith, Hope and Love. I was reminded of a lesson that I was once taught. It goes something like this: The greatest of these is Love, because Faith may be lost in sight, Hope ends in fruition but Love extends beyond the grave to the boundless realm of eternity. Jesus love does extend beyond the empty tomb and will last until time shall be no more! 24 T im Ede s Israel Trip
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