Louie is our guide, who is quite knowledgable about history and religion. A native of Jerusalem, he provides much insight into the culture of the people and the area. His wife is from Arkasas and when Louie is not working as an Israeli tour guide, he works real estate here in the states. He is very gifted and a great help in guiding and directing us through the area.
And now we begin our sacred journey.
We arrived in Jericho early this morning (January 27). The temperature was 65-70 degrees and the sky was blue. Here we climbed 185 and a half steps to the top of the tel, an area of excavations to explore the ruins.. What is a tel? A tel is a term applied to a city mound. When a city begins to fall down, its residents knock down the walls and build on top of the rubble. Over time the level on which the city is built rises on this mound or tel.
Jericho, located in Palestine, may be the oldest city in the world; it was the first city conquered by Joshua and the children of Israel. You may want to take some time and read Joshua 2-6.
• The story begins as spies are sent to Jericho: Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. The king of Jericho was told, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to search out the land.” –Joshua 2:1-2
• And continues as the story of the fall of Jericho is told in Joshua 6:12-21
As you read these scriptures keep in mind that Jericho was probably a small city, with mud brick walls that have long since been disintegrated by both wind and rain. In its prime, Jericho was considered to be a city of great wealth.
Jericho, which is 6 miles north of the Dead Sea and 2 miles north of the site of New Testament Jericho, is situated 1200 feet below sea level. The New Testament Jericho was built by Herod the Great and was the city Jesus passed through while traveling to and from Jerusalem. (NOTE: Jerusalem is 4000 feet above sea level so the walk was a steep descent or ascent, depending on the direction one was traveling.)
Jericho is noted for its springs, well watered fields, and citrus fruits. The spring of Jericho (Elisha’s Sping: II Kings 2:13, 19-22) is across the road from Tel Jericho among palm trees. Nearby is Zacchaeus’ famous Sycamore Tree (Luke 19:1-10). Here is where I told my story of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus.
Another story associated with New Testament Jericho is The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52)
While in the area we also saw the place believed to be the site where Jesus is believed to have spent forty days and forty nights fasting and meditating during the temptation of Satan (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13).
First picture copied from http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8689939
If you look carefully, you'll notice some buildings on the hillside. This is a Greek Orthodox monastery and can be reached via cablecar, as well as by walking.
After the story telling, we left Jericho and headed to Beit She'an, a city that dates back to 3500 BCE during the Chalcolithic Period and has known over 5000 years of continuous habitation. The city was given to the tribe of Manasseh and later was occupied by the Philistines during the reign of Saul. After Saul’s death his body was taken to Beit Shean and was displayed on the city walls.
The Bible mentions Beit She'an as one of the Canaanite cities which was not conquered by the Israelites under Joshua. (Joshua 17:1 1-12; Judges 1:27) The city is again mentioned after the defeat of the Israelite army of King Saul by the Philistines on Mt. Gilboa (south of the city), when they impaled the bodies of King Saul and his sons on the walls of Beit She'an. (I Samuel 31:10-12)
Dennis Dewey and Lynn White, our biblical story teller hosts told stories from 1 Samuel 31: 1-13 --The death of Saul)and 2 Samuel 1:17-27 --- David's lament for Saul and Jonathan.
Dennis Dewey
Lynn White
During the Hellenistic Period the city’s name was changed to Scythopolis, meaning the City of the Scythians, and then in 63 BCE, Pompey took the city for Rome and Scythopolis was made one of the ten cities of the Decropolis. It was the only one on the western side of the Jordan River.
Here, among the excavations, were an amphitheatre, baths, temples, and all that Rome had to offer. Rome, of course, built on the Greek ruins, which built on an earlier site. Then the Byzantine era built on top of the Roman. So where do you stop? The Byzantine era is important in Israel because it was the early Christian era of significance--after Constantine converted the Roman world.
Bet She'an was destroyed by an earthquake in 749 and was never rebuilt.
Next we will journey to Nazareth and Cana.
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