This morning we left the beautiful bowl of hills around the Sea of Galilee and headed toward Jerusalem. On the way we stopped in Cana, and visited a church built over ruins of Biblical Cana homes. Cana is where Jesus attended a wedding and turned the water into wine. Pastor Justin Spady read the Biblical account and shared a brief testimony. Jesus’ compassion and interest in hospitality reminded us that no concern of ours is too small for Jesus to care about.

Next, we visited Nazareth, where the angel announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah. Under a magnificent basilicas, we viewed a carpenter shop ruins, and a possible location where the angel visited Mary. W,hen Jesus returned as an adult to preach in His hometown of Nazareth, the people took him to the brow of a hill and were going to cast him down and do him harm but God miraculously protected him. Nazareth is 18 miles from the Sea of Galilee.

From Nazareth, we drove through the beautiful lush green Jezreel Valley, past waving grain fields, Pomeganate trees, orange trees, grapes, nuts, persimmons, and more. In the middle of this vast valley we drove up to the hill of Megiddo (Armageddon). Stories involving King Ahab, Jezebel, and Naboth, happened here. Here we hiked down into and along a 250-foot underground water tunnel that brought water into the city of Megiddo. This desirable location, which seemed like a very strong defense, was conquered and rebuilt 25 times that we know of. How true it is that if we do not have the defense of the Lord, we are not secure at all.

After this we were off to Cessera by the sea (Mediterranean). This was a capital city in Roman Palestine. Herod the great built a great amphitheater here which is still standing overlooking the sea. Here many orations and debates were held. From here, Paul set out for Rome across the Mediterranean to share the message of Jesus, after appealing to Agrippa that he be tried as a Roman citizen. This was also the hometown of Philip after he shared with the Ethiopian. Here was a huge hippodrome, also build by Herod, where chariot races, were often held.

Finally, we settled down for the night in the old city of Jerusalem. We will be here for the next four nights.

Juanita Edge, Communication Director